Back from Sundance 2008
Posted by msterilinn on Jul 10, 2008
After an incredible two and a half weeks of camping, we are back to our residence near the city. We have had such wonderful experiences, and just too much to give due credit in one post, so I will just summarize it as best as I can for now. My son J helped us load up and get to the land up above Goldendale. We camped in our usual spot beneath the beautiful Oak tree, to enjoy much needed afternoon shade. As the temperatures reached above 109 degrees in the shade, we were lucky to have such a sweet place to rest upon occasion. The hottest day during the Sundance brought a welcome rainstorm, with much fanfare from the Thunder Beings, the Wakiyans. If the little girls I was caring for were not so terrified of the storm, I would have been dancing in the rain. As it were, I was able to reach out with my feet from the shelter I provided for the children to get a nice soak.
The Isnati Lawanpi (girl to young woman) Ceremony was beautiful to behold. It brought tears to many eyes to see these young girls step forth with such grace into young womanhood. What a gift it is to see this Cermony celebrating such an important time in a young girls life. It is very important to honor these steps in the lives of our boys and girls. Sometimes the events in our world move us much too rapidly to truly enjoy each moment as it unfolds.
As for the Sundance, I feel doubly honored this year. First of all, I was moved to tears to see and feel the grace of our lovely little Sundance tree. She swayed so sweetly in the breeze as she carried the prayers of the people amongst her branches. Such an image of Beauty shall be held within my heart forever. The sound of the drum and the prayer songs full of Love and Hope, as sung by the people as we danced around the Tree of Life, is a memory I shall hold dear when times in the faster world threaten to bring me down.
The greatest gift I recieved during this ceremony, was brought to me through the Children. I had the honor of caring for three young girls, besides my little S, as their mothers were otherwise occupied. The other children invariably navigated towards our little circle, and one girl in particular spent much of her time with our group. Amazingly enough, I had not even a single problem arise with these little ones for companions! Such fond memories of stories, songs, and laughter are treasures of my heart which gives such Joy to think upon. I shall miss those little ones! Although I missed the mothers of these mischievious little girls, as they are my very dear friends, this was a gift and an honor I shall never forget. My little S was such a great help in those busy days as I rose before the sun, and did not rest my head until well after the sun went down.
It truly felt good to hold my family close, as we all live so far away from each other. For two weeks we were able to catch up, sharing this time with Songs, Dance, Prayers, Laughter, Tears and Feasting. Enjoying the fellowship of our Brothers, Sisters, Aunties, Uncles, Elders and Children just seems to fill me up with courage to re-enter the world that moves much faster and is filled with uncertainty and danger. For a short time we held each other close and reaffirmed our love for the Earth and all her bounties, bringing forth hope for the present and future of our children. We must move forward in a good way, honoring and respecting the Earth and all living things, until the time comes for us to gather once again when it is time to go Home.
My little S and I had an awesome Sundance, with so many memories of friends, family and walks through nature to find new magical places to sit and enjoy together. And the nights when we summed up our adventures of the day, along with silent moments of star gazing, will be held dear to our hearts forever and always.
Pilamaye,
Teri
~
Ah… the scents of Home Sweet Home
Posted by msterilinn on May 10, 2008
Truly, one of the most important features of my home are the scents. To fully enjoy our place of sanctuary to it’s greatest potential, we must fully embrace the beauty which touches our senses… all of our senses. In order to accomplish such a sweet and wonderful balance we must consider not only that which brings pleasure to our visual senses, yet we should be aware of how important our sense of smell is when it comes to feeling at peace with our surroundings. Aromatherapy has been one of the greatest healers of our spirits as well as our bodies since ancient times.
Having mentioned how essential it is to our well-being to surround ourselves with the harmony of beautiful objects and accomodations, in balance with the scents which tantalize our senses, I would like to bring a totally cool contest which is going on with Renuzit. It is called Renuzit TriScents Transform Your Home with Tanya Memme. You can visit the site and check out the semi-finalist gallery and vote for your favourite submission. You may enter one vote per day up until June 7th. The winner with the most votes will receive a $20,000 home makeover with Tayna Memme! Now that is quite an exciting prize for a very lucky winner.
I have already looked through all of the submissions. They all look pretty good, and a few really stand out in my mind. Some of them are truly in need of this wonderful prize, so I do wish them all luck in realizing their dream. Yet I was quite impressed with one submission in particular. The little girl narrarating this video really touched a sweet spot in me, and having three new additions to the family all at once impressed me with just how busy this family will be for many years to come. Being a mother, and a grandmother as well, gives me an inside perspective of just what it takes to raise these little ones. And doing so in a home that is beautiful, safe, and full of wonderful scents to help cover all those other lovely scents babies love to create, will serve to help this family enjoy the experience in a more fulfilling way. I am certain they will have a lot to keep them busy, and will not need the added worry of remodelling their home all on their own. What a great gift this prize would be for them! And I truly must say, I give that little girl super kudos for doing such a wonderful job in telling her family’s story.
Please take a few moments to vote!
~ Celebrating Women all over the World ~
Posted by msterilinn on Mar 12, 2008
As a woman, I am proud and honored to do what I may to present what it is to be a female in the World we live in today. We must remember to embrace that which makes up the essence of a woman, and bring about our full potential. As stewards of this planet we play many roles.
Every day, all over the world, women make countless choices that affect the environment. In their hands lie many decisions about the use of community resources - water for the household, land for agriculture, wood for heating and cooking, plants and animals for food and sale.
Yet women often lack the education to make responsible conservation decisions and are denied the resources and opportunities to control their own economic destinies. Without intervention, the cycle of poverty and inequality is repeated from mother to daughter.
Recognizing the different roles of women and men in natural resource management, WWF works with both groups to enhance their stewardship of the environment and improve livelihoods. Successful women’s programs include small business development, access to health services like family planning and maternal and child health, efficient and sustainable agriculture techniques and literacy programs.
WWF empowers women and girls - building a future where human needs are met in harmony with nature. Here are their stories…
~Today’s Girls - Tomorrow’s Leaders
~Biogas is Better - Jari Leads the Way
Enjoy!
Our Kitchens are the Heart of our Homes
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 28, 2008
My daughter and I have been contemplating whether we shall buy a house, or have one custom built. Either way, we are so looking forward to creating an environment in our living space, which is all our own. If you are like us, and wish to create a unique atmoshpere which expresses your personal tastes, you may wish to view this sweet little video about Kitchen Design. It is family friendly, I promise you, and I was quite impressed with the unique and classic beauty of these luxurious kitchens. They are absolutely gorgeous! I am positive that you too shall be just as impressed with the style and character, as well as the obvious craftmanship of Master designers.
The kitchen is indeed the heart of the home, and from my point of view it is very important to feel the comfort and love in which we express ourselves through the food we choose to nourish our families with. Surrounding ourselves with such beauty only enhances that wonderful feeling which goes into those healthy meals we love to create. So, let us take a few moments to visualize our Dream kitchen.. then visit Kitchen Design and leave them a comment if you are as impressed as I am.
Enjoy!
A vital final message from a Hopi Elder…
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 23, 2008
My people are of the Lakota Nation, yet it is very important to pay attention and show respect for the Wisdom of our Elders from all Nations. I wish to share a very important and vital message, which carries much wisdom regarding the original instructions to the people, a sharing of past, present and future…
His Final Message to Mankind
From Hotevilla, Arizona, USA
Dan Evehema, Eldest Elder
I am very glad to have this time to send a message to you. We are celebrating a time in our history which is both filled with joy and sadness.
I am very glad that our Hindu brothers have given us this opportunity to share these feelings with you because we know many of you are having the same troubles.
We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world, human life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit “Massauu” due mainly to corruption, greed, and turning away from the Great Spirit’s teachings.
The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all but a few faithful ones who asked and received a permission from the Great Spirit to live with Him in this new land.
The Great Spirit said, “It is up to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble, and simple life way. It is hard but if you agree to live according to my teachings and instructions, if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, you may come and live with me.”
The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood made a sacred covenant with the Great Spirit at that time. We Hopi made an oath that we will never turn away from Him. For us the Creator’s laws never change or break down. To the Hopi the Great Spirit is all powerful.
He appeared to the first people as a man and talked with them in the beginning of this creation world. He taught us how to live, to worship, where to go and what food to carry, gave us seeds to plant and harvest. He gave us a set of sacred stone tablets into which He breathed all teachings in order to safeguard his land and life.
In these stone tablets were made, instructions and prophecies and warnings. This was done with the help of a Spider woman and Her two grandsons. They were wise and powerful helpers of the Great Spirit.
Before the Great Spirit went into hiding, He and Spider woman put before the leaders of the different groups of people many colors and sizes of corn for them to choose their food in this world. The Hopi was the last to pick and then choose their food in this world. The Hopi then chose the smallest ear of corn.
Then Massauu said, “You have shown me you are wise and humble. For this reason you will be called Hopi (people of peace) and I will place in your authority all land and life to guard, protect, and hold trust for Me until I return to you in later days for I am the First and the Last.”
This why when a Hopi is ordained into the higher religious order, the earth and all living things are placed upon his hands. He becomes a parent to all life on earth. He is entitled to advise and correct his children in whatever peaceful way he can. So we can never give up knowing that our message of peace will reach our children. Then it is together with the other spiritual leaders the destiny of our future children is placed.
We are instructed to hold this world in balance within the land and the many universes with special prayers and ritual which continue to this day.
It was to the Spider woman’s two grandsons the sacred stone tablets were given. These two brothers were then instructed to carry them to a place the Great Spirit had instructed them. The older brother was to go immediately to the east, to the rising sun and upon reaching his destination was instructed to immediately start to look for his younger brother who shall remain in the land of the Great Spirit.
The Older brothers mission when he returned was to help his younger brother (Hopi) bring obout peace, brotherhood and everlasting life on his return. Hopi, the younger brother, was instructed to cover all land and mark it well with footprints and sacred markings to claim this land for the Creator and peace on earth.
We established our ceremonials and sacred shrines to hold this world in balance in accordance with our first promise to the Creator. This is how our migration story goes, until we met the Creator at Old Oribe (place that solidifies) over 1000 years ago.
It was at that meeting when he gave to us these prophecies to give to you now at this closing of the Fourth World of destruction and the beginning of the Fifth World of peace. He gave us many prophecies to pass on to you and all have come to pass. This is how we know the timing is now to reveal the last warnings and instructions to mankind.
We were told to settle permanently here in Hopi land where we met the Great Spirit and wait for Older Brother who went east to return to us. When he returns to this land he will place his stone tablets side by side to show all the world that they are our true brothers.
When the road in the sky has been fulfilled and when the inventing of something, in Hopi means, gourd of ashes, a gourd that when drops upon the earth will boil everything within a large space and nothing will grow for a very long time.
When the leaders turned to evil ways instead of the Great Spirit we were told there would be many ways this life may be destroyed. If human kind does not heed our prophecy and return to one’s original spiritual instructions.
We were told of three helpers who were commissioned by the Great Spirit to help Hopi bring about the peaceful life on earth would appear to help us and we should not change our homes, our ceremonials, our hair, because the true helpers might not recognize us as the true Hopi.
So we have been waiting all these years.
It is known that our True White Brother, when he comes, will be all powerful and will wear a red cap or red cloak. He will be large in population, belong to no religion but his very own. He will bring with him the sacred stone tablets. With him there will be two great ones both very wise and powerful.
One will have a symbol or sign of swastika which represents purity and is Female, a producer of life. The third one or the second one of the two helpers to our True White Brother will have a sign of a symbol of the sun. He, too, will be many people and very wise and powerful. We have in our sacred Kachina ceremonies a gourd rattle which is still in use today with these symbols of these powerful helpers of our True Brother.
It is also prophesied that if these three fail to fulfill their mission then the one from the west will come like a big storm. He will be many, in numbers and unmerciful. When he comes he will cover the land like the red ants and over take this land in one day.
If the three helpers chosen by the Creator fulfill their sacred mission and even if there are only one, two, or three of the true Hopi remaining holding fast to the last ancient teaching and instructions the Great Spirit, Massauu will appear before all and our would will be saved.
The three will lay our a new life plan which leads to everlasting life and peace. The earth will become new as it was from the beginning. Flowers will bloom again, wild game will return to barren lands and there will be abundance of food for all. Those who are saved will share everything equally and they all will recognize Great Spirit and speak one language.
We are now faced with great problems, not only here but throughout the land. Ancient cultures are being annihilated. Our people’s lands are being taken from them, leaving them no place to call their own.
Why is this happening?
It is happening because many have given up or manipulated their original spiritual teachings. The way of life which the Great Spirit has given to all its people of the world, whatever your original instructions are not being honored. It is because of this great sickness called greed, which infects every land and country that simple people are losing what they have kept for thousands of years.
Now we are at the very end of our trail.
Many people no longer recognize the true path of the Great Spirit. They have, in fact, no respect for the Great Spirit or for our precious Mother Earth, who gives us all life. We are instructed in our ancient prophecy that this would occur.
We were told that someone would try to go up to the moon: that they would bring something back from the moon; and that after that, nature would show signs of losing its balance. Now we see that coming about.
All over the world there are now many signs that nature is no longer in balance. Floods, drought, earthquakes, and great storms are occurring and causing much suffering. We do not want this to occur in our country and we pray to the Great Spirit to save us from such things. But there are now signs that this very same thing might happen very soon on our own land.
Now we must look upon each other as brothers and sisters. There is no more time for divisions between people. Today I call upon all of us, from right here at home, Hotevilla, where we to are guilty of gossiping and causing divisions even among our own families; out to the entire world where thievery, war, and lying goes on every day. These divisions will not be our salvation. Wars only bring more wars never peace.
Only by joining together in a Spiritual Peace with love in our hearts for one another, love in our hearts for the Great Spirit and Mother Earth, shall we be saved from the terrible Purification Day which is just ahead.
There are many of you in this world who are honest people. We know you spiritually for we are the “Men’s Society Grandfathers” who have been charged to pray for you and all life on earth never forgetting anything or any one in our ceremonials.
Our prayer is to have a good happy life, plenty of soft gentle rain for abundant crops. We pray for balance on earth to live in peace and leave a beautiful world to the children yet to come.
We know you have good hearts but good hearts are not enough to help us out with these great problems. In the past some of you have tried to help us Hopis, and we will always be thankful for you efforts. But now we need your help in the worst way.
We want the people of the world to know the truth of our situation. This land which people call the Land of the Freedom celebrates many days reminding people of the world of these things. Yet in well over 200 years the original Americans have not seen a free day.
We are suffering the final insult.
Our people are now losing the one thing which give life and meaning of life — our ceremonial land, which is being taken away from us. Hotevilla is the last holy consecrated, undisturbed traditional Native American sacred shrine to the Creator. As the prophecy says, this sacred shrine must keep its spiritual pathways open.
This village is the spiritual vortex for the Hopi to guide the many awakening Native Americans and other true hearts home to their own unique culture. Hotevilla was established by the last remaining spiritual elders to maintain peace and balance on this continent from the tip of South America up to Alaska. Many of our friends say Hotevilla is a sacred shrine, a national and world treasure and must be preserved. We need your help.
Where is the freedom which you all fight for and sacrifice your children for?
Is it only the Indian people who have lost or are all Americans losing the very thing which you original came here to find?
We don’t share the freedom of the press because what gets into the papers is what the government wants people to believe, not what is really happening. We have no freedom of speech, because we are persecuted by our own people for speaking our beliefs. We are at the final stages now and there is a last force that is about to take away our remaining homeland.
We are still being denied many things including the rite to be Hopis and to make our living in accordance with our religious teachings. The Hopi leaders have warned leaders in the White House and the leaders in the Glass House but they do not listen. So as our prophecy says then it must be up to the people with good pure hearts that will not be afraid to help us to fulfill our destiny in peace for this world.
We now stand at a cross road whether to lead ourselves in everlasting life or total destruction. We believe that human beings spiritual power through prayer is so strong it decides life on earth.
So many people have come to Hopiland to meet with us. Some of you we have met on your lands. Many times people have asked how they can help us. Now I hope and pray that your help will come.
If you have a way to spread the truth, through the newspapers, radio, books, thought meeting with powerful people, tell the truth! Tell them what you know to be true. Tell them what you have seen here; what you have heard us say; what you have seen with your own eyes. In this way, if we do fall, let it be said that we tried, right up to the end, to hold fast to the path of peace as we were originally instructed to do by the Great Spirit.
Should you really succeed, we will all realize our mistakes of the past and return to the true path-living in harmony as brothers and sisters, sharing our mother, the earth with all other living creatures. In this way we could bring about a new world. A world which would be led by the great Spirit and our mother will provide plenty and happiness for all.
God bless you, each one of you and know our prayers for peace meet yours as the sun rises and sets. May the Great Spirit guide you safely into the path of love, peace freedom and God on this Earth Mother. May the holy ancestors of love and light keep you safe in your land and homes. Pray for God to give you something important to do in this great work which lies ahead of us all to bring peace on earth.
We the Hopi still hold the sacred stone tablets and now await the coming of our True White Brother and others seriously ready to work for the Creator’s peace on earth.
Be well, my children, and think good thoughts of peace and togetherness. Peace for all life on earth and peace with one another in our homes, families and countries. We are not so different in the Creator’s eyes. The same great Father Sun shines his love on each of us daily just as Mother Earth prepares the sustenance for our table, do they not?
We are one after all.
Good Therapy to Empower our Lives
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 21, 2008
What is it that brings about an inner peace to bring harmony into our lives? Many people have had negative experiences which can be detrimental to our happiness as well as our health and well being. There are always those who try to influence us, through either words or actions, as to how they think we should feel or behave. Such experiences can leave emotional and spiritual scars. Finding true, lasting, good therapy can sometimes prove to be quite difficult. Not everyone is truly out for our best interests, so much as their own.
Let us look into this a bit further.
Empowering therapists maintain the belief that people can grow, heal, and transform. This hope is held no matter how intense one’s defenses and wounds are. People can heal if they want to and if they can contribute to their own growth whatever is sufficient and necessary to that end. When a therapist views a person as fundamentally flawed or incapable of change, the person is more likely to feel and become flawed. Yet, when a good therapist sees beyond a person’s wounds and defenses and holds in mind their true nature, the person is more likely to discover their own true nature for themselves. Some people may not heal in this lifetime, but let the therapist not be an additional barrier to whatever other obstacles may be presenting.
Good therapy often times needs to go deep. There seems to be a split in the mental health field between approaches that emphasize cognitive solutions and those that emphasize emotional or body oriented healing. Both are important. In many instances, the depth of our emotional traumas are buried deep within ourselves. Reaching these extreme emotional depths of hidden pain is a very delicate process, and must be approached very carefully.
If you, or someone you know, is in need of good therapy to Empower your Life, and wish to find a counselor or therapist, perhaps you may like to visit www.goodtherapy.org, and browse through their extensive selection of therapists. As always, use your good judgement and choose wisely.
As quoted from Good Therapy…
Our Purpose…
“There is a movement toward more collaborative, empowering, and nonpathological forms of psychotherapy. We promote this movement by helping people find therapists and counselors who believe “people are proficient,” capable of feeling peaceful and satisfied with life, and can, with a bit of guidance, access their own wisdom and healing potential to overcome the obstacles to health & happiness.”
~Love and Light to All
“Enlightenment consists not merely in the seeing of luminous shapes and visions, but in making the darkness visible. The latter procedure is more difficult and therefore, unpopular.” ~ Carl Jung
Bringing about Balance in our Lives..
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 21, 2008
The Chinese word for ‘busy’ consists of two symbols: one is the human heart - the other, death. I take this to mean that when one is excessively busy, the heart is insensible, frozen. In a world where busyness is held up almost as a virtue, especially in business, I’d like to take a look at coming back into balance. It’s a big topic, and one I’ll return to over time.
We hear a lot nowadays about work/lifestyle balance; today I’m asking, what does a balanced life look like to you?
Balance… there are various definitions in dictionaries, but one that I particularly like describes it as “harmony and proportion”. Perhaps these words resonate particularly with me, but with their overtones of unity and spaciousness I feel that these are virtues that most of us could do with more of in our lives.
Balance is about feeling connected to ourselves and others, and a sense of rhythm and flow between mind, body and spirit. It’s about being flexible - having awareness about what’s going on for you at any given time, and equally important, having the ability to respond to the messages that you’re receiving, bringing you back into harmony.
If you think about it, when we balance on something, we’re always moving as we seek to remain in equilibrium: think of the tightrope walker, and how he adjusts his position on the rope continuously in order to remain upright. Likewise in nature; the universe is always seeking equilibrium: think of our bodies and homeostasis, the means by which the internal systems of the body (e.g. blood pressure, body temperature) are maintained, despite possibly extreme variations in external conditions; also the way in which as cells die in a healthy person they are replaced by exactly the same number. We don’t have to think about these bodily processes, but constant awareness of our thoughts is required to create mental and physical balance.
I would like to give you two very different time-frames in which to consider what balance means to you: one may feel more appropriate to you right now than the other.
There’s moment to moment mindfulness, where you might choose to observe your thought processes at various points during the day (perhaps using an external trigger such as when you put down the telephone after a call, or you hear the next door neighbor’s dog barking; whatever it is, make the trigger something that occurs regularly during your day). As you observe your thoughts, see if you can let them go and become aware of what is happening within your own body; you might like to incorporate this with breathing in and out slowly a few times, and saying a statement to yourself that you find calming and centering… an example might be: “I am in control of my life” or “life flows easily for me”.
Another suggestion for “in the moment” mindfulness is to choose an activity that you do on a regular basis and that you consider a chore, and see if you can, by coming into the present moment, alter your experience of it, as an active meditation. If you do not like washing up, for example, see if you can become highly aware of the heat of the water, the sound that the dishes make as you clean them, how the plates shine after they’ve been buffed… Breathe, and feel the calm and balance that comes with mindful activity.
The other method is to take the ‘big picture’ view. Balance doesn’t have to be about compartmentalizing the different areas of your life: indeed, trying to see these areas in terms of symmetry and allocation of percentage points (e.g. work life 22%, social time 15% etc) can cause more stress than it cures! There will always be times when we’re out of balance, if we’re dealing with a sick parent or child, or a deadline at work for example, but in general, some questions to ask yourself are these…
Am I feeling more contented with my life overall than I was one/two/ five years ago?
Am I heading in the right direction?
Are my talents being utilized?
Do I have things in my life that I’m passionate about, and.. Do I have more flexibility of time for these things/people/activities than I used to?
Asking yourself these questions on a regular basis is a good way to check whether you’re moving towards balance or away from it.
How do we find Happiness?
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 8, 2008
I am in general a very happy person, in spite of circumstances, and this truly shows to all who come in contact with me. Today I would like to share a message from a friend, which touched my heart and spirit. It reminds me why each day, I look for the good in all things…
A fleeting moment, or a way of seeing?
Ask any number of people to describe a moment of “perfect” happiness. Some will talk about moments of deep peace experienced in a harmonious natural setting, of a forest dappled in sunshine, of a mountain summit looking out across a vast horizon, of the shores of a tranquil lake, of a night walk through snow under a starry sky, and so on. Others will refer to a long-awaited event: an exam they’ve aced, a sporting victory, meeting someone they’ve longed to meet, the birth of a child. Still others will speak of a moment of peaceful intimacy with their family or a loved one, or of having made someone else happy.
The common factor to all of these experiences would seem to be the momentary disappearance of inner conflicts. The person feels in harmony with the world and with herself. Someone enjoying such an experience, such as walking through a serene wilderness, has no particular expectations beyond the simple act of walking. She simply is, here and now, free and open.
For just a few moments, thoughts of the past are suppressed, the mind is not burdened with plans for the future, and the present moment is liberated from all mental constructs. This moment of respite, from which all sense of emotional urgency has vanished, is experienced as one of profound peace. For someone who has achieved a goal, completed a task, or won a victory, the tension they have long carried with them relaxes. The ensuing sense of release is felt as a deep calm, free of all expectation and fear.
But this experience is just a passing glimpse brought on by a particular set of circumstances. We call it a magic moment, a state of grace. And yet the difference between these flashes of happiness seized on the fly and the immutable peacefulness of the sage, for instance, is as great as that between the tiny section of sky seen through the eye of a needle and the limitless expanses of outer space. The two conditions differ in dimension, duration, and depth.
Even so, we can learn something from these fleeting moments, these lulls in our ceaseless struggles; they can give us a sense of what true plenitude might be and help us to recognize the conditions that favour it.
A Way of Being
I remember one afternoon as I was sitting on the steps of our monastery in Nepal. The monsoon storms had turned the courtyard into an expanse of muddy water and we had set out a path of bricks to serve as stepping-stones. A friend of mine came to the edge of the water, surveyed the scene with a look of disgust, and complained about every single brick as she made her way across. When she got to me, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yuck! What if I’d fallen into that filthy muck? Everything’s so dirty in this country!” Since I knew her well, I prudently nodded, hoping to offer her some comfort through my mute sympathy. A few minutes later, Raphaèle, another friend of mine, came to the path through the swamp. “Hup, hup, hup!” she sang as she hopped, reaching dry land with the cry “What fun!” Her eyes sparkling with joy, she added: “The great thing about the monsoon is that there’s no dust.” Two people, two ways of looking at things; six billion human beings, six billion worlds.
Anyone who enjoys inner peace is no more broken by failure than he is inflated by success. He is able to fully live his experiences in the context of a vast and profound serenity, since he understands that experiences are ephemeral and that it is useless to cling to them. There will be no “hard fall” when things turn bad and he is confronted with adversity. He does not sink into depression, since his happiness rests on a solid foundation.
Once at an open meeting in Hong Kong, a young man rose from the audience to ask me: “Can you give me one reason why I should go on living?” This book is a humble response to that question, for happiness is above all a love of life.
__________________________
Excerpted with permission from Happiness: Developing Life’s Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard (Little, Brown and Company, 2006). Ricard, a former biochemist and Buddhist monk.
A healthy Balance of Mind, Body and Spirit
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 6, 2008
While this subject is not a pleasant one to contemplate and talk about, it is not something I would see ignored or shuffled off to the side. What I am referring to is an issue which has, in many places of society, reached epidemic proportions. Drug and alcohol addictions affect all of us in one way or another. The physical and emotional impact of those who are addicted can be quite devastating, to themselves and to their families and loved ones. This hits very close to home with most of us, myself included. While I have been spared an addictive nature, some very close family members have not. This has served to create much heartache throughout the years. I would like to expand a bit upon the subject of drug addiction.
Research shows that more than half of the people affected by one condition (such as an addictive disorder) are also affected by at least one other condition (such as an emotional condition or mental illness), and vice versa. This diagnosis is referred to by a variety of terms including: co-occurring disorder, dual diagnosis, co-morbidity, concurrent disorders, co-morbid disorders, and dual disorder. Individuals with co-occurring disorders often face a wide range of psychosocial issues and may experience more than two interacting illnesses. When all conditions are not simultaneously treated, recovery is far more difficult. Unfortunately, because many addiction treatment and mental health programs treat only one condition, many people are under-treated or inappropriately treated. A single course of treatment is less likely to be effective than a comprehensive plan of treatment that simultaneously treats all conditions, addictions, and disorders.
Unfortunately, because many addiction treatment and mental health programs treat only one condition, many people are under-treated or inappropriately treated. A single course of treatment is less likely to be effective than a comprehensive plan of treatment that simultaneously treats all conditions, addictions, and disorders.
The treatment program at The Canyon is nationally recognized for integrative methods and evidence based practices that have produced proven results for individuals with dual and multiple addiction and mental health disorders. While many programs claim to be or dual-diagnosis, they are one of very few facilities that are truly prepared to deal effectively with co-occurring disorders.
It is good to be aware of our options when choosing a drug rehab center. Emotionally and spiritually, those who enroll in addiction treatment with an open heart and mind will be more successful in rebuilding their self esteem, personal relationships and establishing a spiritual connection. The Canyon is the premiere sanctuary of healing for individuals with co-occurring conditions. This elite center offers a complete continuum of care that includes many treatment options, services, and learning tools that allow each client to build a lasting foundation of recovery.
My prayers go out to all those who are affected by these devastating dis-eases of our physical and mental states. May each one of those precious spirits find the help to restore their health and wellbeing, and find their paths to lasting happiness, as well as a healthy balance of Mind, Body and Spirit. Give yourselves the Gift of Healing.
The Longest Walk 2008.. for our Sacred Earth
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 5, 2008
I have been issued a special invitation, in which I wish to share with all my friends and fellow Earth lovers. At times we are called upon to do something more than wish or pray for this beautiful Earth to be restored to health, and asking for respect to be given to all living things, all Life being Sacred. If it is within our power, we may step forth and give just a bit more. So, I hereby offer an invitation, as follows…
You are invited to join the Sovereign First Peoples of this nation evolving on Mother Earth, Come and be a part of history led by the Native’s of this land that we share and call home, as the forces of darkness threaten to enslave us all, this most Sacred People are walking and praying, talking and listening to the needs of the people that they encounter along the way during their Journey. The forces of Nature will test them and heal them as they reconnect on a very deep level to the Soul of Mother Earth, come walk with us and transform yourselves on this Sacred Journey, of the longest Peace Walk in the history of the United States. We are One People.
What is the Longest Walk?
On Feb. 11th, Longest Walk participants will embark on a 5 month journey from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. arriving on July 11th. The Longest Walk south route is being led by AIM co-founder Dennis J. Banks. It is an extraordinary grassroots effort on a national level to bring attention to the environmental disharmony of Mother Earth, sacred site issues, and to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original longest walk.
Why are we walking?
We walk to promote harmony with the Earth. We walk for the Seventh Generation, for our Youth, for Peace, for Justice, for healing of Mother Earth, for the healing of our people suffering from diabetes, heart conditions, alcoholism, drug addictions and other diseases. We walk with the message: All Life is Sacred, Save Mother Earth. Save the Sacred Sites, for it is important for future generations.
Through the elements of the seasons, we shall walk through the rain, snow, over mountains, high winds, through the heat and cold, nothing shall deter us from completing our mission: All Life is Sacred, Protect Sacred Sites.
Let those who doubt, hear our pledge. Let those who believe, join our ranks. As we walk the final miles, by our side will be elders, families, children, people of all races, from many walks of life, the old and the new America. All Life is Sacred, Clean Up Mother Earth.
What is our Goal?
The Clean Up America Campaign is an effort to clean up our country’s highways and roads by collecting debris found along the Longest Walk route. This monumental task will engage Walkers in a global effort at a grassroots level to promote harmony with our delicate environment.
Longest Walk participants will carry specially marked trash bags to separate the collected refuse into trash bins and recycling bins. A rotating team of walkers will pick up trash along the way with trash pokers leaving a health trail of earth in their path.
How can I get involved in my Community?
Volunteer with your local state Longest Walk coordinator. Find out at www.longestwalk.org. Support the Longest Walk when they are in your Community. If you are unable to walk, perhaps you would like to sponsor a walker. All good thoughts and prayers are most welcome!
**We will present our proposal for saving the Sacred Site, for saving Mother Earth, etc. in D.C. Times, Dates and rest stops will be posted online as time draws near. Visit www.longestwalk.org today to keep updated.
Enjoy a ride on the wave of Happiness
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 1, 2008
When I was a child, as a rule, I was quite calm and at peace. I did not get angry often, nor did I hold resentments. I would just let things go, knowing I had little control over my life, being that I was just a child. Most of the adults in my life treated me with kindness, as my nature was a kind one, so I now feel I was pretty lucky in this way. This was not so for my sister, who grew up in exactly the same environment. She kicked and fought every step of the way. She was not very kind or understanding, so she rebelled against most situations. This led to many difficulties, and a lot of negative emotions, to say the least. I tried to keep her out of trouble as often as possible, being her big sister, yet it did not work very often. She would ‘never’ let anything go! I just seemed to know that the easiest way to enjoying my childhood was to shrug most things off, and follow my imagination to places more interesting than the things happening in our adults world. All in all, I had a pretty good childhood.
Ah, but little did I know that being an adult did not automatically give me total control over my circumstances. I had to learn, through painful experience, how to determine that which was under my control from that which was not. And I had to learn all over again what it means to ‘just let go’. It was not easy. My nature is gentle and loving, yet I have a very strong will. I could be hurt easily, and it took a while to figure out that I had done nothing to deserve this pain, and though I could not control the actions of others, I could control my own reactions. This sometimes infuriated those choosing to inflict pain through emotions, yet I would react calmly and step back from that which was not mine to own.
I have experienced great depths of sadness, yet I choose to be happy in this moment. Those who come in contact with me react to this, and come away from the encounter with good feelings as well. It truly is contagious! Oh, I walk with my eyes wide open, and I do see all the horrors in this world. I just choose not to despair, and to do what I may to help restore the balance. The universe is composed of the Yin and the Yang. Good and bad. This is just how it is. I walk in the Light and choose to offer Love to those I may, and to help those who cannot help themselves. Ergo this blog, among other things.
When I find something that strikes a positive note in the music of my world, I like to make mention of it. I believe I may have found something of benefit. If there are folks out there that need help, and are experiencing self doubts and unhappiness, perhaps one would like to learn how “The Sedona Method” can help you become truly happy now.
Secret teacher Marci Shimoff’s new book “Happy For No Reason” reveals that Mariel Heminway avoids the depression that plagued her grandfather, Ernest Hemingway, with The Sedona Method. They are even offering a free DVD, CD and MP3 to get you started on the road to lasting happiness, peace, success and emotional well being.
Nearing the end of a recent Sedona Method Retreat held in Sedona, AZ, one of the attendees spoke about her experience. As quoted…
“I’m struck by how many of us are from different countries and different cultures, yet we came together this week. There were no cultural boundaries, no race boundaries, no religious boundaries – we all just came together as One World.”
The Sedona Method is a key to happiness and is part of a wave of happiness sweeping the planet. Perhaps we would like to jump out there and enjoy a ride on the wave of happiness!
Fifteen Ways to Bring Nature Indoors
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 31, 2008
Today I would like to share a special post as shared by a friend of mine. Our health and our lives are greatly enriched when we embrace the gifts of Nature. We are surrounded by too many man-made products which are made from harmful materials and chemicals. Decreasing these deadly objects from our homes and increasing that which is natural, will bring forth harmony and balance to our bodies as well as our Spirits. Let us love, honor, and respect our beautiful planet Earth.
Adapted from The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Chelsea Green, 2002)
In earlier times, when nature was perceived as alive, with intelligence and soul, people bonded with nature much as people bond with their pets or family now. This bonding process engendered a certain kind of attitude toward nature. It is an aspect of what Edward O. Wilson calls biophilia - a genetically encoded or innate emotional affinity toward all other life-forms on Earth. It means a deep fondness for, connection to, and love for life forms and living things.
We can begin to undo the cultural conditioning that teaches children that thinking defines their value, that Earth is dead, that other life-forms intrinsically possess less value. Bringing nature indoors is one way to begin bonding with life.
Here are a few ideas for welcoming the natural world into our homes.
Simple Solutions…
* Stones, rocks, pebbles. Placed in bowls or in a ring around a vase, heaped in a small cairn or put singly in a special place of honor, the infinite variety and solid beauty of stones add grounding and stability to our homes.
* Plants. Many potted plants need very little care, and they repay a minimum of effort on our part with so much benefit: plants filter the air we breathe and add vitality and good green energy to our rooms.
* Sunlight. Cheering, uplifting sunlight is such a necessity for the human body, mind, and spirit. Open the curtains and let it stream in.
* Windows to the elements. What do you see when you look out of your windows? If you are fortunate to live in a place where nature isn’t overpowered by buildings and concrete, consider opening up a wall to create a window overlooking a special scene. Annie’s bathtub is surrounded by windows: when she bathes, she soaks in the spaciousness of sky, the majesty of trees, and the freedom of wild birds in flight.
* Gifts from the animals. Some of us find special treasures when we walk in nature: a feather, a cast-off antler, a shred of snake-skin. Consider bringing these inside to honor the animals.
* Seasonal reminders. We can bring bare branches indoors, place them in water, and watch the new leaves emerge in Spring. In Summer, we can put a handful of lush grass in a vase to appreciate. A few nuts and colorful leaves connect us to the spirit of Fall, and pinecones and evergreens help us celebrate Winter. Find your own ways to mirror seasonal changes inside.
* Tabletop fountains. It isn’t difficult to create small water fountains for our home. The gentle sound of trickling water is soothing and the principles of feng shui say that fountains create good energy. For easy directions, see /greenliving/good-fortune-fountain-how-to.html.
* Tabletop gardens. Fill a pretty container with soil and use it to create a miniature garden in your home. These can be both seasonal and fanciful: in Winter, for instance, you could imagine a gnome garden with moss, evergreen twigs, and quartz crystals to evoke ice.
* Flowers. Flowers are an instant cheer-up, such lush reminders of the natural world. If you compost them when they begin to fade, you won’t waste them: they can help to nourish your garden. We like to choose organic flowers, since most commercial growers rely on harmful pesticides.
* Decorate with food. Many of us love to put a bowl of cheery oranges, lemons, or apples on the table, or heap a few pumpkins and squashes on the countertop in the autumn: food makes a lovely natural decoration, as long as it isn’t too quickly perishable, that connects us to what we eat. Be creative: there is so much beauty in food!
* Birdfeeders visible from your window. We may not be able to let the birds inside, but placing a birdfeeder where we can watch it from indoors makes it feel as if they are in the room with us.
* Fresh air. If the air in your area is fresh, open your windows as often as possible to let it in! And be sure to use all-natural cleaning products, furnishings and building materials so your air is fresh even when the windows are closed.
* Nature-themed artwork. The next best thing to being there is having a painting or photograph of a natural scene or wildlife on the wall.
* Companion animals. Sometimes we forget that pets are part of nature (as are we), but when we watch a cat stalking its favorite catnip-filled mouse toy, or a dog worrying a bone, we can see the wildness peeking through!
* Choosing natural materials. Using all-natural household products, bedding, building supplies, and furnishings all add up to a home that resonates with nature — and is more healthful for you and your family.
The Love and Joy of each other…
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 25, 2008
