Seasons of the Soul

Do's and Don'ts

   I was getting ready to scramble an egg one morning and remembered back to when I was in Junior High School in Home Economics class, and we were learning how to scramble eggs. I made comments at the time about how the egg was actually something that came from a chicken and was going to become a chicken, and in my attempt to gross out my classmates, I thoroughly nauseated myself and could not eat eggs for a long time.

   For some reason the memory returned as I looked at the egg and yolk I was ready to beat together. I commanded to myself, “Don’t think about it!”…and of course, I thought about it. And it dawned on me how the mind is attracted to what it is directed to – even when it is directed to a don’t or a not – it moves towards the thing described. I thought about how as kids, when told not to touch something, we became more curious, and often did what we were told not to do.

   So as I stood scrambling my egg, I was thinking of things to command myself not to think of – and they came popping in after the admonition. However, as I was focused on the negative thing I’d told myself not to think of, I brought in a command to “think of a waterfall,” and I immediately saw a waterfall in my mind’s eye. I replaced the negative image with a positive one in an instant, and that reminded me of new techniques in parenting that are being used. When a child is misbehaving and focused on things they should not be doing, instead of telling them NOT to do that, the child is directed to an activity or thing that is positive. By shifting focus, a new image has been provided, and the child is not engulfed in guilt or defensiveness. They simply move on to the next thing.

   I’ve watched it work with my granddaughter, and amaze myself with the ease in which we move to a positive directive when there is no tag line attached, no guilt induction or fault. Hitting or engaging in dangerous behavior is a whole different thing – but helping children and ourselves train our minds to focus on positive imagery that nourishes us is a beneficial effort.

   For those of us who spend a lot of time in self-recrimination, the idea of transplanting the “I should haves” with positive imagery of what we have done right goes a long way to making us feel whole and refreshed – ready for a new project or attempt at something we may have failed at before. Try it. See if it makes a difference for you. In place of focusing on something negative, or berating yourself, turn immediately to an image of something that is joyous or peaceful, and remember the things you HAVE done well – and then remember to appreciate yourself for them!

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2006

In Times of Change, Wild Magic is Afoot!

An excellent article on the power of change and choice:

http://www.kripalu.org/article/564/

Three Cups of Tea and The Art of Spiritual Peacemaking

Three Cups of Tea

by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin  

Viking, The Penguin Group

 

I recently read an extraordinary book about climber Greg Mortenson, who stumbled onto a remote village in the high mountains of Pakistan while descending from a life threatening climb that left him delirious. The villagers who took him in and nursed him to health were so kind and generous despite their poverty, that he made a vow to come back to build schools for their children. The story that unfolds is an incredible journey of one man who has made a huge difference in the lives of villagers throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan. It makes the reader realize how much more effective we as Americans could be by building bridges to peace with our technology and dollars than by bombing those we perceive as enemies. This book sheds light on the underlying roots of terrorism and the human face of the people in remote regions of the earth who we need to know better.  I highly recommend this inspiring true story. It is a great read!

 

 

The Art of Spiritual Peacemaking  

by James F. Twyman

Findhorn Press

 

I’m taking a class where this book is being used, and it’s a more heartfelt Course in Miracles type book that gives simple lessons in ways to become peace makers. There are 365 daily lessons as well as 33 two page chapters that are full of insight and directives for choosing that which brings us closer to our inner sense of purpose and peace. It’s well done, and although I’ve not been a Twyman fan, this book has given me new respect for his abilities.

 

Reviews from 2006

Quotable Quotes

 

Each one sees what he carries in his heart. --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

"A human always acts and feels and performs in accordance with what
he imagines to be true about himself and his environment."
~Maxwell Maltz, Author of Psycho-Cybernetics

 

Those who think they are too small to make a big difference,  have never been in bed with a mosquito.   ~ The Dalai Lama

How To Get Along In Life

How To Get Along in Life

 
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't
matter and those who matter don't mind."
~Dr. Seuss

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

 

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. 

 —From The Four Agreements  by Don Miguel Ruiz

Layers and Layers of Paint

 

  “I think we ought to strip the cabinets.” My sweetie was looking at the thick layers of paint on kitchen cabinets that had been repeatedly painted over the years, and discussing what our options were now that it was once again time to paint.

   “Oh, no…don’t go to all that trouble,” I countered. “Let’s just make this kind of a funky kitchen and paint some interesting colors.”

   He shook his head. “Nope. I want to see what is underneath all this buildup of paint.” I sighed, knowing that once he’d made up his mind, nothing was going to stop him. “Well, go ahead if you want…but it’s going to be a lot of work.”

   He took the cabinets into the garage and put paint stripper on each of them. I heard him sanding them, and soon he was in the house with a big smile on his face. “Come look at what I found.” Surely, it was going to be marginal at best. But as I walked up to what had been heavily painted cabinet doors, there in their place were beautiful wooden doors that had intricate wood grain – absolutely gorgeous. And all this time, they had been covered over with layer upon layer of paint – hiding the natural beauty that was underneath, waiting to be freed!

   If we’d had more money, we’d probably have thrown the old cabinets out. But because we had a limited budget, and because of his tenacity, we found something that was much nicer than anything new we could have bought.

   Of course, that got me thinking about us humans. How many layers of “paint” have we got covering the exquisite natural beauty of who we really are under all the years of encrusted experiences, disappointment, and other residue that has created a buildup that dims our inherent light? And how often do we just paint more on top of what is there rather than stripping away the old and bringing ourselves back to our true essence? It seems so much easier in the moment just to cover over whatever isn’t working, but in the long run, we are left with a shadow of our real selves.

   Now that I’ve seen the miracle of stripping the cabinets, I’m looking to see where there is residue and layers of old stuff that is hiding my inner light. How about you? Is your true beauty shining through?

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2006

Presence of Angels

Presence of Angels: A Healer’s Life

For anyone who is interested in healing, the book Presence of Angels: A Healer's Life, by J.C. Hugh MacKimmie, is a fabulous read. It is full of wit and wisdom, and true stories that will astound you. More than that, there is a powerful energy of healing that comes through the book and has touched different people in different ways, including being a conduit of healing. I have already ordered several additional copies after reading it, and feel it is an important contribution to anyone wanting to experience a first hand healing journey.

I was privileged years ago to have gone to Dr. MacKimmie when he lived in the S.F. Bay Area, and many of the things I learned about healing and health came from this very special man. It is an honor to recommend his book.

The book is only available through the following distribution company in Montana, and I'm including the e-mail site in case you would like to look at the cover and see an excerpt from his story.

Knowing Heart Publishing or http://www.knowingheart.com/

Phone 1-800-214-8110

Reconciliation of the Universe

In the book,  Deconstruction of the Universe, by Gary Renard, a position is taken that demonstrates the entire process of life as a field of play to bring about  realization that there is only One Self – the God that is a unified force field, and that each of us is part of an original error thought that has split into fragments and continues to play out an illusion of reality through duality.

“Let Thine Eye Be single”, “In the twinkling of an Eye” - and all biblical passages  referring to the unifying principle of oneness  -  are points of recognition within each fragment that it is truly part of a whole. When we overcome the individuated “i” that runs on free will choice and clarify our position and our true source, we become the single “I”, and that recognition can occur in a twinkling, so that we realize we are not separate, not apart from – but that we are the one “I” in which all things live and dwell and have their being. This becomes the basis of Self Realization.

There is nothing other than that, save for the projection of error consciousness playing out in the realm of Earth.

When we look at scenarios that individuals play out we can see the truth in these concepts. Each person has a different vantage point and a different story based on their own perception. Ten people can view the same incident and report it differently – based on their own perception and bias.

We look from a larger view at the squabbles of people over the “differences” in religion, race, ethnic background – the wars fought amongst the so-called righteous to promote their “one true truth”. Yet, even by biblical standards, we are all derived from one coupling – the Adam and Eve heritage. If this be so, how can we claim that any of us are superior to another? If this be so, how can we say that any other is sub-human or inferior or wrong? We being derived from One must return to One – and in the process the ego (I go) must come home.

We can see the magnetic repelling or connecting when we take two force fields and hold them in different ways. As a child, many of us who are older used to play with the magnetic Scotty dogs – one black, one white. If they were held a certain way, they would lock together as one. When they were held differently, they could not be attached because the force fields  energetically repelled the other. So with us. We are locked in a perceptual force field of repulsion, unable to come together until we turn energetically to a different field of perception and knowing. Once this occurs – we are able to re-unify, and those who were sent out as one who became two and then millions can be reabsorbed as the out-breath becomes the in-breath. From the millions to the two to the One…separate no more.

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2005

No Age Should Be Dismissed

 

As I looked into the mirror, the unmistakable signs of aging were evident. Turning 60 was a reminder. The clock is ticking, and the direction is toward old age. As I thought of the many extreme makeover shows now so popular on television, it dawned on me that as much as my skin is sagging, my spirit is soaring. On the outside I am showing signs of wear and tear, but it is an indicator of a life lived. And I thought of our throw away culture. Women over 40 have few roles available in the movies. Most are banished from television when they are no longer cute to look at. In the Bay Area, we have one station that allows the older newscasters to have a show in the morning on weekends – when most people aren’t watching.

What is so interesting about this dichotomy of youth/age is that in our early years we are filled with curiosity about the world around us and about ourselves. We are discovering things all the time as we grow and develop. We go through the awkward stage of adolescence and then pass into the phase of nest and career building. Our efforts are directed outward and to procreating our species. It is only after the headlong rush into life that we take time as older age approaches to ask the relevant questions about life that are deepening and soul enhancing. We have to come to the point of having enough experience to strip away our own veneer – to be willing to see ourselves from a lifelong perspective.

Our American preoccupation with facelifts and body makeovers and flaunting a tinsel image of sexuality is actually laughable. It is adolescence on a rampage. We are besieged by shows filled with violence and disrespect….an homage to testosterone.

This past week I have been baby sitting my daughter’s kitten. She and her husband went to New York for five days, and we took care of her “baby”. As the week progressed, the bond between my grand-kitty and I increased. She was adorable and in to everything. I had to watch constantly to make sure no one would open a door to the outdoors without making sure she did not get out. Scooting here and there, she was inquisitive and investigative. Her moments of calm and loving were slim. Everything was action oriented. The kids came home yesterday and took their precious treasure away. It was quieter without the kitty, and we missed her amusing antics. However, in thinking about her, I was reminded of another cat years ago who came to visit the bookstore I worked in and loved.

Minerva Books was located in an old house next to a residential section, and the visiting kitty was an elder who was close to the end of its life. This very old orange cat would come to visit and sit on our porch where she could bask in the full glory of sun without the noise of cars or the rush of wind bothering her slumber. We used to look at her as she sat, seemingly so grateful for the rays of sunshine beaming down on her frail body. And there was a certain repose in her countenance – a dignity of age. This memory juxtaposed with the rampaging curiosity of the kitten brought home again the specialness of each age: None better or worse – each having its own gift. The young cat wanted to play. The old cat was grateful for a pat or a comment. The little one had no time to be still, and the old cat had all the time in the world. She was moving into the twilight of her life, filled with memories that sustained her, while the little kitten was busy making them.

And this brings me back to us. We are precious and wonderful and filled with possibility at every stage of life. To make one stage desirable and the rest dismissed is to deny the fullness of life. When we only look at surface images to determine what is acceptable and what is not, we miss the opportunity to enlarge our sphere of influence and depth because we see anything not conforming to the “image” as meaningless. Yet, in creation, there is nothing that is meaningless.

In the interweaving of life, every element is dependent and supportive of every other element. We are mistaken when we think we can interfere with one aspect of life and there will be no consequences to the rest of life – because we are intricately linked to one another. So too, with age. No age should be dismissed.

From Seasons of the Soul print edition 2003

The World Map of Happiness

The happiest countries on earth have certain things in common. Read more and discover what they are and how we can incorporate that into our own lives.

http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=2928