Invisible gifts can lead to service and grateful living....

 

When we start to see the invisible gifts embedded in so many facets of our lives, we can’t help but pour it forward, and that spirit of service becomes a natural expression of grateful living.

AUDREY LIN

HELP MARTINE AND HER BELOVED HAITI {HAITIAN ART FOR SALE) Comment below if interested and I will get in touch with you.

 

The universe is wider than...

 

The universe is wider than our views of it.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU  the scenario we live in — an expanding universe — changes everything. Instead of viewing space like a grid with objects strewn about it, we should be viewing it as a ball of leavening dough with raisins embedded in it. As time evolves, the fabric of space expands, just as the ball of dough rises. The raisins themselves, however, do not expand with the universe, but they do get farther apart from one another.

LOVE IS MY GIFT TO THE WORLD

 

Gratitude is so close to the bone of life, pure and true, that it instantly stops the rational mind...

 

Gratitude is so close to the bone of life, pure and true, that it instantly stops the rational mind, and all its planning and plotting.

REGINA SARA RYAN

Oh, how we would feel so much better if we were not afraid of dying and trust our eternal being..

 

This is what I sent Ed.{Rev. Ed of Unity Charleston)  Below are some of the thoughts/images  that came to me when we were in silence last week pondering your message.

I felt a strong sense that our mortality, or fear of dying, makes our lives difficult and creates anxiety and disharmony in the world.  

Would we be able to let go if we truly felt that our spirit is eternal and we are not going to die?
Would we be able to let go and lose,
Would we be able to let go and easily forgive
Would we be able to let go and love more
Would we be able to let go and  be ignored
Would we be able to let go and get hurt,
Would we be able to let go not be afraid of forgetting

Oh, how we would feel so much better if we were not afraid of dying and trust our eternal being..  Julia Andres

If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper...

 

If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper, we will respond to its endangerment with passion.

HILDEGARD OF BINGEN Fossil fuels need to be stopped!

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of faith who didn't mind making trouble for God.

 Back Protesting Confederate Flaggers and Monuments at The Battery in Charleston, S.C. where the Civil War was started.

ALL LIVES MATTER WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER

Thanks Greta for giving me the heads up, "all those cannons are considered monuments too", that needs to be tested in court. I may just cause some good trouble." The cops are saying we have to stay on that side of the street again, like saying "go to the back of the bus." I have been on the other side of the street last week and this week, when Greta gave me a warning told to her by cops. As I did not "obey a lawful order" last week when told not to be on that side of the street.

Marlena Davis, our leader and photographer

Faith is taking the first step...

 

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of faith who didn't mind making trouble for God. He believed his purpose in life was to bring justice to as many of God's children as possible while proclaiming the revolutionary power of belief.

Alanis Morissette - Thank You (lyrics) - Thank you Alanis Morrisette for one of the most powerful spiritual songs ever:

Thank you, THANK YOU, SILENCE.

How about remembering your Divinity. 

Thank you Alanis Morrisette for one

of the most powerful spiritual songs ever.

How 'bout me not blaming you for everything

How 'bout me enjoying the moment for once

How 'bout how good it feels to finally forgive you

How 'bout grieving it all one at a time.

...married to amazement.

 

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement.

MARY OLIVER I am amazed by dragonflies and Butterflies and hummingbirds

Sky Hunters, The World of the Dragonfly - The Secrets of Nature (I like this one better)

I like this one better: For first time I noticed many Dragonflies flying past me going over the Folly River at sunset last eve.

I looked it up, yes they do, and they are fascinating ancient insects with fossils found with wingspan of up to 2 ft. This is scary as they are omnivorous (eat anything) including tiny frogs, minnows, etc.

They fly along the coast all the way to the West Indies and Central America.

They spend much of their life in the water, before growing wings, and are almost perfect predators hitting their target 9 of 10 times, because of their large eyes and powerful wings.

True Facts : Carnivorous Dragonflies

For first time I noticed many Dragonflies flying past me going over the Folly River at sunset last eve.

I looked it up, yes they do, and they are fascinating ancient insects with fossils found with wingspan of up to 2 ft. This is scary as they are omnivorous (eat anything) including tiny frogs, minnows, etc.

They fly along the coast all the way to the West Indies and Central America.

They spend much of their life in the water, before growing wings, and are almost perfect predators hitting their target 9 of 10 times, because of their large eyes and powerful wings.

Absorb gratitude, radiate it from within...

 

The more we are steeped in gratefulness, the more it absorbs us until we start to radiate it from within.

TIM ROBERTS

Nature is not a place to visit.

 

Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.

GARY SNYDER

In each of us there is a spark that can reverse the trends of violence and depression...

 

In each of us there is a spark that can reverse the trends of violence and depression spiraling within us and in the world around us. By setting in motion the spiral of gratefulness we begin the journey toward peace and joy.

BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST

May I be loving, open, and aware in this moment...

 

May I be loving, open, and aware in this moment; If I cannot be loving, open, and aware in this moment, may I be kind; If I cannot be kind, may I be nonjudgmental; If I cannot be nonjudgmental, may I not cause harm; If I cannot not cause harm, may I cause the least harm.

LARRY YANG

Breathtakingly beautiful more and more....

 The older I get the more beautiful life becomes, however there are those ugly moments, now though, I can let them go quicker and come back to beauty and peace.

One of life’s most fulfilling moments occurs...

 

One of life’s most fulfilling moments occurs in the split-second when the familiar is suddenly transformed into the dazzling aura of the profoundly new.

EDWARD B. LINDAMAN

The desire for light produces...

 

The desire for light produces light.

SIMONE WEIL Light is a key element in our daily lives. It is the main source of energy for all living organisms. Without it, we simply would have nothing. The plants synthesize nutrients from light using chlorophyll and filter the air we breathe. Animals and humans depend on plants for survival.

From Wilderness Comes Wisdom

 

Hola Relatives, I depart this coming Monday for my 48th year of vision questing with a good group of fellow questers. We are out for a week with two day solo time fasting in solitude seeking the deeper connection and the wisdom it brings. Below is an article I wrote twenty four years ago which appeared as a guest editorial in the International Journal of Wilderness. What I had to say those many years ago are even more true today so I share it with you. Check it out and see what it brings up for you. Wilderness Wisdom to Save Our Souls--And the Planet Dr. Tom Pinkson A friend of mine, a philosopher of sorts, remarks occasionally on the absurdity of NASA's attempts through sophisticated monitoring equipment to pick up signs of transmissions from intelligent beings from other galaxies. Isn't it ironic, he states, that we spend all these millions of dollars trying to find these weak transmissions from somewhere far off in space, when there is a field of intelligence that we are actually embedded within and which surrounds us at all times. A "seamless web" as social scientist, Gregory Bateson, author of "Steps to an Ecology of Mind", (1972) calls it, an interactive wave system of multi-leveled, multi-dimensional connectedness that constitutes a field of consciousness that is to be found in the water, vegetation, earth, mountains, and the very air that we breath for our lives. Indigenous peoples worldwide have believed in it for 40,000 years, for understanding it guided their lives--and such beliefs evolved and survived based on their success. This is the living world of Gaian Mind that regulates and sustains our planet in a homeostatic balance through the billions of years of its existence. It is precisely this Gaian wisdom-nature that we are so alienated from which results in our looking out into space for signs of intelligent life when it abounds within and around in all directions in profundity and magnificence. We fail to see how we are imprisoned in linguistically-based boundaries of yours and mine, inside and out, predicated on identification of ego self as differentiated from environment and field-- the sea in which we live. These boundaries are socialized into us by conditioning so successfully, that we are unaware of the distortions through which we perceive so-called reality. These distortions lead to the values of western civilization which are polluting the world--white male Christian dominance, private property, corporate capitalism emphasizing profits and economic efficiency over people and life on this planet, violence and arrogance towards indigenous peoples and peoples of color, valuing the material world over the inner world, and the rational, versus the intuitive way of knowing via dreams, vision and receptive, resonant attunement with the living mind, soul and spirit of nature. These beliefs and their attendant behavior patterns have all arisen as a result of establishing and maintaining our identification of self as separate from this field of non-human intelligence in which we are embedded. As a result we have lost our soul and don't even know it. The boat is sinking and, like Nero fiddling as Rome burned, we are caught up in the show. Pockets of Indigenous Wisdom: The broader view of Nature is still alive in a few remnant indigenous cultures and the knowledge of surviving elders among tribal people such as Native American Huichol elders, a shamanic people of north-central Mexico with whom I have worked since 1981 who still follow their traditional ways dating back to the paleolithic past. They say we are perdido, lost, that we have forgotten that the earth is alive, that all life is sacred, and that it consists of an extended kinship involving mutual, reciprocal responsibility to care for one another and maintain balance and harmony of the whole. They believe in the broader fields of consciousness of Nature and communicate with it through belief, ritual, ceremony and other cultural practices. "Life in good part, represents an effort to put the tribal existence in rapport with nature's rhythms and cycles," says anthropologist Alfonso Ortiz. We in modern, "developed" cultures have forgotten our oneness with nature and so treat it, and ourselves, as separate and removed from one another. Our very designation of undeveloped land, of nature "out there", as "wild", as "wilderness", is indicative of the depth of our alienation from that which we are. Yet it is "out there" that we find our best teacher for reconciling our relationship with nature because it is there that we most easily discover that we are not separate from it, that we are part and parcel of its'--our, very existence. It is in the undeveloped, "wild", natural world where the only input is what nature creates, that we can experience on all levels of our being the encompassing dance of inter-relatedness. On the summits, in the desert, the forest, the ocean, we most easily can see we are but a small part of the whole compared to the vast cyclic rhythms of creation. Ego is humbled, boundaries begin to break down, and we begin to get that we are nature, united with all of existence and no more important in the great scheme of things than a tree, a cloud, a rock, an animal, or a plant. Each has its portion, which is its' essence or soul, of the larger presence, Gaian mind, or spirit, if you will. For the Lakotah People it is "Wakan Tanka", Great Mystery. The soul is the part of the whole present in the specific: the specific person, flower, tree, rock, animal, valley, mountain range, ecosystem, etc. People throughout history have gone into the wilds of the natural world, the wilderness as we call it, to attune, commune, discover, reconnect with and cultivate the relationship of their deeper being, i.e. soul, with the greater entity of numinous mystery. It is present, always, everywhere, yet usually blocked from our awareness due to our alienation and atrophied senses with which to know it. But many who enter the sanctuary of wilderness have sensed the broader connections which were reality to most humans for forty thousand years or more. From Wilderness Comes Wisdom Wilderness is the ultimate setting for experiential learning to rekindle our alienated awareness. For the laws of nature reveal themselves to anyone who takes the time to open to their teachings. Reflective inquiry, receptivity, patience, respect and attentive mindfulness serve as a key to open the door to "wilderness wisdom" and its compelling lessons for strategic stewardship and sustaining healthy biodiversity on our planet. The historical prevalence of transcultural vision questing and emergence of wilderness experience programs worldwide, are evidence of the pragmatic effectiveness of humanity's R & D to discover the deeper truths of who we are, where we came from, why we are here, and what are the wisest choices on how to live a good life. Paying attention to nature and living in accordance with its dictates pays off. It provides a win-win outcome. The spirit of nature speaks to us, not in human language of course, but it does nevertheless communicate. I see this every time I take a group of people out into a wilderness setting for a period of time. Over the days and nights of living in accordance with natural rhythms, people gradually become entrained to them and get more relaxed, more peaceful, slower, more sane, more open, see more, enjoy just being, become kinder, the list goes on. It is so interesting to notice that as it comes time to hike back out and we get closer and closer to the signs of civilization, they start to get tighter again, complain about noise, too many people, the obtrusiveness of so much technology. I think they are starting to go through withdrawal symptoms from the natural state of biological entrainment they experienced in the wilderness environment. In the wilderness the truths of birth and death, balance and harmony, the interconnectedness of all beings and the sheer miracle of ongoing creation, speak out their messages to all our senses, our deeper psyche and to our very soul. The dialogue takes place and sometimes we are not conscious of its impact until it is disturbed, i.e., on the hike back out, and the anticipation of re-entering western Euro-centric culture. Twenty four years of diverse wilderness experience has imbued me with an open ear and I want to close by offering a voice, one that comes out of listening in wild places ranging from cold, star-filled nights on high peaks, to steaming hot jungles of the Amazon, to voices that cannot speak directly through the cultural artifact of human language. The voice says simply, "Hear me Two Leggeds, I speak the truth. You are my children, but so too is all the lived. You must relearn to live in respectful harmony with all your relations or by your own hand, not mine, you will destroy your only home and take many others with you. Hear me Two Leggeds, come out here to what you call the wild places and sit with me awhile. I have much to share with you. I can fill your soul with the nourishment it needs for health, healing, wholeness. I can enrich understanding of your true identity and purpose in being here. But I need your help, I need your cooperation, I need your protection. I need, dear ones, your love. Please, for your own sake, hear my call. Save me, and I will help save you." I will be praying for each of you from Quest...for growing your ability - all of our ability - to Live Love Now right into the face of the many challenges we all face. All Blessings. love, tomás

You can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is...

 

You can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in.

JUNOT DÍAZ

Wonderful affirmation from Teacher/Therapist Ester Nicholson

 

 

 

Ester Nicholson

Soul Recovery

 

Hi Ron,

This is Recovery Month and I want to congratulate you for consciously working on yourself and doing the very best you can - wherever you are on the path.

You are unfolding into your highest self in the perfect way, and that's a big deal!

Your recovery may look very different from the recovery of others.  We are all recovering from something, and we are all seeking to recover and rediscover who we really are and who on a core level,  we know ourselves to be.

No matter how many times you've emotionally relapsed on feelings of unworthiness or feelings of not being good enough, you are incrementally and assuredly "getting it".  Something within you is shifting - even when it doesn't feel like it.

There have been times on my 36 years of recovery journey, when I felt like giving up. Where I couldn't believe that I was still struggling with my self-value and worthiness, but I always found that when I came back from those dark moments,  I felt stronger and lighter.  Something had shifted in my brain, in my consciousness and in my determination to fight for the "real me" - even in those moments of darkness.

On top of recovering from your own emotional trauma, you are now dealing with the world crisis of Covid and environmental devastation. That's a lot to deal with. But it's not impossible for you to recover and rediscover your self-value and self-love right in the midst of all the challenges that you and the entire world are facing right now. A seed actually grows and thrives in the dirt of the earth.

There is value in your valley.  The REAL YOU is in the valley preparing to explode into your life as the highest version of yourself.  Don't give up and stay the course. Even when it seems like you're off, you're really on.

Thank you for standing up for your self-value,

I love you,

Ester

There is a time to act, and a time to wait...

 

There is a time to act, and a time to wait, to listen, to observe. Then understanding and clarity can grow. From understanding, action arises that is purposeful, firm, and powerful.

CHARLES EISENSTEIN

Equanimity

 

A harmonized mind produces harmony in this world of seeming discord.

PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA e·qua·nim·i·ty /ˌekwəˈnimədē/ Learn to pronounce noun mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation. "she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity"

Life is not about “or” — it is about “and.” It is magical and messy. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking....

 

Life is not about “or” — it is about “and.” It is magical and messy. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking. It is delight and disappointment. Grace and grief. Exquisite and excruciating, often at the exact same time.

KRISTI NELSON

The Universe Within is Bright and Beautiful

 

The Universe has your back:

 

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

EDEN PHILLPOTTS #1 New York Times Bestseller! In her latest book, The Universe Has Your Back, New York Times best-selling author Gabrielle Bernstein teaches readers how to transform their fear into faith in order to live a divinely guided life. Each story and lesson in the book guides readers to release the blocks to what they most long for: happiness, security, and clear direction. The lessons help readers relinquish the need to control so they can relax into a sense of certainty and freedom. Readers will learn to stop chasing life and truly live. Making the shift from fear to faith will give readers a sense of power in a world that all too often makes them feel utterly powerless. When the tragedies of the world seem overwhelming, this book will help guide them back to their true power. Gabrielle says, "My commitment with this book is to wake up as many people as possible to their connection to faith and joy. In that connection, we can be guided to our true purpose: to be love and spread love. These words can no longer be cute buzz phrases that we merely post on social media. Rather, these words must be our mission. The happiness, safety, and security we long for lies in our commitment to love." When readers follow this path, they’ll begin to feel a swell of energy move through them. They will find strength when they are down, synchronicity and support when they’re lost, safety in the face of uncertainty, and joy when they are otherwise in pain. Follow the secrets revealed in this book to unleash the presence of your power and know always that The Universe Has Your Back.

Watching for the sun to rise and set helps me to stay in the moment...

Only sunset (above) from the Bahamas, rest for Folly River Inlet, 

 

Above is just before Sunset at Folly Beach, S.C.

                                                                          Most popular sunset at Folly