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haiti in our hearts

January 13, 2010 – 10:31 pm

We can all help.

Chris Sacca lays out 6 ways we can ALL help.

Haiti, you are in our hearts.

By Melanie | Posted in cultivating peace, metta meditation, this i believe | Tagged , | Comments (0)

sacred threads ~ defining ego

November 23, 2009 – 9:16 pm

OK.  I’ll give it a go.

First, let’s hear from Webster.

Pronunciation: \??-(?)g? also ?e-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural egos
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, I — more at i
Date: 1789

1 : the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world
2 a : egotism 2 b : self-esteem 1
3 : the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality — compare id, superego

— ego·less adjective

My turn.

I think the ego is that part of you and me that feels afraid, like somehow we are different and alone.

And it’s that feeling many of us get when we think we something prove or we have to prove something (are those two different things?)

Ego, sweet ego.

It’s all the ways we find to feel separate, like we aren’t the same as everyone else.

It’s that part of us that budgets our capacity to Love, to love what is unfolding before us and within us in each unfolding moment.

It’s moment that you and I fold and scootch away from acknowledging to ourselves or someone else some small, or medium-sized or some large perceived failure.  For such failure becomes a less than in our eyes, separating us from others and our own true brilliance.

It’s all the wondering, “what would they think if they really knew?”  Or more simply, “what do they think of me?

Dear, sweet ego.

It’s when we sit as judge and jury, condemning ourselves and others for various misdemeanors.

It’s that part of us that finds elaborately unique and creative ways of stepping out of the stream of pure Love a thousand or more times each and everyday.

It’s the giving in to the pull to withhold an experience or expression of the truth, pure love, understanding, joy.

It’s all that clinging and holding on to this or that hurt, perception, belief, want, idea, anger or any of the other myriad ways we hold on.  That. That’s ego.

Your turn.

Here’s a little secret, we are NOT our egos.

Oh.  And, how about a little less ego and a little more love this holiday?

By Melanie | Posted in cultivating peace, relationships, sacred threads, this i believe | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

practice of the presence

September 7, 2009 – 5:47 pm

It’s probably a little sacrilegious that I put myself (and you too) in the same realm as saints & sages.  Oh well.  Along with saints and sages, I think that we, too, can know and live in the Truth of the joyous declaration from the Koran, “God is the East and the West, and wherever ye turn, there is God’s face.”  Such a declaration demands that we expand our ideas of who or what God is.

In challenging my limiting beliefs about God, I find a Magnificence that cannot be captured in words…at least my words.  I understand the Truth of the Tao Te Ching teaching, “The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao.”  Yet, still I wander through this garden of words to play hide and seek with God.

In one moment, the devotional seeker in me listens for and attempts to follow the quiet impulses of  my heart that encourage me to see  the face of the Lord, where ever I turn, in what ever circumstance I find myself.  I seek and sometimes find the true contentment of the Presence of God in myself, in the person I’m with or even the clickety clacking of my fingers on the keyboard.  With or without devotion, it’s THAT that I seek, THAT single Consciousness that playfully hides in some infinite number of creative manifestations.

In this Game, I find the humble wisdom of Brother Lawrence to be a signpost guiding my Way.

In the early sixteen hundreds, a humble footman gazed at a simple tree, its outline stark against the winter sky.  The tree stood barren of leaves with only the promise of its summer bounty hidden within.  As Nicholas Herman of Lorraine lost himself in the contemplation of this simple tree, he found himself overcome and forever changed by Grace.  He was given a “high view of the providence and power of God.”

The sight of a dry, barren tree and the vision of its full beauty bursting forth in Spring was the catalyst of his conversion.  At the age of eighteen, he began his walk to God, throughout the rest of his life seeking only the Presence of God.  Soon following this vision, Nicholas Herman became a Carmelite monk and took the name Brother Lawrence.

Brother Lawrence was not a prolific writer, nor was he a scholar.  His was a simple Way.  His gift to us was his compassionate and concise wisdom collected in a slender book entitled, “The Practice of the Presence of God.”

Throughout the centuries his simple Way has attracted and consoled seekers from many traditions who aspire to know God.  Even today he continues to be an inspiring model for living in the awareness of the Presence of God.  He wrote, “I renounced for the love of Him everything that was not He, and I began to live as if there was none but He and I in the world.”

How completely simple, yet how completely profound was his unassuming wisdom.  Such is the way that he approached his life, from his humble work of fifty years in the monastery kitchen to his relationships with his contemporaries.  He walked through his days making room for the Presence of God in each unfolding moment.

Brother Lawrence

He performed all the ordinary tasks of his daily life in the continual remembrance of the Presence of God, always “pleasing myself by doing things to please God.”  As he cooked, he cooked with an awareness that he was cooking for the Lord.  As he washed dishes, he washed dishes with the awareness that he was washing dishes for God.  As he ate, he ate with the awareness that it was God that he was feeding.

Although he lived a seemingly uncomplicated life in a remote monastery, he wrote with clarity and honesty of his sufferings and failings.  With his own body being “lame” and the difficulties accompanying such a handicap, not to mention the trials of daily life, he encouraged aspirants to persevere in the discipline of seeking out the Presence of God.

He wrote, “Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business, and even in your diversions.  Lift up your heart to Him, sometimes even at your meals, and when you are in company . . . It is not necessary for being with God to be always at church.  We may make an oratory of our heart.”

What an inspired understanding, in continually making room for the Presence of God in the present moment, I can make a temple, a house of worship, in my own heart!   The power of such simple practices; continually making room for the Presence of God in all things, all activities, all people, all circumstances, and doing all things for the love of God filled Brother Lawrence with perfect faith and unwavering devotion to God.

Free from the distractions of the world that might lead him astray in his love of the Presence of God, he revealed a clear and simple path through the maze of daily life.  Although I live the life of a householder, rather than a monk, I can still learn from his sublime example and perhaps gradually free myself from the distractions that lead me away from recognizing and welcoming the all-pervasive Presence in ordinary circumstances.

In welcoming this Presence in each moment, in making room for this Presence in each moment, I experience a stream of Love flowing steadily from my heart.  It is that same Love that is the Presence.  What a mysterious paradox is this play!  Looking into the lives of great beings such as Brother Lawrence, I stumble across practices and wisdom that lead me to the experience of the all-pervasive Presence of God.

By Melanie | Posted in sacred threads, this i believe | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

fresh starts

August 25, 2009 – 2:08 pm

This time of year, when children (young and old) are heading back to school, I’m inspired to take a fresh look, to look anew at Life.  Particularly, I think that there’s value to be had in re-considering old ways of thinking that may have once served but no longer do so.

Sometimes this can be quite a challenge because in many ways, it’s much easier to simply continue along through life.  Yet, in taking the time to re-visit myself, access AWARENESS about where I am, who I am, what’s important to me today, . . . Not yesterday . . . Not tomorrow . . . Today, I rediscover myself.  And, in that rediscovery, I rediscover a sweet appreciation for myself.

Here’s what I know today . . .

I value quiet alone time with myself.

My family makes my life a paradise.

I value my friendships.

Granola is good, especially my super excellent homemade granola.

It’s possible to create peaceable communities.

Taking responsibility for myself is the only self I can take responsibility for.

I like simple phones, though I may someday cave and get an iphone.

I delight in the companionship of my mutt, Huxley.

IMG_3655

I still enjoy swimming.

I intend to share my gifts with others in ways that make a big impact.  And, though I don’t really know what that means, it’s still true.

I sometimes stick my nose in where it doesn’t belong.

Forgiveness brings me back to NOW.

I have access to unlimited resources, though I sometimes forget the TRUTH of that.

I have faith that everything is all right.

So, what do you know to be true for you . . .?

By Melanie | Posted in mindfulness, power of now, this i believe | Comments (1)

wanna feel better?

July 27, 2009 – 8:22 pm

My VA extraordinaire, Terri, suggested that I make a mini-video telling you about my class.  I’ve not made little videos before, but I did it!  Is there something you’ve not done before that you or someone else thought might be beneficial for you to do?

What are you waiting for?  As you can see, this little video’s not perfect, so what?  Join me and try something new!

Better yet, watch the video, share it with friends and sign up for my free tele-class!

By Melanie | Posted in this i believe | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

how long do you want to feel bad?

July 22, 2009 – 6:06 pm

A client recently shared that she and her husband had a bit of a row.  And, although she now has a plethora of effective tools at her fingertips to clear and release negative feelings, she just wanted to feel bad for a while.  So she gave herself 5 minutes, “I’m going to be as mad as I want to be for 5 minutes and then I’ll let it go!”

Now, there’s a couple of points I want to make here.  First, recognize that there is a part of all of us who derives a kind of pleasure from the deliciousness of feeling bad (perhaps that’s something that would be worth clearing) AND, we all have the power to let things go . . . if and when we want to do so.

What I love about this is that she indulged that delicious feeling of being mad and then did her work to release the feeling.  The 5 minutes of being mad reminded me of having a small slice of yummy chocolate cake as opposed to sitting down and eating the whole cake.

This whole scenario took no more than 15 minutes.  Within 15 minutes, she restored her state.  She was able to clearly articulate her point of view to her husband and listen to his AND resolve the issue.  That’s not easy to do if you are all wrapped up in the emotional turmoil of feeling bad.  If you are caught up in the “charge” of feeling bad,  it’s pretty tough to authentically and lovingly connect with yourself and others.

Years ago, I started telling people that I thought that nothing was more important than their feeling good.  Recently, I heard an Abraham-Hicks tape where Abraham said the same thing.  I think it might be easy to mis-interpret that statement.  And, I stand by it.

Feeling good re-aligns you and me so we can see and appreciate the beauty in ourselves and others.  From that place of feeling good, you are empowered to flow with the current of LIFE and move in the direction that will support you in creating a fulfilling life.

It’s not as though I’m advocating that you squash those around you so you can feel good.  I’m advocating for each of us to take full responsibility for our own feeling good and learn how to restore our state to a state of feeling good.

If you are interested in learning a practical tool for restoring your state to a state of peace and feeling good, sign up for my FREE tele-class, Make Peace With Where You Are!

By Melanie | Posted in cultivating peace, this i believe | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

heartfelt thanks

June 24, 2009 – 1:47 am

Go Gratitude!  Despite life’s ups and downs, there’s so much for which to be grateful.  Even more to the point, being grateful makes my heart sing!  Sometimes, it even feels a little selfish to dive into a luscious pool of gratitude because it feels sooooo good.  Try it.  Get grateful…genuinely, really, authentically grateful.

One of my mentors, Dick Olney, told me one time that he daily said out loud, “I give heartfelt thanks for help unknown already on it’s way to me!”

Now, Dick had a giant booming voice and a bit of flare for drama.  I like to imagine Dick standing with his arms wide booming out to the world, “I GIVE HEARTFELT THANKS TO HELP UNKNOWN ALREADY ON IT’S WAY TO ME!”

Me too, Dick.  Me too.

So, join the party y’all.  How ’bout some heartfelt thanks?  Don’t be shy.

Gratitude is the Master Key

By the way, if any y’all know how to insert a video into a post, clue me in.

By Melanie | Posted in power of now, this i believe | Tagged , | Comments (2)

sacred threads ~ enter the garden

June 17, 2009 – 3:56 pm

Lately, I’ve been reading an old copy of Hsin Hsin Ming, The Book of Nothing. It is Bhagawan Shree Rajneesh’s commentary on the teachings of Sosan.  Again, I find myself startled to see the abundant generosity of Consciousness, the myriad means of attaining Knowledge of Truth available to us.

There are a thousand doorways into the Garden, I just want to open one.  Everyday.  I want to open a door into the Garden, then kneel and kiss the ground.  In reading The Book of Nothing, I’ve been contemplating that sweet spot that balances precariously between non-striving and self-effort.  When I’m poised there, in that spot, I feel the sweet breeze of Consciousness playing in the garden of my life.  I recognize God.

Across time and culture, sacred writings have drawn clear and detailed maps to guide those travelers seeking deeper understanding and meaning.  For me, I’m seeking both meaning and union with God.

What makes my heart sing on this journey is knowing that there are as many doorways into the garden as there are each of us.  It’s a little startling to me that there is Supreme acceptance of  the uniqueness of our various natures and moods.  In some texts, the Bhagavad Gita for instance, the seeker is encouraged to pursue knowing God according to her nature.

In the commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, “Jnaneshwari”, Krishna invites Arjuna to recognize this generosity of the Lord.

“Keep your mind on Me alone, your intellect on Me. Thus you shall dwell in Me hereafter.  There is no doubt of this…
But if with your whole will and mind you are unable to fix your attention entirely on Me, Devote to this concentration at least a brief period during the twenty-four hours of the day…
If you are incapable even of practice, be intent on My work; even performing actions for My sake, you shall attain perfection. . .Whatever action you perform, surrender it wholeheartedly to Me, and do not consider whether it is great or small…
But if you are unable even to do this, then, resorting to devotion to Me, and abandoning all the fruits of action, act with self-restraint…
Let this be.  Set aside remembering Me, and direct your mind towards controlling the senses…”

When confronted with the revelation of Truth as revealed in sacred texts, literature, stories, and poems across cultures around the world, I cannot help but stand in awe when regarding such a compassionate Lord.  I see these threads of Truth woven across continents and centuries as a mystical tapestry of clear patterns revealing well-trodden paths to the heart, paths to God.

God in His great compassion created many ways to love Him, many roads that lead to Her.

In ignorance and prideful yearning to know God, many of us have repeatedly and for centuries confused  religion with the goal rather than the road to the goal – union wiht the Divine.  Despite the repetition of the theme, “God is Love,” scattered throughout sacred texts, men and women continue to indulge anger, hate and pride to justify the fighting of wars and rejection of whole segments of our shared world “in the name of God.”  Really?

Rather, our various roads to God, the diversity of religious paths, can serve as a reminder of God’s magnificence and compassion for the uniqueness of His Creation.  I don’t want to EVER become mired in the differences.  I intend not to confuse the flower for the honey, the road for the destination.  Religious and spiritual freedom is a means to an end given by a loving God.

Living in the bible belt, where churches on almost every corner boasts that they have the key to eternity and knowledge of the Truth, at a time when, yet again, there are “holy wars,” I want to accept the unspoken invitation to choose and practice loving Divine Consciousness according to my nature.  I don’t want to find myself choosing to love and serve God out of fear of what will happen if I don’t do it “right” and desire for what will happen if I do my spiritual path “right.”

When I stumble upon the revelation of Truth as revealed in sacred texts, literature, stories and poems across cultures around the world, I cannot help but stand in awe when contemplating such a compassionate Lord.  There is no “right.”  There are many well-trodden paths to the Heart.  There a thousand doorways into the garden.

Embracing full self-responsibility for my life is a way I can remind myself of my worthiness to live in the steady awareness of God and allows me to perceive Love.  Such rigorous assumption of self-responsibility jogs my memory of the Truth of who I am and truly creates my heaven on earth.

“Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
~ Holy Bible (11)

On a side note, I received an email from a reader who shared that she has been printing out and reading and re-reading these posts.  You might want to consider re-reading as well.  I have found re-reading to deepen my understanding and provoke a more practical understanding of what I’ve read.  In this way, perhaps this Sacred Threads can serve you as a kind of spiritual correspondence course.

By Melanie | Posted in sacred threads, this i believe | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

surprising waves of grief

May 7, 2009 – 2:13 pm

img_40322I’m back from my world travels!  Yayyyy!  Greece was beautiful and I look forward to returning to that part of the world.  I lived in Izmir, Turkey when I was younger and loved it.  It was a magical time in my life.

Being in this part of the world again caught me by suprise.  The first couple of days I was PRICKLY!  My dear daughter only had to look at me sideways and I would start crying.  It was an odd combination of events that came together in a roaring confluence.

Making it all the more challenging was that I did not have a clue what was going on with me.  After much contemplation (yayyyy for self-reflection!), I realized I missed my mom, I missed my daughters knowing my mom and I missed my daughter even though she was now only a few feet away from me.

Here’s the deal, grief snuck up on me and gave me a good thump in my heart.  My mom passed in 1996 and Hannah, my youngest, has been living in France since January.  Compound that with being around ruins.  RUINS.  That’s what thumped my heart and opened this contorted grief storm.  We never really know what’s going to set off grief.

For me, this time, ruins.  When we lived in Turkey, my family would spend weekends finding ruins, playing in Ephesus, and generally having great adventures.  Ruins were my playground and it was magical.  Ruins reminded me of that time and of my mom.  And, I missed her.  A LOT.

Once I figured out wth was going on with me, it was much easier to just allow the tears.  I’m a big advocate of self-reflection.  Know Thyself.  What better place to engage in contemplation and self-reflection than Delphi?  Though the columns that support that ancient guidance have long ago collapsed, the wisdom lives on.

By Melanie | Posted in 3 Good Things, Uncategorized, birthday, meditation, mindfulness, power of now, relationships, this i believe | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

live

April 16, 2009 – 8:00 pm

dogLive like no one’s judging.

By Melanie | Posted in fresh fruit, this i believe | Comments (0)