Seasons of the Soul

Food for Thought

"In filling myself, I had emptied myself. In grasping things, I had lost everything. In        devouring pleasures and joys, I had found distress and anguish and fear…
Such was the death of the hero, the great man I had wanted to be. And it was my defeat that was to be the occasion of my rescue."

~ Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain

There are two types of people—those who come into a room and say, “Well, here I am!”
And those who come in and say, “Ah, there you are.”
~Frederick L. Collins

The Blue Sweater

I often share wonderful pieces of information I receive from The Daily Good. www.dailygood.org  It is filled with inspiration and news that uplifts and empowers us as individuals, communities, the world, and as a species. The following book is one of the gems that points to possibility for alleviating some of the issues the world faces. It is practical and pragmatic in its outlook, and hopeful in finding solutions to issues by empowering those who are in need of help, not causing more harm by handing out aid that does not involve their own efforts. Take a look at the excerpt to get a taste of how helping the world helps all of us.

http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3718a

Rain

She had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.

      We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Walmart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried summer day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall, so I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the  world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring  in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

     Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in.  "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.  "What?" Mom asked.  "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.   "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run  through the rain."  "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.  "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.  "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get  wet?”  The little girl looked surprised. "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"

   The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few  minutes Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will  bloom into faith.

   "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran.

      We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I  was one of them.  I got wet. I needed washing.

      Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.

     To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
~Author Unknown

The Gift Within Language

In the latest Mother Jones magazine, there is an article about a forgotten language used by a Native Americans tribe in California called the Maidu. What was very interesting within the article relates to the importance of language, culture, and creation.

We get upset about people from other cultures coming to the U.S. speaking their language in preference to English, but for native peoples, the arguments for language preservation are deeper and more personal. Language, more than any other single human creation, is the living artifact of a culture. Constructed over successive generations, it embodies the cumulative memory of a people’s beliefs and knowledge, their stories, their names for things, the conventions that they use to tell each other about the world.

One young man from the Maidu tribe has used his knowledge of Maidu plant names to unlock the secrets of traditional ecology. The Maidu name for “pine tree” translates as “wind-lessening tree,” indicating that the pine was used to shelter oak trees, thus protecting the precious acorn harvest.

If we would take time to investigate the gifts within different languages we would learn valuable things about our lives. How would we know that a pine tree lessens wind in English? We wouldn’t. But this important link to protecting the food harvest is spoken of through words that represent the understanding and knowledge of people with much longer histories than our own. 

In Maidu tradition language was one of the first gifts the Earthmaker gave to beings he created. In other ancient cultures, the gift of language was considered equally sacred.  Language is a link to heritage – a link that reaches back to the creation of the world.
From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2004

Organic Consumers Association

I received an e-mail newsletter this morning that is full of valuable information about our food  from the Organic Consumers Association Organic Consumers Association

More and more we are going to have to look for alternatives to the packaged, processed foods we are being sold in supermarkets. Eating as close to the source will be important as genetically altered strains of wheat, pesticides, and chemical additives become increasingly insidious ingredients  that are used to enhance flavor, not nutrition. Our children are being bombarded by products that appear to be food, but have very little nutritious value, and are often filled with ingredients that are indigestible. The increase in celiac disease, autism, weight gain, and many other dis-eases that have appeared in the past twenty years may be attributed in part to the adulteration of our food supply in pursuit of greater profits and addicting consumers through chemicals that appeal to taste buds.

An old saying is once again very timely: BUYER BEWARE! The antidote: Become Informed!

Personal self and True Self

Two birds, one of them mortal, the other immortal, live in the same tree. The first one pecks at the fruit, sweet or bitter; the second looks on without eating.
Thus the personal self pecks at the fruit of this world, bewildered by suffering, always hungry for more. But when he meets the True Self, the resplendent God, the source of creation, all his cravings are stilled.
Perceiving Self in all creatures, he forgets himself in the service of all; good and evil both vanish. Delighting in Self, playing like a child with Self, he does whatever is called for, whatever the result.

~From The Upanishads,                             
 Translated by Stephen Mitchell

Summer Herbal Tips

I buy basil at farmers markets or from Trader Joe’s with the longest stems I can find. I fill a glass with water and put the bunch of basil in it, then put it on my kitchen window sill where it gives a fragrance of basil and is handy for putting in special dishes or salads.  Sometimes the basil even starts growing, and I’ve kept it for as long as two months before it wilts.  You can also clip other favorite herbs and try the basil in water method or let them dry by hanging them. 
 
Lavender sprigs can be found at farmers markets now and are wonderful air fresheners. If they start to shed you can rub the blossoms off the stalks and put them in a bowl or fill silk pouches or small plastic baggies punched with holes to put in drawers. If you have lavender bushes, be sure to cut the flowers when the buds come out. Trimming  increases  next season’s flower yield.

Finding Joy

A friend called the other day and   complained  about  her husband’s lack of appreciation  for all she does. This issue is not new. My friend has felt resentment all her life, from the time she was a child.  She gives to everyone else out of a sense of duty,  but in the quotient has  forgotten the most important recipient—herself. 
 
She grew up thinking that to do things for herself was selfish. Many of us can relate to that. However, if we don’t take care of us and bring things into our lives that give us joy—somewhere along the line, we are going to be angry and resentful for all we do, because others don’t reciprocate in the way we think they should.

Self-love is not selfish. It is love for the Creator’s handiwork. After all, something much vaster than we created us, and isn’t it our duty to take good care of that gift?

In looking at our journey, it is important to consider what brings us joy and happiness. It isn’t the big things that sustain and nourish us.  It is the daily kindness to ourselves that creates a solid foundation  so that we can give to others with love and gratitude in the giving. Our cup is so full that what we do takes nothing away from our essential well-being. It merely adds to our sense of joy.

Simple pleasures are important. For me it is a cup of tea in the afternoon, and going into the garden to marvel at the plants, or pluck weeds. This fills me with joy. I also  take into consideration the child part of myself that  is very strong. I get colored pens and pencils and draw or paint, and sometimes play at my keyboard. These things bring delight. They make my day enjoyable. There is work, and there is play. There is helping and giving to others, but  always the gift of  treating myself, too.

After talking,  my friend determined that the one thing that brings her joy is her animals, for whom she has unconditional love.  We discussed the possibility of her volunteering at the local humane society to bring her special gift  to animals in need. She loved that idea. It was something special just for her.

So for each of us...what brings us joy? Let’s  find it and do it!

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2003

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is a day in which we honor not merely biological parents - for creating a baby is little more than a physiological event. However, to the ones who nurture and care for the offspring - who guide and protect, who support and uphold a vision for the best in their child - these are the fathers who deserve our appreciation and thanks. And many of these may be the teachers and coaches, the mentors and guidance counselors. In other words, the shepherds of the children who help them on their way in life, providing by example, and making sure the road is safe. The ones who care enough to correct behavior and teach the children ethics and a sense of morality and the benefit of service and caring for others.

Happy Father's Day to all those wonderful men who make a positive difference in the lives of their children and the children of others!

Charter For Compassion

For many years I have been interested in seeing the commonality between religions rather than the preoccupation with their differences. Now a wonderful scholar, Karen Armstrong, is lending her support to this movement of looking to the compassion within each that shares common traits. Take a look:

Charter For Compassion :: home