Art and Music

Art and music are not luxuries; they are essential to being human.

In this challenging economic time, many schools are seriously considering cutting out art, music, and other extracurriculars due to budget constraints.  We have been fooled into thinking that test scores are essential and only math and literacy lead to success in life.  The arts are not entertainment.  They are not something we can do without.  They are essential to our humanity.  I am much more interested in sharing a world with people who have a soul; who can sing, dance, paint, write poetry and prose, sculpt, imagine, create, and dream than I am in sharing the world with people who only know how to pass a standardized test.

Gratitude

Appreciation and gratitude moves us away from self-absorption and negativity.  It is impossible to be grateful and be sad at the same time.  In gratitude we focus on what is right, rather than what is wrong.  One discipline I have always enjoyed is creating a joy list.  All the people, places, and things for which I am grateful.  All those things that bring me joy.  Here are some items on my current list:

Nature... uplifts me.  I feel a part of the universe.  I feel nurtured.  Nature invites my child-like spirit to play.

Play... humors me.  I suffer with terminal seriousness.  So a daily dose of play and laughter is essential.

Values... guide me.  We all teach values in our daily interactions.  We are all in need of daily values guidance lessons.

Commitments... define me.  They help me remember what is essential.  They help me set priorities.  They help me know where I can make a difference.

Simplicity... focuses me.  Keep it simple. One day at a time.

Memories... touch me.  They are my emotional treasures.  They provide daily touchstones to what is important.

Miracles... inspire me.  The miracle of unconditional love.  The miracle of forgiveness.  Forgiving you and the greatest miracle, forgiving myself.

Friendship and Love... support me:  my marriage to Sandra, my children, my friends.

God, My Higher Power... loves me.  The intimate, personal relationship with unconditional love.

Making Real Change

In order to change our lives, we need to change our thinking.  We need to let go of what we think is the way and allow God’s presence to be the way we think, feel and live.  We need to realize that we (our ego) are no the ones doing the work.

As we allow ourselves to be open to the spirit we find that it is God within who is doing the work.  God within does the work that we are all called to do.  In our selfless service we experience the power of unconditional love.

You are the presence of God.

You are love made manifest in the world.

You are god’s gift to the world.

You have God-given gifts and talents to share with the world that no one but you can share.

You are a unique emanation of God.

There is no one else like you.

You are beautiful.

“ Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;

The soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

And cometh from afar,

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing coulds of glory do we come

From God, Who is our HOME.”

            From Wordsworth’s Intimations of Immortality

A Spider's Story

There is an ancient story about a holy man and a spider.  The holy man would come every day to the river and sit to pray.  One day, while in prayer, he noticed a spider.  The spider was on the farthest edge of a limb, which stretched out over the roaring river.

The holy man saw that the limb on which the spider was perched was cracked and about to break.  Being aware that the spider would drown if the limb broke into the river, the holy man reached out his hand to the spider.

The spider stung him!  The holy man gently cupped the spider in his hand, and the spider stung him again!  Finally placing the spider softly on the ground.  Spider stung him again and asked, “Why did you save me?  You knew it was my nature to sting.”

The holy man replied, “Just because it is your nature to sting, why should I deny my nature to save?”

We are all both the holy man and the spider.  It is in our human nature to both save and sting.  Do not deny either.  That would be less than honest.  When we sting, seek forgiveness.  Our stinging comes from our need for survival.  When we save, we claim our God given inheritance.  Spiders (ego-driven) sting and human beings (God-centered) save.  Be the savior, no matter the consequence.

Christmas Blessings

Christmas Blessings 2012

            Forgiveness is the key to peace and happiness. Awaken from the dream that you are mortal, fallible, sinful. Know that you are a perfect child of God. Claim your birthright, express forgiveness and gratitude and be one with your spiritual family. There comes a time in our spiritual evolution where we go from seeking through the darkness to being one with the power of the light.

            “It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who we really are.”

E.E. Cummings

In this season of heightened spirituality show your true self through acts of forgiveness and gratitude. Focus on not saying anything unkind, untrue or unnecessary.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Gandhi

The Gift

If you feel like there is work to be done, then be sure you are the one to do it.  An idea comes to you because it finds you a willing and suitable host.  If something comes into your vision then there is something for you to do.  Ask, "What would you have me do?"  The answer will follow.

We are the gift we came here to be the world.

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Passion- Creating a “Joy List”

The following list of people, places and things bring me a feeling of joy and wellbeing. They connect me with the universe and my higher Power’s unconditional love.

Nature uplifts me. I feel a part of the universe. I feel nurtured (natured). Nature exposes my child/animal

Play humors me. I suffer from terminal seriousness so a daily dose of play and laughter is essential. Laughter is the shortest distance between two people

Values guide me. As long as human beings teach, human beings will teach values. As a parent and educator, I never stopped my values-oriented education. My children and I continue to be in need of daily guidance.

Commitments define me. They help me make choices. Set priorities. They let me know what I believe in and what is important to me. They let me know where I can make a difference.

Simplicity focuses me. Daily. No focus-no energy. KISS- Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.

Memories touch me. They are my emotional treasures. They help me on my mini-vacations and give me my daily touchstones.

Miracles inspire me. The miracle of unconditional love. The miracle of physical and emotional healing. The miracle of forgiveness. Forgiving you and the greatest miracle, forgiving myself.

Pain instructs me. I know it is a strange thing to be on a “joy list” but it helps me learn what to let go of. Letting go is the joy.

Death purifies me. Another strange one. The purification process brings joy. The beautiful melting (tears). “The soul afraid of dying, never learns to live.”

Friendship & Love support me. My marriage, my children, friends ,Twelve Step Support Groups. The angels in physical body who have floated in and out of my life.

God, My Higher Power, loves me. The surrender to love and acceptance. The intimate, personal relationship with unconditional love.

Creativity & Art stimulates me. Color, shape, form, texture, light, flexibility and the process of creation. All part of intervening in this life.

Rituals & Tradition anchor me. Without these, I would have no history. I would be adrift. I would not fit. I need to fit. This world needs to make sense.

Quiet centers me. My meditation (listening to God) and my prayer (talking to God) slow me down. This is the time, everyday, when my soul catches up with my body. Or is it the other way around?

I could go on and on. Examine your list and share it with your loved ones and your colleagues.

Lao Tzu once said that the truly successful man is one who can plan to sit by the river bank and dangle his feet in the water.

Misunderstandings

Misunderstanding are less likely to occur when we assume a benevolent intention on everyone else's part and react accordingly.

Much of our stress and suffering comes from defining ourselves as lesser beings in contact with change, conflict or someone else.  Remember, our connections to the infinite is unbroken and undiminished.  We can make mistakes without believing we are a mistake.

Be authentic, be real, be yourself. The energy of being real has more power then persuasion, debate or force of will. Being who we are releases an extraordinary power that affects people who come in contact with this authenticity.

The sun, without thought or plan, just shines thoroughly and constantly. The sun is always itself, authentic, real. It warms, never withholds. The sun emanates all directions, all the time and life grows.

When our souls, like the sun, express the light of who we are, we emanate what Jesus called love and Buddha called compassion. The roots and branches of our community grow.

Simply be authentic, be yourself and your light will cause others to grow. By being who we are we experience life in all its vitality and we help others be more fully themselves. In being real we help each other grow towards the one light.

To Be Loved.

You do not have to do anything to be loved.

You do not have to perform, or achieve, or earn merit badges, make straight A’s or be witnessed doing good.

It has taken me 60 years to learn, know and believe this. It is my life’s work. It is today’s work. We have all received messages to the contrary which are old deep wounds.

In my heart, where God’s spirit and unconditional love is alive and well, it does not matter what I accomplish. It only matters how deeply I tried. Out of my trying comes sincerity, integrity and love.

Friendship

There is no real friendship until we share the personal experience of who we are. We cannot have both truth and love in our lives until we share our truth and love, until we speak from "I" and take responsibility. We must stop putting all our pain on "you", on the others in our lives. Until I take responsibility for my own mistakes, where I have stumbled and fallen, where I hurt and stop blaming my pain on others, I cannot know truth or love.

I have a friend. We have known each other for over 30 years. We have known each other across the continent. We have stood together in storms, never knowing if we would be safe. We have comforted each other through accidents, illness, fear and loss. We have held each other when our parents died.

I have loved him when he tried to hide and my words could not reach him. He has loved me when I felt unworthy of love. Because we dared to trust, to open our souls to each other, because we have broken to pieces in front of each other, we have the privilege of saying, as if for the first time,

“You are my friend.”

I look at him, after what for many is a lifetime, and we say, “Tell me your truth, share your love.” Let us sit closely together, more interested in huddling together than flying away.

Having a real friend, one with whom you can share your deepest fears and greatest joy, is a form of wealth that will bring you everything you need.

To find this kind of friend, we must be this kind of friend.

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Passion

What do you pour yourself into?

What is your service that also brings you strength?

What is your commitment?

What is your enthusiasm? (Enthusiasm, En Theos, to be one with divine energy)

When do you feel one with divine energy?

Take some private/quiet time and develop a “joy list.” A “joy list” is made up of people, places, and things that bring you joy.

Healthy, nurturing, joyful.

Your “joy list” combined with your daily affirmation, visualizations and meditation will become your primary resources to fuel your passion.

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Possibilities

Every day life offers us a variety of possibilities. The events that life offers are not in

our control. How we respond to those events is in our control. The events and our

response equals the outcome.

E + R = O

Haim Ginott had a wonderful reflective piece for all of us who are educators and parents. “I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized." –Haim Ginott

Another teacher, 2,500 years ago, put it quite simply.

“Reaction is the Supreme Art in Life.” -Buddha

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Tools to stay loose, flexible, creative, and

positive when we take ourselves too seriously

Draw the line: The last ten to fifteen minutes of the work day can be spent in quiet reflection or assessment, emotional showering, stress reduction or physical fitness activity or you could visit the “can do” room.

The “Can Do” Room: In every school I have worked in, I can find a room where all there is, are negative conversations. What’s wrong in the building? Who’s not doing their job? Complaints and moans. All too often, it is in the faculty lounge. I propose that the teaching staff or caring team create a “Can Do” room or at least a ”Can Do” time.

Only plus conversations: Speak only of what’s right with the building. Speak only of who’s doing a great job. Speak only of positive experiences. The room could be filled with human resource information, books, video and audio tapes, articles; anything on the courage, richness and joy of life and humanity. Also, be sure to include some materials, both written and visual, on laughter and humor. Norman Cousins, in his book “Anatomy of An Illness” taught us the healing power of laughter.

Mini Vacations: Learn to go on a mini-vacation. Everyday, any time of the day, we can escape and renew ourselves. Traditionally, there is prayer, meditation, or sharing your feelings with a trusted friend.

Touchstones: Keep handy little stones, shells or symbols of a loved one and/or a lovely time that returns when we hold the object. Jim Henson’s Fraggles believe that a pebble increases in value every time we pass it on. What can you pass on today?

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Purpose

Today, in every school district, every home and every community I have visited, it gets tougher everyday. Many of us are tempted to repeat and enact the old adage,

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

If we constantly enact that belief system when the going gets tough, the result will be stress, tension, anger, bitterness and illness. Let’s practice a new twist on that old phrase by making it,

“When the going gets tough, the tough get loose.”

Loose being defined as a creative, flexible, and with “can do” attitude.