It’s up to us to shine our light.
And that means every single one of us, no exceptions!
The world needs as many warriors of light as it can get right now.
Wisdom from Rumi
Maude’s wisdom
This afternoon’s wedding was glorious and beautiful, but we were really pooped afterwards.
So…since “Harold and Maude” has still been rattling around in my brain, I think I’ll share some of my favorite “Maude” quotes. To be perfectly honest, for the longest time Maude is who I wanted to be when I grew up!
Maude: The earth is my body; my head is in the stars.
[pauses] Who said that, Harold?
Harold: I don’t know.
Maude: Well, I suppose I did, then.
Harold: Maude.
Maude: Hmm?
Harold: Do you pray?
Maude: Pray? No. I communicate.
Harold: With God?
Maude: With life.
Harold: You sure have a way with people.
Maude: Well, they’re my species!
Maude: That was fun! Let’s play something together.
Harold: I don’t play anything.
Maude: Nothing? Dear me, everybody should be able to make some music. That’s the cosmic dance.
Maude: I like to watch things grow. They – grow and bloom and fade and die and change into something else. Ah, life!
Maude: I should like to change into a sunflower most of all. They’re so tall and simple. What flower would you like to be?
Harold: I don’t know. One of these, maybe.
Maude: Why do you say that?
Harold: Because they’re all alike.
Maude: Oooh, but they’re not. Look. See, some are smaller, some are fatter, some grow to the left, some to the right, some even have lost some petals. All kinds of observable differences. You see, Harold, I feel that much of the world’s sorrow comes from people who are this,
[she points to a daisy]
Maude: yet allow themselves be treated as that.
[she gestures to a field of daisies; cut to a shot of a field of gravestones in a military cemetery]
A discovery: random but inspiring
A post from the group Camino de Santiago All Routes randomly popped up on my Facebook feed today. I really enjoyed reading it and on an impulse clicked through to the author’s personal profile.
Declan McGuiness is from Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland. An accountant, he sounds like a completely average kind of guy, but I was deeply touched as I read one after another of his Facebook posts.
He writes about suicide prevention and mental health and caring for one another. I love his wisdom and compassion, plus I get a kick out of the Irishness of it all. I can practically hear his accent as I read his words.
Hey lads?
Imagine if you counted your achievements as often as you count your flaws???
Imagine if you counted your wins as often as you count your defeats?
Imagine if you counted your compliments as often as your insults?
Imagine if you counted your pluses as often as your minuses?
Imagine if you gave yourself a break?
Imagine?
You know the wee voice that tells you that you can’t do it?
You can’t climb that hill?
You can’t hike that distance?
You can’t cycle that far?
It does our head in, doesn’t it?
But.
Maybe we are hearing it wrong.
Maybe it’s not actually saying no all the time.
Maybe it’s actually saying be careful climbing that hill.
Maybe it’s actually saying take a break if you are going to hike that distance.
Maybe it’s a actually saying take provisions and spares if you are going to cycle that far.
Maybe it’s not trying to stop us.
Maybe it’s trying to protect us.
Just a thought.
Maybe go ahead and do the things.
But listen to the voice, and take care.
It’s OK not to feel OK.
Wisdom from a friend
I was catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in some time, comparing notes on life and its lessons.
We got pretty philosophical, agreeing on the importance of not being overly focused on oneself. But then she shared something that I found extremely helpful.
Basically, she related how she had made the decision that: “If I’m going to think about myself, let it be something good.”
When she said that I immediately found myself reflecting on how the tendency is to spend tons of time focused on me, but almost all of it is negative self talk. It’s the worst of both worlds!
So, I’m going to adopt this as my own and practice telling myself good things about me.
Wisdom from Seva
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. 💖
How to love oneself
I wonder how this little girl came by her wisdom.
Was it an innate knowing or did someone teach this to her?
Regardless, I find it both powerful and deeply moving, and worth adopting in my own personal bedtime routine.
“Goodnight myself. I love you. [pause] I love you too.”
My current favorite people
Jyotish and Devi have been on fire in their classes this Inner Renewal Week.
They express so much wisdom, love, and joy in their every word and action, it’s a thrill to be in the room with them.
And most wondrous of all, is being able to call such great souls our friends.
Learning to be happy right now
Perfect reminder to start my week off right.
“Choose joy” has been my chosen mantra many, many times throughout the years. But I love the additional wisdom contained in these words…and the photo simply says it all!
So…
Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy!
Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy!
Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy!
Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy!
Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! Choose joy! 😂
The need for detachment
“Detach yourself. Control the reactive process. Live the teachings.”
Words of deep wisdom from a devotee friend who was dying of cancer, spoken to her husband. This was ten years ago but her words have inspired and challenged many of us ever since.
Although I’ve reflected on them often over the years myself, today I had an “aha” moment. I can’t say for sure, of course, but for the first time I found myself pondering the order of the words and I would be willing to bet it’s no accident that “detach yourself” comes first.
After all, how can I possibly “control the reactive process” if I’m attached — to the outcome; to my opinions and my rights; to people being or acting a certain way; etcetera etcetera ad infinitum?!? Where there’s attachment, I’ll continue to feel a “charge” around the issue, and to be “triggered” anytime someone “pushes my button!”
No, I must develop the ability to put even a teensy bit of space between me and whatever “it” is. Once I do that I gain perspective; I can be the observer. Then and only then is there the possibility of pausing and choosing my response.
In thinking about all this, I found again a blog post by Nayaswami Jyotish that offers both spiritual insight and practical suggestions:
“Be attentive to the very next thing that upsets your peace of mind. Now trace back to why you are upset. Were you holding an expectation regarding the behavior of others? If you can let go of the expectation, you can let go of the negative reaction. Only once the negative reaction is gone, can you begin to surround the person or situation with peace, love, and harmony.”
Needed: transparency & knowledge
Feeling so much gratitude for the clarity and wisdom of Dr Peter, Ananda Village’s resident physician, as we seek the balance between under-reacting and over-reacting. Also feeling so grateful to have so much support and so many resources for dealing with this challenging time. Thank you, God!
