On The Wings of Dreams

The Spirit of the Earth

Reflections by Tee

Reflections by Tee

Who are we?

There are people who live on the surface of things. They follow the rules of the culture, find their purpose and worth in acquisition, in power-over and in appearances.

There are people who live in the depths, who play at blaming, who believe their inability to achieve and to succeed exists outside themselves. They create the reasons why, and make them the truth of their lives.

There are people who live in fear, and fight and argue and insist that they are right. They believe that if they are not right, the world will crush them. They work diligently to silence any voices in opposition to their beliefs in any way they can.

There are people who are lost. Who follow the way of the crowd, hoping to pass through life unnoticed by its dangers and cruelties. They nod and smile and hold themselves very close, following along with no goal other than to avoid suffering.

There are people who are running. Who flirt with danger and court adventure in order the escape feeling the pain of the world. They move quickly from one experience to the next, never stopping to incorporate their experiences into their being.

There are people who spend their lives analyzing - breaking down life into cause and effect. Always seeking to understand how the world works, its laws and its consequences.

There are people who spend their lives nurturing - caring for others with no thoughts of themselves. Always seeking to heal the wounds, to right the wrongs, to give.

And yes, there are people bent on cruelty. Who thrive on the suffering of others. We can not ignore that this is true.

We are all, all of us, all these people. Yet we are also people who pick ourselves up when life knocks us down. We live and we love and we learn and keep going, believing, hoping, creating a better world each day. We don’t believe the doomsayers, and yet we also don’t believe that everything will work itself out fine on its own. Our minds and hearts and hands are all required to bring the world into a place of peace, of balance, of justice and of love.

Our struggles make us stronger. Our despair opens our hearts to others. Our inability to fix everything humbles us. Our ability to see beauty lightens our burden and inspires us to create more beauty.

Once we see the truth, once we understand that we are both utterly alone and completely connected at the same time, we begin to understand the path to wholeness. We begin to see with our third eye, both inside and outside at the same time. We no longer fight life, but jump joyously into its flow and engage its process with all of our being. We understand that we are in control of our attitude toward life. There is nothing to fear. There is only this step and then the next. There is only taking each step with confidence and joy.

Breathe in the air that is life.
Smile at the sun on your face.
Sing to the moon in the night.
Open your heart to life’s grace.

Peace,
Tee

copyright 2010 Teri Nolan

Musings

The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.  ~Ward Elliot Hour

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.  ~Pietro Aretino

The other day I found myself longing for spring. Only three days into winter, with snow still on the ground from that giant solstice snow storm, and there I was projecting myself out into a future of warming breezes and blossoming flowers. Not good. Spring remains months away.

I lectured myself about the pointlessness of premature spring-longing and the unhappiness that would surely bring. Find the boons of winter! I told myself.

Immediately thoughts of creativity popped into my thinking. Short days, dark nights, winter’s chill - what else is there to do but seek out the muses and give myself over the creative spirit?

Okay, good plan.

It wasn’t long before I was frustrated. The muses are slippery and elusive. Trying to engage the muse is like trying to catch an eel under water. Good luck with that. The best you can hope for is to open your hands and perhaps, just maybe, an eel will happen to swim between your open palms. It might stay there awhile if you are still and don’t do anything scary. Really, you shouldn’t stare at it, either. They are flighty that way.

Enough of the eel metaphor, apt as it is.

Inviting the creative spirit to come and play with you requires a state of alert and playful readiness. I know there are a few lucky people who seem to ooze creativity 24/7. Some muse has found their particular shoulder to be a happy place to live, and anytime they sit down with pen or paints or piano, here comes art.

I am not one of those people. You probably aren’t either. If you are, however, I am very happy for you, but you can stop reading now!

Let’s talk about the rest of us, shall we?

One thing you can do to entice the spirit of creativity into your life is to show up for the practice. That means using your awareness to dissolve whatever resistance arises when you consider creating anything. “What if I sit down with pen and paper and nothing happens?” is one dreaded thought. Sometimes it pans out that way. So, to avoid the disappointment, don’t expect anything. Expectation and attachments are major muse deflectors.

Still, you must show up. Must bring your attention. The trick is to also keep your emotions quiet, or at least delicately pleased (for no reasons whatsoever!). In other words, be amused by your blocks and barriers - your thoughts of doom and failure. Consider how silly it is that you could be upset by one failed effort to produce.

That’s why you must show up for the muses the next day, as well. And the next, and the next. Always with a light heart and calm attention.

The aim is not a New York Time’s bestseller or a symphony to equal Beethoven’s ninth. It is to express your unique “youness”. It is, perhaps, to share that with others. It could be to merely hang your creation on the wall for just you to connect with and delight in every day. Inside you is that place of art, and to find it is part of finding your Self.

Perhaps the trickiest part of attracting the muses is the seemingly lazy, introspective idleness that is sometimes required. Many artists talk about the times between creative output where daydreaming about nothing in particular is the rule. It is the priming of the creative pump, and the cold months of winter are particularly suited to this non-activity.

I forget who said this, but the saying has stuck with me. “Resistance always has meaning.” Eventually, if you continue to resist showing up for your creative pursuit, it is likely that you are in your own way. It can be helpful at such times to meditate, to ponder, on that feeling of resistance. What fear is in your way? Failure? Success? Exposure? Self-doubt? Work with the feeling, which also means, don’t resist the resistance. Or, as another wise person once said, “Stop fighting with the Universe.”

Each one of us has some medium where our creative spirit shines through. It is important to engage this medium. Why? Because it empowers us. It releases pent-up emotions and frees us to live well in a world that often seems quite crazy. It’s a great sanity-builder!

While I admit that my preferred form of expression is writing, I do find that when the written word eludes me, I can engage the muse in other ways. I paint a bit, or play with sculpey. I even crochet (though very poorly). I have several friends who are every bit as expressive with food creations as I could ever hope to be with words!

In other words, if you are a painter, and the painting muse is hiding out in a fifth level dimension somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse, there are other muses hanging out that would love to play.

The are no boundaries on creative play. Some glue and a few toothpicks can do the trick. I don’t believe in ‘art’ as an exclusive thing that only a few extremely talented people can engage. No! It’s all about creation and your participation in creating something - anything! Prime that pump!

Spring will return, there’s no doubt there. The rhythm of the cycles and the seasons are a sure ground to stand upon. To do so, however, we must be flexible and work with what is.

If you are hating the winter, you are arguing with the Universe. Why not accept the gifts of the season, instead? The muses like that sort of thing, and you might just find one sitting comfortably on your shoulder, inspiring you to new creative heights.

That is my wish for you in this New Year.

Peace,
Tee

photos, artwork, collage and text copyright 2010 Teri Nolan

Your Soul’s Calling

[Ring Ring]

“Hello?”

“Hello. May I please speak to You?”

“This is Me. Who’s calling please?”

“This is your Soul calling.”

“My Soul? Wow! How have you been? What’s up?”

“Not much, actually. You, see that’s why I’m calling…”

“Oh no! Is something wrong?”

“Not wrong, really. Just dull and meaningless.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?”

“Actually, yes. There is something.”

“What? You know I want to help if I can.”

“Good! In that case, perhaps you might remember we are One, and bring me back into your life.”

[silence]

“Hello? Are you still there?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“How about it? Can we work together as One, here?”

“Well, you see, I have a lot on my plate right now. You know, the holidays are coming up and there’s this big project at work. I’m pretty busy.”

“Are You kidding Me?”

“Maybe you could call back in February. Things should slack off by then.”

“Seriously?”

“I’m really sorry. Look, I’ve gotta run. I have an appointment in a few minutes.”

“You know, I’m not going anywhere, and your life would run a lot more smoothly if you would acknowledge my existence.”

“Well… I might be able to squeeze you in this weekend. [ruffling pages] How about Saturday around noon?”

[click]

“Hello? Soul?”

[silence]

“Oh well, it mustn’t have been all that important.”

and… close scene.

Would you treat your best friend this way? Your soul, the one guaranteed relationship you will have from birth to death, is absolutely your best friend.

What does your soul like to do? It likes to dance and sing. It like to hug and it likes to swim. Your soul loves long walks in the woods and loves sitting quietly by candlelight just enjoying its own company.

Your soul likes to try new things. It likes to pick up a paint brush and go wild with colors and textures. It likes to write a poem that no one but you will ever read. Sometimes your soul enjoys testing itself by taking on the things it fears most.

The Egyptians had a word for soul, called Ka. It is our spiritual essence; the life force and divine spark. The gods breathed life into the newly born child, which made them alive.

So often we identifies ourselves only as our thinking mind, also called ego. The ego isn’t merely referring to conceit, but also to the part of our mind that processes information and makes judgments on it. The ego puts on jeans and sneakers and gets to work! At least it does when it is happiest. We misuse our egos constantly by believing they are ‘us’, when actually they are just one tool of the mind that is particularly good at talking really loud.

In contrast, our soul, our Ka, is quiet. It appreciates and comprehends instead of merely processing and judging. It observes phenomena without labels or opinions, and sees into their deeper nature.

How do you develop a relationship with your soul? All forms of artistic expression bring the soul up from the basement and into the light. Meditation is perhaps the surest bet, because (as I mentioned above) the soul comes out when your talking mind shuts up. Make a comfy place for you soul. Light candles, burn incense and put on some softly, soothing music. Your soul will absolutely come to check out that scene.

My personal favorite way to bring my soul to the forefront of my being is to write. Talking, ego mind goes away and I hear and see what seems to miraculously fly from my fingertips. It is a paradox that writing, being about words and ideas, can be soulful instead of ego-driven. But there it is.

There’s one thread that links this all together, and that is listening. Just listen. Calmly and without expectation, open your inner ears to the music of your soul. It’s always singing if you listen.

This year, when you are choosing gifts for those you love, remember your soul, your Ka. The only gift that it ever wants is your time and attention. Time, each day, to be with your best friend.

Peace -
Tee

copyright 2009 Teri Nolan

Happy 2nd Anniversary and a Top Ten List

Two years ago Laura suggested I write monthly essays for On the Wings of Dreams, called Reflections by Tee. Isn’t Laura brilliant? I think she is, because is provided an opportunity for me to contribute to the best little shop on the planet. It also allowed me to fulfill a dream of my own - to use my writing to put something positive and uplifting out into the world.

Twenty four essays later, Reflections remains a joyous place for me. Not only do I get to share the journey with readers, but I always learn some valuable gems from the process of writing them.

Who doesn’t love win/wins?

In celebration I decided to write a top ten list. Let’s call it “Tee’s Top 10 Life Lessons”.

Here we go…

#1. Every moment spent worrying is wasted time.
I was aware of this one for a very long time before it truly sank in. The crux of the thing is that if you cannot address a concern with words or deeds RIGHT NOW, then you need to drop it and focus on something over which you do have control. Worrying is bad for your health and helps no one or nothing. Trust yourself to meet each moment as it comes.

#2. It is not your job to fix everything.
Oh yes, I am a fixer. A solver of problems, which is a very good thing in most regards. Yet, when you are good at fixing things, your ego can get a bit inflated and you suffer when something unfixable comes along. It is a humbling experience, which is also a good thing. What’s the answer? There is a good mantra for this: “Accept the things you cannot change.” If you’ve given it your best effort with no results, continuing to struggle with it is only self-destructive.

#3. Find your smile.
When you are in a tough spot, a black mood or just can’t find your ray of sunshine, get your face to smiling. There is something about the physicality of smiling that uplifts you right away. It can even lead to laughter over how ridiculous it all is, which is even better!

#4. If you want to have a good time, you have to be willing to look foolish.
My friend Susan told me this one, although she doesn’t remember it. When I reminded her of it, she said, “Wow, I’m pretty smart!” Gotta love Susan. It is a true thing, however, that concerns over what other people think can make you ultra self-conscious. If you are doing no harm, then just be yourself! Be silly. Have fun. Wear you big purple hat to the grocery store. Dance down the street with a friend singing Beatles’ songs. Why not? Show me the rules forbidding it. There are none! The heart thrives on fun.

#5. Where you keep your mind determines your experience.
I get a bit miffed when I hear the saying “Your thoughts create your reality.” It’s about 10 degrees off the mark. When you wake up tomorrow, gravity will still work even if you don’t believe in it. But (and this is a big but!) what you focus on in your life does have the propensity to change your experience of it. Think of it like a house plant. If you water it, make sure it has light, pull the dead leaves and basically give it your attention, the plant thrives and grows. So too with aspects of your life. Just like your body, if you give your mind junk food you won’t feel well. Give you mind good, wholesome input.

#6. Follow your bliss.
Yes, I’ve usurped this one from Joseph Campbell, who is one of my heroes. Even though we must all attend to the things life demands of us (jobs, housework, bills, etc…) we must make time for what truly keeps our fires burning. What is your passion? If you don’t know, experiment. If you do know, engage it at whatever level you can.

#7. Keep it simple.
I read once in a novel “This step and then the next gets you where you are going.” So many times we attempt to juggle too many things. Life seems to throw curve balls at us from up, down and every direction there is. The antidote for this: take things one at a time. Make a list so you know what you need to do, then laser beam focus on one thing at a time. The confusion that results from scattering our attention accomplishes nothing. It tends to paralyze instead of prioritize.

#8. Spend time in nature.
I almost didn’t include this one in the list, because I wondered if everyone really needs this as much as I do. Upon consideration, however, I do believe this one is an essential life-coping mechanism. A long walk in the woods, or a quiet spell sitting by a tinkling stream can renew and recharge us in so many ways. It connects us to LIFE and puts things in perspective. It opens us to beauty and to peace. Take it from a nature-addict, it will do you good.

#9. It really is all pretty silly.
This is a different take on #3. Really, why do we take everything so seriously? A light-hearted approach can dissolve those mountains that were made of mole-hills. Commitment does not mean dour. A relaxed attitude filled with good humor is much more efficient. It’s so easy to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Remember that there are nearly seven billion of us doing the same thing. Which leads nicely to…

#10. Love.
As in, Love is a verb. Love as much as you can. Give it and receive it. Respond with compassion instead of anger. Be kind. Use all the variations of Love in every way possible. The answer is not political. It is not cultural. Neither is it scientific. It is seven billion hearts with the amazing capacity to imagine the other as the self. It makes your eyes shine and eases your path. It is our greatest tool and our greatest promise.

So, there you have it. On this chilly day in mid-October, these are my top ten bits of wisdom. Tomorrow they may change. They should change and I’m sure they will. To evolve and grow is at the very root of our nature. No fight. No struggle. Just flying on the wings of dreams!

Love!
Tee

Reflection

The plaintive cry of a Red-shouldered Hawk echos through this small valley.  Down below, the cattle low, while beside me the whirring of hummingbird wings kiss my ears as she sips from the Salvia in the garden.  These primal sounds set the perfect tone for this month’s Reflection.  They awaken the senses and remind me of times gone past when human beings moved to the rhythms of nature’s song.

Each day, even as we live our lives in the here and now, hovering at the edges of our minds is all that has gone before.  Rarely do we stop to consider the patterns of past and present mingling.  Oh, we often get stuck in some specific aspect of the past; a perceived wrong, a tragedy, a failure.

But like the light of the moon that merely reflects the sun’s light but does not offer the essential, life-giving heat, our thoughts of what has gone before usually fall away, prey to the distractions of life in the Age of Information.

This was not always so.  To ancient peoples, the stories of the old ones were brought alive in communion and ritual.  The young were brought up to know the tradition of wisdom acquired by those who came before.

Not that I am advocating a return to some idealistic past.  Personally, I’d rather not have to live without modernity’s blessings (like antibiotics and indoor plumbing!).

There remain places in the world today where the stories are still told.  Places where families all still know and care for each other, passing down the wisdom of the Mothers and Fathers of long ago.  These small pockets are rapidly shrinking and will, in the not too distant future, disappear.  They will go the way that the Pandas and the Sea Turtles are now going - fading into the twilight of the past.

We are like billions of individual stars, drifting in time and space with no galactic center to hold us together.  Science posits that there are black holes at the center of galaxies.  Black holes with gravity so strong that the rules of physics morph and change.  Without a strong center, there is nothing to hold us together.

And yet, and yet, perhaps if we could reach out to each other and reflect on our commonalties, we would not hold so tightly to our small selves.  Those gossamer strands of what is the same might build bridges between us; bridges of love and compassion and trust.

We all need food, water and air to stay alive.  We all love our children, we all share this small planet on the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy as our home.  Even if there is abundant life elsewhere in the universe, time and space create insurmountable obstacles for us to interact with them.

If you go outside and look up at the stars, the light that reaches your eyes was created millions of years ago.  You are looking into the past.  That light traveled through many miles and years to reach you.  That star may have already lived its life and died before its light hits your eyes.

To reflect on these things can trouble us; can cause us to feel small and insignificant compared to the grand scope of existence.  There is, however, another perspective to gain.  Here we are, on this precious jewel of a planet.  We are aware and awake to ourselves and the life here.  Why would we destroy our beautiful earth?  How could we do anything but cherish her and treat her as our sacred home?

Somehow this perspective is lost as we run from ourselves and what is right in front of us.  We have eyes that do not see.  Instead, we argue and fight and kill over who’s got the truth, and who gets the biggest piece of the pie that is the earth.

There are some days when I can become almost nihilistic about the course humanity is taking.  But most days, as I reflect on the past, I am filled with awe and admiration at how far we have come.  Each generation must confront its own particular version of this story, with or without the wisdom of those who have gone before.  Yet there is always that powerful seed that resides in the hearts and minds of human beings that ever seeks greater justice, more compassion and bigger truths.

One of the most powerful things we can do for each other is to reflect the beauty we see in each other back to each other.  To be like the moon, reflecting the light of the sun throughout the dark night, reminding us the sun is still there in the heavens, and that the morning will arise to greet us with its light and warmth.

Peace-

Tee

Impermanence

 

 

There are many spiritual paths that speak to the idea of not being caught up in the material world. In fact, most of them  do at some level or another.

It is, however, from Buddhism that we find the most direct approach to this concept. Included in the backbone of Buddhism, the  Four Noble Truths, is the law of impermanence. The Dalai Lama says this  about it:

‘Everything is changing from moment to moment, constantly. This process of momentary change is not due to a secondary  condition that arises to destroy it, but rather the very cause that led a thing  to arise is also the cause of its destruction. In other words, within the  cause of its origin lies the cause of its cessation.’

We might understand this in a very simple context. The seed that brings the flower into being also contains within it the catabolic process that will lead to its decay and death. We then see how attachment to form creates suffering.

We move through our lives thinking, “When this  happens I will be happy” or “When I attain that circumstance, my suffering will  stop.” This kind of thinking is what keeps us trapped in endless cycles of  unhappiness, because the reality is that once the thing happens or is attained, something new arises in our minds as the carrot on a stick that tells us we can only be happy when ____________ (fill in the blank).

In Taoism many of the texts (beautiful poems worth  reading for their own sake) speak of being like water. Water is fluid and  flowing. It moves over and around and through. Water can wear away  mountains and bring new life to a barren desert. But when water stops and  pools with no new influx, no change, its stagnates and becomes polluted and unhealthy. The flexibility of water is another clue for us to  follow.

To bring this into context in our own lives, lets take a look at examples of personal changes now occurring.

“Breakdown or Breakthrough” says Zen Master  Osho. When everything is in flux, and the foundations upon which you’ve built your life crumble, whether through illness or loss of job or home or a loved one, our inner spirit has a choice on how we might react.

Breakdown is, “My world has come to an end.  I’ve lost things that matter greatly to me, and there is nothing for me now.” We fall into depression, anxiety or nihilism. In this state we have no hope, no energy and are paralyzed in our ability to meet  life.

Breakthrough takes the same situation of loss and  approaches it with an open mind and heart. “This thing has happened and I’ve encountered great losses, but the Universe in its state of constant change has just made room in my life for newness to enter.” We can then open our hearts and trust that new opportunities will arise. That what is happening now may be very painful, but if we meet it with eyes and heart open, we are not, as the Zen Masters say, “tossed away.” We can realize that this state of loss is as temporary and impermanent as the previous state of “having” was.

Recently a dear friend of mine (and husband to  Laura, owner of On the Wings of Dreams) Jeff, suffered a severe blow to his health. Out of nowhere he contracted a rare blood disorder that put his life at risk.  Fortunately, the care of good doctors and the incredible support of the “best wife in the world” (his words), plus the reaching out of so many friends and family with love and compassion brought him through this difficult and dangerous time. Oh, and let us not forget Jeff’s own loving and courageous spirit! That was integral, too!

Here’s what Jeff brought away from his experience.

Since my recent health issue, several people have asked me “How has your life changed?”  My response is typically “I don’t know…yet.”  Do I feel different, emotionally, spiritually, morally?  Sure, I am grateful to be alive, and for this I give thanks to anyone who will listen -  family, doctors, friends, co-workers, the dog - but has my outlook on life really changed?  Sure, during my time at home, I see things in my life - like how little I previously did around the house, or how foul and out of shape my physical body has gotten, or how little time I actually spend with friends - that needs tweaking, but is that a factor of simply having time at home to see, or a result of my illness driving a desire to shake up my entire philosophy on life?  Couldn’t this episode simply be another life experience - albeit a drastic one - meant to teach me where my true priorities lie?  But does this make me a different or better person, or simply a more eager listener?

Those of you who know me well, know that I am not one to dwell on the past.

No one can change what has happened, so why expend energy trying or worrying about “why me?”  Rather, spend this energy focusing on what the past is trying to teach us, make the necessary adjustments, and move on.  We all have the same potential for goodness and happiness; sometimes, it is just a matter of listening to life’s experiences and not repeating the past that makes the difference.  Don’t block the river waiting for the boat to cross; the river will only find a new path, and not necessarily one to your liking.

Jeff’s take on impermanence is an important one and has two facets.  First, his gratitude for the positive aspects of his experience are obvious.  Gratitude, like forgiveness, has a way of healing our hearts, and creating honest exchanges of love and compassion between us.  It is an appropriate response to having come through a difficult and dangerous time, whole and well.  Gratitude isn’t trying to hold onto anything, instead it is about giving and receiving.

The second aspect is perhaps more challenging for most of us, but just as vital.  He is not picking the experience apart in self-pity or continuing to live through his illness in his imagination.  Instead, he is letting go of the past - bringing the lessons of it with him into his life, but not holding on.  This letting go of the past can be very difficult, but we must learn to do it, that we may live our lives fully engaged, with happiness and joy.  Our focus needs to be on the present.  The Now.  

I think this quote is from Deepak Chopra:

The past is history,

The future a mystery,

This moment is a gift.

Jeff doesn’t know yet just how his recent trip to the borderlands will effect his life in the long term, but he continues to move forward each day.  This reminds me of the old Zen saying, “Only go straight, don’t know.”  That saying has helped me through many a challenging life passage.

Another friend lost her home recently, and through  trust and perseverance another was found. Of course the in between space was devastating, but through it all this friend worked hard to keep her trust  alive and to move through these difficult changes with grace. Yes, she was afraid and yes she shed her share of tears, but that is simply part of the human journey. It is never all happiness, all the time. The most difficult times can be the breakthrough that strengthens our spirits, deepens our compassion and reawakens us to the joys and wonders of life.

I can’t say that I enjoyed going through my own dark nights of the soul.

In  the middle of them I sometimes could not see the light. In other words, I  had no idea how situations would resolve themselves, or how my suffering would ever end.

Like so many others, it was the support of friends and family that sustained me through the worst of it. The transformations that eventually arose came from the simple daily practice of not attaching to any sort of circumstances in order to be happy, and turning to my own heart to generate love, hope and joy in the middle of the worst of times.

I  learned to smile for its own sake, not because of exterior conditions.

As we experience the many changes and upheavals that  are part and parcel of our world, we can help the flame of our spirits thrive. We can reach out to others to give and receive and we can remain  steadfast in the surety that each small thing we do elevates everyone - all beings.

We cannot always see the results of these acts of  kindness and compassion, but they matter. They matter more than all the big things that we see on the television and hear on the news. They are real. They are about humanity and how we live together.

“Do not attach to outcome” is one of the main messages of Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text.

‘Detaching end from act, with act  content,

The world of sense no more stain his  soul

Than waters mar th’ enameled  lotus-leaf.’

We have no control over how things will turn out. We do, however, have control over our own state of being as we meet each new challenge with that noble, loving spirit that is the best part of us.

In this we remake our world anew.

In this we are transformed.

In this we find…..

Peace -

Tee

Friendship

“Human affection, ardent and comprehensive as it may be, cannot hope to encompass the whole world.  It must be satisfied to render assistance to the few who may come within its easy reach; for it is the individual touch that imparts healing.”  

Judge Charles F. Moore

 

I opened with a quote from my great-great-uncle, who in 1926 wrote a little book called Comradeship.  I have a signed copy.  It’s very cool!

 

This month in particular I have been extremely aware of, and grateful for, those “individual touches” in my life.  The ones that create all the good healing.  

 

While each of us is always very much alone in our own skins, when we nurture true and loving friendships, we are not lonely there.  Our most intimates are always within easy reach, whether they are next door or hundreds of miles away.  How easy is it to picture the face of a dear friend or to hear her laughter in your head?  It’s no effort at all.

 

Another quote:  “There are days, and many of them, when everyone longs for the touch of a kindred soul.  There may be contentment, but no joy without it.”

 

All too true.  Happiness that is not shared just bangs around within our selves.  Whenever we see something beautiful, or get some good news, most often our first impulse is to share it with a loved one!  Conversely, when we are sad or hurt, our impulse it to reach for them for comfort.

 

One of my favorite things in life is to witness someone I love in full happy joyousness.  Nothing can beat that, not even something good happening to me!

 

More quotage:  “There is nothing that so stimulates one’s effort to make good as to be perfectly sure that someone you love believes in you.”

 

How true is this?  If even one person on the planet believes in you completely, suddenly you can move all those mountains and jump over all those chasms.  Self-doubt is the most insidious of things, but the power of kindred who says, “You can do it!” is often all we need to succeed. Maybe we feel we can’t do it for ourselves, but for someone we love?  Absolutely!  

 

Quote again:  “What we need to understand is that, if proper attention be paid to the human unit, the human race may be trusted to take care of itself.”

 

What good old great-great-uncle Charles is speaking to here, is the overwhelming nature of the suffering world.  All over the planet countless beings are enduring hardship, and in most cases our personal efforts can do nothing to alleviate, much less stop, that suffering.  So what do we do with our empathy?  Turn in to our own corner of the world, to the person next to you, to your family and dear friends.  

 

The interconnectedness of humanity is becoming more and more apparent as our world grows smaller.  We are beginning to realize that uplifting one person can make a difference to the whole.  Judge Moore, way back in the 1920’s, was probably speaking to the impossibility of actually reaching people in need who were on the other side of the planet.  At least personally reaching them.  Yet we find this perspective true in new and exciting ways.  Like that movie, “Pay it Forward”, our one act of kindness can spread with lightening speed from person to person to person.  We are that connected.

 

Yes, it’s a fine thing to contribute time and money to good causes, but not at the expense of neglecting those in our immediate sphere where a real difference can be made.  Where your hands and your heart can sooth the suffering - sometimes even remove it - with the smallest of efforts.

 

Last quote:  “There is more of the milk of human kindness in the world than we are prone to believe.  Most people are disposed to be friendly, if they are only given the chance.  If you want your acquaintances to come into your heart and abide there, open the door and make them welcome.”

 

Opening our hearts can feel like a risky business, and yes we must take care of who we let in.  Yet open our hearts we must.  Not blinded by a need to fix everyone and everything, but so that we may experience that true kinship with another, with others.  Life is all about risks, and if we are in awareness and mindful (in that we truly take the time and effort to get to know another), then opening our hearts is like opening the door to a beautiful garden.  Well tended, that garden will grow and thrive in our seasons of warmth, and will survive the difficulties of the darkest cold nights.  

 

I think of my friends, my loved-ones, and how different they all are.  How one makes me laugh, the other makes me think, the next shares my interests, another keeps me grounded.  So many gifts wrapped in such unique packages.  Each one a blessing, not to be taken for granted.  How we expand each other in our exchanges of tears and of laughter!  How our insights elevate us, and our silliness creates childlike delight!

 

So, sappy as I am, here’s to friendship!  Here’s to that sharing that only comes when we open those heart-doors to another!

 

Peace,

Tee

Stretch

 

 

Many of us have been required to leave behind our comfort zones and move into some new territory, lately.  It’s not surprising, considering the upheaval that the world economy and environment are now experiencing. It requires us humans to evolve and adapt.  

 

But it’s been awhile since we’ve had to stretch this far.  Maybe since the great social revolution of the 1960’s.  Some of us have been around long enough to remember at least the tone of those times.  They were wonderful and scary, magical and dangerous.  I think we may be at another crossroads like that one, another fork in the path.  What do we do with it?

 

The good thing about leaving your comfort zone is that it can be exhilerating.  Those first few steps might take a lot of nerve, but the momentum builds much sooner than we expect and then we’re negotiating the new territory.  It’s like being a child again - everything is suddenly new and interesting.  Cultivating the wonder of a child can help us to overcome our fears of the new and strange.  

 

Because those first few steps are the most difficult, we can sometimes shy away from taking them.  What if we step over a cliff edge or into quicksand?  While there are no guarantees against that, the chance is the same that we will walk into a cooling stream or a field of flowers.  The thing is that we are human beings and it is our job to change, to grow and stretch so that we elevate our experience.

 

 

One spiritual pattern I’ve noticed is that people who often reach for “heavenly” guidance are being asked to shift their focus into “earthly” guidance.  “Earthly” as in this planet we live on and whatever consciousness it holds.  If you are used to the ethers, the grounded can be a very different experience.  What a huge stretch!

 

Another patten I’ve found quite fascinating is how the Buddha’s eight-fold path is becoming a model for sustainable living.  I haven’t heard it mentioned that way yet, but take a look at the eight-fold path:

 

Right View

Right Intention

Right Speech

Right Action

Right Livlihood

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Concentration

 

All of them are easily applied to shifts we need to make in how we live on this planet together.  Right speech, for example, translates into how our media has become a divisive, exploitative thing used to gain ratings rather than to report truthful and useful information to the public.  The field of journalism is considered so important to the success of our nation that its freedom is protected in the Constitution, making Right Speech integral to a balanced, prospering world.

 

Right Mindfulness, when applied to human interactions, can translate as our ability to be aware of each other and treat each other with respect and dignity.

 

Right Effort reminds us to work and rest in equal balance, as well as to apply those work efforts to positive areas of our lives.  In other words, not to be busy for busy-ness’ sake, but instead to give our full effort appropriately to the task at hand.

 

 

You can do this with the entire Eight-Fold path applied to all levels of life and culture.  It’s a good excercise when considering how we might stretch.  Apply these concepts to different areas of your life, and see how you can change them for the better.

 

Another thing that helps when you are being asked to step out of your comfort zone is to know that you are not alone.  People all over the world are experiencing this in thousands of ways.  Perhaps if we started giving each other a bit of a hand it could get easier for all of us.  Actually, I think we are already beginning to do that!  

 

There’s a quote attributed to Carl Sagan that goes:

 

It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.

 

Often when moving out of comfort zones, we are also moving out of delusion.  It can be challenging to see things with more objective clarity and recognize the tasks before us.  But if we really are determined to get out of our own suffering and help all beings to do the same, then we’ve got to see things as they really are and trust that our creative intelligence, our minds and hearts, hold the solutions we need to move forward with inspiration and grace.

 

It’s easy to keep choosing the known over the unknown.  Even if the situation is not the best one we are capable of creating, we know what we are doing and feel comfortable at some level.  But the unknown, the Great Question Mark, is where all the excitement is.  It’s where we can find our soul’s bliss, our heart’s desire.  

 

Comfort zones, like an old pair of shoes, may be something we think we like, but are in truth no longer good for us.  

 

Now, if you want to ask me about comfy zones, I have a whole different story about those.  Comfy zones are all about giving it all a rest and snuggling up with some loved-ones.  I highly recommend them, whenever you get the chance!

 

Peace-

Tee

Meditation

I thought I should finally come clean. In reality, I believe all this spiritual nonsense is a bunch of hooey. It’s a waste of time to smudge or meditate or care about your fellow humans. And what about all this stupid playing with rocks, like there is something special about them? Come on, people, wake up to reality! It’s a dog eat dog world and if you aren’t looking out for number one, then you’re just a schmuck!

April Fools!!!!!!

Of course those are not my views at all. In fact, this month I’m going to focus on one of the most important spiritual tools we have - meditation.

I’m often surprised by people’s reactions when I mention meditating as a possible practice to help them find peace, happiness or just general well-being. It seems that meditation has a reputation for being an esoteric and mystical thing meant only for gurus on a mountain top.

Far from it!

Meditation is both a practice and an attitude. And, just like learning a musical instrument or even learning algebra, it takes some discipline and some time to get to that place where it clicks and you are playing a song or solving an equation.

I had let my meditation practice slip and slide away for a while, but in the past few months I’ve reincorporated it into the end of my yoga practice. After some time away, I can’t understand why I ever stopped and let resistance get the better of me. Now, receiving those benefits that only come with meditation, I thought it was a perfect time to discuss it a bit.

While meditation does have deeper spiritual meanings that focus on the release from suffering for all beings and detachment from the ego, it also has a personal aspect, and that’s what we are exploring here.

When approaching something new, the best place to start is at the beginning, and the beginning of meditation practice is breath. If you are interesting in learning to meditate, don’t go rushing off to a cushion and try to sit still with an empty mind for an hour. Very few people can jump right in and create a meditation practice on the first go.

Instead, begin by noticing your breathing throughout each day. Take three slow deep breathes whenever you think of it. Do this repeatedly for a few weeks, and you’ve got a foundation upon which to build.

After you’ve spent some time learning to focus on your breath while engaging your normal routine, it’s time to take it to the next step. This is akin to slowing entering a pool of cold water rather than jumping in all at once.

You don’t need a cushion. A chair or the floor will do just as well. It does help to find some solitude. Somewhere quiet where you will not be interrupted and where the atmosphere is soothing. Light some incense or candles if you like. It’s also wonderful to burn sage (aka - smudge) first, as it sets a tone and helps to ground you. Also, try siting outside when the weather is good. We are not, however, going to be here that long this first time. Set yourself a goal of 5 or 10 minutes to begin.

Sit quietly and again, focus on your breathing. Notice your inhalations and exhalations with calm attention. Attempt to quiet your thoughts. Inevitably, a thought will, however, arise. That’s what the mind does, it makes thoughts, so don’t judge yourself. Give the thought a nod and then watch it float away. Don’t hold onto it, and return your attention to your breathing. Thoughts will continue to arise. Continue to let them arise and pass away, always returning to your breath.

As those wise in the ways of meditation know, it can be a good idea to listen to the same music and/or burn the same incense, each time you meditate. Your senses remember sounds and smells so very well, it helps facilitate the meditation by signaling to your subconscious “it’s time to meditate.” Eventually just lighting your meditation incense or putting on your meditation CD will begin to promote a meditative state immediately. Similarly, don’t use that particular music or incense for other activities, especially driving!

Finally, many of us find that crystals can facilitate meditation. A really fun thing to do is visit a shop that sells crystals and spend some time holding different ones until you find one that creates a sense of calm and peace. Or perhaps you already have a collection of crystals and you might spend time with each one in meditation until you find one that resonates with your practice.

In a perfect world, you would meditate every day, gradually increasing the time from 5 minutes, to 10 minutes, to 15 minutes, etc … but in our busy lives, that isn’t always possible. Yet to make progress, you’ve also got to make a commitment. So be realistic when setting your meditation goals, but stick to them. Two or three times a week is often enough to see steady, reliable progress.

The experience is somewhat different for everyone, but eventually you will notice that you have extended periods of time where your thoughts do not intrude. Even from the first, you are likely to finish your meditation with a feeling a lightness and a lessening of burden. After some time and practice, you can arise from a meditation practice feeling as if you’ve just had a good night’s sleep. Rested and alert.

There are also interesting and wonderful side-effects from a meditation practice. When your mind is still and you are centered in yourself, you often receive ideas and insights that are quite wonderful. Insights that can’t break through your normal mind chatter and have been hovering around just waiting for you to get quiet.

Occasionally you may also experience spontaneous dreamlike visions of an archetypal nature that cannot only be quite beautiful, but informative as well. These may not be the goals of a meditation practice, but they are some of the benefits.

For some people it helps to use mantras to keep the mind from obsessing on its usual worries and concerns. There are plenty of mantras you can use from different traditions, but you can also make up your own.

There is the most famous mantra of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Om mani padme hung, which is quite beautiful orally, and very popular among meditators. For more mantras of this nature, there is a great wikipedia article on mantras if you’d like a more in depth explanation. These mantras have great spiritual significance and are rooted in deep traditions, but for the beginner it may be simpler to create one. Think of a mantra as a one sentence prayer, such as “May I bring light to the world this day,” or something of that nature.

The most important thing when taking on a meditation practice is to not judge yourself. Be as gentle and kind to yourself as you would to someone very dear to you. Meditation is not a quick fix, it is part of a lifestyle that promotes peace, well-being and healing not only for yourself, but as the Buddhists put it, to all beings.

A meditation practice is a wonderful journey, which can add many new dimensions to your life. I know I’ve quoted it here before, but I’d like to end with the Metta prayer, which although not a true mantra, I have used in meditation practice many times.

May all beings be peaceful
May all beings be happy
May all beings be safe
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature
May all beings be free!

Peace-
Tee

photo of Tee meditating by Grace Liggett 2001

Changing Times

March 2009

Let’s start with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.

It is actually normal for life to be difficult during times of great change.

Here’s another quote - that old Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times.

Well, we do! So although the sands may be shifting under our feet, there is always the chance for something wonderful to be born in such times.

Possibilities and opportunities abound more than ever when the paradigms are shifting. What once worked fractures and dies away, but before a new way comes to fruition, there’s quite a bit of struggling about with each other. There are aspects of the old ways that we don’t want to lose, and rightly so. We question how we might translate them into a new world view.

There are old destructive patterns that we know must go, but that some of us seem to cling to even more fiercely. It can be a challenge to understand why. It usually comes down to the known feels safe, even when it isn’t. The unknown throws us into what is not expected, and therefore we must trust in ourselves to negotiate our way through.

How do we do that? There are several helpful measures we might take. One is, when everything is in flux, it is even more vital that we act out of a sense of honesty and integrity. When we don’t create falsehoods and fabrications in our lives, there is less complexity for us to cope with. The answer always remains the same, because the answer is the truth. There’s less mental effort wasted and much more ease of being on a day to day basis. Of course, this is always true - but it becomes absolutely necessary during changing times.

The next helpful measure I’ll offer to you anecdotally. A friend was recently laid off from his job in lighting sales. Even though the company promises him a return to work within a few months, this friend is not sure he wants to go back. He sees the opportunities arising for him as we begin to seriously addressing our energy situation. Lighting is an integral aspect of energy conservation and use. Here is a chance for him to engage the new, what is barely just beginning, and get it on the ground floor. Not only could this help him in his private life and in his career, but it also helps us all if he participates in his livelihood by improving our use of energy through better more efficient means.

We can look at what our new priorities are and attempt to adjust our lives to thrive in new situations.

Here’ yet another old saying: “the only thing you can count on is change.”

It’s a good one to take to heart. When we release our expectations and are willing to see positive possibilities within the shifting patterns, we create the perfect environment for good things to happen.

Rob Brezney (www.freewillastrology.com) is always fond of saying how much the Universe is attempting to shower us with love and blessings. Rob is one of my heroes!

Even when the news is mostly bad about failing economies and job losses and rising costs, can you manage to clear that from your vision so that you might see what the boons are? What graces are replacing those losses?

I’ll use a metaphor from physics, now. There is a principle that states that energy is never lost, but only changes form. It’s call the Conservation of Energy. My point is that even when there seems to be a lot that is slipping away, that we are losing, there is much to be gained. To be found. To be renewed.

A combination of imagination and clear sight (you can add a pinch of steadfastness, here) can lead to all sorts of new and interesting ways to love and live and learn our lives. Structures that become unstable must be rebuilt. Here’s our chance, right here and now.

So as the days unfold and the pundits sound off about their thousands of varying and increasingly dismal news stories about what’s happening in the world, take the precious time to see for yourself what is uplifting, what can be mended and what must be released.

Let’s have a little faith, a little trust in ourselves, and keep our eyes open and our minds receptive.

Therein lies the strength and beauty of being human.

Peace,
Tee

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