Sleeping Beauty

 

 Ever feel like you were spinning your wheels faster and faster and yet getting further and further behind?  Science has shown that often when the mind is thinking and doing man tasks in a desperate attempt to gain some bigger goal and no time is given for pure "nothingness" - the brain actually slows to a crawl and we become immune to the trauma we are inflicting upon ourselves.  Yes! The mind needs time to unwind and rest in the "void" of no thinking.  It needs time to just float away and be in a state of pure relaxation.  To be whole and healthy the mind requires times where we are literally doing nothing.  Just being.  No rush no fuss.  Just aware of our surroundings and letting the big picture settle into our consciousness.

Inner peace comes through not doing.  It comes when we let go and let the unfolding of life take place without trying to guide it and fill it with stuff.  Doing is part of life.  But so is letting go.  Freedom to be ourselves in the midst of the storm.  In the eye - where all is calm.  We may be trying to go faster and faster, like the rabbit chasing the turtle.  However, our self awareness and bliss function best as we slow down and allow for thoughtful quiet spaces throughout our day.

Try it!  You might be pleasantly surprised ! 

Nothing But...

Somewhere in this world there is a God who dishes out talent like candy to certain people who in turn bring a spiritual Life-Essence to share with the rest of us...
Diane Birch is just such a person.  Her music makes you stop and listen.  It rocks you in a way that leaves you breathless - screaming  for more... It touches your heart in a way that is beyond words to describe!  I hope Diane continues to explore her gift and realizes that she is in a very special place in life.  A world made beautiful through musical genius and a connection to the Divine!,,,
Play On!...

Diane Birch - Truer Than Blue

Isn't She Lovely!

In every life there is a certain "wow!" factor.  Something that just jumps out at you and takes your breath away.  Sometimes it is obvious and sometimes subtle.  But if we take the time to look and ponder we will begin to feel and know what it is that keeps us coming back for more.

In this life we see what we want to see.  The beautiful and the ugly.  The sublime and the profound.  Sometimes we recoil in horror and sometimes from fear.  But always the chance is there that we will take in the moment and experience what it is that the moment has for us to experience.  Never be too quick to write off the book because of its cover. Take the time to understand the real essence behind every emotional outburst we feel.  Remember an open mind is a mind which can see beauty where others see only pain.  Take the time to observe and appreciate life's wrinkles and uneasy spaces.  If we do this, we will come away with a smile on our face and a song in our heart.

...That's the way love goes!

Choices...

Life! Life is about choices.  We first must think before we act.  The idea is fundamental to... life.  We say, "I wasn't thinking!", when we do something we wish we hadn't.  But that can't really be as it takes thought to produce actions.  The more a thought is repeated the deeper the reflex is made which causes the action to appear spontaneous.  Reflexes are actions which are caused by electrical connections which are sometimes involuntary muscle movements like a twitch.  But these actions can hardly be called meaningful acts resulting in anything resembling structured creative movement.  Thoughts must be involved if the end result of an action is to be recognized as structurally balanced and meaningful.

Life has a way of bringing us to our senses or our knees!  Given enough time we find ourselves wishing we had listened to the sound advice of a parent or friend.  We learn by making mistakes.  But we can also learn by choosing to choose!  Choosing things which can bring others happiness. Choosing to live our lives by the Golden Rule - Dealing with others as we wish they would deal with us.  Putting the other person first before our own desires and wants.  Seeking the high road instead of confrontation.  Knowing when to stand our ground and when to let go.  All choices.

In life we have all the time in the world to live.  But in living we must make instant choices for better or for worse.  It is a risk we must accept.  To be ignorant of this detail is to live a life of loss and despair.  A life filled with doom and gloom.  Nothing can take the place of thinking thoughts.  What thoughts a person thinks ends up shaping the person.  Life choices are sometimes small - sometimes profound.  In all situations we should stop and think.  Choose!  Create a sense of purpose!  Life is about choices... Choose carefully!

If you ask me…

“The wind blows where it wants and you hear the sound of it, but you know not where it comes from or where it goes…”

Somewhere in the deep recesses of the mind, the substance which makes faith a reality quietly waits. In a world where speculation and “anything goes” free thinking has been held up as intellectual science, and media pundits question the very fabric of what used to be considered sacred ground –

if you ask me, the fate of nations and the fate of all living things hang in the balance… The idea that all things are questionable and ultimately unknown, makes for some very interesting conclusions about life itself. Opinions about everything circulate through the air like the leaves of autumn falling to the ground; after a storm. Wisdom’s lore is lost on an age of personal enlightenment which in most instances has trumped all past belief systems. The ability to pontificate about the smallest insignificant data has become a high art form. What we once thought was untouchable has become fodder for the fires of cynics and theologians alike.

If you ask me – the light of truth no longer is reflected in the minds and hearts of societies leaders and socially acceptable belief systems. “Whatsoever things are true”… What once was thought of as true and right, no longer holds the same importance within the halls of higher education – be it private or public. Instead what we see is a modern day “textural criticism” which resembles the noodles in alphabet soup! Long gone is the notion that the truth is actually knowable. Long gone is the idea that rational people can have a faith which is built on solid, factual information. The world is awash in reality hysteria, while the floodwaters akin to the Great Deluge is drowning all attempts to bring the truth to the forefront of intellectual understanding. “Be still and know…” The simplest things in life can shed great light on our spiritual journey and life itself.

If you ask me – it all comes down to one irrefutable notion called love. When we stop to think about love – and we let go of all thoughts and all obstacles which we have placed in front of love – it is then and only then that life takes on a true sense of what it means to be alive. It is the path walked by all the past sages and masters in time. It is the one notion which brings all other ideas to the forefront. It is the wisdom which passes all understanding… “…And so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

2017 - Arise and Shine!

Aiki-jujutsu In Motion!

Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Cheers!  Whatever you call it, This time of year is the beginning of the end - the path to a new beginning - a new year - a new start to find ourselves.  It is this time of year when people start to be merry and celebrate their new found joy that the world is celebrating almost in unison, the newness of life, hope  and gratitude of all things present.  Presents. Gift-giving.  Congratulations are in the air - in the  very vapor we breathe!  The angels of yuletide hallelujahs can almost be heard in the newborn's cries.  A moment when time seems to stand still and all voices ring out the joy of the season in every corner of the earth - or so it seems.

What the art of war teaches us - is that the motion created by life is a force which can turn the tide in a way which is useful or not.  Good and bad are extractions of perspective - but motion is the result of inner strength displayed in a directed and useful way.  The way of peace involves a sword - a need to cut ourselves out of the fabric which holds us bound to the non-essentials in life.  Timing teaches us to choose carefully - sifting through the options before us - and choosing the best course to pursue.  When we open our hearts to the inner solitude in life - when we take the time to calm our thoughts and chase away the sadness - just taking in the reality of the stillness we now find ourselves in - it is at that moment -  that the Spirit arises and permeates our whole being.  "Be still and know..."  

Listen to your heart.  Feel the world around you beating out a chorus of joyful sounds.  Be inspired to step into the river of life and be cleansed of your fears and sadness.  Your sorrows are fleeting.  Let them go!  Immerse yourself in the wisdom that comes from that place of quietude and joy.  Arise and shine - for your time is NOW!  Have faith!  Be Blessed!  Happy! Happy!! ... And to all a very Merry Merry!