(not necessarily in that order)
My walk had to happen later than ever today. It was early evening, but already full dark.
Still beautiful, though.
I simply walked laps around the Rajarsi Park circle, so I didn’t have to worry about tripping over anything in the low visibility. That way I also didn’t worry (too much) about running into nocturnal critters. 😄
But look how bright that star is in the night sky (I think it must be Jupiter)!
A powerful thought for today from Paramhansa Yogananda.
Environment is Stronger than Willpower
“The company you keep is important. If you leave your coat in a room where people are smoking, pretty soon it will smell of smoke. If you leave it outside in the garden, later on, when you bring it indoors, it will carry with it the fragrance of fresh air and flowers.
“Such is the case with the mind. Your garment of thoughts absorbs the vibrations of those with whom you mix. If you mingle with pessimists, in time you will become a pessimist. And if you mingle with cheerful, happy people, you yourself will develop a cheerful, happy nature.
“Environment is stronger than will power. Whether one becomes a saint or a sinner is to a great extent determined by the company he keeps.”
For most of my life, I’ve struggled to feel “safe” in the world.
It’s not as bad as it used to be, though I still can’t even begin to imagine walking around our rural community by myself after dark.
But recently, my renewed commitment to getting my walk in every day has caused me to push against my self-imposed boundaries.
This is because I’ve had a series of days with early meetings or appointments in town, meaning I miss my morning walk. Then I get to working and before I know it, it’s late afternoon and getting dark. But rather than miss my walk altogether, I head on out.
Of course, the thing is that I love the quiet, peaceful energy of twilight, so I’m actually beginning to enjoy walking in the “almost dark.”
The sky was so beautiful right at the end of tonight’s walk, I had to try and capture it in a photo. Don’t know if you can see the bright star off to the left, but it was absolutely magical.
What a glorious, fun, intensely satisfying time we had at this afternoon’s Christmas Faire!
Lots of people purchased our magnet and our new Christmas album, which is great. But what made it both glorious and intense was the fact of connecting with that many people, in person!
I felt wiped out about halfway through the four hours, and realized I’m out of practice when it comes to interacting with numbers of people!
We’re trying something new and different!
At tomorrow’s Christmas Faire for Ananda Village residents we’re offering music ministry merchandise for sale!
One item is a digital Christmas album of excerpts from our 2019 Christmas concert; the first ever in what was then the brand new Temple of Light!
Of course, we’ve offered recordings before, but the second item is something brand new for us: the above image and quote of Swami Kriyananda on a refrigerator magnet, for daily inspiration.
We’re excited to see how both are received and pleased with ourselves for managing to pull it all together in time.
I truly am grateful, thankful, and blessed!
Here’s something that Swamiji said in 2012:
“Happy Thanksgiving Day. Today is a big day in America, but what it stands for would be good for everyone on earth to celebrate: a day of thanks to God for His many gifts.”
How wonderful it would be to focus on giving thanks for God’s gifts every day of the year, and to go to sleep each night…counting my blessings!
LYRICS
When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings
It’s been close to fifty years since I last attended a service at Sunnyhills United Methodist Church, but the hymns that we sang — and that I grew to love there — remain in my head and my heart to this day.
I usually find them bubbling up in my consciousness at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. So sure enough, all day I’ve been humming “We Gather Together,” “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” and “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.”
But my all-time Thanksgiving favorite is “This Is My Father’s World,” which I feel to share with you today.
Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t easy to find a simple choir version that was heartfelt and true. This arrangement goes far beyond the straightforward 4-part harmonies in the Methodist Hymnal, but I feel it does justice to the song.
LYRICS
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world,
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad![6]
This one has been challenging, but it’s almost over.
In the meantime, this photo is how I’m feeling as I attempt NOT to think about food! 😂
I can’t express in words how happy I felt when I glimpsed my new plants just outside the front door this morning.
They made my heart sing!
I took more photos, simply because I can’t seem to get enough of these beauties!
At yesterday’s Sevaka retreat, Jyotish spoke about how after Yogananda’s experience of going into samadhi (divine ecstasy or bliss) his guru, Sri Yukteswar, gave him a broom to sweep the porch.
Well, we’ve had a jam-packed weekend, full of satsangs, meetings, and rehearsals, and with lots of performing and recording. And while we didn’t reach the heights of samadhi, there was a whole lot of joy and really high energy.
Not surprisingly, by this afternoon I was pooped and not entirely sure what to do with myself.
But then I was inspired to take my broom and sweep the patio. Which was followed by finally potting (or re-potting) a number of plants that had been patiently waiting to receive some attention.
And it was the perfect balance to all the energy and intensity. Just me, my broom, flowering plants, sunshine, sky, birdsong, and peace.
