the silver lining is known as a hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty, it is literally the presence of light that surrounds and defines a cloud.
This is my silver lining
Once uponall the time, something challenging happens, followed by something amazing...
Breath. It's all we really need... Well, that and maybe a couple of other things, like water and computers... hehe... but it's the main thing. It's always with there... Me and breath, til death do we part.:-) Our seldom acknowledged in and outs of life... literally. Breathing is what keeps us alive, helps us calm down, and prevents us from staying underwater for too long... It is one of the few things we can trust ourselves to do without too much thought or effort. Here is a great quote, since I'm always using other peoples words to get my points across and save my breath : )...
“. . . see without looking, . . . hear without listening, . . . breathe without asking.” W. H. Auden
I love that. So simple. All these things that we can just do... that sometimes we force, but when we experience them as they happen, are just perfect. Breathing. It is such an easy thing to forget about, even while you're doing it, and yet if we weren't breathing, boy would we miss it! Just like I missed adding another quote... so here's another goodie:
“A man who has to be convinced to act before he acts is not a man of action. You must act as you breathe.” George Clemenceau
I hate to be redundant, but... I love it!! Imagine if acting on an idea was as easy as taking a breath in, and producing a result was easy as an exhale... well... drumrolllllllll..... IT IS!! The only thing that prevents us from allowing things into action is our thought about them. We don't judge our breath, (well most of the time), thinking it's to long to last, or too shallow to make it through the day. We just do it. Wait a minute... so that means if we act like we breathe, then to act, all we need to remember... is to just do it. Wow, I've written that before, and I'll write it again... Just. Do. It. Makes sense, now huh??!!! Ahhhhhhh...(exhale!)
Our breath is what keeps us active and all we have to do is just go with it. Just like a car has to be running to go anywhere, we have to be breathing... then the possibilities are endless!! Once we're turned on we can go wherever we want, we simply pick a place, and go there... or drive around for a while enjoying the ride, the music, and the scenery until we end up somewhere we love!
So just breathe... inhale as you smile at how easy it is, and exhale, knowing that you now have all you need to "just do" anything... as long as you keep breathing!!!
Today's Silver Lining:
"There's a light at each end of this tunnel, You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out, And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again, If you only try turning around. 2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song, If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me, Threatening the life it belongs to, And I feel like I'm naked in front, of the crowd, Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud, And I know that you'll use them, however you want to, But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable, And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table, No one can find the rewind button now, Sing it if you understand... and breathe, just breathe" Breathe (2am.)- by Anna Nalick
Miracle: n.- an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause; such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of god; any amazing or wonderful occurrence
Just so we're all clear on what a miracle is : -) Now when I think of miracles, I usually think of angels and light and waterfalls and rainbows, well that has changed! Today I heard a song, and I could hardly believe it was true... these hardcore dudes, rapping and swearing about how much of a miracle this life is. I mean. Crazy. They even say effing rainbows... haha!! I mean the song is a little crude for those who don't like the dirty language, so beware if the kids are around... but they have a point! As tough and hardcore as these guys are, they can still see how amazing each star in the sky is, and how obvious miracles are in the little things all around us. They explain in their music what Albert Einstein said:
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
That's just the thing, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, we aren't as different as we appear! Things are changing, expanding, shifting, and everyone is starting to notice... In a weird way it's like we are all starting to become more similar, even amidst our differences.
I was watching these videos my Uncle Peter has been making for chiropractors, and they're just some tips and inspiration for fellow chiros to help with their practice and support each other in general. While I was watching, even though I'm not a chiropractor, I could relate to so much of what he was saying. So much of what works for one specific thing can also be applied to several things. I always tell people, it's not so much where you go location wise that matters when you travel, it's how you go mentally! You can go to India and stay in a resort and learn nothing about them, or yourself... or you can go down the street to a local bar with an open mind and meet someone who teaches you about something that changes your life... It's all about being open to change and learning from everything in life without judgement... being eager to see things from someones else's point of view. It's about being able to look at gangsters and be grateful for the reminder on how amazing this life really is, and realizing you're both witnessing the same wonders, without judging them for the clown makeup on their face and baggy pants...lol!!
The more we start to become aware of just how amazing even the things that we don't relate to/understand are, the more these miracles seem to pop up, because we are open to pay attention and be grateful! It can happen any time... in places we'd least expect it, shown to us by people we'd never guess we see it from, in forms we may even judge. So, I guess what I'm basically trying to say, is the same thing as Thoreau:
“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?”
Today's Silver Lining:
"Miracles each and every where you look, And nobody has to stay where they put, This world is yours for you to explore, there's nothing but miracles beyond your door, The Dark Carnival is your invitation, To witness that without explanation, Take a look at this fine creation, And enjoy it better with appreciation, Crows, ghosts, the midnight coast, The wonders of the world, mysteries the most, Just open your mind, and it ain't no way, To ignore the miracles of every day." Miracles- by Insane Clown Posse
So many times in life, things aren't quite shaping up to our expectations, or liking. So many times we hit a point where it looks like there is nothing we can to do get what we need. I have many moments where I have no clue how I'm gonna make it from one dot to the next, but without fail, a line always appears connecting me to where I need to be... even if the line doesn't go to the dot I thought it would... I know that it's not until the end that I will see the picture I'm creating.
It's hard not to worry sometimes; when the bills are high, and money's low... when someone we love is sick... when we lose something that we never thought we would... but even in times like these, things work themselves out some how. One of my favorite lessons on this is from the bible:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34
It is so true, everything else around us is taken care of, so of course we will be too!! There is nothing worrying can do, and as Leo Buscaglia says: "Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy." If these words aren't doing it for you, don't worry... that's what the silver lining is for!! The advice of the 2 furry creatures below really hit it home, and are sure to remind you of their catchy mantra, which always makes me forget about my worries... well at least while I'm singing along!! :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy, Hakuna Matata!"
"Don't worry a-bout a thing, 'cause ev-ry little thing gonna be all right. Singing': "Don't worry about a thing, 'cause ev-ry little thing gonna be all right!" Rise up this mornin'; smiled with the risin' sun. Three little birds pitch by my doorstep, Singin' sweet songs of melodies pure and true; saying, "This is my message to you-ou-ou.” Three Little Birds- by Bob Marley
1. A typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth, especially in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism.
2. A representation of such a being, especially in Christianity, conventionally in the image of a human figure with a halo and wings.
3. angels Christianity The last of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. From the highest to the lowest in rank, the orders are: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels.
4. A guardian spirit or guiding influence. 5.a. A kind and lovable person.b. One who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness
When I was a little girl I had lots of friends... nobody else could see them or hear them, but to me they were as real as the sunlight... they were angels. They told me stories, helped me build forts and write poems. I grew up in a Catholic school, where angels were part of a simple definitive lesson... something as easy as 2+2=4... my experience didn't add up. One day I was taught to believe that they have wings and live with God in heaven, and get to wear cool tinsel halos around their head at the Christmas play. I figured that angels weren't my friends, since they lived in heaven, so I stopped talking to them and making castles for us to play in together. As time has passed and I have seen many other perspectives of them... from celestial beings of light and simple plants, to my mom... I have realized that like so many things in life there are many places from which people look at angels, thus many angles from which people see them depending on where they're looking from.
To some they are shunned, associated with fantasy... to some they are an image from a book, they sing in choirs in heaven and wear all white and have golden halos of light ... to some they are profound sacred guides that are always there for assistance in times of need... to some they are people who make them smile... as for me, well, I'm moving around so much, I've seen many too many angles to pick one angel... but I am grateful for all of the above!! I've also found that many more people now strive to be their own angels... as defined in #5!
No matter how it looks from wherever you are... it's your angle on angels that you see... so don't be too quick to judge someone else's angel, before you're standing on their ledge viewing things from their angle :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Says she talks to angels, Says they all know her name, Oh yeah, she talks to angels, Says they call her out by her name. She don't know no lover, None that I ever seen, And to her that ain't nothing, But to me, It means, means everything." She Talks to Angels- by The Black Crows
Fake it till you make it:is a common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence.
Sometimes in life you aren't quite where you wanna be, and you just have to fool the world, (and yourself), into thinking you are... you've gotta fake it til you make it! I was reminded of this lesson in yoga today of all places. The teacher was telling us to give gratitude for all the things we have and then for the things we don't have as if we do... she said you may not have them, but just keep saying thank you for them as if you do, and fake it til you make it.
Sometimes in life there are those moments where we are in a place that looks so far from we want to be, that it seems impossible to get there ... and it is in those moments where the thoughts you think create the transportation, or lack there of, to get there. When you believe in your dreams, your capabilities, yourself... you're on your way there!! Some places have a longer journey to take than others, but they're all reachable as long as we continue our way, and don't stop fueling our thought bus with the belief to get us there.
I have found that in my life if there is something I truly want, I will find a way to get it. If I seem to be lazy on the way there, or standing in one place, I ask myself, "Is this where I really want to be going?" Many times I find it's not, and get my head, to head somewhere else! The things that we really feel good about and love to spend our time on will naturally occupy our thoughts on their own, creating a joy ride to success!! When we think as if we are, we eventually build our belief in that... and whatever you believe you receive!
So fake it til ya make it, and you may realize before long, that you already are!!
Here's someone teaching me this:
Here's the first thing, (and one of the only one's that I use), I learned on guitar when I was in Asia... it was the perfect first lesson, and I realized then just how powerful it was to fake it til you make it!! :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Well you might be a bit confused, and you might be a little bit bruised, but baby how we spoon like no one else. So I will help you read those books, if you will soothe my worried looks, and we will put the lonesome on the shelf. Oh let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the South of France, let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters, and teach them how to dance, let's get rich and build our house on a mountain, making everybody look like ants, from way up there you and I, you and I." You and I- by Ingrid Michaelson
Happy Earth Day everybody!!!!! Of course, I soooo love this day... especially lately since I've adopted the motto: "go green, or bust!!" So now that we've had the day to celebrate this beautiful planet we live on by using our eco friendly bags, and posting love notes to mother earth on facebook; let's take a minute to get to know the birthday girl a little better, shall we....
Earth: is the third planet from the Sun, and the fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the Solar System's densest planet, as well as the largest of its four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the World, the Blue Planet, or by its Latin name, Terra. Home to millions of species including humans, Earth is the only place in the universe where life is known to exist.
Pachamama: is usually translated as "Mother Earth" but a more literal translation would be "Mother world" (in Aymara and Quechua mama = mother / pacha = world or land; and later spread fairly modern as the cosmos or the universe) Pachamama and Inti are the most benevolent deities and are worshiped in parts of the Andean mountain ranges, also known as Tawantinsuyu (stretching from present day Ecuador to Chile and Argentina). In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. Since Pachamama is a "good mother", people usually toast to her honor before every meeting or festivity, in some regions by spilling a small amount of chicha on the floor, before drinking the rest. This toast is called "challa" and it's made almost everyday. Pachamama has a special worship day called "Martes de challa" (Challa's Tuesday) where people bury food, throw candies, burn incense. In some cases, celebrants assist traditional priests, known as "yatiris" in Aymara, in performing ancient rites to bring good luck or the good will of the goddess, such as sacrificing guinea pigs or burning llama fetuses (although these last two are no longer very common).
Gaia (pronounced /ˈɡeɪ.ə/ or /ˈɡaɪ.ə/) "land" or "earth", from the Ancient Greek Γαῖα; also Gaea or Gea, is the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth, the Greek version of "Mother Nature". Gaia is a primordial deity in the Ancient Greek pantheon and considered a Mother Goddess or Great Goddess. Gaia is believed by some sources to be the original deity behind the Oracle at Delphi. She passed her powers on to, depending on the source, Poseidon, Apollo or Themis. Apollo is the best-known as the oracle power behind Delphi, long established by the time of Homer, having killed Gaia's child Python there and usurped the chthonic power. Hera punished Apollo for this by sending him to King Admetus as a shepherd for nine years. Oaths sworn in the name of Gaia, in ancient Greece, were considered the most binding of all. In classical art Gaia was represented in one of two ways. In Athenian vase painting she was shown as a matronly woman only half risen from the earth, often in the act of handing the baby Erichthonius (a future king of Athens) to Athena to foster. Later in mosaic representations she appears as a woman reclining upon the earth surrounded by a host of Carpi, infant gods of the fruits of the earth .
Mat Zemlya: also Matka Ziemia (literally Mother Earth, various other names are in use as well) is the collective term applied to a number of Slavic deities devoted to plants, growth, birth, creation and patrons of field works. In the early Middle Ages, the Mother Earth was one of the most important deities in the Slavic world. Oaths were made binding by touching the Earth and sins were confessed to the Earth before death. She was worshipped in her natural form and was not given a human personage or likeness. Since the adoption of Christianity in all Slavic lands, she has been identified with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Nokomis: the Grandmother. According to Algonquin legend "beneath the clouds lives the Earth-Mother from whom is derived the Water of Life, who at her bosom feeds plants."
Prithvi: is one of several Sanskrit names for the Earth Mother, more commonly known as Mother Bhumi Devi. Prithvi is the personification of the Earth, and is therefore also known as Prithivi Tattwa, the essence of the element earth. Prithvi is also called Dhra, Dharti, or Dhrithri, meaning 'that which holds everything'.
So no matter how you see it.....
One thing is clear...She sure is well rounded!!! (yes I did! : )
So don't forget to say thank you to your earth today and everyday for putting up with our crazy shenanigans, and for always being such a giving, loving support system! Yay, for Earth for being the best planet to live on ever!! Here's to many more Happy Earth-days, and beyond!!!
Today's Silver Linings... A playlist tribute to Mama Earth:
"Now the trees are almost green. But will they still be seen? When time and tide have been. Fall into your passing hands. Please don’t destroy these lands. Don’t make them desert sands." Shapes of Things- by The Yardbirds
"Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no. Where did all the blue skies go?Poison is the wind that blows from the north, west, south and east, Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no. Oil wasted on the oceans and our seas, Fish full of mercury, Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no." Mercy Me- by Marvin Gaye
"Heal The World, Make It A Better Place, For You And For Me, And The Entire Human Race, There Are People Dying, If You Care Enough, For The Living, Make A Better Place, For You And For Me, If You Want To Know Why, There's A Love That Cannot Lie, Love Is Strong, It Only Cares For Joyful Giving, If We Try, We Shall See, In This Bliss We Cannot Feel, Fear Or Dread, We Stop Existing And Start Living." Heal the World- by Michael Jacson
"When I walk beside her, I am the better man, When I look to leave her, I always stagger back again, Once I built an ivory tower, So I could worship from above, When I climb down to be set free, She took me in again. There's a big, A big hard sun, Beating on the big people, In a big hard world." Hard Sun- by Eddie Vedder
"lokah samasta suhkino bhavantu"
"Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down, And the whole world loves it when you make that sound, And the whole world loves it when you're in the news, And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues." The Whole World- by Outkast
"I'm thinking about a-this whole world, Late at night I think about the love of this whole world, Lots of different people everywhere, And when I go anywhere I see love I see love I see love." This Whole World- by The Beach Boys
"I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. I see skies of blue and clouds of white, The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world" What a Wonderful World- by Louis Armstrong
"It's a world of laughter, a world or tears, its a world of hopes, its a world of fear, there's so much that we share, that its time we're aware, its a small world after all." It's a Small World- Disney
"I keep on waiting to find myself, I keep on running towards the sun, I guess I want everything under the blue sky, and I wanna laugh 'til I cry again, I want to feel all the pain and all the joy for the first time again, 'cause I'm alive and I'm not waiting, I love it here but I'm not staying, Because it hurts too much to watch it all slip away, I'm standing here in your eyes all the things I can't say, I don't want to lose myself so I've just got to start again, it's such a big world out there that I'm not waiting." I'm Not Waiting- by the beautiful and talented Lelia Broussard http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/leliabroussardmusic?ref=ts
"When a man of faith, loses hope, when a man of faith has no one to hold, who's gonna show him the way, who's gonna show him the way? When a man of faith, is as far from the sun as he is his goals, when a man of faith loses love in his heart, the light in his soul, who's gonna show him the way, who's gonna show him the way?The miracle, is not walking on the water, the miracle, is not walking on the water, the miracle, is not walking on the water... the miracle, is walking on the earth, the miracle, is walking on the earth." Walking On the Earth- by Chris Pierce
"Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! GO PLANET! With your powers combined I am Captain Planet! Captain Planet, he's our hero, Gonna take pollution down to zero, He's our powers magnified, And he's fighting on the planet side." Captain Planet Theme- by Phil Collins
All day long I was feeling unmotivated. I didn't want to wake up at 7 for work. I didn't want to go to yoga after work. While I was doing yoga, there were asanas I didn't want to do. I didn't want to write this blog....
Yet all day long I did these things, and was always grateful I did! Once you take that first step, make that first move, you're doing! The thoughts about how hard it is to do something are much more challenging to overcome than the actual act of doing itself... things always seem much more daunting until they are done! Whenever I take a long trip, I'm not exactly sure what's gonna happen. I have a one way ticket, some cash and a destination, and not much after that... but as soon as I do it, it is done. The next step comes, my plan creates itself, and before you know it, I'm on a flight home, ready to do it again!! Even though sometimes you may still struggle through it, you can feel good about the fact that you actually did it!! Doing keeps us in the flow, it keeps things coming our way, and it gives us more to be grateful for! Look, I'm doing it write/right now... and I love doing it, it's so great!!! I'm so glad I did it!!
So to quote Brian Johnson: "As the Greek goddess Nike says... 'JUST DO IT!!'"
See, that wasn't so tough, and I'm already done!! :-) Yay!
If you want to feel like a kid in a candy shop, check this out... I seriously felt like I was in a Wonkaland of Wisdom the first time I read through it!!! So much yummy stuff... ;-))) http://PhilosophersNotes.com
Today's Silver Lining:
"You find your faith has been lost and shaken, You take back what's been taken, Get on your knees and dig down deep, You can do what you think is impossible, Keep on believing, don't give in, It'll come and make you whole again, It always will, it always does... Love is unstoppable." Unstoppable- by Rascal Flatts
Life. Ya just gotta love it... I know it can be annoying to hear positive things when life isn't going your way, so if that's you... go ahead and think of 5 things you're grateful for and if it's not you, you can do it anyways.... go ahead, I'll wait...
1._______________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________
4._______________________________________________________
5._______________________________________________________
Good!! I read somewhere it is scientifically proven that you cannot have feelings of gratitude and depressing ones at the same time, so hopefully we got that out of the way because I have a feel good story to tell :-)
So tonight I was doing yoga in the little studio that is in my apartment complex, when I heard someone:
"Anyone here?"
I was in Warrior II and just stayed there yelling back:
"Yep!"
The mans voice shot back again:
"Okay, thanks, it's security, just checking."
I always close the blinds to the room so if people are at the pool or working out, they don't have to watch my routine... and even though the door is open, I'm just out of view, so people never know I'm in there at first. It's actually funny because people will be talking or fighting or singing to themselves, then I'll do something that makes noise and they shut right up... lol... opppsie, they didn't realize I was listening! Anyways, back to my story.
So I keep doing my flow, and a few asanas later I hear security again:
"Anyone here now?"
I guess they really wanted to keep tabs on what was going on, so I replied:
"Still here!"
Then the man walked into the room... sounds like something scary is gonna happen... he was wearing black leather gloves and a black knit hat... (insert scary music here)... AND THEN... sorry to let you down, but all that happened was he informed me his clicker to get into the business center wasn't working and asked if he could use mine. Of course I let him, and when he came back he said mine wasn't working either. I looked at the clock and it was 10:34pm and the business center closes at 10:00pm. He was so upset, it was his first night on the job, he was so worried he was gonna look irresponsible, but no one had told him it closed! He had left his folder with all his paperwork in there, and he had another job in the morning at 8am, he didn't know what time the locks would open and he lived 30 miles away. I felt for the guy, I swear he was on the verge of tears. He didn't know what to do, he kept saying that this couldn't be happening. I told him not to worry, that we'd figure it out. I got him paper from my apt to write down his hours, then told him in the morning I would unlock the door first thing and get his folder, copy the info onto the paper and drop it off to the office. He was so grateful, he kept thanking me and going over the plan to verify. "You are seriously an angel sent from God, really." (tell me something I don't know, hehe) I asked him his name, "Will, Will Woods." He gave me his #, and his wife's # just in case. He just called me to confirm again... haha.
The thing is I am grateful to him as well. The fact that I was not only able to be in the right place at the right, (late), time... but the fact that I was able to be the right person. That I was able to say yes I will to Will... and not only say yes, but be grateful for being able to help. I know this sounds soooooo cheesy, but it is such a gift when life uses us to be angels for people. When we are able to see the opportunity to be a part of someone else's moment, and allow them to help us see beyond ours. I'm not sure why it made me feel so extremely grateful, but somehow the synchronicity of the whole event made it so much more to me than just a favor... I mean, his name, Will. The fact that I was doing yoga at 10:30 at night. The way he seemed so kind and yet lost.
There is no way to describe the significance, no logic to explain the magnitude, but for me it meant more than I can say... which is how most of the moments of our lives are. To us they can mean something totally different than they do to anyone else. It reminded me that people may not always remember what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel... so to do my best to make everyone feel the way I'd want to feel in their shoes. It also reminded me how important it is to pay it forward... life is a big chain of moments like this that we link together by being aware and willing... and after this, I'm sure both Will & I will!
Today's Silver Lining:
"You don't owe me a thing, I've been there too, Someone once helped me out, Just the way I'm helping you, If you really want to pay me back, Here's what you do, Don't let the chain of love end with you." The Chain of Love- by Clay Walker
I read a quote this morning in my daily word from Rev Run that said:
"When life hands you lemons, make guava juice and make em wonder how the hell you did it!"
Figuring out what to do with the 'lemons' that we are handed by life, has been a long running debate. There have been many different ways created to make the most of these sour fruits we are handed, and there are many different perspectives on which approach to take. Here are a few of them:
As I was reading through a bunch of the quotes I realized that I could think of someone I know who would use each one of these theories... and also that the one that seemed obvious to me wasn't listed anywhere. There were lots about revenge or ways to use the lemons, but as I searched through, I never came across what I have found works best when life hands me lemons.
It made me realize how many ways there are to use these life lemons... so why is it that these lemons seem to inspire the feeling of victimization. I get it, 'lemons' are challenges, struggles that life puts before us... but aren't those useful as well... aren't those what force us to get stronger, march onward, try harder, rework things and stay at the top of our game? Lemons are versatile... and though they may be a bit 'sour' alone... they can transform into so many amazing things!
While there are so many things to do with these lemons we are handed... I have found there is no one perfect way to use the lemons... you have them to use however you please. Though it is nice to make lemonade, or even pie... life's lemons may come at times where they are needed for other things, so the way they are utilized will change... whether it's fish and chips you have, or a glass of water... only you can know what to do with your lemons when you get them. Which leads me to my solution for this lemon situation... in my humble opinion, no matter what you do with the lemons...
"When life hands you lemons, SAY THANKYOU!"
I mean, it's only polite. Life is giving us a gift, and although it may not be what we wanted, it's the thought that counts! Besides, you may not use the lemons right away, or even love them at the moment... but you never know what they'll be used for down the road!
Today's Silver Lining:
"How bout getting off of these antibiotics, How bout stopping eating when I'm full up, How bout them transparent dangling carrots, How bout that ever elusive kudo, Thank you India, Thank you terror, Thank you disillusionment, Thank you frailty, Thank you consequence, Thank you thank you silence." Thank You- by Alanis Morissette
It's funny as I get older, and read and learn more, how much the word God seems to expand. Such a loaded word... is God a he, she, it, everything or nothing. People have very strong opinions on this, so I am very cautious when using that word. When I say God, I mean love... but some people may judge it as something else they've defined it as from their own experience. There was a great article on the many explanations of God I read by Duane Elgin:
"Buddhists state that the entire universe arises freshly at every moment in an unceasing flow of interdependent, co-origination where everything depends upon everything else. Hindus proclaim the entire universe is a single body that is being continually danced into creation by a divine Life force or Brahman. Taoists see the Tao as the “Mother of the Universe,” the inexhaustible source from which all things rise and fall without ceasing. Confucians view our universe as a unified and interpenetrating whole that is sustained and nourished by the vitality of the Life force or ch’i. Christians affirm that God is not separate from this world but continuously creates it anew, so that we live, move, and have our being in God. Muslims declare the entire universe is continually coming into being, and that each moment is a new “occasion” for Allah to create the universe. Indigenous peoples declare that an animating wind or Life force blows through all things in the world and there is aliveness and sacred power everywhere. And a stream of Western thinkers portray the universe as a single, living creature that is continually regenerated and is evolving toward higher levels of complexity and consciousness. Beneath differences in language, a common reality is being described—the universe is an emergent system of which we are an integral part.
God, such a small word... such a big meaning... one that we create the evolution of with each breath. :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Oh Jesus, I love you, And I love Buddha too, Ramakrishna, Guru Dev, Tao Te Ching and Mohammed, Why do some people say, There there is just one way, To love you God and come to you, We are all a part of you. You are unnameable, You are unknowable, All we have is metaphor, That's what time and space are for. Is the universe your thought? You are and you are not, You are many, You are one, Ever ending, just begun." I Love You And Buddha Too- by Mason Jennings
It's been a year since I was out exploring; swinging through trees and floating down rivers... I kinda blogged in Asia, but India got left out. I was reading my old journals and decided to post some things I wrote, since I never seemed to do that on the road. (...that, and I have nothing else to write about at the moment... besides this unexplainable burning desire to travel again! What can I say, I'm a gyspy at heart!!)
So, it's show and tell time, circa India:
Three Little Birds
I feel as if I've finally grown,
Thanks to things I'd seen,
But now been shown. Wisdom this deep grew firm and strong,
Which sprouted beauty,
Which inspired song.
I feel as if I've finally let go,
Of future worries,
I may never know.
Discarding weight this heavy made me light,
Which healed my wings,
So I took flight.
I feel as if I've found some grace,
In moments past,
But not erased.
A feeling this hot left a burn,
Which formed a scar,
Which helped me learn.
I know I've finally seen loves face,
In wisdom,
Letting go,
And grace.
I feel the peace within my soul,
which makes me us,
part of the whole.
Sparkle-In
Wind blows my hair like ruffled feathers,
Another storm my soul weathers,
I feel the sky's blue, as I'm swimming through it,
And as I pass the sun, I'm singing to it.
A love so true is what I sought,
When the gusts were tough, but still I fought.
And now I even smell the bliss,
I blow the universe a big wet kiss,
I thank my God for showing me how,
To feel the way I feel right now,
And though the light, I won't always see,
It continues to shine, inside of me.
How
Questioning myself.
Questioning you too.
I don't know how to feel.
I don't know what to do.
I want this all to end.
But first it must begin.
There's no way to fight this war.
But I'm hoping that I win.
Awake
It wasn't until I surrendered,
That victory was one/won...
It wasn't until my story ended,
That my world begun...
But this fight's not over yet,
It wasn't meant to be,
I give my eyes a rest,
And then I'll really see...
It's everything I ever wanted,
It's nothing I thought it was,
But I can't read the ending,
Still stuck at the because...
To wake up, I close my mind,
Now go far away...
Into truth within myself,
Where the only thing to say...
Is nothing.
Flowing
How do I capture right now?
I need to do it somehow.
This peace smothered over my soul,
That's melding me into the whole.
This beauty I cannot describe.
This feeling of being alive.
No device can capture it's face.
No words can describe its embrace.
Floating along on infinite grace,
Nothing changes as we glide place to place.
I don't want to blink it away,
Afraid if I leave it won't stay.
I breathe it in, and give thanks for this now,
And I realized I figured out how.
Today's Silver Lining:
"Tell me did you sail across the sun, Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded, And that heaven is overrated, Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star, One without a permanent scar, And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there. Now that she’s back from that soul vacation, Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey, hey, mmmm.....She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo, Reminds me that there’s room to grow, hey, hey, hey, hey." Drops of Jupiter- by Train
Since India I've loved chanting and listening to these songs with words I don't always know the meanings of... not just Indian music, but all types. I can feel what they mean... sometimes more accurately than songs I know the words to. There is actually a song that I keep thinking of by Gloria Estefan, that says, "I tried to say I love you, but the words got in the way." Sometimes there are things you experience, feel, or see that words can't express... and when you try to use words, you lose the meaning in translation, the words get in the way. There are many things like this, and I am slowly, (very slowly... very verrrry slowly), learning that I don't need to try to explain everything I learn or go through to people.
My guru, Amma has a great way of explaining this situation. When someone asked Amma to describe the experience of God, Amma said that it is not possible to adequately put into words the taste of sugar to one who does not know the meaning of the word “sweet” . One has to taste sugar to understand sweetness. Similarly, God is pure experience, beyond the mind and words.
We can try to explain sugar to people all we want, but eventually they will taste it themselves and only then will they understand... however, we don't need anyone else to know anything to enjoy the taste for ourselves!!
Today's Silver Lining:
Ide were were nita ochun
Ide were were
Ide were were nita ochun
Ide were were nita ya
Ocha kiniba nita ochun
Cheke cheke cheke
Nita ya
Ide were were
This is a Yoruba mantra (from Africa). It's a mantra to Goddess Oxum (ochun), the goddess of the rivers and water falls. Her color is yellow and she's also this lovely mother that looks over all her children. It loosely translates to say, "Flaunt your jewelry Oshun, flaunt it well mama"
may: verb- to indicate ability or capacity be: verb- To exist in actuality; have life or reality
The world is made up of moments that may be... everything is a maybe... which may be something that's hard to let be.
Everything, every second, every fact, every breath is something that merely has the ability to exist, right up until the moment it does. There is no such thing as 'definite' in any moment other than now. The future we think we can control, even in 5 minutes... is still a just maybe. The things we build and save for, the battles we fight, the dreams we chase, are all for moments that may be.
I have been thinking about things that we use to try to control what may be...plans, expectations and logic. For instance, in highschool they tell you to work hard, and get scholarships for college, so you can go to a good school ad get a good job. Yes, that may be, but for me and may people I know that was not. So when you create this plan based on that, which leads you to this expectation, the logic is it should be. So when it is not, it feels like what is, may be wrong. That's where I realized something... if anything is, it is not a may be, there is no chance that it may or may not be, it is... and anything that is, whether it's a car crash or a wedding... is more real and true and perfect than a maybe, because it is. It may be a hard concept to grasp, but anything that is, is... haha. There is nothing to worry about, or contemplate.
It's a fine line in life, to have a goal, and work towards it, while not being attached to what may be and accepting whatever is... Trying to make a foundation while being okay if a house is never built there, or the blueprints change and you have to start over... To be active in this moment, progressing in this moment, while doing something that only may be... To trust in what you're doing, that it will be, what it may be. The more I learn about how to get from what may be, into what is, from perspectives of logic, ie... get a career, build a name, have a family... vs faith, ie, trust yourself, take a chance, ask and you will receive... the more I realize they're both right because they both are.
No matter what you believe will work to get you to what is, will... it just may not be the is you think it may be... but then again, maybe it is!
Today's Silver Lining:
"When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, what will I be? Will I be pretty, will I be rich? Here's what she said to me. Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be, The future's not ours, to see, Que Sera, Sera, What will be, will be." Que Sera, Sera- by Doris Day
The first sign of a cold inspires concern, but what about the thoughts of despair that come with it? If our thoughts create our reality, maybe it's time to nurture them the same way we do our bodies... there are some to nurse back to health, some we to get rid of, and some that just need a cast and some time. I was trying to figure out how to take care of these things that are created in my mind... how do I keep my head in check? There are so many things I hear from people each day that become thoughts... and many times they are harmful.
In the words of Robert Burns:
"I pick my favourite quotations and store them in my mind as ready armour, offensive or defensive, amid the struggle of this turbulent existence."
I have decided, (in Lauraland), that quotes are the equivalent of medicine for the mind. They can help heal negative thoughts, change thoughts that are harmful to the spirit and help create new thoughts that inspire. I mean, it may seem cheesy, but you just can't think or hear too many good things, in fact maybe we aren't hearing enough. I have found that it's healthy to make sure we are supplementing our daily intake with enough positive thoughts to meet the happy requirement, which in my humble opinion is infinite. I guess this blog with the line I find each day, is my own form of a daily vitamin for my thoughts... keeping my thoughts healthy, bright and active! So for today, rather than just using one line, I'm giving a power dose of multi-quotes for the day... a mental immune booster :-) Think up!! (Like drink up, but also think up, as in think positive, do you get it?... *joke credit to Lelia Broussard, hehe)
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”~ Albert Einstein
"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."~ Buddha
"Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop."~ Usman B. Asif
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding about ourselves."~ Carl Jung
"You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink. "~ G.K. Chesterton
"First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination." ~ Napoleon Hill
"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."~ James Thurber
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." ~M. Scott Peck
"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die."~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. "~ Brian Tracy
"The day, water, sun, moon, night - I do not have to purchase these things with money."~ Plautus
"Not only is another world possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."~ Arundhati Roy
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." ~ Denis Waitley
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge -- myth is more potent than history -- dreams are more powerful than facts -- hope always triumphs over experience -- laughter is the cure for grief -- love is stronger than death."~ Robert Fulghum
"Hope is the bedrock of this nation; the belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us; by all those men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is; who have courage to remake the world as it should be."~ Barack Obama
"Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally."~ Eckhart Tolle
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."~ Mohandas K. Gandhi
"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed."~ Corita Kent
"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."~ Norman Vincent Peale
"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."~ Christopher Columbus
"I am somebody. I am me. I like being me. And I don't need anybody to make me somebody."~ Louis L'Amore
"To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy . . . is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them."~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!"~ Will Rogers
"Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable."~ Wizard of Oz
"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."~ Ben Sweetland
"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith."~ Mary Manin Morrissey
Today's (kind of musical) Silver Lining(s):
"Don’t waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind, the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself."
"Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, Maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either, Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s."
"Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. "
"Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them."
"Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly."
"Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life, the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t."
"Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young." Everybody's Free~ Baz Luhrmann
I tend to be an extreme person...to me, lukewarm is not pleasing to the pallet. I rarely find a middle ground, I'm all in or all out... black as night or snowy white. As I continue on my journey and learn and grow, I find balance is one of my biggest struggles, in life and yoga.
In yoga it always amazes me how everyone in the room seems to just stand in tree pose like it's second nature as I squish my face and clinch my teeth attempting not to fall. Wheel pose, triangle, even crow have become easier, but class after class I dread the portion of balance I teeter my way through, shaking, falling and laughing at my predicament, wondering if I'll ever find my center.
Life is no different, I attempt to find a balance between my nomadic, gypsy ways, and my cancer side with it's domestic nature... between my hermit and my social butterfly... between my raw organic diet and in n out... between being right and being wrong... between having a plan and having faith. I've realized the more I expand in one direction, the more I am pulled in the other as well, and the broader the spectrum, the more points there are to test when searching for this point of peace.
The thing is, as balance is found in one area, the other is redistributed, causing a shift and wobble there... but I've decided even balance needs a balance! There needs to be that wobble or shift to recognize when balance is found... or lost. So as I sway on in my ongoing challenge of trying balance my divinity with my humanity, (and my tree pose), I allow myself some room to fall, wobble, and repeat as needed :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Yin yang, menos es más, (less is more), polos opuestos que nunca se juntan, (opposites that never meet), yin yang, vienen y van, (come and go), líneas paralelas que nunca se cruzan, ( parallel lines that never intersect), bien mal, (pretty bad), madera o metal, (wood or metal), puntos de vista que no se preguntan, (views that do not ask), tal cuál, (so what), azúcar o sal, (sugar or salt), los que se oyen pero no se escuchan, (the ones that are heard but themselves do not listen), yin yang, Eva y Adán, (Adam and Eve ), desequilibrio por una manzana, (disequilibrium with an apple)." Yin Yang- by Jarabe De Palo
Tonight I watched an inspiring, and very humbling documentary, "I Am Because We Are." Though it was set in Malawi, amongst poverty and a severe HIV/AIDS epidemic, it wasn't just about sickness or lack... it was about change and hope and the similarities we all have to experience life.
As I watched the images that matched the statistic that there are over 1 million orphaned children in a country of 12 million, it was hard, sad and disturbing. Seeing the parents of these young children dying of AIDS, and for others, watching their children die or suffer, was not something that can be watched without some type of emotion... I went through sorrow, anger, frustration, compassion, but ended with hope and some sense of understanding.
Through the various stories, I found that many of the fears or struggles they described were very similar to mine and those around me. Many of the solutions they offered also seemed fitting... one that stood out being the fact that you cannot change that which you don't accept, you can only change what you accept. So is it a failure to admit you have a problem, or to not take responsibility for it? They spoke of people playing the victim, rather than taking responsibility for their situation, and their ability to change it and that resiliency is a universal concept, it isn’t something that one child has and another does not, they are strengths inside each and every one of us.
One of my favorite things was how it states that there are ways to heal the world, there are ways each of us can help, but you have to find your own way... which I feel to be true, there is not one right answer. I know I feel like my part in spreading love changes each day, and I feel blessed for the fact that I have found as many ways to do that as I have. It doesn't have to be a huge undertaking to make a big impact on those around you, and ultimately in your own life.
Enough of my commentary, I could go on all day, here is the website to check out more if you please...
"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds. Have no fear for atomic energy, 'Cause none of them can stop the time. How long shall they kill our prophets, While we stand aside and look? Ooh!Some say it's just a part of it: We've got to fulfill the book. Won't you help to sing This songs of freedom-'Cause all I ever have: Redemption songs." Redemption Song- by Bob Marley
I have been living the life of a gypsy... and I keep forgetting where I live. I've been in LA a bunch, and Vegas hasn't set in, but Florida will always be my first love. There are many places I feel like I could just stay forever when I'm there, or places I've never been that have the feeling of home. At the moment, I'm grateful to be able to fly from one location to the next, always being right at home.
It is said, "Home is where the heart is." I have found that to be true... places I feel the most at home are sometimes the furthest away geographically, but where I feel connected on a deeper level... sometimes they are places I'd least expect, a party, a store, the ocean. Anywhere can feel like home when the heart is there, when you are able to feel in the moment that you're right where you belong...
However, sometimes the place where your stuff is, where you have your own space, pay bills, and unpack can be really great as well... even if it doesn't quite feel like home.
Today's Silver Lining:
"I've got my memories always inside of me, But I can't go back, Back to how it was, I believe you now, I've come too far, No I can't go back, Back to how it was, Created for a place I've never known, This is home, Now I'm finally, Where I belong." This is Home- by Switchfoot
The less you are bound by what you know, the more active you can be in learning what you need to understand in each moment. Words can teach, explain, communicate and label... but they can also limit what is. They can hold judgements and bound us by what they once were attached to or associated with... they can prevent us from expanding upon what is, by remembering what was. They are necessary in a so many ways, but silence is also a very powerful communicator, one that can explain so much. Balance of the two is a hard thing to find in this busy world, but always available within our own.
There are those moments where infinite knowledge is exposed in the depths of this silence of mind, where there are core truths that come into awareness... these come through inside, resonate inside, explain inside, and leave a small nugget in words... the memory can't contain what it learned, the mind can't think what it saw, the ego can't teach what it wants... but the soul has evolved into what it is... and we are then it's messenger.
Today's Silver Lining:
By the time I recognize this moment, This moment will be gone, But I will bend the light, pretend that it somehow lingered on, Well all I got's, Ooh ooh ooh ooh. And I will wait to find, If this will last forever, And I will wait to find
If this will last forever, And I will pay no mind, When it won't and it won't because it can't, It just can't, It's not supposed to." Clarity- by John Mayer
Sometimes it is easy to spend so much time, so many thoughts, so many words, and so little faith in the pursuit of happiness. Planning, wishing, hoping, dreaming, doubting it's long awaited arrival... then it seems as soon as exhaustion sets in and the search is suspended, it shows up all on it's own.
Yet somehow, regardless of this repeated proof... it still seems so hard to just let it be, and know that it is simply the absence of a search which seek. It is a moment which is never the same, and always here.
Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
Today's Silver Lining:
"I have kissed honey lips, Felt the healing in her fingertips, It burned like fire, This burning desire. I have spoke with the tongue of angels, I have held the hand of a devil, It was warm in the night, I was cold as a stone. But I still haven't found, What I'm looking for, But I still haven't found, What I'm looking for." I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For- by U2
