(not necessarily in that order)
I love the powerful simplicity of these reminders written by one of Ananda’s most beloved and long term members, who passed away last year.
Love God more each day.
Focus in meditation on Master, keeping the mind from wandering.
Help others and love them with God’s love.
Trust in Master to guide your life.
Truly words to live by. Thank you, Seva. 💖
It seems that more and more people are starting to comprehend that music is much more than simply “entertainment”. This is so heartening to me.
“When songs rise within me,
I WILL SING THEM.
Even when I am tired,
weary and exhausted,
I WILL TRUST
these melodies are
more than melodies.
They are grace-filled
cadences to remind
my soul through my
aching, there is a
PEACE to keep
me steady…a balm
for my wounds.”
— Morgan Harper Nichols (All Along You Were Blooming)
Once Ramesha and I had clicked musically and romantically, things progressed rather quickly.
I was still touring with the Italy singers, while he was in Lugano teaching middle school music. Sometimes I would take the train to Switzerland, while other times he would drive to meet the group when we had performances in northern Italy.
But by March of 2004 the touring group had disbanded and I relocated from Ananda Assisi to Lugano. I did have a few qualms, I must admit. While I didn’t doubt our relationship, I was rather disconcerted to learn that there was no spiritual community in Lugano. Plus Ramesha wasn’t even interested in living in community, while I had never expected to live outside one ever again! Hmm…
Then there was the fact that he was the lead singer in a rock band. That took a while for me to wrap my mind around for sure! But I trusted in Divine Mother’s plan for me and I’m grateful every day that I did.
A video and a song, together, really knocked me for a loop earlier today. I’ve been reflecting on exactly why all day.
I believe there were four levels of impact, each one going deeper than the one before…
I was moved first of all by the reminder that touching and being touched is one of the most basic and fundamental of our human needs. That right there is powerful.
But in this time of COVID-19, when for five full months we’ve had to maintain physical distance, witnessing all those hugs generated a visceral response within me. Something was triggered and I feel like I had an internal meltdown of sorts.
Then there’s the song (video is below). For me, these three lines seem to capture its essential message:
Everyone is hurting
Everyone is searching
Everyone is looking for the truth about love
But what really rocked my world as I watched the video was this young woman’s level of trust. To stand there, blindfolded, with her arms open…ready to receive and to give. I just can’t even begin to imagine being that trusting, that open. But it touched me so deeply that I was literally weeping by the end.
I just discovered from reading the video comments that her sign says:
Free hugs
I trust you
You can trust me
“You might think, it’s just a simple hug
but in reality it is more than it appears.
It’s the purest gift that we can offer to each other,
a moment of connection, of affection, a moment of bliss.
Body against body,
no words are necessary,
connecting to our heartbeats,
we are surrendering to the magic.
A pure moment of love,
when this time becomes enough.
Who’s giving? Who’s receiving? Yes it is quite confusing.
But it doesn’t really matter.
What truly matters is that we are opening our hearts
and from being apart we suddenly become one.”
— From Laure Kypriotis