Some Wednesday wisdom.
“Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them.” Eckhart Tolle
Born in Germany and educated in the UK, Tolle’s teachings focus on the power of present moment awareness, which he believes is key to achieving a sense of inner peace and fulfillment. Tolle encourages us to focus on the present moment and to let go of negative thoughts and emotions, in order to experience a deeper sense of self-awareness and connection to the world.
The last week has been heavy with sad and tragic events from around the world. As we leave June and enter another month, let’s lighten the energy with a beautiful quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow about planting kindness wherever we can.
“Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine, Kind words, and Kind deeds.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I don’t have a great knowledge of Zig Ziglar’s works or motivational philosophy but this saying resonates with me.
“F-E-A-R has two meanings: Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise. The choice is yours.” Zig Ziglar.
From pickles to the contemplation of broken glass and mirrors; apparently that’s how my mind works!
I’ve always been fascinated by kaleidoscopes; pieces of things that collide to create something beautiful–but fleeting
Peering into one, it seems as if this human-made created and patterned universe of colorful swirling glass morphs into artificial realities.
What’s the question here? Is it that reality doesn’t seem real anymore.or are we simply a fractured, fragmented view of another reality?
In a kaleidoscope, that which exists for an instant will disappear; ephemeral, never to be seen again in that same way, even though the original, organic pieces are still there.
Reality: the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. Or, the state or quality of having existence or substance.
One small flick of the wrist and our entire universe can change. Just like a kaleidescope. In any reality. Or any sort of purgatory.
I like to share quotes from others:
“It was as if her life was a huge kaleidoscope, and the kaleidoscope had been turned and now everything was changed. The same stones shaken, no longer made the same design.”
Author: Betsy Byars
“Forrest Gump had it wrong. Life is not a box of chocolate; it’s a kaleidoscope. In the flip of a wrist, realities are shredded and the world takes on a totally new shape.”
Author: Carolyn Haines
Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope; a slight change and all patterns alter.
Author: Sharon Salzberg
I like to know how things work. I like answers.
Science tells me that it’s the incline of the two mirrors inside a kaleidoscope that determines the number of times the pattern created by the reflection of an object is repeated. However, I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a repeated pattern. At least, not that I remember.
A kaleidoscope is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces tilted to each other in an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of the mirrors are seen as a regular symmetrical pattern when viewed from the other end, due to repeated reflection.
Each component works together synergistically to create an illusion of reality–and then it’s gone.
Obviously I have zero answers to all deep questions; my pondering and contemplations are ephemeral and transitory–kaleidoscopic. My brain can only handle a tiny bit of this at any given time; now I need to watch a couple of episodes of the new Dynasty. Balance. It’s all about balance.
If you have time for a great read, check this out via the Exploratorium: Facets of Light: Colors, Images, and Things that Glow in the Dark
https://www.exploratorium.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/facets_of_light1980.pdf
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 