The poster and quote by Byron Katie speaks to the saying that we each create our own reality. So, if we believe that we have a dreadful life, then, we have a dreadful life!
My favourite saying comes from the movie “A Knight’s Tale” where the father tells his son, “Change your stars and live a better life than I have.” To me, this speaks of having a vision and following the vision. The world changes as you change.
Namaste
When you are always under tension, you know that something is going on. One of the environments where we often feel the most tension is at work. In the work place, we strive to live up to some imagined set of criteria. We put tension on ourselves. In some cases, the tension comes from time deadlines, or from instructions that are unclear/ambiguous. We have all felt this tension.
To move away from tension, we need to find ways to relax. For some, listening to music accomplishes the ideal relaxation. Others need laughter or some sort of fun. Still others need to leave the office and go for coffee.
There is not one right way to relax. You simply need to find what works for you.
Namaste.
When someone says to me that I need to model or to imitate someone else, I am very disappointed. Why don’t they see me for who I am. I am fantastic! I am even more fantastic when I meet you because you are fantastic!
If people do not see how completely fantastic we are, then that is their bad luck. We will do great things.
Namaste.
With all that has been happening the last while, one could get caught up in the waves of negative energy that have been flowing around the country from politics, from shootings and murders, and from postings about injustices and cruelties to humans and animals.
I deal with these negativities in my own way. I let the image come, I bless it with love and compassion for all those involved in acting out their story, and then I release it to the Angels.
This usually brings me peace.
If I am still feeling unsettled, then I take my dogs and go for a walk in one of the parks. Or, if I am short on time, we head out into our back yard to play a game of soccer or Frisbee. I let the silence of our big pine trees wash over me. I feel more serene.
Namaste.
One of my pet peeves is when other people tell me how I feel or don’t feel. Or, they tell me what I want to do or do not want to do. How do they know? They do not have any way to read into my mind or feel into my body.
I OWN my own feelings and my own thoughts. I am an individual. I do not follow the crowd. I gladly allow others their own thoughts, beliefs and values. If they break the law, that is on them.
I have my own experiences. I will share them with you, if you like. I will not force them on you.
Namaste.
Do you have a friend or a family member who has one event in their life that they will not let go of? Do they talk about it every single time that you are together? Does it drive you crazy?
Show them this poster.
Namaste
When we want to feel peace in our lives, we sometimes look at ourselves and blame our lives for being cursed. In our perception, we have all the bad luck, all the things go wrong, and all the issues in the family. Therefore, we must be cursed!
It is funny, isn’t it, that others look at our lives and think how lucky we are! They see the family squabbles as wonderful because you have family, and they don't. They see your bad luck at not getting a job as great luck because the business goes bankrupt. They see your failure to create a painting masterpiece as a new way of creating art.
Do you see where I am going with this?
Namaste.
Embrace Imperfection
My practice is teaching me to embrace imperfection: to have compassion for all the ways things haven’t turned out as I’d planned, in my body and in my life; for the way things keep falling apart, and failing, and breaking down. It’s less about fixing things and more about learning to be present for exactly what is.
—Anne Cushman, "Living from the Inside Out"
There is a saying that the Universe does everything perfectly. Those things which we find imperfect are perfect in Nature. We are not clones of one another just as flowers, trees, animals, etc. are all individuals. The idea of perfect is an abstract thought that people use. The idea of imperfect is an abstract thought people use when others do not meet their expectations. As we all know, often expectations are unrealistic.
Namaste.
So many of us have so much good in our lives, that we often take some of the simple, good things for granted. Many people, too, confuse abundance with having money. Abundance is many things. One’s consciousness of the many things may be lacking because it is never a focus.
Here are some of the good things in one’s life:
You can add to the list. Remember that what I think is good may differ from what you think is good. That is okay.
Namaste.
While we are facing new challenges every day, today is the day that we give thanks for all that is so good in our lives and for the challenges that help us to learn and grow.
We are very grateful.
Namaste.
Fig 1 from http://www.serenitygrovecenter.com/
It seems that many people are feeling un-well these days. I get calls from folks looking for an appointment simply because they do not feel right – they have no special pain, or illness, or reduction in physical movement. They just do not “feel right” in their bodies.
This feeling happens when we get out of balance. It may be too much stress, or too little sleep, or not the right food. It may be none of those things. If you are in touch with your body, you will be able to feel it come out of balance and get back in balance before some illness or injury strikes.
As the poster says, Loving yourself i is what really helps you get back in balance.
Namaste.
9 of Water: Laziness
This gentleman clearly thinks he's got it made. He sits in his big over-stuffed chair, wearing his sunglasses, shaded by his umbrella, with his pink slippers and his piña colada in his hand. He doesn't have the energy to get up and do anything because he thinks he's done it already. He hasn't yet turned to see the mirror cracking around him on his right, a sure sign that the place he thinks he's finally arrived at is about to shatter and dissolve before his very eyes.
The message this card brings is that this poolside resort is not your final destination. The journey isn't over yet, as that white bird flying into the vastness of the sky is trying to show. Your complacency might have arisen from a real sense of achievement, but now it's time to move on. No matter how fuzzy the slippers, how tasty the piña colada, there are skies upon skies still waiting to be explored.
-from the OSHO ZEN TAROT deck
I was meditating and pulled this card for my focus for the meditation. The card caused a flood of thoughts. Some of the thoughts were quite funny! I am sharing only some of the thoughts. (Chuckle)
You can add your own comments to the list.
Namaste
One of the lessons that has come up for me, several times this week, is that I seem to be my own worst critic. I received this lesson in several ways:
1. I was worrying away that I had made a mistake in an interview, and re-running the conversation. Suddenly, I heard the words, “Let it go!” The words were strong and clear.
2. I completed a task. Thought about it for a while, and then went back and redid parts of it. While I was doing that, I heard, “How do you know it was wrong? Why do you second guess yourself?”
3. I was about to go down that path noted in point 2 again today when one of my friends sent me the poster with Louise Hay’s words on it. I was so tickled at the persistence of my Angels and the Universe in general, that I started to laugh.
My plan for the weekend is to think of this poster every time I start down the path of self criticism.
Namaste
Thanks to Judy Belmont for posting this poster.
I hear people complain about an event that has upset them. The common phrase that follows is, “I had no choice.”
Choice is not limited. It is our thinking that is limited. We can choose anything because we have the free will to do so.
Namaste.
One of the discussions this weekend was on aging, and whether aging is changing. I think that our concepts of aging are changing. It doesn’t matter if you are twenty-five or sixty-five.
CBC did an interview with Canada’s oldest employee located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. This link to the story http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/oldest-employee-gives-advice-1.3252187 may change as CBC does change links over time. What is noteworthy about this interview is the advice he gives for living a long, productive life.
Coincidence? Perhaps. Tricycle is featuring an article on what is taken away in aging and what is given. You can check out the article at http://www.tricycle.com/feature/taken-away-and-given.
The Angels say that aging is a transition much like what happens to plants that die off in the fall and are reborn in the spring. Our Ancestors lived about half the age that we are now living. They paved the way for this future filled with abundance and leisure time.
Namaste
The Angels say that when you are complaining, you do not have peace. When you complain, you show that you blame someone else instead of taking responsibility. When you are stuck in the rut of complain, then you do not have time to enjoy the other good things in your life.
Move on. Let it go.
Namaste.
Pumpkin Swirl Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home
I have lots of frozen pumpkin from last year that I need to use up. So I looked for an easy recipe to use up my stash of pumpkin and nuts. I found this recipe on Taste of Home at http://www.tasteofhome.com/. It is yummy! Some of our family is allergic to cinnamon so I increased the amount of nutmeg and cloves.
Try this and let me know how you like the recipe.
Namaste.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 65 min. + cooling
MAKES: 48 servings
This picture shows the view of Lake Moraine from the spot where I was meditating. You can see how the light is pouring into the area and the mini rainbows that blessed my meditation.
Some of the thoughts that drifted in and out of my consciousness were:
If you want to learn more about Moraine Lake, check out this link, http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/gestion-management/ours-bears/moraine.aspx.
Namaste.
