Love

This is our friend, Baby Tess. We met her at Omega Institute....Macy took this picture.


"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."
- Henry Van Dyke

Little things?

Marko took this picture at Omega Institute.





Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things
-- a chance word, a tap on the shoulder, or a penny dropped on a newsstand
-- I am tempted to think...there are no little things.
--Bruce Barton

finding stillness

above picture taken by Mira


Today I am posting what my friend, Kristie said in a comment.
She is a friend I met online...and her words always seem to connect with me.
She loves nature and is such a talented photographer.
here is a link to her website and her beautiful pictures:

Kristie's website

and below is a note she sent me and gave me permission to post.
have a great day.
Namaste,
Michele

I just wanted to let you know I've finished reading Eat, Pray, Love...what a wonderful book! One of my all-time favorites! I can really identify with parts of her journey...her words from her website sums up what I feel too, from my life journey..."I do feel that I am changed. There is a small, new holy part of me which I hold onto and treasure very carefully - cupping it in my hands like a freshly lit match. I try to protect that new part of me as much as possible from the sheering winds of 21st Century America. (Generally, this means avoiding particularly spastic invasions of too much television, consumer debt, competition, over-consumption, success-pressure, greed and other forms of our daily cultural life.)" I also liked how she spoke of finding stillness and stepping into our own light. Like finding the marvelous, huh! :)
Namaste,
Kristie

creativity

Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.
--Bill Moyers

Nonsense

Forgive me my nonsense
as I forgive the nonsense of those
who think they talk sense.
-Robert Frost

On Boredom

Macy took this picture.....in a moment of boredom.



One thing that our kids have learned NOT to say in our house is "I'm bored."
They don't say it because they know my typical answer.
which is something like "Can I tap dance for you or Juggle for you?"....then they usually get an extra chore to do around the house to keep them from being bored.



To me, boredom is a good space to explore your creativity or to just be with your feelings.
It is okay to just sit in silence sometimes.
Hope you like the quote below.
Have a great day!!
love,
Michele


I come not to entertain you with
worldly festivities but to arouse your
sleeping memory of immortality.

-----Paramahansa Yogananda

Being Selfless

This is a picture of St. Francis.
It is made out of Stained Glass.
I took this picture at a coffee house at Penn State this summer.
I thought it looked pretty cool and I love St. Francis.
hope you like the quote below....I think St. Francis would like it too.
love,
Michele




My stand is clear; produce to distribute, feed before you eat, give before you take,
think of others before you think of yourself. Only a selfless society based on sharing can be stable and happy.
This is the only practical solution. If you do not want it, then-- fight.
-Nisargadatta Maharaj

Kindness

When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
-Abraham Joshua Heschel

Can you come out and play??

There is a mystic in every one of us, yearning to play again in the
universe.
— Matthew Fox in Wrestling with the Prophets

Bobby is coming to see me at Penn State!!!

We got tickets!!!

across the universe

Picture by Macy and Lyrics below by two of my favorite singers.
tickets go on sale at 11:55 for the dead reunion....gonna be right here on the computer.
hope you enjoy the lyrics....have a blessed day!!!
Namaste,
Michele


ps... meaning of
Jai guru deva (om) =I give thanks (victory) (salutation) to Guru Dev (or heavenly teacher), om".





Words are flowing out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting through my open mind
Possessing and caressing me

Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as they make their way
across the universe

Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

Jai guru deva (om)
Jai guru deva (om)
Jai guru deva (om)


lyrics by Lennon/McCartney

Letting Go

Mira made this and took the picture....I thought it was a nice power word for the day.




Hello!!
I was just reading over my notes from when I saw Carolyn Myss a few weeks ago.
I found this point she made during the lecture that kinda sums up the whole experience for me.
I think I needed to read this today or be reminded of it.
I know so much of this on an intellectual level....but to act on it everyday and feel it from my heart is another story.
So here is what I took from Carolyn's talk....it is rather simple really, but for sure the truth of why we are all here!!!

Healing really means releasing old wounds and resentments so they don't have any power over me. I can say that.....but I really have to feel that from my heart....means letting go of needing things/people to be different from how they are.
It means waking up to being consciously loving to the people who are walking this life with me......instead of wanting them to be different or believe a certain way that I believe.
Healing really means falling in love with this single day. and realizing that I will never have this day again. Things will never be exactly the way my ego wants them to be, so I make the race that I can make and do the best that I can.
and I will try to look through new eyes at the people that I am with and see the true miracle that we all are.

have a great day!!
Namaste,
Michele

A parents' prayer

When you look at me
by Debbie Milam

Remember how small I really am
Remember how I make you feel when I hug you
Remember how I can melt your heart with love

When you lose your patience

Remember, my hands need to explore
Remember, my mind needs to ask questions
Remember, my soul needs your attention

When the world seems overwhelming

Remember to teach me about God's love
Remember to teach about kindness to others
Remember to teach me that I can make a difference in this world

When we are together

Remember to laugh with me
Remember to cry with me
Remember to celebrate life with me

When we disagree

Remember, I have lessons to learn
Remember, you have lessons to learn also
Remember, I am a blessing

But most importantly at every moment
Remember how very much I love you.

love begins with a smile

Have you read Left to tell?
It is one of my favorite books in the whole world.
It is about how Imacule Ilibagiza survived the Rwandan Genocide.
Anyway, she has a new book out called Led by Faith.
I must get it.
Below is something from her new book that I just got today from Wayne Dyer ......I hope you like it. It is kinda what I needed to read this morning....maybe you will need it to??

Namaste,
Michele

After the genocide, how could Immaculée find peace in a world changed forever? Immaculée not only found her own miraculous peace but reached out to help others who were suffering. She discovered that love was the key to healing both her own heart and that of her people. The loss of her family left her wondering how she could ever begin to love again, when a friend shared these words:
"Go back into the world and find someone to bless with that same type of love. Give it to someone who has no love at all, such as the homeless, the sick, or the orphaned. Look for the beauty of God in the eyes of a little boy or girl. Find a child whose heart has been shattered, and give him or her some happiness. Remember, all love begins with a smile."

beauty

I took this picture of our vw camper a few weekends ago.
I hope you enjoy the quote below......about finding the beauty in all things.
have a great day.
Namaste,
Michele



"What depths of the human spirit are revealed in these places of darkness!
And that seems to suggest that the beauty is what lasts. And somehow, even in the
grossest of places, beauty reveals itself to humanity and if we can attune ourselves to that beauty we may find our way through."
-James O'Dea

Where I'm From

Where I’m From
By Mira Kuhar

I am from dance shoes,
from Ben & Jerry’s and flip-flops.
I am from the bright colors of tie-dye.
(Bold, flashy, and in every room of our house)
I am from the berry bushes out back,
the patchouli my mom always wore.
I’m from Omega and blue eyes,
from Mark and Michele.
I’m from the she-did-it and its-not-my-fault,
from say what’s on your mind and think for yourself.
I’m from ‘the world is my church, and my religion is to do good’,
as my parents always told us.
I’m from Medina and Holland,
daddy’s toast and oval-tine shakes
From the time long ago, when I was mad at dad,
and told him to ‘go to his work’,
and grandpas unforgettable major baseball obsession.
But the memory box on the top shelf of the closet,
will forever hold memories of my childhood,
good and bad,
to look back upon and smile at.

Exuding love

Do you have people in your life that exude love or have a certain peace about them......someone that you somehow feel better just being in their presence?
That is how I feel about my friend Sue.
This is her picture that I took at a pink ribbon showcase that Mira and Macy danced in last March with their dance company.
They did dedicated their dance, "Amazing Grace"...a Swahili version to Sue.
Please keep her in your prayers as she is going through a very rough period right now with her cancer and she is experiencing a lot of pain.
read the quote below....it kinda describes that love or peace she exudes.
It is a beautiful quote.

The Navaho word hozho, translated into English as “beauty,” also means harmony, wholeness, goodness. One story that suggests the dynamic way that beauty comes alive between us concerns a contemporary Navajo weaver. “A man ordered a rug of an especially complex pattern on two separate occasions from the same weaver. Both rugs came out perfectly and the weaver remarked to her brother that there must have been something special about the owner. It was understood that the outcome of the rugs was dependent not on the weaver’s skill and ability but upon the hozho in the owners life. The hozho of his life evoked the beauty in the rugs. In the Navaho world view, beauty exists not simply in the object, or in the artist who made the object; it is expressed in relationships. - J. Ruth Gendler, Notes on the Need for Beauty

This quote was on my starbucks coffee cup today

"It is amazing how some of these folks can endure the same boring position for years."



My coffee cup quote for today:

By the time executives get married,
take on a mortgage, raise kids, cope with the crabgrass,
climb the corporate ladder, do their best to manage career pressures,
build their net worth and get into their 40's, they've lost touch with what they believe in and care about most deeply.
-Allan Cox

going out of your comfort zone

Macy took the above picture near the sanctuary at Omega Institute.

I really like the quote below......I asked Mira this summer before she started high school to try to do something out of her comfort zone weekly....then I started think that to myself today...what have I done out of my own comfort zone???.
I did go into a forearm stand last night....(well the wall was there in case I needed it for safety)
this is what one looks like:

but somehow...I know I did not look so graceful.....I think I was all red in the face.
but that was for sure out of my comfort zone.....so now I am going to make that a goal.....since I encouraged Mira to go out of her comfort zone weekly...I will do the same....this poem reminds me to do that too.



Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We're afraid.”
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t. We will fall!”
Come to the edge.”
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.
Christopher Logue

our new home

it even has a fireplace and a back porch.
How do you like it?

love....what else is there?

picture of Buddha by Macy




Yesterday I went with my two dear friends, Pat and Michele, to see Carolyn Myss speak here in the Cleveland area. She was amazing. Her books and CDs always seem to talk to me.
Such a beautiful day with some beautiful people.
hope you like some of Caroline Myss's quotes below.
and here is the link to her website.....I tell you she is amazing!!
http://www.myss.com/


below are some quotes by Caroline Myss:

• To be unable to forgive is to live in hell, burdened, miserable, angry
• Get in present time and forgive the people who have hurt you
• There is no such thing as an insignificant act of love
• Being of service is not an option, it is a biological necessity
• A congruent person can afford to empower others

there is only the dance

Except for the point, the stillpoint,
There would be no dance,
And there is only the dance.
-T.S. Elliott

Peace

I took this peace pole picture.....guess where....at Omega Institute.
I think I tried to bring a piece of Omega home with me.......and in many ways I have,
I for sure have been meditating a whole lot more.....but for me, it is learning to how to hold that peace with all of the waves that come and go.
haven't quite figured that one out yet.....but I am taking baby steps toward that goal.
Namaste,
Michele





In my lifetime, I have lost my country and have been reduced to being totally dependent on the goodwill of others. I have also lost my mother, and most of my tutors and gurus have passed away, although I now have a few new gurus. Of course these are tragic incidents, and I feel sad when I think about them. However, I don't feel overwhelmed by sadness. Old, familiar faces disappear, and new faces appear, but I still maintain my happpiness and peace of mind.
The Dalai Lama

on balancing

"tubing" at Chautauqua Lake







speech by Bryan Dyson, CEO of Coca-Cola Inc. from 1959-1994

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit ... and you're keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life.

How?

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings!

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way...

things that don't make sense to me

This is the bumper sticker that we see every morning when we drop off Marko at grade school. It is always parked in front of the school and the mom is always dropping off her three kids in her mini van. I don't understand why she would have a bumper sticker like that on her van and park it in front of a school. but then again I don't know how she was raised or what troubles she faces either. I know she loves her kids because I see her hug them each good bye in the morning. I guess I should not be so judgemental.....When people know better, they will do better.... oh well ...hope you like the quote below.
love, Michele


"I no longer expect things to make sense. I know there is no safety.
But that does not mean there is no magic. It does not mean there is no hope.
It simply means that each of us has reason to be wishful and frightened, aspiring and flawed. And it means that, to the degree we are lost, it is on the same ocean, in the same night."
-Elizabeth Kaye

We are trucking up to Penn State on 10/13!!!!

First time in four years that Dead alumni Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Micky Hart will have performed together on-stage

PHILADELPHIA, PA — (OfficialWire) — 09/03/08 -- The surviving members of the rock band the Grateful Dead have announced plans to perform a benefit concert for U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the group will reunite and perform Oct. 13 at the Bryce Jordan Center at the Penn State campus in State College, Pa.

The date marks the first time in four years that Dead alumni Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Micky Hart will have performed together on-stage.

surrendering

Macy took this picture through a pipe at Omega.....I thought it looked kinda cool.
hope you are having a great day.
maybe you will enjoy the words below......
they resonate with me today.
Namaste,
Michele

Willing to experience aloneness,
I discover connection everywhere;
Turning to face my fear,
I meet the warrior who lives within;
Opening to my loss,
gain the embrace of the Universe;
Surrendering into emptiness,
find fullness without end.
Each condition I flee from pursues me,
Each condition I welcome transforms me . . .
~Jennifer Welwood

People that make me smile

These people make me smile.
front is Steve, Matthew on his lap, Leslie, Charlotte on her lap, Mira, Marko
and Mark, Me, and Macy in the back.
I met Leslie in the 7th grade...and Mark lived with Steve for a while.....long time friends.
This picture was taken in front of the hotel Lenhart (click here for link: hotel Lenhart)
It is located on Lake Chautauqua and is like 128 years old.
have a great day.....hang out with people that make you smile.
read the quote below.
Love,
Michele

Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives. There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of or at least minimize your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships. Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention. Which ones lift and which ones lean? Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know, or appreciate you? The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.
~Anonymous

connection to spirit

below is part of this really powerful poem by
Jennifer Welwood.....boy is it powerful....well to me it is.
all the things I wanted to ask but stuffed inside my self somewhere and can't express it.
hope you like it to....and Macy took the picture above also.
love,
Michele


Did you make me to realize a freedom
I can't fully embody?
Do my heart and soul burn for a truth
That I can't fully live?

I commune with you in the heavens --
It's not hard to find you there;
But I need you down here,
In the marrow of my bones.

You can't turn away now -- stay here;
I will have this out with you.
You started something with me,
And now I want it finished.
Yes -- I will wrestle with you on this one,
Beloved torturer;
I will wrestle you all the way down
To the very ground

And not rest till I stand
With the soles of my feet upon you,
And not rest till I feel you infuse
My every cell.

Truth

Macy took this picture too.

I really like this one.

hope you like the words below.....kinda helps me to trust the process.

to let go and enjoy the ride....cause I (my ego) am not in charge anyway.

love,

Michele

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur

when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled.

For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort,

that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
~M. Scott Peck

precious life

This is a picture of some rocks I painted while camping this weekend.....and a two other pictures from camping. I love being out in nature....I feel renewed.
a friend of mine gave me this poem....below is part of it..
.....one of my favorite gifts to get is a poem.
hope you like it below.
Have a great day!!!
Love,
Michele


Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life? --Mary Oliver