Truth

Truth

Forever Young

Being in the Now

My friend Nikki sent this to me in a text this morning.
Beautiful picture....and very fitting b/c it is my 20th wedding anniversary.
We celebrated it by going to see the Grateful Dead in Buffalo.
hope you like the words below.
Namaste,
Michele

"It is impossible for man to look straight at the present, because he is too
terrified by it. We stand on the stern of the ship looking at the wake and
saying, 'We're in very troubled waters.'"

- Marshall McLuhan

Trucking up to Buffalo:)

Above is a picture that is painted on the wall at Root Middle School.

Mrs. Werger, the art teacher painted this.....and it is of my favorite musician....Jerry Garcia.... Speaking of Jerry, Mark and I are trucking up to Buffalo in April to see the Grateful Dead (The Dead ...Now).....I am very excited for this.

I hope you enjoy the quote below....it was on my Starbucks cup and I loved it.

Have a great day!!!
Namaste,

Michele

The way we get to live forever is
through memories stored in the
hearts and souls of those whose
lives we touch. That’s our soul
print. It’s our comfort, our
emotional nourishment at the end
of the day and the end of a life.
How wonderful that they are called
up at will and savored randomly.
It seems to me we should spend our
lives in a conscious state of
creating these meaningful moments
that live on. Memories matter.

- Leeza Gibbons

Letting Go

Bud Preston's website: click here
Hello!!
Above is a picture from Mira and Marko's guitar lesson yesterday evening.
They both started lessons this summer.
I was so crushed when Mira wanted to quit playing her violin.
She had played the violin for the last 5 years and I enjoyed hearing her play.
However, she was tired of orchestra, tired of the rules and tired of not playing modern songs.
I tried to convince her to stay in it for high school, but then I realized it is not about me.
(hard for me to do.....because I wanted her to be a violin player...I had plans that she would travel with the Medina Orchestra to Russia during high school and that I would go to her concerts throughout her four years at the high school......but it is not my life....and she must follow her own passions....not mine)
so guess why she quit......because she wanted to learn how to play the guitar.
so now Mira and Marko take guitar lessons together.
Mira plays Mark's guitar.....and Marko plays his new "Gibson."

Below are words from Pema Chodron.
She offered these five pieces advice at a retreat this year.
I found them very fitting......have been going through some major stressors lately....those of you who know me well know that.
I have been practicing on learning to "let go."
at times it works really well and at other times I am filled with a lot of anger and feelings of being betrayed.
Last week at Omega Institute, I meditated each morning for an hour and each evening for an hour. which consisted of sitting on these cushions with our legs crossed in total silence...just keeping your mind blank, then at the end the instructor would lead us through a "loving-kindness" meditation where you send love to yourself, love to a teacher in your life, love to someone close, love to someone you have issues with, and you keep stretching it until you are sending love from you heart to every living entity on the planet.
On the last day of meditation, the meditation leader, gave me this piece of paper and told me that it was a gift from her to me.
did you ever notice how the words from someone can be exactly what you needed to hear?
It is really weird....well not really....(truth is something you stumble into when you think you are going someplace else-Jerry Garcia)
but it was like it was really written for me.
so now I will share it with you...read below and have a great day!!!
Namaste,
Michele


At the close of the rainy season retreat at Gampo Abbey this year, Pema Chodron offered these five pieces of advice.

1. The mundane details of our life eat us up. Therefore it is important to keep asking
ourselves again and again: What is the most important thing? Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing? Let that perspective be your guide.

2. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself. At the gut level, you might want to go for the most comfortable thing. Always go for the stretch. Sometimes the stretch is to stay,
sometimes to go. Sometimes to say, Yes, sometimes to say, No. You don't always know. The key is to be willing to go through the shedding and unmasking process.

3. Rest in the insecurity.
Remember that when we lose ground we habitually panic and look for something solid to
hold onto: that's a description of samsara. Go at your pace. And don't push it.
But continue to train in resting and with insecurity.

4. Don't believe everything you think. If you can follow this advice, you will be in good shape.

5. Take exactly what appears as your path.

this last one means, wherever we are, this is our awakening, our sacred space. Listening deeply, we open the doors of our true nature, which is called Buddha nature or God nature
or Allah or the Tao. The mind is clear and bright. Compassion arises. We find our way.

A view from my backside

the heart always knows!!

Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils is still choosing evil.
-Jerry Garcia

'Lady With A Fan'

'Lady With A Fan'

Let my inspiration flow
in token lines suggesting rhythm
that will not forsake me
till my tale is told and done

While the firelight's aglow
strange shadows in the flames will grow
till things we've never seen
will seem familiar

Shadows of a sailor forming
winds both foul and fair all swarm
down in Carlisle he loved a lady
many years ago

Here beside him stands a man
a soldier by the looks of him
who came through many fights
but lost at love

While the storyteller speaks
a door within the fire creaks
suddenly flies open
and a girl is standing there

Eyes alight with glowing hair
all that fancy paints as fair
she takes her fan and throws it
in the lion's den

"Which of you to gain me, tell
will risk uncertain pains of Hell?
I will not forgive you
if you will not take the chance"

The sailor gave at least a try
the soldier being much too wise
strategy was his strength
and not disaster

The sailor coming out again
the lady fairly leapt at him
that's how it stands today
you decide if he was wise

The storyteller makes no choice 
soon you will not hear his
voice
his job is to shed light and not to master

Since the end is never told 
we pay the teller off in gold in hopes
he will come back 
but he cannot be bought or sold

-- words by Robert Hunter, music by Jerry Garcia

from 'Terrapin Station', 1977.

Jerry Christmas

Confession

Remember this picture?
Well it is not really Jerry Garcia.
HE is our new friend , Bill or "Medicine Bear."
Mark and I had lunch with him last Wednesday.
Below is his website and biography.
ONe of the coolest and awake beings that I have ever met.
Check out his stuff
Love,
Michele

A short biography of Medicine Bear / Bill Record

Born Nov 22, 1945

(a scorpio by half an hour)

University of Rochester

B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1967

10 years experience as an engineer in the coporate world followed by

20 years running a machine/design shop: 'Zengineering'

Lived in Africa for 4 years in the 1970's running motorcycle and group camping safaris. Two 10,000 mile trans African trips from Gibraltar to Niarobi across the Sahara Desert and

through Zaire (the Congo).

Spent the 80's involved with a Gurdjieff Study Group.

In the 90's I started learning from various traditional elders and I started to connect with our Earth Mother. I recieved the name Medicine Bear
and started to lead various kinds of ceremony.

"Having witnessed the lunacy of our existing culture for all of my life I wish to spend the next years laying the foundation for humans to walk on our Earth Mother in a sustainable, loving manner."

Web site:
http://www.earthloving.com/id4.html

Jerry Lives!

Jerry Garcia really lives!!! He has been sighted here at Omega Institute.
I saw him tonight at a Native American ceremony which took place to bless the children.
Here is a picture of Jerry and I by the Native American peace pipe.
"Sometimes you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right."
Namaste,
Michele

Happy Birthday Jerry

Happy Birthday Jerry.....and thanks for the music!!
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia
August 1, 1942 - August 9, 1995


Jerry's speakers are for sale!!..click below:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4145184a4560.html

The Ripple

Reach out your hand if your cup be empty,
If your cup is full may it be again,
Let it be known there is a fountain,
That was not made by the hands of men.

There is a road, no simple highway,
Between the dawn and the dark of night,
And if you go no one may follow,
That path is for your steps alone.

Ripple in still water,
When there is no pebble tossed,
Nor wind to blow.

You who would lead, must follow
But if you fall you fall alone,
If you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home.

----Jerry Garcia / Robert Hunter

Jerry

"Truth is something you stumble into when you think you're going some place else."
- Jerry Garcia

Passion



"Let the beauty we love be what we do."
- Rumi

Smile, Smile, Smile

This makes me smile....click below.
SMILE