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A Note From The Editor...September
2002
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A Lesson From The River
This summer has been a time of
turmoil and change in my life. But as often as I can, I go to
the river and sit on a large rock, allowing the sights and sounds
and the energy to open my heart and soul to the flow of the
Universe. Two days ago, I went to the river with this question
in mind: What are the really important lessons in life? |
As always,
the river provided answers:
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Walking
along the riverbank, I noticed how the extended drought had left the
rocks exposed. A week ago, this was a desolate area full of mud
and rocks. Today, growing among the rocks, was purple
loosestrife, clinging to whatever small bit of soil it could find now
that the river had moved away from the banks. The lesson: No
matter how bad things are, there is always a little soil you can cling
to, and in that soil, you can create life again. Never lose
hope. |
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At my feet I found an
opened mussel shell, probably the remains of some hungry raccoon’s
nightly feast. The outside of the shell was dark brown, covered
with dirt and algae, nearly unnoticeable in among the rocks at the
riverbank. Yet when I looked inside the shell, the iridescent
pinks, mauves and creams made me sigh with wonderment. The
lesson: What looks ugly on the outside can have, inside it, a small
piece of joy and beauty. Take the time to discover the beauty in
all things. |
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I sat on a large, flat
rock that overhangs the river where the rapids begin. The wind
was blowing warm and fast from the south, bringing with it gray clouds
and rain showers. Overhead, several large predatory birds
circled and climbed on the winds. At first I thought they were
searching for food, but soon it became clear that they were simply
enjoying a ride on the wind. The lesson: Be “in the moment”
as much as possible, enjoy the simple things that life brings you, and
take time to play every day. |
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The wind picked up and I
knew rain was coming, but I was loathe to leave this peaceful place.
I noticed that there were few insects around; the wind was simply too
much for them. However, an industrious bumble bee was attempting
multiple landings on the loosestrife, despite how the wind buffeted
him away from his target again and again. The lesson: Persevere.
Even when the winds of life push you around, always be the best Self
you can possibly be. |
Peace,
Karyn
Please
join in our goal of having a subscriber base of 5,000 people by the end of
2002! Forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be
interested.
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Karyn
Greenstreet,
Personal and Business
Coach |
Visit our website: http://www.seekerscircle.com
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In This Issue:
People
generally think that it is the world, the environment, external
relationships, which stand in one's way, in the way of ones' good
fortune... and at bottom it is always man himself that stands in his own
way.
--Soren
Kierkegaard
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The
Right To Mend
by
Arleen M. Kaptur
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Whenever you drop a glass or a plate,
it shatters into pieces. There they lie, all jagged and in different
shapes and sizes. There are even some pieces that are so small that
they could never be glued back into place and can only be swept up
and thrown away. |
When we
encounter a great loss of someone we care about, or an unfortunate event
in our lives, our heart and soul shatter into pieces. There they lie,
right there in front of us. The pieces are there - just not all together.
How do we get back to the way things were or how do we regain the past so
that we can enjoy it yet another day? You can't bring back the past, nor
can you set things back the way they were. The important thing to remember
is that all the pieces are there. We need
to pick them up and glue them together. It is because all the pieces are
there that we can look forward and that our lives will continue.
The past is just that - the past. If we focus on the future, we miss the
joys and opportunities of today.
Today is freedom to be and to heal. Refusing to believe in the
concept of impossible is the glue that we use to mend and to fix what
shatters in our daily lives. Memories are a joy, and a
comfort. If they are good memories, then we are better for having
experienced them. If they are far from perfect, they opened our minds and
hearts to the reality that life is not perfect, but it is there for us to
learn from, and move ahead. Also, you must let go of the things you cannot
control. Holding on to the reins that are not yours will never give you
the peace and serenity that you have a right to. You can only fix what you
can, and believe that others will do the same in their own time and way.
When your day is less than perfect, or some tragic event shatters your
world, take the time to give it some thought. Actions are good and
necessary but if you take the time to examine the situation, then the
right actions will follow. Rushing into anything because of hurt feelings,
grief, or heartache is like crushing a flower because tomorrow it may
fade. The possibility exists that tomorrow may be a stellar day for
this flower and bees and birds my partake of its nectar and the pollen
they carry is the promise of a tomorrow.
Hurts heal, tears dry up, and feelings mend. Hearts are miraculous in that
they never forget but they do forge ahead. With each day, memories are
more golden and heartaches lose their sting. You need patience and like
that old saying, "Give me patience and right now!" doesn't
work. Its using each day to mend, to forget and to look ahead that
really counts. People are miracles looking for somewhere to happen. You
can be encouragement to others and heal your own heart. A person can face
each day bravely and the night rewards you with rest. With a little
effort and a whole lot of courage, our broken plate becomes a marker to
separate the past from today. It will always be there but it has a new
mission, an opportunity to become a memory.
Ah, memories are what golden dreams are made of. They are the
glitter and shine of the past, and the glow of tomorrow. Cherish them and
love each and every one of them. The path to the future will be well lit
and a joy to travel.
ENJOY!
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Copyright ©
2002 by Arleen M. Kaptur. All rights reserved.
Arleen Kaptur has written numerous articles, cookbooks,
motivational booklets, and the novel: Searching for Austin James. http://www.arleenssite.com
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Laughter
is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
--Victor Hugo
Whenever we seek to avoid
the responsibility for our own behavior, we do so by attempting to give
that responsibility to some other individual or organization or entity.
But this means we then give away our power to that entity.
--M Scott Peck |
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Upcoming
Teleclasses and
Chats for September 2002
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| CHAT:
Introduction to Intuition. Join
Shani for an hour of intuition exercises and discussion. This
chat meets the last Wednesday of each month at 9:30 PM ET in The
Seeker's Circle Chat Room. No registration required. (Free) |
| TELECLASS/WORKSHOP:
Sounding With Your Soul. Is your soul your constant companion? Or do you find your connection with it vanishing into thin air when the pressures of life take over? Reawaken your connection with your soul and encourage the natural reemergence of your innate intuitive abilities using your breath and the sound of your voice. These techniques have the ability to balance your energy, release trauma and restore harmony between your body and spirit.
In this teleconference workshop, you will gain both a deep, kinetic experience of the techniques and learn practical applications to help integrate them immediately in to all aspects of your life. This workshop consists of four teleconference classes and a student handbook.
Open to everyone. For more information, or to register, please
visit our web site:
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http://www.seekerscircle.com/teleclass/soundsoul.htm
| All online chat and
teleclass times
are noted as ET - eastern time (New York City time). Need to
know what "eastern time" converts to for your own
area of the world? Visit this time zone conversion site: Time
Zone Converter. If you want to know
the "official" time it is in the United States at any given
moment, check out this site: http://www.time.gov. |
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I don't pretend we have all
the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about.
--Arthur C. Clarke |
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Top
10 Life Lessons from Michelangelo's David
by
Julie Jordan Scott
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1. You are able to create beauty even with a weak foundation if you have an attitude of constructive creativity. The marble Michelangelo was given to create "David" was substandard and he worked with it, anyway. What in your life has both a weak foundation AND seems to be calling you to create something with it?
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2. You can make the
"same thing" as other people AND do it from a different
perspective to produce a completely different texture and experience.
Michelangelo created David BEFORE his big battle, while traditionally he
had been sculpted as the Victor, post battle. What have you been thinking
about taking action upon that "Everyone else has already done
before"? How can you look at your idea differently?
3. You can adopt a project that originally belonged to someone else and
make it 100% your own through both your passion and your unique
inventiveness. Michelangelo's "David" began its life as the work
of Agostino di Duccio. What a loss for the world if Michelangelo had not
taken the unfinished work of di Duccio to form the timeless, classic,
heart speaking "David". Are there any intriguing, unfinished
projects abandoned by a colleague, friend or family member that you would
like to take on as your own?
4. Craft your life and your life work with the people you live with (or in
terms of a business or project, the reader, participant, audience,
student) at the forefront of your mind. The eyes of "David" are
not formed anatomically correct: they are actually looking in directions
that are not possible for human eyes to simultaneously look. Michelangelo
knew that when people looked at his work "from profile" they
would see one profile and one eye, and when they looked from the other
side, they would see the other side....which would look more impressive
with the eye peering slightly differently. Not a huge tweak, and not
noticeable unless you are eye to eye with the sculpture, which is
physically impossible unless on scaffolding. It is almost like the Special
Effects in today's movies. What tiny tweaks, special effects, would
attract and engage people with your life and work?
5. Your life and work may bring about different meanings for different
people. For some scientists, "David" is an amazing study of
human anatomy. To others, it is a study of the human emotions. Some Art
Historians note there is anger in David's expression. Others say the work
is sculpted in his moment of decision to enter battle, so he looks
expectant. What would a scientist say about your life and work? What about
an artist? How about a child?
6. When your life and work is at appealing to a wide audience and it gains
fame and notoriety, other people will capitalize on both you and the
project. Reproductions of "David" are available in many forms.
Even garden sculptures are available for purchase. You can perch David
right next to your roses or daffodils or cactus if you choose to do so.
What might people choose to capture about your life or work to launch
their business?
7. Michelangelo crafted "David" in response to his patriotic
love for his home city of Firenze (Florence). The sculpture
whispered "Freedom" into his ears, as his city had recently
become free. What in your life or work is whispering "Freedom"
to you? How can you take that raw, heartfelt emotion and use it as a
component of your work, project and/or life? Do you feel a sense of
patriotism for your home? How can people observe your expression of
patriotism?
8. The sheer physical size of "David" is amazing: beyond words,
really. To say "Larger than life" is almost amusing...except
there is no other way to express it! In what ways does your work, life or
project have a "larger than life" feeling to it? How does this
inspire you? If you feel fear in relationship to the largeness of it, how
can you step away from that emotion and get grounded in the sheer joy of
it rather
than the fear of it?
9. It took Michelangelo 3 years to complete "David". Are you
committed to a big project in your life enough so you can allow three
years to pass from start to completion? Expecting a masterpiece to be
crafted with microwave speed is simply not always a possibility. How can
you remain open and committed to the time it takes to create a
masterpiece?
10. "David" was borne from Michelangelo's vision and passionate
action to transform that vision from his own experience to a tangible
experience for all. His famous words about his work are "I saw the
angel in the marble and carved until I set him free". What vision are
you seeing that is waiting for your special touch and guidance to set it
free? What passionate action are you willing to take to set it free?
A work of art can teach us, reach us, in ways we don't always notice at
first glance. May "David" inspire you to think differently, live
transformatively, and create fearlessly.
***
Links about Michelangelo's "David"
Mini Bio of Michelangelo,
History of Florence, Motivation for Sculpture:
http://www.floria-publications.com/italy/italian_culture/michelangelo_david.html
Excellent overview with Links http://vlsi.colorado.edu/~rbloem/david.html
Details from the eye of a
Computer with amazing Details about the Masterpiece
http://www-graphics.stanford.edu/projects/mich/head-of-david/head-of-david.html
=====
© 2002 Julie
Jordan Scott. Julie Jordan Scott inspires people worldwide to live more
passionate lives through her personal and group coaching, teleclasses, seminars and free ezines so that they can
make more money, more time, better health and improved relationships as they live with passion everyday.
Free Passion Powertools: http://www.5passions.com |
Until
one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always
ineffectiveness. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then
Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would
never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the
decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and
meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would
have come his way.
--W. H. Murray
If in our daily life we can
smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will
profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.
--Thich Nhat Hanh
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Transforming
Scarcity Into Abundance
by
Francoise Rapp |
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Financial abundance is an extension of our thoughts, emotions and beliefs. Are you struggling in your career or relationships?
Do you complain rather than take action? Are you pessimistic and doubtful that life is full of possibilities and opportunities?
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If you are not fully satisfied or not enjoying prosperity right now, then you need to shift your perspective on your life.
The good news is you can transform your life and discover abundance simply by changing your inner state of mind. Scarcity
is a habitual feeling that can be changed easily. But it requires some time and patience to shift your thought process.
Here are few tips to help you:
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Pay attention to your thinking and actions during the day. How do you approach life? With fear and pessimism or the
contrary? |
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Express gratitude for all your possessions, including tangible items like money, as well as intangibles like your relationships, health, etc. Write them down. |
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Share what you have with others. A simple smile may have a tremendous impact on someone. |
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Appreciate what you have. |
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Make a list of negative, passive and fearful attitudes or thoughts you have toward money, situations, wealthy people.
Translate your list into one of positives. |
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Indulge yourself. |
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Behave like a wealthy person. Feel comfortable with richness. |
The use of the aromatic blend below will support you through this process by calming your fears and enhancing positivism in
all aspects of your life.
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Prosperity Blend:
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In a 10ml bottle, pour the essential oils first and then add an organic vegetable oil to fill.
· 4 drops Roman Chamomile
· 7 drops Basil
· 10 drops Orange
Anoint the solar plexus, third eye, sacrum. Pour 1/3 of the blend into your warm bath water and soak for at least 15
minutes. Carry it with you at all times, occasionally pouring a few drops into the palm of your hands and inhaling deeply.
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© 2002 by Francoise
Rapp. Internationally renowned aromatherapist and alchemist, Francoise Rapp, shares her
expertise in using essential oils to heal and revitalize body and mind at http://www.aromalchemy.com.
Highlights include aromatherapy classes, pure & organic essential oils, recipes and aromatic treatments for health and wellness, and a free weekly newsletter. |
Constant
kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes
misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.
--Albert Schweitzer
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Please
join in our goal of having a subscriber base of 5,000 people by the end of
2002! Forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be
interested.
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The
three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor
intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to
include the excluded, and to say, "I was wrong".
--Sydney Harris
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