There's stars in your bones!

One of the ways that I am shifting in my awareness is what some are calling the New Cosmology. This is a way of explaining the story of the Universe and our place in it. It boils down to the fact that the very elements that make up the periodic table and our physical reality, our bodies and such, started out in space eons ago. These very elements, the scientists believe, make up the stars. In the whole creation of our planet, the collision of these stardust particles is now in our bones and in every fiber of our being. My friend on the other side puts it this way:
“…But, then, this moment is it, K. The rest is a dream, really, a theory about reality. Now is real. Be in the now with all your heart. Be a shinning star in the now moment. In fact, K, it would be a good exercise and project to concentrate on creating a whole line of stars in your studio. Attach your wonderful words to why you have stars and why you should be conscious of all the hidden stars in your world. Stars are everywhere. Don’t wait to get hit on the head before you see the stars, K. I mean it. The very ground you walk on is made of stars and stardust. The very water and air that surrounds you, stars; ice and snow, stars; the very vapors in your breath… STARS! If you could experience the stars that you create by your very breath and the way we see you from our perspective…well, it’s very “trippy” and awesome to behold, trust me! You will begin to see more and more of what I mean. In the mean time, know that there really are stars in your bones... And, K, they are ever a reminder that you are vast and your blessings to our world and yours are vast. (yes, your very presence in body does affect our world, too.) Being aware of the awesomeness and incredible beauty that is now, K, this is what I am talking about. You need to just be amazed by the miracle of you and your world, that’s all. Think about this as you step out into your world each day, you starbringer, you awesome maker of infinity! For, that is what you think of when you look out into the night sky on the coast, where you can still see infinity of stars.”

What a great idea! I am going to set up my creating work in the studio today and just make clay stars. Hmmm… this could be fun to have a day of seeing stars. Who knows what being in the now moment might turn out to be. Let’s all make a pact, that today, what ever we do; we will just be in the now to the best of our ability. Resist the distractions, just take each now moment as it comes and tend to it with focus. May all you starbringers out there who often come to this hearth, have an experience of being awash in the magic of stardust

On the “Down” days….

Ever have one of those days when things are just going badly? It seems like nothing is cooperating with you? This is when I ponder this little piece from my friend who speaks with me from the other side and take heart:

“The whole of creation has been waiting for you to finally put your feet on the road to greatness. They, the creatures of the universe, both great and small, have been the harbingers of this great time of Grace. There is a multitude of whales out in the ocean that inspire and call you to greatness. They do far more for the transformation of this world than the mere migration in which they appear to be engaged. You will one day come to know what heroes these have been in the maintaining of the balance of power on your world. You have no idea how important the trees and the Eagles, the Whales and the plankton are to the balance and peace of your world. As I have said before not even the smallest microbe or the greatest Redwood is just there for decoration. They all play an important role in keeping the whole picture balanced. And, they have to because the “wild card” is loose. That is we humans with our free will program, K. In these days of great change, anything could happen. What will we humans really choose to do with this miracle place? We in Spirit stand ready to serve and help and encourage where we can, K...choose the Light, choose Love, choose peace. Heaven and Earth depend on you....C:)”

It seems that all I really have to do on those days is not try harder, but just keep on keeping on with the ordinary things. I just have to choose to go forward into the next moment, knowing that all of creation has conspired to be there for me and with me moving forward holding the place of balance. There is no need to come unglued, pull a tantrum, give up or shut down. This is a great time of Grace and I, in my littleness am part of it’s unfolding. This is the brilliant part of who we are: that in the face of struggle, we don’t give up but just keep going. We have hope that just over the rise is something better and that we are committed to getting there because we are made of the stuff that prevails, and becomes the excellence we seek in all things.

To see as Creator sees: Awesome!

special thanks to Sr. Barbara DeBoo for the use of this beautiful photo

Recently I had a conversation with someone about reality and specifically war. (I never spend much time chit-chatting) This person’s assessment of the situation was that there would always be war because “Mankind” is basically flawed and sinful. Wow! What a starting point to walk out into your day with. See, I have always taken a different view and that is: The Creator loved the whole of creation into existence and sees everything at all times as basically good and love able, as awesome, in fact. If you start there, the possibilities only get better and better.

As this is the season of giving thanks and looking to celebrate Goodness incarnate and to do this by feasting and gift-giving, I further pondered what I am grateful for and want to celebrate. There are the usual things like food, shelter, a job, friends and family, my education and talents, my incredible community, but the one thing I really want to focus on this year is all the ways that we humans rise to the occasion believing in the “more” that we are and can be. Even when it is not so obvious, we believe we can be more. Over and over again I have witnessed as I travel through life and even through cyber-space the many ways our species excels just because we can and believe we can. As I visit your blog sites and read your offerings I am struck by how often you choose the higher road in your daily lives. Even though it is a bad day for you or there are challenges you’d rather not have, you don’t choose to curl up in a fetal position and face the wall, you just go forward and look to the light and the good and you discover how very awesome you are through it all. I’m with you. I, too, would rather go forward, focusing on the highest good and when someone gives me the one finger salute in traffic because I am not moving fast enough for him, I just draw a heart around him as he passes by. I am grateful I, and others of our human family choose most often to see as the Creator sees, believing in the goodness that is our starting point. I could focus on what is not working because it is all around me, but once again it comes down to my focus. I choose to focus on Awesome within and all around. Are you with me on this today?

Songs In My Heart

Some of you may think I’ve been missing in action, but actually, just “away from my desk.” (It was a bit tricky in this little town I’m staying in finding Wi Fi.) I’ve been spending these past few days taking care of my father, who had a stroke many years ago and has been recently moved “home” to my brother’s house. This home used to belong to my parents. Since the move, my brother and family decided to go ahead with their plans and take a week’s trip to Hawaii for some R & R. I said I would take their place on the home front and look after dad. Since one whole side of dad’s body is paralyzed, he needs help with just about everything, and I mean everything! It gives me a whole new way to ponder the question of: what is the sound of one hand clapping?” That isn’t even the half of it.

We have had some wonderful times of remembering. I related one of my memories to him the other day about the time we lived in Japan. I was about 7 years old then. He took my two brothers and I out for an adventure and ended up buying a harmonica for each of the boys and for me a rather elaborate but useless (to me) parasol. I was in a “snit” because I thought a harmonica was far more interesting. I always thought boys had far more interesting and freeing kinds of toys and clothes and activities that they were encouraged to do. To me, wearing a dress was the most impractical garment ever created. They always got dirty and torn when you climbed rocks and trees. (You should have seen the challenges we had when we wore the full nun’s habits in “the old days.” Many a time while riding a bike my long skirt would get hopelessly caught up in the gears. I'd have to stop and actually step out of my dress to free myself. But, that is another story.)

Anyway, after he heard my thoughts about it, he carefully rolled his wheelchair over to a shelf where he kept his magic box of treasures. He took out 3 harmonicas and told me about how after his stroke; special people in his life gave him harmonicas since he could no longer play the guitar. I asked him if he ever played them and he said: “ no, all the many years of smoking pretty much trashed my lungs so I just have to keep the songs in my heart. I want you to have these when I’m gone so you can keep my songs singing.”

It just goes to show you, what ever we may think is limiting to us, like dresses and girl-type socialization customs, nun’s habits, not enough money, a less than stellar social life or even old tapes playing in our heads or coping mechanisms that keep us stuck, what is really freeing is always an inside job and the heart is where we keep the songs that keep the music of our lives alive. This is my take away gift being in this awesome soul’s presence, and the gift I share with any of you out there reading this. You and I have the Songs of the Heart to carry us through and to help us find our greatness despite our perceived limits. They are probably bubbling up in that River of Grace that flows through and flows through and flows through all our limits. I can hear your songs joining mine now. Anytime my limits keep me stuck, I can always sing the songs in my heart and find my way home....

A River of Grace Flows Through you....

For nearly 20 years I have been making clay hearts with encouraging words on them. They started out as a one time project, (I thought) for a group of women in a hospital recovering from alcohol and drug abuse. I and my friend, Judith were asked to come in and do the "Higher Power" talk. We decided to bring clay hearts with words of inspiration and encouragement written on them as a way of giving these women a tangible sign of hope they could hang onto in early recovery. To my surprise, they caught on and now, people won't let me stop making them. Because I focus so much on these hearts, I can't go anywhere without finding heartshaped rocks, heartshaped bird dropping, heartshaped clouds, you name it. I often go to the beach near where I live on the Oregon Coast and my favorite thing to do is look for heartshaped rocks. They are everywhere. Even tourist who are disbelieving when I tell them what I am looking for, also find them once they start looking. One day as I was listening to a message from my friend on the other side, who died of a brain tumor 5 years ago, she said: " A river of grace flows through you..." This struck me, because so often I just move along in life thinking of myself as rather ordinary, just being me. She didn't point this out to me to single me out and puff me up, but just to let me know that this is how I and all of us are regarded by The Creator, the angels and all of creation. Apparently this is a known fact on the otherside that everyone agrees upon. A river of grace flows through me and you, through all of us and all of every part of our reality. Sometimes it doesn't seem that way when I look out and see what seems like a world going to hell in a handbasket and being guided there by a bunch of idiots. You see, in order to be able to find the heart shaped rocks, you have to be looking for them. In order to experience the river of grace flowing though, I have to be focused on that reality. I wonder what else I might be missing when I am misfocused..... hmmmm

The Burning Bush... It's all about the Light!

It's odd how sometimes when "death" is about to occur, there seems to be a burst of light or a glow that increases first. In a few days, this tree will lose this beautiful fire burst and move into a quietude, a death of sorts. I couldn't resist reflecting on the burst of light I saw today as I passed by this tree and quickly took this picture, because the wind could start up and tomorrow, this could all be gone. All the many months of faithfully responding to the gift of light that this tree has tended to, storing up the light and making food to nurture herself and the world around her, without a thought about 401 k s and putting aside for the kids college fund. She has just quietly open her arms and been receptive to the gift of light.

When my friend, Cindy, was in her last year of life, waiting for her brain tumor to take her quietly in sleep I noticed something extraordinary about her appearance: her skin seemed to have a glow about it. With each day it became more and more transparent and a light seemed to emanate from her. It was then that I started making lanterns out of clay with a dancing figure. Each night I would light one in her bedroom, thinking, that if she should awaken in the middle of the night she would see this and it would cheer her on to move more fully toward the light I knew she would eventually see as she swung to the other side on the same gossamer thread of grace she had come in on some 52 years earlier. I guess, I aspire, too, as this tree, my friend Cindy and all of creation does to catch the light. There are many times that the lure of drama or the loud monkey mind or the dark ninja thoughts can creep in and distract me from the real work of being a Light-Magnet. When my friend made her transition and she and I learned to communicate she told me that the best way to describe what she is like now is like liquid light. " When you are over there you are a "solid" but, over here is is more like liquid light. Don't forget to focus big time on the light, K, it's all about the light!"

I am grateful that we are returning to standard time this weekend. It is just another reminder that in someway, we are trying to make the best use of the light. It is less about doing something to time and more about the light, for me. Maybe this is another reason for the sacredness of this time of year and all the celebrations we are preparing for. It's all about the light!