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heart, soul, work, play; the joys, pains, and some of the lessons of Life
About once a decade, musicians gather together and pool their incredible talents in a single concert broadcast around the world to raise relief funds for some disaster. It’s impossible not to be swept up in the magic of the moment.
For a brief time, there’s no “us” or “Them”, no rich or poor, white, black or Latino. The world is united and everyone is giving. It’s all about giving, all about heart.
I love to watch the emotions of celebrities who have so much be so thrilled to pitch in and offer their share. Squabbles subside. Struggles seem trivial compared to the bigger picture and every one knows it.
There was much talk today about celebrating on this perfect day of 12-12-12, but the concert tonight brings smiles far beyond expectations. When people really give from their hearts, they find a sweet euphoria.
Even the tragedy is celebrated.
The hard work is set aside. The tears are less in sorrow and more for gratitude. Somehow, no matter how tough things are, when people come together, they find a strength in community that makes everything alright.
The heroism is acclaimed. The survivors become thrivers. Hope becomes manifest and all becomes possible.
And the music is pretty good too!
We're down to just a matter of days now before the acclaimed
date of December 21, 2012. Already, as I
write this in most parts of the world, it is the symmetrical and picture
perfect 12-12-12.
This is a weekend of gratitude.
The transformation of our lives is not an easy process. We want to think there is a distinct “before” and “after”, a beginning and end. We want it to be something we get through and then are done with, free and clear on the other side of trouble and lack.
Time proves, however, that the transformation is never truly complete. Even our death, apparently, is not an end, but simply a shift into a new way of being, a reincarnation, a spiritual dance in another dimension, or just the leisurely nine lives of a cat, resting up before beginning all over again.
In truth, we move from these moments to moments, experiencing the highs and lows sometimes in perfect and exhilarating understanding and others mystified and oblivious. We crave purpose and meaning and sometimes act in ways that utterly defy logic. We yearn for definition in everything and celebrate magic in the most important.
Life is a mystery and our faith in everything and nothing keeps us going.
This tirade is born out of a weekend of frustration, stumbling along with no real purpose, motivation or imagination. For no understandable reason and despite surroundings of hope and prosperity, I went through the motions of participation and internally despaired.
Since my conversation with the wonderful astrologer Tom Lescher last month, I have been on a spiritual vacation. The hiatus was neither planned nor comfortable, but simply evolved out of earthly distractions and requirements that focused my attention directly on the steps right in front of me. One foot in front of the other, one moment to the next, in the now, but more drone-like than monk, I have persevered.
Having professed and committed to the idea that abundance is directly related to the pursuit of passion, it was disturbing to notice in how many ways I have been abandoning those very activities reacquired that make me feel so passionate and powerful. It culminated this weekend in a lethargy so frustrating, darkness and dawns came and went and fear mounted that my purpose seemed to wallow in a state of non-purpose.
Like an Escher print that has two different images, depending on our focus, my world hovered between two perceptions. No matter how much I celebrated the one intellectually, my heart seemed sobered by a more dismal projection.
Movement seems to be a key to relinquishing the chains. Instead of moping and staying settled in the darkness, shaking myself physically was the antidote to the doldrums that had weighed so heavily. I played soccer. I forced myself through some chores that had been necessary. I drove myself in circles around town and tried not to worry about it, but allowed the pleasure of the golden leaves to be enough.
Most importantly, in these rougher times, judgment should be suspended. If we allow the flow to stop flowing once in a while and settle in to the darkness, the dawn of a new day can seem quite beautiful and a welcome transformation from the troubled and sleep-depriving thoughts. A month without writing essays or networking emails does not necessarily portend regression, but can simply be a re-alignment, a change of pitchers or just one of those precious nine lives of resting cashed in as part of an auspicious purpose.
Upon hearing that I am looking for a roommate to help with
expenses now that my son is off to college, a well-meaning friend advised that
I should choose someone young, fresh and full of energy.
The full moon energy is strong tonight. Mercury is retrograde for another week. In Vermont, we've already had May and it's only April.
As I have been so very busy of late pursuing other projects, I am pleased to present Kate Loving Shenk, an internet friend of mine met last summer through a telesummit about writing transformational books. Kate is leaping forward with fierce determination to spread good prayers in the world and I invite you to get to know her work a little better.
(There's a pause button on the music icon to the right so you can hear her better)
Welcome to day # 3 of the Prayer Prescription: Spiritual Remedies For Long
Lasting Health Virtual Book Tour! Kip is gracious to feature my book on his
blog today, and I thank him very much.
I joke around in this video about
Zen and the Art of the Prayer Prescription, a take off on Kip's own book, Zen
And The Art Of The Mid-Life Crisis. Let's face it, we all have such a
crisis, at one time if not more times in our lives. I started writing prayers as
a last ditch attempt to save my own life, because various family issues were
looming precariously over a cliff, and my beloved dogs were soon going to pass
on to the next dimension.
Writing prayers has a calming effect on the
psyche. When the inside is at peace, nothing on the outside can go wrong. The
harmonizing effect of prayer tends to quiet the mind and brings peace to every
other mind, also. It truly is a miracle.
Thank you for celebrating the
publication of my book with Kip and me. The book is due for publication in mid
to end of May.
-=-=-=-=-=
I'd like you to stop by my author blog.
There's a lot going on there and we'll have an opportunity to connect there.
Please be sure to introduce yourself!
http://katelovingshenk.com
Kate has been a practicing
RN/CRNP for 28 years, and currently acts as a Labor And Delivery Nurse, which is
very special, indeed.
Additionally, Kate is planning further “Prayer
Prescriptions” books surrounding aging gracefully and Prayer Prescriptions
For The Love Of Our Companion Animals.
Like duct tape, Coffee, it seems, can cure anything.
With six loads of laundry folded before the sun was even up
on New Years morning, I wish I could say I had felt accomplished. The truth, however, was that in that damp
dark dawn we call a holiday, I was awake too early and alert with fear and
worry about what may or may not lie ahead.