Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Blessings are Coming



Faith with Discipline for Persistance needed to maintain Spiritual Practice

 
Along with faith comes the requirement for dogged persistence. At first meditation may bring you mild highs or some relief from suffering. But there may come a time — just as there does in the development of any skill — when there will be a plateau. You may be bored, discouraged, or even negative and cynical. This is when you will need not only faith, but persistence.
Ram Dass(gratefulness.org)
It does not matter what your spiritual discipline is? It still takes persistence!
Ron Alexander This morning I was lying in bed having morose thoughts starting to feel depressed and not wanting to get up. I was trying to use positive fb messages to cheer me up, however it was not working like it does sometimes. I knew if... I got up put on my running gear, and walked/run to the beach, where I would meditate for awhile and then walked/run back (not far, thank Goodness) and then meditate/consciously breath and praying metta prayer while washing clothes I would feel better. Even then I had to promise myself that I could go back to sleep if I felt the need. However, I felt energized as usual and am having a wonderful mindful day and loving a lot of inspiration here on FB! thank you All
 
 
 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Talk Blessings - expand them!

Photo: <3

Live or simply exist?

Photo: It's time to start truly living!
And Live Simply!

Voyage of Discovery by Having New Eyes!

 
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.
Marcel Proust(gratefulness.org)
 
 
 


Magnificent Morning Practice - Choosing Joy

"In the morning when getting up, I never leave my bed without first generating all the joy in my heart. You see, joy is different from happiness. Happiness is a personality thing. When the weather is good we are happy. When we get what we want, we are happy. Joy, on the other hand, is a Soul quality. Joy comes from the inner knowingness of our inherent divinity, eternity and immortality. Joy comes from knowing that we have a Divine creator and that we are divine creatures and that we share the spirit of divinity with everyone and everything equally even if most of us don’t express it."
 Gloria Excelsias
 Choose Joy starting in the morning and renew the choice moment by moment - it will be like praying without ceasing! Ron Alexander
 
 
Even if it is raining outside!
 


Monday, July 29, 2013

Free of Guilt

Pain is not a punishment and pleasure is not a reward. They are ordinary consequences of compounded causes.
Empower life with responsibility free of guilt.
 
Photo: Pain is not a punishment and pleasure is not a reward. They are ordinary consequences of compounded causes. 
Empower life with responsibility free of guilt.
 
 


Spirit is alive and you are watched over

Photo: waiting
watching
perching
soaring
entering both worlds
flying as in dreams
always close
can you see us?
look beyond
do you feel us?
touch the wind
we hold many messages
we hear your soul's call
believe 
Spirit is alive
and you are watched over
<3
Tracy


waiting
watching
perching
soaring
entering both worlds
... flying as in dreams
always close
can you see us?
look beyond
do you feel us?
touch the wind
we hold many messages
we hear your soul's call
believe
Spirit is alive
and you are watched over

Tracy

Die before you die! Today is a good day for it!

Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth. Life is eternal.
Death is a stripping away of all that is not you. The secret of life is to "die before you die" --- and find that there is no death.

 The Wisdom of Eckhart Tolle

Now is a good time to die(the way Eckhart describes it) and what some Braves stated on the way to battle,
Jeanne P. said...
Crazy Horse famously exhorted his Lakota troops "Hoka Hey, today is a good day to die!" Hoka Hey is translated as: 'hurry, hurry' or 'let's get rolling' or 'on to the next adventure'. Some say: Hoka Hey is to live life in such a way that one has done all that one should upon one’s last day, so it is indeed a good day to die.

Never Know, Serve All, Love All Now

Death can come at any minute, in any way. We do not know what is in store tomorrow, or, whether there is a tomorrow, or even a tonight! But still, we have the golden present. Now we are alive and kicking. What should we do now? Love all, serve all.
Sri Swami Satchidananda(gratefulness.org)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Coeur-age - Brave Heart Gratitude

Gratefulness is the gallantry of a heart ready to rise to the opportunity a given moment offers.
David Steindl-Rast(gratefulness.org)
Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer
 
 


Saturday, July 27, 2013

A Prayer I like to read regularly plus daily Metta Prayer

A Prayer I like to read regularly!
My prayer for each of us today is the Prayer of Saint Theresa:

“May there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.”

Esp. Like: May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.


Metta Prayer daily: May all beings be happy! May ALL beings be happy. May ALL beings be happy. This is very effective when feeling hurt by another (Love your enemies, for they are your teachers also).

Prayer - an act of Love

 
Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.
 
St. Teresa of Avila(gratefulness.org)
The Way of Perfection

PROFOUND: Even if sickness distracts thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.

This prayer was just what I needed to read this AM, I was with some haters yesterday (want Obama dead), and did not know how to respond, and was thinking of giving up a wonderful opportunity just not to be around these people. However, I will not let them "rob me of my joy" so I "will to love" them
anyway!

 
 


Friday, July 26, 2013

Light best seen in the dark

In the midst of gathering darkness, light becomes more evident.
Bonnie Bostrom(gratefulness.org)
 
 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Admitting being wrong

 
“Rather than admit a mistake, nations have gone to war, families have separated, and good people have sacrificed everything dear to them. Admitting that you were wrong is just another way of saying that you are wiser today than yesterday.” ~ Don Ward
 


Just Follow Your Heart

The concept of listening to your heart and to follow your JOY can be a little hard to accept when you since birth have been taught to be rational. This is though not the time to be rational, for rational people do as we always have done, and thus create nothing new. Remember that you do not need the approval of anyONE to live your LIFE to the fullest on the most JOYFUL path. That is your birthright and playing LIFE in happiness and JOY is your natural state of being. Rejoice.

I answered a friends question recently and share part of it with an example on what happened when I chose to follow the JOY of my heart.

Your mind try to figure out how to live LIFE in the most beneficial way. The challenge here is that your mind believe you are a limited being, and will suggest solutions fitting for a limited being, while your eternal soul that manifest you know that you are as great as all of universe, and have all the creative manifestation power of LOVE inside you.
 
 

You Are Nothing Less than God's Son/Daughter

You are God’s son/daughter, nothing less than this.  Walk in the fullness of God’s Presence, Power & Peace today and each day.

--Steve Farrell 

P.S.   “Please register for Global Oneness Day at www.globaloneness2013.  Thank you!”
You are God’s son/daughter, nothing less than this. 
Walk in the fullness of God’s Presence, Power & Peace
today and each day.

--Steve Farrell

P.S. “Please register for Global Oneness Day at www.globaloneness2013. Thank you!”
 
(also from Steve:)
The new energy that is flooding the planet is amazing light coming directly from the source of creation. It is a truly incredible time to be on the planet. So many interesting people are being brought together in order to bring in this light and anchor it to the earth. The time for transformation is coming and the rapid pace of change continues to accelerate.

What does this mean for the average individual? It means you are part of a historic intergalactic shift that is occurring naturally. However, the ability of each individual to hold this light while grounding it to the earth has a profound impact on the nature and speed of the new world manifesting. By joining together with other aware individuals this process is becoming one of utter joy in community that will enable the shift to be one of gratefulness and celebration instead of one based on fear and lamentation for the demise of the current paradigm. Let’s celebrate the new energy and immerse ourselves fully in it!

--Ted Murray


Powerful Healing Thoughts



Subodh Kumar Misra: What is needed is a negation of all the illusions that have been created. It is the intellect who is to do that. The world cannot exist without your intellect and mind. When your mind is not functioning, when your mind is not there, when you withdraw the mind through yogic practice or in deep sleep, there is no world. When your body disappears, other bodies disappear. When your body comes into existence, that body sees other bodies. It is the intellect that has to do the work. There is no other instrument. And, purified intellect is the intuition. ................Om!

Ra Divakar Loving Unity: I intuit that it is the finite (human) intellect that creates and maintains illusion....and the HEART intellect that undoes the illusion...shining light into the finite human mental fog to dissolve it... AUM

Speech and Silence

Speech is the incarnation of intelligence, and silence is the resurrection of speech.
Pir Zia Inayat Khan(gratefulness.org)
 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Shortest Distance Between People

Laughing is the shortest distance between two people.
Victor Borge(gratefulness.org)
 
As long as they are laughing together and not at one or the other, ron

 
 

Ten Things People Need to Learn

10 Life lessons People Learn Too Late

post written by: Marc Chernoff

10 Life Lessons People Learn Too Late

Before you know it you’ll be asking, “How did it get so late so soon?”  So take time to figure yourself out.  Take time to realize what you want and need.  Take time to take risks.  Take time to love, laugh, cry, learn, and forgive.  Life is shorter than it often seems.
 
Here are ten things you need to know, before it’s too late:
  1. This moment is your life. – Your life is not between the moments of your birth and death.  Your life is between now and your next breath.  The present – the here and now – is all the life you ever get.  So live each moment in full, in kindness and peace, without fear and regret.  And do the best you can with what you have in this moment; because that is all you can ever expect of anyone, including yourself.  Read The Power of Now.
  2. A lifetime isn’t very long. – This is your life, and you’ve got to fight for it.  Fight for what’s right.  Fight for what you believe in.  Fight for what’s important to you.  Fight for the people you love, and never forget to tell them how much they mean to you.  Realize that right now you’re lucky because you still have a chance.  So stop for a moment and think.  Whatever you still need to do, start doing it today.  There are only so many tomorrows.
  3. The sacrifices you make today will pay dividends in the future. – When it comes to working hard to achieve a dream – earning a degree, building a business, or any other personal achievement that takes time and commitment – one thing you have to ask yourself is:  “Am I willing to live a few years of my life like many people won’t, so I can spend the rest of my life like many people can’t?”
  4. When you procrastinate, you become a slave to yesterday. – But when you are proactive, it’s as if yesterday is a kind friend that helps take a load off your back.  So do something right now that your future self will thank you for.  Trust me, tomorrow you’ll be happy you started today.  Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
  5. Failures are only lessons. – Good things come to those who still hope even though they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they’ve tasted failure, to those who still love even though they’ve been hurt.  So never regret anything that has happened in your life; it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten.  Take it all as lessons learned and move on with grace.
  6. You are your most important relationship. – Happiness is when you feel good about yourself without feeling the need for anyone else’s approval.  You must first have a healthy relationship with yourself before you can have a healthy relationship with others.  You have to feel worthwhile and acceptable in your own eyes, so that you’ll be able to look confidently into the eyes of the people around you and connect with them.
  7. A person’s actions speak the truth. – You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times; but in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by.  So pay attention to what people do.  Their actions will tell you everything you need to know.
  8. Small acts of kindness can make the world a better place. – Smile at people who look like they are having a rough day.  Be kind to them.  Kindness is the only investment that never fails.  And wherever there is a human being, there’s an opportunity for kindness.  Learn to give, even if it’s just a smile, not because you have too much, but because you understand there are so many others who feel like they have nothing at all.  Read Way of the Peaceful Warrior.
  9. Behind every beautiful life, there has been some kind of pain. – You fall, you rise, you make mistakes, you live, you learn.  You’re human, not perfect.  You’ve been hurt, but you’re alive.  Think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, and to chase the things you love.  Sometimes there is sadness in our journey, but there is also lots of beauty.  We must keep putting one foot in front of the other even when we hurt, for we will never know what is waiting for us just around the bend.
  10. Time and experience heals pain. – Several years ago when I asked my grandmother about overcoming pain, this is how she explained it to me:  Look at the circles below.  The black circles represent our relative life experiences.  Mine is larger because I am older and have experienced more in my lifetime.  The smaller red circles represent a negative event in our lives.  Assume we both experienced the same exact event, whatever the nature.  Notice that the negative event circles are the same size for each of us; but also notice what percentage of the area they occupy in each of the black circles.  Your negative event seems much larger to you because it is a greater percentage of your total life experiences.  I am not diminishing the importance of this event; I simply have a different perspective on it.  What you need to understand is that an overwhelmingly painful event in your life right now will one day be part of your much larger past and not nearly as significant as it seems.Negative Life Experiences

 
 
Ron Alexander It is never ''too late''! Nearing 69, to me, the most important life lesson is to keep a sense of wonder, with a willingness to learn, explore and create. People I have known who do not want to change appear frozen in time and age more quickly. Having options in life makes it more challenging yet more interesting. I can't imagine being bored, thank Goodness!
 

 With this post, I am feeling happily satisfied with my life and ready for sweet dreams - good night!

  • Mountain Dove Enjoy each sacred moment, Ron! Sweet Dreams and Blessings!

  •  
    Ron Alexander Thank you, Mountain Dove - It was sweet dreams and a good morning to ya!

    I lie here in bed with a choice - do I get up and walk/run to the beach for meditating at sunrise or rolling over here in bed and going back to sleep? This AM, my body says get up band go, and I always feel better- Feel better when I listen...Good Morning!
    Then sometimes when I don't feel ready for the morning, if I tell myself that I can go back to bed upon return, I usually take a shower and then I am eager and ready to start the day bright and eager! And sometimes, I go back to bed and that is fine!
     
    Important item left out - stay in shape, eat good foods, stay moderate with any type of food or liquid. Exercise regularly but again stay moderate. Yoga, Tai chi, swimming, gentle aerobics - one minute of strenuous activity to two minutes of less strenuous - running or fast walking to walking, strenuous lap to easy going lap of swimming, one minute strenuous pedaling to two minutes on easy going pedaling - machines or bike. You get the picture - being regular is more important than one overdone day. I used to add up the aerobics and increase them everyday until I became over strained and quit altogether.
     
     
    

    Tuesday, July 23, 2013

    Great Combo of Healing for me

    Photo: I´m NOT afraid!
     
    Ron Alexander Very thoughtful post from a former sailor on the magical Land of Oz - Robyn Summers-Shelley. As I have gotten my health back, I am getting my sea legs back. I am so grateful!
     
  • Robyn Summers-Shelley sail on silver boy, your time has come to shine, all your dreams are on there way..............bon voyage captain..............
     

  • Ron Alexander I really like this combination of Native American art and nautical, as I had a difficult decision - buy a boat or go to the Navajo Nation for a healing time out there. Wishfully, I would do both, for Native Healing has been very powerful for me.
     

    Robyn Summers-Shelley WOW, how amazing, i must have caught a whisper on the wind my friend. I have so much respect for the American Native Indian. One of my best friends, who lives on a farm up the road from me is from Wisconsin, she has native American Indian in her. We help each other out with our animals, i have Angora goats and Miniature Horses, Charlie has Alpacas..............
     

    Ron Alexander Her name is "Charlie''? Great, my best friend's name is Charlie - different genders though - Angora goats, Miniature Horses, Alpacas - oh my! Sounds like fun!
     
    Photo: <3  Wishing YOU Peace and Love  <3

    Thank Goodness

    Goodness is the only investment which never fails.
    Henry David Thoreau(gratefulness.org)
     
     
     
    

    Monday, July 22, 2013

    Living without the sense of the ego....

    The Inner Silence is self-surrender. And that is living without the sense of ego. —Ramana Maharshi
    This addresses the "sense' of ego -- not removing the ego...big difference, if you ask me!
    Possibly this is the 'tweak' that is needed for the adamant ego bashers...Jeanne

    What I know is that we cannot do without the ego while in this body and on this earth, and no part of me is junk! Ron

    Andy Skadberg Our ego self is our errant "adult" self that is desperate for love. Let's just give it a hug, trust love and know that everything is in perfect order. Conscious Deep Breathing is The Practice that will help greatly in this process.
     

    "Pink" full Moon tonight

    Photo: Energy Update: Hi my amazing friend, are you feeling the energies of the full moon today? 

When we have a powerful full moon like this one, everything becomes more amplified emotionally & mentally. Even our senses are heightened which can be a fun thing to experiment with.

If we are feeling more emotional than usual, or are finding that our mind is wandering towards the things that seem not to be working in our lives, know that this is normal. 

If this happens, rather than being hard on ourselves or over-reactive with our environment (people, places, things) it can be an amazing opportunity for us redirect our attention back on the things that ARE working in our lives.

Since the energies of the full moon have a magnified effect, once we get ourselves back to our center it can be a really good time to reaffirm what we'd like to create & manifest more of in our lives. 

So with that said, please share what you would like to continue creating more of, and take comfort in knowing that by sharing it with thousands of people, you are magnifying & anchoring it even more into your experience.

We are all in this together!
     
    Energy Update: Hi my amazing friend, are you feeling the energies of the full moon today?

    When we have a powerful full moon like this one, everything becomes more amplified emotionally & mentally. Even our senses are heightened which can ...be a fun thing to experiment with.

    If we are feeling more emotional than usual, or are finding that our mind is wandering towards the things that seem not to be working in our lives, know that this is normal.

    If this happens, rather than being hard on ourselves or over-reactive with our environment (people, places, things) it can be an amazing opportunity for us redirect our attention back on the things that ARE working in our lives.

    Since the energies of the full moon have a magnified effect, once we get ourselves back to our center it can be a really good time to reaffirm what we'd like to create & manifest more of in our lives.

    So with that said, please share what you would like to continue creating more of, and take comfort in knowing that by sharing it with thousands of people, you are magnifying & anchoring it even more into your experience.

    We are all in this together! Emmanuel Dagher(thanks)
    

    Have Empathy in Your Heart?


    In your heart must well that sympathy which soothes away all pains from the hearts of others.
     
    Paramahansa Yogananda(gratefulness.org)
     
    I like the word empathy rather than sympathy. Sympathy means feeling FOR someone. Empathy means feeling WITH someone.
     
     
    Wikipedia: Empathy is the capacity to recognize emotions that are being experienced by another sentient or fictional being. One may need to have a certain amount of empathy before being able to experience accurate sympathy or compassion.

     

    Sunday, July 21, 2013

    Be Alive!

    Photo: Another "the world needs people who ..."

    Gratitude from the Future You

    Photo: Today, do something to be grateful for in the future.

    Look for the Rainbows and Stars

    Photo: <3

    Heaven or hell?

    Photo: What is Hell? 

By my definition, Hell is believing all the negative thoughts about ourselves and others that arise in our minds. These thoughts blind us from seeing Life as it is, including our true potential and the potential of others. This is the only Hell I know of, and it exists within us.  

The good news is that Heaven is also within us.

The difference between Heaven and Hell is the difference between conditional and un-conditional love. 

The demons depicted in my nightmares represent the stories I create about myself and others, and are contingent upon conditional love, “I will love you IF you behave the way I think you should,” or “I will love this situation IF it goes my way,” and finally “I will love myself IF I achieve this or that.” 

When I love and accept everything unconditionally, including myself, I walk out of hell. When I no longer believe in the distortion of conditional love, Heaven arises in me.  

Today I love life unconditionally, allowing me to see the perfection that all manifestation is in every moment. Accepting and loving myself exactly as I am in this moment is to love ALL of God’s manifestation. 

With all of the freedom of life, I say “yes” to loving you and to loving me. 

What do you say?

-don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
www.hierophantpublishing.com
     
    What is Hell?

    By my definition, Hell is believing all the negative thoughts about ourselves and others that arise in our minds. These thoughts blind us from seeing Life as it is, including our true potential and the potential of others. T...
    his is the only Hell I know of, and it exists within us.

    The good news is that Heaven is also within us.

    The difference between Heaven and Hell is the difference between conditional and un-conditional love.

    The demons depicted in my nightmares represent the stories I create about myself and others, and are contingent upon conditional love, “I will love you IF you behave the way I think you should,” or “I will love this situation IF it goes my way,” and finally “I will love myself IF I achieve this or that.”

    When I love and accept everything unconditionally, including myself, I walk out of hell. When I no longer believe in the distortion of conditional love, Heaven arises in me.

    Today I love life unconditionally, allowing me to see the perfection that all manifestation is in every moment. Accepting and loving myself exactly as I am in this moment is to love ALL of God’s manifestation.

    With all of the freedom of life, I say “yes” to loving you and to loving me.

    What do you say?


    -don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
    www.hierophantpublishing.com
    See More
     
     
    

    Guided Meditation



    Why Not You?

     
    In the world to come I shall not be asked, "Why were you not Moses?" I shall be asked, "Why were you not Zusya?"
    Rabbi Zusya(gratefulness.org)
     
     
     
     
    

    Saturday, July 20, 2013

    Universe Patiently Waiting

    The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
    Eden Phillpotts(gratefulness.org)