Made in Kenya from old tires 25+ yrs ago. Jim has saved them all these years.

Why is it that writing a book  is a prerequisite for fame?

Whether world renowned or famous  in a discipline of one sort or another, this seems to be the case. I'm not referring here to cinema, sports, or other media fame. That is another whole topic to explore sometime.

While dining recently with colleagues of yore, I was addressed by the humble presence of their innate wisdom which stands on a lifetime of facilitating a sustainable future of local communities -  out of nothing but sheer creativity. I could go on and on about their contribution, worthy of three or four Ph.D.s.

 Others have written books about their pioneering theories and have created new forms of human community  in the 20th century. There has been a metamorphic evolution in consciousness - A great Spirit Movement - now dancing its way through the 21st century.

Human community is full of new theories, methods, approaches, demonstrations, leadership, experiments, inventions,and  untold solutions to age-old problems.

There are few who can step into the shoes of the likes of my colleagues of yore and claim the unknown fame which they deserve the most. An important element of the great adventure in the life of the Spirit Movement of our life's time, is the pausing to document the story of the journey and get it out to the world.

What are we waiting for?

What is your great story waiting to be told - the one where someone can step into your shoes and carry on, into the future, the adventure of pioneering Spirit's work among us?

Heart of a Super Moon

So many articles appeared about the Super Moon's arrival March 19,2011. Then the next day, there were many photos of folks having watched its rising . A strange feeling came over me as I reflected on this occurrence. I imagined people all over the world anticipating the rising of this moon. While his shot is the result of me moving the camera,,  it holds for me a hope for world peace. Shaped a bit like a heart, it's as if the heart of the people of the planet has risen for all to behold, embrace, and hold in their own hearts. One heart held in the hearts of all.

As close to earth as it has been in 18 years, its beats are universal. Can you feel it? Can you feel the heart beating?

Peaceful Embrace of Forgiveness

A budding wild rose

In my journal last year about his time I wrote:

I love these few days of the year. They arrive when the weather is 40s at night to low 70s during the day - not always the same time every year.

One of thousands of azaleas around the village right now

During these few days, azaleas bloom prolifically. White, purple, pink, or magenta, they fill this little village with a background blanket of color everywhere. Buds and blooms of wild roses and many types of trees scatter more beauty everywhere. here and there. Wisteria hangs gracefully like clusters of grapes with wings.

Wisteria grows like weeds

The orange blossoms broadcast Spring with a delicate fragrance which permeates the air everywhere.

Orange blossoms  bee buzzed 'round my head while taking this

Bees wander through the blossoms wistfully pollinating the blooms so oranges will g row. 

Taking off from the top of the water tower, baby birds begin gliding through the air. I can't see if they are buzzards, hawks, or eagles, but they gracefully float about on the wind for hours. I know. This year, I sat on my porch and watched them all afternoon with Beau Bear, my old cat and best friend, on my lap.

These few days every year in this village stand as a reminder that healing is cyclical -- by the presence of the abundance of new life everywhere.

At the same time,
Earth is ripping itself apart in earthquakes here and there and everywhere, taking human lives and history away with its destruction..
Angry war ravages human lives as well as old leaders and systems hold tightly to their reigns refusing to make way for the new energy.
Winter hangs on and returns with a vengeance, discouraging even a pansy, a daffodil, crocus or begonia which had sprouted with great anticipation of growth. 

Tomato sprouts waiting to be planted

Also, at the same time,  are so many people who are so privileged to not have to hunger or suffer physically, who nevertheless do not love themselves deep within.  This kind of suffering has to be the worst because there seems to be no cure, no solution, should such  happen to be available. These people do not feel the wonder of these few days which arrive every year, if not at the same exact time.

Wild roses almost sing their arrival after a cold spell.

I must love myself deep inside just a little bit at least. I know I must because I can breathe in the beauty of  these few days of this time of year and touch its healing power.

i wish this peaceful embrace of forgiveness  for everyone at least once in a life's time, and perhaps every year .

Please share a moment when this has been your experience. How do these experiences make us more human?

First Response to Post Trauma

Would we want it tto last forever anyway?

Occasionally something happens that is devastating. This happened to me this week. I felt powerless to respond. I only wanted the event to have not happened.

I cancelled life. That is the only way to describe it. I ate comfort food all day while talking on the phone to others devastated by the event. Listening is good.

I do not know how I made it through the day without screaming into the empty air or crying my eyes out.
But, after awhile,  I was able to reflect on what was happening  - what had happened. I finished watching a movie and took it back to the machine where I rented it for $1.00. The movie,  "Like Dandelion Dust".  had a similar theme as the devastating event of the day. I suppose it aided in processing the event, however indirectly and unconsciously. At the time, it was intended to be a distraction.

I also made my bed, planted seeds, washed my hair, wrote another thousand or so words, sent a few emails, completed a project I'd been working on for a month, washed clothes, shopped for company, exercised, and mailed a birthday present to my grandson.

Finally, when I couldn't find anything else to distract me, I sat in front of the TV to forget the whole thing for awhile. Unfortunately, I had seen everything already that might have been of interest. There seemed to be no escape.

I sat on the porch with the cats for an hour or two and was swept away by the whispering wind momentarily - a meditative focus, yes, but not for long enough.


Left here in a place between the no longer and the not yet, what is there left to do?

Trust. Let go of any expectations now. Dancing at his point was not possible, holding its promise for a time in the near future.

Believe, as dear Aunt Bea used to say, "Something good is meant to come from this.", -  wisdom remembered at just at the right time. I still preferred that this good would happen  without the unavoidable immediate future,

With one foot into the reality and one in the good that will come from this, this pause in time is acceptable. 

Own it!! And I let the paralyzing devastation pass on its own accord. And pass it did soon enough.

Space is Revealing

A signed Murano glass bird - a family treasure recently passed on to the next generation

We moved to a newly built home in 1952. It was a street with sixteen or so new homes, all built on a sand pit at the edge of a ravine. Several girls were my age, between six and ten,  and we all loved to build towns in the sand, using sticks, stones, leaves, berries, and whatever else we could find to build the towns.The towns were vast and magnificently intricate.

At scout camp in the summer, we built mansions with walls of pine needles in the woods. The mansions had many rooms - kitchens, sitting rooms, verandas, bedrooms, ballrooms, dining rooms - you name it, we thought of it and built it.

Eventually, I had my own home to fill with creative artistry, and later a home with a yard to landscape, as well. At one time, I created a zen garden in my yard. Because there were oak trees overhead, it required extensive maintenance. Eventually, it became a vegetable garden.

A zen garden in process of simplification and streamlining= a masterpiece in the making!!!

I had a small zen garden on a table in my office. It was very popular with students when they came in for counseling. The zen garden was the focus of an intentional design of the room itself.

Fung Shui is growing in popularity as people become interested in  creating healthy  and meaningful space.

Recently, I discovered Farm Town, a game linked to facebook.  I have been creating the space on my facebook farm for about a year and a half. Doing this is a very relaxing spiritual exercise. It also is an exercise in maintaining a short time limit for distraction. It is very easy to get "addicted" to playing these virtual games. As I engage in the ongoing expansion of this space, While playing, I pay attention to  how I am playing, fo my intent. What I do and what I add or delete reveals  where I am at the time. The game is not changing me. What I create reflects my life.

Living and working spaces reflect who people are and what is important to them. Space is strikingly revealing. 

Creating living and working space can be a spiritual exercise.  It doesn't take a lot of money. All it takes is what is there, arranging it to fit the intent of the space, planning for and adding what is missing, and feeling good about the result.

Look around at your space. Is it reflecting who you are and what you want for your life?