When things are as bad as they appear to be here in the US, and with growing anxiety every day, sometimes all we can do is breathe and reach for the light wherever we can.
Light is the thing we seek
Within the darkest of day,
let it show us the way.
Little words by Athey Thompson
“Reaching for that Star” by Florian Ceglarek
I wish that I could show you,
when you are lonely or in darkness,
the astonishing light of your own being.
— Hafiz
Let her be
For her heart is filled with stardust
Her soul is as wild and free
As the wind
A Little Poem by Athey Thompson
Art by Roger Guinee
This full moon + lunar eclipse sparked such wild dreams that I’m almost afraid to fall asleep. Has this happened to you?
Last night I dreamed that I was in a large supermarket which is kind of unusual for me because I do most of my real life shopping at Traders and Sprouts. I stood in the checkout line with a shopping cart full of food. When it was my turn to pay, I realized that I didn’t have any money or any credit cards; they had disappeared from my wallet. I was SO embarrassed and had to leave the store. People were watching me in that covert, silently judgmental way.
To make matters worse, I couldn’t locate my car. It’s not that I forgot where it was; my car had been stolen. When I thought about it, I realized that my credit cards had also been stolen, so I called the police, sat on the curb and waited.
That’s when I woke up.
I hate it when I don’t have a satisfactory resolution to my dreams; the feeling of loss and confusion can linger for hours after I wake up. Now I’ll never know who stole my car and credit cards. I’m still there, sitting on the curb, sad and stressed out.
I don’t even want to research the symbolism of that dream; I just want to forget it.
“Thanks, full moon, for a disturbing night’s sleep.”
Because I love to add music to posts, here’s Neil Young’s Harvest Moon:
Since we’re on the precipice of September’s supermoon and a lunar eclipse, powerful cosmic energies unfold, encouraging us to reflect on the past and prepare for positive transformations.
Again, as above, so below. Are you ready?
(Featured image by Enchanted Seashells)
This is a wonderful day.
I have never seen this one before.
~ Maya Angelou
Seijaku: stillness in the midst of activity, is an advanced and powerful form of T’ai Chi Chih.
“The Japanese speak of Seijaku as serenity in the midst of activity. Not escaping from the world to some mountaintop as is taught in the Indian teachings. But finding the real meaning, fulfillment, energy and wisdom in the midst of everyday hustle and bustle – building a silent and imperturbable center while active in the disappointments and triumphs of our busy lives. This is real fulfillment.” Justin Stone Speaks on T’ai Chi Chih®
Seijaku (stillness, tranquility, solitude): The principle of seijaku emphasizes the fundamental Zen theme of emptiness, which implies an inexhaustible spirit.
It is in states of active calm, tranquility, solitude, and quietude that we find the very essence of creative energy. Silent pauses in music, as well as motionlessness in dance and theater, illustrate the power of seijaku.
In meditation, we strive to achieve self-awareness and focus, to learn how to quiet our mind.
I think that’s why it’s called a practice, because it’s a daily exercise to try and attain and actualize that state of being.
Some days it works; often it does NOT, but it’s a life goal. My brain often goes off on a tributary, thinking of funny things like the Seinfeld episode where George Costanza’s dad screams “Serenity, NOW!” (I’m working on that; like I said, it’s a practice…)
I helped this monarch butterfly escape from being trapped in the fence and she flew away unharmed.
And just when the darkness
became too much to bear
and the struggle too hard,
the light broke through
and the caterpillar emerged
a butterfly
delicate but unbroken,
wild and gentle,
finally free to spread its lovely wings
and fly away on the wind. --L.R. Knost
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 