Tonight begins the Winter Solstice with a lunar eclipse. Astrologically, the Winter Solstice has been viewed as a time of great energy, change, reflection and a moment when everything is visible. This is a turning point for all of us, when everything comes to the surface and materializes, whether positive or negative: Jobs, relationships, ventures, ideas.
I have certainly seen this in my life as of late.
As with all of the other Decembers past, I watch another year and chapter of my life come to a close. A year gone, another year older. Bittersweet. The end of 2010 is going to be so welcomed. I look back on the last year and resolve to never let another year go by in so much disarray. Like the Josh Ritter song, “Don’t let me into this year with an empty heart.”. An empty heart for me means so many different things. And I’ll do whatever it takes to avoid that.
I think back and wonder if so much of 2010 was just wasted time. But again, is it really? I don’t know. I can’t help but think that all of our experiences, good or bad, mean something to us. But only if we’re paying attention. Without paying attention, our lessons are just labeled as “bad decisions”, “horrible experiences” or “failures.” I cannot kick myself too hard. The choices I made were with all of the best intentions. I always meant well and often times, I went beyond my breaking point for the sake of “not failing”. I learned that giving up an idea isn’t always a bad thing. 2010 was a year to learn more about who I am and especially what my limitations are. I became stronger. I was challenged. I was blessed. I learned the greater meaning of forgiveness, patience, compassion and honesty.
All is certainly not lost. I look forward to 2011 with greater clarity.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Forgive Everyone
"Revenge, anger, and hatred are exceedingly low energies that keep you from matching up with the attributes of the universal force. A simple thought of forgiveness toward anyone who might have angered you in the past will raise you to the level of Spirit and aid you in your individual intentions". Dr. Wayne Dyer
Let us not forget ourselves in that equation. We cannot forget to forgive ourselves. All too often, we kick ourselves way too hard and way too long for a "mistake" we made in the past when really, we need to understand that the lesson is the most important part of the experience, not the idea of whether we could have been a better human or not. Pay attention to the lesson, move forward, but never punish yourself for your choices.
Let us not forget ourselves in that equation. We cannot forget to forgive ourselves. All too often, we kick ourselves way too hard and way too long for a "mistake" we made in the past when really, we need to understand that the lesson is the most important part of the experience, not the idea of whether we could have been a better human or not. Pay attention to the lesson, move forward, but never punish yourself for your choices.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Intro to Compassion
Compassion (from Latin: "co-suffering") is a virtue —one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism —foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.
Compassion for others creates connectedness. When we can begin looking at everyone with more compassion, we then realize that we are all on this planet together. I think many people forget that the world doesn't revolve around them or their schedule. We all rise to the same sun and fall asleep under the same moon.
When we were kids, we were taught that strangers were to be feared, avoided, distrusted. "Don't talk to strangers" translated to "Strangers are bad". People aren't strangers to be avoided or faceless robots. They are single moms, someone's grandpa, a little girls' daddy, your new best friend, a lonely man without a home or a family, maybe an elderly woman who has to go back to work after she thought she had gotten to retire. Everyone is connected in some way. Everyone has a story, too. I really became aware of this in Los Angeles. In the vast array of people, I had to find a way to cope with the mass of traffic and crowds. I had to find a way to see this giant maze as something more personal. Even the simple act of letting someone in front of you at the grocery store who has less in their basket than you do is a first step in the right direction of compassion and understanding. If any of you have driven in a big city, we all know how frustrating it can be when other drivers don't let us in their lane, cut us off, etc merely out of principal. Dallas drivers are notorious for this kind of behavior. We have probably done this before, too. Don't allow yourself to do this. This behavior creates anger and only perpetuates the cycle. Again, we must remember, we are all in this crazy, beautiful, confusing, magnificent, cruel world together. Once we realize that everyone has that right, we won't feel so entitled to being the center of the universe.
When we were kids, we were taught that strangers were to be feared, avoided, distrusted. "Don't talk to strangers" translated to "Strangers are bad". People aren't strangers to be avoided or faceless robots. They are single moms, someone's grandpa, a little girls' daddy, your new best friend, a lonely man without a home or a family, maybe an elderly woman who has to go back to work after she thought she had gotten to retire. Everyone is connected in some way. Everyone has a story, too. I really became aware of this in Los Angeles. In the vast array of people, I had to find a way to cope with the mass of traffic and crowds. I had to find a way to see this giant maze as something more personal. Even the simple act of letting someone in front of you at the grocery store who has less in their basket than you do is a first step in the right direction of compassion and understanding. If any of you have driven in a big city, we all know how frustrating it can be when other drivers don't let us in their lane, cut us off, etc merely out of principal. Dallas drivers are notorious for this kind of behavior. We have probably done this before, too. Don't allow yourself to do this. This behavior creates anger and only perpetuates the cycle. Again, we must remember, we are all in this crazy, beautiful, confusing, magnificent, cruel world together. Once we realize that everyone has that right, we won't feel so entitled to being the center of the universe.
Happiness 101
Don't wait for happiness until you have: A better job, more money, lose weight, buy a house, sell your house, a partner, graduate college, pay off debts, etc. It is always a good time to be happy. We can choose to be happy if we are open to change our perspective and heighten our awareness. Don't wait for happiness to be attached to a tangible thing or based on "progress". Happiness and joy are not attached to goals or things. Our lives are fleeting and we are gone in such a short time. Life is for enjoying in the now, not for climbing and searching for happiness in these cookie jars we've created.The Glass is Already Broken.
"One day some people came to the master and asked: How can you be happy in a world of such impermanence, where you cannot protect your loved ones from harm, illness or death? The master held up a glass and said: Someone gave me this glass; It holds my water admirably and it glistens in the sunlight. I touch it and it rings! One day the wind may blow it off the shelf, or my elbow may knock it from the table. I know this glass is already broken, so I enjoy it -- incredibly". -Achaan Chah Subato
The thing with life is that, we are already gone before we've had enough time to get comfy. Everyone in our lives, whether here for a moment or for many years, should be cherished as if they are already gone. It's so easy to take others for granted but if we stop for a moment and become more aware of the delicacy of life and quickness of time, we can live better in the now and enjoy our people --incredibly.
The thing with life is that, we are already gone before we've had enough time to get comfy. Everyone in our lives, whether here for a moment or for many years, should be cherished as if they are already gone. It's so easy to take others for granted but if we stop for a moment and become more aware of the delicacy of life and quickness of time, we can live better in the now and enjoy our people --incredibly.
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