Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Thank You, Bill Watterson and Gavin Aung Than

I fell for it. Thank you, Bill Watterson and Gavin Aung Than, for this kind, insightful cartoon: (When you get to the image, click on it to make it bigger.)


One of my refrains as an adult has been "I'm not a climber." But aha! That's exactly how the predetermined imaginary ladder of success traps those of us who are not corporate (or institutionally) minded and causes us slip on the rungs and bang our chins. The steady discomfort convinces us the climbers' lie is truth so when it comes time to pursue the development of our own talents, we're so busy scrambling for band aids and ice we've talked ourselves out of the idea that we can succeed at all. I am a crawler, a walker, a hiker, a dancer, a mover, a jumper, and yes, sometimes I like to climb, too.


Friday, May 31, 2013

Mindfulness Meditations I Like

Here are some nice mindfulness meditation videos. They’re not dogmatic or magical, just using your brain to stay centered – like being in the middle of Fortuna’s Wheel instead of all over the spokes and rim and ups and downs.  The basic neurological principle is that the more time you spend in this state of mind, the more easily it will come to you when you’re in the midst of chaos:

I love this Irish guy Sean O’Tarpaigh’s meditations, especially this one:


Here’s his YouTube channel:


And then there’s Lori Granger, who is also great.  She’s in Fresno and has several that I enjoy:





And here’s her youtube page:


Sometimes I just listen to these as I do my morning stretches, but for best effect, lie down and listen and follow what they say. Each one's 10 - 15 minutes so they can easily fit into the day.


Thursday, May 09, 2013

Courage


“Courage is the price that Life exacts for granting peace,
The soul that knows it not, knows no release,
From little things;
Knows not the livid loneliness of fear
Nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear
The sound of wings.”

- Amelia Earhart

I had heard the first line of this as a quotable quote and had it on a bulletin board for some time, and in my head, but today a friend asked for "tips for courage" and I thought of it, wasn't sure anymore who said it so I looked it up, and dogged if it ain't a full poem!  

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #16

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #16: The right to vote comes with a subset of rights which we protect (or lose) by exercising our right to vote (or not)!


Sunday, March 03, 2013

40 days of Posts that Make Life Better, #14

40 days of Posts that Make Life Better, #14, Sometimes there you are, minding your own business, and somebody reads you a beautiful poem; life sweetens:


40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #13

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #13: Sympathy, empathy, telepathy, musicality, humanity.


Friday, March 01, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #12

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #12: There is magic all around us! And where there isn't, if we're lucky, there are really, really, really clever people!


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #11

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #11: We have so many art forms! Think about it. Here is a contemplation for today: 

"There is not a single true work of art that has not in the end added to the inner freedom of each person who has known and loved it." -Albert Camus

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #10

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #10: Thanks to the internet and related technologies, no longer do people have to climb to the top of a mountain of business to share a funny little show:

 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8-A

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8-A: (woops, I made two number 8s!) When we're patient and observant, we can find out really neat stuff:

Friday, February 22, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #8: Take a moment to appreciate the building blocks of life, whether they be amino acids, proteins, or legos:



Lego Dance by Annette Jung from Talking Animals on Vimeo.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #7

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #7: Every thought, rushing, careening, crashing nagging vying for attention and even forgetting what they want can be allowed to rest from time to time. It's a luxury to enjoy some moments with only the responsibility of breathing.  I love this meditation from the Center for Mindfulness in Fresno, California. Lori Granger:

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #6

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #6: We can face hard realities, even the problems we've created for ourselves out of short sighted fascination with how clever we might be. We can admit our mistakes, seek balance, and begin any mad creative scientific or spiritual scramble possible begin to UNDO UNDO UNDO!!!!  Method cleaning products company is using plastic recycled from the Giant Pacific Garbage Patch to draw attention to how dire it is that we stop throwing plastic "away".

http://methodhome.com/ocean-plastic/


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #5

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #5: Logic helps us make sure facts add up properly.


Monday, February 18, 2013

Saturday, February 16, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #3

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #3: Of course there is such a thing as "try." It's on the way to being able to "do."

Friday, February 15, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #2

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #2: We can take matters into our own hands and accept help at the same time: 

Slow: Present Moment Passing


Tired may call for
a variety of responses:
a nap, a walk, a bird that sings
and as you listen
the sky gets more blue
and the trees more green
as your soul comes to you
then a melody to mind
and a knot may unwind
and a burden unbind
a notion
like an ocean
lets a wave
come to shore
to chill your toes to wiggle
and rush refreshment through your bones
and along with it the present
interrupts the complexity of frayed nerves' machination
and thusly in this instance
begins
rejuvenation.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better, #1:

Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday have come and gone, that means today is the start of another installment of "40 Days of Posts that Make Life Better" (Sundays excluded, as is with Lent). 

Post #1: Sometimes you go outside and surprise: you get to see the blimp!


Thursday, January 31, 2013

Intermittent God


Like an intermittent sound tone
or light through intermittent fog
we pray intermittently
to an intermittent god.
Sometimes he is in our corner
and sometimes far away
so sometimes he says nothing
and at others, says "Okay!"
We claim he knows what's good for us
or swear he doesn't care
but what if he travels all over,
and can't be everywhere?
Neitzsche said that "God is dead,"
others swear by free will
but maybe all along he's been intermittent.
              That would explain a few things.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Where the Grass is Greener



Deer image by a photographer named Deb, I found it when I Googled "deer grazing."  Here's her flickr page: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/kywoody/201299871/

O deer, grazing as the
flies named in your honor do the same upon you
chomp and step
gently tugging at the grasses
twitch an ear unsettle a bug to buzz
and re-approach inches over.
Suggest to disturb their activity
with the little wind whistling swishes of your
tiny tail
listen for predators
(larger than the flies that is)
and continue.
Over a fence
in a corral
a horse sees you, snorts,
thinks he's got it so much better
than you, for he can outright swat!
Step, step tug,
you found
clover.