Insights & Imagination
from Linda....
February reminds us to give our hearts away! Beyond being someone's Valentine, we know that there is an inner 'heartfelt' reason to look at life more insightfully through the eyes of Love. Loving sentiments sent by a card or a phone call, or a tweet or FB post might be a quick and easy way to share our hearts with others, but we know there is much more to love than the fleeting symbol of <3.
My whispering muses told me that 2012 is the Year of the Heart. I have learned to pay attention to those inner voices, even though I'm not always clear about their meaning right away. Our inner guidance has a way of making us LISTEN carefully, and not just with our ears, but from a deeper place of Knowing. So I focused on my own heart while in a meditation. It was beating in a strong, steady rhythm and I knew that the HEART could take on many meanings. So this year, on our Insights & Imagination page, we will explore all the ways to interpret what "2012 is the Year of the Heart" means. By the end of this pivotal year of change and transformation, we should be resonating with ALL expressions of the HEART ENERGY.
Everyone has a heart, right? That is, if you are still in human form.... but in that context it would mean that the heart is merely a physical muscle. What about the emotional heart? The metaphysical heart? The energetic heart? The spiritual heart? the Universal heart? the Cosmic heart?.....then there is the broken heart, the lonely heart, the grieving heart, the fearful heart, the closed-down heart, the wounded/hurt heart, the disconnected heart and the angry heart. There is also the generous heart, the forgiving heart, the loving heart, the joyful heart, the peaceful heart, and the compassionate heart.
In truth of course, there is only ONE Heart which inevitably encompasses all of these descriptions. What an amazing concept! In each one of us, there is an unlimited open space where the vastness of ALL possibilities exist!
Start listening to your own heart. Right now. Find out what's in there! Just BE with what is there. Notice it. Witness it. Don't get involved with what energy is there right now. Just pay attention. Recognize your own heart. Get to know how it controls your day....well, really, your every moment. Begin to value each heartbeat as the most precious gift you've been given! Wow. That really brings me into the Present Moment...one heart beat at a time.
Perhaps this is what ALIVENESS feels like in it's purest essence....feeling your own heart beating in its own rhythm. This seems like a good start for a new year. Forget the new year resolutions. Just start connecting with your own heart. If you were hoping to experience more Gratitude this year, I bet you already feel it flowing within you right now! I am grateful for listening to my inner muses because this simple yet profound awareness feels important for 2012.
Strong heart. Beating heart. Living heart. .....something I will never take for granted. What a miracle.
December. Does this month bring Delight or Dread?
We're at the end of another year. There is less sunshine in the daytime and our animal nature to want to hibernate is closing in on us fast. 2011 is leaving and we will soon enter the year of the Great Shift. Time is speeding up and our consciousness is rapidly changing every 20 days. There is no looking back when we only have this one moment, right? So where do we focus our attention this month...on our spiritual heart? ...our family gatherings?...our holiday parties?...our need to shop, cook, bake?...our desire to consume products at discounted sale prices?...our stressors? What is our truest DEVOTION? What do we deeply care about? What calls us so strongly that we absolutely can't resist it? Does this month of holidays (holy days) resonate with our own life's purpose? How do we know when something is worth our full attention, something that makes us say 'yes!' without a doubt, something that pulls us out of our dark caves?
To know that, we must have DISCERNMENT....the ability to access our intuitive urgings that tell us what is most true, meaningful, and purposeful in our lives. When we have the patience to be discerning, (choosing what feels 'most right') we are strengthening and empowering trust in our inner wisdom which always guides us by Grace.
It takes DISCIPLINE to persevere on Purpose, to live by our highest values, and to have self-mastery over the meaningless desires which might pull us off track or push us back into our caves. Making a conscious DECISION to live in the true spirit of the holiday season gives us strength and courage to follow our path with wise choices. Once we find the true joy of our Devoted Heart, we can choose to be DILIGENT this December. Our diligence to be 100% commited to the peace, joy, generosity, and love that this season represents is what makes gives our souls happiness and fulfillment.
This month, I am making a Dedicated Decision to keep my sense of DETERMINATION, so that I am clear and focused on what brings the most meaning and purpose to my days.
In the end, may we continue to be mindful of what compassionate DETACHMENT feels like....to 'gracefully' let go of our expectations, judgments, harmful cravings, disappointments, angers, stress, or stubbornness. May Divine Love live in humanity's heart, always.
This December, I am delightfully devoted and diligently dedicated to Peace on Earth and good will toward all! I am determined to open my heart to love and to share that Light, whenever and wherever I might be, no matter what. That simple decision makes my life have purpose and meaning, especially during this time and season of Spiritual Awakening.
May you be blessed always, and in all ways.
Happy Holidays.
November. The 11th month. This is the time to focus on NOW. NOW is the great reminder to Live In This Moment, but with all the busy-ness of our lives, how often do we fully experience the present moment? It slips away so easily, so quickly, so quietly....we never miss the moment because we have not paid attention to it! When we are PRESENT with our Presence, there is nothing else to distract us from our True Nature, which is to be One with the Moment.
Distractions are always around us. They come in the form of daily news, our endless to-do lists, our children, parents, work, watching television, the internet, politics, the economy, weather....anything that pulls our attention away from our Essence. When we are distracted, we lose our power, we are easily knocked off our feet and we forget our connection to our Truth.
(O.k., so we both know you are on the internet right now, but stay with me here....and stay awake, don't be distracted!)
When we are very mindful of each NOW moment, we are empowered with our most active and potent feelings of Aliveness.
How can we gain our sense of NOW during Nowvember? I received an insight on this, that I would like to share. A few years ago, while meditating on a clear blue summer sky, I 'saw' the word 'Now', and as if clouds rolled in like a skywriting airplane to make the point, it spelled out N.O.W. right in front of me.
What did each of those letters mean about 'NOW'?
N. When we need to become fully Present in the moment of NOW, we must first Notice right where we are. Notice your thoughts in the moment. What are you thinking? What are you feeling? There is no judgment to NOTICING. When we make a conscious note of what is going on within and around us, we can begin to AWAKEN to the present moment. Once we notice things, we can shift our thoughts into Neutral. In Neutral Mode, we are neither going backwards in our thoughts of regrets, nor forward into our thoughts of worry. 'Neutral' allows us to become very present, right where we are, without having to think, mentally figure anything out, make decisions, or deliberate anything. In Neutral, our thoughts become still and our emotions follow suit.
O. Finding the stillness of the present moment gives our intuitive heart a chance to OPEN. When we open to new possibilities, our thoughts that were previously stuck or distracted can now shift to something greater. Being Open is the next step to getting the biggest energy boost from the Present Moment.
W. Witnessing is a lot like noticing, but it happens from a larger spiritual perception. When we Witness ourselves we can see the whole picture of our Life and Purpose from our Higher Self's perspective. From this vantage point, there is a peacefulness that completely fills our heart and mind. This is the moment when we are truly Present. There is no other moment but NOW.
This month, when you feel distracted by anything that takes your attention away from your radiant Divine Nature, just think of the word NOW. Take a deep breath, consciously shift your mind into neutral, open your heart, and witness the Infinite Beauty that surrounds you and is within you. Be Present to Life in that moment.
I have deep gratitude for each moment and will continue to give thanks for inner stillness, peace, and a Higher Awareness of my Aliveness during this month of NOWvember. I wish you the same. Happy Thanksgiving.
October reminds me how quickly time is passing. We are in the last quarter of the year. The words that come to mind for this month are Orderliness and Optimism.
Mother Nature is beginning to cleanse, releasing what is no longer needed for this next season. Through the seemingly messy piles of fallen leaves and dead grasses, I remember that nature is our greatest teacher in how to best cleanse and recycle. There is an Orderliness to clearing the clutter in our lives. Even though the winds blow our 'garbage' in circles, we can still be focused and puposeful, changing our perspective by planning our steps toward the winter with order and harmony in our everyday living.
Order in our homes and work spaces creates harmony around us and within us. There is an openess which gives us a sense of freedom and simplicity on our 'path' ahead. Once our environments feel orderly and harmonious, we can easily experience more Optimism....a look into the future with a vision of a new kind of abundance and hopefulness!
With Optimism, nothing can destroy our hope. We embrace challenges and changes with confidence and renewed energy. Orderliness and Optimism give us vitality to make it through the days ahead of shortened sunlight, colder temperatures, and less color in nature. But we are prepared and ready, right?
Optimism reminds us that we are capable of solving things with positive viewpoints and outcomes, not complaining about them. We remember what is possible, just as nature reminds us that 'this, too, shall pass'....and all will be well.
In the meantime, enjoy the colorful changes that October always brings for our pleasure.
"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose." Kahlil Gibran
Support one another, like the branches of this magnificent tree.
September is the sweet month of living with some sunshine, some slight rain, and sadly saying goodbye to certain flowers in our gardens and sports teams that have ended their season.
Mostly, this September gives us time to remember the people in our lives that we've had to say goodbye to, especially as a country grieving the many losses that began 10 years ago on 9-11. But it 's more than just our fellow countrymen and women to whom we pay homage...we grieve the suffering of ALL when wars are fought, and when and wherever tradegy strikes, whether man-made or by natural causes.
There are endless challenges to humanity and our precious planet, but whatever comes, we are reminded that we have all the inner power we need to grow and transform through difficulties. This Strength gives us the ability to rise above hardships and understand that suffering's purpose is to lead us to a new perspective...one of courage and resilience.
With strength, courage and determination, we can begin to Surrender our suffering, which moves us deeper into the calmness of Serenity. In the midst of chaos we can still have a peaceful presence. Serenity allows us to live with a spiritual maturity...an ability to detach from strong emotional responses which can throw us off balance. It a sense of trust that all is well. We can accept any situation with the knowing that 'it is what it is'.
When we are free from suffering and have true serenity in our hearts, we are able to be of Service to others. We can ease someone else's pain by sharing our peaceful countenance. Being in Service means that we choose to glady support and help each other in every way. Using our gifts by making responsible contributions to our families and communities makes all of our challenges less daunting. We give from our hearts when we can. From this we learn that each one of us counts to make positive changes in the world.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." Reinhart Niebuhr
August. It's hot. It's humid. It's steamy.....and that's not just the weather outside, but the state of mind within the walls of our country's government. The word for August is Accountability.
Our system of democracy tells us that we, the people, have the right to elect representatives who will speak on our behalf for the well being of us as individuals, as well as for all of our citizens. We naturally expect them to be accountable for their decisions which affect all of us. Hmmmm....that would mean Integrity and Responsibility are part of every choice that is made, right? Meaning that when someone is accountable for their actions, honesty and truthfulness prevails. Now that IS a huge responsibility.
With Accountability, an individual is guided by the highest standards and has the courage to face challenges or mistakes willingly, without hiding or avoiding them. This just feels like the most appropriate topic for all of us to consider during this amazing month of August.
How do you take 100% responsibility for the choices you make?
Do you face your mistakes with humility and a willingness to make amends?
Do you consider both positive and negative outcomes of whatever choices you make?
How do your choices affect others around you?
Are you living within your means?
Do you take responsibility for your consuming habits?
Do you feel that your elected official is being accountable to you?
If you are accountable, people can rely on you, because you act with integrity, doing what you say you will do.
There is a feeling of trust and goodness when we are around people who are accountable. That feeling multiplies endlessly when we know that we are acting in accountable ways ourselves.
July's energy is filled with the electricity of Judgments and Justice. This month, our airwaves have been inundated with legal bickering, name calling, shame, and hurtful stories of innocence being taken away too soon, or injustices committed by those in power.
The public's emotional body is reeling, each person openly expressing their own ideas and opinions of what is right and what is wrong. There is finger pointing, blame, and tempers hot enough to match the scorching July sun.
So what happened to compassion? What is true Justice? What does that mean? Which viewpoint do we take....seeing others as a perpetrator or a victim or simply a bystander? Which is truth? How do we know?
We can never really know what is going on in someone else's mind. We can only live our own lives to the best of our abilities. We have to take the responsibility of thinking for ourselves. We must honor the rights of others, as well as respect our own. Finding truth means that we must have the courage to speak up and stand up for ourselves and others in the most honest and fair way.
A thoughtful explanation of Justice from The Virtues Project™ says: "Justice is being fair in all that we do. We continually look for the truth, not bowing to other's judgments or perceptions. We do not backbite. We clear up problems face to face. We make agreements that benefit everyone equally. When we commit a wrong, we are honest in correcting it and making amends. If someone is hurting us, it is just to stop them. It is never just for strong people to hurt weaker people. With justice, we protect everyone's rights. Sometimes when we stand for justice, we stand alone."
June is as good of a month as any to bring JOYFULNESS to the forefront of our lives. Every day we are inundated with news of trials, tribulations and tragedies. Needless wars, political conflicts, false imprisonments, abuse, and changing weather patterns like tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, droughts, etc. are causing human suffering on a mass scale that many have never experienced in this lifetime.
There are losses beyond what we can imagine....not only of material possessions, but in all facets of life....our businesses, personal relationships, financial situations, health, dignity, integrity, sanity...Need I say more? We have all been affected in one way or another.
On the bright side, all of these changes are forcing us to bring out our best qualities. We are sharing more of what we have with those who have lost so much. Out of sudden necessity and personal choice, we are sharing our time, our money, our hopes, our prayers, our hands, our physical help, our ideas our food, and even our homes if necessary. This shift in our current human situation on the earth plane is causing personal transformations on an equally massive scale. We are AWAKENING to our highest potential and living it!
Most of us know, deep in our hearts that we are really never alone. We can feel love pouring out from our friends and neighbors. Family members are expressing more compassion towards one another and generosity is being felt everywhere.
This turn of events in our continuing evolution is enough to celebrate the true JOY that really does exist in the midst of our pain and struggles. I thought a gentle reminder of that might be in order at the middle of this year.
I found this beautiful comment about Joyfulness from The Virtues Project™:
"JOYfulness is the natural state of our soul. It is an inner wellspring of peace and happiness. It is beyond ordinary happiness because it is not an occasional emotional reaction to luck or circumstances. It is a deep sense of wellbeing that fills us with delight and hope. We appreciate the gift of life, and savor its richness. We enjoy simple pleasures. We find the humor in things. We allow joy to carry us through the painful times. We take ourselves lightly and remember to play. Joy comes when we are being true to a soulful purpose. It give us an abiding sense that all is well."
"Joy gives us wings! In times of joy our strength is more vital, our intellect keener, and our understanding less clouded. We seem better able to cope with the world and to find our sphere of influence." Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks. p. 109
The month of May...mmmmmm....finally some warmth, color, beauty, songbirds!
May always reminds me of the wonder of Motherhood. No matter where you live, no matter what your culture, your education, your status in life....no matter your age, your gender, or your personal beliefs....the one thing that brings all of humanity into one assured common bond is that everywhere on the planet, every single person has had a mother.
Your mother might or might not still be in the physical world. You might have, or not have had a close relationship with her. You might have healed through your difficult times, or maybe you are celebrating the closeness of your mutual respect and love.
Whatever 'Mother' means to you...we have all had the experience of being Mothered, Over-SMothered, Lack of being Mothered, or Abandoned by Mother. Whatever has been the case for you, I hope that you will take the time this month of May to honor Mothers for the consistent creative work they do. If your mother isn't as nurturing as you would wish for, or if she was or is demanding or critical, just understand that all mothers do as well as they can....from the level of awareness that they have learned on their life journey. Perhaps they didn't have the best or easiest childhood. Maybe they were not blessed to have positive influences in their lives, and therefore never learned how to break harmful patterns. Find that place in your heart which forgives with understanding, and send love to her, because you CAN.
If you are currently a mother, a mother to be, a grandmother, or spiritual mother, I send you great gratitude for being the golden thread that holds humanity together.
Mothers and our experiences of Motherhood in some form, bring MEANING into our lives and the world. How better can we learn compassion, non-judgment, or unconditional love? ...even if the lessons come with some challenges. We DO learn from our mothers, whether it is how to BE or Not to BE.
Just like your own mother, you can give Mother Earth an extra dose of appreciation this month, as she blooms and nourishes us with food and infinite miracles. Even earthquakes or the outrageous storms of Mother Nature deserve our respect, as her power is un-matched by human forces.
And remember, you can always, ALWAYS call upon the Divine Mother to hold you, love you, and keep you safe. If you don't have a connection to your own understanding of a Divine Mother, then ask her to show up for you in your prayers and meditations. Nothing is birthed into the Universe without the creative force of the Great Mother.
mmmm...May. The month of MOTHERS, MEANING, and MIRACLES.
April brings the hope that spring will actually appear in reality. Tiny movements in the earth hint the promise of new buds and seedlings that are getting ready to poke out of the soil. April is the month of new beginnings. We clean our closets, wash the winter dust off of our windows, and clear the cobwebs out of our minds. April is the month of 'Earth Day' and my personal birthday! I celebrate April!
Three words that feel appropriate for this month of April are....
Acceptance
Appreciation
Awe
We continue to experience the world in 'present time' as it goes through daily transformations. We live in a time when we can actually witness changes on an hourly basis, anywhere on the planet. Some of our changes are innovative and exciting, while other events bring us to heartbreaking tears and deep sadness.
Our challenge is to find a way to have Acceptance for what is, and to be able to embrace life on its own terms. An earthquake is out of our human control...but war is man-made. Poisons, pesticides, toxic waste, pollutants are human-made, but a tsunami is a force caused by Mother Nature. There are enough threats to humankind from natural sources, like solar flares, floods, tornadoes, or meteorites hitting the earth. So how can we accept the fact that there are just as many threats that we cause by ourselves and do to our own family of humanity?
Acceptance helps us to be flexible, to bend without breaking in the strong winds of tests. We pray to be able to accept the things that we cannot change. But what about the things that we CAN change, with a little effort on each of our parts? Will we learn the lessons we need to learn in the face of disasters? Will we continue to kill ourselves unnecessarily?
These questions lead to AWE which allows us to reflect on the beauty and mystery of Life. When we feel a deep respect and reverence for the Source of life, we are experiencing AWE. We feel humbled before the power of the Creator. How has the recent earthquake in Japan affected you?
Surrendering in AWE and ACCECPTING what is, helps me gain a deeper APPRECIATION for all of life. I value everyone and everything, even the hard lessons that learned during painful times. I have gratitude for every single day and appreciate what IS.
May you accept yourself, just as you are, with appreciation and awe for the power of Life that created you and all of our collective experiences.
March winds blow right down through our bones
and into the very heart of our comfort zones....
Sometimes we feel a deep chill that cannot be explained, nor does it seem that our inner shivers can ever be warmed enough. March is the month that teases us with a slight taste of spring, then soon followed by another snow storm. We wonder if we will ever see the sun again....or be able to finally retire our winter coats into storage for the rest of the year!
Three words come to mind for this month of March.
Mindfulness
Moderation
Motivation
The world is changing every day. Governments are shifting in their power base. The media would have us believe that financial concerns are growing way beyond the 'personal'. Gas prices are going up, grocery items are priced higher than ever, and it seems like Common Sense is fighting for survival when it comes to 'new legislation'.
We can gracefully move through these current and coming changes if we are mindful of the world around us. Mindfulness means that we are consciously aware of our thoughts, what we are saying in each communication, and what actions we choose to take in each moment. When we are mindful, we can make responsible choices that bring us serenity, a feeling of lightness, and a deep appreciation of simple joy. Mindfulness helps us fully experience the present moment, helps us slow down, and creates the space for our inner listening and inner vision to be cultivated.
As we experience more simple joy, we lessen our endless desires. This is when Moderation takes a positive and peaceful role in our lives. Moderation helps us to establish healthy boundaries that protect us from overdoing things that pull on our time and energy. We are in balance, in a perfect rhythm with Moderation....not grasping for things, doing too little or too much, nor feeling like there is any lack. Moderation is not depriving ourselves, it is knowing that simple pleasures are enough and that we are content when we choose to love and accept ourselves just as we are.
After being Mindful of our surroundings, and pleased to make balanced and Moderate choices, we find that we begin to have the Motivation we need to continue to find ways of BEING that sustain us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We are motivated to be mindful! We become free from our addictive natures when we use self-discipline to create a life in which we pray as well as play, protect ourselves from the stress of excess, and choose to live at a gentle pace of grace.
May you be mindful and motivated to bask in the glory of simple moderation! Let the March winds blow, knowing that with awareness, you cannot be knocked off your center!
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As cold as it is outside, our hearts are forever warm inside....
February. The month of Love. The time of closeness. The season for sharing hearts, valentines, sweetness. The opportunity for coming into Right Relationship.
Three words come to mind this February month.
Forgiveness
Flexibility
Freedom
We must be flexible in order to become free. We can't be truly free until we have forgiven ourselves and others.
Forgiveness frees us from resentments and past hurts. Forgiveness opens that tender place in our hearts that allows us to begin anew. When we forgive, we can let go of those nagging thoughts that keep us feeling guilty, or that we have been offended somehow. Forgiveness gives others another chance.
When we forgive ourselves, we have accepted that making a mistake, no matter how grievous, is the precious part of life that teaches us how to change. There is a generosity of spirit that allows us to have compassion not only for ourselves, but for all people in all situations.
The act of forgiveness gives our body, mind, and emotions a new space in which to stretch and open. This is true flexibility. We release our tightness, we let go of our pain, and realize we don't have to justify, hold on, or dig in with resistance any longer. We can move freely. We can move forward with peace of mind.
Once we have that clearing within, we can begin to feel a Divine transformation. Divine Forgiveness brings more love into our hearts and more comfort to our soul. We begin the process of being flexible with all things. We know that we are free to love again, and we are free to be loved for the very one that we are, mistakes and all. This is true freedom.
May you experience great freedom in your flexibility!
I AM For Giving.
A prayer:
Dear God, Creative Source, Oneness of All,
So many people on planet earth at this time are sending out collective energies in prayer for a new Light of Love to pour forth upon all of us on Mother Earth. May we awaken to the Light within us, NOW.
We are so small and humbled at your Divine Creations.
We are also as large as your Divine Mind. Limitless and ever-expanding.
Help us connect to you -
to have your Consciousness-
to know the wonders of all creation -
to appreciate every corner of Darkness and Light upon this tiny planet.
Help our Mother Earth.
At this time of our fervent prayer, please enter the hearts and minds of all Beings.
All Beings.
Help US to help our Mother Earth.
May each person who walks on this earth at this moment feel the energies of a New Consciousness.
May we be aware of our Thoughts, our subconscious thoughts, our subliminal thoughts, our unawakened thoughts, our enlightened thoughts.
May we, at this moment, be acutely aware of our awesome responsibility and power to create through our thoughts. Thank you for this.
May the power of our collective minds and loving hearts increase NOW, to bring into clear focus thoughts only of Peace...Thoughts of True Allowing.
May our minds be still. Still enough and quiet enough to hear our Highest Wisdom, beyond the banter, shouting, controlling, judging or dark vibrations of negativity that may be moving through the larger Field.
May we be still. Thank you for this.
Thank you for the Peace that is flooding our minds and permeating our thoughts right now.
Thank you for the Peace that is flowing into and out of our heart center at all times.
Thank you for collectively filling us with a new energy on this planet at this very moment.
May all Beings feel this shift. May our emotions follow these thoughts of Only Peace.
May we be blessed more than ever with Divine Love. Now. Thank you for this.
Thank you for giving us the courage we need to Be at Peace within ourselves and with one another. Thank you for the complete Healing that we need, collectively, as a Human Race. Now.
Blessed are you, our Source of Healing and Peace. Blessed are we, our Source of Healing and Peace. You are within me. Thank you for this.
Thank you for our new wisdom to act on behalf of All within the creative Life Force.
May All Beings, all of us, open our minds and hearts in this moment, to feel the shift in the energy field that we create around the world.
Thank you for the Light of Love, Compassion, Cooperation, and Peace which pervades all Darkness.
May no Human bring harm to any living thing.
May we be wise in our decisions and choices.
May we be responsible as we respect all of life.
May we be courageous enough to work with the Higher Mind and an evolving new Consciousness of Oneness.
Thank you for allowing us to let go of our need to control or judge.
Thank you for enabling us with trust in your Divine Plan.
Thank you for the wisdom and humility to know we are part of that plan with you.
Thank you for this life.
Thank you for All Life.
Thank you, God.
Shine on us. Shine within us. Shine through us. Shine AS us.
Amen.
I love the Tao. Not THE Tao. Just Tao.
It means Way. Path.
I am not a true Taoist, in the classical, traditional sense.
I don't believe it is elitist or obscure.
I simply read many translations of the early esoteric writings,
and they speak to my heart as Truth.
The Tao Te Ching, (pronounced Dow Deh Jing) was written by Lao-tzu
during the Chinese Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 256 BC )
Today I turned to these meditations from "Tao Te Ching: A New English Version" by Stephen Mitchell. Harper & Row 1988.
"#24"
He who stands on tiptoe
doesn't stand firm.
He who rushes ahead
doesn't go far.
He who tries to shine
dims his own light.
He who defines himself
can't know who he really is.
He who has power over others
can't empower himself.
He who clings to his work
will create nothing that endures.
If you want to accord with the Tao,
just do your job, then let go.
"#30"
Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.
The Master does her job
and then stops.
She understands that the universe
is forever out of control,
and that trying to domintate events
goes against the current of the Tao.
Because she believes in herself,
she doesn't try to convince others.
Because she is content with herself,
she doesn't need others' approval.
Because she accepts herself,
the whole world accepts her.
"#33"
Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.
If you realize that you have enough,
you are truly rich.
If you stay in the center
and embrace death with your whole heart,
you will endure forever.
It felt right to share these insights with you today....just as a friendly reminder.... to accept yourself, appreciate yourself, and acknowledge your Tao-ness.
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This page is dedicated to Insights and Imagination.
Come back often to energize your imagination!
Insights and Imagination are stirred from two simple words...
What if .......
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What if clouds are really blue?
What if we instantly recognized that we perceive EVERYTHING as illusion?
oops.
But what if that was the Truth?
What if, in this moment, everyone on the planet KNEW we were
a connected species that was CONSCIOUSLY evolving collectively
with every experience on the earth plane?
What if THIS was THE MOMENT to realize our highest purpose?
What if we consciously directed our energy toward that which is life sustaining
and spiritually empowering for the whole of the planet?
What if we joyfully chose to live together responsibly on Mother Earth
by continually sharing more information, positive energy, uplifting intentions,
and compassion with one another?
What if EVERY child on the planet right NOW was being held in the arms of
someone who loved them?
What if you knew that just by reading those last five questions,
it was already done?!
What if...?
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What if you sent YOUR 'What If' imaginations to be posted here?
What if....?
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Imagination. Image i nation.
The image I nation.
The vision where I live.
Imagination. Pictures and images creating Visions in our minds.
From Visions comes Insight.
Insight. The 'ah-ha's' of Knowing.
Knowing. Perceptions. Awareness. Understanding of Truth