Seasons of the Soul

Quotable Quotes

When you are in a state of non-acceptance, it's difficult to learn. A clenched fist cannot receive a gift, and a clenched psyche -- grasped tightly against the reality of what must not be accepted -- cannot easily receive a lesson.
--Roger John

When we let go of yearning for the future, preoccupation with the past, and strategies to protect the present, there is nowhere left to go but where we are. To connect with the present moment is to begin to appreciate the beauty of true simplicity.
--Jack Kornfield

A Good Whack on the Head!

The other day, I had a moment of despair. What was I doing with my life? How could I make a more valuable contribution? I began thinking about all the things I hadn’t done, or done incorrectly, and pretty soon I was having a pity party with myself. I knew I was helping people – I take care of a one hundred year old great-aunt, and contribute to those in need, volunteer, etc. – but my pity was over the fact that I don’t have anything that is calling me – a project that is meaningful to me as my book was when I wrote it. And in this, I felt that because I’m now over sixty, life is probably done with. I’ll just slowly fade into the woodwork.

     After I took time to wallow in self-pity, I cried. Then I got ready to go for an acupuncture appointment and my weekly day with my spry one hundred year old great aunt. I usually do her grocery shopping on the day I go to visit, but because I had an appointment with the doctor first, I did my shopping the day before. The things that needed refrigeration were in my fridge, and the rest was left overnight in the trunk of the car.

     As I went outside to the car to put the refrigerator items in the trunk, I noted that I was holding too many things in one hand, and my purse was entangled with the grocery bag, preventing me from putting it in the trunk. I shouted at myself – “You stupid idiot, I’m sick and tired of you doing these dumb things!” As I leaned down to disentangle purse from groceries, I felt a sudden thud on my head. The lid of the trunk had crashed down on the back of my skull, almost knocking me over. I dropped everything, and the water bottle I carry everywhere started rolling down the driveway. I felt a sharp pain and momentary headache, and thought, “Oh, God. Have I really hurt myself? Do I have a concussion?” I steadied myself, got in the car, and sat quietly for a moment.

     Almost immediately when I got quiet I saw the interrelatedness of it all. Action/reaction. My negative thoughts propelled me to further negative action and negative response, and then the universe stepped in. THUD! Sometimes we need a good whack on the head to disrupt the energy block, or to remind us to pay attention. I grabbed a CD of one of my favorite televangelists who always gives good advice, and there she was talking about a good whack on the side of the head! Synchronicity? Action/reaction? All of it. Coinciding events that come together in one confluent moment to give us an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-orient ourselves.

     In the moment, we might be seduced into believing that we aren’t enough, aren’t doing enough, or not getting enough for what we do – but the truth is that those thoughts are based on limited vision and expectation. When we learn to flow with the down times as well as the up times, and we hold on to that bright inner light regardless of what it looks like outside, life is good. After I got over my “tantrum”, I remembered to be grateful for all that I am, rather than what I’m not, for all the blessings I’m given, rather than what’s missing – and as I did, all kinds of good things have come in to affirm that I’m on the right track.
From Seasons of the Soul 2007

Another Lord's Prayer

Translated from Aramaic into English ~ Author Unknown

     O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration, soften the ground of our being and carve out a space within us where Your Presence can abide.
     Fill us with your creativity so that we may be empowered to bear the fruit of Your mission.
     Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with your desire.
     Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share what each being needs to grow and flourish.
     Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us, as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.
      Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us from our true purpose, but illuminate the opportunities of the present moment.
     For you are the round and the fruitful vision, the birth power and fulfillment, as all is gathered and made whole once again. 
     Amen.

Medical Care In America

Two patients limp into two different American Medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement.

The first patient is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day and has a time booked for surgery the following week.

The second sees the family doctor after waiting a week for an appointment, then waits eighteen weeks to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for another month and finally has his surgery scheduled for 6 months from then.
   
Why the different treatment for the two patients?

The first is a Golden Retriever.

Sweeping

When I was a little girl, I remember sitting on the steps of our apartment house in San Francisco, watching the Russian ladies who lived in the area out on the sidewalk with babushkas covering their hair, brooms in hand, sweeping the streets in front of their places until everything was sparkling and clean. They would also come out with pails of soap and water and wash the stairs and the stoops. I’d wave my arms in the air, imagining I was directing their actions, and always the peaceful sound of swish, swoop, swish could be heard. That image, and the remnant of an age gone by when a rag man would come up our street with his horse and cart, are wonderful memories from long ago that enrich my reflections. The rag man was an oddity then – it was the last gasp of an era gone by – but as a little girl, I found watching him come by, hearing the clip clop of his horse’s hooves, and the sound of wooden wheels squeaking on the pavement, fascinating and poignant.

I recall when I first moved from the City to the suburbs as a child, and we mowed our lawn. You could hear the sound of blades churning as kids or parents were out taking care of their gardens. There weren’t a lot of gardeners in those days – at least not where we lived – people did the household chores and garden chores on Saturday together. It was a great symphony of cooperation.  Chop, chop, swish, swoosh. Blades and sweeping – no ear splitting motors, just the contentment of knowing all was right in the world and all the neighbors were out participating in the rite of house care that meant families caring for their homes together.

When electric mowers came into existence, and then leaf blowers, it coincided with acid rock and raised decibels – noise as music, noise as efficiency, noise as a way of life.  I never would use the electric mower. My husband was thrilled to have it. In fact, it wasn’t until we got one that he took over the job of mowing lawns. Before that, I was the Saturday lawn contingent.  I don’t have a lawn anymore. I prefer plants and shrubs and flowers. 

When I go out to the garden and bring my broom, I can sweep to my heart’s content. It doesn’t disturb the birds, doesn’t ruffle the air, and brings me back to a simpler time when people appreciated the task of mowing and sweeping, and used the time to engage in quiet reverie.

The rhythm of the broom is a dance unto itself – and it is always in those moments of sweeping in the garden that new ideas are birthed in my thought process. No Walkman, no IPod, no Talk Radio to distract me. Just the broom, the fallen leaves and blossoms, sounds of nature, and me.
Swish,  swoosh, swish, swoosh….Ahhhh.
From Seasons of the Soul 2007

Poetry

Angels
by Alix Taylor

Those creatures with
The lovely wings,
We call angels,
Do not need time.
They work on the instant.
They pick up God’s little
Telegrams and Immediately fly to
Our side to help us read them.

Releasing the Child Within

I was at a Sunday service a couple weeks ago, and the guest musician brought bells, rattles, tambourines, sticks, and all sorts of things to make sound with. She had us get up and do these songs with the accompaniment of the instruments, and suddenly the room was transformed. Everyone was acting like a kindergartener,and I noted especially that the older participants looked rejuvenated after we finished the musical interlude.It made me think that there should be a place where adults can celebrate the little five year olds within us, because the inner child never dies. It is just relegated to some closeted space inside, but is always waiting to be invited to come out to play. It is that joyous, mischievous aspect of our nature that keeps the imagination flowing, regardless of age, and those who are in touch with their inner child often age with greater grace. Having an outlet where everyone can just be the child, regardless of age, draws people together in a special way - because we all remember the child, and when we let it come forward, we are enriched, can laugh more easily, and appreciate the child in one another even though we may not always understand our generational differences.

So, I'd like to suggest that you gather with others of differing generations and do something playful that brings out the inner child. You will find that the reaction to one another is more unifying than many other things we try to do together, and besides - it's fun!

The Jigsaw Puzzle Guide to Life

Have you ever done a jigsaw puzzle? If you have, you know that the pieces are small, cut from a larger form, and sometimes infuriatingly difficult to piece together. However, when they do come together, what had been separate pieces becomes a unity of color/shape/design that brings something bigger to life that holds together through its interlocking parts.

I sometimes do jigsaw puzzles for relaxation, and as I was piecing together a fairly easy one, I noted that while I was focused on one piece, my full attention was there – scanning and searching for just the right “fit”…the place where it belonged. Once found, there was a momentary feeling of “Aha!” and then it was as though that piece never existed. I was off to the next, and the next.

I noticed something else about the jigsaw puzzle. When you look at a piece, isolated from the rest, most of the time you have absolutely no idea what it represents. Sometimes you have to find location by color shading, other times by line value. Sometimes it’s by pure guesswork and attrition. The harder pieces have to wait. You deal with them toward the end.

As I noted in the beginning, once the picture is formed, each piece takes on more significance. You can see what part it played in the overall context. Yet, while in the finding stage, significance is not always easy to determine. And so our lives. We start out in trial and error mode, forging together loose pieces of what we are becoming within a context that doesn’t always make sense or have easily identified markers. It takes time to put us together – to see ourselves in a larger light. And so, it takes patience to become the complete picture of you or me. We can’t rush it, but need to take each moment to relish the experience of each piece as we pull them together. We are becoming – we’re in process. That’s the puzzle, and it’s also the reward.

From Seasons of the Soul 2006

40 Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life

I got this in an e-mail, and have no idea who wrote it, but it's worth passing on to you!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Record your late night shows and get more sleep.
                                                                                                                            4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement:   
"My purpose is to____ today."

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and go to church. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan
salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice bed sheets, Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. So stop complaining about the weather, the job, the rents etc. etc.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: "I am thankful for ___." Today I accomplished ____.”

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you  certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

May your troubles be fewer; may your blessings be more. And may nothing but happiness come through your door!

Dennis Kucinich

I am not normally moved to talk much about politics, but Judge Stanley Peele has written an article that I think needs to be looked at by all of us. Regardless of your position on who you want to elect, this article points to a dangerous precedence that is taking place in our country. I alluded to this in my book, Vision of the Grail, when the worldwide media was being bought up and held by about 13 conglomerates. I think I heard recently that the number is now closer to 7. In other words, powerful entities are buying all media outlets, and the news we are reading, hearing, and seeing is what THEY want us to see - and that erodes our freedom of choice. This is one of the reasons why it is SO IMPORTANT to make sure our right to have freedom on the Internet is essential. It may be the last place where we can find out what is really going on in the world.

Here is Stanley Peele's article:

Dennis Kucinich

Remember the old movie "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington"? It starred Jimmy Stewart. Smith was an honest and somewhat naive man who was elected Senator and went to Washington, DC. There, he ran into corrupt politicians, who nearly destroyed him. Yet he won out in the end. A corrupt politician became ashamed of himself, and confessed all. So Mr. Smith became a hero, and lived happily ever after.

Well, 'tain't so.

The sad fact is that it is more and more difficult for an honest person to be elected to office. Dennis Kucinich, representative from Ohio, can attest to this. Some people believe in him, some do not; but most will agree that he is an honest man.

The first NBC presidential debate gave Kucinich very little air time. Yet he won an ABC online poll which asked the viewer who won the debate.

Recently I watched a presidential debate. When it was over, I felt Representative Dennis Kucinich had won the debate. The next day I looked in 2 local newspapers for a report on the debate. To my suprise, there was not one word in either newspaper about Kucinich. His name was not mentioned. Not one word! This is alarming.

Kucinich was excluded from the Des Moines Register presidential debate because his Iowa field director operates from a home office rather than a rented storefront. This reason, to me, is a sham. The real reason was that those that controlled the newspaper opposed Kucinich.

In the next national debate, which was prior to the New Hampshire primary, NBC did not allow him to participate.

Why?? He came in first in the poll mentioned above, and ranked highly in several other polls.

Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate who voted against the Iraq war in 2002, and regularly voted against funding the war. He is steadfast in his opinion that the war was a mistake, and that we should have brought our soldiers out of Iraq long before now.

He is the only candidate with a plan for a Universal, Single-Payer, Not-for Profit health care system. He is the only candidate who voted against the Patriot Act; and who clearly wants to return to our Constitutional criminal justice system. He also believes that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) should be repealed.

MSNBC invited Kucinich to last Tuesday's presidential debate. Then, they decided to limit the debate to the top 3 candidates. Kucinich appealed their decision to a Nevada judge. The judge ruled that MSNBC would have to include Kucinich. That opinion was appealed; the appellate court ruled that MSNBC could exclude Kucinich. So he did not take part in that debate. This was not reported in many newspapers.

What this means is that Kucinich's campaign has received death blows from the media.

Some people have said that they would not vote for him because they felt he did not have a chance. Yet we should remember Jimmy Carter. That is what they said about him at first. The difference is that the media did not exclude Carter from the debates.

So what we have here is this: The press is excluding a candidate before the public has an opportunity to vote. Why?

Many people believe that big corporations are against Kucinich, and these corporations include General Motors and the media moguls. In fact, it is believed that these powerful people are controlling the election process.

What worries me about this goes far beyond the Kucinich case. The media in America is becoming more and more powerful. And this power is in the hand of fewer and fewer people - as media giants buy up all the independent newspapers.

Theoretically we have three branches of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. In fact, we have a fourth branch: the media. This is not a new concept, but it is more true today than it ever was. And I am concerned about the gradual extinction of local, independent newspapers: -- those wonderful newspapers that were once the pride of the country.

What I want is very simple. It is this: I want a person in Hickory or Wilson to pick up a local newspaper and expect the news to be reported fairly.

This points to something that is even more important. In 1787 our Constitution was drawn up. The first words in the preamble are "We the People of the United States." The ideal was to have a government by the people. This concept was put into practice over the years. Slaves were given their freedom, women were given the right to vote, the rights of minorities and handicapped people were raised.

However, power at the highest levels of government is in the hands of a few. Our government is becoming an oligarchy. The decision to attack Iraq was made by a handful of people.

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are turning over in their graves. So is our beloved Senator Sam Ervin.

Stanley Peele