On Time and Space

There is No Shame in Healing

On Communication

On Life Changes

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles.  They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up a stem.  However, he was determined that he would not leave forever.  He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he felt he must take a nap.  As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying.

Fly he did!  And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and way of life to what he had never known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead.  He wanted to go back to tell them, and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before.  His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water.  He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he understood that they, too, would know what he now knew.  So, he raised his wings and flew into his joyous new life!

On Complaining

 

Once every six months or once a year, if you want to complain, sit down and complain for about an hour and then forget about it. But don't do it every day. Do not ask that you do good things all the time. 

 Life is a combination of everything, sometimes fighting, anger and joy. Life must have multiple colors, so you should have all the colors of life, it is not necessary to be monochromatic. 

However, you should be able to let go of all the hubbub of the mind, and the knowledge will help you. Wake up each morning and say, "Shivoham, I am consciousness, pure and beautiful."

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Photo:  Some serious drumming going on with our drummer.

 

Between Earth and Sky

Live in the placeless world you come from, 

Even though you have an address here.

Rumi

Photo: Iguazu Falls, South Amercica, by Francesco Fillipo Pellegrini, National Geographic 

People of the Forest

It is said that we are strong shamans. We are the Ka'aguygua, the "People of the Forest."

The forest is not simply the place where we live.  We are the forest.  It is our life.

Our greatest gift is voicing the spirit of the forest: The sounding of the word souls.

Someone dreamed that more and more people are talking about shamans:  saying we ascend and descend into the Vision, saying we have helpers of spirit, saying we seek power, saying that the rattle, independent of any God, is sufficient, saying it finds lost souls, saying all kinds of things.

Know this:
 
We, among the strongest who see spirit and experience its power, say that many who talk about such things have not seen, heard, or been touched by what is most essential.
 
We are thereby called to speak our simple truth:  A shaman is someone who prays to their God.

Prayer is the instrument, the link. All other paths only pretend.  It is prayer, prayer, and more prayer.

You will know a shaman by the sound of their prayer.  They carry the word souls.

No song, no shaman.  Songs of prayer come from a serving heart.

There is no other way of the shaman than prayer and song.  It is the way we know God.  It is the way we become the forest.  It is the truest way. 

Ava Tupa Rayvi, Guarani Shaman

Love

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived, Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. 

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat.  Love said, “Richness, can you take me with you?” Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.”

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. “Vanity, please help me!” “I can’t help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, “Sadness, let me go with you.” “Oh, Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!” 

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who Helped me?”

“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.

“Time?” asked Love. “But why did Time help me?” 

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.”

On Balance

One thing you learn when you have lived as long as I have, 

people aren't all good, and people aren't all bad.

We move in and out of darkness and light all of our lives.

Right now, I'm pleased to be in the light.

Neal Shusterman

Photo:  Rainbow Eucalyptus tree

On Doing

On Obstacles

When obstacles arise, 

you change your direction to reach your goal, 

you do not change your decision to get there. 

Zig Ziglar

Where to Find Me

I will be found somewhere within sight of the tree of poetry,
that is, eternity wearing the green leaves of time.
 

R. S. Thomas

 

Did You Know?

 Pando is located in the Fishlake National Forest, near Fish Lake at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in south-central Utah.