a 2012 imagine that! new year

HAPPY 2012 NEW YEAR TO ALL OF US!

It feels as though it’s going to be an interesting 2012. Interesting that loosely-used and versatile word saves the user from having to explain further as it has a way of explaining itself. People understand what they want to understand when the word is used. I like this word.

What is there to say about the coming year other than there’s a good chance it’ll be interesting? Will it be more interesting than other years? Will it be interesting in that they’ll be more wars, more political betrayals, more greed, more abductions, more foreclosures, more murders, and more scandals?

Or interesting in that we are our “brother’s keeper” will be written in our hearts, and step-by-step all of the above will have no place in our world because the pattern has been broken and replaced with “How can I serve?” Some people say this way is not possible on Planet Earth. Some say it is indeed possible. How will we ever know whether it is or it isn’t unless we give it a try? Imagine what an exquisitely interesting world it could be.

HAPPY 2012 NEW YEAR TO ALL OF US!

parenting


I had a recent discussion with someone about bringing up a child in today’s world, and when I got off the phone I took a long, deep breath. it’s an ongoing discussion, and anyone raising a child knows about all the advice and opinions coming from books, magazine articles, blogs, family, and friends, and the confusion at times when needing an answer and finding contradictions.

I feel though that a few things haven’t changed: the ease of teaching at that early fun age by just walking and talking and playing rather than trying to get a teenager’s attention later on; the loneliness of making tough decisions, and the strength that follows; the importance of honing one’s intuition and common sense; guilt that creeps into the mind at all hours of the day and night (It serves no purpose, and it drains one’s energy); the importance of forgiving and then forgetting; communicating as much as possible; laughing often; knowing when to let go; and appreciating the gift of a precious life to care for and to love.

Then I thought again about writing more, and said, no, no, no, it’s too broad a subject having too many opinions. So, instead I’ll generalize and take the easy way and say: parenting in today’s world is having to give all you’ve got and expecting nothing much in return – for a while. It’s about knowing that if you do your very best, you’ll end up smiling often. It’s about building a strong foundation of trust in oneself, one’s child, and the Universe. It’s about developing the power of intuition. It’s about understanding that every child is different and nothing is written in stone, and no one knows a child better than a loving parent/caregiver. It’s about not comparing. It’s about using lots of common sense. It’s about unconditional love, understanding and compassion. It’s about letting go at the right time. It’s about hopefully staying two steps ahead until those parenting skills (which are mostly learned “on the job” – interesting because it’s such an important job) kick in. It’s about remembering the words of the older generation who keep repeating them when they sense you’re about to fall apart: “I know it seems like the longest journey you’ve ever been on, but trust me, it all goes by so fast.” Difficult to imagine, but true; I know from experience that it passes in a flash. Enjoy the ride, and every so often smile when reading the words of Khalil Gibran.

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you.
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.”

* * * * * * *

And the following are Krishnamurti’s words taken from an address he had given in 1927 and printed in the book The Spiritual Tourist: A Personal Odyssey Through the Outer Reaches of Belief by Mick Brown (“This book starts out excellently and then gets better.” Robert M. Pirsig, Author of ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE):

“What are you seeking . . . you who strive and struggle and ache eternally with unsatisfied longings? Is it money? Is it possessions? Is it fame? Is it physical comfort? Is it love? Is it spiritual safety? . . . Yes indeed, you think it is one of these things. But I tell you it is not. What you are seeking for ceaselessly, day and night, is Happiness . . . The thing you seek is ever at your hand. Be Happy, and then whatever you do will be worthwhile . . . Do that which makes you happy to do, and you will do right.”

Today the sun is out in full force and I hear people laughing as they walk pass my window. It looks like a beautiful day; let’s be happy and enjoy.

brad warner, zen buddhist


I hadn’t heard of Brad Warner (although he seems to have many people reading his blog, listening to his music, and attending his sessions on Zen teachings) until reading about him in Tricycle Winter 2011 magazine. www.tricycle.com. “What an interesting guy,” I said to myself as I read on.

It’s refreshing to depart from the usual way of doing things and look at another way – Brad Warner’s way, and I intend to read more about him on his blog: www.hardcorezen.blogspot.com


It seems that there’s a whiff of criticism in the air about the way he practices, and, in general, lives his life. We live in a world that likes to criticize sometimes. I’m thinking though that what’s important here is that he’s helping people and teaching people, and that, one would think, is the bottom line.

madan lloyd


It’s taken a long time for me to read The Watkins Review Mind Body Spirit, Issue 27. Since this past summer I’ve been transporting it by way of tote bag, suitcase, hand always thinking I’ll find a cafe, enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, and read. However, with this magazine it’s not that simple, the reading of it doesn’t get very far because many of the articles are worthy of consideration as they’re not the kind that allow going from page to page, and then casting out the magazine. They seem to want to be read, and savored throughout the day, and somewhere along the way, the question becomes, why are they special in my life?


This morning I began reading DIANA’S LEGACY The Death and Rebirth of a Monarchy by Madan Lloyd who “is the UK Co-ordinator for the New Earth Olympics 2012, a free-to-enter online video competition in 12 categories, running concurrently with the London Olympics.” The following is an exquisite, not-to-be-missed website pertaining to this: www.neo2012.co.uk All of a sudden tears started welling up in my eyes because the writer, after lovingly writing about the former princess, takes an abrupt turn – still tying in with the idea – just taking it in an entirely different direction. It’s a powerful piece of writing; it keeps in mind love’s power, while it touches upon this Planet’s heavy topics.

And he mentions Prince Charles, and William and Kate, and then writes: “. . . and we all badly need a real live fairytale love story like this one, not least because the happy ending is the timely and definitive demise of an empire built on lies, deceit and outrageous abuse of the sacred process of education, by which every man, woman and child on Planet Earth – regardless of race, creed, colour or social status – possesses the divine right of equal access to all information and instruction regarding how to make the very best use of this precious human life.”

And then, in his poetic style, he writes: “. . . as a bright new sun rises at the end of a long, dark night when corporate predators – most notable of banking, oil and pharmaceutical persuasion – preyed mercilessly on every innocent life they could entrap within the deadly web of their economic and media manipulations.” – I somehow lost it for a few minutes. And I had to wonder, why tears when reading this particular article?

I think it’s a special person who can write about corruption, greed, power – those topics that especially weigh heavily on us – while managing to keep an eye on the importance of every human being and, or course, on the power love can play in the world. A writer with heart and new wisdom has the ability to touch upon heavy topics using few words – the right words – and having those words stab at the reader’s heart – in a good way.

The next article in The Watkins Review: Eros, Buddha & the Spectrum of LOVE, an interview with ANDREW COHEN; GURU and KEN WILBER: PANDIT which took place at the Boulder Integral Center. I wonder what you’d think of this interview. If you don’t have the magazine, and want to read it, check out www.watkinsbooks.com

Are you having a beautiful day? I hope so.

controversy? or choices, changes, teachings

Before I clicked on, “Empty Spam,” a few words caught my eye, and I had to smile. They were: “Some of the things you say are controversial. . . .” Controversial: “clash of opposing views.”

But . . . opposite views seem a part of life, and help us to sort things out, so to speak. Most of what’s on this blog is light and sort of simple; I like simple. The words that inspire me over and over are: beauty, harmony, love, wisdom, joy, forgiveness, happy, compassion, understanding, fun, elegance, right action, change, laughter, courage, abundance and success (these last two words mean different things to different people). And the Divine. Controversial? – just choices to be made, changes taking place, teachings to ponder.

It often seems, however, that whenever we think we’ve found the “right” teaching from an “expert,” turn around and they’ll always be another “right” teaching” from a different “expert” saying the opposite of what we now hold to be true. I used to find this disconcerting, because it happened a lot. Now I understand that there’s room for many kinds of teachings because there are many kinds of people. And if we’re evolving the way we’re supposed to be, we might need to look around for something that will take us to the next step on our journey. If we stay at the same place, always thinking the same way, how will we ever find the next step?

There’s not just one mountain, one ocean, one kind of animal, one human face looking like all the others, etc. It would be intolerably boring if everything was the same. When we open our eyes really wide we’ll see that change is the spice of life. Many of us think that if we don’t rock our boat we’ll be secure and snug in our own little corner of the world. The funny thing is that when it’s time to evolve, our Higher Self will rock our boat until we fall out. (are you laughing yet?) Does that sound awful? I know, but in the long run it can be an energizing experience if we don’t resist. And quite possibly, after a time, we’ll say thank you for the change.

Choices, changes, teachings – we’re blessed; we have the ability to innately know what we need at any given time – if only we would stay quiet for a while, learn to listen and trust what the within is trying to tell us, and then hone the power within until we become the “expert” in our own life.

No controversy there, right?

It’s time to hit the road 🙂 What a lovely day – may the day be all you want it to be.

* * * * * * *
There is another world and it is within this one.
– Paul Eluard

Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
– Rumi (Coleman Barks, translator)

The music that ushered in the cosmos plays on,
inside us and around us.
– Brian Swimme

How can there be redemption and resurrection unless there
has been great sorrow? And isn’t struggle and rising
the real work of our lives?
– Mary Oliver

Work of the sight is done . . .
Now do heart work
On the pictures within you.
– Rainer Maria Rilke

Which of the two powers is able to raise men to
the highest sphere, love or music? . . .
I think we may say, that while love can give us no idea of
music, music can realize the idea of love. But why separate
one from the other? The soul soars on the wings of both.
– Hector Berlioz

The beautiful quotes above are from: THE NATURE OF MUSIC Beauty, Sound, and Healing by Maureen McCarthy Draper.

contact has begun – a true story with james gilliland. . .a message that will change your world. . . .


The above DVD has quite a full title. Are you interested?

Every so often I pick up a book or a DVD about UFOs. I feel that since we’re part of the Universe, it makes sense to know what’s going on, as much as we possibly can. There are many people who are giving considerable time to the study of UFOs, and in the process are finding out much more. It’s just about impossible now to leave this topic on the back burner. “. . . The Times CNN poll stated that 80% of people believe that UFOs are real and that there’s a government cover-up.” This was noted on the DVD which came out in 2007. Since that time, it’s been reported that there have been numerous UFO sightings by many people in different areas of the world. And so I watched and listened attentively to CONTACT HAS BEGUN A True Story with James Gilliland . . . A MESSAGE THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD, knowing that it was written and produced by people who care deeply about the Universe, particularly what’s happening to Planet Earth, and who also care about our role as evolving human beings.

Watching and listening to the people who had a part in the documentary was easy and exciting, especially since years ago Hollywood movies and the powers that be put fear into anyone wanting to know more about UFOs. And I began to realize while viewing the above-mentioned DVD that our past knowledge about UFOs hardly holds true.

What should be of interest to all of us is what it has to tell us about: the human race, consciousness, other dimensions, Planet Earth’s distress, UFOs, climate change, ancient civilizations, spiritual awakening, technology, our connection to everything, “the funding of Hollywood,” the military, earth changes, the messages we are being given, etc. I can only imagine what has happened since this film came to market in 2007.

Somewhere in the watching and listening it becomes evident that we need to make necessary changes in order to move forward and to evolve as we’re meant to do. To rescue Planet Earth, the consciousness of every one of us needs to be brought to a higher frequency so that we can work harmoniously together. It would seem that in order to do this we can’t live passively, or in fear, or allow negative thoughts to rule us. It’s been said that when our thoughts are negative we keep ourselves and Planet Earth at a very low frequency.

Also, it seems to be to our advantage to put away some of the “toys” we depend on for entertainment. So much time goes to entertaining ourselves with things that, in the end, leave us dissatisfied and keep us from knowing things about ourselves that, to put it frankly, are awesome. It’s been said that daily allowing for private time and journal keeping in order to ask ourselves questions and be willing to hear the answers about ourselves can restore us to a higher frequency, and when that happens, we can expect, well, I think you know what. And then we can begin to eliminate fear, and start to do the things that in our deep-down private moments we know we’re capable of doing.

From what I understand, as long as we’re not hurting anyone, the way we want to live life is absolutely our choice, and the choices are unlimited. It’s everyone’s birthright to dig deeper and deeper into the how-to of living a life of joy, peace, wisdom, beauty, loving-kindness, and abundance. It seems though that fear keeps most of us from living extraordinary lives.

The Universe is wonderfully fascinating and we all have to dare to expand our relationship to all that is, and who we are, and where we’re going. Living in kindness, harmony, compassion unconditional love, beauty, forgiveness will align us to a higher frequency, and together we’ll restore Planet Earth to the dignity it once had, and in the process, we’ll realize that we’re so much more than we imagine ourselves to be.

I’m glad I had the chance to watch and listen to:

James Gilliland
www.eceti.org
Dr. Brooks Agnew
www.arkofmillionsofyears.com
Dr. Miceal Ledwith
www.hamburgeruniverse.com
Dr. Michael Salta
www.exopolitics.org
Neil Freer
www.neilfreer.com

If you opt to view CONTACT HAS BEGUN . . . , or another DVD of that ilk, sit, watch, and listen carefully til the very end. You just might be glad you did.

I hope the day is an absolutely lovely one for you.

* * * * * * *

We arrive at truth, not by reason only, but also by the heart. – Blaine Pascal

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small my mind would comprehend it. -Pastor Harry Emerson Fosdick

Don’t play for safety – it’s the most dangerous game in the world. – Hugh Walpole

The greatest gift you can give the world
is your own growth into the full consciousness
of your own possibilities – and ultimately
the evolutionary possibilities of the
whole human species. – Alan Watts

frog in the lotus position, and agartha by meredith lady young


I bought a gift for a special someone having a November birthday. It’s a statue of a frog (about 6 inches tall) sitting in a lotus position, and it’s on a table waiting for creative wrapping with paper and pretty ribbon. Every time I look at it it cracks me up, and I think it should be mine; but no, it was bought for another. Though now I’m sensing that it should be sent to another special someone who was also born in November; somehow it seems the perfect gift for that person and not for the one originally in mind. Hmm! What to do? These feelings that come from no where are usually on target and should be honored because experience tells me that when they are it all works out.


Earlier today I took the book Agartha A JOURNEY TO THE STARS by Meredith Lady Young from its shelf, and began reading a familiar passage about brain and mind. I think many more people are comfortable with the idea of channeling (yes, channeling) than when the book was first published. It says that the brain is matter and controls “physiological function, adjustment and adaptation.” And that mind “. . . is cut free to assimilate and analyze in a totally unique manner. . . .” if we don’t recognize, learn about, tap into, and work with all that is a part of us (both the known and unknown), then all that can expand our lives will be dormant. When we listen to, ask questions of, and use all the parts of our being, taking steps in small matters to build confidence, we’ll eventually be able to utilize all that we are in all matters, having prepared ourselves for expansion.

With that said, frog in the lotus position will be sent to the birthday person it wasn’t intended for, but whose face comes to mind when I look at frog in the lotus position. Now that was easy; time to wrap and send, and run out to buy another gift for the one who won’t be receiving frog in the lotus position.

The sun is still trying to shine today. Do you feel a chill in the air? Keep warm. And let’s all of us have an exceptional day

studies show. . .

It’s been said that when we practice, practice, practice for some 10,000 hours we will have mastered whatever it is we want to master. Recent research also shows that our brain is 50% plastic and that we absolutely can change, change, change – radically. We, who have been telling ourselves for a very long time that this is how I was born; this is my genetic makeup, will have to find a different excuse, and good luck with that, -more and more studies are indicating that we are capable of much more than we realize.

In the extraordinary book The Compassionate Life – WALKING the PATH of KINDNESS author Marc Ian Barasch wrote this: “. . . while our project may be to see through thought itself, thus earning our full name Homo sapiens sapiens, the creature that is aware of being aware.” I had to read that a few times . . . “thus earning our full name. . .” it felt right.

French born Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard, who, with his father Jean-Francois Revel, wrote the book THE MONK and the PHILOSOPHER A FATHER AND SON DISCUSS THE MEANING OF LIFE has been studied at leading institutes to discover how exactly has his brain changed after years of meditating. When the writer talked with the monk he mentioned that “ten thousand hours sound a bit much”; the monk replied that there are more recent studies of groups of people being taught compassion, and his rough prediction is that “you’ll see a sharp upward cuvre, maybe the most dramatic change, in the first six months.” Though about meditation he said it’s more like seven years, that “it’s not the seven-day cure for self-centeredness.” As I read the book I thought, so good to know, so good to know, so good to know.

Arianna Huffington praised the book with these words: “Refreshingly real, beyond right or left, just straight to the center of the human heart. If you want to help save the world today, then give someone-anyone-this startling, truthful, and passionate book.” And from William Ury, PhD, coauthor of Getting to Yes, “If I had to pick one skill that was most important for a negotiator – meaning everyone, every day – it would be the ability to put yourself in the other side’s shoes. In this extraordinary book, Marc Barasch helps us understand why and how.”

Put a dry book in my hand and I’ll end up reading the same sentence over and over. The Compassionate Life is not that. Along with excellent research, it’s personal and humorous and was written by “an award-winning writer, editor, and television producer.” He’s also the founder of the Green World Campaign: www.greenworld.org

Why am I telling you this? Well, I’m thinking that there are a lot of reasons to read this book, especially since many of us are realizing that the world in which we live is not what it could/should be.

Ode Magazine wrote an article on The Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard titled the world’s happiest man. Should you want, check it out at: www.odemagazine.com

Have a lovely weekend – rain or shine.

about us


In her book, The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist wrote: “Mother Teresa once noted what she called ‘the deep poverty of the soul’ that afflicts the wealthy, and had said that the poverty of the soul in America was deeper than any poverty she had seen anywhere on earth.'”
www.soulofmoney.org

On her blog, 3 Keys to Living the Life You Want, Jean Houston wrote, “. . . But now there is an open moment in history where you have the chance to tap into the soul of your purpose. . . .” and she wrote, “Most people hold on to old, limiting beliefs of themselves and our human story. . . .” and, “The third key gives you the means to break free from unconscious, habitual ways of reacting to life that were born thousands of years ago, and embrace higher ways of being for a new era. You will discover ways to move through life with ebullience in your bones and an appetite for celebration –seeing everything as an expression of the creator. You will move through life, motivated not by guilt or obligation, but by gratitude and an abiding zest for doing the things that are called forth by living out of your higher purpose.”
www.DestinyandYou.com

In the book, The Healing Power of Mind, Tulku Thondup wrote, “If we habitually dwell on and struggle with the negative side of our situation, our whole mentality, perception, and experience will inexorably become negative and filled with suffering. Seeing a problem as negative, constantly thinking and talking about how awful or painful it is, makes even minor problems insurmountably big and solid like a mountain, sharp like a knife, and dark as night. . . .”
www.tulkuthondup.com

In the book, Your Life Is Your Message, Eknath Easwaran wrote, “. . ., in order to live in inner freedom, you have to learn how to slow down your mind, bring it to a restorative stillness, and park it anywhere you like – in patience, say, or compassion, or love.”
www.eknatheaswaran.org

In the movie, The Burmese Harp directed by Kon Ichikawa, are these words, “. . . Why must the world suffer such misery? Why must there be such inexplicable pain? As the days passed, I came to understand. I realized that, in the end, the answers were not for human beings to know, that our work is simply to ease the great suffering of the world, To have the courage to face suffering, senselessness and irrationality without fear, to find the strength to create peace by one’s own example. I will undergo whatever training is necessary for this to become my unshakable conviction. . . .”

In the CD, The Flowering of Human Consciousness, Eckhart Tolle said, “Humanity has come to the end of suffering. As a species we have suffered enough. To be free, no other suffering is necessary.”
www.eckharttolle.com

In the DVD, How to Know God, Deepak Chopra said, “When we are attuned to our soul, which is the same as deeply going inward, we are able to listen in the silence to the subtle messages of wisdom and guidance. When our minds merge with God’s mind, we become aware that God is in all things – that we are eternal.”
www.deepakchopra.com

In the book, Everyday Karma, Carmen Harra wrote, “Once you bring a problem to the surface, and face it, healing can begin. I also think that healing takes place when a person begins to put order in his life, when he restores balance. One of the most effective ways to restore balance and maintain a sense of wholeness is by resolving your karma in your daily life. You will find that restoring your karma will make you feel better and prevent many types of illnesses and physical complaints. Resolving your karma strengthens your immune system! When people get enmeshed in emotional drama, their energy field becomes vulnerable and that is when they can get sick.”
www.carmenharra.com

In the book, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen wrote, “Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot, it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstnace.”

In the book, The Advent of the Cosmic Viewpoint, Bryant Reeve wrote, “. . . But as we rise to higher levels of consciousness – as we attain higher viewpoints of life then the very laws of nature tend to change. Also, the electrical phenomena of life change, the energies of life are different, the norm of living changes. The actual realities of life are different. The limitations become fewer. The very “facts of life” change as we rise in consciousness! This is why miracles are possible. They are manifestations of higher laws which become available to higher levels of consciousness.”

In the book, Divine Transformation, part of the Soul Power Series, written by #1 New York Times Bestseller Author Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha – trained as a conventional medical doctor and a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Grandmaster of many ancient disciplines, including tai chi, qi gong, kung fun, I Ching, and feng shui and an expert in the most advanced cellular healing science now occurring in China – wrote, “. . . In all seven books, the Divine has continued to offer divine treasures to every reader. Why is the Divine doing this? We are in Mother Earth’s transition period. Mother Earth’s transition is the purification process of Mother Earth. The root cause of Mother Earth’s transition is the bad karma of humanity and Mother Earth. . . . The one-sentence secret of karma is: Karma is the root cause of success and failure in every aspect of life.”
www.drsha.com

I hope your day is as wonderful as you want it to be.

A Philosophers Notes – A great new site for spiritual expansion

I happened to come across a new site that I think is really worth taking a look at www.philosophersnotes.com

The “Chief Philosopher” of the site, the very well-spoken and positive professional, Brian Johnson, has put together a website with pdf synopsis’/mp3 audio clips and a plethora of other sections geared to providing information gleaned from 100 personal growth books. Johnson picked the 100 books mentioned, which date from history to present day, that he had found to be most influential. Many of the titles such as “The Four Agreements” and “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” are very recognizable, and Johnson’s clean breakdowns act as effective guides in highlighting key points. The nice thing about the breakdowns, is that they don’t act as replacements for the books, in fact, Johnson usually begins by saying something similar to “You must read this book,” or “Only read this book if you want to change your life.”
Think of it as sort of a book club/school for personal growth.

In addition to the book sections, Johnson provides individual segments on energy, courage, and more. The goal being to create a strong personal core for success in all parts of your life. There are also “Blissations,” subliminal messages you can have personally made for you. When it’s bedtime, check out the meditating sleep noise, such as ocean sounds (I am a fan). I’m glad to have come across this website. I think it’s a great boost during the day and a good way to see a glimpse at a number of powerful books, we may not have discovered on our own.

Have you used the site? We’d be interested in hearing your feedback, too!