BEING

Let Plants be our Medicine

2011-10-24T17:26:00.001-04:00

Using these plants has always been apart of my family tradition. It really is powerful stuff and should be respected and not taken for granted.

A Time for Sundance

2011-08-06T11:40:00.002-04:00

Lee Crowchild

Tsuu T'ina Nation

Hard to think that I have been an active participant at a Sundance for 15 years. Certain that the feelings of humbleness will last for quite a spell there is sadness of sorts that I have once again completed a 4 year cycle of dancing. Sad that there was closure but also relieved about the same feeling. As Dave Demarais said it: It is like Christmas in July with all the anticipation that goes into it.

I reflect on some of the events and happenings that occurred thru the years and some are quite soul searching but most are funny and fond. I smile at those brothers and sisters I shared time with. We danced together, suffered together and found spiritual strength thru the hardship.

The journey has brought a certain clarity and strength to my worldview and supports the fact that I have to stay on this world for many years to come and continue to pass on knowledge and love to people of all colors and walks of life.

I do not believe that I have become anything anywhere closer to being any sort of medicine person but it has made me find a stronger spiritual person. A spiritual person, who is very much human.

Sundance songs race thru my head the same way my cousin Pamela rode her horse across the sky when she left to the spirit world. She darted back and forth while the northern lights danced in glee and clapped their hands as she galloped faster and faster from one end to the other. So too are these songs racing thru my head

The wounds of my piercing remind me of what it means to be humbled. Yes they always hurt but the spirit takes over and all of a sudden you are standing at the end of the rope facing the tree with rope binding you to life cycles.

4 times I dance to the tree gathering my rope and praying for whatever is in my mind and all the time looking at the prayer ties as they blow in the wind. Are my ties there as well? Why would my prayers be any more important than the others? Very humbling. Where are you Granny? Grandpa... I am missing you very much. Grab me in your arms 'cause I am scared.... I want mom and dad to watch me but they are not here in physical form.

I grab the tree and look up at the ties again. This time they reach into the heavens and peace runs thru my heart. I am floating now... Star people are circling above. The Sky is so Blue and vibrant. Color is everywhere... Grandfather!... you are here with me because I feel love. All the pain of the last days is nowhere to be felt. The rope is now at the end pulling on the pegs on my chest. I step back and the tree leans towards me while the wind blows it back. I can feel the vibration of the tree coming thru the rope. Another step backward. The tree won't let go yet. Big breath,... lean back. Pop,Pop... I am free and watch the pegs, harness and rope fly back towards the tree.

Free! Free? Yes I am free... Run around the arbor. I am back in the physical world. That feels good! Thank you Grandfather, Thank you Grandmother, Thank you my relatives. This is Wakinyan Duuta (Red Thunder). I dance again and other people need my help. All is good...

Winter Retreat Plum Village

2011-01-02T08:31:00.000-05:00

Listening to Thich Nhat Hanh gives me a peaceful of mind. This particular talk is that much more rewarding especially as the year ended and a new one began. I hope you take sometime to watch this!

Zen Garden

2010-10-17T14:56:00.000-04:00

The Way of the Drum

2010-10-02T21:45:00.001-04:00

Dene Workshop on Drum making

Mahamantra Baba Nama Kevalam - Kiirtan Video 1 of 12

2010-07-09T12:02:00.000-04:00

A beautiful chant to bring you into a loving calm space as you begin your weekend.

Walking to Quite the Mind

2010-05-29T06:49:00.009-04:00

I am often told "I don't know how to meditate. I just can't quite my mind.". My response is always, it's normal to feel stressed and unable to sit quietly. Which is why I often recommend other forms of meditating, like walking.

Walking is another way to meditate for people who can't sit. It brings one to the point of realizing that the benefit of meditation does not depend upon the position of the body. Sitting, standing, lying down, walking — what is the difference when one is aware? The state of being aware is an experience which goes beyond the body. Not only are you aware of your movements, you are also getting exercise.

Diana St Ruth's new short guide to walking meditation is a good place to learn how to practice walking meditation.

I posted a video here as well.

Walk softly and intently on mother earth wearing a big smile.

Mindful Way - Ajahn Chah

2009-12-16T11:21:00.005-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

This is an informative video about the way of Forest Monks. Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy this British television program on Buddhism, featuring an interview with Ajahn Chah, a highly revered Thai monk. you won't be disappointed.

An Interview with the Breath Lady

2009-11-14T08:46:00.005-05:00

I had a lovely lunch with Sat Hari recently and she has given me permission to print this interview between her and Donna Hinda.

In the Spring of 2008 I invited a number of my girl friends to a workshop in my home on the "Ins and Outs of Breathing". It was an incredible experience. The techniques I learned that evening continue to enhance my life. I am pleased to be able to share this information with you.

This interview was published in Tone Magazine. Donna Hinda is a writer, book artist, and master communicator who lives in northern California. She’s been a group trainer and facilitator, teacher, editor, mail carrier, and outdoor educator, and her new career is battling US bureaucracies.

Donna: I’ve known Sat Hari Kaur Khalsa for twenty-five years. We’re each other’s neutral-minded sounding board whenever we need to prepare for a crucial conversation or compose an important letter. Our cross-continental conversations are long and legend. Being friends and both being writers, we work and play well together and have collaborated on some major projects, including her book The Ins and Outs of Breathing. As I edited her book and asked her to explain and justify, I came to learn that she has expert knowledge of the technology of yogic breathing. So when she said she wanted to write an article for Tone Magazine about breathing and the work she does and asked if I’d work with her on it, the format of conversation seemed natural, and I said I would be happy to interview her.

Donna: You’re doing a workshop on breathing at the MacLaren Centre on Sunday, October 30.

Sat Hari: It’s called “The Ins and Outs of Breathing,” like the book, which is included for a take-home reverence guide. The workshop runs from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday, and there’s an introductory session on Friday evening from 7:00 to 9:00.

Donna: Let me play devil’s advocate and ask, since everyone breathes, why should people go to a workshop on what they already know?

Sat Hari: There’s more to breathing than meets the eye. For starts, in my experience, most people breathe inefficiently or incorrectly, some of them for decades; and most of them are totally unaware of it. For those people, starting with the basics of coordinating muscle movements with breathing can be one of the most important thing they’ll ever learn. When the basics are handled – and even before they’re mastered – people can learn to use breathing as a quick and effective de-stressor and as a powerful vehicle for meditation and higher states of consciousness.

The breath can do a lot and a lot that nothing else can do. It’s the only thing I know that can simultaneously relax you and energize you. It massages internal organs, gets rid of toxins, and facilitates healing. It can make your brain sharp; get you high; reduce pain, fear, and anger; and put you in a state of self-hypnosis. It’s free, it’s legal, there are no bad side effects, it works immediately, and you always have it with you.

Learning to breath slowly and deeply allows us to think more clearly, and we feel calmer. It’s an instant and powerful de-stressor and antidepressant. If we slow and deepen our breathing for several minutes, our bodies show fewer physiological signs of stress. Our saliva becomes less acidic, which reduces tooth decay. We produce more oxytocin, the so-called calming and connecting hormone. That enhances the body’s natural healing powers, reduces the sensation of pain, heightens our awareness, makes us feel more loving, and can create a totally natural altered state of consciousness.

Yogic breathing increases feelings of aliveness, makes organs function better, facilitates calm and accurate communication, and puts one in touch with the true self. I’ve had asthmatic students in my yoga classes who told me they improved 80% from Kundalini Yoga and practicing only two or three yogic breaths. Are those enough reasons to learn about breathing?

Donna: That sounds so vast, How do you get all that into one workshop?

Sat Hari: There’s so much I could share that I always wish there were a few more hours. What I do in the workshop is to present techniques, principles, information, awareness training, and opportunities to experience breathing in a variety of ways. Within the structure, I like to allow enough flexibility to meet the individual needs of the people who show up.

If I can introduce several breathing techniques in the context of how the body works and give people a real experience of those techniques, then breathing becomes the teacher they’ll go home with, and I’ll have done my job. It’s people’s own experience rather than a workshop or a teacher that teaches and inspires them to keep up. And breathing is, I think, a teacher without equal.

Donna: Without giving away the workshop, can you give me and the reader a taste of it, maybe a breathing technique that we could practice and experience an effect from?

Sat Hari: Sure. Once every hour take three to ten long, slow, complete breaths. Here are some tips for how to do that: Fill your lungs the way you’d fill a glass with water: Fill the bottom first, then the middle, up to the top. Reverse that order as you exhale.If you notice tension anywhere in your body, consciously relax that part. And notice yourself before and after you do it.

Donna: Is breathing an important component of the other work you do – your Kundalini Yoga classes and the counseling?

Sat Hari: It is – because it’s such an important part of life, and the way we breathe underlies all our experiences, everything we do, and our very consciousness. But the emphasis is different in the different modes. In breathwork classes and workshops, the focus is on breathing, so all the work is geared to that. When counseling clients want to improve relationships or feel better about themselves, I don’t launch into an exposition of the physiology of respiration, but I’ll watch for breathing patterns and
often recommend or teach long deep breathing to reduce stress or heighten awareness.

In Kundalini Yoga classes breathing is integral to the exercises. But, because I was a reverse breather for nineteen years and because breathing taught me so much, I probably emphasize it more than most teachers do. I start with breathing and work with new students to correct any problems right off the bat. I give them breathing homework and then monitor them until the changes become habitual.

Donna: There’s another type of work you do – stress reduction training. Stress is a topic we can all relate to. I know you have a story about using breathing to handle dental anxiety that you love to share.

Sat Hari: I had teeth taken out and three titanium screws drilled into my jaw bone. It felt like I had a jack hammer in my mouth. I had local freezing for pain but did the one-minute breath meditation to handle my freak-out level anxiety. I was so un-stressed that I was in an altered state of consciousness. The surgeon was so impressed with how relaxed and calm I was without drug sedation that he asked me to lead an in-service training with the clinic staff. And it’s not that I’m such an adept – I’m not – it’s that the technology works.

Donna: So: is breathing a cure-all?

Sat Hari: I wouldn’t use that term, but it sure comes close. Full, complete breathing has a direct and immediate effect on what we call the body, the mind, and the spirit. Organs function better, the mind calms and sharpens, feelings of well-being and aliveness are heightened, pain is reduced, the body’s healing processes start to work, awareness and higher consciousness are enhanced, and breathing with awareness is a meditation.

Donna: So what’s not to love?! [laughter]

Sat Hari Kaur Khalsa is a holistic psychologist, a certified Kundalini Yoga teacher and teacher trainer, and the author of The Ins and Outs of Breathing. She practices yoga therapy and individual and family counseling and leads classes and workshops on yoga, breathwork, and stress reduction. She can be reached through emailing me.

Strawberries - Wow!

2009-11-01T17:39:00.004-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I came across this blog linking from a blog I read regularly, and could not pass the opportunity to mention this story of Pema Chodron. The lesson it speaks to is about living life without the distraction of what the future holds, but rather savoring each moment.

Do you have an Angel

2009-10-04T17:42:00.010-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

There are times when I’ve thought I must have an Angel, one who watches and protects me. I am not sure if it is true, or if Angels exist, but it feels right.

The other day while walking past this store. Just as we were about to pass it, I said, “let’s go in inside.”

We were greeted by a warm cheerful voice, "Hi, would you like an Angel reading?" Wow! Never would have imagined hearing someone ask me that question in a million years. I was not sure what it entailed. But, I thought, why not.

A wonderful insightful woman, Karen Forrest, was sitting on a couch at the back of the store. I liked her immediately, she had a nice warm smile and caring eyes. As it turned out she is the author of Canadian Angels by your side It is a wonderful book with many interesting short stories illustrating how Angels have intervened to help people. She gave me a short "Angel reading" which involved a general question, What is my life purpose? In less than five minutes she affirmed that I am on the right spiritual path. Who am I to argue with that?

Do you believe in Angels?

This is Nothing

2009-09-12T07:44:00.001-04:00

Ajahn Brahm Inter-Viewed

I love Ajahn Brahm because his main lesson is not to take one's self seriously, and he leaves me with a genuine smile from deep within. Do you understand?

Lakota Voices - Arlette Loud Hawk: Part 1

2009-08-30T08:14:00.007-04:00

The simplicity of her message is so profound. We all have to live together and co-exist in harmony. Remember your dreams, you have choices, make the choice that will allow you to live a meaningful life.
She is speaking about the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1973.
( AIM is American Indian Movement )

I also encourage you to watch part 2.

High Noon Crisis

2009-08-22T16:20:00.016-04:00

Acedia. Acedia. Acedia.

You are feeling bummed? I mean really, really, depressed to the point where you feel that life is pointless and there is nothing you can do that will make a difference. Do you care? If, you don't care. Or if you don't even know that you don’t care? This is acedia, apathy, indifference, isolation, depression.

You don’t have to be a monk, hermit, or someone who lives a solitary life to experience acedia.

Ever since I heard the interview on CBC’s Tapestry with Kathleen Norris speaking about her book on the subject I’ve been thinking about the meaning of acedia. It is an uncommon word but it likely describes accurately how some people at some point in their life have felt. I’ve had conversations where this was definitely a state of mind for some people. A feeling of absolute apathy, and irrelevance. What do you do when this happens and how do you support people who are experiencing acedia?

Kathleen Norris says that action, like going out, visiting friends or some activity you enjoy will take you out of acedia. It is imperative that even if we feel this action is meaningless, we should force ourselves to do it in spite of those feelings. By our acttions, we find a conduit, which leads us out of the this dangerous fog. She further says an extreme case of acedia will only lead to suicide. If this is how you are felling please get some help.

Another interesting article on the subject worth reading, you may also enjoy this blog.

And yet another interesting read Noonday Demon.

What is your Story

2009-08-09T09:20:00.007-04:00

In the wonderful city of twittervile I came across this blog. It is an inspirational blog and speaks to humanity's spirit. Moreover, you will meet many people interviewed in this blog who will inspire you with their courage and strength. Awesome!

I recommend you grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the dialogue between Phil and his subjects.

Zen Master Sosan's Hsin Hsin Ming

2009-07-31T06:31:00.002-04:00

Watch this video with an open mind. No judgment. The practice of non-duality.

The path is clear and it is not. Taking a deep breath and listening to this poem again. "Cease attachment from talking and thinking is to be awaken." "To have a narrow mind and to be attached to getting enlightened is to lose ones center..."

I listen to this first with a thinking mind and was further from the center. I listen to this again with a non thinking, non judgmental mind and just was.

Practicing non-duality - takes practice - and no practice

#1 use for my ipod

2009-07-14T20:49:00.014-04:00

"Oh, I see you have been listening to your ipod. What are you listening to? " asks my husband.

"Nothing" I reply.

huh?

"Yes. I am literally listening to silence." I added.

He looked surprised, so I continued "I am listening to a podcast from Treeleaf which has a 20 minute, 30 minutes, and one hour silent meditation segments."

"You're the only person I know who has over a thousand songs and uses their ipod to listen to silence." He says shaking his head.

How To Meditate III - Walking Meditation

2009-06-27T09:04:00.004-04:00

I have been asked about walking meditation, but found this video which explains it beautifully. If you find this helpful and want to know more about yuttadhammo .

Enjoy the earth as you walk, and remember to watch your breath and smile.

To be a Spiritual Leader

2009-06-26T10:40:00.010-04:00

Do you

Think of how your actions will impact others before doing (Right thought/Right speech / Right action)
Catch yourself when judging others, including yourself (non-judgmental/ compassion/ love)
Release your attachment to be right (open mindedness)
Smile and look into the eyes of the person you're with (Being Present)
Walk your talk (lead by example)

Manifesting Feelings

2009-05-28T12:55:00.014-04:00

I woke up this morning with a smile and feeling of joy emanating from within. As I meditated, the warm feeling radiated like embers.
Love
Contempt
Anger
Jealously
Happiness
Sadness
Fearfulness
Guilt
Peacefulness
Interestingly, the more one tries to control their feelings the less successful they are in controlling them. Therefore, after years of practice, I learned not to control my emotions and allow the feelings to occur spontaneously. It made sense that not being attached to my feelings is a healthy stress-free way of being. I found there are no positive reasons to hang on to an emotion especially if the emotion is anger, angst, worry, hate, fear, etc.

Feelings will come and go. Ebb and flow. I acknowledge my current emotion and accept that happy or sad, it too will pass. I found that to be nonjudgmental helps me release any attachment I may hold. No excuses and no justifications the emotion cover me like a blanket. Sometimes it is light, fuzzy and other times it is warm, cozy and comforting. I snuggle in it's warmth.

Recognizing my feelings connects me with the moment and crystallizes my present state. In other words, my emotions exist to connect me with my present.

Thich Nhat Hanh: What Is Engaged Buddhism?

2009-05-23T17:10:00.005-04:00

Being engaged is living fully in each and every moment. What is it about Thich Nhat Hanh's image that makes me smile?

Thank you Wil for your comment and link to further resources on Thich Nhat Hanh.

Does Natural law without Christianity Exist?

2009-04-13T15:25:00.007-04:00

Dene elder, Isidore Deranger 1909-1992
Fort Chipewyan, Alberta

In March I traveled to Alberta to participated in a “Natural Law" workshop lead by Canadian First Nation elders from the Treaty 6 area. My understanding of “natural law” is based on what I perceive as Indigenous Peoples' integral relationship with nature. Indigenous ways of knowing are not religions; rather they are ways of life centered upon the complex relationships between Indigenous societies with nature (Mother Earth). Each Indigenous culture had its own holistic and sophisticated structure based on the laws of nature which existed prior to European contact and, more specifically, prior to contact with missionaries.

Christianity was transferred at initial contact with Indigenous peoples as a means to control and conquer them. Some people argue that the colonizers felt they were “saving” the Indigenous Peoples from a certain peril of hell, but in fact what resulted was a genocidal erasing of Indigenous Peoples' beliefs that had served their societies for a long time.

Christianity is centered on a hierarchy religion reflecting a European paradigm, where Indigenous beliefs are non-hierarchical and egalitarian.

What I was hoping to learn from the teachings of the elders was 'natural law' minus the Christian bits, but sadly, I was disappointed. Are Indigenous elders of today confused as a result of being indoctrinated by Christianity and collapse those teachings with anything that is organic and fluid, meaning spirit or energy? Unfortunately, the indoctrination of Christianity is well embedded and woven into the fabric of Indigenous elders' teachings, as I experienced last month. What sadden me the most is that they seemed unaware that their teaching was in fact based on Christianity with 'God' renamed as the 'Great Spirit'.

I am not judging Christianity as something that is bad. I was raised Catholic. All I am saying is that I was interested in learning the true teachings of 'natural law' in the form of a decolonized (or better yet pre-colonized) and pure teaching, which I am positive continues to exist in First Nations country. The photo above is a picture of a spiritual Dene man, my Dad, who had knowledge of 'natural law' as understood by the Dene but I was too young and stupid (or at least too willing to believe in the more aggressive lessons of priests and nuns) to accept his teachings, until it was too late.

Drum Dance - Dene Artist, Roger Deranger

2009-03-23T19:02:00.003-04:00

Drum Dance

deep within the Dene forest home
spirits dream wholehearted to roam
they dwell honorably during mystic time
when the heaven and earth vastly rhyme

upon a painted sunset, a silence broke
it was an ancient flame that spoke
and the drums mysteriously, exhilarate
altering each soul into a radiant state

chants and pulse, conjured, impulsively
blessing everyone into a circular flee
round and around they sacredly dance
drowning themselves into a joyous trance

poured with euphoria, the beings paced
leaving each step then majestically traced
within its midst, the fire proudly sing
drawing the ritual into a universal ring

the stars above also harmonized along
ensuring the divine hoop is kept strong
for every life is absorbed into solidarity
a movement of strength and reassuringly

the dance, song and heartbeat, all is real
giving the entire cycle a seed to heal
from dusk to dark, the spirits fly
until our dance has reached the sky

Bob Thurman: Becoming Buddha -- on the Web

2009-03-13T22:01:00.001-04:00

Bob quite cleverly explains how to be compassionate in less than 15 minutes in a manner that makes me smile. I like that.

Ram Dass interviews Thicht Nhat Hanh

2009-03-09T18:57:00.008-04:00

Anger is an emotion people hold onto by choice unaware that with a simple breathing technique they will find peace. Being angry harms the person holding on to it more than the subject of their anger. Letting go of the anger through mindful breathing releases the heavy burden on your mind and body.

The choice is yours to nourish your emotion and transform the anger into understanding and compassion.

Libby the Wonder Dog (poem)

2009-03-07T20:05:00.005-05:00

My friend Carol posted this beautiful poem after reading my blog "Its all in the eyes". She wrote it for her trusted companion Libby before she died. (get some the tissue because its really touching)

This is my dog, Bodhi, taken this afternoon, the snow is melting finally, and he is somewhat muddy. I left his coat long for protection against the inclement weather but it's time to take him to the doggy spa.

The Ten Ox Herding Pictures

2009-03-01T07:57:00.001-05:00

Where do your emotions live, can you point in your body where love, happiness, sadness, anger, is? Emotions live in the territory of the mind. Search for the mind - is what is called spiritual path.

Don't fight with your mind, accept it, and it will free you. Fighting with your mind drains you of your energy. Sit still and gradually your energy will increase and you'll find peace.

Say to yourself, "whoever I am, whatever I've done in life, the door to my heat is always open to me unconditionally. Come in." Accept yourself, be kind to yourself, love yourself, be at peace with yourself.

Take an hour and listen to the other jewels of wisdom in this speech from Ajahn Brahm.

More than a Fish Story

2009-02-22T09:20:00.006-05:00

Danny Fisher posted this Video on his blog and it is definitely worth watching. This story of the Eg-Uur Buddhist monks of Mongolia resonated with me because my people, the Dene, who are also struggling to conserve their land and culture. As caretakers of the land, their dream is to be able to restore the health of their land before it is too late.

It is certainly great to watch a dream come true for the Eg-Uur Buddhist monks. Meanwhile, the people of Fort Chipewyan are in a continued fight for their lives.

Darwin-Buddhism

2009-02-21T07:15:00.007-05:00

Is there a connection? I found a couple of articles while scrolling through twitter, again. You would be amazed at the resource in 140 characters or less you could find from this particular social network.

The connect between Darwin and Buddhism is in our relationship with the world, in particular, how we relate with empathy, kindness, and compassion. What does he say about our emotions?

Painting by a local artist.

Lovingkindness Instructions by Bhante Vimalaramsi

2009-02-15T10:51:00.004-05:00

The sound is not too good, but worth listening to in spite of it. smile and the world smiles with you.

Also check out Mental illness:Meditation or Medication if you haven't yet. I found after reading the conversation, I thought of various people who I know would benefit from the wisdom shared here.

It's all in the Eyes

2009-02-14T20:48:00.010-05:00

Ever notice how your animal looks at you, of course you do? You’re almost certain you know what they are communicating. We feel that way about our family dog.

Bodhisattva (Bohdi) a standard poodle, is handsome as he is adorable. Sometimes I would be reading and feel this strong sense that someone is watching me. Then I will look up, and there is Bodhi looking at me with such intensity that I wish he could use words to describe what he wants. But instead, I have to gauge what kind of reaction I get from my tone, and words, by his body language for clues to what he wants. It always seems I correctly guess what he wants, because he seems happy for whatever I give him.

He can be surprising too. When Andrew was a toddler and had stuff animals all over the house, Bodhi knew he could not play with them. He had his own doggy toys. However, one day, Bodhi took his own toy and placed it on Andrew’s bed. Then he went to the shelf and took Andrew’s stuff bear for himself. I never would have guessed that animals could communicate on that level of sophistication.

I do know my family is connected with him, not just as a pet, but as a being. When I meditate, I feel our energies merge, and I can feel the calm that seems to emanate from him mingle with my energy causing a blanket of light energy to dance around us.

He absorbs our energy too, indeed, the exchange of energy flows from us to him. When he is having a bad dream, I sit beside him and rub his neck until his breathing returns to normal. He takes a deep breath, and continues to sleep. The least I can do for this silent but very communicative being.

Imee Ooi - The Chant Of Metta - English subtitled version

2009-01-31T08:00:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed viewing this youtube because I found it calmed and inspired me especially after my morning meditation. I hope it also touches you in some way.

With Metta

I am already who I am

2009-01-26T20:55:00.005-05:00

Most years, I write resolutions for the up coming year. This year I decided to make spiritual resolutions instead of the usual lose weight, exercise more, travel, save money, etc. But each time I sat down to write, my task seemed too difficult. How can making spiritual resolutions be so complicated?

I thought about it for sometime before I resolved at the end of the day to be who I am, which is…
Calm,
Mindful,
Energetic,
Cheerful,
Listening carefully,
Present,
Compassionate,
Helpful,
Kind,
Resourceful,
Tender,
Loving,
Giving,
Special,
Funny,
Beautiful.

…and to remain true to myself through daily mediation. I am all these things, but not all the time. Therefore, my resolution is to simply be the best person I know I am.

Offering for Peace

2009-01-11T15:33:00.001-05:00

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=23588&article=Indonesia-based+spiritualist+offers+unique+Buddha+statue+to+Dalai+Lama&t=1&c=1

http://anandkrishna.org/eng/?p=74

Mantak Chia DVD Six Healing Sounds Clip 2 -- Heart Sound

2009-01-03T08:24:00.001-05:00

A New Year, a new beginning. Enjoy these two presentations...

Letter from Thay

2008-12-27T07:53:00.007-05:00

As 2008, comes to an end and another year unfolds, let us be silent a moment. In the silence you accept yourself without judgment, you will feel peace and the possibilities of the universe will be open to you. All the best in Happiness and Peace for 2009!

For some it is incredibly difficult to be silent, no worries, relax and silence will come. Sit comfortably and watch your breath in and your breath out.

This link will lead you to a wonderful compassionate letter: http://www.deerparkmonastery.org/community/deer-park-news/press-releases/new-years-letter-from-thay-a-letter-to-all-my-spiritual-children

What Gives Life Meaning?

2008-12-15T08:57:00.013-05:00

This was the question presented to me while preparing for a presentation in Melbourne, Australia earlier this month. Our topic title 'Reconciling Indigenous Pedagogy Post Colonization' and, I thought, what does this question have to do with an academic paper?

I sat silently for a few moments, contemplating the question. Then I said, it is the interconnectedness between people. Hmmm, is what my co-presenter said. And what is the that connectedness? It is an energy force, maybe, love? I said. That, she said, is from your head, think with your heart, go deeper. I was at a lost. The more I tried to go deeper, the more into my head I went. My head filled with many disorientating and disconnected thoughts. Then I said, I need tea. That is always my suggestion when I need to chill.

I took a deep breath and slowly let my mind slow to nothing, and then I got a clear picture of my late father. He was standing, hands behind his back, his face relaxed. His eyes looking beyond me. My father the trapper, hunter, gatherer.

He was not separate from the environment. He was nature. He was not co-existing with the environment, it was in him. His movements, thoughts, all effortlessly executed. He was in harmony with the universe because he was the universe. I got it!

In our curriculum, the process, the healing circles, are designed to uncover the layers which are preventing indigenous peoples from recognizing they are nature and one with the universe. The pedagogy reflects our intuitiveness and allows for the healing to begin. It is a long journey, after all, to be free of colonization as with indoctrination takes time.

Have I answered the question? I am not sure.

A Good Day to Catch up on Reading

2008-11-23T08:34:00.008-05:00

A link to Theravada Text Studies - http://www.enabling.org/ia/vipassana/Archive/N/Nyanatiloka/WOB/index.html

A Children Tree

Never Mind

2008-11-15T08:22:00.004-05:00

This Zen Buddhist talk has many excellent teachings filled into one hour. What I related to the most in this talk is the interconnectedness with self and our perceived reality. Specifically how those perceptions influence how we experience the world.

Being present with Metta

Life in Balance

2008-11-12T10:56:00.015-05:00

This morning I was told that an amazing woman whom I've known for many years, died last night. Dealing with news of her death feels like hitting a wall. Even though I was prepared for the news, it still bites. As I allowed the reality to be absorbed, I began to think about her life. She was an amazing person and lived a meaningful life. She traveled the world living in the most exotic places. She related to everyone with kindness, warmth and generosity.

Violet was a wife of a military man, she had a daughter and four grandchildren. Her body failed her many years ago when she found out she had Parkinson. Living with Parkinson did not deter her from having a full life. She died with dignity and grace with her daughter at her bedside.

I am thankful to have spent time with her and her husband, Lee, during many of my travels to Hawaii. One year, I celebrated New Year's Eve with them staying up until the wee early hours when all that was left in the streets were ghost of dancers celebrating. She was a most gracious host, really more like family. She lovingly referred to me as her other daughter.

Recalling something a Buddhist monk said helps me deal with this loss, "we don't own people, we are given the opportunity to share life with them". At some point their journey takes them on a different path away from you. In balance, when I think about Vi, I know that I am a better person for having known her.

Everybody is free Music Video (sunscreen)

2008-11-09T08:51:00.001-05:00

Life.

Fire Within

2008-11-06T11:00:00.020-05:00

There are times when I meditate late at night, the warmth of my house with its fireplace burning, gives me such comfort and wraps around me like a security blanket. My thoughts come and go, and finally there is silence.

Other times it feels like I'm floating and disconnected. My thoughts flowing and never stopping. Feeling at times like I'm isolated (not in a bad way) as though I am the only person in the entire world, a solitary being. But then there are times I feel like I am briefly connected to everything, and everyone.

I know I've had a successful meditation when happiness is my world. Happiness is an illusion, but, what an illusion.

Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond

2008-10-29T10:41:00.007-04:00

I began reading Ajahn Brahm's book yesterday, sitting on my chair looking out at this beautiful view every now and then. The book is amazing! Ajahn Brahm's meditator's handbook is a must read for anyone interested in meditating, novice or longtime meditator. It is written in a direct and simple language with clear, easy directions.

http://www.wisdompubs.org/Pages/display.lasso?-KeyValue=32879&-Token.Action=Search&image=1

More Happiness

2008-10-18T08:51:00.001-04:00

http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#topic=Buddhism&url=http%253A%252F%252Fvideo.google.com%252Fvideoplay%253Fdocid%253D-1424079446171087119

Freedom: The Path To Happiness

2008-10-11T15:43:00.004-04:00

If something in your past is stopping you from enjoying your present, an abuse of some kind, or bad memories, lost of someone you loved, grab a cup of tea, and watch this. You deserve to be happy!

Butterflies

2008-10-09T15:26:00.037-04:00

Did you feel that, Mom? Was it fun? Questions from my son, after some turbulence flying home from Alberta. Yup, that was fun I say lying through my teeth, gripping the armrest as though it can actually save me if the worst occurred.

Why is it I can easily accept the notion of death until life flips upside down (not literally) and spins me out of control (slight exaggeration for effect). Really, it is not difficult to acknowledge death on a cognitive level because it is a fact of life, we know that. Don't we? Yet, when faced with a real possibility (or a perceived possibility) of death like this incident, my heart beats faster, well more like a pounding jack hammer under my sweater. My mind starts filling up with inconsequential thinking like how is my kamma bank. I am acutely aware that I'm not in control, and we are at 35, 000 feet high and traveling hundreds of miles per hour above the earth.

My son, on the other hand is enjoying cloud potholes. Bring on the turbulence, the rougher the better says he. Love those butterflies, he laughs. I say, so do I, to which he replies you're lying, mom! You can't hide from a kid. It is true we accept that we are going to die, but, not really.

I surrender, and take a moment with a meditation focusing on my breath. All is good. I'm here for the ride.

How does One reconcile Goodness with Badness

2008-09-27T09:35:00.008-04:00

My home, My sanctuary, My illusion.

I often contemplate on the many sufferings in our world, and wonder how do we continue to accept these sufferings. World poverty, war, and disease are just an example of what humans have lived with since the beginning of time.

How can people be both good and evil? I don’t have an answer but for sure there is a possibility for goodness in everyone. Do people do evil deeds because they are afraid? I read a interview with Laura Huxley, in which she answered the question "Why is there so much unhappiness in the world?

"LH: Fear and rage. They are there all the time. The fear that is now in this country is incredible. It’s really like a contagious germ.

NS: That’s a marvelous metaphor: Fear as a contagious disease. How do you inoculate yourself against that contagion?

LH: Well the answer is always vivid awareness. This is the core of healthy psychology—learning to trace the source of experience. Is this my fear, or is it Mr. Bush’s fear? I don’t drive anymore, but in driving you can learn some tremendous lessons about how people respond to what they think they need. Sometimes before they even respond to you they attack you. If you don’t want to perpetuate that rage, you have to respond in a different way. It’s very easy of course to speak of these things, but they are very difficult to apply. Yet even if we apply them just a little bit, the world becomes a very different place."

Check it out the entire interview at http://www.hazymoon.com/Huxley/tabid/78/Default.aspx

Blessing and Accepting what is

2008-09-17T06:18:00.001-04:00

I saw this on Danny Fisher's blog, and thought it was worth showing here too. What an amazing presentation.

Counting Blessings

2008-09-16T10:20:00.004-04:00

I followed a link from Danny Fisher's blog, and thought it worth linking to here. It is about 18 minutes, and worth every second. This link did not work, view the you tube version above. For more information on Jill Bolte Taylor go to http://www.speakers.ca/bolte-taylor_jill.aspx

Practice, Practice, Practice and more Practice

2008-08-30T08:30:00.007-04:00

Mindfulness is my passion. Each day I sit quietly and silence my mind, each moment is made of new seconds. If my mind drifts, I notice it, let it float on, and start over again. No need to attach to those thoughts, they are nothing. My mind goes into silence. Deeply breathing in and slowly exhaling. I follow my breath and smile.

I noticed that being present is difficult and takes practice. I begin slowly, picking one or two actions to be present. For example, making and drinking tea. When I make my tea, I am 100% present, pouring the kettle, whisking the powdered tea, holding the tea, raising the bowl, touching my lips with the rim of the bowl, swallowing the tea I smile.

Breathing Meditation with Thich Nhat Hanh

2008-07-23T21:02:00.003-04:00

Take a few minutes and practice mindful breathing with Thich Nhat Hanh.

Mythology, and Other Stuff

2008-07-20T10:58:00.017-04:00

I was reading a recent post on a "New Earth" message boards on Oprah's site, and came across a profound quote, then I decided to post the links below to the person who is the inspiration for the quote ...

http://www.mythosandlogos.com/Campbell.html

http://jonesthought.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/joseph-campbell-the-power-of-myth-with-bill-moyers/

Tribute to the Hurdy Gurdy Man - Donovan

2008-07-12T19:53:00.001-04:00

Transcendental Meditation (TM)

2008-07-12T18:38:00.008-04:00

When I was in university, I, and a couple of friends, enrolled in a transcendental meditation course. TM is simple, just twenty minutes twice a day, and could be practiced any place, even in noisy crowed places. I meditate on buses, planes, and trains, but for the most part, I find a quite place in my house to meditate. For a period I lived in a meditation community, Ideal Village, where there was a meditation building.

Over the years, I would go for months without meditating, but when I resumed practice, it came back with ease. It surprised me that I never forgot my mantra, which came to me without hesitation when I called upon it. TM serves to keep my energy in balance.

Is it Me, or what???

2008-07-08T06:18:00.025-04:00

Every individual is different, even identical twins, although may look the same can sometimes be polar opposites. The beauty of the natural world is that we are not designed to be carbon copies of each other. So why is it that we are prone to changing people, seeing them through a veil of how we think they should be rather than who they really are?

I have some single friends who are amazing, strong, and independent. And yet when they are in a relationship they are anything but strong and independent. In as much as they want to be in a healthy relationship, their relationships tend to end, and often with heartbreak.

I am often asked for advice and I try to facilitate an opening for them to avoid the pit falls in their relationships. As an outside observer, it is easier to observe the same patterns that take them down the same path resulting in the same outcomes over and over again. However, if they are not open to listening, you can talk until you are blue in the face and it would not make a bit of difference. But sometimes...

The other day I was being the dutiful friend, listening to woes of disappointment of another friend's failed relationship. Then out of the blue, my friend asks, " is it me? am I to blame? Am I that clingy? " I immediately thought, I can't tell the truth, not when she is so miserable. But I thought, well if I don't tell her the truth, who will?

So I said, yes, it is you. It is your actions that created this out come which is the same out come as your last relationship. But I hasten to add, sometimes we pick the wrong partners, and we have to acknowledge it and move on. If there is no match, no one is at fault, but you have to be truthful to yourself and be able to access when it is not working for you. Don't try to change the other person, accept who they are and maybe they are not the person you need in your life at this juncture.

At the end of the day, you have only one life. And don't you want that life to be happy, content, and fulfilling? Know that you deserve that life and don't be afraid that yes, occasionally you do make the wrong choices, but don't beat yourself up about it. Finally, stop playing that tape over and over in your head. You know the one, the one that goes over every incident that went wrong in the relationship. What you said or did, what he said or did, etc...

Meeting With a Navajo Medicine Man

2008-07-03T11:32:00.031-04:00

I traveled to Edmonton, Alberta on business last month. Two weeks before leaving I got a call from a friend asking if I could I pick up our mutual friend, Francis, at the Edmonton airport. I agreed, and called him to say I would pick him up but needed his arrival time. He told me, his hostess had made his travel arrangements and he did not know is arrival time at the moment. I called her, and she email me his itinerary. I noticed when I got his itinerary that he was actually booked on my connecting flight. Francis said, normally this is not the route he takes when traveling to Edmonton, lucky for us it was the perfect opportunity for an uninterrupted visit. Don't you like it when synchronicity works so effortlessly?

I know people who could use the help of a medicine man, more often than not it is when their diagnosis from a medical professional is not very good and usually it is an advanced cancer of some sort. However, many people both non Native and Natives alike don't feel comfortable using a traditional medicine man. Their reasons are varied, maybe it is the mysterious ways in which healing occurs makes people uncomfortable. Possibly it is the lack of education on what a medicine man does, or the proper protocol, or just the unknown which are a deterrent.

Maybe it is the difficulty of finding the best medicine man and not knowing how to properly search for one. My advice, is always do research which is started by asking the right questions. In Indian country, I recommend word of mouth. But the most important aspect is to trust your intuition, how do you feel when you speak to the Medicine Man, how do you feel in the ceremonial room? Do not disregard your feelings they are your most important asset, and if at any point you feel uncomfortable, stop the treatment.

That being said, Francis Mitchell is an amazing world renowned healer, I know and trust him. This link is a journalist's account on him http://ourstrangeplanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=227&Itemid=9
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Souls Meeting

2008-07-02T08:02:00.013-04:00

Is it synchronicity when you meet someone in the most unusually fashion? Should one attach the meeting to a greater force at work that created the event which brought two souls together?

In an earlier post I wrote that things happen because they happen, and that there is no reason for it to happen other than it does. Was I wrong? Is there really a master plan at work here?

What if you met someone who under the normal course of things you would have never met, but only met because you did something out of the ordinary. Something so out of character. What if you met this person under circumstances where the odds were against the meeting. What if a series of actions by both of you were required to have the meeting occur. What if the soul you met also met souls connected to you but in a separate hemisphere, and under different circumstances.

What if this soul had an amazing light, energy, and had relevant experiences to yours. How do you explain the unexplainable, when everything that should happen, occurred, cumulating towards a wonderful meeting of souls.

It happen to me, and I am so overwhelmed by the occurrence that I am thinking maybe there is a greater force at play here. What does it mean?

HAPPY MAMA'S DAY!

2008-05-10T14:05:00.013-04:00

Therese Deranger - May 08, 1919 -

Came into this world in Fond du Lac, Saskatchewan on May 08, 1919.

My Mama is having an amazing life journey, from bush life to city dwelling, from moccasin telegraph to emails. When I feel sorry for myself, I say to myself, "Imagine what life was like for your Mama."

She was born in an era of no electricity, plumbing, telephones, TV and many other amenities that we now take for granted. Even when electricity and plumbing were available in our area it was years before she would take advantage of it.

Born and raised in the traditional Dene lifestyle in northern Saskatchewan, to say that she did not have an easy life by today’s standards would be an understatement. And a blessing in disguise, because it was those conditions that makes her who she is, and who I am.

Once, she told me that she wanted to go to school but her Dad would not allow it. Although I remember when I was a child, Mama went to school briefly, she was so thrilled that she could do some rudimentary writing, particularly writing the names of her children.

Mama missed out on being a regular teenager because she was married at the tender age of fourteen through an arranged marriage. She only met her husband when they married. She became pregnant almost immediately, and had her last child well into her forties. Earlier in her marriage she would run away back to her parent’s home, but each time her Dad returned her to her husband. She still resents this.

She gave birth to nineteen healthy children; the majority of her children born without the help of a doctor. During one of the pregnancies she had to walk about 10 miles to the nearest community in early spring with the ground snow-covered, so she could make it to the midwife’s home for the birth of my brother. There were no prenatal classes to help her cope with understanding the development of pregnancy and caring for babies. There were no nurses to talk about baby blues. No one to help her understand what her body was going through, no one to help her understand the emotions that comes with exhaustion after having a baby and being sleep-deprived caring for babies whilst living in a tent miles from the nearest town.

Can you imagine, there were no Pampers, no baby formula and no prepared jars of baby food. Everything was home-made, and all those diapers had to be washed by hand. Fortunately, as the babies grew they became helpers in the care of the younger ones.

Mama experienced many challenges. We were very poor. My Dad was a trapper and so he was absent for long periods. As with most women in her generation, she had to cope on her own. Some people would argue that many other women of her day were in the same position, and maybe this is so, but that does not minimize the hardship she endured.

She once told me a story about how she hated the sound of the wind blowing through the house because it reminded her of a time when she was living in a tent during the early years of her marriage. It was in the fall, and she had a head cold. Throughout the night the wind was howling and she was all stuffed up. She said she was alone with some very young children at the time. Sometime during the early morning her head was aching so much, and the pressure in her ears blew her eardrums. She remembers the warm blood pouring out of her ears. She said that ever since then, she has had problems with dizziness (she may have damaged her inner ear). Another time when one of my sisters was just two weeks old with the wind blowing the walls of the tent, my sister took ill and died a week later. How it must have been difficult for her to cope with the loss of a child when she herself was no more than a child. Later in her life she would lose three more of her children.

In her thirties she had breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy. Over the years she has had nine operations. Years later, I remember one incident where she was very sick in the hospital, I was young at the time, and we all gathered in her empty bedroom and prayed. She made it through that ordeal and came home. I remember her telling us that she had a dream that she saw a man standing at the feet of her hospital bed, and she asked him to not take her because she still had young children. She came home from the hospital, and in her mind it was God’s will that she survived. And not for her sake but for the sake of the children who still needed her.

There were times of difficulty involving alcohol during the sixties and seventies. I can recall bits and pieces but mainly I was oblivious to what really happened. I was too young, thankfully she gave that up, and we survived. We, her children, did okay for ourselves, being educated and becoming contributing members of society. I definitely believe we survived because of Mama, and not in spite of her. Her guidance allowed us to be strong individuals much like her.

Mama’s life is not all gloom and hardship. She enjoys life and loves to travel. Visiting with her grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and her friends, and helping others makes her happy. She especially enjoys her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren which number over a hundred now. Her passion is beading and sewing things for her family. She says that she needs to keep busy. Her beaded jackets are distinctive and recognizable all over the territory. She does beautiful beadwork. When I was a little girl she looked at my beading and she said, “Don’t be lazy, make your thread shorter.” She was right of course; when your thread is shorter it does not get tangled up. It takes longer to do, but the results are perfection.

If things were not done right, be it sewing, cleaning or anything, she also had you redo it until it was done properly. I don’t know how many hours were spent cleaning, even when the house was already clean. Her standards were high for all of us. People nowadays don’t take enough care to do things right. Rarely do we find anyone that actually takes pride in their work, even in the small things.

She also enjoys the yearly pilgrimage to Lac St. Anne, one of Canada’s largest Indigenous healing pilgrimage. She enjoys visiting with old friends and family who also have travelled a long way to attend. She always buys gallons of Holy Water, and blessed statutes which she gives away as gifts. I still have a few she has given me over the years.

When I was younger I always enjoyed the fresh bread she baked in the summer. The wood stove was moved outside because it was too hot in the house. At Christmas she made the best bread pudding I have ever tasted. I also really enjoyed the fun we had making homemade taffy in the winter.

I honour Mama. Her gifts to me are strength, courage and reverence. When I’m worried or upset, I clean, clean, clean, I know she gave that to me too. She welcomes work, and keeps busy all the time. But most of all, she gave me life.

Mama turned 92 on May 08, 2011.

Stuff Happens

2008-04-01T17:37:00.022-04:00

There is a saying that, "things happen for a reason"What does that mean? It is like there is a master plan for the universe. I believe that things happen but not because of a gran plan. One is not exempt because they live a good life, and things don't happen if they don't live a good life. Why would there be a master plan that creates havoc good or bad in someone's life? The truth is it has nothing to do with how one lives their life, or to teach you a lesson, and or to make you a stronger person.

For example, you lose your job, you miss your bus, someone you love dies, you get caught in a snowstorm, your house burns down, you're in a car accident, etc... Recently, someone said to me, so much is going wrong in my life at the moment I must have done something really bad to deserve this. That could not be further from the truth.

Next time something unexpected happens to you, try to look at what happen without attaching any judgment to it. The deer in the picture eats my trees in the winter, and many more deer eat my flowers come summer. Things happen because they happen. It is not personal, and not because you are a bad or good person. But maybe I should protect the flowers with a fence.

You might take that statement to an extreme and say to yourself, well then it does not matter what I do. But to be sure, all action have a reaction, like if you don't pay your bills then certain things will occur. Or if you drink and drive there will be severe consequences. You should always act reasonably, and be mindful in your actions. In life there is cause and effect with every action resulting in a reaction.

Therefore, stuff can happen because you are not being present, and not being aware of your surroundings. Another example is having a car accident while talking on your cellphone or texting someone while driving. These are examples of when your own inattentiveness can cause mishaps to occur, but don't occur to you because you are not a good person. They don't happen to you because of who you are, or as part of a master life plan.

Stuff happen, and you can take that opportunity to make mindful choices. Who is in charge of your life? You are, and the only master life plan is the one you create for yourself! Be responsible and live life in the moment while being mindful of your actions.

As Easy as Breathing…

2008-03-25T15:46:00.020-04:00

...or is it? Last fall, I decided to host a 'breathing party’ for some friends after being gifted a book from author Sat Hari Kaur Khalsa, a very dear friend. The book “The Ins and Outs of Breathing” is absolutely the best book on breathing I’ve ever read. Well, honestly, it is the only book I’ve read on the subject. Nonetheless, if you breathe, it is a must have book!

The beginning of the book has the reader observe their breathing. I thought how could I not be breathing perfectly, as a mediator, surely I know how to breathe. But much to my surprise, I was a reverse breather. I wasn't aware there is a incorrect way of breathing, isn’t it something we do naturally? Sadly, for some of us it is not so natural and we have to retrain ourselves to breath correctly. After practicing proper breathing as directed in the book for about two and half weeks, one day, I had the best experience while mediating . It was like transcending time and space. I attributed that amazing moment to observing my breath.

I decided to share the book with some of my friends. To maximize the understanding and benefit, I thought if I could convince Sat Hari to do a workshop in my home to teach us the basics of breathing it would make it that much simpler. And we could have fun doing it! she agreed!

I was telling someone about it, and she said I’ll call you after your workshop, how long can it take to teach someone to breathe anyway? Would you believe, two and half hours into the class and we only touch on the very basic techniques of breathing. I really must have a follow up class soon.

Good for the Goose...

2008-03-20T11:20:00.012-04:00

Be still, and you never know who will grace your world. On this particular day, a fox, wondered through our yard.

The quite and stillness of living in the country is ideal for meditation. One day, my husband suggested I meditate in the gazebo which is located down by the river. I agreed, and went down to the river the next morning. As I walked down the stone steps, listening to the bird's early morning songs, feeling the breeze lightly brushing my face, I said to myself, this is going to be a great meditation.

I opened all the windows of the gazebo, found a nice comfortable place to sit, and began my meditation. I could hear the river water lapping against the shore in a gently rhythm. I was about about ten minutes into my meditation and all of a sudden I hear a loud commotion. I tried to continue my meditation, but could not. The sound was overwhelming, I got up and looked out the window, and I saw and heard about two hundred geese coming in for landing. They settled in right in front of the gazebo for the day.

I invite you to write about your meditation story.

Eckhart Tolle

2008-03-17T11:11:00.021-04:00

I recently began reading A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. It would not have been a book I would have chosen to read, being a book which is recommended by Oprah. Believe me, I know it is a not a good excuse. To my credit, I overcame my reluctance and picked up the book.

Hubby bought it for me as a gift, I started to read it after staring at it for a few weeks. I'm half way through the book now.

I decided to google it, and found a reference to it on a blog which I now can't find. It linked to www.Oprah.com site for more information, and found that she is facilitating a ten week online course with Eckhart. I downloaded the last two podcast and I watched them. I'm finding it interesting thus far. There is certainly some wisdom, and some helpful ideas to begin conversations...

I will watch the remaining eight online lessons, and reserve my comments until I've seen them all. But I will say at this juncture, we are searching for truth, enlightenment and purpose, therefore we should be reading critically. It is always best practice to trust your gut and come to your own conclusions rather than accepting what others say at face value.

However, I do find it is immensely helpful to listen and watch the author speak about his book. Furthermore, some of the questions from participants are also very interesting and thought provoking. The whole web course is like having a study group with the entire world...

Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, Canada

2008-03-13T16:18:00.002-04:00

My formative years began here...

A Moral Quandary

2008-03-11T13:05:00.010-04:00

I have a moral dilemma.

This is the story. I recently met a friend for breakfast, having not seen him for a long time, and even longer since we sat down to visit. We updated each other on what was happening in our perspective lives. Then he suggested I visit him. But then he said, “On second thought maybe it wouldn't be fair to you because you’d be watching my wife and I argue.” I asked why? He responded that they are arguing a lot these days because she does not trust him, always accusing him of seeing another woman. I leaned towards him and asked softly, so are you? He nodded his head affirmatively. Hmmm (they knew each other when they were teenagers), and it turns out the person he is seeing is also friend of mine.

He said they met by accident and continued their friendship as though they were never apart and that lead to other things. Big surprise! My girl friend has a very turbulent and violent marriage. She was very unhappy, and was trying to get her life in balance. She was going through a serious depression when they met, again. Apparently, now she has him and he believes in her, by supporting and encouraging her to continue her studies. But they both know it can’t lead to anything else because he is not leaving his wife, and she is not leaving her husband.

My male friend and his wife also have an unhappy marriage; children are grown and out on their own.

So here is my dilemma. I know he and my friend have a deep friendship first, and they look forward to talking to each other; I also know my friend”s wife. My male friend has been married for over 25 years, and his wife was a stay at home wife. My male friend believes so people would be hurt if they knew about his affair, so they (the person he is having the affair with) that it is best if they stayed in their perspective marriages.

If I am to meet then at some function, should I act???? My girlfriend does not know I know, should I say something to her????

Snow, and more snow...

2008-03-10T09:12:00.010-04:00

March 20, the first day of Spring is in 11 days, and this is what the patio looks like today...

Focus

2008-03-03T14:00:00.003-05:00

Sit in silence, and the possibilities you'll hear will be loud and clear...

Be Still

2008-03-03T13:42:00.002-05:00

Knock, knock, knock

2008-03-01T14:49:00.025-05:00

Why is my heart pounding so? Oh, I know, I hear knocking on the door to my world. I say, what is in the past, ought to stay there, don't you agree? What good will it bring to open that door? It certainly will not bring harmony only discourse.

If we are practicing living in the present, should we acknowledge that part of living in the present is opening the past? Or is bringing that forward really living in the past?

My answer to those questions, is simple. That door is closed, move on, I say. Yet, ghost from the past yell “I’m here and you better damn face that fact because I’m not going back into the past."

Why are my palms so sweaty? Because the past is knocking, knocking, and knocking on my door. It whispers "don’t worry everything is going to be alright" to this I plead, don’t open that Door!!! If you do, you'll be opening the door to more than the past.

Knock, knock, knock! Time to decide what is important, should I or should I not answer that door… but is the choice really mine to make; this is not my past that has come a knocking?

There should come a time in your life when you'll just know who matters, who never did, who won't anymore, and who always will. So don't spend energy on people from your past, there is a reason why they didn't make into your present. (so true don't you think?)

I dream ....

2008-02-29T14:30:00.005-05:00

I feel, I awake, I am...

Faceless but Real

2008-02-25T14:12:00.005-05:00

It is my humble opinion blogging is a strange pastime. To blog is to complain, to boast, to commemorate or to just make random observations about your life or life generally to no one and everyone. You post your blog, it goes into the ether that is the internet.

Will anyone read it, do you care? Most bloggers, I imagine, when they create their blog, they are doing it for themselves, a type of self-therapy or to journal and maybe to write a book.

Then someone will post a comment, suddenly the realization someone is reading that post is crystallized. Perhaps you get kinda creep out at first. But wait a second, it is expected after all, you are posting to the entire network of faceless people in cyberspace. Someone, somewhere, at some point is going to respond.

And if you are lucky you'll get a following of readers. Oh, the pressure. The pressure to be witty, creative, amazing and just fantastic. The pressure. What would you do if this were to happen to you.

Create Blog

2008-02-23T12:10:00.003-05:00

If no one reads your blog, does it really exist???