Category: Uncategorized

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What we’ve been up to

This is what Ramesha and I have been working on for the last month or so! It’s been a blessing to dive deeper into singing together and creating something like this together. And now we’re feeling determined to get back to doing more of this together!

It’s also been fun for me to compare the way we’re going about it now, compared to the way we’ve put out other CD’s over the years. Ramesha has invested a lot of time and resources in learning how to better promote and market our music and boy is it making a difference!

For example, I’m accustomed to having one or two parts to sing or play on the recording and then I’m done; but for this there were also background vocals to record and other aspects of the arrangement/production on which Ramesha wanted input from me and Christian (our recording engineer).

Then there was a day dedicated to videotaping ourselves singing the song four times through (as a duet, each of us solo, and close-up on the guitar) so that Bhaktan would have all those different video angles of us to use for the lyric video (which you just saw above). Plus all three of us spent time searching for additional images that we felt conveyed the vibration of the song, so it was a collaboration in that way as well.

Ramesha has also kept busy creating artwork and landing pages, and writing emails to let friends and fans know about it, and a gazillion other details (bravo, Ramesha!) Finally, we videotaped a little mini-documentary, in which we shared thoughts about the song and the project (see below).

Whew!

All in all, it’s been a eye-opening new experience for me and the feedback so far has been very positive. Of course, our hope is that many people will hear it and find comfort in the profound message of this song during these unsettled times. 🙏

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I give up

Been trying for an hour or more to think of something interesting to say, but it’s just not happening. It’s time to call it a night, but I want to at least leave you with something to make you smile. 😊

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The peace of God is my one goal

Days like today are such a wonderful opportunity to remember…

….that, no matter what, every person on the planet is my spiritual brother and sister.

….that, no matter what the world looks like, the ultimate reality is that it’s all made out of God. As my Science of Mind practitioner used to say: “There is no spot where God is not.” and “You can’t get outside of God.”

….that, no matter the centuries of misunderstandings to the contrary, God is love, God is light, God is Peace. And if there’s no spot where God is not, that means there’s no spot — anywhere — where love is not present. True, we human beings are really, really good at hiding it and disguising it and denying it, but love is still there. Just being love and waiting for us to allow it in.

Even though I don’t particularly enjoy it, I do appreciate the fact that times like these are a blessing in the sense that they force me to build up my spiritual muscle. It’s not always fun, but it is getting me closer to the goal.

I’ve cherished this postcard (pictured above) for more than thirty years because it touched me so deeply when I first saw it, even years and years before I found my true spiritual path. And I’m feeling it more and more with each passing year.

The peace of God is my one goal
the aim of all my living here,
the end I seek,
my purpose and my function and my life.

Quote from A Course in Miracles (Foundation for Inner Peace)
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Forever in our hearts

“You are loved”

It is with humility and love that I create this altar for the star babies, the water babies, the angel babies, the spirit babies for Dia de Los Muertos. To the babes: You are not in our arms but forever in our hearts. ❤️ YOU ARE LOVED ❤️

It’s been over a quarter of a century since I first met Jane, whose words are quoted above. She and Shannon were the midwives supporting me through my pregnancy and planned home birth, but their role shifted dramatically the morning I went into labor.

Instead of joyously welcoming a new life to the planet, they helped me move through the process of giving birth while also grieving the stillbirth of my baby. I am so grateful to have had their amazing support during that transformative, life altering experience.

Now, twenty-five years later, I still feel Jane’s loving support through the altar for spirit babies that she creates every year for Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). Every heart on the altar represents someone’s lost babe and I deeply appreciate having Liam’s light represented there. Thank you, Jane! 💗

The altar in its (impressive) entirety!
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Embracing acceptance

At Ananda, every Sunday service includes a reading from Affirmations for Self-Healing by Swami Kriyananda. And — with Election Day bearing down upon us — the one for today is so perfect that I’m including it below in its entirety.

Week 44 – ACCEPTANCE
One of the most difficult lessons in life is to learn to accept things as they are. How much energy we waste in trying to wish away the inevitable! “If only this hadn’t happened!” “If only we had reached there in time!” The “if only’s” and “might have been’s” in life keep us from dealing realistically with what is.

Acceptance comes from knowing that reality lies within ourselves, and that all else is a dream. Acceptance of that one reality makes everything else acceptable. Instead of learning to come to grips with a thousand individual challenges, therefore, make the supreme effort to accept God unconditionally into your heart. Accept all that comes in life as coming from His hands. He will give you what is best for you, if you live for Him alone.

Affirmation

I accept with calm impartiality whatever comes my way. Free in my heart, I am not conditioned by any outward circumstance.

Prayer

Shine Thy delusion-cauterizing light into the hidden nooks of my heart’s feelings, lest somewhere, without my conscious knowledge, I have not accepted Thee. If ever I err, strengthen me to accept Thy discipline, for in Thy will alone lies the happiness I am seeking.

Truly comprehending this is an extremely tall order, but I’m grateful for the reminder to even try not to wish away the inevitable — whatever that may turn out to be! 🙏🕉🙏

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All Hallows’ Eve blessings

It’s been a very long while since I felt any real affinity for Halloween. I feel more resonance with the multiple day observance of All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day.

Of course, I didn’t have much awarerness of anything except Halloween until well into adulthood. It was as part of a women’s group that I was introduced to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which took place the night before All Saints’ Day, when the veil between the worlds was believed to be lifted. This eventually became what we know as Halloween.

And it was while I was living in Europe that I learned more about All Saints’ Day (La Festa di Ognissanti) and All Souls’ Day (Il Giorno dei Morti or the Day of the Dead). What a difference from Halloween, which had been fun as a child, but for adults seemed to just be an excuse for a silly sort of excess.

So I really appreciate this more meaningful holiday, which encourages me to remember with love my dear ones who have passed on.

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I really, really needed this tonight!

I made the mistake of reading some political stuff on Facebook and was feeling really down. I mean, it’s all just such a mess.

But then I saw this. Whoever and wherever you are, Chad Baker, THANK you! 😂

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Baffled and bemused

I read about the strongly surging virus and I simply can’t wrap my mind around the thinking and the attitudes that have led us to this point.

I mean, if someone really hates wearing a mask, it seems obvious to me that they would compensate for the lack of a mask by being that much more careful about physical distancing and staying away from crowds.

But the opposite seems — all too often — to be true, with people saying “I don’t have to wear a mask and I can go wherever I want and I will do whatever I want to do. So there!” I swear I can practically see the tongue sticking out at the end, it’s such a childishly immature attitude…one that insists on dictating, rather than accepting, reality.

And I just don’t get it. Hence, I am left baffled and bemused.

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From the trees: a mantra for the day

For once I’m writing my blog post before noon. Why? Because inspiration hit early for once!

My friend, Lisa — who feels, as do I, a deep love for the poetry of Mary Oliver — shared a poem that really spoke to me today. And I felt to distill its message down to these words to live by: Go easy; be filled with light; shine.

Trees remind us that we, too, have come into the world to do this. But how quickly we forget…

WHEN I AM AMONG THE TREES
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”

@2006 by Mary Oliver
Published by Beacon Press in Thirst, p.4