Any time you feel defensive, your ego is being manipulative. You are attempting to hold onto an identity that you want others to perceive.
Meditate on it. Change if it makes sense to…or just let it go.
Combine Various Things
freedom
True Freedom
We believe the “right” amount of money will afford us freedom.
We believe that being 100% safe will make us free.
But what will really give you freedom is complete acceptance of reality and even looking forward to your “fears” coming true.
When you practice dread, you practice imprisonment.
When you welcome everything, you liberate yourself.
*creativebug.com (Lisa Congdon)
The Lion’s Tooth
The dandelion* is a wondrous flower. Many claim it has medicinal and nutritional value. I don’t know about that. Maybe it’s true. I just find them wildly beautiful. Please watch this time lapse video of a dandelion over one month (Neil Bromhall):
*dandelion literally means “tooth of a lion” in French
The Places That Scare You
“Meditation…we see what comes up, acknowledge that with kindness, and let go.”
Pema Chodron, American Buddhist Nun
How to be Fully Present
You don’t have to be “moody.”
You don’t have to be ultra “proud” of your children, your spouse or your possessions.
You don’t have to react to everything…or anything.
You can choose to live within the band of happiness no matter the context or situation.
The next time something great happens, say, “thank you.”
The next time something “bad” happens, say “thank you.”
This is how to be fully present and truly happy all of the time.
What the World Needs Now
Paradox
Fists clenched onto the fabric of safety
stretches, soils and tears the very cloth
we desperately hope to save
When we loosen our grip, the remnant flies
aerated, swirled and boundless
we never own anything
Do You See the Monster?
N is for Negative Space*
In third grade, my art teacher instructed us to never have too much white paper in our art. “Fill the white space!” Ah, Mrs. Raims. She was great. She gave sound art advice. If you have a small figure on a large canvas of white, it ought to be small for a reason. It ought to be making a statement.
Negative space, however, is not all bad.
“Negative space is, quite simply, the space that surrounds an object in a image. Just as important as that object itself, negative space helps to define the boundaries of positive space and brings balance to a composition.”
Jul 26, 2017 (Creativebloq)
The logo on the cup is for an adult-targeted alcohol and gourmet ice cream shop! (Creativebloq)
I embrace this philosophy of negative space. In a literal, every day sense, I love having lots of negative space in my house.
It leaves room for possibility.
*part of my alphabiography series
Most Beloved
If we love ourselves – truly love – ourselves (not self-aggrandize),
then we do not judge and criticize others
we do not fear the differences among people
we do not scapegoat
we do not pick arguments or fights
and we certainly do not incite violence
Awake
Desert in the summer
means walking the dog at sunrise
rabbits chew and quail run
We cast small shadows
the spaces between needles of the cactus
are the gaps between my thoughts
Kismet 