On the subject of love, I have learned I love to love and BE loved. I am most grateful for experiencing love. I believe we are love, come from love and love is all there really is. Love heals, it brings about peace and it softens hearts and minds. I believe it is our foundation, meant for the highest good of all. Love transforms anything. Love and all of its derivatives like compassion, forgiveness and kindness is our purpose and our journey.
My soul is made of love.
I am enchanted by Poldark, the PBS series about a British soldier that survives the Revolutionary War and goes back to the cliffs of Cornwall. Back in town, his girl marries his best friend, he ends up finding happiness with his scullery maid, his cousin loses everything, the townspeople support his opening up a copper mine and villains of the male and female persuasion abound.
Of course, I tape it and watch it whenever I can and yesterday’s viewing prompted me to note exactly Ross Poldark’s words to his wife. Please be advised this is circa 1780-1790 but I wonder if it isn’t true even today about human beings in general.
After mortgaging his land, his inheritance and his home in order to continue mining and hence saving the community by offering labor, Poldark lays the cards on the table to his wife and she responds with pluck and courage. And so he states,”Women! “None are created equal. Some are never satisfied, some could never be brought so low, and others, thumb their nose at adversity and roll up their sleeves.” He is of course eloquently referring to his ‘good as gold’ spouse.
Love this BBC import!
I have a wonderful relationship with my physician. She recommended I read Brene Brown’s work. Outstanding stuff. It’s about courage. The brave heart that speaks out, that affirms out loud and stands firmly in their own light.
I am working on my story, writing it out of me, dispensing with courtesy, grammar or editing so it can sound nice. Just the raw, unleashed rendition. Healing work at its best.
“The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.” – First lines of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.
The tao or the “way” is the space of allowing everything into the ease and flow. The act of noticing the silence in meditation brings us into the tao. How deep does the silence go?
Imagine you are relaxed, being in the meditation zone is a little more profound than that. The instant you realize, you are snapped back into your mind and lose that peace. What is it that is listening to these thoughts? Who is it? What is in me that is listening?
Is it me?
If we are agitated or stressed, we have lost the flow of the tao. When we are at ease, what is there to argue with? Meditation is not a doing, it’s a being.
There is something present in every moment. Awareness is always fresh and new. Immerse yourself in the flow of the tao.
Byron Katie wrote, “Pleasure is an attempt to fill yourself up, JOY is what you are.”
And a note on spirituality: We don’t need someone else to validate us. Saying “no”, anger and being fiery can be spiritual too. NO one walks around with a halo around their head.
Yesterday, the Tour de France 2015 ended on the Champs Elysees in Paris. Our favorite rider, Chris Froome or Froomey as everyone calls him, and his Team Sky, who did an amazing job aiding the leader to the podium at the finish with the coveted yellow jersey, won in a battle to the bitter end.
It’s been such a thrill to watch this year and enjoy the TDF !!!
It is the iconic race!
The reception was held at Cannon’s Seafood Grill on a coveted patio area jutting over the Dana Point harbor. Below we could see the Ocean Institute where the chickadees went to a few scattered summer day camps throughout the years. The old ship, the Pilgrim, is used as a classroom where students stay onboard over night and is always docked, giving elementary school age children a chance to work and sleep on a real Tall Ship. We pointed it out to our eldest from the balcony but he seemed more interested in the present not the past, as well he should be, but my husband and I couldn’t resist.
The party got into full swing and delicious food was served from the minute we strode in. The company was fabulous as we got to sit with others of our era, including the parents of the bride which I felt was an honor. The mother of the bride looked fabulous and had made all the spectacular centerpieces, bouquets and boutonnieres. She created visual landscapes with succulents because of her other daughter’s allergy to flowers. The colors were young and vibrant, bright fluorescent hues. The paper lanterns lit up the night as the festivities went well past sundown.
This morning’s viewing live of the Tour de France was absolutely outrageous! The attacks, the tactics, the almosts, the seconds of time, the sheer nail biting experience of watching this crazy race and the crazier fans has me shaking with excitement still and nerve wracked. I didn’t realize how totally invested I was emotionally.
Hopefully I can calm down, take a shower and get ready for J’s sister’s wedding day!
What an eventful weekend and you still have time to watch the TDF and tomorrow is the ride into Paris onto the Champs-Elysees.
Have an awesome Saturday!
My friend J let me know her experiment with oat bran has worked and her cholesterol -especially the bad one – is down. She advised me to try it too since last blood check I was high. She had one serving (1/3 cup) every morning for @ one month and got re-tested. My test will happen after 35-45 days too. I hope the results are as encouraging.
I started on this mission immediately and after one day of oat bran with oatmeal, one day of oat bran with coconut yogurt and nuts, I decided to try adding it to a shake. It was delicious and nutritious.
Here is my Kale Berry Shake recipe:
Place in blender –
1 cup frozen organic mixed berries
1/2 cup-3/4 cup non dairy milk, like almond and according to desired consistency, add water as necessary.
1 tsp. coconut, vanilla or orange extract
1 Tablespoon fresh organic lemon juice
1/4 cup organic oat bran, (steeped with @ 1/2 cup boiling water, cover and let it expand for at least 5 minutes or do it the night before)
1 tsp. organic ground chia or hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. organic maca powder
Stevia to taste
I have no plans, nothing really set up so I am winging it and letting the day unfold as it may.
Everything happens just the way it’s supposed to and the day evolves exactly the way we need it to.
What is better? A Juice made from organic veggies and fruits or a Smoothie or shake made from veggies and fruit?
I believe this is individual so experiment. I like both. It is convenient to order a juice from a juice bar because you don’t have to clean the equipment but it costs a few dollars more. A smoothie/shake whipped up in a blender is going to give you fiber as well as nutrients but the delivery into your body is slower and maybe not as direct into your system.
Either way, you are gaining healthy nourishment from the fruits and veggies.
The green juice with kale and ginger was delicious! The cucumber is refreshing and hydrating.
