From the poet Nikki Giovanni:
There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothes, sick people to comfort and make well. And while I don't expect you to save the world, I do think it's not asking too much for you to love those with whom you sleep, share the happiness of those whom you call friend, engage those among you who are visionary, and remove from your life those who offer you depression, despair, and disrespect.
Here's a pithy quote from Pema Chodron:
The inconceivable wish to help all sentient beings always begins with oneself. Our own experience is the only things we have to share. Other than that, we can't pretend to be more awake or more compassionate than we actually are. Much of our realizaation comes from the honest recognition of our foibles. The inability to measure up to our own standards is decidedly humbling. It allows us to empathize with other people's difficulties and mistakes.
I found some juicy quotes that speak to today:
We are like sleepwalkers, not knowing what we are doing or where we are heading. Whether we can wake up or not depends on whether we can walk mindfully on our Mother Earth. The future of all life, including our own, depends on our mindful steps. (Thich Nhat Hanh)
No one who isn't us is going to destroy Earth, and no one who isn't us is going to save it. The most hopeless conditions can inspire the most hopeful actions. We have found ways to restore life on Earth in the event of a total collapse because we have found ways to cause a total collapse of life on Earth. We are the flood, and we are the ark. (Jonathan Safran Foer)
Let's be, for a while, true optimists, and operate on the assumption that human beings are not grossly defective. Let's assume we're capable of acting together to do remarkable things. (Bill McKibben)
Here are some pithy quotes to ponder:
Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. (Thomas Carlyle)
and
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. (Marie Curie)
In other words, keep on keeping on!
I originally published this blog to support my novel, The Gemini Bond, several years ago. It morphed into a place where I could share new quotes, new books, interesting points of view, and occasional rants. It has been a pleasure over the years sharing with you.
But my life has become increasingly complex with continuing issues that are taking more and more of my time, energy, and focus. They are not things that can be fixed, really, but dealt with on a daily basis.
So, I have come to the point where I need to simplify my life and cut out some duties and obligations. This blog, sadly, is one of them.
That does not mean that I will never post again, but I need to give up the weekly deadline that I set up for myself years ago.
So, yes, I will revisit from time to time. There are always wonderful books and pithy quotes to share. I may need to rant now and then. But the weekly post is coming to an end.
So, I offer my blessing to you:
Some quotes to ponder:
Heal the world, make it a better place. For you and me, and the entire universe. (Sung by Michael Jackson)
The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to healing the world. (Marianne Williamson)
The inner self of every human waits patiently until we are ready to discover it; then it extends an invitation to enter the luminous mystery of existence in which all things are created, nurtured, and renewed. In the presence of this mystery, we not only heal ourselves, we heal the world. (Deepak Chopra)
In the interview that was featured in the video I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Michelle Lee described a process in which one can heal oneself from traumas and hurts. My belief is that when we heal ourselves, we heal the world. "As within, so without," as the quote goes.
She also alluded to an additional step after her trauma healing process, which is to rid the meridians of the body of the energy of trauma through EFT.
What is EFT, you ask? It stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, and involves tapping on certain meridian points (think Chinese acupuncture or acupressure points) while saying something along the lines of, "Even though I feel ___________ (angry, hurt, betrayed, sad, etc.) about _________ (situation or person), I still deeply and completely love, accept and forgive myself." You continue to say that statement while tapping the various meridian points. It takes maybe 2-3 minutes, and it really brings a big sense of relief, from my own experience.
You can access one video as an explanation here, but there are many, many videos and books available for you to explore if you wish. Happy tapping!
