No one knows who or what we’ve talked about unless YOU tell them. You want the matter dropped? Then drop it and it will be, no one the wiser.  Your choice. Reconciliation will halt your probing further into your partner’s history.  Perhaps that was the point.

Learning to forgive and dying again have the same purpose, only to awaken. But just one of them saves significant time and therefore makes sense, when one has come to understand and value nothing more than what Peace is. Godspeed is the only speed there is. Neil McGregor

We practice breathing as a way to calm our feelings and emotions. That way, we can do whatever we are doing in a peaceful and happy way. That’s how we serve, in depth. Thich Nhat Hanh

I just realized what a fast attracter I was in a past situation. I’d forgotten an important part of the timeline until I was reminded of it yesterday. I’d forgotten what questions I’d been asking the Universe, so no wonder I didn’t recognize the answer when it came. In July 2011, I began working with a friend about the man I referenced in The ladies man who presents himself as a guru.  Two months later, I attracted what would end up being with a similar man.  I wondered how I attracted it.  Now out of it a year and a half later, I see that I was vibing in that place because I was advising this particular client on her particular matter from July until September 2011 when I met mine.  I was asking the Universe the question, “How does this happen to these women? How can someone fall for that?” Question answered.  Now I know. I hold no grudges for mine, we all go through integrating our personality and what happened happened. I’m the better for it, I’ve made new friends through it. I don’t think there was premeditated mal intent with mine, but it ended up as it ended up.  The greater point is, had I been conscious and mindful of the questions I’d been asking the Universe, I would have recognized the answer when it appeared. Since I didn’t recognize it, the Universe expanded it for me to show me on a bigger screen.  It took awhile.  I finally got it. I’ll be more mindful in the future of what answers are being played out right in front of me. And I’ll sure as heck remember what I’ve been asking.

Sunday I  went to Sensei Al Rapaport’s  Dharma Talk at the Open Mind Zen Center, where Al is the Spiritual Director. He spoke on the mystical poems of Rumi and how they point to a deep understanding of spiritual practice.  Although I know Al, it was my first time at the center. I arrived a little early and parked in the back. I was glad to see Marsha, Terry and Jenny there, as well as Robin for whom I worked 20 years ago.  We began with a couple of chants then went into a 30 minute silent meditation. I enjoy silent sitting with a group before teaching and discussion begins.  It allows everyone to settle into the intention at hand and let the mindstuff fall away.  Continue reading →

A client asked me how to get bodies in the chairs at her event so she’d have a better chance of selling her products and services. I told her that’s the hard way to do it. You don’t want 200 people to attend an event if only 10 are going to buy. Your market is the 10 who really want it. Remember that the next time you look out into your audience of 10. And if you don’t think you can make an honest and lucrative living with just 10 clients, then you just have short vision. It’s not a numbers game; it’s a consciousness game.

Never miss an opportunity to make others happy, even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it.

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. Carl Jung

It is a waste of our energies to respond to the provocations of those who are moved by intense insecurities. Vrinda Puja

Sleep + gardening + work = life is good! It’s been a fun and productive week of final layout for the June Horizons Magazine, as well as lots of time off for gardening breaks as I put in the hanging herb and veggie garden.  At first light, I went around to all the saplings, bending them into the shapes I’d like them to grow in. I did a surprise one on the chinese tallow for the mail chick out by the mailbox. I showed it to her when she came by: I’d trimmed it so the branches wouldn’t grow in her direction, and I fanned the three trunks out for her, like a wave.  She laughed.  She said her mangos and avocados never give fruit and I suggested she put a slow dripline on them overnight to wake them up.  My plants all respond like crazy to more water.  I’ve been doing my yoga on the back porch so I can watch the mama cardinal sit on her nest.  It’s better than tv.

Disguised as the first gardenia of 2013, the Beloved bloomed for me today. His scent is intoxicating and draws me near for a snuffle, the petals soft against my nose. I left a slow drip line on him all night long. He bloomed in appreciation and gratitude.

My brother turns into Crusader Rabbit when he perceives an underdog is being taken advantage of.  He’s not afraid to speak up on behalf of those who don’t. The only problem comes when he stands up for someone playing the victim and, unbeknownst to him, out to stir up some drama.  Then he finds himself in a big hot mess because of his kind and protective heart.  He wanted to help bring them justice. He realized later that the Universe was already bringing them justice and they should have instead prayed for mercy from their own karma.  I can dig it. In the past I’ve stood up for others and didn’t always do so with all the facts at hand.  Only in retrospect do I see the matter would have been best settled between the parties themselves.  They were the only ones who knew the facts.

So do you never help anyone who asks?  No.  You support them but do not get involved in their battles.  My brother is kind, but he does not want to stunt their soul if it’s just their ego playing out.  We’ve both decided to stay out of the fray knowing that these souls will attract exactly what they’ve been giving out, and that’s the mirror that will show them the way into themselves, and out of themselves, if they’re willing to take the real journey.  The solitary, inward journey of “What am I not seeing, why do I have personality conflicts?” rather than the outward journey of telling the victim story to everyone you know, bringing it up repeatedly long after it’s done. Even if the story is true, your telling it is not helping you reach a place of peace and vibrate in a happier place.  Repeating the victim story keeps you in that victim mindset so you can’t attract anything but more to be a victim about. Stop ringing that bell and let that echo die down. The echo is doing the damage. You don’t need Crusader Rabbit to come to your rescue. The answer, as always, is simply clear up the past, forgive everyone everything and start looking for your next good thing.  You’ll find all your battles fall away when you do that.  It’s easier than you think.