Saturday, 3 December 2011
Harp to Heart Healing
http://www.harptohearthealing.com.au/
also with a Facebook page 'Harp to Heart Healing' for daily inspiration.
Thanks Norma.
also with a Facebook page 'Harp to Heart Healing' for daily inspiration.
Thanks Norma.
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Gratitude and Blessings
http://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude.html
(thanks Cathy for this link)
(thanks Cathy for this link)
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
THE TEN INVITATIONS by Gill Edwards
THE TEN INVITATIONS
From LIFE IS A GIFT by Gill Edwards (Piatkus, 2007):As soon as I finished writing Life Is A Gift, I travelled alone to Egypt and Jordan - visiting the pyramids and sphinx, wandering in the 'lost city' of Petra, snorkelling in the Red Sea and quad-biking into desert canyons. Day after day, I found myself in a state of profound joy, inner peace and gratitude - totally in love with life. It felt like heaven on earth.
On the day before going home, I journeyed to St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai desert, scene of the Biblical burning bush, where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. I have long felt uneasy with the Ten Commandments, because of the negativity and judgment they carry, and their parental and imprisoning tone. Saying 'Thou shalt not...' is such bad psychology - guaranteed to throw people into shame, conflict or rebellion. (Try telling yourself 'Thou shalt not think of a white elephant' without picturing one.) Surely we could find more positive, empowering and inspiring guidelines for our lives?
After lingering in the Eastern Orthodox chapel, I sat on a golden sandstone rock just outside the monastery walls, with Mount Sinai towering above me - and began to meditate. Almost immediately, I was filled to overflowing with joy and bliss (Source energy). Intuitively I reached for a notebook and pen. Then I heard an inner voice speak: 'Two thousand years ago, Jesus came to earth with a message of unconditional love - but few were ready to hear it. Humanity is now ready to receive that message. The time for commandments set in stone is past. The time for invitations has come. As one of many wayshowers for this new era, you will now be offered Ten Invitations to humanity as an alternative to the Ten Commandments - invitations based upon a spirituality of unconditional love, which restores the divine feminine. This period marks the dawning of a new heaven and a new earth.'
For several hours afterwards, I found it almost impossible to speak. I was in such rapture that I felt like an angelic being, and half-wondered whether I must be glowing with light. People turned to smile at me, and children chased after me. As I returned home to the Lake District , that extraordinary joy remained with me, along with a thrilling sense of anticipation for what lies ahead - for me, for you and for our world.
The Ten Invitations
1. You are invited to love yourself, others and life without condition - trusting that, in an evolving Universe, everything is unfolding perfectly.2. You are invited to do whatever makes your heart sing and your spirit dance. Only that.
3. You are invited to live fearlessly and passionately - to step into your divinity, while embracing your humanity.
4. You are invited to treat yourself and others with extraordinary respect and kindness - reaching out with love towards all beings, and seeing the Light within everyone.
5. You are invited to honour everyone else's beliefs, feelings, values and choices - knowing these add to the variety of life, and that everyone's path or guidance is unique.
6. You are invited to honour the earth, your body and all creation as sacred and divine - and to celebrate life in all its richness.
7. You are invited to choose your own mission or purpose, expressing your creative gifts, talents and vision in whatever way feels most joyful.
8. You are invited to listen to the inner voice of Love, which always sets you free - knowing that your goodness and worthiness are never in question, and that you can do no wrong.
9. You are invited to trust in a loving and abundant Universe. Ask and it is given. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened.
10. You are invited to follow your dreams and desires - trusting your feelings, and using your imagination, to create your own heaven on earth.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Celebrating 25 years of friendship
Circle of Friends
The Indian legend says that at the end of the evening, friends would gather around a bonfire and share their hearts and speak of the good qualities of each other and remember times shared. As the embers faded, their friendship was said to be sealed anew bringing them closer together. As you sit with the candle lit in the middle of your circle of friends, it will surround and embrace all who sit with you and bring good luck to those who stay together.
The Indian legend says that at the end of the evening, friends would gather around a bonfire and share their hearts and speak of the good qualities of each other and remember times shared. As the embers faded, their friendship was said to be sealed anew bringing them closer together. As you sit with the candle lit in the middle of your circle of friends, it will surround and embrace all who sit with you and bring good luck to those who stay together.
Thanks Dympna Leisa and Monique xxxooo
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
"True spirituality is about love - love for self, love for others, love for the planet. It is feeling committed to being here on the planet. It is living our love, our wisdom, amidst the challenges of everyday life. It is listening to our inner guidance. It is seeing the ordinary miracles. It is living with awe, with wonder, with faith, with joy, with gratitude. It is seeing God in the eyes of a newspaper seller. It is seeing God in a lace tablecloth. It is seeing God in a spider's web. It is knowing that heaven is here and now."
Gill Edwards ~ Stepping into the Magic, p241.
More Wisdom
I hope you dreams take you to the corners of your smiles,to the highest of your hopes,
to the windows of your opportunities,
and to the most special places your heart has ever known.
-Author unknown.
Wherever you go - go with all your heart.
-Confucius
We make a living by what we get,
we make a life by what we give!
-Winston Churchill
The best way to find yourself,
is to lose yourself in the service of others.
-Ghandi
Thanks Dorothy
Monday, 7 November 2011
Michael Leunig
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Breathing Under Water - Richard Rohr
We suffer to get well. We surrender to win. We die to live. We give it away to keep it. This counterintuitive wisdom will forever be resisted, denied, and avoided, until it is forced upon us—by some reality over which we are powerless — and if we are honest, we are all powerless in the presence of full Reality.
– Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water–
– Richard Rohr, Breathing Under Water–
In Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps, Fr. Richard describes how the Twelve Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program is America’s most significant and authentic contribution to the history of spirituality.
In this exploration, Fr. Richard draws parallels between Christian principles and AA’s Twelve Steps, connecting AA’s Big Book with the Gospel. This material draws on talks he has given for over twenty years to people in recovery and those close to them, as well as those who counsel people recovering from or living with an addiction. It is a practical guide to incorporating liturgy and contemplative prayer with the accountability of the 12 Steps Model, in a useful format, suitable either for a home study group or an individual seeking to deepen their own recovery journey.
Fr. Richard offers encouragement and inspiration to survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction by learning to “breathe under water”.
Sunday, 2 October 2011
The Element - Ken Robinson
“If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.”
― Ken Robinson, The Element: A New View of Human Capacity
― Ken Robinson, The Element: A New View of Human Capacity
“The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed -- it needs to be transformed. The key to this transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions.”
― Ken Robinson, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
― Ken Robinson, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
“Creativity is as important as literacy”
― Ken Robinson
― Ken Robinson
“Imagination is the source of every form of human achievement. And it's the one thing that I believe we are systematically jeopardizing in the way we educate our children and ourselves.”
― Ken Robinson
― Ken Robinson
“Our task is to educate their (our students) whole being so they can face the future. We may not see the future, but they will and our job is to help them make something of it.”
― Ken Robinson, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
― Ken Robinson, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
“I believe our only hope for the future is to adopt a new conception of human ecology, one in which we start to reconstitute our concept of the richness in human capacity.”
― Ken Robinson
― Ken Robinson
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Guillaume: Food for Friends
Guillaume: Food for Friends
The long awaited debut cook book from Guillaume Brahimi gives us a peek into nine very different and utterly remarkable homes, and the lives of those who live, cook and entertain there. Guillaume opens the doors on Leo Schofield's Manor House and the Fashion House of Sass & Bide's Heidi Middleton, Barry McDonalds Terrace House, Margaret Rose's Beach House and Matthew Csidei's Art House, plus he lets us inside his very own 'homes'.Nine different menus accompany each house with food for all occasions, from a paella party to a formal buffet, cocktail canapés to a relaxed brunch. Dishes such as crab sandwiches, Pavlova and Cassoulet sit alongside lemon verbena panna cotta with raspberry jelly or gazpacho with prawns.
French Food Safari - SBS
Food Safari, the ultimate food lover’s feast, returns with a spectacular new French inspired, nine-part series. French Food Safari is a celebration of exquisite French cuisine in all its delicious complexity, filmed around Australia and France.
Presented by Maeve O’Meara, French Food Safari follows one of France’s best exports to Australia, renowned chef Guillaume Brahimi on a personal voyage. They visit many of France’s top kitchens and the many places of food pilgrimage in both Paris and regional France – tracking down world-renowned butter, cheese, chocolate, charcuterie, truffles and wine.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Daughters
A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. ~Author Unknown
There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself. ~John Gregory Brown
Bids For Connection: The Building Blocks of Emotional Connection
In Dr. John Gottman's apartment lab at the University of Washington, he studies how people interact with one another under everyday circumstances. He has discovered that "bids for connection" happen at a very high rate between partners. For example, happy couples "bid" 100 times in ten minutes. What makes the bids so important? How those bids are made and responded to influences how well that relationship is going to fare over time.What is a bid for connection? As Dr. Gottman explains in his new book, The Relationship Cure, bids can be verbal or non-verbal. They can be highly physical or come totally from the intellect. They can be sexual or non-sexual. The key is that a bid for connection is an attempt to create connection between two people. Its function is to keep the relationship going forward and in a positive direction.
Bids are the fundamental element of emotional connection. The brief quiz below helps you to assess your style of bidding. More in depth tests are available in The Relationship Cure. To take this test, think of a person who is important to you. Complete each item by indicating how much you agree or disagree with the statement.
Marriage Quiz by John Gottman
How Well Do You Know Your Partner?
One of the most important features of successful couple relationships is the quality of the friendship. Do you know your partner's inner world? Take the quiz below and fInd out.1. I can name my partner's best friends.
yes no
2. I know what stresses my partner is currently facing.
yes no
3. I know the names of some of the people who have been irritating my partner lately.
yes no
4. I can tell you some of my partner's life dreams.
yes no
5. I can tell you about my partner's basic philosophy of life.
yes no
6. I can list the relatives my partner likes the least.
yes no
7. I feel that my partner knows me pretty well.
yes no
8. When we are apart, I often think fondly of my partner.
yes no
9. I often touch or kiss my partner affectionately.
yes no
10. My partner really respects me.
yes no
11. There is fire and passion in this relationship.
yes no
12. Romance is definitely still part of our relationship.
yes no
13. My partner appreciates the things I do in this relationship.
yes no
14. My partner generally likes my personality.
yes no
15. Our sex life is mostly satisfying.
yes no
16. At the end of the day my partner is glad to see me.
yes no
17. My partner is one of my best friends.
yes no
18. We just love talking to each other.
yes no
19. There is lots of give and take (both people have influence) in our discussions.
yes no
20. My partner listens respectfully, even when we disagree.
yes no
21. My partner is usually a great help as a problem solver.
yes no
22. We generally mesh well on basic values and goals in life.
yes no
Your score:
15 or more yes answers: You have a lot of strength in your relationship. Congratulations!
8 to 14: This is a pivotal time in your relationship. There are many strengths you can build upon but there are also some weaknesses that need your attention.
7 or fewer: Your relationship may be in serious trouble. If this concerns you, you probably still value the relationship enough to try to get help.
This quiz highlights elements of what Dr. Gottman refers to as your "love map." In his workshops, Dr. Gottman discusses the step-by-step process of making sure that you nurture your friendship with your partner. In a survey of 200 couples attending a weekend workshop, Dr. Gottman found that the best predictor of passion and romance in a relationship was...you guessed it...the quality of the friendship!
Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: and How You Can Make Yours Last by John Gottman
Psychologist John Gottman identifies four behaviours that are warning signs a marriage is in trouble.
(taken from The Age Sunday September 18, 2011)
- stonewalling
- criticism
- contempt and
- defensiveness.
(taken from The Age Sunday September 18, 2011)
Companioning by Dr Alan Wolfelt
- Companioning is about being present to another person’s pain; it is not about taking away the pain.
- Companioning is about going to the wilderness of the soul with another human being; it is not about thinking you are responsible for finding the way out.
- Companioning is about honoring the spirit; it is not about focusing on the intellect.
- Companioning is about listening with the heart; it is not about analyzing with the head.
- Companioning is about bearing witness to the struggles of others; it is not about judging or directing these struggles.
- Companioning is about walking alongside;it is not about leading or being led.
- Companioning means discovering the gifts of sacred silence; it does not mean filling up every moment with words.
- Companioning the bereaved is about being still; it is not about frantic movement forward.
- Companioning is about respecting disorder and confusion; it is not about imposing order and logic.
- Companioning is about learning from others; it is not about teaching them.
- Companioning is about curiosity; it is not about expertise.
Editor’s note: A complete discussion of Dr. Wolfelt’s companioning philosophy can be found in his books Companioning the Bereaved and The Handbook for Companioning the Mourner.
I’ve always found it intriguing that the word “treat” comes from the Latin root word “tractare,” which means “to drag.” If we combine that with “patient,” we can really get in trouble. “Patient” means “passive long-term sufferer,” so if we treat patients, we drag passive, long-term sufferers. Simply stated, that’s not very empowering .
On the other hand, the word “companion,” when broken down into its original Latin roots, means “messmate”: com for “with” and pan for “bread.” Someone you would share a meal with, a friend, an equal. I have taken liberties with the noun “companion” and made it into the verb “companioning” because it so well captures the type of counselling relationship I support and advocate. That is the image of companioning—sitting at a table together, being present to one another, sharing, communing, abiding in the fellowship of hospitality.
Companioning the bereaved is not about assessing, analyzing, fixing or resolving another’s grief. Instead, it is about being totally present to the mourner, even being a temporary guardian of her soul.
The companioning model is anchored in the “teach me” perspective. It is about learning and observing. In fact, the meaning of “observance” comes to us from ritual. It means not only to “watch out for” but also “to keep and honor,” “to bear witness.” The caregiver’s awareness of this need to learn is the essence of true companioning.
If your desire is to support a fellow human in grief, you must create a “safe place” for people to embrace their feelings of profound loss. This safe place is a cleaned-out, compassionate heart. It is the open heart that allows you to be truly present to another human being’s intimate pain.
As a bereavement caregiver, I am a companion, not a “guide”—which assumes a knowledge of another’s soul I cannot claim. To companion our fellow humans means to watch and learn. Our awareness of the need to learn (as opposed to our tendency to play the expert) is the essence of true companioning.
In sum, companioning is the art of bringing comfort to another by becoming familiar with her story (experiences and needs). To companion the grieving person, therefore, is to break bread literally or figuratively, as well as listen to the story of the other. Of course this may well involve tears and sorrow and tends to involve a give and take of story: I tell you my story and you tell me yours. It is a sharing in a deep and profound way.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com
Thanks Monique, this speech is both intelligent and funny
Thanks Monique, this speech is both intelligent and funny
Friday, 9 September 2011
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Monday, 15 August 2011
Interesting
http://youtu.be/zpnlCo5APrE
Masaru Emoto ( b. July 22, 1943, Yokohama, Japan) is an author known for his controversial claim that if human thoughts are directed at water before it is frozen, images of the resulting water crystals will be beautiful or ugly depending upon whether the thoughts were positive or negative. Emoto claims this can be achieved through prayer, music or by attaching written words to a container of water.
The Dragonfly
Dragonflies are also creatures of the water, and any creature whose habitat is in, or around water carries symbolism relative the the subconscious, or "dreaming" mind and thoughts.
This is because in the animal world, water is symbolic of the subconscious mind ("deeper mind," "dreaming mind") and relates to the thoughts we have in relaxed/meditative/sleeping/subconscious states.
Symbolism of the dragonfly:
- prosperity
- good luck
- strength
- peace
- harmony
- purity
Dragonflies carry messages that deal with deeper thought - and they ask that we pay attention to our deeper thoughts and desires.
Further symbolic insect meaning of dragonfly comes into play when we observe the dragonfly's mode of transportation as it skitters across the top of water surfaces. This implies that our deeper thoughts are surfacing and we must be mindful of the outcome we wish to have.
The dragonfly is a reminder that when our deeper thoughts rise to the surface we must pay attention - there are lessons to be learned, and we are also reminded that what we think is directly proportionate to what we "see on the surface." ...In short, our thoughts (even the deeper ones that we might not be as in-touch with as we are with our conscious thoughts) are responsible for what we see in our lives - in our physical surroundings.
The dragonfly gives us a very powerful meditation tool. Close your eyes, and focus on a thought - let it rise to the surface of your mind's ocean - see that thought float lightly up to the water's surface. Now upon the top of a smooth, calm glass-like surface - visualize that thought moving across that water - sliding across - smooth and fast.
This exercise is useful when we want to visualize positive outcomes in a situation. We see the thought of hope happily moving across an ocean of peace (peaceful mind) and skitting to a perfect outcome.
Lastly it should be noted that the Dragonfly lives a short life, and it knows it must live to the fullest with what it has. This lesson is huge for each of us. When you see a dragonfly, be aware of the gifts it has to offer.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Hungarian Wedding Toast
May you live a thousand years, and I, one day less, so that I might never know the world without the pleasure of your company.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Come to the Edge
'Come to the edge', He said.
'We are afraid', they said.
'Come to the edge', He said.
They came to the edge,
He pushed them and they flew....
'We are afraid', they said.
'Come to the edge', He said.
They came to the edge,
He pushed them and they flew....
Guillaume Apollinaire
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Caroline Myss
Caroline Myss is a five-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned speaker in the fields of human consciousness, spirituality and mysticism, health, energy medicine, and the science of medical intuition.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Maree Claire Wiskar
| ETERNAL rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen. |
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Building Bridges
Building Bridges Not Walls
Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell
into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming
side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed
without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small
misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally
it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of
silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find
a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days
work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I
help you?" Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look
across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my
younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his
bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us.
Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one
better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me
a fence - - an 8-foot fence... so I won't need to see his place
anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
The carpenter responded, "I think I understand the situation. Show me
the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that
pleases you."
The older brother went into town for supplies, so he helped the
Carpenter prepare the materials and then took the day off. The carpenter worked the remainder of the day measuring, sawing, nailing.
About sunset as the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. Upon seeing the project, his eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge-a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! The bridge was a fine piece of handy- work complete with handrails and beautiful ornamentation. To top it off, the younger brother was coming across the newly constructed bridge with a smile on his face and his hands outstretched.
“You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done" said the older brother. The bridge builder simply smiled and watched the two brothers as they hugged in the middle of the bridge.
After a few moments, they turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder.
“No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.” (Source of story unknown).
A Story of Two Pebbles
A Story of Two Pebbles
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.
What would you recommend to the Girl to do?
Well, here is what she did ....
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't attempt to think. Start your day with this thought provoking story and have a nice day.
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.
Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?
Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers.
What would you recommend to the Girl to do?
Well, here is what she did ....
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.
"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't attempt to think. Start your day with this thought provoking story and have a nice day.
Cherokee Legend
As Richard Rohr has already noted, our Western culture is so ‘ritual-starved’ by comparison to other, more ancient (and in my opinion, ‘richer’ cultures). I can’t help but agree with him, particularly in the area of our adolescents who grow up too fast, but in the wrong things. I sometimes wish that they could grow up more slowly so that they had time to gather in their experiences and a sense of themselves, which is much more important than what our Western society often puts before them as ‘important’ and ‘real’.
Love to you all and the beautiful young people in all your lives. Treasure them.
Suzanne
Cherokee Legend
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youths' rite of Passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him an leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him harm.
The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!
Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.
It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him.
He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.
When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the story:
Just because you can't see God,
Doesn't mean He is not there.
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Love to you all and the beautiful young people in all your lives. Treasure them.
Suzanne
Cherokee Legend
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youths' rite of Passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him an leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.
Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him . Maybe even some human might do him harm.
The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!
Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.
It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him.
He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.
When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the story:
Just because you can't see God,
Doesn't mean He is not there.
"For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Life--The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers.
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 Beers.....
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items
in front of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and
empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unanimous "yes!"
The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the
empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children,
your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if
everything else was lost and only they remained,
your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job,
your house and your car.
The sand is everything else---the small stuff!!"
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,
"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will
never have room for the things that are important to you."
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness!
Spend time with your children!
Spend time with your parents!
Visit with grandparents!
Take time to get medical checkups!
Take your spouse out to dinner!
Play another 18!
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal!
Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter!
Set your priorities!
The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
the Beer represented.
The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked."
The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend."
Friday, 17 June 2011
The Thousandth Man
One man in a thousand, Solomon says will
stick more close than a brother.
And it's worth seeking him all your days,
if you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety nine depend
on what the world sees in you.
But the thousandth man will stand your friend
with the whole world against you.
'Tis not promise nor prayer nor show
will settle the finding for thee.
Nine hundred and ninety nine of them go
by your looks, or your acts or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him,
the rest of the world doesn't matter.
For the thousandth man will sink or swim
with you in any water.
It's you can use his purse with no more talk,
than he use his yours for his spendings,
and laugh and meet in your daily walk
as though there had been no lendings.
Nine hundred and ninety nine of them call
for silver and gold in their dealings,
but the thousandth man he's worth them all
because you can show him your feelings.
His wrong's your wrong, and his rights your right,
with that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety nine can't bide
the shame or mocking or laughter.
But the thousandth man will stand by your side
to the gallows foot and after.
Rudyard Kipling
stick more close than a brother.
And it's worth seeking him all your days,
if you find him before the other.
Nine hundred and ninety nine depend
on what the world sees in you.
But the thousandth man will stand your friend
with the whole world against you.
'Tis not promise nor prayer nor show
will settle the finding for thee.
Nine hundred and ninety nine of them go
by your looks, or your acts or your glory.
But if he finds you and you find him,
the rest of the world doesn't matter.
For the thousandth man will sink or swim
with you in any water.
It's you can use his purse with no more talk,
than he use his yours for his spendings,
and laugh and meet in your daily walk
as though there had been no lendings.
Nine hundred and ninety nine of them call
for silver and gold in their dealings,
but the thousandth man he's worth them all
because you can show him your feelings.
His wrong's your wrong, and his rights your right,
with that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety nine can't bide
the shame or mocking or laughter.
But the thousandth man will stand by your side
to the gallows foot and after.
Rudyard Kipling
Their Deeds Follow
When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.
Our memory, suddenly sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words unsaid,
promises, walks never taken…
promises, walks never taken…
And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always irregularly.
Spaces fill
Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored,
never to be the same, whisper to us.
never to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed.
We can be. Be and be better.
For they existed.
Maya Angelou
Friday, 10 June 2011
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Learning to Dance in the Rain Movie
Learning to Dance in the Rain Movie: "It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word... gratitude, can change your attitude, and thus your life, forever. Sarah Breathnach said it best... When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present... We experience heaven on earth."
(Thanks Bruno and Suzanne for this one. Just click on red writing to view link.)
(Thanks Bruno and Suzanne for this one. Just click on red writing to view link.)
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
ABC2 'Am I Normal' Episode 1 - Addiction
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/775978
Thanks Monique for recommending this. This episode can be viewed on iview for the next 2 weeks.
Episode 2 - Body Image
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/779118 added 9/6/11
Episode 3 - Spirituality
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/780663 added 16/6/11
Thanks Monique for recommending this. This episode can be viewed on iview for the next 2 weeks.
Episode 2 - Body Image
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/779118 added 9/6/11
Episode 3 - Spirituality
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/780663 added 16/6/11
Mindfulness CD
This CD provides a great description of Mindfulness and gives 5 exercises. I've put it on my ipod for easy access.Monday, 23 May 2011
Mindfulness Resources
Thanks Mary (Psychosocial Occupational Therapist) for this useful link.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Wisdom
-Plato
It requires wisdom to understand wisdom: the music is nothing if the audience is deaf.
- Walter Lippmann
- Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman
Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification.- Martin Fischer
Thursday, 5 May 2011
A Native American Proverb
Native American culture tells the story of a father who explains his struggle between good and evil by telling his son that he has two wolves fighting inside his heart – a good wolf and a bad wolf. The son asks which of the wolves will win the battle. The father replies, whichever one I feed.
Meditation C.D's
Boulder Shoulders: gain a sense of balance and receptivity
Clenched Fists: etablish a sense of peace and harmony
Fuzzy Head: become clear and focussed.
Stomach Knots: get in touch with your personal power.
Aching Heart: to soothe and heal.
Eat Pray Love
As described in my very first blog entry I am now able to 'collate' all of the great resources I find. When I read 'Eat Pray Love' two summers ago I jotted down some reflections in the middle of a notebook. Ellen needed a note book recently and gave the reflections to me.
Quotes from Elizabeth Gilbert that struck me:
'There is a difference between meditation and prayer...though both seek communion with the divine,
prayer is the act of talking with God
meditation is the act of listening' Page 138
'Bel far niente' translated as 'The Beauty of Doing Nothing.' (Love this one)
'God dwells within you...as you.' Page 201
OM/ NA/MAH/ SHI/VA/YA...said as a mantra (I honour the divinity which resides within me.) Page 126.
Antevasin: 'one who lives at the border'.
You can still live on the shimmering line between your old thinking and your new understanding, always in a state of learning. (a border that is always moving) Page 214.
Friday, 29 April 2011
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Life and Human Relations
Life and Human Relations
Serving the emotional and spiritual needs of the Brisbane community for over 25 years.
www.lifeandhumanrelations.com/
Serving the emotional and spiritual needs of the Brisbane community for over 25 years.
www.lifeandhumanrelations.com/
Source Quotes
Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.
Thomas Aquinas
Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.
Anais Nin
Every beauty which is seen here by persons of perception resembles more than anything else that celestial source from which we all are come.
Michelangelo
Silence is a source of great strength.
Lao Tzu
The only source of knowledge is experience.
Albert Einstein
Thomas Aquinas
Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.
Anais Nin
Every beauty which is seen here by persons of perception resembles more than anything else that celestial source from which we all are come.
Michelangelo
Silence is a source of great strength.
Lao Tzu
The only source of knowledge is experience.
Albert Einstein
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