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Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:51:30 -0700

by Margaret Alden, Jun 3, 2009
Insanity should not provoke stigma. Our genetic makeup is just wired differently to yours. Most of the time we blend into society. We are creative, insightful, and innovative. Don't walk in front of me, I might not follow - don't walk in behind me I might not lead - just walk beside me and be my friend.

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Sat, 30 May 2009 20:09:06 -0700

How was I supposed to know when you leave you wouldn't come back to me
When you walked through that door I could feel I could breathe no more
The things I said that made you cry don't you know it was the pain I felt inside
Well I'm sorry for all those things if you need me this is where I'll be

Chorus:
Oh I'm waiting, I'm watching
I'll be waiting for you to come back to me
I'll be hoping, while I'm praying
That one-day God will give you back to me
Until that day this is all I can say if you need me this is where I'll be
I'll be waiting for you

Even though time's passed by don't you know you're still on my mind?
Call on me anytime & I'll be there right by your side
I believe things will change don't you know that time will heal all pain
I'm sorry for all those things if you need me this is where I'll be

Chorus:
Oh I'll be waiting, I'll be watching
I'll be waiting for you to come back to me
I'll be hoping, while I'm praying
That one-day God will give you back to me
Until that day this is all I can say if you need me this is where I'll be
Oh I'm waiting

Until that day this is all I can say if you need me this is where I'll be

Chorus:
Oh I'm waiting, I'm watching
I'll be waiting for you to come back to me
I'll be hoping, while I'm praying
That one-day God will give you back to me
Oh I'm waiting I'm waiting

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Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:32:32 -0700

During my many years in Japan I've taken the opportunity to dabble in various Japanese arts. I always come away feeling inspired by the sensitivity and attention to detail that is expressed.

One of my explorations led me to take some lessons in "Ikebana", the Japanese art of flower arranging. During my brief training my teacher told me the following: "In contrast to the massing of blooms typical of flower arrangements in the West, Ikebana is usually characterized by a line of twigs and/or leaves, connected by a sparse arrangement of flowers. The idea being to give the viewer the sense they have come across a scene in nature."

"In Ikebana it is common that one of the branches in an arrangement is bent or broken, to signify the practitioner has attempted to present the arrangement in a 'natural' state. It is the 'imperfection' of the broken branch that leads us to understand the practitioner is striving to express 'perfection' as it appears in nature. By viewing the arrangement it is hoped you might come to appreciate that your own 'broken branches' are what signify your uniqueness and beauty.

"Each one of us, no matter how successful or evolved we might appear to be, have imperfections and personal ego attachments. These imperfections and attachments are not something to be overcome or transcended, but rather aspects of our self to be understood, appreciated, and accepted. If we do not honor and appreciate our human frailties as an essential part of who we are, we will always be attempting to erradicate some aspect of ourself that we perceive to be lacking."

"Consider the sense of perfection and pure life force you get when holding a baby. It's the baby's uncontrived and unrestrained expression of their emotional experience that gives us a sense of life at its fullest. This is the inherent blessing that exists as the essence of life in its simplest and purest form. Rather than hoping for love or acceptance, the baby expresses who they are and what they feel, in this very moment. This is the same free flow of energy that the Ikebana practitioner strives to express in their floral arrangements. We look to strip our work of any contrived sense of beauty, so the natural energy and life force of the flowers can be freely expreessed and felt. In other words, we attempt to present the flowers 'as they are', rather than attempting to add anything extra. We strive to let the flowers communicate directly, and thus in some way hope to reconnect the viewer to their own heartfelt sense of beauty and perfection."

At the conclusion of one lesson my teacher said, "Today, there is one more thing I would like to say. I am drawn to flower arranging because it helps me understand and come to terms with the impermance of life. No matter how beautiful the flowers appear to be when the arrangement is complete, I know they will only express their beauty for a few days time. By carefully cleaning and cutting the flowers and adding water, we can extend their life for a few precious moments. But in the end you're left with the understanding that neither the flowers nor any other form of life will last forever. One of the most important things we can do in life is appreciate the beauty and perfection that is present in our lives right now, rather than lamenting the passing of life. By appreciating the fleeting beauty of the flowers, you can come to understand the fleeting beauty of your own life, and the lives of those you love."

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Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:02:58 -0700

Tramping around the swamp not far from our house, my brothers came upon a wild duck's nest with five newly laid eggs, but no mother in sight. Carrying the eggs under their sweaters to keep them warm, they brought them home to mom and dad's chicken farm.

One of our hens had been trying to hatch some of her eggs for a while now, but we had been gathering her output for our own consumption. We decided to finally give her the chance to be a mom. Thinking it would be fun to watch our hen "Penny" with a small flock of orphans.

Two weeks passed, with Penny sitting and waiting to become a mom. Then, all of a sudden the baby ducklings started to spring to life! "Peck, peck, peck" turned into "Peep, peep, peep" and Penny squawked to let the world know she was a proud new mom!

The tiny ducklings were darling little balls of fluff, with webbed feet and square beaks, all hale and hearty. Penny tried to gather them about her like baby chicks, but the ducklings had minds of their own. Rather than scurry about their mom, and huddle under her, they preferred to line up behind her in single file. Wherever she went, they waddled behind her in a neat line.

Penny took a couple of days to get used to her brood, but soon she was proudly strutting around the yard with her new found family following behind her. It didn't matter that her babies were "different." She was as pleased as any mom would be.

Out strolling one sunny afternoon, Penny got thirsty. She marched her brood over to the small pond where the chickens normally drank. Then she had what was probably the greatest shock of her life. With great chirps of glee, all four little ducks plunged in to the pond for their first swim! Poor Penny wasn't prepared for this turn of events. She squawked and flapped her wings, trying to get them to come back to shore. But to no avail, as they were having the time of their life.

Penny was of course terrified of the water, She stayed by the side of the pond squawking, scolding, and pleading, until she was finally exhausted. Then she settled down fearfully, seemingly expecting the worst.

As dusk approached her ordeal finally came to an end. The biggest of the ducklings called its siblings together and they swam to the edge of the pond, waddled out, and lined up behind Penny once again. Seeing they were all safe, she fluffed her feathers, scolded them as only a mother hen can, and led them back to the hen house.

At the hen house, Penny and her little ones expressed their differences once again. Penny hopped up on the lowest perch and tried to get her babies to do the same. But, while chickens roost for the night, ducks tuck their feet underneath them and snuggle close to the ground. Again and again, Penny tried to get them to be good little chicks. But again and again, they preferred to be good little ducks.

The scenes at the pond and in the hen house took place over and over until Penny finally gave in. Eventually she took to marching her "chicks" to the edge of the pond, and invited them to have a swim. "All right," she seemed to say. "lf you refuse to stay out of the water, then enjoy yourselves and swim!"

The ducklings quickly grew, and Penny seemed less concerned about their safety as they matured and began to awkwardly make short flights around the yard. One day as a flock of wild ducks flew by, her babies let out loud screams as they madly flapped their wings and flew a few yards before tiring and returning. Two days later when another flock passed by, the young ducks again let out wild screams. This time upon taking off, they made their way towards their feathered friends and flew off into the distance never to be seen again. Penny's time taking care of them was now over, and I couldn't help but wonder if she felt abandoned or relieved.

Penny and her "babies" taught me so much! As a parent I have had to learn the very same lessons as her. It's so important to love and accept your children. Especially when their ways are different than yours and seem to be dangerous. Trust that on some level your children likely know what they are doing, even though you can't make any sense out of what is going on. Also remember, that each one of us has different behaviors and different ways of being in the world. What is right for you might not be right for your children.

Sometimes I squawk and get frightened, just like Penny did. At other times I remember that Penny let go of her fears and her sense of right and wrong, and trusted that a greater intelligence was being acted upon. As my children leave the nest I have made for them, I am confident they will indeed know how to fly, and find their way in the world.

http://www.seishindo.org

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Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:23:33 -0700

Stop Telling Spirit How Big Your Problems Are
By Joyce Shafer Platinum Quality Author

My life, as it is for many, is currently going through a major shift. Naturally, my ego hollered a great deal when this wave I'm riding started up. Ego still complains from time to time, but I don't let it have its way as much now as I did in the beginning. This aspect of me certainly has to have its opportunity to voice concerns and fears, but that venting is productive only for so long. What happens when life changes in a way we didn't consciously invite? We resist like crazy. Understandable, but boy does that not work.
I've long embraced the fact that Spirit provides what I really need in expected and unexpected ways and on its clock; though, I can still feel impatient and sometimes not like what's "needed," until I decide to flow with it. One way it provided what I needed during this time was to wake me early one morning and nudge me to channel surf until I landed on a religious channel. Since I'm spiritual rather than religious, I was amused. Then, I was amazed.
Two preachers made statements that helped me open to shifting my attitude about what's going on. Using my preferred words and paraphrasing, one preacher reminded me that Spirit is at work in all things. No matter how long we've used spiritual or metaphysical principles, this fact can be momentarily forgotten at the start and amid inner and outer turmoil.
The other preacher said, Stop telling Spirit how big your problems are and start telling your problems how big Spirit is. This one was like a hit of wasabi on sinuses and opened me right up. Then, realizations started to come to me.
We've taken on quite a self-judging burden by believing that everything about our life is supposed to look and be a certain way or others will think certain things about us (and some do). Phooey! We're on our path. Period. And no one's opinion about how our path plays out matters more than our own. I'm not talking about a path of deliberate negativity or destruction; I'm talking about the paths traveled by those of us who strive to make the most of our life experience. I heard someone say that life is not unfair; it's indifferent. And, that we are the difference. We make the difference. No matter what you plan, and achieve, life happens and as soon as you can, you need to respond.
Another realization was that resistance creates energetic blocks or obstacles that prevent us from seeing and readily embracing new opportunities presented to us. If you have an appointment to keep in your life (especially one not on your "calendar"), you're required to show up. And Spirit has a way of getting you there on time even if you kick and scream as you're dragged there. Initial kicking and screaming is understandable, but it becomes an easier journey the moment you decide to be a willing participant.
Allow where you are. It seems counter-intuitive to allow where you are to be okay when you'd rather it be different. No one says you have to like it; but you can stop a good deal of self-induced suffering if you start here since it is where you are. You can also ask Spirit to show you how to stay open to new opportunities and to what the gift is. We may not be able to control or choose all of our experiences, but we can control and choose how we wish to feel, no matter what. Sometimes, it takes time to get to this point; allow that too.
One of the people whose statements I used also said if you're hugging the past, you're not embracing the future. Isn't that what resistance is, an attempt to hold on to what was? As soon as you can embrace where you are and the changes happening, you embrace your now as well as the future opportunities being created right now.
A good way to assist yourself with this is to stop telling Spirit how big your problems are and start telling your problems how big Spirit is; and, watch what happens.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joyce_Shafer

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Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:03:12 -0800

The ebb and flow of life

During my first year in Japan I hitchhiked for two weeks, visiting rural fishing villages on the west coast of Japan. At the time I spoke very little Japanese, and relied on the kindness of the people I met.

I visited tiny villages that had no hotels, and very few tourists passing by. Upon entering a village, I would find a kind looking soul, and pantomime that I needed a place to sleep. Sometimes my acting skills were not enough to get the message across, and sometimes I wound up in the house of a family willing to take in visitors for a small fee. I ate with my hosts and was then led to a simple room to sleep in.

In one village I had the privilege of staying with a remarkable man and his family. One night the man and I sat on a small wooden dock by the ocean. Using lots of gestures to help me understand, the man told me about his life. He was 63 years old. As a boy he'd been very involved in studying karate, but at the age of nineteen his life changed dramatically. Working on his father's fishing boat in rough seas, he lost his balance, and fell just as he was throwing a heavy fishing cage overboard. His left leg got caught in the line attached to the cage and the damage caused to the musclse and nerves of his left calf was severe. He had been limping ever since.

Once he realized he'd no longer be able to study karate, he made a firm commitment to use his life as a fisherman to further his studies. He read various books written by martial arts masters and then applied the principles of what he learned to his work life.

"One of the most important things I learned" he said, "Is to create a rhythm with your posture, movements, and breathing, that matches the rhythm of nature. When I injured myself on the boat, I was so involved in handling the heavy cage, I lost touch with the flow of my surroundings. I was fighting against the ocean, rather than moving with it. Guess what? The ocean won!"

"Notice the gentle ebb and flow of the ocean as we sit here now." he said, "And the sound of the tide lapping against the pilings of the pier."

"As you sense the movement and sounds of the ocean, notice your breathing, and feel your body responding."

I began to do as he suggested and felt myself being drawn into a parallel world that was outside my everyday awareness.

"Feel the life force of the ocean, and without doing anything, allow yourself to move with the ocean."
"Breathe, move, and feel your heartbeat."
"Invite your heartbeat, to synchronize with the heartbeat of the ocean."

"Now you're becoming one with the water, and you might sense the fluids in your body ebbing and flowing, like the ocean entering into a shallow inlet made of coral."

"Like the ocean you can begin to feel the power of flowing without resisting. Flowing without fighting against."

"Water surrounds and moves past all obstacles, and you can do the same."

"Only flow."
"A single drop of water, has no power. A single drop of water moving with the flow of the ocean forms a wave. The power of the wave comes from joining with. The same is true of me and you"

We sat there together for a while. The man, myself, and the ocean.

Not separate, but together.

In this moment, I sense all power is really One.

Such was my journey.

http://www.seishindo.org

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Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:00:18 -0800

Entrapment
by Christopher

Hopelessly bound
unfettered
by the chains of love's grip
- greatest gift,
fate's cruelest curse.

Wherefore do I weep
at knowing the joy,
the warmth,
at feeling the peace,
the fire.

Wherefore do I weep
unable to complete ,
to be,
unknown the kiss,
the flames.

Wherefore do I weep
at loving not living
seeing not touching
breathing not sharing
holding not loving?

All,
because I, The Fool,
am no more?

http://www.netpoets.com/poems/depress/

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Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:27:16 -0800

�Vale la pena vivir en miedo constante?

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Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:38:05 -0700

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/magazine/06suicide-t.html?ex=1372824000&en=113519d34cac0300&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg

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Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:35:22 -0700