When we create forms, such as institutions, we want them to last, sometimes too long where they believe they are Right. Is there an inherent correctness to each religious group, do they have direct communication with the divine while others do not. Do these human formed beliefs close the possibility of conversation on important matters for our planet. Is there a time to everything… where might shows who is right. There are gatherings today where folks share ideas, explore the unseen. This is sharing rather than telling young and old stories that nourish. And then there are organizations led by primitive stories wanting control through guilt, control and separation. Have you acted out of fear or tightly held beliefs only to regret later? Or have you forced or told others, possibly children, partner or friends rather than sharing, asking for their ideas?

Why will folks perform genocide, how much today and historically.

What does all this say of our species.

Can we create form without doing violence to one another.

Can we love– do you have any idea what is love or do you mistake lust

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I look at faces more these days, the eyes and mouths, what is the energy being shared. How do we miss evil, our educational system has indeed developed models so we do not listen to our intuition, trust the unseen realm that is real and beckoning us in.
But, this life is not multiple choice or true-false. It is filled with gradations of colors, smells and tones. We want so badly, that we forgo our sensitive selves and surrender scares as it is misused.
In times where the charlatans are sending out the messages, we must practice more deeply, listen to where truth resides.
Is it hard to listen past the noise and lies. Discern where to listen and to whom. Those of us with tender hearts, who take in information through this fragile portal, take care. Maybe we do not try to make nice and learn how to care without losing our true strength, maybe we serve as guides to living directly, rather than passive aggressive hide and seek. Enter with our hearts leading and our minds available to ponder and act.

All is not light and happy. Life is bigger, holding light and dark. Jung showed us shadows, the Buddha said there is suffering, yet more… called to practice…

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Who are people that work with villians, co-conspirators?
In the book, Hitler’s Willing Executioners,
I recognized everyone including religious institutions we love can do heinous actions. Is it money, a faux sense of power, is it a neuropsychological flaw.
When Buddhist teachers,
Peter Mathison and Bernie Glassman took a group of folks to Auchswitz during Thanksgiving, sitting on the railroad tracks, they realized they could have and at times did act in violent ways.
Don’t good Buddhist practitioners maintain equanimity, stay detached and never use violent behavior.
What is it that drives humans to derive pleasure from retribution, guilt, having ready answers in arguments rather than actively listening and learning. Do you ask yourself, how is this possible, what’s wrong with these people. And who is the ‘these’.
Do you look within, what are you complicit with in your life journey… write down the uncomfortable
What can we do to support a new way of being and why does it seem like work, rather than pleasure.
Who are we?
And how do we mistake demagogues from authentic leaders, why do we follow the demagogues anyway.
Obviously, this is on my mind and heart a lot these days.
Did you ever think an administration would not fund the postal service as one of a number of illegal and immoral ways to control the election and citizens.
Is this ok to do?
Does this behavior bother you?
Why not?

Did you ever think an administration would not fund the postal service as one of a number of illegal and immoral ways to control the election and citizens?

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I am wondering if egos are running around—you know those malevolent smiles from folks in positions to make a difference?—are more prevalent today. I lived in this bubble of healers, holistic folks and vegans for many years. I thought everything was just the way it was meant to be and all was good. Religious speakers that tell us we are born in the Image, but we have sinned… or we are all good since spirit is always good.

We have been given an extraordinary gift and opportunity to practice, to do the work of being sacred human. Smiling when we speak rather than listen, have words ready instead of paying attention to the moment, breathe feed our advanced place, not our primitive brain. We all have glimmers of our higher gift, but it came with a pay attention offer. 

Is it just easier to forget and act as though we do not know? Yes… This takes practice, as does most gifts of wonder. If we are treating one another as commodities or worse, stop for a moment or longer, time is not the issue, being present listening for guidance, giving the space for grace to come home. Diffuse the lower, it shows in many forms, come with elegance and care, what a surprise.

Surrender is such a scary word in the land of might, we may then have no power. Power is so misunderstood, just look at the Bully in the big house. Power is going within, slowing it down, love self, know that it is a part of the interbeing. Bring your Higher Being into the room, don’t pay attention to the wounded souls that seduce with false stories and promises. Know your divine and with daily practice you can be in the (your) flow.

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Well, here we are and it continues to be a mess in my mind and heart. Regular readers of mine may know that I intentionally work on taking in stimuli through my heart, then sending to mind to be dispersed wherever it goes. I am in a large tizzy in the ways we are choosing to respond these days. It is numbing.

New Zealand is demonstrating Servant Leadership, while the US must believe that denial is a good place to reside. No COVID cases in NZ and millions here. Some people seems to think we are “making great again” while taking people off health care in the middle of a pandemic, public schools not receiving adequate funding or support, lying and turning on one another.

I had to take a break from writing just to relocate my heart, to hold it as it weeps and find our good again. It was not easy. It still isn’t. Yet, I realize this journey we are on is not about easy. I choose to practice even more and take more walks in the heat, simply so I can feel all the feelings. I have friends who still hold on to the idea that their vote is meaningless. No no. It all has meaning. We cannot have an engaged society when less than half vote and many who want to vote are refused.

COVID and voting. It’s all intertwined in feeling our hearts and knowing, knowing that we are One. COVID is as much, or more, a spiritual virus as it is a physical one. I walk, I breathe, cry, jump and talk with folks. Wearing masks or not, throwing cigs on the grass in parks, do we still need to be told or punished.

How about feeling one another? If it is too hard or painful, breathe some more.

Breathe till you cry out for a country that will vote for Servant Leaders.

Reconnect with your heart.
Vote.
Take care.

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Wearing flags on lapels
With artificial smiles
Lies instead of care, while
Flags hang outside our homes
On holidays or none
I cringe at the sight
what is that about.

A symbol that meant freedom
For so many years
makes a statement to turn away
As friends around the globe
held a story high
Now tell how
We’ve lost the plot.

A story for the world to revel in
Now comedic frowns
hanging from the many
touting harm and fear
Instead of homes of joy.
bullies in the name of
making great again.
Our story’s lost,
As Petition signing
Disarming democracy
Making sure fear replaces
Love.

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Are you hearing footsteps
In your core
Are they pounding out your fear
Do you listen
Where does it come
And what is it really.

Your heart is awakening
Possibly from many years
Or just a few minutes ago.
Do you remember, did it hurt
Or was the laughter and joy
So enlivening that life
Called you to be a part
Of your own.

Pay attention
To the pattern
Of your heart knocking
To come on home
Taking your hand
Offering a path to love.

Grab it through the murky
Place you cannot see
Feel care touching you
It will guide as you surrender
Into your nature of acceptance
Welcoming sharing in
discerning the face of
love.

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When a glass drops…
When we cannot open a jar…
When we get lost on the same trip a dozen times…

You know these feelings. I know them, too. Our inside feels tight and we are upset. And these are just trivial things, really. So what happens when something important occurs?

How often do you find yourself angry at yourself or others? Was there a reason? Do you respond too quickly? Or do you allow space for thought and care?

We are not taking a breath before responding. Not one single breath. And we deserve to be taking many.

How often do you have an answer—even if it’s ridiculous—that you spit out quickly to protect the silly or harmful thing you are doing or saying. For instance, I asked a person in the park the other day to please smoke in a more private place. His response was immediate. Not one single thought. He threw his lit cigarette-butt on the ground in defiance. So I asked that he please not throw the light. His angry words came flying off his tongue, laced with negativity. Again, he did not take one breath.

We protect our behaviors and our ways fiercely. We tell ourselves that we don’t need to change; everything is fine. But really, change or transition is just seen as difficult or impossible.

The Buddha said we can shift karma. All it takes is daily practice. Gurdjieff stated we act as machines, but we also have the capacity to be human. All it takes is daily work.

Why are we still acting in ways that hurt ourselves, each other and our communities? Breathe, slow down, pay attention. Take a breath. Let life serve you.

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We greet each other most of the time with a “How are you?”. Sometimes we mean it. And sometimes we do not. In fact, have you ever really answered the person honestly?

I’ve been aware and uncomfortable with empty words for years. But, especially today in this surreal moment, I am conscious of the hollowness of “how are you?” and other greetings that just do not connect.

What I’d rather see is that we actually take a moment to pause, reflect, and show care and concern. If we took a moment to truly care, what greeting would make sense to use?

When I connect, I tend to use my eyes and facial expression first. Sometimes words follow; sometimes they don’t need to. If we just slow down a little and care, we can find the right words. This is important in a time when visual cues from body language just aren’t there. A simple set of thoughtfully chosen words can make us feel as though our lives matter. Make a connection form a place of “I care” and “I love”.

Empty words are a part of busy lives. They exist in a world where networking and closing deals are more important than friendship, which Facebook redfined by a series of thumbs up. It’s lost it’s deepness.

Now is the time to connect intentionally.

Living into our stories and caring for one another is always worth the time. We have meaning and purpose. All of us. In fact, meaning is a foundation to a fulfilling life journey.

When you say “I care how you are right now,” it does not take away from anyone’s journey. Love only enhances. We can do better than “How are you?” Let’s connect on a deeper level.

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Sitting in a windowless room

in the basement

where the smells of death called

entering my thoughts

and core of being

70 may be reached they said,

but that may be as far you go.

Here I am today

a few days past 70

Smiling—feeling well

Yet, ghosts share the room

haunting hidden corners

from years and days along the way.

I hear songs

calling to lift my feet

moving on the Earth

alive and well, smiling,

my mind has a lot to say.

Choosing dance and play,

the ghosts can wait,

the moment will come—

just not yet

as I breathe

My life engaged.

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