Starting the day on this site and Richard Rohr’s ( thank you Carol I think you first mentioned him), prayer and quiet early morning reflection, exercising, deep breaths, calling my mom once a week and many nights I still pray with my college age kids when they are home.
Rituals
can be wonderful experiences . . .
I used to keep a candle burning before me on my desk
when visiting the gratefulness forum
and writing in my gratitude journal,
until one day
Pooh,
my very large and extremely furry cat
with a bottle brush tail
suddenly jumped up in front of me
and when turning around,
his tail caught the flame.
In an instant
the fragrance in my room
turned from lavender to fur on fire . . .
I tried to grab him,
but he was too fast for me
and went racing out of the room.
The saving grace in this situation
was that although I couldn’t grab him in time
I grabbed that bottle brush tail tightly,
and extinguished the flames as he escaped from me.
I am very careful with candles and cats
ever since that day.
It could have ended another way.
A very dear friend in the UK
sent me a white, alabaster light holder
that is engraved with flowers all the way around the top.
It sits on a dish
and has a little battery operated ‘candle’ inside . . .
when lit
the light shines through all the engraving
and is lovely to gaze at.
I used this light now
when I come to Gratefulness . . .
it centers me
and brings me home to myself.
Another ritual I perform
every day out in the gardens . . .
I greet my plants, trees, and flowers,
bow and say, ‘namaste’
and talk to the ones I am working on . . .
I apologize when I have to do some thinning,
as I really don’t like to kill them,
and tell them it is for the good of all
that they make this sacrifice.
I think they enjoy the touch and the companionship,
and so do I.
I always give special attention
to the ones I am trimming back or uprooting to transplant
and reassure them
that they will feel better when I’m done.
This
also brings me home to myself . . .
I am then
both big and small
in the Universe. ♥
There was no space to comment on your post,
dear Michele,
but I have to tell you
how beautiful your mother’s poem about the wind
was.
I too,
have feelings about the wind that way . . .
thank you for posting it. ♥
I talk to my tomato plants as I prune off the suckers, and tell them that they will feel better later when they can put their energies into growing beautiful, delicious fruits.
I seem to speak to everything live and some things like the wind, that are maybe not live but alive with the universe and the grand plan. Burning fur or hair of any kind is a vile smell. What a scene you painted with your words, dear Sparrow. Along with some quick action on your part!
I do believe that the wind has a soul,
dear Joseph,
as does stone. 🙂
And yes,
burning fur, hair, and flesh
all smell vile.
3
Michele
3 weeks ago
your response made me think of my Mom’s Wind Poem, which I will now share
I LOVE THE WIND, by Christine Kane 11/21/00
From the Four Corners of the Earth, the wind will rise and greet us in anticipation of its surprise
“I Love the Wind”
Over the ocean the Wind will go, telling the waves to say hello
“I Love the Wind”
The trees are next in the Winds path, swaying branch by branch as they dance
“I Love the Wind”
See the Wind pick up the leaf, floating around and around until it hits the ground
“I Love the Wind”
The Wind has kissed the lake, its ripple you can’t mistake
“I Love the Wind”
Listen and you can hear the Wind is talking in our ear, its very near
“I Love the Wind”
The Wind is swirling around me, in my hair, in my face, I feel its Grace
“I Love the Wind”
The day will come when my Soul will rise and the Wind and I will go for a ride
“I Love the Wind”
And the Wind and I will never die
“I Love the Wind”
So, if you love the Wind as I, my Soul will touch you as we go by
“I Love the Wind”
4
Ose
3 weeks ago
As it was mentioned already, lightening a candle and start our morning meditation does, as does reading and replying here. Singing does and playing music, being with dear friends and for example making cooking and sharing our food almost a ritual with gratitude for all of beauty and abundance. Heartwarming contact helps letting go of panic and fear, calming down immedeately and brings back some balanace Thank you all dearly.
Certainly this gratitude practice helps me to check in with myself. My stretching/yoga practice helps me to tune into and connect with my body. Therapy allows me to check in with issues and struggles and see where I’m at. And really anytime I can contemplate quietly for a bit, I seem to connect with myself. All of this requires an intentional effort and a pushing aside of all the distractions and fear of sitting with myself. I mean, who knows what I may find. 😬😁
Charlie I know what you mean about sitting with fear . Rather than push away we can see the false who is full of fear and say yes here it is again I’m full of fear . We can sit and allow the fear to come and bit by bit it becomes less and less . I’m also just like you and I would push away. It seems we are all much the same . Great job for meeting your fear and seeing it . This takes courage! 💓
Riding my bike and feeling the freedom in my body.
Walking, feeling how I move myself along, breathing in the world around me whether I’m deep in a woodsy park or in the middle of a big city.
Reading a poem that stops me in my tracks, makes me sit for a minute and then reread.
Leaning into a hug from my husband when I really needed it.
I have been singing to myself a lot lately and it has become a form of prayer for me. I can no longer perform for others because my vocal range is limited and my ability to project my voice compromised by other physical limitations but I can sing to me through me and it brings me great comfort and sends a loving energy out into the Universe and especially to anyone I’m holding in thought. Plus, it always brings me home to myself.
Louisa May Alcott says it well, “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”
I share a poem I wrote while grieving the loss of my ability to sing for others.
My Voice by Carol Conner
Some of us have a booming voice
Others speak with a lilt
A few are given the gift of song
And must lament
when it is gone.
I don’t know how one ever
fully grieves the loss
to inspire, instill hope,
fill hearts with
their voice
How I wished I had understood
that priceless gift,
shared it more,
given thanks
from my very core.
It is like a part of me
has been violently stripped,
ripped from my being
at the altar
of wasted chances.
Love sang to me
through me,
filling my aching heart
so many times when hope
could not be found.
Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for the reveries.
The lives
I was privileged to touch
with my song
The laughter,
The tears,
The promise,
The fears,
The vulnerability in each note.
Images in the audience
that still thrill me,
still inspire me
and still fill me
with awe and gratitude.
No longer the singer
of the song,
No longer the voice
that’s forever gone
but the music lives on, and on.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem, Carol. I can see how it truly would be a source of deep grief to no longer be able to share the voice that you once had. I am glad that you have the memories (and I imagine that others also still have the memories), and the joy of still being able to sing for yourself. And I agree with Sparrow that a heartfelt voice truly is still a treasure.
What a bittersweet poem,
dear Carol Ann . . .
I think though,
that even though you can no longer sing professionally,
a heartfelt voice,
whether it is strong or not,
whether it is vibrant or keeping tune or not,
is still a precious treasure
and those who love you
will love your voice more now
because it carries your life experiences with it as well
in all of its pain and joy. ♥
My morning meditation and coming to this page and answering the question/reading others’ answers.
When I remember to think of washing dishes as a ritual, I am more present to my real self and the blessings in the moment rather than off in my head or complaining in my mind about the chore of washing dishes.
Doing a few stretches before I get out of bed. Say “thank you” for being able to move. Gathering a hot beverage. Checking the weather. Sitting in my chair with the phone checking “action for happiness” site and then this site gleaning wisdom and community.
I enjoy reading your practices of wisdom that bring you to your true self. For me, morning coffee, reading the Gospel, answering the daily question, and walking are my daily highlights that bring me home.
Going on the bible App to read the verse of the day daily strengthens my faith in god. And of course, I still do some of my usual practices like meditation, interacting on this site, and my zen principles with Sean Coughlin too. Except, for the last one, I moved away from Phil’s work to PM7 working on a set of Paw Mu’s advice summarized in these 7 principles.
1. Build from the root.
2. Detach from your ways.
3. Take responsibility.
4. Trust your people.
5. Look beyond the surface.
6. Expect nothing in return.
7. Appreciate simpler pleasures.
This question is a good reminder of this practice especially. To refresh, I have building from the root as my yearly goal while Sean has taking responsibility. My 2 quarterly ones for Q1 are to detach from my ways and appreciating simpler pleasures while Sean has looking beyond the surface and expecting nothing in return. Sean is more on top of things, makes less excuses, and can see the entire chestboard even better. I’ve healed faster and have continued to become even more adaptable. Both he and I are improving on our integrity and are free from agendas.
So far, I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to accomplish by moving away from Phil’s works. Integrity and roots are everything. As I studied Phil’s backstory from “11 Rings, the Soul of Success”, I recall his parents wanting him to be ministers. He ended up winning 11 rings as a head coach: 6 with the Bulls and 5 more with the Lakers earning the “Zen Master” nickname from fans, beat writers, and members in the NBA circle. I’m happy for him, but Phil’s executive tenure with Knicks from 2014-2017 exposed his insecurities when his Knicks were: 17-65 in 2014-15, 33-49 in 2015-16, and 31-51 in 2016-17.
Phil was attached to his ways. During his championship years, he had MJ, Scottie Pippen, Shaq, and of course, Kobe, carry him. His personal life was less than perfect too. He was married and divorced twice. Then, going to the Lakers, he was dating the owner’s daughter, Jeannie Buss, for more than ten years. Jerry Buss was the owner at the time. Jim Buss, the son of Jerry, hired another coach in Mike D’Antoni, in 2012-13 instead of the zen master, because he saw through the personal drama and Phil’s greed. He wanted to only coach home games and have his assistant coach road games. That would confuse the players. If it were me, I’d want one voice too.
I give Phil the benefit of the doubt for staying away from politics and that I was a rebel at one point too for awhile. On the other hand, it’s also important to acknowledge that Phil’s insecurity and coaching out of rebellion towards his parents played a pivital part in making the game impure too. The modern NBA has become: more political, less competitive, and player impowerment where players dictate where they want to be and who to play with are out of control.
My twice daily visits to this safe and beautiful forum, daily yoga with Lynn Rossy, daily meditation, evening tea and a good dose of spending my time out of doors. Peace, love and enjoy yourselves on this gift of another day.
Our mutual love of the out of doors, critters, gardens and life. Cheryl grew up about 4 mile east of our place on her folks farm. We are in Ouray, Colorado right now, in a small 1893 hotel celebrating our marriage. It is very dry everywhere. Wildland fire smoke is in the air. Still grateful for the mountains and my lovely wife Cheryl. Thank you for asking dear Sparrow.
I was wondering about the smoke,
dear Joseph . . .
it sounds like you both made a good choice
in partners.
Enjoy your marriage celebration
with joy and love
and gratitude . . . ♥
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Starting the day on this site and Richard Rohr’s ( thank you Carol I think you first mentioned him), prayer and quiet early morning reflection, exercising, deep breaths, calling my mom once a week and many nights I still pray with my college age kids when they are home.
I miss the ritual,
dear Deann,
of calling my mother every day . . .
it was a nice break for me
and a way to connect with her. ♥
I miss calling my Mom everyday too.
Rituals
can be wonderful experiences . . .
I used to keep a candle burning before me on my desk
when visiting the gratefulness forum
and writing in my gratitude journal,
until one day
Pooh,
my very large and extremely furry cat
with a bottle brush tail
suddenly jumped up in front of me
and when turning around,
his tail caught the flame.
In an instant
the fragrance in my room
turned from lavender to fur on fire . . .
I tried to grab him,
but he was too fast for me
and went racing out of the room.
The saving grace in this situation
was that although I couldn’t grab him in time
I grabbed that bottle brush tail tightly,
and extinguished the flames as he escaped from me.
I am very careful with candles and cats
ever since that day.
It could have ended another way.
A very dear friend in the UK
sent me a white, alabaster light holder
that is engraved with flowers all the way around the top.
It sits on a dish
and has a little battery operated ‘candle’ inside . . .
when lit
the light shines through all the engraving
and is lovely to gaze at.
I used this light now
when I come to Gratefulness . . .
it centers me
and brings me home to myself.
Another ritual I perform
every day out in the gardens . . .
I greet my plants, trees, and flowers,
bow and say, ‘namaste’
and talk to the ones I am working on . . .
I apologize when I have to do some thinning,
as I really don’t like to kill them,
and tell them it is for the good of all
that they make this sacrifice.
I think they enjoy the touch and the companionship,
and so do I.
I always give special attention
to the ones I am trimming back or uprooting to transplant
and reassure them
that they will feel better when I’m done.
This
also brings me home to myself . . .
I am then
both big and small
in the Universe. ♥
There was no space to comment on your post,
dear Michele,
but I have to tell you
how beautiful your mother’s poem about the wind
was.
I too,
have feelings about the wind that way . . .
thank you for posting it. ♥
Thank you Sparrow, I’m glad her poem had meaning for you.
I talk to my tomato plants as I prune off the suckers, and tell them that they will feel better later when they can put their energies into growing beautiful, delicious fruits.
I knew I wasn’t the only one,
dear Barb. 🙂
I seem to speak to everything live and some things like the wind, that are maybe not live but alive with the universe and the grand plan. Burning fur or hair of any kind is a vile smell. What a scene you painted with your words, dear Sparrow. Along with some quick action on your part!
I do believe that the wind has a soul,
dear Joseph,
as does stone. 🙂
And yes,
burning fur, hair, and flesh
all smell vile.
your response made me think of my Mom’s Wind Poem, which I will now share
I LOVE THE WIND, by Christine Kane 11/21/00
From the Four Corners of the Earth, the wind will rise and greet us in anticipation of its surprise
“I Love the Wind”
Over the ocean the Wind will go, telling the waves to say hello
“I Love the Wind”
The trees are next in the Winds path, swaying branch by branch as they dance
“I Love the Wind”
See the Wind pick up the leaf, floating around and around until it hits the ground
“I Love the Wind”
The Wind has kissed the lake, its ripple you can’t mistake
“I Love the Wind”
Listen and you can hear the Wind is talking in our ear, its very near
“I Love the Wind”
The Wind is swirling around me, in my hair, in my face, I feel its Grace
“I Love the Wind”
The day will come when my Soul will rise and the Wind and I will go for a ride
“I Love the Wind”
And the Wind and I will never die
“I Love the Wind”
So, if you love the Wind as I, my Soul will touch you as we go by
“I Love the Wind”
As it was mentioned already, lightening a candle and start our morning meditation does, as does reading and replying here. Singing does and playing music, being with dear friends and for example making cooking and sharing our food almost a ritual with gratitude for all of beauty and abundance. Heartwarming contact helps letting go of panic and fear, calming down immedeately and brings back some balanace Thank you all dearly.
I think you have a full,
rich life,
dear Ose . . .
thank you sharing a bit of it with me. ♥
Certainly this gratitude practice helps me to check in with myself. My stretching/yoga practice helps me to tune into and connect with my body. Therapy allows me to check in with issues and struggles and see where I’m at. And really anytime I can contemplate quietly for a bit, I seem to connect with myself. All of this requires an intentional effort and a pushing aside of all the distractions and fear of sitting with myself. I mean, who knows what I may find. 😬😁
Charlie I know what you mean about sitting with fear . Rather than push away we can see the false who is full of fear and say yes here it is again I’m full of fear . We can sit and allow the fear to come and bit by bit it becomes less and less . I’m also just like you and I would push away. It seems we are all much the same . Great job for meeting your fear and seeing it . This takes courage! 💓
You have a good sense of humor,
dear Charlie . . .
that’s already a positive on your checklist. 🙂
Riding my bike and feeling the freedom in my body.
Walking, feeling how I move myself along, breathing in the world around me whether I’m deep in a woodsy park or in the middle of a big city.
Reading a poem that stops me in my tracks, makes me sit for a minute and then reread.
Leaning into a hug from my husband when I really needed it.
I have been singing to myself a lot lately and it has become a form of prayer for me. I can no longer perform for others because my vocal range is limited and my ability to project my voice compromised by other physical limitations but I can sing to me through me and it brings me great comfort and sends a loving energy out into the Universe and especially to anyone I’m holding in thought. Plus, it always brings me home to myself.
Louisa May Alcott says it well, “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”
I share a poem I wrote while grieving the loss of my ability to sing for others.
My Voice by Carol Conner
Some of us have a booming voice
Others speak with a lilt
A few are given the gift of song
And must lament
when it is gone.
I don’t know how one ever
fully grieves the loss
to inspire, instill hope,
fill hearts with
their voice
How I wished I had understood
that priceless gift,
shared it more,
given thanks
from my very core.
It is like a part of me
has been violently stripped,
ripped from my being
at the altar
of wasted chances.
Love sang to me
through me,
filling my aching heart
so many times when hope
could not be found.
Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for the reveries.
The lives
I was privileged to touch
with my song
The laughter,
The tears,
The promise,
The fears,
The vulnerability in each note.
Images in the audience
that still thrill me,
still inspire me
and still fill me
with awe and gratitude.
No longer the singer
of the song,
No longer the voice
that’s forever gone
but the music lives on, and on.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem, Carol. I can see how it truly would be a source of deep grief to no longer be able to share the voice that you once had. I am glad that you have the memories (and I imagine that others also still have the memories), and the joy of still being able to sing for yourself. And I agree with Sparrow that a heartfelt voice truly is still a treasure.
What a bittersweet poem,
dear Carol Ann . . .
I think though,
that even though you can no longer sing professionally,
a heartfelt voice,
whether it is strong or not,
whether it is vibrant or keeping tune or not,
is still a precious treasure
and those who love you
will love your voice more now
because it carries your life experiences with it as well
in all of its pain and joy. ♥
ps. I can’t tell you how much I believe this,
dear Carol Ann. ♥
My morning meditation and coming to this page and answering the question/reading others’ answers.
When I remember to think of washing dishes as a ritual, I am more present to my real self and the blessings in the moment rather than off in my head or complaining in my mind about the chore of washing dishes.
Elizabeth, this site is sure a great platform for interacting with people from all walks of life.
Loc Tran, I agree!
This gratefulness practice and all of you. Walking or running. My go-to meditation/pranayama practices. Time with friends.
Doing a few stretches before I get out of bed. Say “thank you” for being able to move. Gathering a hot beverage. Checking the weather. Sitting in my chair with the phone checking “action for happiness” site and then this site gleaning wisdom and community.
I think I will check out this web site,
dear Yram . . . ♥
I enjoy reading your practices of wisdom that bring you to your true self. For me, morning coffee, reading the Gospel, answering the daily question, and walking are my daily highlights that bring me home.
My Ngoc, I always enjoy walking with you. We have many fun and great conversations.
Going on the bible App to read the verse of the day daily strengthens my faith in god. And of course, I still do some of my usual practices like meditation, interacting on this site, and my zen principles with Sean Coughlin too. Except, for the last one, I moved away from Phil’s work to PM7 working on a set of Paw Mu’s advice summarized in these 7 principles.
1. Build from the root.
2. Detach from your ways.
3. Take responsibility.
4. Trust your people.
5. Look beyond the surface.
6. Expect nothing in return.
7. Appreciate simpler pleasures.
This question is a good reminder of this practice especially. To refresh, I have building from the root as my yearly goal while Sean has taking responsibility. My 2 quarterly ones for Q1 are to detach from my ways and appreciating simpler pleasures while Sean has looking beyond the surface and expecting nothing in return. Sean is more on top of things, makes less excuses, and can see the entire chestboard even better. I’ve healed faster and have continued to become even more adaptable. Both he and I are improving on our integrity and are free from agendas.
So far, I’ve accomplished what I’ve set out to accomplish by moving away from Phil’s works. Integrity and roots are everything. As I studied Phil’s backstory from “11 Rings, the Soul of Success”, I recall his parents wanting him to be ministers. He ended up winning 11 rings as a head coach: 6 with the Bulls and 5 more with the Lakers earning the “Zen Master” nickname from fans, beat writers, and members in the NBA circle. I’m happy for him, but Phil’s executive tenure with Knicks from 2014-2017 exposed his insecurities when his Knicks were: 17-65 in 2014-15, 33-49 in 2015-16, and 31-51 in 2016-17.
Phil was attached to his ways. During his championship years, he had MJ, Scottie Pippen, Shaq, and of course, Kobe, carry him. His personal life was less than perfect too. He was married and divorced twice. Then, going to the Lakers, he was dating the owner’s daughter, Jeannie Buss, for more than ten years. Jerry Buss was the owner at the time. Jim Buss, the son of Jerry, hired another coach in Mike D’Antoni, in 2012-13 instead of the zen master, because he saw through the personal drama and Phil’s greed. He wanted to only coach home games and have his assistant coach road games. That would confuse the players. If it were me, I’d want one voice too.
I give Phil the benefit of the doubt for staying away from politics and that I was a rebel at one point too for awhile. On the other hand, it’s also important to acknowledge that Phil’s insecurity and coaching out of rebellion towards his parents played a pivital part in making the game impure too. The modern NBA has become: more political, less competitive, and player impowerment where players dictate where they want to be and who to play with are out of control.
Meditation. Pranayama practices. Journaling. Being in nature. Preparing food. Movement – yoga, walking/hiking, dancing. Listening to mantras.
lighting candles throughout my home
meditations/prayer
music
Nature
First thing readings by Richard Rohr and your readings with coffee and a glass of cold water. I return often to this site.
My twice daily visits to this safe and beautiful forum, daily yoga with Lynn Rossy, daily meditation, evening tea and a good dose of spending my time out of doors. Peace, love and enjoy yourselves on this gift of another day.
Does your lovely wife Chreyl
share in any of this with you,
dear Joseph? ♥
Our mutual love of the out of doors, critters, gardens and life. Cheryl grew up about 4 mile east of our place on her folks farm. We are in Ouray, Colorado right now, in a small 1893 hotel celebrating our marriage. It is very dry everywhere. Wildland fire smoke is in the air. Still grateful for the mountains and my lovely wife Cheryl. Thank you for asking dear Sparrow.
I was wondering about the smoke,
dear Joseph . . .
it sounds like you both made a good choice
in partners.
Enjoy your marriage celebration
with joy and love
and gratitude . . . ♥
I had to look up this town – wow!! “Switzerland of America” – very beautiful and very different than Florida.