Seasons of the Soul

Quotable Quotes

"There comes a moment when you realize that virtually anything is possible-- that nothing is too good to be true."                                                  
                             --Kobi Yamoda

"The world is but a canvas to our imaginations."
  ~ Henry David Thoreau

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.
--Henry Miller

One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history. --Peace Pilgrim

New Energy Informational Medicine

We are on the brink of a medical revolution as physics brings us closer to understanding about the importance of the quantum field. Although the phrase is often overused, we are being introduced to a revolutionary approach to how the body works and why disease occurs. Rather than focusing on body parts, the new understanding focuses on the field around the body where the information is stored that affects health and wellbeing. As more and more proof of this unfolds, we will be able to deal with disease in a whole new way, and to that end there are a few books to recommend as thought provoking reading.

The Field, by Lynn McTaggart

The Reconnection, by Dr. Eric Pearl

Decoding the Human Body-Field, by Peter Fraser and Harry Massey

The Biology of Belief, by Bruce Lipton, M.D.

Virtual Medicine, by Prof. Keith Scott-Mumby, M.B, Ch.B, M.D., Ph.D

Gifts From a Broken Arm

   “
"You cannot use this hand for at least 6 weeks. And you cannot drive while in a cast.” Those words cut deep. I am a writer…it is my right arm. I have so much to do! How will I take care of my great-aunt? What now, and why did this happen?

There are many gifts that we’re given, and I’ve written about some of the reasons behind them in another article, but with everything, an opportunity is present. There is the bigger picture, and the immediate one. What happened for me was several fold.
    
I learned a deep appreciation of the body and its complete interconnectedness to each part. I saw how when one part is unable to work, the rest of the body tries to compensate – even though it draws on reserves that may tax those areas coming forward to make up for the lost use of whatever is out of commission.
    
I learned that people are wonderful. I’m one who is usually on the helping side, but found that true giving is also in the willingness to receive. People want to come forward and offer assistance. I had to ask for help…not easy for me. I don’t like to inconvenience people, because I don’t like to be inconvenienced. We learn a lot about ourselves when crisis arises, and often what we don’t ask for is what we don’t want to give. Friends and family were generous in their help, driving me where I needed to go, helping with caring for my great-aunt, and causing me to recognize the gift of allowing…and of accepting.
    
I have a much greater level of compassion and empathy for people who are disabled. The simple acts of showering, dressing, cutting food, and all the other things that we take for granted when we have full use of our bodies – became glaringly apparent to me as I recognized I hadn’t thought of how I would open jars or do the everyday mundane things I am accustomed to doing. When confronted with two months of diminished  ability, I looked upon others with much more warmth and respect. What kind of courage and stamina it takes to overcome not being able to do for oneself.
    
I learned to slow down. If you can’t go, you can find something quiet to do or not do. I had to hire a gardener, and that is all to the good, because my garden now is being cared for, and I appreciate seeing it in good shape rather than looking at what I need to do, but don’t make time for.
    
There were many things I learned to do with my other hand. I wrote with my left hand and found that the action of writing script was very musical. Not so with the right hand. Much more logical and punctual. Left hand was lyrical and rounded and felt like each movement was creating a symphony. It was an interesting and surprising observation. Left hand became very adept at doing things right hand was used to doing. I would find myself letting left hand stroke right hand, giving love to it. It was actually kind of sweet.
    
Major lesson learned from the experience: Look for the message in the everyday things while they are small reminders. Don’t gloss over warnings or internal promptings to pay attention. When we won’t listen to the subtleties, we will have to face the more glaring and intrusive forms of correction – and it’s actually more fun to be the everyday detective, looking for the clues in our daily lives that help direct us to the best use of our abilities, and the fulfillment of our desires.
    
Thank you arm!

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2007

We Are the Consciousness of the World

In a class the other evening, one of the participants commented that after she read the dreary deadlines and predictions of the day and for the future (invasions of Iran, etc), she always came to the Seasons of the Soul site to see something inspiring. And as I considered her comments, it was further evidence to me of the necessity for each of us to recognize that what we are viewing in the collective on television, movies, Internet, radio, magazines, and newspapers is a compilation of our collective consciousness.

As we abdicate our responsibility – ability to respond – to contribute to the uplifting of consciousness through our choices and our voices, we are allowing the lowest common denominator to prevail. Unfortunately, there is a lot of adrenalin that is manufactured by fear-based messages. There is something within the human being that feeds off that energy, and in return the fear based energy feeds off of the feeders. It becomes a vicious cycle that spirals out of control, and before we know it, we have a world in chaos and at war. We have distrust, mishandling of communication, and all the other unintended results of giving in to the lowest impulses of our nature.

It takes discernment and discipline to rise above chaos. It takes a self-organizing attitude that recognizes that we are walking through a minefield of information. Actually it is a mind field. And that mind field is going to pluck from us what we put our attention to. What does that mean?

Whatever we focus on magnifies. We feed thoughts of fear or faith, depending on what we are tuning in to. What channel is predominant in our lives? Are we titillated by disturbing news? Are we disempowered by stories that seem so overwhelming that we become insignificant? Do we feel helpless in the face of insurmountable odds presented to us daily by the news media? And furthermore, does a sense of futility help us to discharge any sense of obligation because what we see is way too much for us to handle?

If we do a little self-examination, we may find that taking the easier path of falling in to the soap opera mentality of the nation releases us from a burden to take action. After all, what can one person do?  And yet, if we truly understood that the very message that we feel disempowered by is being empowered by our lack of action, we would realize that we do indeed create and are responsible for our reality. And the reality we create affects not only us, but everyone else. When the overwhelming thought process is focused on disease, war, dishonesty, attack, and all the other soul demeaning events, this is a contribution to that consciousness. If each of us said “NO!” to those forms of materialization and turned only to what is uplifting, restoring, hopeful, and life giving – THAT would become the predominant force and consciousness that would emerge.

We are not victims of some outside plot. We are victims of our own creation – and just as we have fallen into a trap of complicity, we can climb up and out of that state by changing the channel – by focusing on what CAN be done to make the world and our lives a better place, and then vocalizing it, acting upon it, and shifting the frequency from helplessness to helpfulness. We are the creators of our reality, and if we don’t like what we see, we have the power to make change. Every small step leads us to a destination. As we bring our intentions into focus and band together as a force for the good, the larger pool of consciousness adjusts to reflect the overriding and predominant view.

The task may seem daunting. But it is not. We know the power of what one person can do for good or ill. We know what was accomplished by the example of a Gandhi and a Mother Teresa. We also know what happens when no one stops a Hitler or the fanatics in Rwanda. Our thoughts and actions support and uplift the good, or allow the fall of humanity into the grips of despair. It is that simple and that hard. It requires an adjustment in the lens with which we focus. But by doing so, we can contribute in small or large ways to the creation of a world we want to see.

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2007

More Summer Reading

Living Buddha, Living Christ                                     
 by Thich Nhat Hanh
This is the 10th Anniversary Edition that includes new material, and is a thoughtful and heartfelt exploration of the teachings of Buddha and Christ as great emissaries of light and compassion.  It is a wonderful read, and full of thought provoking similarities that draw us to recognize the richness and texture presented by both. Here we can find that which unites us rather than dwell upon our differences.  .  

Ask and It Is Given                  
The teachings of Abraham           
with Jerry and Esther Hicks
Esther Hicks is a channel for the teachings of Abraham, and this book is an excellent collection of  practical wisdom for living a meaningful life. It has prompted me to open myself to my own channel of inspiration, as the Abraham teachings affirm that we are all connected to the stream of consciousness that enriches each of us as we ask.
If you appreciated the Seth Material with Jane Roberts, you will enjoy this, too.

The Attractor Factor          
 by Joe Vitale
Vitale is one of the presenters in the hugely successful DVD, The Secret. This book takes some of the principles proposed in The Secret and offers steps for creating what we want to achieve in any area of our life. It also deals with removing the blocks that get in our way and includes meaningful exercises that really work. At the end, the author provides a 30 day meditation challenge that I plan to incorporate, boosting us up to another level of accomplishment. It’s a good read and a valuable resource.

Is God High Maintenance?

At our Sunday Circle, the talk was centered on the idea that God spelled backwards is Dog. We were asked to name the qualities of dogs, and as people added their comments of loyalty, dependability, unconditional love, playfulness, helpfulness, etc. etc., my mind went to high maintenance, needy, slobbery, messy, and smelly. Don’t get me wrong, I do like dogs, but as I’ve gotten older, I appreciate cats more.

Yet, as the discussion leader went on and on about the great qualities of dogs and how they are like God, I thought to myself, “hm….is God high maintenance?” And the thought that followed was, “yes.” God needs our attention, wants our loyalty, requires us to be helpful to one another, and is in need of us cleaning up the messes created by nature and ourselves. So…yes. God IS high maintenance. And that’s not a bad thing. It reminds us that we cannot take God for granted. After all, if you don’t walk a dog, doesn’t it become lethargic and overweight? For maximum health, you have to
walk the dog daily, and make sure it is fed – preferably with nutritious food. God requires that from us daily, too. We have to walk with God – and we have to interact – paying attention, allowing ourselves to be fed nutritious thoughts by the connection we forge with our Creator.

So God is a give and take God. The qualities of the dog are also the qualities that God exemplifies, but also the qualities that we demonstrate to God. After all, who does clean up our messes? Who overlooks our slobbery, needy states? Who cares about us even though we are eternally “high maintenance”? And who is the only one who will stay loyal to us regardless of whether we demonstrate our love for Him or not?

Dogs love their owners, regardless of whether they are treated well or cruelly. They continuously come back for more, and have unbelievable acceptance of the frailty of the human species. So does God. Dogs wait patiently for their owners to return to them, no matter how long it takes – and they want to be with their owners no matter how boring. Doesn’t God do the same? Dogs try to protect their masters whenever possible. So does God seek to protect us, in spite of ourselves.

So…is God high maintenance, or are we? Perhaps a dog’s great qualities are akin to God’s qualities towards us, and a dog’s downside is the same as our laxness toward God. The gap is bridged through unbelievable Love. It is the binding force that brings human and Creator together – and it doesn’t matter who is high maintenance – for it is a high privilege to have the opportunity to be able to call on and receive the blessings from the top dog of all – God.
From Seasons of the Soul 2007 print edition

Gift Economy

In Mali, a small country in Africa, giving has been part of their culture for thousands of years. Based on a Matriarchal precept, the value within their society is to give to one another, maintaining harmony and lack of disparity. We can learn from this, and it certainly offers food for thought.

DailyGood: You Don't Ask, You Just Give

Old English Song

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
 
The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them, high or lowly,
And order'd their estate.
 
The purple headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;−
 
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,−
He made them every one:
 
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
We gather every day;−
 
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Amen

Moving Beyond Our Comfort Zone

Sometimes we are given clues that it is time to make course corrections in life. At first, the messages are gentle, and if we are paying attention, we take necessary action in the moment. At other times, if we are so involved with exterior existence that we don’t see what is being asked of us, the reminders may become more abrupt.

     Earlier in the year the lid of my car trunk crashed down on my head when a gust of wind blew it as I was getting something out of the trunk. I thought it was a timely reminder not to be so locked in thought, and then two months later, I twisted my ankle and hobbled around on crutches for a few days. Still, I wasn’t getting the implication of the message. Finally, at the end of March, I experienced a freak fall in my garden that flipped me backwards from a raised flowerbed, over a concrete walkway, into bushes below – grazing my head on a wheelbarrow, twisting my body oddly, and breaking my arm. It was my right arm, and I am right handed. I could not write or drive for two months, and had to spend time being semi-helpless. I had to ask for help from others, relied on friends to drive me to doctor appointments, and required the assistance of my daughters to take care of my great-aunt, who I help once a week. My entire routine was disrupted, and through it all, I had to look for a deeper meaning to these freaky accidents that came in a cluster.

     The aftermath of the fall has not been pleasant, as there was more damage done to my body than a broken arm, and in the process of having different modes of physical therapy, I went to one of my good friends who does cranial sacral work. She acknowledged that this was going to take time, but we could put “Humpty Dumpty” back together again. However, she mentioned that her husband had commented that he believed the reason I broke my arm was because I wasn’t paying attention to my “calling”…that although I’m a good writer, he felt I was an even more compelling speaker, and that I’d chosen to stay safe and hide in my hillside home, staying behind the scenes.

     That comment resonated deeply with me, because it was true. I do not like to travel. I don’t like hassles. Even though I enjoy speaking to groups once I’m there, it is an irritant to my comfort zone, and so I’ve chosen what is “acceptable” to me. Yet, that’s not what life asks of us. Our comfort zone is constantly tested and prodded as we grow and change. It’s comfortable to be a little kid, but then puberty comes. It’s great to be a vital adult, and then we are faced with old age. All of these stages have trials and opportunities present. Each has a gift held within, waiting for us to bring out our talents and abilities in different ways at different times. We have free choice to a point, because if we do not stretch our wings and utilize what we’re given, life becomes stale, and we wither from the lack of meaningful participation.

     When I recognized the truth of my friend’s comment, I acknowledged my withholding, and I promised God on the way home that I would be open to speaking engagements. That night, I had a meditation group meeting at my home, and I mentioned this insight. Immediately one of the participants, a director of a foundation, asked me what kind of speaking I was to do, and I said I wasn’t sure. He said he had a grant for a part time person to go out and speak to senior groups about Emergency Preparedness. Another member of the group who is a minister asked if I would facilitate a service later in the month as she will be out of town. As the evening came to a close, I had to laugh. What transpired had been evidence of how quickly Spirit works when we open ourselves to the “work” that we are intended to do.

     The moral of this story is that each of us has need to look at where we are operating from our comfort zone only, and where we need to open ourselves to more of life that will stretch us and utilize the special gifts we’ve been given in whatever way our Creator has envisioned for us. When we are on the right track, doors open. When we are not, we may stumble, get a whack on the head, or break an arm. I’m still writing, but I’ve said “yes” to an additional opportunity. It’s a new phase and stage in my life, and amazing how good it feels to say “yes” instead of “no” to possibilities!
From Seasons of the Soul 2007 print edition

We Are Blessed

We are blessed, and often do not see it because we are looking for things to show up in our lives in a different way. And when they don’t, we bitterly complain that life has cheated us or passed us by, or have a myriad number of other complaints. Yet, everything that comes for us is a blessing. It isn’t even in disguise—it is presented in a way that will cause us to pay attention. And when we don’t, it comes in a different, perhaps more difficult form, to assist us in seeing the good that is in our lives, and to adjust an area of ourselves that needs correction or refinement.

The painful reminder from the body that we are not in harmony is a blessing when we pay attention in the beginning of the “gift”. If we wait too long, we have to experience a more painful form of blessing—but all of it is given to assist us in re-orienting the way we are living our lives.

I watched a recent  interview with Al Gore, and in it he expressed how he has taken on the work of educating the public as to the real emergency we face in global warming. Listening to him speak, I recognized that this man is doing a greater work potentially than that of being president. Instead of stewarding a country, he may be the voice that tips the balance to save our planet. So losing the presidential election was actually a blessing, for this work is one he is ideally suited for.

A health issue I face reminds me that I need to change my way of eating. It is a blessing to awaken me to what is needed. An issue with a friend or my loved ones is a blessing—reminding me to practice compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance.
 
Nothings is wasted. Nothing comes without a meaningful gift attached—even if it seems hard to believe. Death is a given, but we can experience the blessing of resolution on our death bed. And while alive,  we need to take the clues presented, appreciate what is in our lives rather than grousing about what is not, and see how much life seeks to help us grow through its continuous and unrelenting forms of blessing.
From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2006