BELIEVE

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe."
Toby Reynolds

"If you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." <em>The Alchemist</em> Paulo Coelho

EQUINOX

 

Fall arrives today with its colorful crispness, its cornucopia of  richly harvested flavors, reminding us of the bounty we have to celebrate.

A certain sweet sadness arrives with Fall. The lingering warmth, the longer days. The changes draw our attention to the contrast of winter already on its way.

Rich gem colored tones of sunset and leaves, delicious baked-in, wood-smoke smells, audible crunch of leaves under foot, crafty exploration of All Hallows’ Eve costumes, earthy messiness  of pumpkin carving, sharing family traditions, founding new ones…

I am eagerly anticipating the glory of Fall! What do you look forward to?

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GARGLE

 

“Some people drink deeply from the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.” Bright, Grant M.

What an absolute pleasure to share an exchange with someone capable of synthesizing, applying and actively participating. A rich dialogue. A willingness to engage, to risk opinions, to gain understanding.

When was the last time you made time for such a conversation?

KNOWN

"Not being known doesn't stop the truth from being true." Richard Bach

Each one of us holds a great yearning to be known. An intrinsic desire to be completely absorbed by another. Not assimilated or even understood. Simply heard and accepted.

We must first know ourselves thoroughly in order to share this gift with another. And in the process of sharing our knowledge the reciprocal can occurs. This is not always the case, but the opportunity exists! Sometimes we are so eager in our own effort to be known and revealed that we neglect to allow the reverse to happen as it naturally will. Effortlessly.

How well do we know those around us? Do we hesitate to hold the conversations that will allow this knowledge to be shared? Is our priority in the knowing or the being known or in the process of this rich exchange?

Prerequisites. Is it necessary for us to be open to the point of being willing to know another as much as we know ourselves in order to be known? A willingness to know another deeply and at times utterly painfully. A shared experience that holds the possibility to be sublimely liberating and glorious.

What we choose to with do with this knowledge changes everything.

There is such rich opportunity in this uncharted territory. For forgiveness, acceptance and love to blossom and thrive.

Do you know what it's like to be truly known? And to know another?

INVOLUNTARY

 

“Closer is He than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson

Fascinating the involuntary response that is our body’s breath. The gentle, irresistible action that tugs and releases the air within us in and out of life each instant.

Without the least bit of help from us, this mysterious system defies our bidding, escalating with our emotions and triggering cascades of internal responses to which incapable of  granting either permission or disapproval. 

Beneath the surface our breath operates continuously. Only when we try to cage it, holding our breath in, silent, does it become fierce and noticeable.

Through each and every moment our breath accompanies us: silent, steadfast, loyal.

Yet while we rarely acknowledge its constant presence, breath is the only involuntary response over which we have any direct control. For what purpose I wonder?

With the practice of pranayama I have witnessed the direct correlation between breath, body and mind. My own serene stillness at the end of a series of long, deep, satisfying breaths or a series of Nadi Sodhanai . My restless energy fueled by Kapalabhati. The steady, open-mouthed chill of Shitali.

And the times when my breath is illusive, sharply reminding me of its own free will. The jagged roughness at the end of wind-sprints. The intensity of inhale corroborating with an unexpected touch or thought.

Gentle reminders that the breath is ours up to a point. The mystery remains regardless of what science can explain.

What is the quality of your breath in this very moment? It’s texture, length, taste, sound?

Subtle changes. What does our awareness shift in the qualities of our breath and the quality of our experience?

TRANSPARENCY

There is a glorious and highly valuable quality in transparency. A sublte, lost art.


The ability to roll down the tinted windows that we cruise through our daily lives safely, discretely hidden behind. Remove the mask and reveal the delicate, authentic truths that we so seldom find the appropriate time, person and space to share. A cherished glimpse of a rarely seen private collection of memories, stories, dreams.

Tact and selectivity serve real purpose in our daily lives. It is the truth that perhaps even now some share openly, honestly and completely innappropriately.

Then in the darkest hours or the quietest of places. Tucked in among intimate conversations. A perfect ratio of volume, temperature, proximity and company allow for candid, forthright revelations. A steady, articulate unveiling of truths and experiences. Liberation.

What a glorious, radiant thrill! The art of the timely reveal. As elegant and demure as the curve of skin from beneath cloth. Just a hint....

What would you unveil?

IN MY HANDS

If I could only hold this moment in my hands. I would bury it away. Secretly stored in a pocket. So that I could stumble across it many months from now and remember, instantly, the feeling of now.

Even the little time I've taken to think this thought has removed me just that much from this time, this feeling. Distance.

If I could only hold this moment in my hands...I might stockpile happy little memories, like a diligant fury creature busily hoarding treats for the cold winter months ahead.

I'd stash this one away and hope to pull it gently from the wash, tattered and softened, full of the scent of now.

Which moments would you tuck away for a rainy day?

MOM KNOWS BEST

via FrenchByDesign * on Pinterest

Love this! Thanks to pinterest.com and Holiday Matinee for the reminder.