Posts from — April 2006

“Be soft in your practice. Think of the method as a fine silvery stream, not a raging waterfall. Have faith in its course. It will go its own way, meandering here, trickling there. It will find the grooves, the cracks, the crevices. Just follow it. Never let it out of your sight. It will carry you. ”

-– Sheng Jen

Rhonda’s Reflections:

Our default setting is self criticism and being harsh with our self and others as we travel this amazingmysterious journey called life. Open to the flow of it all, softly, willingly. When I stay close to the present moment this is easier to remember. Do not wander far from this moment, and if you do, gently call yourself back. Surrender to what is and to the unknown ahead, holding your clear intentions with a loose grip. Today, join me in finding the grroves, cracks and crevices, welcoming them like old friends.

“Only those who risk going too far can know how far they can go.”

– Unknown source

“A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

– George Bernard Shaw

“To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard of life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, live, and love.”

– Leo Buscaglia

Rhonda’s Reflections:

Life provides continuous change. Our tendency is to resist and effort to keep it the same and predictable. This takes so much of our energy. When we dare to take the next step into the unknown the Universe supports our courage by revealing the next step and applauding our willingness. It does not always look clear or make sense in that moment, but you will be acknowledged and lifted up. You will feel the exhileration of joy in your chest as you step into the flow of life by choice. Step in. I dare you! Hold my hand and we’ll learn and expand together.

“In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or
unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All
work ceases, and everyone in the village gathers in a large circle around
the accused. Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at
a time, recalling the good things the person has done in his life. Every
experience that can be recalled with detail and accuracy is recounted. All
his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited
carefully. This ceremony often lasts for several days. At the end, a joyous
celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally
welcomed back into the tribe.”

– Jack Kornfield, *The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace*

When you are inspired
dormant forces, faculties, and talents become alive.

– Patanjali (as taught by Dr. Wayne Dyer)

The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.
– Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German Philosopher

Rhonda’s Reflectons:
Today has been a writing day, and one of catching up on details before they slip off the screen of my attention. Finally I hear the voice of Spring outside… the wonderful kid next-door mowing my lawn. Spring has hesitated this year, and sunshine has been shy in the Northwest.

Could mowing my lawn be beautiful art? I most certainly think so. I smell the freshly cut grass, like velvet, and have deep gratitude for the back of strong young boy willing to help me out. His back will unlikely complain for three days like my back would had I been tailoring and trimming the first cut of the season.

I love this weave, how one helps another iand we each find a place to fit our talents, placing therm where they can serve and shine. Today my lawn is beautiful art. The artist has been showered in gratitude and appreciated with monetary payment for his artform.

This simple pleasure pulls me to a treasured moment of acknowledgement that Spring is here, and it fills me with joy and deep gratitude.

– Rhonda

I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides.
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth and of peace.
And when you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me,
there is only one of us.

Hope is the doorway to belief.
Belief is the doorway to knowing.
Knowing is the doorway to creation.
Creation is the doorway to experience.
Experience is the doorway to expression.
Expression is the doorway to becoming.
Becoming is the activity of all Life and the only function of God.

What you hope, you will eventually believe.
What you believe, you will eventually know.
What you know, you will eventually create.
What you create, you will eventually experience.
What you experience, you will eventually express.
What you express, you will eventually become.

This is the formula for all of life.
It is as simple as that.

– Neale Donald Walsch
(from Home with God, ‘06)

[photopress:Here_Comes_Trouble.jpg,full,centered]

This is the joy I feel today, the deep glee that consumes a baby face like this one when a smile takes over. It is important to notice these moments, as simple as a smile, the ones we tend to miss when life runs too fast or we get too busy. Look around. There has to be a smile somewhere for you to enjoy. Even be the smile, offer the smile.

Happiness calls forth gratitude. I end my day today as I do every night, recounting my blessings. I am grateful that a 21 year old young woman I know still has her breast that this morning she thought she might loose to breast cancer. At the last minute, most literally, the surgeon determined her records had been misread and the surgeory was not necessary. The gift? She has the opportunity to have an expanded appreciation of every moment. [Read more →]