How can one become breathless? Last Friday I hiked wonderful Tennessee Valley with a friend. The hills were blue with lupine that wouldn't stop, interspersed with yellow sun cups and orange poppies. That wasn't enough either. Red winged blackbirds decided to put on a show; about six of them were up and down in the air spreading their wings and with their songs begging us to look at them. What a show! This valley is the only place I have ever seen these wonderful creatures.
After many days I once again was connecting with a dear friend. All subjects were on our agenda--art, politics, family, metaphysics, just plain life. We must not let these opportunities go. These are life's connections.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Breath of Life
What a great day. Although I slept later than usual I still was able to get going on my walk by 7AM with my dear friend, Jim. After three warm days the cool crispness in the air was a welcome change. Both of us noticed how much the green hills had turned brown due to the warm weather. That doesn't make them any less beautiful. It is how we view them as in anything we view. Things that may seem ugly always have some kind of interfacing that show some beauty.
My teacher of yoga has awakened me to new ideas,and in particular the importance of proper breathing. Sure, I have realized that to a degree, but now I do even more so. The word inspire comes to mind. We draw in our breath, inspire, thus receiving inspiration. Yes, again we connect to our one source--the breath of Life.
My teacher of yoga has awakened me to new ideas,and in particular the importance of proper breathing. Sure, I have realized that to a degree, but now I do even more so. The word inspire comes to mind. We draw in our breath, inspire, thus receiving inspiration. Yes, again we connect to our one source--the breath of Life.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Present Moment
Awakening to a beautiful day is all we need in order to love everyone we meet and everything we see. Today was such a day, forcing one to be aware of the beauty always at hand. Too often the "to do list" gets in the way of being in the present moment. So I decided to simply be for most of the afternoon, looking at the water, feeling the breeze, noticing the particular blue of the sky, becoming simply aware of myself and of the connection I have to the wholeness, the energy of which we are all a part. Peace and calmness run through me now, and I rejoice that I gave my attention to something that now only restores me but perhaps gives something to the world.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Another Way to Connect
Yesterday was the big bunny day! The weather was fantastic resulting in lots of people out with family and friends enjoying nature. A friend and I went to the nearby beach, one that is surrounded by high hills and some volcanic rock. The wild flowers were in abundance with yellow, blue, white, orange flowers peppering the hills. As we walked there were quiet times to simply meditate on our own thoughts, returning with some words to each other now and then. Down at the beach, we spotted two surfers in wet suits just drifting about with no possibility of a big wave.
Being out in nature pushes thinking and indeed we started to do just that. If energy, or whatever one calls the beginning, always is, then couldn't we catch words of George Washington or any figure from the past? The molecules are bouncing around and we are a part of that energy. Do we need to find other ways to expand our hearing so we can tune into this? It goes with sight, too. Do we have different senses than the five we so generally accept? We live in a two dimensional world, but we know there are other ways to see it. How do we find those ways? There we are again. We need to awaken to all possibilities, and when we really begin to think, we realize we are all One. That in itself is a good reason to connect with as many others as possible, even if it is only a smile or a sparkle in the eye.
Being out in nature pushes thinking and indeed we started to do just that. If energy, or whatever one calls the beginning, always is, then couldn't we catch words of George Washington or any figure from the past? The molecules are bouncing around and we are a part of that energy. Do we need to find other ways to expand our hearing so we can tune into this? It goes with sight, too. Do we have different senses than the five we so generally accept? We live in a two dimensional world, but we know there are other ways to see it. How do we find those ways? There we are again. We need to awaken to all possibilities, and when we really begin to think, we realize we are all One. That in itself is a good reason to connect with as many others as possible, even if it is only a smile or a sparkle in the eye.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Smiling Otto
Who said dogs don't smile? Years ago we had a little brown dachshund named Otto.He was a real favorite of all of us. When I arrived home after teaching all day, Otto would come running down the stairs to greet me, stopping on the third step above the floor. There he would bow and then smile giving me the happiest welcome one could want.
This morning I was reminded of that when I was walking home from the gym, and also reminded of the connection one can make instantly when a dog is around. Coming toward me was a couple with two adorable dachshunds unleashed and trotting along with great abandon. All of us stopped because I needed to comment on the cute little dogs. Yes, they did smile at me when I leaned down to greet each one. When I told the couple we finally had to put Otto down at age 17, they said one of their last ones lived until 18. What joy those little guys give to their owners. Don't tell me they don't know what is going on. That's what the smile means. Try it. Smile at people and see what happens to you.
This morning I was reminded of that when I was walking home from the gym, and also reminded of the connection one can make instantly when a dog is around. Coming toward me was a couple with two adorable dachshunds unleashed and trotting along with great abandon. All of us stopped because I needed to comment on the cute little dogs. Yes, they did smile at me when I leaned down to greet each one. When I told the couple we finally had to put Otto down at age 17, they said one of their last ones lived until 18. What joy those little guys give to their owners. Don't tell me they don't know what is going on. That's what the smile means. Try it. Smile at people and see what happens to you.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
An Imaginary Associate
Well, I did it. Recently I was wandering through the library looking for a really good book. A novel written in Spanish caught my eye. The author was one I had not heard of--Jenaro Prieto. This book titled EL SOCIO drew my interest so I took it home. What a book! Many times throughout my reading I had to chuckle, and yes I did need to look up some words in the dictionary. What was so wonderful was the grand conclusion. A character that is created in the imagination can never die. He lives on forever. Pondering this I realized the truth of it. In my own book FINALLY AWAKE I loved many of the characters. They will live on.
Prieto develops a character, Julian, who has an imaginary associate. By pretending to have this associate, Julian can always put off decisions by telling his business partners he has to confer with his associate. He gets mired into deeper and deeper lies. Thus, just as a writer imagines his characters, they always exist. Julian is in the same state.He can't ever get rid of his associate.
Perhaps to slow down our thinking and decision making in this fast moving world we should create our own associate. That would certainly be a connection.
Prieto develops a character, Julian, who has an imaginary associate. By pretending to have this associate, Julian can always put off decisions by telling his business partners he has to confer with his associate. He gets mired into deeper and deeper lies. Thus, just as a writer imagines his characters, they always exist. Julian is in the same state.He can't ever get rid of his associate.
Perhaps to slow down our thinking and decision making in this fast moving world we should create our own associate. That would certainly be a connection.
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Gift from Giving
What a fruitful day. A friend and I met for breakfast. This friend was in one of my adult Spanish classes eons ago, and we certainly clicked. There is another connection I can be thankful for. The whole day certainly was devoted to connections, for the next thing I did was to meet a Peruvian friend, one I met a number of years ago. We often meet for lunch and speak Spanish at her request because she thinks her English is so bad. It is great practice for me, but I can never get her to speak English. She has been a US citizen for 15 years but learned only enough English to satisfy requirements. Because she lives with her daughter who speaks Spanish she didn't bother to go on with her English. Strangely enough about two weeks ago when we were having lunch she said she wanted to really learn English, asking me to help her. Today was the first day. I came away so fulfilled because I had helped. She was so appreciative calling me her little Barbarita. What a wonderful feeling to really help.
The day ended with my usual Monday night volunteer job teaching English to Latinos in San Rafael. Once again I realize how we are here to help one another in order to be truly happy.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Marin Machu Pichu
It is so beautiful! The sky is sharp blue, the hills as green as Ireland, and the air as soft as cotton. All is well with the world. Yesterday was much the same, but different because I climbed Marin County's Machu Pichu. Even as my friend and I started up this hill, straight up, I wondered. Casting any doubt aside we started. The rewards were endless--wild flowers nodded at us at each step. We saw sun cups, California poppies, tiny whites we couldn't name, and finally the first blue lupine.
At the top we turned and had the view of San Francisco right in front of us. How blessed we are to have such beauty right outside our doors. Going down was not as steep but more treacherous because of large rocks and broken rocks. What a glorious time.
With friends we can share so much even the silences that don't need to be filled.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Pink Hat
This morning I walked over to the gym so that I could do a 30minute fast walk on the treadmill. Because I felt in the pink I wore pink, right to the top of my hairless head with a pink baseball hat. Yup! Another connection came about. A cute young woman about 35 or so looked at me and said,"You look so happy and you look so cute. I guess I better get a pink hat."
I told her the hat covered my bare head. Her face changed. My reply was, "Don't worry. I am alive and well. Over the years, due to stress they tell me, my hair has fallen out five times only to return each time. This time it doesn't seem to want to return."
She smiled and said, "Don't you worry. I truly think no hair is sexy. Think of Shnade O'Conner the Irish singer."
I think I spelled the vocalist's name incorrectly.
What I'm getting at is the uplifting interchange we had. So many people don't make a move to talk to a stranger and lose so much. Wake up and see people.
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