"As you go about your day, notice the mirror faces around you and feel the muscles of your own face. When you feel a bit of stress or tension, allow the ends of your mouth to curve up, lightening heaviness; softening the energy within and around you as you share the gift of your smile.
A smile can carry you lightly through an entire day."
Florence Ondré
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
"A Little Goes A Long Way"
By Florence Ondré
This attribute; this commodity; this vaporous substance; ever seeming in short supply could go for big bucks and have a street value higher than pain pills.
This illusive energy flits away like a firefly in July. Now you see it; now you don’t.
Just think of the daily commute; hours in traffic and, no matter how much you know that this is a process and it’s going to take some time to get to your destination, you’re tired; worn thin from the day. You’re looking forward to getting in your domicile, closing the door on the world, taking a nice long shower or tub, eating and dropping into bed. All without other people and their energies crashing in on you like uninvited party guests.
Ahhh, would that all your kindness, compassion and understanding could stay present all the time to keep your basest. grubby, forgetfulness of niceties at bay.
You are, after all really a very nice person. You know it; others have said so and doggone it, people like you.
Having stated the obvious, you might just begin to discern a smidge of foam at the side of your mouth and notice that your jaws are clenched tighter than a noose around a prisoner’s neck at the lynching. Your shoulders have pinned your ears up about an inch and a half at the very least and there are already itsy bitsy trenches between your eyebrows, which are closer than you remember from the morning mirror look-see.
It’s official. You are at the very least…cranky; verging on an slippy slidey path to agitated and irate.
Reasonable has left the building and willingly follows you like a growing shadow that Peter Pan could not possibly fit to your shoe no matter how much fairy dust Tinker Bell sprinkles on.
You’re exhausted and overloaded with whatever giant economy (ha) size big gulp of fear you bought on sale today.
The mere thought of having to wait cheerfully while the world goes to hell in its horrible little handbasket -or ,at the very least, wait without shrieking or seizing someone by the throat as they slow up traffic, make dumb mistakes, cut you off, walk in front of you like you didn’t exist or have the right to take up room on the pavement or give you the finger or a less than kind word is beyond ability.
You, dear soul, have reached your wits end.
And wasn’t that a shorter trip than you ever dreamed it would be?
You have run out of that preciousness called patience.
What could you have been thinking? How did you lose it and where did it disapear along the way?
It’s a stunner, isn’t it, when you think back on the train wrecks which follow the slip this energy gives you?
Even a kind word can send you over the edge into a tantrum.
“What could that dimwit been thinking when she said, ‘Have a nice day’? Did she forget that payroll was short, we didn’t get lunch and now it’s traffic snarls to match my mood in the stretched to over 3 hour commute home! What is she? Some kind of vicious hobgoblin? Nice day, my ass!”
This about one of your favorite colleagues, friends or neighbors.
Well, you might just want to take in a breath, release those shoulders from their perch as fleshy earirngs and remember that everything is gonna take as long as it takes and there’s a divine timing in flow that is bringing things about in ways better than you can imagine.
Might as well, put on some music, notice one good thing, feel the release and a smoother heart rate as you settle into change and, once again, practice patience.
Even one small moment when you have patience counts and when you have it for yourself, you can have it with others and situations over which you probably have minute (if any) control.
Then you could just think on how you didn’t throttle anyone today-even if you thought about it.
That’s gratitude following patience… and self restraint.
As Martin Luther King Jr said, “I may not get there with you……”
Just for today, it’s possible I’m right behind you, flying my crankyflag high until the process brings me that little bit which goes a long way home.
This attribute; this commodity; this vaporous substance; ever seeming in short supply could go for big bucks and have a street value higher than pain pills.
This illusive energy flits away like a firefly in July. Now you see it; now you don’t.
Just think of the daily commute; hours in traffic and, no matter how much you know that this is a process and it’s going to take some time to get to your destination, you’re tired; worn thin from the day. You’re looking forward to getting in your domicile, closing the door on the world, taking a nice long shower or tub, eating and dropping into bed. All without other people and their energies crashing in on you like uninvited party guests.
Ahhh, would that all your kindness, compassion and understanding could stay present all the time to keep your basest. grubby, forgetfulness of niceties at bay.
You are, after all really a very nice person. You know it; others have said so and doggone it, people like you.
Having stated the obvious, you might just begin to discern a smidge of foam at the side of your mouth and notice that your jaws are clenched tighter than a noose around a prisoner’s neck at the lynching. Your shoulders have pinned your ears up about an inch and a half at the very least and there are already itsy bitsy trenches between your eyebrows, which are closer than you remember from the morning mirror look-see.
It’s official. You are at the very least…cranky; verging on an slippy slidey path to agitated and irate.
Reasonable has left the building and willingly follows you like a growing shadow that Peter Pan could not possibly fit to your shoe no matter how much fairy dust Tinker Bell sprinkles on.
You’re exhausted and overloaded with whatever giant economy (ha) size big gulp of fear you bought on sale today.
The mere thought of having to wait cheerfully while the world goes to hell in its horrible little handbasket -or ,at the very least, wait without shrieking or seizing someone by the throat as they slow up traffic, make dumb mistakes, cut you off, walk in front of you like you didn’t exist or have the right to take up room on the pavement or give you the finger or a less than kind word is beyond ability.
You, dear soul, have reached your wits end.
And wasn’t that a shorter trip than you ever dreamed it would be?
You have run out of that preciousness called patience.
What could you have been thinking? How did you lose it and where did it disapear along the way?
It’s a stunner, isn’t it, when you think back on the train wrecks which follow the slip this energy gives you?
Even a kind word can send you over the edge into a tantrum.
“What could that dimwit been thinking when she said, ‘Have a nice day’? Did she forget that payroll was short, we didn’t get lunch and now it’s traffic snarls to match my mood in the stretched to over 3 hour commute home! What is she? Some kind of vicious hobgoblin? Nice day, my ass!”
This about one of your favorite colleagues, friends or neighbors.
Well, you might just want to take in a breath, release those shoulders from their perch as fleshy earirngs and remember that everything is gonna take as long as it takes and there’s a divine timing in flow that is bringing things about in ways better than you can imagine.
Might as well, put on some music, notice one good thing, feel the release and a smoother heart rate as you settle into change and, once again, practice patience.
Even one small moment when you have patience counts and when you have it for yourself, you can have it with others and situations over which you probably have minute (if any) control.
Then you could just think on how you didn’t throttle anyone today-even if you thought about it.
That’s gratitude following patience… and self restraint.
As Martin Luther King Jr said, “I may not get there with you……”
Just for today, it’s possible I’m right behind you, flying my crankyflag high until the process brings me that little bit which goes a long way home.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
The Gratitude Pool
More than time to dip the toe in the pool of gratitude.
I’m so grateful to write online again after 4 months of not being physically able. I’m grateful for rest and replenishment and grateful to have become more acutely aware of the need for balance in the expenditure of that precious commodity-my energy.
I’m grateful for oxygen getting to my brain and brightening my senses and for every physical ability this amazing thing called a body can do—especially healing itself…if only I give it the honor of resting time in which to complete its resetting and restructuring in ways better than I can imagine.
I’m grateful to know also that, no matter what anyone else thinks, I am just perfect wherever I am in the process of healing. There is no “too slow” or “too fast.” There is only perfection in each moment and the less I struggle against what is, the better I go…(or not).
In Light and Love,
Florence
I’m so grateful to write online again after 4 months of not being physically able. I’m grateful for rest and replenishment and grateful to have become more acutely aware of the need for balance in the expenditure of that precious commodity-my energy.
I’m grateful for oxygen getting to my brain and brightening my senses and for every physical ability this amazing thing called a body can do—especially healing itself…if only I give it the honor of resting time in which to complete its resetting and restructuring in ways better than I can imagine.
I’m grateful to know also that, no matter what anyone else thinks, I am just perfect wherever I am in the process of healing. There is no “too slow” or “too fast.” There is only perfection in each moment and the less I struggle against what is, the better I go…(or not).
In Light and Love,
Florence
Saturday, March 10, 2007
WTF Next?
by Florence Ondré
First it was Pluto not being a planet any more and now it’s screwing with time.
Are these the latest stupid human tricks or can we not find something larger to do with our shpielkes?
Can’t that overactive energy be channeled into something more beneficial like creating a better education system which truly motivates organic skills and talents beyond rote and is available for all children in this country?
Can man be still for one moment and appreciate what is without having to jiggle their legs up and down like a plugged in electrical dandling machine going no where fast?
We've all seen people sitting down; one leg still moving up and down like a racing engine idling in neutral. Why not go further with that available energy? Better than windmills, what about recycling the idea of people standing at their desks on treadmills? Why hasn't our government or think tanks thought about hooking them up to power generators? That alone could have corporations making their own power and helping us out with our energy crunches. Of course there'd have to be a little something-something extra in the paycheck or as corporations often do in lieu, a new title might have to be bestowed. Now, that is green usage of alternative energy sources.
But then there would be the tangles of how to market, outsource, monitor and manage the whole ferschlugginer thing. After all waste is a terrible thing to mind.
Is it just me or could our energy and time be put to better use?
Wouldn’t you rather see a cure for cancer, AIDS or a multitude of other diseases which have had people waiting years and lifetimes for a glimpse of help from science and scientists?
Bending time to suit a few humans; downgrading age old planets, yeah, that’s where I want my tax dollars to go for research and lawmaking. Yup. That’s where I want my representatives in government to focus.
Forget trivial things like top quality healthcare, and housing for everyone. Let’s get Congress to declare more paid holidays so we can enjoy that extra daylight they’ve just rearranged for us. War? Well, hey, there’s more daylight to see your enemy in. Oil gouging? Wait a sec. There’ll be less energy usage because you won’t have to put the lights on in your house as much, even though the same amount of SUV’s and trucks will be guzzling gas, lining pockets of oil robber barons and fuming up the atmosphere. Safety on those highways and byways? Material for plugging up the potholes in our roads? Sorry. No new research or materials there. We’re busy with the business of tinkering with time.
Don’t get me wrong. I can certainly smile at humans shifting the light to give everyone more of that commodity. Who of us couldn’t use more light in our lives? I can hear Angels laughing as we “lighten up.”
I do have concerns though.
Halloween is gonna be all messed up. There won’t be enough dark for the trick or treaters now that Congress has put this massive effort and funding into moving minutes around like tiles on a game board. You know how woosie it is to dress up like a vampire with the sun still shining.
I’d just like to see all that energy, science and funding go toward creating peace on this planet one day soon…that is IF Earth still is a planet.
You never do know…..tick tick tick.
First it was Pluto not being a planet any more and now it’s screwing with time.
Are these the latest stupid human tricks or can we not find something larger to do with our shpielkes?
Can’t that overactive energy be channeled into something more beneficial like creating a better education system which truly motivates organic skills and talents beyond rote and is available for all children in this country?
Can man be still for one moment and appreciate what is without having to jiggle their legs up and down like a plugged in electrical dandling machine going no where fast?
We've all seen people sitting down; one leg still moving up and down like a racing engine idling in neutral. Why not go further with that available energy? Better than windmills, what about recycling the idea of people standing at their desks on treadmills? Why hasn't our government or think tanks thought about hooking them up to power generators? That alone could have corporations making their own power and helping us out with our energy crunches. Of course there'd have to be a little something-something extra in the paycheck or as corporations often do in lieu, a new title might have to be bestowed. Now, that is green usage of alternative energy sources.
But then there would be the tangles of how to market, outsource, monitor and manage the whole ferschlugginer thing. After all waste is a terrible thing to mind.
Is it just me or could our energy and time be put to better use?
Wouldn’t you rather see a cure for cancer, AIDS or a multitude of other diseases which have had people waiting years and lifetimes for a glimpse of help from science and scientists?
Bending time to suit a few humans; downgrading age old planets, yeah, that’s where I want my tax dollars to go for research and lawmaking. Yup. That’s where I want my representatives in government to focus.
Forget trivial things like top quality healthcare, and housing for everyone. Let’s get Congress to declare more paid holidays so we can enjoy that extra daylight they’ve just rearranged for us. War? Well, hey, there’s more daylight to see your enemy in. Oil gouging? Wait a sec. There’ll be less energy usage because you won’t have to put the lights on in your house as much, even though the same amount of SUV’s and trucks will be guzzling gas, lining pockets of oil robber barons and fuming up the atmosphere. Safety on those highways and byways? Material for plugging up the potholes in our roads? Sorry. No new research or materials there. We’re busy with the business of tinkering with time.
Don’t get me wrong. I can certainly smile at humans shifting the light to give everyone more of that commodity. Who of us couldn’t use more light in our lives? I can hear Angels laughing as we “lighten up.”
I do have concerns though.
Halloween is gonna be all messed up. There won’t be enough dark for the trick or treaters now that Congress has put this massive effort and funding into moving minutes around like tiles on a game board. You know how woosie it is to dress up like a vampire with the sun still shining.
I’d just like to see all that energy, science and funding go toward creating peace on this planet one day soon…that is IF Earth still is a planet.
You never do know…..tick tick tick.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Quote For The Day
“Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.”
Anais Nin, writer (1903-1977)
Anais Nin, writer (1903-1977)
Friday, November 03, 2006
The Power Of Music and Friends
Remember the phrase, "been down so long it looks like up to me?"
Well, on that long elevator ride up from the depth of the doldrums, there are several tools for uplifting which rival the rising contrivance Otis made available to us dwellers of many levels.
Consumed with whatever present challenge currently puts our lights out; makes us feel like there's not much bright in tomorrow, feeds the mistaken, gerbil-cage-spinning thoughts that there will never be any way to rise through to some distant above.
Life after chemical contamination, added to physical and daily life challenges has constructed a new basement in the house of me.
It's no view from a bridge, I can tell you. Waist level looks like the Himalayas and a knee high breeze is enough to fell me.
Bed and couch grab me; suck me in with a siren call as the energy of coping flails and flags.
This is coming from a person who can find the proverbial pony in a room full of horse pocky or a ray of sunshine in a gunmetal grey overhead.
The season of change has lingered long and life’s menu is crowded with less than palate pleasing entrees of passings, crises, catastrophes, calamities, leaderless leadership, hell for health and weird weather.
A new book of grief is being written in the Akashic records like acid etchings on our hearts.
And yet when I can move myself off flattened to floor to peek in my toolkit, the lamp of hope glimmers, however dimming, enough to shed light on the bottom of the bag for me to see a friend or two, hear music, or glimpse an Angel waiting patiently for its moment to be of service.
Last night was one of those rare eves of enlightened moments, strung together like sparkling precious gems in moonlight of a black velvet sky.
My partner and I pushed past pain and frustration to get out the door to go meet our friend, Heide, in the city for dinner before seeing out of town friends perform a recital of classical music for piano and violin.
We were like trains converging from different tracks; she coming from work in Manhattan and us schlepping in hours of traffic from the suburbs to the city, yet all of us thinking a sigh, unbeknownst to the others, "I can get through it all. At least at the end of this day there will be lovely, soothing music."
Concerned with the pain of sitting too long with a spinal disc out of alignment, Tom was thinking an added, "At least there will be Thai food."
He dropped me off at the restaurant, a pleasant, simple aromatic space. Good sign. If you can smell the cooking pulling you in, disembodied on the waves of fragrant spices, you generally have a good inkling that there will be some pleasure, however fleeting, ameliorating the hammer on the anvil.
Heide was waiting, already at a table laid out with menus, water and welcoming energy.
Tom drove off to find his precious on-street parking to which his Angels guide him, mostly with a few turns around the block to whet his appetite for the reward of perfect space for patience.
It didn't take long for us to dive into hugs, catching up, in depth conversation that only comes with the deep connection of ageless family-of-choice; and Lemongrass Chicken, Tamarind Duck, Massaman Curry, fresh Basil Rolls and Curry Puff Pastry. Over aromatic tea, spirits lifted out of a seemingly bottomless basement of depression to the first and second floors of rays of relief.
Then off we cabbed to the concert.
My excitement at seeing and hearing the dear friends, who years ago came into my life through another mutual friend to accompany my singing at her San Francisco wedding, mounted as we entered the hall.
Added to that was my child-like delight at finally introducing them to my beloved, Tom, and sister in light, Heide, who only knew the pianist, Nancy, through G-Mail, our years-old, online circle of gratitude.
They'd come to know one another in the unique focus on expressing thanks each day and yet had not met face to face. I was giggly with glee at the prospect of connecting the dots of these Angels in my life.
Up the cubicle-with-floor-indicators rose another level.
Next there was meeting concert pianist, Gila Goldstein, President of the New York chapter of the American Liszt Society, who was bringing us all together in the completion of her task of arranging this concert.
Warm in e-mail and welcoming in person, she shone with a lilting light of her own as she introduced the evening's program.
Another half floor fell away with a glide.
In the next moment, there were my friends, suited and soft velvet, glammed up, sharing center stage only feet in front of me after so many years.
I could barely contain my elation.
“How could she be more glamorous or he sweeter faced with the passage of time?" I thought as she adjusted her seat, poised her hands over the ebony and ivory keys and he lifted bow to string for their opening volley of an earfest of magical proportions.
It took me practically the entire first selection to get through the joy and awe radiating through me on the round robin of musical notes and words spinning round my head, “These are my friends making this magnificent music!”
Glancing at Heide and Tom gave me smiling confirmation that they were well on the enjoyment elevator.
I gave myself over completely to the sensuous sounds of the rhythms, chords and melodious march of the music.
Jose Cueto, making a single, shaped box of wood sound like several sets of sensational strings and Nancy Roldan, flying across keys tinkling soft light and roaring waves to carry us to heights we’d forgotten possible; ascended our glass elevator to the Heavens. The César Franck Sonata in A major, allegretto ben moderato, brought us to heart overflowing, eye-brimming tears.
I breathed in the music like air.
Playing together and each taking solo turns, they wound an evening of joyous healing; uplifting energy to float us out of our seats, bodies and earthly cares; transporting us on the alae of the magic of music beyond dreaming.
Ground fell away, roof disappeared and a stunning recognition of profound gifts put to use obscured daily denseness and debilitation.
Aha! I realized in the afterglow of crescendo into echoes and applause to silence; in the hugs and hellos and later gathering at a nearby restaurant, sharing fellowship, food and fun; not only was I not out of tools, the ones in the bottom of the bag were far beyond fine.
I looked around the long table at the happy faces of old friends and new; each haloed in a pool of soft, golden light; 12 of us joined later by 1 to make a brilliant baker’s dozen; trading funny tales; exchanging enjoyment of work; talking music, art, life- and saw Angels on Earth.
Friendship, music, good conversation shared over robust bread dipped in rich olive oil, sparkling water and wine, laughter and the warm energy of being together; gifts shared. With the recognition of these, it is possible to lift out of down in the dark; to be balanced by light which constructs our escalator elite; our stairway to Heaven and metamorphoses a lift into a transcendevator.
With these illuminating implements, in the tiers of the skyscraper of us, it’s not that far from the basement to the penthouse.
On the power of music and the feathers of love of our Earth Angels whom we call friends, it is possible to soar with new wings.
For cds and further information on the concert piano and violin talents of Nancy Roldan and José Miguel Cuerto, please visit www.nancyroldan.com
For further information on the American Liszt Society, please visit http://www.americanlisztsociety.org
For further information on Gila Goldstein, please visit www.gilagoldstein.com
Well, on that long elevator ride up from the depth of the doldrums, there are several tools for uplifting which rival the rising contrivance Otis made available to us dwellers of many levels.
Consumed with whatever present challenge currently puts our lights out; makes us feel like there's not much bright in tomorrow, feeds the mistaken, gerbil-cage-spinning thoughts that there will never be any way to rise through to some distant above.
Life after chemical contamination, added to physical and daily life challenges has constructed a new basement in the house of me.
It's no view from a bridge, I can tell you. Waist level looks like the Himalayas and a knee high breeze is enough to fell me.
Bed and couch grab me; suck me in with a siren call as the energy of coping flails and flags.
This is coming from a person who can find the proverbial pony in a room full of horse pocky or a ray of sunshine in a gunmetal grey overhead.
The season of change has lingered long and life’s menu is crowded with less than palate pleasing entrees of passings, crises, catastrophes, calamities, leaderless leadership, hell for health and weird weather.
A new book of grief is being written in the Akashic records like acid etchings on our hearts.
And yet when I can move myself off flattened to floor to peek in my toolkit, the lamp of hope glimmers, however dimming, enough to shed light on the bottom of the bag for me to see a friend or two, hear music, or glimpse an Angel waiting patiently for its moment to be of service.
Last night was one of those rare eves of enlightened moments, strung together like sparkling precious gems in moonlight of a black velvet sky.
My partner and I pushed past pain and frustration to get out the door to go meet our friend, Heide, in the city for dinner before seeing out of town friends perform a recital of classical music for piano and violin.
We were like trains converging from different tracks; she coming from work in Manhattan and us schlepping in hours of traffic from the suburbs to the city, yet all of us thinking a sigh, unbeknownst to the others, "I can get through it all. At least at the end of this day there will be lovely, soothing music."
Concerned with the pain of sitting too long with a spinal disc out of alignment, Tom was thinking an added, "At least there will be Thai food."
He dropped me off at the restaurant, a pleasant, simple aromatic space. Good sign. If you can smell the cooking pulling you in, disembodied on the waves of fragrant spices, you generally have a good inkling that there will be some pleasure, however fleeting, ameliorating the hammer on the anvil.
Heide was waiting, already at a table laid out with menus, water and welcoming energy.
Tom drove off to find his precious on-street parking to which his Angels guide him, mostly with a few turns around the block to whet his appetite for the reward of perfect space for patience.
It didn't take long for us to dive into hugs, catching up, in depth conversation that only comes with the deep connection of ageless family-of-choice; and Lemongrass Chicken, Tamarind Duck, Massaman Curry, fresh Basil Rolls and Curry Puff Pastry. Over aromatic tea, spirits lifted out of a seemingly bottomless basement of depression to the first and second floors of rays of relief.
Then off we cabbed to the concert.
My excitement at seeing and hearing the dear friends, who years ago came into my life through another mutual friend to accompany my singing at her San Francisco wedding, mounted as we entered the hall.
Added to that was my child-like delight at finally introducing them to my beloved, Tom, and sister in light, Heide, who only knew the pianist, Nancy, through G-Mail, our years-old, online circle of gratitude.
They'd come to know one another in the unique focus on expressing thanks each day and yet had not met face to face. I was giggly with glee at the prospect of connecting the dots of these Angels in my life.
Up the cubicle-with-floor-indicators rose another level.
Next there was meeting concert pianist, Gila Goldstein, President of the New York chapter of the American Liszt Society, who was bringing us all together in the completion of her task of arranging this concert.
Warm in e-mail and welcoming in person, she shone with a lilting light of her own as she introduced the evening's program.
Another half floor fell away with a glide.
In the next moment, there were my friends, suited and soft velvet, glammed up, sharing center stage only feet in front of me after so many years.
I could barely contain my elation.
“How could she be more glamorous or he sweeter faced with the passage of time?" I thought as she adjusted her seat, poised her hands over the ebony and ivory keys and he lifted bow to string for their opening volley of an earfest of magical proportions.
It took me practically the entire first selection to get through the joy and awe radiating through me on the round robin of musical notes and words spinning round my head, “These are my friends making this magnificent music!”
Glancing at Heide and Tom gave me smiling confirmation that they were well on the enjoyment elevator.
I gave myself over completely to the sensuous sounds of the rhythms, chords and melodious march of the music.
Jose Cueto, making a single, shaped box of wood sound like several sets of sensational strings and Nancy Roldan, flying across keys tinkling soft light and roaring waves to carry us to heights we’d forgotten possible; ascended our glass elevator to the Heavens. The César Franck Sonata in A major, allegretto ben moderato, brought us to heart overflowing, eye-brimming tears.
I breathed in the music like air.
Playing together and each taking solo turns, they wound an evening of joyous healing; uplifting energy to float us out of our seats, bodies and earthly cares; transporting us on the alae of the magic of music beyond dreaming.
Ground fell away, roof disappeared and a stunning recognition of profound gifts put to use obscured daily denseness and debilitation.
Aha! I realized in the afterglow of crescendo into echoes and applause to silence; in the hugs and hellos and later gathering at a nearby restaurant, sharing fellowship, food and fun; not only was I not out of tools, the ones in the bottom of the bag were far beyond fine.
I looked around the long table at the happy faces of old friends and new; each haloed in a pool of soft, golden light; 12 of us joined later by 1 to make a brilliant baker’s dozen; trading funny tales; exchanging enjoyment of work; talking music, art, life- and saw Angels on Earth.
Friendship, music, good conversation shared over robust bread dipped in rich olive oil, sparkling water and wine, laughter and the warm energy of being together; gifts shared. With the recognition of these, it is possible to lift out of down in the dark; to be balanced by light which constructs our escalator elite; our stairway to Heaven and metamorphoses a lift into a transcendevator.
With these illuminating implements, in the tiers of the skyscraper of us, it’s not that far from the basement to the penthouse.
On the power of music and the feathers of love of our Earth Angels whom we call friends, it is possible to soar with new wings.
For cds and further information on the concert piano and violin talents of Nancy Roldan and José Miguel Cuerto, please visit www.nancyroldan.com
For further information on the American Liszt Society, please visit http://www.americanlisztsociety.org
For further information on Gila Goldstein, please visit www.gilagoldstein.com
Monday, October 30, 2006
The Gratitude Pool: HugSpread
In any language, hugs are a symbol of caring, humanity's good, an opportunity to touch and be touched in a world where these are suspect and sometimes dangerous.
I thank those who dared to stand out in the crowd of what we've become in our own lives: passersby.
These generous, risk taking souls remind us that, regardless of where we live in the world, what language we speak, what our beliefs, age, gender, race; we are connected. Our energy responds with delight each time we heed the human need for wholesome, good touch.
It's what we give our kids and then tell them not to accept from strangers. For safety's sake, we teach our kids discretion, discernment and self caring, which is a good thing. And it sticks with us for the rest of our lives; sometimes past the expiration date of childhood's years. Just watch as adult people walk by as if they didn't see this unusual person with the Free Hugs sign. Watch as they reconsider, go back, give a tentative half hug and journey on lighter and happier with kid smiles on former focused, serious faces. Watch how surprised they can be at how good they feel.
The joy is contagious. Feeling better for the human touch; given safely, freely with no restraints from the heart, sparks that connective, happy energy inside of each receiver till they become givers too. Watch some folks, big and small, really get into it with the abandon of the joy of the child alive and well and living inside each of us who breathe on this planet.
Watch the fun of it all turn to peace and a unity of spirit. It's a circle of light.
Not a bad exchange for a couple of moments spent taking a chance on hugs!
Think I'm going to go out and hug a tree today too. An exchange of living, breathing appreciative energy that feeds the soul of both giver and receiver. That's good energy too.
For free yet, already!
I thank those who dared to stand out in the crowd of what we've become in our own lives: passersby.
These generous, risk taking souls remind us that, regardless of where we live in the world, what language we speak, what our beliefs, age, gender, race; we are connected. Our energy responds with delight each time we heed the human need for wholesome, good touch.
It's what we give our kids and then tell them not to accept from strangers. For safety's sake, we teach our kids discretion, discernment and self caring, which is a good thing. And it sticks with us for the rest of our lives; sometimes past the expiration date of childhood's years. Just watch as adult people walk by as if they didn't see this unusual person with the Free Hugs sign. Watch as they reconsider, go back, give a tentative half hug and journey on lighter and happier with kid smiles on former focused, serious faces. Watch how surprised they can be at how good they feel.
The joy is contagious. Feeling better for the human touch; given safely, freely with no restraints from the heart, sparks that connective, happy energy inside of each receiver till they become givers too. Watch some folks, big and small, really get into it with the abandon of the joy of the child alive and well and living inside each of us who breathe on this planet.
Watch the fun of it all turn to peace and a unity of spirit. It's a circle of light.
Not a bad exchange for a couple of moments spent taking a chance on hugs!
Think I'm going to go out and hug a tree today too. An exchange of living, breathing appreciative energy that feeds the soul of both giver and receiver. That's good energy too.
For free yet, already!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Gratitude Pool
This day's gratitude is more for what didn't happen than what did. A day of peace. A number 5 day. Nothing great or horrible. Just a day where work went on, balanced by nice meals and rest. A couple of emails from friends and phone calls with family. Just warm energy in a day.
I'm grateful for a day of mmmmmmmmm.
It makes me think about how good it is to be plain ordinary and OK.
I'm grateful for a day of mmmmmmmmm.
It makes me think about how good it is to be plain ordinary and OK.
"Brighter Day" by Florence Ondré
“If I look for the brighter day, I may miss the rays of light which peek out around me in the seeming darkness of this moment. Where there is dark there is light. Therefore I may as well be still where I am and breathe what peace; what good there is here in perceived gloom. Who knows what lesson, blessing, brighter day is present in the now?”
Florence Ondré, writer, poet, singer song writer, photographer
I’ve come to realize that my challenge is to be content where I am; to remember that all things pass in the energy of change; to not miss anything that is happening right now.
I forget that because many experiences are chafing, uncomfortable or distasteful. Yet there is the Rumi saying, “If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”
Finding my brighter day each day is my inner work because I do know I’m a work of art in progress; that angel in the marble Michelangelo talked about. We all are.
Most of my life when there was pain (and there was plenty of it) I looked to a brighter day. I was told there would be one coming. There always was - even though the time in getting here varied in length, breadth and texture.
The practice of that looking forward widened a river of hope running through me.
Today, I want to fine tune that way of being in the world; always looking, with smile on my face, for some bright to appear - hopefully soon.
The last time I spoke of the latest travail which seemed to be lingering overlong on my timeline, a friend listened patiently and gently. After I ended the saga with my positive spin of, “But I know there’s a brighter day coming,” she asked me a quiet question, “What do you really want and when?”
I was a little taken by surprise and had too stop and think deeper than usual; let the question sink down through my head and heart to my gut.
Taking a deep breath as I felt the question journey within, on the exhale, I knew what my real goal was and that I wanted highest good for myself and others- and I wanted it ‘now!’ Not sooner or later - now - right now!
Old-tape feelings of ‘how selfish and demanding are you, you instant gratification child?’ popped in my brain. I acknowledged them, said,’thanks for visiting. you may leave now. Go into light to become more light’ and realized how silent and invisible these little snippets of preconditioning are; still hanging around, blocking my view.
Realization flooded me. If I had the components of seeking, seeing and summoning, the energy to create within me, why shouldn’t I just shift my wording and wanting into present tense?
I’d read about affirming your good in the now. Not simply saying the words, 'thanks for my highest good now,' but really feeling my good evolving as I think of it.
It stood to reason that, if 'our words are our wands,’ ‘what we conceive, we can achieve,’ and ‘I can’t recognize a stranger,’ then the bright day is already here manifesting.
The only matter yet to consider is when I sense it.
Rumi also said, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you; a joy.”
The form is formed now and it is me who is catching up to it.
It is said that in thinking what you want, putting your desire out into the Universe in partnership, trusting that all is well and better than you can imagine at any given moment, manifestation time of our highest good is getting shorter every day.
It’s not a matter of it 'coming.'
My brighter day is here in the now. As soon as I can recognize it.
As Victor Hugo wrote, “Be like the bird, who halting in his flight / On limb too slight, / Feels it give way beneath him, yet sings / Knowing he has wings.”
...and so it is.
Florence Ondré, writer, poet, singer song writer, photographer
I’ve come to realize that my challenge is to be content where I am; to remember that all things pass in the energy of change; to not miss anything that is happening right now.
I forget that because many experiences are chafing, uncomfortable or distasteful. Yet there is the Rumi saying, “If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?”
Finding my brighter day each day is my inner work because I do know I’m a work of art in progress; that angel in the marble Michelangelo talked about. We all are.
Most of my life when there was pain (and there was plenty of it) I looked to a brighter day. I was told there would be one coming. There always was - even though the time in getting here varied in length, breadth and texture.
The practice of that looking forward widened a river of hope running through me.
Today, I want to fine tune that way of being in the world; always looking, with smile on my face, for some bright to appear - hopefully soon.
The last time I spoke of the latest travail which seemed to be lingering overlong on my timeline, a friend listened patiently and gently. After I ended the saga with my positive spin of, “But I know there’s a brighter day coming,” she asked me a quiet question, “What do you really want and when?”
I was a little taken by surprise and had too stop and think deeper than usual; let the question sink down through my head and heart to my gut.
Taking a deep breath as I felt the question journey within, on the exhale, I knew what my real goal was and that I wanted highest good for myself and others- and I wanted it ‘now!’ Not sooner or later - now - right now!
Old-tape feelings of ‘how selfish and demanding are you, you instant gratification child?’ popped in my brain. I acknowledged them, said,’thanks for visiting. you may leave now. Go into light to become more light’ and realized how silent and invisible these little snippets of preconditioning are; still hanging around, blocking my view.
Realization flooded me. If I had the components of seeking, seeing and summoning, the energy to create within me, why shouldn’t I just shift my wording and wanting into present tense?
I’d read about affirming your good in the now. Not simply saying the words, 'thanks for my highest good now,' but really feeling my good evolving as I think of it.
It stood to reason that, if 'our words are our wands,’ ‘what we conceive, we can achieve,’ and ‘I can’t recognize a stranger,’ then the bright day is already here manifesting.
The only matter yet to consider is when I sense it.
Rumi also said, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you; a joy.”
The form is formed now and it is me who is catching up to it.
It is said that in thinking what you want, putting your desire out into the Universe in partnership, trusting that all is well and better than you can imagine at any given moment, manifestation time of our highest good is getting shorter every day.
It’s not a matter of it 'coming.'
My brighter day is here in the now. As soon as I can recognize it.
As Victor Hugo wrote, “Be like the bird, who halting in his flight / On limb too slight, / Feels it give way beneath him, yet sings / Knowing he has wings.”
...and so it is.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Somewhere Over...
At the end of a long, tiring day with the homeward commute stretching to a crawl; feeling like a trek across a couple of continents’ worth of parking lot, what can you focus on to keep yourself from going out of your gourd?
Sure, put on some tunes or your favorite talk or news radio. Call up a couple of friends on your cell. They’re probably pretty much in the same parade as you. Commiserate.
Call home to tell them you’re probably going to be late—again. Yada yada for a while and when your battery conks out, now what?
Well, choices come to mind.
Sit and stew over everything that went wrong at the job or drive yourself into knots with worry over what didn’t get done. Hate the damnable traffic that snarls you in it each day. Get into some really gnarly road rage. Arrive home flying your cranky flag high.
Or………
Be open to trying something new; something that might just put the time stuck in the car to time benefitting you.
Here ya go. It’s simple.
Feel all your feelings as they come to your awareness; notice each one and breathe into the feeling as you notice.
Feel, breathe in, notice, and breathe out each feeling, situation, bit of tension or worry that comes to mind. Allow each to go out from you on the breath, into Light to become more Light. (Good recycling. Nice way to not pollute the Universe. Look what good you’re doing already just driving home from work. You’ve got gold stars piling up before you even hit homeplate!)
Next, notice how much easier you feel in your own skin; how much lower your shoulders are from your ears; how much more relieved your neck is balancing that bowling ball on the top of your spine.
Take a look at your fellow commuters in their little space capsules all around you. Get crazy. Smile at them.
Who cares if they think you’re a nut case?! Think macadamian, pecan, filbert, zagnut! Watch and see who smiles back. Just notice.
Now, go really wacky and daring. Let someone in ahead of you.
Go on, get nutty. The next time you see someone signaling; wave them on like you’re the royalty of the road bestowing your largess upon them. Use your hands to signal them on in front of you and wave like you’re the most courteous traffic attendant…’no, you go; no, you go; no, you go.’
Notice how nice that feels: generous, less angry and tense, happy, lighter, fun.
Notice that there really is enough space for everyone. How many times have you been in a hurry or seen someone else in such an all-fire rush, cutting in and out and winding up, where? One or two cars ahead or even with those who got cut off.
The space on the pavement might be pretty much the same but, oh, the energy is amped up on the hostility scale.
When someone lets you get in as you’re signaling, give em the wave and smile with a ‘thank you.’
This stuff just might become contagious.
Notice.
In your own mind (which is where it all starts), think, “I’m going to leave space in between my car and those around. I’m going to leave space for change.” (see how I switched that from ‘leave space for stupidity’)
Now, you are practically an Angel on the road.
Why, with all this to keep you busy, you just might find yourself home earlier than usual. Either way, it might seem that way because you feel better than usual.
And, maybe, just maybe, with all that noticing and positive energy, you might begin to see things along the way you might have missed… like the “Long Day’s Journey Into Light” photo below.
What a gift to lift your spirit at the end of a day. You deserve that beauty and Light!
Sure, put on some tunes or your favorite talk or news radio. Call up a couple of friends on your cell. They’re probably pretty much in the same parade as you. Commiserate.
Call home to tell them you’re probably going to be late—again. Yada yada for a while and when your battery conks out, now what?
Well, choices come to mind.
Sit and stew over everything that went wrong at the job or drive yourself into knots with worry over what didn’t get done. Hate the damnable traffic that snarls you in it each day. Get into some really gnarly road rage. Arrive home flying your cranky flag high.
Or………
Be open to trying something new; something that might just put the time stuck in the car to time benefitting you.
Here ya go. It’s simple.
Feel all your feelings as they come to your awareness; notice each one and breathe into the feeling as you notice.
Feel, breathe in, notice, and breathe out each feeling, situation, bit of tension or worry that comes to mind. Allow each to go out from you on the breath, into Light to become more Light. (Good recycling. Nice way to not pollute the Universe. Look what good you’re doing already just driving home from work. You’ve got gold stars piling up before you even hit homeplate!)
Next, notice how much easier you feel in your own skin; how much lower your shoulders are from your ears; how much more relieved your neck is balancing that bowling ball on the top of your spine.
Take a look at your fellow commuters in their little space capsules all around you. Get crazy. Smile at them.
Who cares if they think you’re a nut case?! Think macadamian, pecan, filbert, zagnut! Watch and see who smiles back. Just notice.
Now, go really wacky and daring. Let someone in ahead of you.
Go on, get nutty. The next time you see someone signaling; wave them on like you’re the royalty of the road bestowing your largess upon them. Use your hands to signal them on in front of you and wave like you’re the most courteous traffic attendant…’no, you go; no, you go; no, you go.’
Notice how nice that feels: generous, less angry and tense, happy, lighter, fun.
Notice that there really is enough space for everyone. How many times have you been in a hurry or seen someone else in such an all-fire rush, cutting in and out and winding up, where? One or two cars ahead or even with those who got cut off.
The space on the pavement might be pretty much the same but, oh, the energy is amped up on the hostility scale.
When someone lets you get in as you’re signaling, give em the wave and smile with a ‘thank you.’
This stuff just might become contagious.
Notice.
In your own mind (which is where it all starts), think, “I’m going to leave space in between my car and those around. I’m going to leave space for change.” (see how I switched that from ‘leave space for stupidity’)
Now, you are practically an Angel on the road.
Why, with all this to keep you busy, you just might find yourself home earlier than usual. Either way, it might seem that way because you feel better than usual.
And, maybe, just maybe, with all that noticing and positive energy, you might begin to see things along the way you might have missed… like the “Long Day’s Journey Into Light” photo below.
What a gift to lift your spirit at the end of a day. You deserve that beauty and Light!
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