Shine

“WE can always return to gather silence and space and sort the wounds, but one cannot live in the dark forever, lest she limit herself. It is an act of generosity to come out of your dark corners and shine. To do so invites others. It is time.

You want to solve world hunger? The deeper world hunger? The hunger of the soul, of which physical hunger is a reflection? Stone soup, my friends, stone soup. I’ve got celery, Dianne’s got carrots, Amy’s got lentils, Keely’s got miso, together we’ve got soup! The way to cure this universal, festering heart-wound is by sharing our resources, sharing ourselves. We have to know who we are and offer it! Do you really win if you’ve gotten to the top and you’re there alone while others perish? Aren’t we reaaly one body, each of us cells? One galaxy, each of us stars? And finally, isn’t learning and growing more important than being perfect? How long do you wait? Do you keep perfecting the soup while everyone’s starving? It’s time to serve it up. It’s hot. It’s good. It’s nutritious. It’s full of love. Let’s dine together!”

Excerpted from Meredith Heller 2004

Taken from We’Moon Yearly Planner 2008

 

Jennifer Posada – Oracle, Sound Healer

Her words are like poetry and speak straight to my heart… These are but little glimpses that spoke out to me this morning… for the full effect check out her postings on her website… She is glorious!!!

…keep stepping forward… one foot in front of another… ride the wild waves of your heart and being… things will happen just as they should… exactly when they need to, no matter what you do or don’t do. You cannot mess up. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself… magic will happen… longer hugs.. revealing a little more of yourself a little more often… taking chances to give more compliments, or honesty… meaningful eye contact… becoming an artist of noticing when the opportunity arises… to connect… love comes from inside you, and all around you, and if you learn how to let it in you will never be alone…

…all the friends and all the lovers you could ever want are right there in your very own field. For you have been loved thousands of times, and more richly than the wind loves ocean, or the stars love the moon. and you are loved that much now… and much, much more…

www.jenniferposada.com

Where do you find spiritual inspiration? How do you connect with yourself? How do you connect with others? What does love look like to you? How does it feel?

 

Every Woman Should Know…

30 Things Every Woman Should Have and

Know By The Time She’s 30…

In 1997, Glamour published this piece by Pamela Redmond Satran. It has now become a web phenomenon commonly misattributed to Maya Angelou. It was updated again in 2005 by the author.

“In May of 1997, I wrote this list. I had passed my thirtieth birthday and wanted to tell younger women about the things I really wished I’d had and known by that important milestone. I guess people agreed with what I had to say, because a few years later the list showed up in my e-mail inbox; a friend had forwarded it to me for my reading pleasure, completely unaware that I was the author. After that, every month or two someone would send it to me and I’d immediately hit “reply all” and type, “Hey, that was me! I wrote that for Glamour.” (After a while, I don’t think anyone believed me.) The list became a phenomenon; posted on hundreds of websites, it was attributed to everyone from Jesse Jackson to Maya Angelou to Hillary Clinton. Someone even published it as an anonymously written book. As I read over these lines now, so many of them still seem worth having and knowing—whether you’re 30 or 22 or 75. Being a little older and a little wiser, I’ve plugged in a few new “shoulds.” By all means, add some of your own.”

By Pamela Redmond Satran

By 30, you should have:

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.

2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.

3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.

4. A purse, a suitcase and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.

5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.

6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.

7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age—and some money set aside to help fund it.

8. An e-mail address, a voice mailbox and a bank account—all of which nobody has access to but you.

9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.

10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.

11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra.

12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.

13. The belief that you deserve it.

14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.

15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship and all those other facets of life that do get better.

By 30, you should know:

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.

2. How you feel about having kids.

3. How to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

4. When to try harder and when to walk away.

5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.

6. The names of: the secretary of state, your great-grandmother and the best tailor in town.

7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.

8. How to take control of your own birthday.

9. That you can’t change the length of your calves, the width of your hips or the nature of your parents.

10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.

11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.

12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs or not flossing for very long.

13. Who you can trust, who you can’t and why you shouldn’t take it personally.

14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.

15. Why they say life begins at 30.

www.pamelaredmondsatran.com

Are you a woman? What do you think of this list? Do you agree? How of items from this list do you know or have?

 

Freedom

… to be free enough to change direction as imagination wanders…

Paulo Coehlo

 

A Road Less Traveled…

Have you ever read M. Scott Peck’s A Road Less Traveled? Brilliant book!!! It was written in 1978, yet remains undated, and although I’ve read it before, I feel currently inspired by gems of wisdom on nearly every page. He explores concepts topics such as responsibility, discipline, reality, love, growth, religion, and grace…

Have you read it?

How did it affect you?

Would you consider reading it again?

 

Wild Geese – Mary Oliver – Poet Extraordinaire

Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Metro/1170/oliver.html

 

Living in Grace

Have you heard of The Daily Om?

Do you have a daily practice? Do you cultivate inspiration? What does the word grace mean to you?

The Daily Om reminds me today of the beauty of grace. Living in the flow of surrender, gratitude and the everfolding…

www.dailyom.com
A Glimpse Of Perfection
Living A Day In Grace

Grace is always with us. It flows like a river through our lives, artfully reminding us that there is magic and power beyond what our eyes can see. At times we catch its subtle beauty, like during chance meetings, near misses, and insights that seem to come from nowhere. Other times we experience grace in all its powerful surety such as when a job or relationship comes to an end. Though we may forget that this is grace at work too, it is indeed influencing our lives, helping us to move forward and take the next step. Grace exists in all situations, in every moment, yet all too often we may overlook its presence.

Imagine how it would feel to live an entire day in grace, to fully appreciate that your day is unfolding in absolute perfection. Whereas usually you might miss the magic in ordinary events and interactions, on this day you would recognize them all as little miracles. Perhaps you could begin with your first deep breaths in the morning, becoming aware that there is an abundant supply of air for you to breathe. Your lungs know just how to carry oxygen to your blood, and your blood knows where to carry it from there. This is grace at work. You might appreciate the brilliant sunshine, the warm summertime rain, or the possibilities for learning that greet you at every turn. You might notice the ease with which you do your job or laugh with a close friend. These things are also grace. Even laying your head down at the end of this day and resting in the stillness of night is grace.

With each opportunity you give yourself to enjoy this current of benevolence, you may discover a deeper peace. Your faith may strengthen and your heart may open. You might begin to wonder if struggle is really all that necessary after all. By living this one day in grace, you might open the door to many more.

 

Each day…

Each day… Every moment… We have choice…

Do you believe that?

Do you choose consciously with awareness or unconsciously by default?

Do you believe your present reality is based upon choices you made in the past? Do you realize your future will be determined by choices you are making right now?

What is your relationship with your choices and actions?

Are you willing to take responsibility for your quality of life?

How can you make more conscious choices today?

 

Listen and Love

How well do you listen to yourself? To others?

Buddhist philosopher Thich Nhat Hahn says “to love means to listen. Listening is a very important practice.There is a voice calling us and it wants us to listen. It may be that our body is calling us and wants us to listen to our body. It may be our feelings that are calling us and want us to listen to them. It may be our perceptions are calling and want us to listen. It is very important for us to pay attention to the voice. The capacity of listening to ourselves is the foundation of the capacity of listening to others. The capacity to love others depends on the capacity of loving ourselves.”

How well do you practice loving yourself? Others?

 

Breathe

Slow Down.

Breathe.

Ask.

Listen…