“When you’re aligned with your heart’s desire, when you’re in sync with who you’re meant to be and how you’re supposed to contribute to our magnificent Earth, you feel a shift in perception. You start to notice that miracles show up regularly.” ~ Oprah
Spirituality
If you listen – a John Squadra quotation
First I read this quotation a few weeks ago because someone chose it for their One Little Word’s page. When I wanted to pair it with a photo, I immediately thought of this one from our trip to Italy last summer.
As soon as I saw these flowers growing out of a concrete bridge in Rome’s Villa Borghese gardens, I was reminded of all the children, flowers, and communities that thrive and even blossom despite overwhelming odds against them. I’m drawn to them… to appreciate their random placement regardless of logic. How lovely that they bring a spot a brightness to a rather simple path.
Share what resonates for you in this picture or this quotation.
53QSDK88DQMQ Related posts: Tapping into stillness A day of mindfulnessA concert at the Rothko Chapel
“The Rothko Chapel is a tranquil space, open to all, that champions human rights and nurtures reverence through the integration of art and spirituality. [It] has two vocations: contemplation and action. It is a place alive with religious ceremonies of all faiths, and where the experience and understanding of all traditions are encouraged and made available. It is one place in our city that is open everyday of the year, free of charge for all people who seek a moment of quiet refuge. It is here for you and countless others to possibly enjoy a moment of deep personal reflection, to be transformed by art or by a lecture or by silence.”
Sort of makes me wonder how I’d never been there! I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to use the free tickets I’d won (from Sara Gish of Gish Picks, to see Sara Hickman, a Texas singer-songwriter I have long loved, on Friday evening. (Turns out my daughter CAN go to sleep with a babysitter!) The concert was in celebration of the Chapel’s 40th anniversary.
The concert was intimate, lovely and fun. Before leading the audience in a sing-along of her final song, “We are All Each Other’s Angels,” which is a song she co-wrote with Chuck Brodsky, Sara whispered to us about the good in each one of us and how joy-filled she finds the world every day. I got goosebumps.
go answer your calling
go and fill somebody’s cup
and if you see an angel falling
won’t you stop and help her up
Seeking elegance rather than luxury
William Henry Channing was a 19th century Unitarian pastor and writer. Here he describes the life he aims to live:
“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common–this is my symphony.”
Affirmation statements
I bought an e-book recently by Ev’Yan Nasman called Sex, Love, Liberation: A Manifesto for the Bold at Heart, and it included daily e-mail prompts to keep me mindful in my self-actualization practice. Entitled 30 Days of Sensuality, the prompts were helpful in remembering to be kind to myself and remain/get centered. (The book itself was awesome too. “It’s for anyone that craves beauty, pleasure, lightness.”)One of the last e-mails was an invitation to write my own affirmations (little whisperings of awareness that enlighten us throughout the day; reminders of our magnificence, power, & beauty).
I’ve put the prompt in bold and then finished the sentence.
- I believe in intuition, coincidence, and serendipity.
- I contain talents that I am just realizing. Giving them the opportunity to come forth is a new priority.
- The one truth I want to hold onto is to be gentle with myself.
- I want to completely eradicate this judgmental and negative voice inside.
- My goal(s) to be a positive force in the world will be accomplished with grace.
- I am worthy of unconditional love, passion, kindness.
- My body is a temple; I decorate it with um… earrings???
- Nothing will stop me from protecting those I love.
- What I want most of in my life is LOVE.
- (One bold statement that you wish to always remember. Examples: “Round bellies are beautiful;” “Now is the right time;” “I am love.”) “You have it in you.”
How would YOU finish them?
This resonates hugely for me
“All is well. You did not come here to fix a broken world. The world is not broken. You came here to live a wonderful life. And if you can learn to relax a little and let it all in, you will begin to see the universe present you with all that you have asked for.”
~ Esther Abraham-Hicks
I’m pretty sure this is what my dad has been trying to tell me all these years.
You love and you are loved
For your free download of Goddess Leonie’s LOVE poster, click here.
L’dor vador by Josh Nelson
SUCH a beautiful song… I get chills every time I hear it.
The reassurance of just being you
There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening
that is translated through you into action
And because there is only one of you in all time this expression is unique.
If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium
and be lost.
The world will not hear it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is;
Nor how valuable it is; nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly,
to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.
You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.
Keep the channel open.
– Martha Graham
Read here (a delicious blog!)
Hineni. I am here.
“Hineni” by Rabbi Rami Shapiro
Hineni. Here I am.
A little bit nervous, a little bit self conscious.
After all, whom am I talking to?
And what have I done?
Am I a sinner in search of grace
or a saint seeking salvation?
Am I so evil
or so good
as to warrant this season of introspection?
And yet here it is, and here I am:
this time of change and correction.
this heart of confusion and contrition.
Oh, if I could change!
If I could be so sure of myself
that I no longer had to imagine the sights of others;
to be so loving of myself
that I no longer had to ration my loving of others;
to be so bold with myself
that I no longer had to fear the bravery of others.
Oh, if I could change
there is so much I would change.
Maybe I will, but it scares me so.
Maybe I won’t and that should scare me more,
But it doesn’t.
So let me pray just this:
Let no one be put to shame because of me.
Wouldn’t that make this a wonderful year?
Hineni. Here I am.
Poetic Aperture 
