Friday, June 24, 2011

An Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou

An Amazing Peace by the "Beloved Angel" Maya Angelou

An Amazing Peace - Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.

Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
implore you to stay awhile with us
so we may learn by your shimmering light
how to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.
On this platform of peace, we can create a language
to translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.
At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ

Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices to celebrate the promise of
Peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul

The Greatest Sermon is Our Life ~ Unknown

The Greatest Sermon is Our Life...

T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes.
This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college.
He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright.
He became a Christian while attending college.

Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church.
They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it.

One day Bill decides to go there.
He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt and wild hair.
The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat.
By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no available seats,
he just squats down right on the carpet.

By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church,
a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.

Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit.
A "godly" man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly.
He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy,
everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he is going to do.
How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?

It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.
The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.
All eyes are focused on him.
You can't even hear anyone breathing.
The minister can't even preach the sermon, until the deacon does what he has to do.
And now, they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor.
With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill,
and worships with him so he won't be alone.

Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says,
"What I am about to preach, you will never remember.
What you have just seen you will never forget"

Be careful how you live...you may be the only "church" some people will ever encounter.



Shoes in Church ~ Unknown

Shoes in Church......Unknown

I showered and shaved....... I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat......... In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer......As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side...... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: 'Our Father'...... I thought, 'This man with the shoes, has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!'

'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.
The shoe man said ... ............ A quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended........... And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud...... Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters......... His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering....... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out.......... What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink' . As when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me......... To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service...... As is the custom here.
We must greet new visit ors, And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow............. And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer....... I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark.... And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.

He said, 'My names' Charlie.......... I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes....... But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said......... Wiping tears from his eyes.
'I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.''

'I know that my appearance.........'Is not like all the rest.
'But I really do try.................'To always look my best.'
'I always clean and polish my shoes..'Before my very long walk.
'But by the time I get here ...... . ..'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'

My heart filled with pain........... And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize........ For daring to sit so near.
He said, 'When I get here...........'I know I must look a sight.
'But I thought if I could touch you..'Then maybe our souls might unite.'

I was silent for a moment........... Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison... I spoke from my heart, not my head.
'Oh, you've touched me,' I said......'And taught me, in part;
'That the best of any man............'Is what is found in his heart.'

The rest, I thought,................ This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am... That his dirty old shoe touched my soul


You Never Know...~ Unknown

You Never Know...

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished her e, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Him. He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And... And thank you for the coffee."

She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black."

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do take cream and sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He patted his ample stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."

~~ Author Unknown ~~

One Universe Under God (LLJL)

One Universe Under God

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 5:02pm

One Universe under God
by Linda Lorenzo
written, March 2006

Since 9/11 our country and its people have gone through a myriad of changes. We experienced together the same phenomenon and went through the same process of shock, fear, disbelief and grief...it was a time of coming together as a country, as a people.

But, in the subsequent years, I have noticed a resurgence of what is being called a new "national pride" and a renewal of misguided "patriotism."

What is interesting is that this seems to be manifesting in a number of religious based issues.
I have been receiving countless emails and articles, of late, on both the issues of the use of “under God” in our pledge of allegiance and the controversy about prayer in public schools. I have heard many opinions on these subjects both for and against and for a vast number of reasons.

These debates have caused me to look deeply at my own values and revisit some of my own deep-seated beliefs.

You see after the events of 9/11 my reactions were much the same as the rest of the country ... all of them fear based.

I heard many phrases bandied around by the media and by politicians. They all spoke of separateness, enemies, attacks and counter attacks. They used words like “them and us “, “the good guys (us) and the bad guys (them,)” ,” those who would attack our freedom and our way of life”, “ those who hate us”. For the first time, in my adult life, I found my belief system begin to crumble as I was spiraling out of control fueled by panic and terror.

But Spirit, found a way through the fear and brought me back to the Truth that was at the core of my reality. As I was riveted, like the rest of my fellow countrymen to the news channels and the speeches, it was one term that smacked me back to my heart s foundation...it was the words “ the evildoers.”

It was at that instant that I could feel a shift occur within my entire being...in that moment I became aware that the enemy was not outside of our borders but within ourselves.

At that defining moment, my fear for my own personal issues shifted to a concern for the consciousness of the entire planet.

The famous words rung true in my ears...and took on a meaning that I had never considered before...”We have nothing to fear ,but fear itself.” I understood with an awareness that goes beyond all words....that it was the fear and the fear alone that would destroy us...not our so called “enemies.” And then another quote surfaced..."The fault, dear Brutus lies not within our stars, but within ourselves.”

All that week, we went into our churches and synagogues and places of worship. We prayed for solace, we huddled together in candlelit prayer vigils, we mourned our dead and then we waged war in the name of ”God “ and righteousness.

And my soul was crying out in pain...for I knew that in that moment we were not expressing the “God” we professed to worship.

Everything inside of me knew that the only way to honor this Spirit would be to extend to those fists that were clenched in fear, rage and anger towards us, the outstretched, open hands of love, peace, understanding and compassion.

It was a wake up call to build bridges...not to destroy them.

And now over two years later we are entering into a frightening and arrogant place of religious fanaticism instead of evolving into a spiritual awakening.

We have forgotten the very tenets on which this country that we all love so dearly was founded. Freedom, the freedom to say or not say whatever we believe is true for us.

The freedom of the individual to worship or not worship in the manner that best befits his own souls growth.

You see we are not One Nation, under God we are citizens of the Cosmos and the Beloved Creations of the One Universal Mind.

We are all One. We are not separate from each other. We say this so often but do we really understand the full implications of its truth?

I am reminded of a dear friend s sudden awareness earlier this year to the question that had plagued her for some time. She said one day, as if a light had gone on... “I will never again ask if I am my brother s keeper.. for I am my brother!”

You see, we do not honor our Creator by making our selves separate from those who walk this earth with us, or by reciting words that we learn by rote...they are meaningless if we are not expressing Spirit for all that inhabit this planet with our thoughts and our actions of compassion and understanding and love.

I would like to share with you the words written by Edna Reitz when she penned the Global Pledge of Allegiance in 1988, which has hung proudly on my wall for 15 years.

"I pledge allegiance to the Earth
And to the Universal Spirit
Which gives us Life;
One planet, indivisible.
With Peace and Justice for Us All.

I pledge to do my best
To uphold the trust bestowed
In the gift of my Life;
To care for our planet and
our atmosphere,
To respect and honor
all her inhabitants,
All people, animals,
plants and resources,
To create a legacy
for our children
And our children's children
In a world of Harmony and Love.

I pledge allegiance
to the Universal Spirit,
By whatever name it may be called.
To align my Life
With the ongoing process
of Creation;
To grow myself with care,
To act from my own integrity,
To be for others
How I would want them
to be for me.

Together,
May we carry this vision
In our hearts,
Into our daily choices,
And through our
expanding consciousness
Within and beyond our planet... "

It is time, to turn our swords into plowshares and reach across the oceans of space and time to touch our brothers and sisters hands with the unconditional love that Spirit has bestowed upon us all..and to finally fully understand that we are All truly One!

On Love, Knowledge and Compassion by Bertrand Russell

On Love, Knowledge and Compassion by Bertrand Russell

Three passions have governed my life:
The longings for love, the search for knowledge,
And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].

Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness.
In the union of love I have seen
In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision
Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people].
I have wished to know why the stars shine.

Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens,
But always pity brought me back to earth;
Cries of pain reverberated in my heart
Of children in famine, of victims tortured
And of old people left helpless.
I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot,
And I too suffer.

This has been my life; I found it worth living.

A Spiritual Conspiracy ~ Unknown

A Spiritual Conspiracy

On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark.

But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening.

An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light.

It is a silent revolution.
From the inside out. From the ground up.
This is a Global operation.
A Spiritual Conspiracy.

There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.
You won’t see us on the T.V.
You won’t read about us in the newspaper,
You won’t hear about us on the radio,
We don’t seek any glory,
We don’t wear any uniform.
We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles.
Most of us work anonymously.

We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world,
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.
You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice.

We go undercover.
We remain behind the scenes.
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit
But simply that the work gets done.
Occasionally we spot each other in the street
We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.
During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs,
But behind the false storefront at night is where the real work takes place.

Some call us the Conscious Army.
We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts.
We follow, with passion and joy.

Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence.
We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking:
Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind words ~ Smiles ~ Meditation ~ Prayer ~ Dance ~ Social activism ~ Websites ~ Blogs ~ Random acts of kindness…
We each express ourselves in our own unique ways with our own unique gifts and talents.

Be the change you want to see in the world:
That is the motto that fills our hearts.
We know it is the only way real transformation takes place.
We know that quietly and humbly we have the power of all the oceans combined.

Our work is slow and meticulous,
Like the formation of mountains.
It is not even visible at first glance,
And yet with it entire tectonic plates
shall be moved in the centuries to come.

Love is the new religion of the 21st century. You don’t have to be a highly educated person or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it.

It comes from the intelligence of the heart embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings.

Be the change you want to see in the world.
Nobody else can do it for you.
We are now recruiting.
Perhaps you will join us.
Or already have.
All are welcome.
The door is open.

~ Author unknown

You Are The Hands by White Bison

You are the Hands of Creator

Todays meditation from White Bison is so close to my heart that I wanted to share it here...
Please remember always...
that you are the Hands of Creation...
And the only Hands that Spirit has...

Elder's Meditation of the Day - June 27

"What could be greater than to be Wakan-Tanka's mind, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, arms, hands, legs, and feet here on Earth?"
--Fools Crow, LAKOTA

In order for the Creator to do His work on this earth,
He needs the human being to do it.
How He guides us is through our eyes, ears, hands, nose, mouth, arms legs and feet.
We are instruments of the Creator.
We are His keepers of the Earth.
We are the keepers of our brothers.
We are to teach His children.
We are to respect the things He has made.
We are to take care of ourselves and treat our bodies and our minds with respect.
We are to do respectful things.
We are to walk the Sacred Path.
We should have good thoughts.
We should do only things that we think the Creator would have us do.
What an honor to be a human being.
What an honor that He would talk to us and guide us to perform His wonders.

Oh Great Spirit, let me appreciate the role you have given me.
Let my sense be sharp to hear Your voice.
Keep my mind clean so I can do the things You would have me do.

Kindness (LLJL)

Kindness ~ by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 11:48pm

My Beloved Friends,

I would like to share some thoughts on Kindness taken in part from a wonderful
Video I posted the other day, "Random Acts of Kindness by Humanity Healing
along with a smattering of some of my favorite quotes on this subject that
resonates so deeply within me...

This quality is has always been a pivotal one in my life,
as it was the main tenet that was modeled by my dad,
(One facet of this beautiful man, as some you may remember in my tribute to him,
"What is a Father?", posted June 16th, 2009.)
His Spirit of generosity, kindness and sense of fair play were the qualities of authenticity
by which he lived every moment of his life.

Those of you who know me well, and have been to my workshops and lectures,
or read my articles, know that I speak of this often...

I can never stress enough that we will never know the effect
that we have on the lives of others, that we meet within our daily rounds...
We will never know how our simple acts of a smile, compliment, helping hand, kind word, touch
or even a silent blessing has meant,
to those who are gifted with the present of our presence, no matter how brief.

The power of smile has the potential to save a life...
Make no mistake...this is the Truth of our Beings...
Therein lies our Greatness...
in our daily projections of love, compassion and kindness
that flows from our innermost Being...
It is in these moments that the winds will change...
and shift the consciousness of our Planet...
It is in these moments that we are truly living our Purpose!

As, I have said so many times before...

We are the Earth Angels...
We are the Ones we have been waiting for..
If not Us then Who?



What does it really mean to be kind?
The Talmud claims that "deeds of kindnesss are equal in weight to all the commandments.
Kindness blooms from the hearts of mature souls.
Kindness is the fruit of the Spirit.
To be kind is to understand what we have in common,
And that we are seeds of the same Loving Universe.
And Love never Dies.
Kindness can restore Hope to many Hearts through a single act.
Like Compassion...Kindness is a profound human feeling prompted by the pain of others.
Kindness is one of the jewels that adorns one's soul.
It is like a fresh breeze that relieves the journey of tired souls.
Kindness manifests through the awareness of Human similarities in feelings and needs.
Kindness, like Compassion are essential elements in the process of collective Ascension.
Kindness is the catalytic factor that awakens dormant souls and activates the Higher Heart vibrations.
Vibrating in higher frequencies can open doors you never imagined existed.
Spiritually, Kindness is considered to be one of the seven Divine Virtues.
Kindness holds the Divine Power of Healing on many levels.
Only through kindness can we find our path home.
Kindness is the key of Uniting Hearts and Souls.


"We can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible Divine Mind." ~ Marianne Williamson

Aristotle defines to be Kind as the act of being "Helpfulness towards someone in need, expecting nothing in return.."

"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness." ~ Seneca

"There is no they, only us. We're part of a large fellowship called the 'human race.'
We all hurt the same. We all love the same. We all bleed the same. We all need understanding and care."

"One kind word can warm three winter months" ~ Japanese Proverb

"Always be kind for everyone is fighting a hard battle." ~ Plato

"Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging." ~ Deepak Chopra

"Our task must be to free ourselves from our prison, by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all humanity and the whole of Nature in its Beauty." ~ Albert Einstein

"Kindness is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person" ~ C. Neil Strait

"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." ~Mark Twain

"Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how." ~Author Unknown

"When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people." ~Abraham Joshua Heschel

"If we should deal out justice only, in this world, who would escape? No, it is better to be generous, and in the end more profitable, for it gains gratitude for us, and love." ~Mark Twain

"The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love." ~William Wordsworth

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late". ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines." ~Charles Kuralt, On the Road With Charles Kuralt

"Love thy neighbor, and if it requires that you bend your understanding of the truth, the Truth will understand." ~ Robert Brault

"Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree." ~ Marian Wright Edelman


"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but thier echoes are truly endless." ~ Mother Theresa

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." ~ Leo Buscaglia

"A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses." ~ Chinese Proverb

"As the bus slowed down at the crowded bus stop, the Pakistani bus conductor leaned from the platform and called out, "Six only!" The bus stopped. He counted on six passengers, rang the bell, and then, as the bus moved off, called to those left behind: "So sorry, plenty of room in my heart - but the bus is full." He left behind a row of smiling faces. It's not what you do, it's the way that you do it." ~The Friendship Book of Francis Gay, 1977

"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again." ~ Og Mandino

"It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens." ' ~Baha'u'llah

"There are no traffic jams when you go the extra mile." ~ Attributed to both Zig Ziglar and Dr. Kenneth McFarland

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." ~ Nelson Henderson

"Sometimes someone says something really small, and it just fits right into this empty place in your heart." ~ From the television show My So-Called Life

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."
~ HH Dalai Lama

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." ~ HH Dalai Lama

"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." ~ HH Dalai Lama

"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." ~William Penn

Thursday, June 23, 2011

We are the Voices and the Hands of the Creator - Just Act! (LLJL)

 

We are the Voices and the Hands of the Creator - Just Act!           by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 11:59am
 
We are the Voices and the Hands of the Creator

To All My Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

I would like to ask that you indulge me with a request and call for your assistance
for an issue that I have been guided by my Heart to champion.
I would ask that you consider the message that I would like to convey here,
and not just restrict your awareness to the present situation at hand...
but all situations of this nature,
that are happening every day across the face of our Beloved Mother Earth.

This is also, not a treatise or admonishment of those who condone, partake
and put into law the movement of these acts, but a call for awareness...
and a prayer that all will be brought into the Light of this awareness...
And the understanding, that the gift of that awareness bears much responsibility.

I am sure many of you are aware,
of the recent presidential lifting of the ban on the hunt of the Grey Wolves in Idaho.
I would ask that you go to the link I have included and take action as your Heart guides you.

Throughout the course of these past few days,
I have received many responses to my various posts and calls for action,
most of them have been positive and supportive...
and all well meaning.
But there is a concept that has come across of late,
that I feel bears some response at this time,
and that is the passive place of inaction, in the name of the "will" of Spirit.

It is a dangerous Metaphysical Misnomer that everything that happens
is somehow Divinely Orchestrated by the Hand of God.
And that all we are here to do is sit in our pretty gardens & think happy thoughts,
& the weeds will miraculously disappear.
This is not the Truth or the Purpose of our Being.
We are the Hands & the Voices of the Creator...
That, We are, in Truth, the Only Hands that Spirit has.
And along with prayer, meditation, & positive intentions,
when the weeds appear,
it is up to US to get down on our knees,
dig in the dirt & pull them up by the roots!
And to then plant in thier stead...
The seeds for the Flowers of Compassion, Truth, Justice and Love...
Not just the Love of ourselves and God, but for all that Lives on this...
Our Most Beloved Home...

This is not a Passive Universe but a Participatory One...
and we have, Hands, Feet, Voices, Minds and Hearts,
not just for our own personal wants and needs but for a much greater Purpose.

When we are witness to that which cannot possibly be considered the "Will of the Divine"...
But what are in fact the products of our own miscreations...
Whether it be...Consciously or Unconsciously...
Individually or Collectively...
The existence of war, killing, injustice, abuse, destruction of Our Beloved Mother Earth & and her children, and the denial of freedoms...
It is then our responsibility to bring Voice and Action to this Purpose.
It is our responsibility to do what we can,
with & through the Power of God to change the status quo...
Nothing has ever changed for the good on our planet or in our world
through silence, inaction or denial.

It may be an illusion...
But We, collectively, have created this illusion...
And, We collectively have birthed it into reality...
And it is now up to us to dissolve the illusion
And to consciously choose to create a New Reality!

This is the Truth of Our Being...
and the Purpose for which we were Created.
We are more Powerful than we realize
We now hold within our Lives a responsibility greater than we can possibly fathom...

It matters not so much, that which you choose to Stand up for and bring into the Light...
(And Standing Up does not mean Fighting Against)
I heard it said once that, "If you don't Stand for Something...You will Fall for Anything"

What does matter, then, is that you choose to Stand up at all.
That you Choose...To Shine your Light,
That you Choose...To Raise your Voice,
That you Choose...To be True to the Stirrings of your Heart.
That you Choose...To Act by whatever means you are Divinely Guided.

The time is Now...
The moment is at Hand...
"We are the Ones we have been waiting for!"...
By and for all that is Sacred...Just Act!

“You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of your grandfathers.
So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin.
Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the earth is our mother.
Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth.
If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.
And what is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit.
For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man.
All things are connected.” ~ Chief Seattle

http://action.defenders.org/site/PageServer?pagename=savewolves_takeaction

Prayers for Our Beloved Luna (LLJL)

Prayers for Our Beloved Luna ~ by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo ~

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Friday, October 9, 2009 at 3:05am
 
My Most Beloved Friends,

I beg your indulgence...
That I must begin with a warning...
And an apology...

This night has not been Pretty...
And Yes, This is in part...
A Rant...

But it is also...
A Call for Heavenly Intervention,
And Divine Dispensation...

Sometimes the depths of the insanity becomes overwhelming...
And I lack the foresight, wisdom and where-with-all to understand...
This morning the US government, in all its infinite wisdom,
Obviously deciding they have done enough damage to Our Home,
Our Most Beloved Mother Earth...
And, apparently unable to decipher anymore novel ways to wreak further destruction upon Her...
As most of you know...
Is now going after Our most Sacred Moon...

NASA is literally planning on bombing Her...
Make no mistake...
This is no exaggeration...
Or over- the- top ploy...
The stage is set...systems are go...
They are going to bomb the Moon!

Even though I have had knowledge of this for some time now...
Last night the magnitude of this insanity really hit me,
As I watched the 11:00 "news report", (and I use the term loosely)
Those who would call themselves journalists,
Those from my chosen profession,
A profession that, I believed, once was of the most noblest on the planet.

Spewing out this "news", with wide toothy grins,
With about as much sobriety,
As if it were a recant of a hog calling contest at the State Fair.
Behaving like breast fed, government issue, clueless automatons.
Reporting it as, simply, "an experiment right out of a Science Fiction novel...Yuck, Yuck, Yuck..."

I am certain that my personal journalistic hero, Edward R.Murrow is,
Even as I write this, madly puffing on his Camels and beating his fists widely,
Sending the angels reeling from his fury,
As he broadcasts this travesty, high atop his heavenly newsroom.

My stomach is turning...
My head is spinning in incredulous horror...
My tears are showing no signs of drying...

It is at times like these, I wonder how we will ever break through...
Although I know, in my soul, we will...
How can those with eyes to see...
Consciously and Deliberately, continue to remain blind,
To the self serving agendas of the elite...
And to the seeming never-ending destruction of the Universe.

Please, if you understand the possible and probable ramifications of this insanity,
Of this unbelievably horrific and irresponsible act...
Do what you can...
Act as you must...
And if you feel so moved, post this note on your wall.

Rant, Rave, Howl,
Stomp your feet, Shake your fists,
Rattle the bastions of the Heavens,
Storm the gates of the Universal Palaces,

Do so, not through the eyes of fear...
But with Clarity of Vision!

Pray, Meditate, Set the Intentions,
Project Great Streams of Light and Healing Energy,
Send endless Blessing to our Beloved Luna,
And, above all else, beg her Forgiveness.

Let Spirit know, this is not of the intention, nor the actions,
Of the majority of the offspring of Gaia!
Raise Your Hearts and Voices...
Cry from the very depths of your Souls to the Sky...

Beloved Grand Mother Moon...
We who are your Children...
With most Profound Gratitude, Respect and Sadness...
Send you Great Oceans of Comfort, Love and Healing Light...

And So It Is!!!!
And So May it Be!!!

Earth Teach Me an Earth Day Sharing (LLJL)

"Earth Teach Me" ~ a Note in honor of "Earth Day/Everyday"

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 11:40am


My Beloved Sisters and Brothers,

"O' Mitakuye Oyasin" ~ I bow in honor to All My Relations ~

The calendar has marked this date as "Earth Day"...
But indeed, the Elders understood that every day we walk upon this sacred soil
Is the day...the time...to Honor the Earth our Beloved Mother.

She is not simply a place by which we earn our keep or live our lives...
She is the haven, sustenance and nuturance which enables us to Walk our Path.
She is Consciousness,
She is Heart,
She is Alive,
She is Spirit.

She gives of herself freely...
Asking only that we honor her gifts...
And treat all who walk, crawl, swim or fly with dignity and respect.

On this "Earth Day" let it be my prayer...

Great Spirit, may we learn to become grateful and worthy stewards
of our Beloved Mother and all her children.

Many Blessings to you all...
Walk gently and with reverance upon the earth this day and everyday...
Listen for She has much to teach us...



Earth, Teach Me

Earth teach me quiet ~ as the grasses are still with new light.
Earth teach me suffering ~ as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility ~ as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring ~ as mothers nurture their young.
Earth teach me courage ~ as the tree that stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation ~ as the ant that crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom ~ as the eagle that soars in the sky.
Earth teach me acceptance ~ as the leaves that die each fall.
Earth teach me renewal ~ as the seed that rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself ~ as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness ~ as dry fields weep with rain.

~ A Ute Prayer

Some Quotes to Honor Gandhiji's Birthday Observed Globally Today! (LLJL)

Some Quotes to Honor Gandhiji's Birthday Observed Globally Today!

by Linda Living Joy Lorenzo on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 12:58pm
Non-violence and peace are all best exemplified with one name – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948),
also known as Mahatma Gandhi.
Today is the 141st birthday of one of the world’s most notable peace-keepers: Mohandas Gandhi.
Countless observances and gatherings are celebrating the birth anniversary of Gandhiji around the world.
Residing in the minds of millions, Gandhiji was able to unite India like none other.
Gandhiji was a prophet of truth (Satyagraha) and ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence).
He started the ‘Satyagraha’ movement for the Indian freedom struggle.
He believed in living a simple life and in ‘Swadeshi’.

Gandhiji proved to the world that freedom can be achieved through the path of non-violence –
a true symbol of peace and truth.
On the eve of the birth anniversary of Gandhiji,
US ambassador Timothy J Roemer said the shining beacon of Gandhiji’s example has never been more relevant.
“The light it offers the world has never been more essential,”
Expressing concern over people forgetting Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals and remember him in a customary manner
on the birth anniversary, his grand daughter, Sumitra Gandhi Kulkarni said
that people should practise his teachings in their lives instead of just eulogising him on his birthday.
“People of this country are slowly forgetting Mahatma Gandhi
and engaged in just remembering him in a customary manner,”
The day is also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations.

In honor of this most Beloved Man and Mentor to us All...
I am sharing some of his most profound quotes...

"I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present.
God has given me no control over the moment following. "

"I have also seen children successfully surmounting the effects of an evil inheritance.
That is due to purity being an inherent attribute of the soul."

"I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills.
All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could."

"I have worshipped woman as the living embodiment of the spirit of service and sacrifice."

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

"I object to violence because when it appears to do good,
the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent."

"I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality."

"I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people."

"If co-operation is a duty, I hold that non-co-operation also under certain conditions is equally a duty."

"If patience is worth anything, it must endure to the end of time.
And a living faith will last in the midst of the blackest storm."

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war,
we shall have to begin with the children."

"In a gentle way, you can shake the world."

"In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place."

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

"Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?"

"God is, even though the whole world deny him. Truth stands,
even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained."

"God, as Truth, has been for me a treasure beyond price. May He be so to every one of us."

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

"Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress."

"I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill."

"I claim that human mind or human society is not divided into watertight compartments called social,
political and religious. All act and react upon one another."

"Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances."

"In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart."

"Increase of material comforts, it may be generally laid down,
does not in any way whatsoever conduce to moral growth.

"Infinite striving to be the best is man's duty; it is its own reward. Everything else is in God's hands."

"Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being."

"Let everyone try and find that as a result of daily prayer he adds something new to his life,
something with which nothing can be compared."

"My religion is based on truth and non-violence.
Truth is my God. Non-violence is the means of realising Him."

"Nearly everything you do is of no importance, but it is important that you do it."

"My life is my message."

Don't Forget, Not Ever by Leonard Peltier

LEONARD PELTIER: DON’T FORGET. NOT EVER.
Leonard Peltier and his art created in prison…
We are all victims of the system 6-27-10

Greetings,

I want to first say thank you--thank you for taking the time and making the commitment to come to this place--but thank you mostly for remembering.

Sometimes I sit in this cage and I find myself wondering if anyone really remembers. Many days, remembering is all my mind allows me to do. So, again, thank you. Thank you for bearing witness and being a part of a living memory.

But maybe the most important thing I'd like to say is don't forget. Not ever.

You must be the historians who keep this lesson alive because this story isn't about one day, one event, one person, or even one lifetime. This is a story that goes all the way back to the day a misguided fool, whose name I won't even mention, led his troops in an attack on innocent people at the Greasy Grass, and in the process got himself and over two hundred of his troopers killed.

And while the victors on that day had no choice but to defend themselves, we have been the victims of a genocidal revenge that continues until this very moment.

So don't forget. Not ever.

It is vengeance that preoccupies the mind of the colonizer. It is this fervor to show us who is boss that led to the massacre at Wounded Knee, the theft of the Black Hills, the establishment of boarding schools, and the criminalization of our languages and traditional ways.

It is vengeance that armed the GOON squads, killed our leaders, and surrounded our people at Wounded Knee again in 1973. Revenge is why they today prosecute Indian people for the crimes they know the government committed during their murderous campaigns of the last generation.

Vengeance is what killed Joe Stuntz, Anna Mae Aquash, Buddy Lamont and so many others. Getting even is what keeps me in prison.

So don't forget. Not ever.

All of these events are bound together, interrelated and interdependent. And quite clearly the lesson they intend for us to learn is don't defend yourselves. Don't stand up for what is right. Don't think for yourselves. Don't choose to be who you are. Don't remember your ancestors. Don't live in defense of the Earth. Don't you do it! Don't even think about it. If you do, this government--this mindset of control--will unleash an attack so vast it will even seek to destroy our genetic memories.

So don't forget. Not ever.

In days past, some among our people were induced to become "scouts." For whatever reasons, these individuals made possible the treacherous campaigns that resulted in the deaths of countless innocent people. These days--sadly--there are still these types amongst us. The government preys on the weaknesses of these people, inducing them to turn against the rest of us. The government uses this treachery to cover up state sanctioned murder and terrorism. They do this and then tell us that what we remember didn't really happen at all, as though memory or truth is something to be shaped and molded to fit a preconceived outcome.

So don't forget. Not ever.

We gather today after decades and generations of blood and trauma. We gather in defiance. And we remember.

We remember not just one day or one event, because remembering what occurred on June 25 or June 26--or any particular date--is important, but not as important as an understanding of the ongoing campaign of colonization. This is a continuing human drama of slaughter and uncontrollable bloodlust and we're still here, engaged in our running defense; praying for balance, peace and justice; and trying to make some sense of it all. Perhaps, in the face of such a menace, the most important thing we can do is remember.

So teach your children. Pass this knowledge. Don't forget. Not ever.

Remembering is resisting and, if we remember, then we'll be free one day. Free of their mindset. Free of their theft. Free of their guns and their bombs. Free of their cages. Free to be who we are. And free of their fear. That's the truest freedom of all and true freedom is what this is really all about, not the illusion of freedom they offer us.

So don't forget. Not ever.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier

James O'Dea on Sacred Action

You were born for such a time as this.I ask you to look at your world, in fact I beseech you not to live in denial. Be courageous and face this moment in time consciously and with all the discernment and clarity within your power. With intellect, with heart, with spiritual intelligence, decipher the hour, the moment in evolutionary time that calls you to be a witness. Indeed you are called, whether you are young or old, otherwise you wouldn't be here now, in this defining epoch of earth's story, and of the human story itself.

You were born for such a time as this. I know that you must feel challenged, because we are all challenged, the air we breath is challenged, The oceans are challenged, the great forests, the birds, the fish, the frogs, the butterflies and thousands of species of earth's great masterpiece of life are challenged in every way. Heroic efforts are being made everywhere to raise the alarm and bare witness to ecological destruction, disease, poverty, genocide, violent conflict and hostile aggression.

The scale of humanities challenges can seem overwhelming. As I ask you not to live in denial, I also ask you not to become disillusioned, to throw your hands up in despair or to become numbed, for we know that this is the time for an awakened consciousness. For alertness, for a heightened focus and clarity about the nature of our challenges. An awakened consciousness is fundamentally different than one that is distracted, anxiety ridden, or preoccupied with blame. An awakened consciousness is radically open to transformation at all levels, from you the individual to the collective. It knows that zealous crusades are a part of the old way of doing business along with converts, captured territories and strategies for global domination.

We know that transformation is also more than mental formulas and good ideas. It touches something very deep, something so essential that it effects both heart and mind. Of course there is no single type of transformation, no singular modality where one recipe works for all, nor is it linear sequential. Transformation may be preceded and followed by steadfast effort, the summoning of will, the continuity of practice but it has its own mystery. It can bring a subtle shift which reveals an entirely new perspective or it can bring a jolt, or flash of insight which has the power to reorganize our lives or it can provide the impetus for a great leap of faith. More than anything, transformation requires courage, the courage to face the truth that your own being has great depth. Yes, that within you, consciousness can flow from separate little islands of thought and conditioned response to a seemingly oceanic sense of receptivity, connectivity and coherence. You live in a time when mystical and metaphysical based on thousands of years of experiential work are in dialogue with contemporary secular, scientific modalities.

If you were looking for confirmation of depth, interconnectedness, expanded human capacities, the evidence is there. If you were looking for the evidence of trans formative power of love and forgiveness, gratefulness and altruism, the evidence is there. if you were looking at the role consciousness plays in healing, in physical, emotional, psychological, and social healing, the evidence is there. So if you have decided to face the stark reality of the world as it is in this moment knowing fully that our Eco system is threatened as never before in the history of this planet, that the very basis of international law and civility is being dangerously eroded. That fear, hatred, and disillusionment are on the rise everywhere. That humiliation is fueling bitter resentment and incendiary violence, that hypocrisy and half truths hold onto the great levers of power and that media conglomerates act as surrogate messengers for the maintenance of the status qou…..but you were born for such a time as this.

if you have the courage to face whatever it is you consider the most accurate reflection of the threat and peril earth and all life now faces, then I believe you must also have the courage to face that in the midst of disillusion, dysfunctional hierarchies, dying powers, wars over beliefs and resources in the midst of systemic breakdown and the collapse of sustainable behaviors and world views, there is something stirring that offers hope, that offers the possibility of personal, social and even global transformation. This stirring within consciousness itself heralds a clear understanding that once we see the damage being done to the whole we can no longer aggressively pursue the limited self interest of the parts.

When the parts are at war with each other then the whole suffers. This is true in the health of an individual, as it is in a family, as it is so for a society and as we now see for the earth in its entirety. Holistic health inevitably addresses whole systems. An individual can not truly be healthy in a sick society. We see a new breed of economists, psychologist's, scientists and spiritual activists who not only appreciate this truth, they have begun to embody it in a new science of healing, a new science of interdependence in a movement that lays out the vision and practice of economic and ecological sustainability. We see that consciousness is itself an almost limitless resource of creativity and compassion. It is a movement that seeks to protect biodiversity and that honors human diversity and cultural plurality. We are not designed to be clones. Being, itself expresses uniqueness, a uniqueness that seeks to fulfill its own particular destiny. This is the essence of the transformation that lies ahead.

In honoring uniqueness and diversity in the context of interdependence, in revealing the profound resources of consciousness itself and its fundamentally relational and healing aspects, we have begun to glimpse as never before a world that works for all. Integral medicine, which combines the inner and the outer systems, although in its early days has far outpaced integral education, yet we have begun to see that an educational system that starves the inner life of children, that fails to nurture emotional intelligence, that does not speak to the soul, simply will not serve us for the mighty task ahead.

It takes courage to heal. It takes courage to speak on behalf of the whole. To be a voice, a full expression for the earth and for its diverse species, for all human life, for a consciousness that knows that peace is our inheritance and that our responsibility is to reveal our interdependence. It takes courage for science and spirituality to dialogue and illuminate new possibilities for human kind. It takes courage to reach toward the manifestation of a vision that transforms enemies into allies and disillusionment into hope, But you were born for such a time as this.

Andrew Harvey on Sacred Activism

"Run my friends, far away from all futile solutions.
Let divine passion triumph and rebirth you in yourself.
Imagine a world, my friends, in which we let the divine passion triumph in ourselves
and then work through that passion together in networks of grace
to start a global revolution of love in action.

That is the world that is being offered to us by this tremendous crisis
and by the Divine and may we all have the courage and the peace
and the energy and the love to enact that passion into reality now
when everything is at stake.

We must turn our whole being to God in praise and longing so our
actions are illuminated, guided and energized by Divine Light,
for God is everywhere working a massive resurrection

and it is the Destiny of our time to be the birthing ground of this resurrection.
We have very little time in which to awaken and transform ourselves,
To be able to preserve and to heal the divisions between the powerful
and the powerless. Let us go forward now, with firm resolve and profound dedication…”

~ Andrew Harvey

A Call for Action by Adlai Stevenson

"We travel together as passengers on a little spaceship, dependent on its vulnerable reserves of air and soil; all committed for our safety to its security and peace; preserved from annihilation only by the care, the work, and I'll say the love we give our fragile craft. We cannot maintain it half fortunate, half miserable, half confident, half despairing, half slave to the ancient enemies of man, half free in liberation of resources undreamed of until this day. No craft, no crew can travel safely with such contradictions. On their resolution depends the survival of us all." - Adlai Stevenson

In Celebration of Peace in Action (LLJL)

I wanted to take this chance to wish everyone a most Blessed Easter...and to share that this day is also, National Day of Nonviolence. This day commemorates the anniversary of the assassination of Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 by asking everyone to work harder for peace. This day is also the birthday of Beloved Soul Maya Angelou...Much to celebrate and to affirm on this day please keep thoughts of peace uppermost in your prayers, thoughts and intentions, and if you get the chance wish Miss Maya a Blessed Birthday! ~

May our Hearts and Minds, on this most glorious of days, be Resurrected out of the Shadows and into the Lights that we Are...May we roll back the stones of indifference, hate and greed and Shine the Light of Peace, Joy and Love wherever we go...May we go forth with conviction, to be the vessels of Action, Justice, Compassion and Truth!

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity...At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love...A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." ~ MLK

"Out of the huts of history's shame
rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise."
~ Maya Angelou

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"..."I say, I've fed his sheep. Now I'll tend to them, ... tend to my sheep.”...“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.”... ~ Jesus the Christ

Excerpt of 1908 Speech by Eugene V. Debs

"Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man's business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man.

Thousands of years ago the question was asked; ''Am I my brother's keeper?'' That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.Yes, I am my brother's keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death." ~ Eugene V. Debs, 1908 speech

With all we have available today at our disposal...Physcially, Mentally, Scientifically, Monetarily, Emotionally and Spiritually...and this speech is still relevant...We must pause to ask ourselves but one question..."Why?"

We, The Decent People ~ Wilferd A. Peterson

We, The Decent People
~ Wilferd A. Peterson

"We are the decent people of the world.

We are in the majority, for men and women are essentially decent.
We live in all nations, we live under all the flags that fly.

Decency is not determined by our economic status, our religion, the language we speak, the color of our skin, or the ideology under which we live.
Human decency is a universal quality.

We, the decent people of the world, often have our voices drowned out by the shouts of leaders who misrepresent the things for which we stand.

WE THE DECENT PEOPLE CARRY ENOUGH WEIGHT TO TIP THE SCALES IF WE WILL MAKE OURSELVES HEARD....

We believe that war is the great indecency,
that it kills and destroys all the higher sensibilities of humankind and leaves only death, suffering, and destruction in its wake.

We believe that this is a beautiful universe
and that it is made for love and not for hate;
for peace and not war;
for freedom and not slavery;
for order and not riot;
for compassion and not violence;
for happiness and not misery.

We believe that there is only one war to be waged in the name of human decency,
and that is the war against all the common enemies of humankind...
hunger, disease, poverty, ignorance, crime and failure.

We believe that every child should have the chance to grow up in an atmosphere of faith, not of fear.

We believe that the ultimate decency is to help each other and never harm,
to lift each other up and not degrade,
and to respect the dignity of all as individual human beings.

We the decent people of the world stand for the kind of life that will be good for all of the people, all of the time, everywhere."

Rude Awakening

"Last night I found out, that pretty soon this Planet, Our Home, Our Mother Earth will not be able to support life.
We won't be able to breathe...We won't be able to swim...We won't be able to walk in the sun.
Now, I believe that God made us from this Earth, with a purpose.
To be Her ears...To be Her eyes...
But we've stopped seeing and we're not listening.
And pretty soon if we don't open Our Hearts and Our Minds...
Then that's IT...The End!
I know a lot has changed since the 60's but I still believe that in each one of us,
In every individual there is this Light...this Spirit!
It's a beautiful Spirit, and it says...
I WANT TO LIVE!...I WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE!...I WANT TO LIVE IN BEAUTY!
I want to live the way God designed it!
Now the only way we are going to change the situation, here...
Is if you and you and you and everybody here will get everybody they know...
And everybody they know will get everybody they know to come together,
As one relentless force to fight for the kind of world we want to live in...
A world for our children...
This is OUR RESPONSIBILITY!
To serve with Love this great Spirit we share with each other...
And with this Earth...Our Home!"

(Fred Wook/Eric Roberts addressing the students at NYU from the 1989 movie "Rude Awakening")

How many bells are going off here?...sound familiar?...
How many of my fellow Heart Activists from the 60's are out there reading this?
Reawaken to your purpose...our mission is not yet accomplished...
The world...this earth...our Mother...our children are calling out for our Light...

ARISE FROM YOUR SLUMBER, DISSILLUSIONMENT AND APATHY
THE TIME IS NOW!
WE ARE THE ONE'S WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

What are we Here for? ~ Ron Atchison

"What are we here for, if not to help one another?
Surely, we didn't come all this way to be comfortable
We didn't travel across so much time and space
To impress our neighbors with our fancy cars.
And we're certainly not here to sit on the sidelines
And watch the world go by on our big screen tv's...
So what are we here for, if not to help one another?"

~ Ron Atchison

(Picture ~ scene from Joplin, MO ~ tornado aftermath)







The Global Pledge of Allegiance by Edna Reitz

In Honor of Earth Day...(For Me, this says it all!)

The Global Pledge of Allegiance by Edna Reitz

(A Framed copy of this has hung proudly for over 20 years on the wall of my home...)

I Pledge Allegiance to the Earth
And to the Universal Spirit
Which gives us Life;
One Planet, Indivisible
With Peace and Justice for Us All.

I Pledge to do my Best
To unhold the Trust bestowed
In the Gift of my Life;
To care for Our Planet
And our Atmosphere,
To Respect and Honor
All her Inhabitants,
All People, Animals,
Plants and Resources,
To Create a Legacy
For Our Children
And Our Children's Children
In a World of Harmony and Love.

I Pledge Allegiance
To the Universal Spirit,
By whatever Name it may be called.
I align my Life
With the ongoing Process
of Creation;
To grow Myself with Care,
To Act from My Own Integrity,
To Be for Others
How I would want them
To Be for Me.

Together
May We carry this Vision
Into our Hearts,
Into our Daily Choices,
And through Our
Expanding Consciousness
Within and Beyond Our Planet.

Edna Reitz, 1988

This is the Hour - The Hopi Nation Elders

This says it all...everything that I have been feeling and intuitively been given...
We are indeed the One's we have been waiting for....and Now is the Hour!

This is the Hour
~ The Hopi Nation Elders

"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold onto the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart
and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The elders say we must let go of the shore,
push off into the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally.
Least of all, ourselves.
For the moment that we do,
our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for."

Embracing the Mystery - Anon

EMBRACING THE MYSTERY
~ Anonymous

When all the words have been written, and all the phrases have been spoken, the great mystery of life will still remain. We may map the terrains of our lives, measure the farthest reaches of the universe, but no amount of searching will ever reveal for certain whether we are all children of chance or part of a great design.

And who among us would have it otherwise? Who would wish to take the mystery out of the experience of looking into a newborn infant’s eyes? Who would not feel in violation of something great if we had knowledge of what has departed when we stare into the face of one who has died? These are the events that made us human, that define the distance between the stars and us.

Still, this life is not easy. Much of its mystery is darkness. Tragedies occur, injustices exist. Bad things befall good people and sufferings are visited upon the innocent. To live we must take the lives of other species, to survive we must leave some of our brothers and sisters by the side of the road. We are prisoners of time, victims of biology, hostages of our own capacity to dream.

At times it all seems too much, impossible to accept.

We must stand against this. The world is a great mysterious place, and it’s possibilities are infinite, governed only by what our hearts can conceive. If we incline our hearts towards the darkness, we will see darkness. If we incline them toward the light, we will see the light.

Those of great heart have always known this. They have understood that, as honorable as it is to see the wrong and try to correct it, a life well lived must somehow celebrate the promise that life provides. The darkness at the limits of our knowledge; the darkness that sometimes seem to surround us is merely a way to make us reach beyond certainty, to make our lives a witness to hope, a testimony to possibility, an urge toward the best and the most honorable impulses that our hearts can conceive.

It is not hard. There is in each of us, no matter how humble, a capacity for love. Even if our lives have not taken the course we had envisioned, even if we are less than the shape of our dreams, we are part of the human family. Somewhere, in the most inconsequential corners of our lives, is the opportunity for love.

If I am blind, I can run my hand across the back of a shell and celebrate beauty. If I have no legs, I can sit in quiet wonder before the restless murmurs of the sea. If I am wounded in spirit, I can reach out my hand to those who are hurting. If I am lonely, I can go among those who are desperate for love. There is no tragedy or injustice so great, no life so small and inconsequential, that we cannot bear witness to the light in the quiet acts and hidden moments of our days.

And who can say which of these acts and moments will make a difference? The universe is vast and is a magical membrane of meaning, stretching across time and space, and it is not given to us to know her secrets and her ways. Perhaps we were placed here to meet the challenge of a single moment; perhaps the touch we give will cause the touch that will change the world.


A Personal Prayer for Peace (LLJL)

I wanted to share you with a horrific situation that just occurred two days ago right here in Rochester,
to a friend of my daughter...
This is a clarion call to All for your Prayers and Energy of Healing and Light...
This is the scenario...
Three young men decide for whatever reason to sit down one afternoon,
put a gun with one bullet in the chamber between the three of them and play a deadly game...
One of them was nineteen years with a new born baby in the next room...
Did they think it would be fun to play out a video game or TV show or movie?
Maybe this gun could go off, or maybe not..
No matter let's play and we'll see what tomorrow brings...
One click...nothing and laughter...
The Second click...nothing more laughter...
Laughter is still permeating the air, when the third click is released...
And the third player falls lifeless, a pool of blood covering all...
And in an instant every life, as they knew it, at that table ended right then and there.
When they tried to revive him they saw their error
It was not a game...
It was not a joke and yes the bullet was live...
And a 19 year old boy with an infant child is dead.
Was it sucide, Was it murder?
Some strange Kevorkian twist of fate that brought friends together to send someone to the other side before their time...?
Well this is real...and this is forever.
I am struggling to understand what these young men were thinking...
And am overwhelmed by the insanity and senselessness of such an act..
I am really having a hard time processing it all...
My heart is broken for all involved in this tragic situation...
And has brought up many painful memories of my own beautiful brother's passing some 47 years ago...
Who consciously ended his own life by the barrel of gun...
This happened right here in Rochester, NY and not a word has been broadcasted or published about this...
Please keep all in your prayers!
May angels surround them all...
And may we finally realize the insanity that a violent society has wrought...
A Change in thinking and acting...
A Shift in Consciousness must come...
May we finally understand and live in the ways of Peace
For this are my most fervent prayers offered up today!
Please join me in this quest...
Many Blessings to you All...