Regrets are like eating rat poison expecting the rats to die. Rather than living with regrets, we can choose to savor every opportunity to love. This is how my yesterday felt (feels).
When my niece was in 8th grade she went to live with her dad and step-mother. She will be 52 on her next birthday. I feel like one year ago she came back into my life and my world is so much richer because we are here now. Her mom passed in January.
As we were planning her day here with us we decided to leave options open, and yesterday she drove over from Ann Arbor area to spend the day. We had a glorious day. Each moment was precious. There was ample time for both tears and laughter….
(Note* If you receive this post via email and the photos are not included, please click on the title and read it on the website so you don’t miss anything.)
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will share a set of photos that gives you a clear sense of our day. The first is a close up of a banner (had been a favorite of her mom) our niece gifted to my sister after her mom had passed. It now hangs over the massage table for clients to see above them. It says: Today I Will Choose Joy.
The challenge became how to get a photo that showed clearly it was on the ceiling above the table, so the fun began in earnest. Here is my niece on the floor and my sister at the foot of the massage table each trying to get a shot….
Then I had the idea for all three of us to get on the massage table and take a selfie which sounded plausible until we realized the banner was backwards!
One last try resulted in total failure to get the banner but we captured a beautiful memory of the three of us.
We drove by my niece’s childhood home, her elementary school, the fields where she played ball, and the former home of her her maternal grandma and grandpa. All of our sharing and shenanigans put us driving by the home of her paternal great grandma and great grandpa at the exact time a man was crossing the road to get his mail. “That’s a relative!” she burst out. Soon I was turning the van around and she spent precious time with the cousin who had grown up with being called a twin to her father.
As we headed back to the house to meet the guys, we marveled at the holy timing of our being there to see him. We had made two calls asking about an impromptu visit with a couple of folks, but both had declined. It probably took him all of two minutes to come out and walk across the yard. The exact two minutes that we were creeping by….
Earlier in the day as she had gotten close to our house a car almost side-swiped her on a road heavy with memories. She told us she had said out loud, “Nice try, Devil dog, not this time. You lose, I get to choose.”
My niece shared with us how she would give her testimony as evidence that painful things (awful things) can (and did) happen to us but the holy love of Jesus carried us through and we can look back and see that we were carried. She said the day could not have turned out any better.
And as the three of us posed for this photo on our porch, words from my sister’s text message this morning say it all: “Yesterday was one of the most wonderful days of my life.”
Twice in the past several days I have have been invited to look at the habit energy of a person doing or not doing something in opposition to one’s own desire out of obligation or not wanting to offend, disappoint, or hurt another. I decided to put this situation to question using AI.
Take time to identify what’s truly important to you in this situation. What are your personal goals, values, and limits? Sometimes saying yes to others means saying no to your needs.
Acknowledge people-pleasing tendencies. Recognize that you’re tempted to agree to avoid conflict or gain approval. Understanding the root cause can be helpful in overcoming this behavior.
Consider the source of the request, the quality of your relationship, and whether the favor aligns with your values and capacity to help. It’s normal to feel guilt or anxiety when you start setting boundaries. Acknowledge these feelings as part of the process and remember that saying no isn’t a rejection of the person, but a commitment to honoring yourself.
Be direct and kind. State your needs and limitations clearly and assertively, but with respect for the other person. Avoid making excuses or over-explaining your decision.
Use “I” statements to express needs and limits without sounding accusatory or confrontational. Saying no is a crucial aspect of establishing boundaries and prioritizing needs. It is important to honor true feelings and communicate expectations.
If appropriate, suggest an alternative solution or a different way to help without compromising needs. Be firm and consistent: Once a boundary is set, stick to it, even if others push back.
The wisest approach involves a process of self-discovery, respectful communication, and a commitment to prioritizing your own well-being without neglecting the needs of others. It’s about finding a healthy balance between being kind and considerate to others, and being true to yourself.
Stacey and I had some heartfelt sharing about all of this on our bike ride while she was here last week. We spoke clear intentions to love one another and ourselves and to be willing to express with continued honesty and trust as circumstances change. And circumstances do…. that is for sure.
I remember Betty Lue Lieber teaching us that our service must also serve us. The lyrics to the song “Garden Party” by Ricky Nelson come to mind:
“But it’s all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see, you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself.”
Where is the beginning of a ring? What is the beginning of a climate with four seasons? Which stage of a butterfly is the beginning or the end? In starting this blog post, I know not these answers.
“The Game of Life” is a Sacred Story posted on 4 July 2025:
He took The Game of Life & How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn with him to the beach. They were not going to spend the whole day as they were planning to visit a friend. Arriving on the friend’s porch, he mentioned the book adding that it was a small book and perfect for beach reading, plus, it was something he had wanted to read for a long time.
Soon their sharing became deep enough he was making a few notes on his phone. As their visit was winding down he said, “Earlier you shared a quote — until it is felt in the body, peace is just a word — and you did not give an attribution.” Then he asked, “Where did that come from?”
“I don’t have an attribution,” she replied, “because someone shared it at church on Father’s Day without an attribution. I have not tried to find out where it came from but I find it to be very powerful.”
He began reading to her the conclusion from his AI search for the attribution: “The quote — until it is felt in the body, peace is just a word — is most likely attributed to Florence Scovel Shinn….
The Sacred Story “Positivity” posted a bit later on 4 July 2025:
She received the following list of “Affirmations & Denials” from The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn in a text message from a friend.
Affirmations & Denials
(For Prosperity)
God is my unfailing supply, and large sums of money come to me quickly, under grace, in perfect ways.
(For Right Conditions)
Every plan my Father in heaven has not planned, shall be dissolved and dissipated, and the Divine Idea now comes to pass.
(For Right Conditions)
Only that which is true of God is true of me, for I and the Father are ONE.
(For Faith)
As I am one with God, I am one with my good, for God is both the Giver and the Gift. I cannot separate the Giver from the gift.
(For Right Conditions)
Divine Love now dissolves and dissipates every wrong condition in my mind, body and affairs. Divine Love is the most powerful chemical in the universe, and dissolves everything which is not of itself!
(For Health)
Divine Love floods my consciousness with health, and every cell in my body is filled with light.
(For the Eyesight)
My eyes are God’s eyes, I see with the eyes of spirit. I see clearly the open way: there are no obstacles on my pathway. I see clearly the perfect plan.
(For Guidance)
I am divinely sensitive to my intuitive leads, and give instant obedience to Thy will.
(For the Hearing)
My ears are God’s ears, I hear with the ears of spirit. I am nonresistant and am willing to be led. I hear glad tidings of great joy.
(For Right Work)
I have a perfect work In a perfect way: I give a perfect service For perfect pay.
(For Freedom from All Bondage)
I cast this burden on the Christ within, and I go free!
Moments later she read the Daily Word July 1, 2025:
With positivity, I embrace all aspects of life. Positivity means living free of doubt, seeing clearly, and feeling secure. Even when my worldly fortunes shift, I maintain my positive outlook and believe the presence and power of God is in and through all things.
I understand the ebb and flow that is part of everyone’s life. If I find myself in undesirable circumstances, I honor my feelings by witnessing my fleeting negative thoughts and feelings with self-compassion. When I feel ready, I release and let them go.
I deny that negativity has any power over me. I use affirmations to realign myself with my positive nature. I accept the conditions of my life even as I strive to improve them. Positivity is my way forward. With gratitude, I affirm God is with me as I claim my highest good.
Set your minds on things that are above,
not on things that are on earth.
~ Colossians 3:2
Take note that this body of work was first published in 1925 — 100 years ago! I was so inspired by Shinn’s works I created the following composite affirmation for myself:
I do not resist any situation. I put it in the hands of Infinite Love and Wisdom. Let the Divine idea now come to pass.
Infinite
Love
and
Wisdom
= LAW
I am in perfect harmony with the working of the LAW. I stand aside and let Infinite Intelligence make easy and successful my way.
True confession is that I am the “she” in both of these Sacred Story posts. And the rest of this subsequently sacred story is even a bit more shocking….
We have had an ongoing Xfinity internet issue since we got back to Michigan in April. “Eric” came in May and ran a bright orange temporary wire from the utility pole to the house and someone was to come back in the next week or two to bury the line. Michigan Gas Utility Company came and marked the gas line with spray paint on our lawn.
On June 6, we received a text message saying, “You’re all set! Your new Xfinity underground cable line is complete. Get in touch if you need anything. Otherwise, enjoy your Xfinity service.”
John and I had both been home all day on June 6 and no one had come to bury the cable and remove the temporary line. By the first of July the paint line on the grass marking the gas lines had faded and John was very tired of having to mow around the orange wire. We were again receiving the messages, “Your internet connection has been restored.”
On Wednesday, July 2, I spent two hours of real time (not an exaggerated description) on a text chain during which I was offered two free Apple Smart Watches. When pushed for more information, I was told the bill for the two free watches with all the taxes and fees would be $25 monthly only. During this call, I discovered we had been charged $100 for “professional installation” on our June bill! I requested a refund. Even as I received both text and email messages saying our refund request could not be approved and the ticket had been closed, the text chat assured me I was getting the money back.
Although I had been told the reason I had to stay on the text chat responding to each entry immediately with a word or even an emoji was so an appointment could be confirmed, when the text chat ended, I still did not have an appointment.
Thursday morning was beautiful. Cool, good air quality, low wind, sunny. I headed out for a nice long bike ride. About 2 miles from home I stopped at a couple of garage sales. Walking back to my bike I suddenly $h!t my pants. (No, fecal incontinence is not a normal thing for me.) I had no choice but to high tail it back home.
As I gingerly slid my butt onto my bike seat, I affirmed, “I resist nothing.”
When I arrived at the house via the back yard, an Xfinity truck was pulling up in front of our house. With as much decorum as I could garner, I showed “Benjamin” where the orange wire was and updated him on our issues. As I headed into the house to change my clothes I quickly snapped a photo of the truck and sent it in a text message to John who was having coffee with his morning friends.
He replied with two words: “No shit.”
I wrote back, “OMG! Wait ’till I tell you the rest of the story!”
In meditation, the aim is to
know the whole experience: the
thoughts, feelings, and sensations
surrounding an emotion, and the
behavior of the mind — especially
whether its motivation is whole-
some or unwholesome.
~ The Daily Tejaniya
This recognition of wholesome or unwholesome motivation is a game changer. In the same way that the right amount of spice is delicious and too little or too much spice is not, that tender lane of wholesomeness brings a yummy peace. For one thing, it keeps you in the present moment.
Yesterday, Stacey and Rachel and I spent the morning garage sale shopping. Adam and Rachel just bought a BIG house in Lebanon. The house is very empty right now and with so many possibilities everything can feel a bit overwhelming. We had a wonderful time getting to know Rachel’s vision and went home with some really good finds!
The round mirror ($5) is currently hanging near the front door entry way. Will it stay there as they continue to furnish their home? Only time will tell. Below the mirror is a piece she got for half price at an estate sale. Sometimes we can be uncomfortable with what is happening. We might not notice if we are missing blessings that are also unfolding. I certainly experienced this supporting clients through the birthing process while I was a working as a doula.
Every moment with our great grandson, Jackson, brings this home. He is still nonverbal and not potty trained yet. But he is doing things this visit he could not do when we were with him on our way back to Michigan from Florida the first week of April.
Everybody is coming here today for pool time and burgers. Tomorrow John and I will go to Lebanon and spend some time helping Adam and Rachel. Tuesday we will head back home.
I posted this wisdom from Gratefulness.org on my Facebook page a few days ago, along with a fun filtered photo of Stacey and me laughing:
Let the laughter come, even if it has not been heard for a very long time, especially if times are hard and the future uncertain. Laughter is as important in adversity as wisdom and courage.
~ Steven Charleston
Moments here include laughter and the wholesome motivations mean our days are wonder-full….
John and I are in Tennessee at Stacey’s. We drove down yesterday. While he was napping, I logged onto John’s MyChart to check for the last of the test results from his annual exam with his primary the day before. His thyroid is off again. His medication will be adjusted. But the results from the EKG need further investigation. Although he was already scheduled to have an echo-cardiogram, now seeing these EKG results the situation is experienced with a greater level of stress.
Interestingly, several friends are navigating unknowns related to health. Some are worrisome. Some are severe.Some are life-threatening. It is very difficult to not get triggered into worry brain. I have been working on my upcoming Insights clergy article for the local paper. The theme is how life’s longest journey is the distance between the head and the heart.
Tired from our travel day I was able to fall asleep, but several hours later I was wide awake in worry brain. In my heart I heard my own words from the Insights article, “If I had my life to live over again, I would ask that not a thing be changed, but that my heart be opened wider.”
Knowing I needed to activate the heart, I listened to with Dawson Church. I could see that it was even challenging to identify a person or a place which gave me peace. Finally, on the second listening to Dawson (“EcoMeditation”) I was able to remember the joy I feel when watching the birds at our bird bath from my kitchen window.
Before you begin, turn off your cell phone, laptop, and alerts. Give yourself the gift of 20 minutes of undisturbed time. You can do this first thing in the morning (my favorite time), last thing at night, or during a break in the day. Sit upright in a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
1. Use your fingertips to tap on each of the EFT acupressure points in any order, while holding the intention that you are in a calm and peaceful state, and nothing matters except the gift of undisturbed time you are now giving yourself. Tap from top to bottom, and when you get to the last point, start on the first point again. If you don’t know the tapping points, you can find them on the diagram here.
This is time just for you. Let all your preoccupations vanish, and allow yourself to be fully present. As you tap, say, “I release any and all blocks to inner peace. I release all tension in my body. I release anything in my past, present or future that stands between me and inner peace.”
2. Stop tapping and relax your hands. Close your eyes, and let your tongue rest loosely on the floor of your mouth.
3. Feel your hands. Feel your feet. Feel the space inside your hands. Feel the space inside your feet. Feel the space inside your legs, your arms, your torso, your neck and head. Feel the space inside your whole body. Picture a big empty space behind your eyes. Picture a big empty space between your eyebrows. If thoughts arise in your mind at any point during the meditation, just let them go. Watch them drift like clouds across the sky, without attachment.
4. Breathe slowly, for 6 seconds per out-breath, and 6 seconds per in-breath. Count to 6 silently each time you breathe in, and each time you breathe out. Notice how relaxed your tongue is. Picture the big empty space behind your eyes. Keep your tongue relaxed.
If physical sensations arise in your body, such as aches or pains, just observe them. You don’t have to do anything about them. Keep your attention focused on your breath, counting 6 seconds in, and 6 seconds out.
5. Visualize the location in your chest where your physical heart resides. Imagine breathing in and out through your heart, while maintaining 6 second in-breaths and 6 second out-breaths. Maintain a relaxed tongue.
6. Imagine a beam of love pouring out through your heart toward a person or place that you love with each out-breath. Stay in this state for several breaths. Notice the big empty space behind your eyes, and how relaxed your tongue is on the floor of your mouth
7. Bring the beam of love back into your body, into the area of your physical heart. Send that love to any part of your body that is uncomfortable or in pain. To end the meditation, take 3 deep 6 second breaths.
When you feel complete with the meditation, return your attention to the room you’re in. Open your eyes and look at the object closest to you, and observe its characteristics, such as color, texture, and weight. Shift your gaze and look at the object furthest away from you. Notice your breath. Notice the weight of your body on the chair or on the surface on which you’re sitting. Feel your hands and feet. Be aware of the time.
Bring yourself back to the here and now. While a meditative state supports our well-being, it’s also vital to orient yourself to the “real world” and function there effectively at the end of each meditation period.
Do this every day for a week, and you’ll notice a difference in how you feel during the rest of the day. Do this every day for a month, and you’ll be hooked. It only requires 20 minutes, though you may want to gradually increase your time frame to 30 or 45 minutes.
John is notorious for saying, “I realized that 99% of the things I have worried about never happened. That is proof worry works.”
If you are not so sure that worry works, you will be interested to know that MRI scans show EcoMeditation decreases activity in the brain regions associated with self-focus and suffering, and increases activity in the areas of compassion.
I may have previously written about this, but I am intentionally not searching, because whether or not I have previously written about it, today I need to write about it again. One of the women who is part of our Glen Aire Wednesday evening jam was singing in the choir and we were invited to a nearby church for a program of gospel and hymn singing. I enjoyed the melody of most of the numbers, and while I resonated to some of the lyrics, I had an unpleasant reaction to the theology of original sin.
Yesterday we attended a wedding at that same church. It was a beautiful ceremony with a very special couple. The mother of the groom was in our youth program way back in the 1970’s. She is actually the one who introduced me to Healing Touch! We are so blessed to still have her in our lives. She even chose to move into Glen Aire after her mom and dad had both passed. Although I have officiated dozens of weddings since 1997, I learned some new things:
In addition to the six adorable flower girls, two little boys provided “Ring Security” complete with bow tie, badge, earphones, dark glasses — and a safety deposit box designed to hold rings!
While our friend and the mother of the bride were lighting the individual candles that the couple would use to light their unity candle “A Mother’s Love” by Jim Brickman was playing. Sharing some of the powerful lyrics:
Thank you for watching over me
All of the sleepless nights you lay awake
Thank you for knowing when to hold me close
when to let me go
Thank you for every stepping stone
And for the path that always leads me home
I thank you for the time you took
to see the heart inside of me
You gave me the roots to start this life
and then you gave me wings to fly
and I learned to dream
because you believed in me
There’s no power like it on this earth
No treasure equal to its worth
The gift of a mother’s love
After lighting the unity candle, the couple and then the two witnesses signed the marriage license. Getting that task done was often more difficult than performing the ceremony, so what an insightful way of transforming the mundane into something deeply meaningful. Following the signing of the license, a music video to “When God Made You” by E. Carswell and M. O’Brien showed the bride and groom from little to now, culminating with their engagement photos.
An interesting tidbit about this couple is that they were born in the same hospital one day apart so they were in the nursery together. They went to their high school prom “as friends” and, needless to say, they have each navigated numerous twists and turns separately to arrive together at the altar of holy matrimony. Imagine watching decades of images, including their prom picture, as you are hearing the lyrics “When God made you, He must have been thinking about me.”
Absolute perfection…. I sat barely breathing basking in the benefits of my recent experience of feeling so uncomfortable in that same sanctuary where I had an inner dialog with Jesus about the theology of unworthiness. I heard Jesus saying, “Of course, I am present in original sin theology. How could I not be? I am present wherever anyone is. I meet each person right where that person is.”
Being present at this wedding is something I will long remember. I understood the truth that humans react to things we don’t like. We are more often than not conditional with our loving. But unconditional love does exist. In Christianity Jesus is often seen as an embodiment of divine love, sacrifice, and redemption, representing a compassionate and nurturing aspect of the divine masculine. Known in Tibetan Buddhism as Chenrezig, Avalokiteshvara embodies compassion and mercy, showing a gentle and nurturing side of the divine masculine. In Native American Cultures often seen as a father figure, the Great Spirit represents creation, wisdom, and guidance, integral aspects of the divine masculine.
When the man and woman say “I do” to one another they are said to be married. The sacrament of marriage is a sacred covenant we enter into with ourselves first. It is a means of grace that strengthens relationships and helps individuals on the path to holiness. It’s a lifelong commitment, a public witness to God’s love, and a foundation for building a family and community.
Grateful to say, “I do,” and honored to experience this sacrament deeply.
The quote “Rarely do members of the same family grow up under the same roof” by Richard Bach is a common saying that suggests true family bonds are not always defined by blood or persons living under the same roof, according to Goodreads and Tumblr. It emphasizes that family can be found in the connections we form with people who bring us respect and joy, regardless of blood relations. This is not to deny or denigrate blood relations that are also “members of the same family,” but brings to mind a saying on a Little Tramp greeting card I saw well over twenty years ago that love does not subtract or divide, it adds and multiplies.
This has never been truer in my experience than when I met the significant other of a precious friend for the first time on Wednesday of this week. The instant I saw into his eyes I felt love. We sat at a small round table in the farmhouse kitchen and shared deeply. Two days later my cup still runneth over.
The phrase comes from Psalm 23. This past Sunday morning a friend of over 50 years gave the message at her church, with that Psalm as the basis for her sharing, “My cup runneth over means my cup — my life — is full to the brim and running over like a cup that was dipped into a bucket of water and full to overflowing. This represents the fullness of God’s blessings in our lives.”
Over the past couple of months I have been listening to and/or watching individuals I have no prior experience with talk about things I barely comprehend, such as Richard Tarnas in The Second Axial Age saying Carl Jung calculated the birth charts of his patients and wrote to Sigmund Freud about synchronicity existing on a cosmic scale. He described a continual meaningful correlation between the movements of the planets and the archetypal patterns of human experience and said, “The psyche is not within us. We are in the psyche.” It is helpful to realize that astrology was taught at Oxford until the 1600’s.
Ilia Delio is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and an American theologian specializing in the area of science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology. In Off the Page | Ep. 4 | Ilia Delio | A Theology of the Future she says the heart is a deep, deep center of personhood that’s opened up to the mystery of God. And that God is unstoppable in that highest good or love, and will go to the ends of the earth, and how not only is God good, but God desires to share that good with all beings. As she was in the process of the video recording of this interview I watched her cat wanted in. She got up and let the cat in and told the interviewer, “That act of love is higher than the act of knowledge alone.”
Whether you are fluent in astrology or even know what an axial age is, you know what love is. You know love is more than a feeling and love is not something you “do” or something that is “given” or “withheld.” But to say that love is higher than the act of love is likely a profound truth.
When Burt Bacharach offered Dionne Warwick the song What the World Needs Now initially, she turned it down, saying she found it “too country” and “too preachy.” The song proceeded to become a massive hit for Jackie DeShannon in 1965, and Warwick responded by recording it herself the following year, as well as re-recording it in the 1990s.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some, oh, but just for every, everyone
Tarnas says it this way, “You really have to have an opening of the heart as well as the mind to take in the possibility of an enchanted cosmos…. It’s not just an intellectual conclusion, its something you have to bring your whole being into….”
My cup runneth over means we value all beings, not just human beings, and see family as not just blood relations.
Remember just put the spider out and let the cat in❤️
If I had my life to live over again,
I would ask that not a thing be changed,
but that my eyes be opened wider.
~ Jules Renard,from Gratefulness.org
It seems otherworldly a month has gone by without a Yellow Brick Road post. I could blame it on being busy, but I am not sure that is truth! This week I have been intentionally spending significant time with a focus on releasing mental constructs and/or habit patterns as an initiation inviting beings to live as a conscious creator of infinite possibility!
During this time of intentional focus I had a somatic breakthrough — awakening to a cat’s meow! Reading online now some very timely (and interesting) information about the spiritual message of hearing a cat meow:
Hearing a cat’s cry may signify a need to heighten your spiritual awareness. Cats possess sharp intuition and can sense energies humans often overlook. Their cry could be a gentle nudge, urging you to tune into your surroundings with greater mindfulness. Embrace this chance to cultivate deeper consciousness within yourself.
In the realm of spirituality, a cat’s cry may symbolize an impending emotional transition or shift within your being. Be open to exploring newfound depths of feelings that could surface. Approach this process with patience, allowing yourself to fully experience and integrate these emotional currents for personal growth.
Cats are often associated with mystery and the unveiling of hidden truths. When you hear their cry, it could signify that a veil is lifting, revealing insights or wisdom previously concealed from your understanding. Remain receptive, for profound revelations may be on the horizon, guiding you towards enlightenment.
Cats embody the essence of intuition and trusting one’s instincts. When you hear their cry, it may be a divine message urging you to embrace your innate intuitive wisdom. Learn to quiet the mind and listen to the subtle whispers of your soul, allowing them to steer you towards enlightened choices.
The cry of a cat could symbolize the importance of independence and personal freedom within your spiritual journey. These creatures value their autonomy, reminding you to honor your individuality and resist conforming to societal expectations that may restrict your authentic expression.
Wow. This “energy” is exactly what I have been sitting in and with this week. Cats are thought to symbolize the feminine. The following quotation is from Eluña, the channeler who has been leading a group to the Great Pyramid (with some time along the Gaza Strip). The intention being awakening a higher collective consciousness.
“Really allow the feminine in a non-distorted way to express itself in you. That might mean, allowing yourself to express your creativity in ways that you currently do not or that you used to, much as through writing, through drawing, through singing, painting, creating music…. Of course, spending time with our beloved mother Gaia…. Just tuning in and joining your consciousness with that energy, the energy of the Mother, is going to allow that energy to come through you in a balanced way. Regardless of the relationship that you have had with your own mother, you are going to be able to take on a different energy…. It’s not just the feminine, it’s The Divine Mother.”
And this week I found a wonderful song titled Shine Through by Goldford.
Shine Through
[Verse 1]
My memory’s fading, are the good days all gone?
I ask for my maker, she shows up in song
I see my behavior and where I go wrong
I guess it’s my nature, my head is too strong
[Chorus]
If I can only get out of my own way
That’s when the light shines on through
I’ve got nothin’ to lose but the weight
That made me a mountain to move
If I can only get out
Only get out of my own way
That’s when the light shines through
As the song says, if we can only get out of our own way the light shines through!
No matter how difficult life
becomes, we must keep practicing
continuously. This is the only
way. Eventually we begin to see
and be part of a simpler reality
that we are not separate from,
but is actually nature itself.
~ The Daily Tejaniya
These words touch a space deep within as they are seen on the heels of a deep sharing with a friend who has enjoyed a wildly successful business career that had been cut to the quick by the current conditions. She had taken a couple of days off to inner listen for guidance to co-create going forward. Three key words were already present in awareness: simplify, co-creation, building community.
At one point we spoke about intention toward that which already is but is not yet known to be possible. Was electricity invented or was it recognized? Was fire created or observed and harnessed? Part of us understands fully that in every moment ALL already IS even as what is manifest is malleable.
I looked up the meaning of the word manifest. “To manifest something means to make it appear, become visible, or real, often through the process of focused thinking, belief, and intention. It can also refer to the process of showing something clearly, like a feeling or a belief, through actions or signs. Manifestation, in a more spiritual or self-help context, refers to the act of attracting desired outcomes into one’s life by focusing on them intensely, often through practices like visualization and affirmation.”
Last evening we attended an evening of gospel and hymn singing in a nearby church. One of our Glenaire Jam friends was singing in the choir. I noticed how differently I experienced the masculine pronouns for God; the theology of all being sinful; of everyone needing to be saved by the blood of Jesus to avoid an eternity of suffering. I have grown through this view and I am able to see it as fruitful even as these are not what I resonate with at this place on my path. Likely the exposure contributed to why curiosity about the “man” of manifest caught my attention this morning and led me to the Google search.
Reading lots about manifesting moved me to also do a search for the words co-create and Divine Feminine. “The Divine Feminine manifests through a variety of ways, including nurturing actions, intuitive guidance, and a deep connection to the natural world. It can also be experienced as a shift in perspective, where individuals recognize their own intuitive and compassionate nature, leading them to embrace their power and advocate for what they believe in. The Divine Feminine is often associated with nurturing, compassion, and a desire to protect and care for others. This can manifest in various ways, such as actively supporting family members, friends, or those in need, or advocating for causes that align with these values.”
Wow…. This is exactly what my friend was articulating! The phrase aspire higher popped onto the page of my journal❤️
Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us, “The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don’t wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.” Are you able to notice how these words make it clear that we are not manifesting happiness but allowing happiness to be manifest in and through our lives?
The day’s theme continued to cast clarity on yesterday’s sharing as I read the Daily Quote from Deep Spring:
You’re familiar with transactional consciousness. It can be a very benign transaction. It can be a harsh transaction. Either way, it’s still a transaction which is centered in a ground of self. All transactions that come from you are grounded in a space of self. “I will do this. I will give that. I am dreaming of world peace, and this is what I’m willing to do to help co-create world peace.” But there’s still a self and an other to it. Transaction. Many of you have sat together in a meditation hall, coming to a space of connectedness where it seems like the meditators around you are just an extension of yourself, that there is truly no separation between you. You’ve done walking meditation where the earth under your feet and the growing things seem like a part of you. You don’t say to the garden, as you walk, “Won’t you please bloom so I can see your beauty?” You just say, “Ohh!” because it’s so beautiful. You are part of the garden. The flowers are blooming. The butterflies are blooming. You are blooming. There’s a sense of non-separation and unconditional love. I am not negating transactional creation. That’s the way your world works, for now. If you go into the gas station and say, “I am going to co-create gas,” and you open your gas tank, the gas station salesperson is going to come out and say, “First you have to put money in the slot.” But we’re changing it. We can change it so that the sense of separation dissolves and all beings may live in peace, health, and happiness. ~ Aaron
Blossoming is our true nature and right now everything is beyond beautiful. Ohh…..
From The Daily Tejaniya on Saturday, April 19, 2025:
Trying to keep awareness continuous by trying to keep objects* continuous is a common mistake. Fixating on objects in this way is unskillful because we form craving for objects we like, and aversion towards objects we dislike. The skillful move is to keep awareness, not objects, continuous.
* Objects are thoughts, emotions, sensations, perceptions, etc.
Earlier this week I shared a tender conversation about the wisdom of not using social media for political discussions. I had just read a rather lengthy article about this subject. Very near the end of Stormy Weather: Enjoying the Ride, Joan Tollifson wrote words my heart agrees with deeply, “I do think there’s a place for genuine open dialog about the political issues of the day, but I believe that such dialog is best done in person, not in online comments or on social media. To be truly valuable and constructive, I think dialog about political issues should happen in a spirit of open listening and vulnerability, giving attention both to what others are saying and also to our own triggered reactions and emotions as they arise. Even after years of meditation, I’m still a beginner at that, often failing entirely.”
Nowhere does this truth reveal itself with more voracity than in our every day interactions about virtually every subject. For example, last evening we went for dinner and cards with Linda and Larry (our first opportunity since John and I began our trek north on March 28 and they followed north the next week). Rain was forecast so I drove down while John walked over via a stop at the mailbox.
As I walked in the house I was greeted by the delightful sight and fragrance of spring flowers. “Oh,” I called out, “daffodils!”
“These are jonquils,” Linda responded. I said nothing but admit to a curiosity about whether they are the same or not and later when John asked about picking some for our house for Easter Larry even said daffodils and jonquils are the same.
So, curiosity followed me home and this morning I put fingers to the keyboard with the question, “Are daffodils and jonquils the same?” I read a lot of information. Not all of information was of the same opinion (some generated by AI), but all of the information was presented as fact. The website I considered to offer some of the clearest understanding was a blog post on Wayside Gardens.
Often used interchangeably, daffodils and jonquils do have unique characteristics. All daffodils fall under the botanical name Narcissus, but a jonquil indicates just one type of Narcissus, Narcissus jonquilla and its hybrids.
I went on to read, “While regionally jonquils may be called daffodils, this is botanically inaccurate…. Daffodil flowers are typically lightly scented while golden yellow jonquils are highly perfumed…. Daffodils colors range from bi-colored to white, pink, yellow, and orange.”
My favorite message on the website was that no matter how you refer to them or what variety of Narcissus you grow and enjoy, they are one of nature’s greatest plants. I have some challenge remembering the answer to this-or-that questions so I have decided daffodils don’t smell or have a dull scent – D for daffodils, dull, and don’t. Your nose knows the difference. (Difference is yet another “D” word.)
All of this over spring flowers? Not really. It is more about how humans are having a challenge navigating the information age where we are often ushered into a lane of mistaking an opinion for fact without even being aware of the significance of that nuance.
This led me to look up Gulliver’s Travels, the 1726 novel by Jonathan Swift in which Lilliput and Blefuscu are two fictional island nations. After his son cut himself breaking a boiled egg at the larger end, the Emperor decreed that all eggs be broken on the smaller end. This quarrel ended up giving rise to “six rebellions … wherein one Emperor lost his life, and another his crown”.
Geesh!
Perhaps we should add opinions-thought-to-be-facts to the list of objects that can be fixated on in unskillful ways.
Note* Grandson Brad has a process he uses to ferret out facts. He is considering putting out a YouTube video that shows how easy it is to know what is true.
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