Saturday, February 25, 2012

Listen!

" Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, you can hear her breathing."

                                                                                                                                ....Arundhati Roy

Fire

"Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God, the energies of Love, and then for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire."

....Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Morning Kitchen Overwhelm

The other morning I got up, fed Ginger and cleaned her litter box, had breakfast, and then thought.."I'm going to make soup."

Thus began the chopping and sauteing, cooking and immersion blendering.

When the soup was safely in it's jars in the fridge and freezer, I felt the gaze of that old familiar roaming anxiety settle on the mess and disruption in the kitchen, and then the also familiar overwhelm began.

When this happens...and it happens in all kinds of situations....I have noticed that my breathing speeds up and becomes shallow, my heart beats rev up and my mind "clouds over" as it desperately attempts to find a way 'out' without going 'through', desperately wanting to run away, instead of towards, the life/reality that is in front of me.

A very uncomfortable and unproductive, but frequent occurance especially lately, since the major case of anxiety and depression that plagued me last year. I know these propensities toward depession and anxiety have been with me all my life and I also know that their escalation in intensity of late is here for me to once and for all time, see them for what they are and learn effective strategies to live well inspite of them.

So I began to quietly pray, as I do more often now, when I notice that peacefulness is eluding me and anxiety, hurt, depression, whatever, are crowding in on me again.

"Dear God,
Thank You for once again showing me where and when I lose my peace and comfort and joy and turn to my default emotions of hurt, anxiety or pain.
Please show me a way to handle  this situation more calmly, productively and with greater ease.
I am open to Your help. I want to do things differently and I don't know how. Please help me.
Thank you very much for blessing my life with Your wisdom."

 Noticing that I am out of sorts/peace and believing that it could be different and that there is help, are the  awarenesses for me that make a big difference to overcoming the pain, whatever it is.

And then on soup day, the thought came, "Just go one step at a time"...I know we've all heard it before so it could seem like less than inspired advice, but on that morning last week, it got through to me and I went with it.

So... pile the dishes, run the water, clean the blender, wash the dishes, dry some of them, wash some more, wipe the counters, sweep the floor, etc., etc., etc....until....oh wow!!!..the kitchen is tidy and clean...I actually stood back, leaned on the doorjam and surveyed my work of art....to celebrate and congratulate myself for overcoming something very habitually hurtful, and  to cement the lesson into my mind so I would remember it even faster next time that the trusty overwhelm/anxiety came by.

Now, in all kinds of situations, I tell myself..."Just go/do one step at a time"...that is enough, that is kindness directed towards myself...and bit by bit my life and I are walking in and towards Peace.




Compassion School

Political Candidates Need to Go Back to Compassion School

Dr. Orloff - Thursday, January 26, 2012

All our political candidates need to be sent back to compassion school. They need to take vows before they run for office that they will have compassion for we the people, for each other, for our global family, for the earth. These candidates need to become more than talk show hosts or master of ceremonies trying to woo us for votes. We condone such terrible behavior on television, candidates attacking each other, doing anything to win. Politicians shouldn’t be allowed to act so hatefully anymore.
I miss the time of the Philosopher Kings, creative thinkers with a conscience who were connected to the mysteries of human life and the universe. People who could get beyond their egos to see there is a greater meaning and purpose to leadership than grandiosity or power.
As a physician, I have devoted my life to helping patients heal hatred, self-loathing, and fear to get beyond their egos to experience the power of their hearts. True wellness can never occur if compassion isn’t a key ingredient to how we lead our lives. In my book “Emotional Freedom,” which proposes an ongoing experiment in compassion, I stress how mental, physical, and spiritual health is contingent on it. Compassion is the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes, to have empathy for their feelings--even if you don’t like someone, even if you disagree with every word they say. This doesn’t make you a doormat or a pushover. It gives you the clarity of heart to make positive, smart decisions whether you stay in a relationship or not. When you can see where someone else is coming from, not through judgment but a desire to improve communication, we have a chance of transforming the world.
There are many arguments to perpetuate the bad behavior of politicians. These all break my heart. For instance, the argument that “attack ads work.” When this is cited as a good reason why candidates use them, it makes many people want to give up on human nature. Who cares if they “work” or not except for power hunger egomaniacs? Hatred begets hatred. There is no compassion here. There is no respect for the honor of the political process or the human beings engaged in it. Why would we ever want someone to be our leader who is hateful, vindictive, and lusts only for the aphrodisiac of power? Many people tell me, “It’s too late. Our system is broken.” I believe compassion is so powerful it can heal even broken systems.
I propose that every prospective candidate sign these vows of compassion before they are even allowed to run. They must be committed to national and international wellness. If they don’t fulfill these vows they need to be called on it with the same vehemence of any candidate who betrays their campaign promises. Compassion is one key factor that makes a candidate fit to run. It’s really not as complicated as everyone is making it. Compassion is a vow that can change everything, for us as individuals and for the political process.
7 Compassionate Vows for Political Candidates
1. I vow to value compassion in everything I do.
2. I vow to treat my fellow candidates with respect.
3. I vow to honor our country & our people by being a positive role model who embodies the good.
4. I vow not to be a fear monger in my speeches or in the media to garner votes.
5. I vow to put the welfare of this country and the earth above greed.
6. I vow to fight for the well-being of the earth and all its resources.
7. I vow to advocate national and global wellness to spread happiness on earth.
It’s vital that we keep it simple and not give lofty intellectual excuses for why we and the candidates can’t try to be good, loving people in all our affairs. You can call me naïve, but I believe that to save the human race and this magnificent planet we are on, compassion must be part of our daily prayer. Some days we many achieve it, other days we won’t. But we have to want compassion, to fight for it, to vote for leaders who are committed to it. Leaders must earn our trust with the compassion they show. World leaders can be compassionate and also be strong, intelligent, and make decisions based on the welfare of all our human family.
......by  ...Dr. Judith Orloff...author of "Emotional Freedom"

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Turning Tables

"Next time I'll be braver
I'll be my own savior
Next time I'll be braver
Standing on my own two feet."

....Adele...from her song Turning Tables"

Thursday, February 16, 2012

2012..A Message of Hope

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_YOG3jMlV4&feature=share

This is a bit long but well worth the time..to open and heal the heart and give hope that all is well.
Love,
Ingrid

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Pirate Radio

1966
The greatest era for British 
Rock and Roll.
The Beatles, The Stones, The Who

And yet, official British Radio
won't even play 
an hour of rock and roll a day

But Pirate Radio ships
beam rock music around the clock.
They are anchored off the coast of Britain

and

25 million people, half the British population
listen to them every day!


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1131729/

Above, is the link to a wonderful, heartfelt, quirky and joy-inducing ( especially if you were a teenager in 1966) movie, that's based on a true story. The actors are perfectly cast...especially Philip Seymour Hoffman as the main DJ..and Kenneth Branagh is hilarious as the politician who is working to shut the ships down.

It is from the writer/director of Love Actually...and it will inspire you, make you chuckle and give you inspiration. I got it from the library..don't miss seeing it..it will lighten your heart during the Feb. blahs.