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God in Nature

And A Meadowlark Sang

Ravindra Kumar Karnani
(This poem was originally written in the Hindi language.)

The child whispered, ‘God, speak to me’
And a meadow lark sang.
The child did not hear.

So the child yelled, ‘God, speak to me!’
And the thunder rolled across the sky
But the child did not listen.

The child looked around and said,
‘God let me see you’ and a star shone brightly
But the child did not notice.

And the child shouted,
‘God show me a miracle!’
And a life was born but the child did not know.

So the child cried out in despair,
‘Touch me God, and let me know you are here!’
Whereupon God reached down
And touched the child.

But the child brushed the butterfly away
And walked away unknowingly.

“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
—John Muir

“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” — Rabindranath Tagore

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’”
— Sylvia Plath

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. … There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
—Rachel Carson

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” — Henry David Thoreau

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In These Times . . .

“there may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” – elie wiesel

“oppression is not beyond us.  yes, as elie wiesel says, there are many injustices we can never prevent.  but we can always, always, always try.  we can protest, use our voices, vote with our feet, allow ourselves to feel others pain instead of ignoring it, refuse to distance ourselves from the plight of the afflicted, fight the tide of indifference. ” -Kathy Escobar

A Litany For Peace

Thich Nhat Hanh

As we are together praying for Peace, let us be truly with each other.
Silence
Let us pay attention to our breathing.
Silence
Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.
Silence
Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves.
Silence
Let us be aware of the Source of Being common to us all and to all that is.
Silence
Evoking the presence of the Great Compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion—towards ourselves and toward all living beings.
Silence
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all nourished from the same Source of Life.
Silence
Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of needless suffering.
Silence
Let us pray that we may live in a way which will not needlessly deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live in health.
Silence
With reverence for Life and with awareness of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.

Posted on by Lesley

Albert Einstein on God, Science and Life

Albert Einstein – (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science.

Einstein never claimed to be an atheist. “I am not an atheist… the problem [of God] is too vast for our limited minds”. Einstein preferred to be called agnostic, because he humbly felt his imperfect human mind could not conclusively know there is no grand designer. In an interview published in _Glimpses of the Greats_, Einstein said that “our limited minds cannot grasp the mysterious force that sways the constellations”. Ultimately, Einstein rejected all dogmatic belief systems as well as dogmatic atheism.

Einstein’s religious skepticism was in line with many of his scientific contemporaries. Still, Einstein was able to find spiritual wonder in the beauty of the natural world. Perhaps Einstein’s beliefs can be summed up in this single quote: “The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the power of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.”

In an interview with a reporter, Einstein said, “You may say that you have never heard of or seen God before. Under those premises, how could you believe that God exists? It’s true, you have five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. However, there is a limit to your senses. For instance, humans can only hear sounds in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, while other animals have a wider range.”

“It also holds true with sight,” he continued. “Humans can only see objects emitting light wavelengths that are observable to the human eye. However, the light that the naked eye can see is only a limited spectrum of the many wavelengths that are included in the electromagnetic waves.”

In another interview, Einstein said: “Some people think that religion is not compatible with science. As a scientific researcher, I understand that today’s science is limited in determining whether something exists or not.”

The scientist continued by giving another example, saying, “Thousands of years ago, we could not prove the existence of the nucleus of an atom. If we had just recklessly concluded that the atomic nucleus does not exist, and then proceeded to discover it today, wouldn’t we have made a big mistake by denying its existence in the first place?”

“Therefore, science today cannot prove the existence of God, because science is not yet developed enough,” he added. “It is not because God does not exist.”

Einstein identified himself as a follower of Baruch Spinoza – a 17th-century Dutch-Jewish pantheist philosopher who saw God in every aspect of existence as well as extending beyond what we can perceive in the world. He used logic to deduce his fundamental principles, and he believed that God is indifferent to individuals.

Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind. – Albert Einstein

The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge. – Albert Einstein

Every one who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe-a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. – Albert Einstein

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious; It is the source of all true art and science. – Albert Einstein

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding. – Albert Einstein

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Fundamental Humans

Fundamental Christianity
Fundamental Islam
Fundamental Judaism
Fundamental Buddhism
Fundamental?

What happened to fundamental humans?

Why so many God brokers?

Have humans forgotten how to speak directly to God?

Jihad?
Crusade?
Inquisition?
Forced missionary conversion?
Dogma?
Why have so many innocent people died in the name of God?

Fundamental religion has robbed fundamental humans,
of their sovereignty, freedom and connection to God.

An age nears;

When people awaken to inner truth
Establish a personal relationship with Creator
Restore balance within themselves
Restore balance to Mother Earth
Establish a lasting peace

Indigenous people around the world have been right all along;

“We’re all One”

-Ray Lucero

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No Coward Soul Is Mine ~ Emily Bronte

EMILY BRONTE 1818-1848 ~ PORTRAIT BY BRANWELL BRONTE
"I'll walk where my own nature would be leading:
    It vexes me to choose another guide:
Where the grey flocks in ferny glens are feeding;
    Where the wild wind blows on the mountain side."
 -Emily Bronte (Stanzas)

Emily Bronte was the daughter of an Anglican vicar yet her own faith was based not on traditional religious attitudes, but on her own experience which was rooted in nature rather than a physical Church or specific doctrine. Mary Robinson, in her 1883 biography of Emily, put it this way:

“Never was a soul with more passionate love of Mother Earth, of every weed and flower, of every bird, beast, and insect that lived.”

HAWORTH MOOR, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND

Her sister Charlotte wrote of Emily, that the moors “were what she lived in, and by”. Emily beautifully describes them in “High Waving Heather”, written in 1836. First verse here:

“High waving heather, ‘neath stormy blasts bending,
Midnight and moonlight and bright shining stars;
Darkness and glory rejoicingly blending,
Earth rising to heaven and heaven descending,
Man’s spirit away from its drear dungeon sending,
Bursting the fetters and breaking the bars.”

Emily Bronte had the courage of her convictions. She had faith in a God who was not the construction of orthodoxy, but the God she had come to know for herself. This can be seen in her poem No Coward Soul Is Mine.

“No coward soul is mine

No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere

I see Heaven’s glories shine

And Faith shines equal arming me from Fear

O God within my breast

Almighty ever-present Deity

Life, that in me hast rest,

As I Undying Life, have power in Thee

Vain are the thousand creeds

That move men’s hearts, unutterably vain,

Worthless as withered weeds

Or idlest froth amid the boundless main

To waken doubt in one

Holding so fast by thy infinity,

So surely anchored on

The steadfast rock of Immortality.

With wide-embracing love

Thy spirit animates eternal years

Pervades and broods above,

Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates and rears

Though earth and moon were gone

And suns and universes ceased to be

And Thou wert left alone

Every Existence would exist in thee

There is not room for Death

Nor atom that his might could render void

Since thou art Being and Breath

And what thou art may never be destroyed.”

Posted on by Lesley

Forgiveness


“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;” – Luke 6:37

Rethink Your Definition of Forgiveness

You might think that forgiveness is about the following:

  • Condoning what the other person did.
  • Giving in.
  • Turning the other cheek.
  • Pretending that nothing happened or that it really wasn’t such a big deal.
  • Admitting that your anger isn’t justified or that you’re not entitled to it.
  • Forcing yourself to get along with someone who you feel may hurt you again.

If so, then you’re probably going to be very reluctant to forgive. And with good reason. Instead, try changing your definition of forgiveness to the following:

  • Forgiveness is about freeing up and putting to better use the energy that is being consumed by holding on to grudges, harbouring resentments, and nursing old wounds.
  • Forgiveness is about moving on.
  • Forgiveness is about choosing serenity and happiness over righteous anger.
  • Forgiveness is about refusing to replay past hurts in your mind over and over again, like a broken record.
  • Forgiveness is about realizing that anger and resentment don’t serve you well.
  • Forgiveness is about giving yourself a clean slate.

Please follow this link to read an article on a Cognitive Behavioural Model for forgiveness.

Posted on by Lesley

Resilience

Resilience is the psychological quality that allows some people to be knocked down by the adversities of life and come back at least as strong as before. Rather than letting difficulties, traumatic events, or failure overcome them and drain their resolve, highly resilient people find a way to change course, emotionally heal, and continue moving toward their goals.

What Creates Resilience

Psychologists have identified some of the factors that appear to make a person more resilient, such as a positive attitude, optimism, the ability to regulate emotions, and the ability to see failure as a form of helpful feedback.

Optimism, for instance, has been shown to help blunt the impact of stress on the mind and body in the wake of disturbing experiences. That gives people access to their own cognitive resources, enabling cool-headed analysis of what might have gone wrong and consideration of behavioral paths that might be more productive.

Other aspects of resilience’s roots remain under study. There does appear to be a genetic predisposition for resilience, for instance; but early environments and life circumstances play a role in how resilient genes are ultimately expressed.

Can resilience be taught?

Many factors that determine resilience—such as genetics, early life experiences, and luck—can’t be modified. But specific resilience-building skills can be learned. These include, breaking out of negative thought cycles, pushing back against catastrophizing, and looking for upsides when faced with setbacks.

To learn more about how to build resilience, please follow this link.

Amidst the debris

Old rusty cans and brambles

One golden crocus

L.M.D.

“On the other side of a storm is the strength that comes from having navigated through it. Raise your sail and begin.”
― Gregory S. Williams

Posted on by Lesley

Authenticity

“To find yourself, think for yourself.” – Socrates

 “Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.” – Mother Theresa

“Being honest may not get you many friends, but it’ll always get you the right ones.” – John Lennon

 “Authenticity is about being true to who you are, even when everyone around you wants you to be someone else.” – Michael Jordon

“I’ve always loved the idea of not being what people expect me to be.” – Dita Von Teese

“Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” – Oscar Wilde

Don’t worry about the things you can’t control. But there are a few things that you control, and that will help you live a happy life.

Source: Life Hacks

Here Are 26 Things You Can Control

Your attitude

Your thoughts

Your perspective

How honest you are

Who your friends are

What books you read

How often you exercise

The type of food you eat

How many risks you take

How you interpret the situation

How kind you are to others

How kind you are to yourself

How often you say “I love you.”

How often you say “thank you.”

How you express your feelings

Whether or not you ask for help

How often you practice gratitude

How many times you smile

The amount of effort you put forth

How you spend / invest your money

How much time you spend worrying

How often you think about your past

Whether or not you judge other people

Whether or not you try again after a setback

How much you appreciate the things you have

Posted on by Lesley

Self-belief

Saint Francis and the Sow ~ Galway Kinnell

The bud

stands for all things,

even for those things that don’t flower,

for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;   

though sometimes it is necessary

to reteach a thing its loveliness,

to put a hand on its brow

of the flower

and retell it in words and in touch

it is lovely

until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;   

as Saint Francis

put his hand on the creased forehead

of the sow, and told her in words and in touch   

blessings of earth on the sow, and the sow   

began remembering all down her thick length,   

from the earthen snout all the way

through the fodder and slops to the spiritual curl of the tail,   

from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine   

down through the great broken heart

to the sheer blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering   

from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking and blowing beneath them:

the long, perfect loveliness of sow.

You’ll find a full analysis of the poem here.

Everything flowers from within, inspired by self-belief and self-love. We need to recognize our worth. In this way, we can reap fullness.

Posted on by Lesley

Belonging

Belonging

And if it’s true we are alone,
we are alone together,
the way blades of grass
are alone, but exist as a field.
Sometimes I feel it,
the green fuse that ignites us,
the wild thrum that unites us,
an inner hum that reminds us
of our shared humanity.
Just as thirty-five trillion
red blood cells join in one body
to become one blood.
Just as one hundred thirty-six thousand
notes make up one symphony.
Alone as we are, our small voices
weave into the one big conversation.
Our actions are essential
to the one infinite story of what it is
to be alive. When we feel alone,
we belong to the grand communion
of those who sometimes feel alone—
we are the dust, the dust that hopes,
a rising of dust, a thrill of dust,
the dust that dances in the light
with all other dust, the dust
that makes the world.

ROSEMERRY WAHTOLA TROMMER

“We don’t have to do all of it alone.

We were never meant to.” – Brené Brown

The Beat of my Heart

This heart beats for Loyalty

and too for acceptance

with or without commonality

it beats for simplicity

in a world full of complexity

 

for the sounds of my family

for lost love and last loves

for the lost and the found

for kisses once dreamed of

and gendered equality

 

It beats for diversity

to be brave and show courage

in the face of adversity

it beats to end prejudice

and be fierce in the fight

for all human rights

like those who precede me

 

It beats for memory of time

for belonging and longing

for all that is certain

and all that is not it beats

for the breath that rests

between life death

and freedom

Sheena Sen

“Stop walking through the world looking for confirmation that you don’t belong. You will always find it because you’ve made that your mission. Stop scouring people’s faces for evidence that you’re not enough. You will always find it because you’ve made that your goal. True belonging and self-worth are not goods; we don’t negotiate their value with the world. The truth about who we are lives in our hearts. Our call to courage is to protect our wild heart against constant evaluation, especially your own. No one belongs here more than you.”

Brené Brown