In honor of this season, I will be posting inspiring music for most of the next 40 days. I hope you’ll use this music as an opportunity to quiet and settle yourself; for contemplation, preparation, and thanksgiving. May you be encouraged and realize the felt presence of Peace and Love as you hear the music; may you hear the message meant for you in each of the musical offerings. Wishing you peace and every good!
The Lenten Season – First Sunday
Simplicity, not suffering, is the point of fasting in Lent. The Lord delights in our freedom, not our pain, yet invites us to fast in order to be truly free. Therefore, we simplify our lives to realize just how much time is spent on our own pleasures, the joy and indulgence of our senses. When we simplify our meals or turn off the screens, we create margin, space in which we are now free to hear God in redemptive ways. Simplicity in Lent requires intentionality, yet it is always an invitation born out of God’s love for you and the life you gain, never focusing solely on that which is lost.
Inhabit (a devotional journal for Lent by Dwell)
The Lenten Season – Day 4
In honor of this season, I will be posting inspiring music for most of the next 40 days. I hope you’ll use this music as an opportunity to quiet and settle yourself; for contemplation, preparation, and thanksgiving. May you be encouraged and realize the felt presence of Peace and Love as you hear the music; may you hear the message meant for you in each of the musical offerings. Wishing you peace and every good!
The Lenten Season – Day 3
Though difficult to see, the limitations of Lent are actually essential to a life of freedom! Our decisions to curtail consumption set us free to hunger and thirst for God. As we rein in patterns of self-absorption and vanity, we are liberated to encounter his love in the face of the other. And when we commit ourselves to intentional rhythms of prayer, we learn to hear his voice speaking through the chaos and noise of our daily lives.
Inhabit (a devotional journal for Lent by Dwell)
The Lenten Season – Day 2
In honor of this season, I will be posting inspiring music for most of the next 40 days. I hope you’ll use this music as an opportunity to quiet and settle yourself; for contemplation, preparation, and thanksgiving. May you be encouraged and realize the felt presence of Peace and Love as you hear the music; may you hear the message meant for you in each of the musical offerings. Wishing you peace and every good!
“What if we view this desert time of Lent as not just a time to reflect or to lament or to confess or to fast, but a time where we learn to be free?”
Megan Westra
Ash Wednesday — The Lenten Season
In honor of this season, I will be posting inspiring music for most of the next 40 days. I hope you’ll use this music as an opportunity to quiet and settle yourself; for contemplation, preparation, and thanksgiving. May you be encouraged and realize the felt presence of Peace and Love as you hear the music; may you hear the message meant for you in each of the musical offerings. Wishing you peace and every good!
“Lent comes providentially to awaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.”
Pope Francis
For reference, click here to obtain a Wikipedia article describing the history and meaning of Lent.
Making the Impossible Possible
What drives you to create and innovate beauty into your life experience? Do you consider yourself a person on a mission? Can you identify at least one thing that makes you light up on the inside so much so that once you engage in that activity you lose yourself in it? If you identify positively with any of these questions, then you are a fortunate person, because you have likely experienced the super power of activating your passion-drive. And as renowned coach, author and researcher Brad Stulberg says, “One of the best feelings in the world is losing your attachment to yourself.”
Human beings are so made that whenever anything fires the soul, impossibilities vanish. A fire in the heart lifts everything in your life.
The Maxwell Daily Reader
I get lost in my passion-drive when I go for long training runs. Or when I sit down to write something meaningful for myself or others to read. While I enjoy losing myself in both of these activities, the goals I have in mind for myself during the activity can sometimes leave me gasping for air…literally and creatively speaking. Even though setting goals is a vital task towards goal achievement, having strong attachments to goal outcomes may often take us to the lands of disenchantment. It is during those times of shortcomings, that we may find our selves despairing if we identify to strongly with the outcome. If we believe that achieving is the ultimate end and reward of our striving, we may give up on ourselves too soon. If we believe that failure is to be avoided at all costs, then the beauty of our striving is stripped of its value to strengthen us in becoming better, more compassionate versions of our selves. So this is why holding our driving desires (goals) loosely is assistive as we journey towards our prize. At least this is what I have discovered.
“In short, when your goal is simply to get better, you set yourself up for a lifetime relationship with your passion, which no longer becomes something you do but rather someone you are. It’s a relationship that can withstand the gravest failures, the greatest successes, and the passage of time itself. For many of the most passionate people, getting better is about becoming stronger, kinder, and wiser.
-Brad Stulberg
While in my goal-driven modes I have found it very helpful to detach myself from the outcomes of any given day’s drive. I have the goal in mind when I begin, but as I go along, if I focus to strongly on an outcome, this mindset blinds me to the joy of the day’s journey and makes obstacles of every interruption which stunt my energy and creative flow. I cannot flow in my activity if I am holding tight to that thing I believe must achieve. However, when I am able to set aside my need to acquire those things I’m chasing, and instead transition my mind towards stillness of purpose, I find myself bobbling along in peaceful bliss-drive. Whether I run or write, I am learning to settle into myself, into my breathing, into my non-thinking and non-judging state of being. It is from this place of quiet streaming that my consciousness (or rather my sub-consciousness) is given wings to escape the cages of impossibilities. In this place of all knowing quietness, this is where I find confidence to believe in my dreams. In this place of streaming consciousness, I am what I am moving towards. So whether I am accumulating miles or word counts, my passion-drive propels me onward towards the promised land of beautiful possibilities.
“I think part of what allowed me to accomplish what I did on Sunday is just always looking forward to the future, so there wasn’t the pressure that this was the end-all-be-all for me. I have no idea where my running career at this level is going to go and where the story is going to end. Maybe the best is yet to come. It’s a beautiful and exciting thing to get up every day and see what I can do.”
Keira D’Amato – new American women’s record holder in the marathon distance (January 2022).
I Leave You Love
In Her Words…Mary McLeod Bethune, born July 10, 1875
“𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲𝗻. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲.”
We Need More Betty’s!
Betty Marion White Ludden, died peacfully in her sleep on December 31, 2021. She would have been 100 years old on January 17, 2022. Honestly, I am in shock…I thought she would live forever. And I know I am not alone in this sentiment. But what better way to keep Betty alive and close to us than to emmulate her beautiful life and soul force. Shortyly before she passed, People Magazine interviewed Betty about her life on and off the Hollywood scene. I’ve included some of Betty’s own thoughts about her successful longevity. I think she has left us a very clear road map for navigating our own lives through the days we have yet to live. Perhaps we can continue her legacy…of long lived grace and cheerful optimism? I’m all in for that…How about you?
According to Betty:
being “born a cockeyed optimist” was the key to her upbeat nature. “I got it from my mom, and that never changed,” she said. “I always find the positive.”
Her secret to long life:
“Having a sense of humor” is the key to a long and happy life: “Just looking at the positive side and not dwelling on the downside. [It] takes up too much energy being negative.” and also, “I try to avoid anything green. I think it’s working.”
Her great passion in life: was always animal welfare; the dues for her fan club, Bet’s Pets, went to animal rescue charities, and she received many accolades for her work for animals.
Her motto for life: make the most of every day.
“You better realize how good life is while it’s happening,” she said. “Because before you know it, it will all be gone.”
Betty White
Before we know it, our lives will become like the vapors…so let us be alert to the gifts wrapped up in the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months of this new year 2022. Let’s remember to ask ourselves, whenever we think of Betty Marion White Ludden: What would Love do? What would Betty do?
Being the Light in 2022
Like a moth attracted to the fire’s flame, so too am I attracted to life’s brilliant lights whenever or wherever they appear out of my darkness. Have you not noticed how your soul is profoundly nourished in response to an encounter with beauty…whatever its form or fashion? The light of our soul seems to send out S.O.S. messages to the corners and crevices of our private habitations in the universe…in an effort to connect our life’s love-light…with that of the others. All of us together and still alone…living as though lost in darkness, we search for the beauty of soul-light where ever we go. To exist in humanity, is to hunger and thirst for the rightness of beauty’s light.
There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it. But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?
Elizabeth Gilbert
It seems to me, that as we inhabit our lives we find ourselves naturally attracted to and desireous of all things beautiful. Is it not the mother tongue of our inmost being? Beauty, when encountered in its many realms, produces a visceral, immediate reflexive inhale of AWE. And wonder of wonders, beauty is as beauty does. It exists without regard for preference or desire. It is the soul’s defining north star. It is the purest embodiment of truth that is not easily fathomed or defined. It is unadulterated, unmanifest perfection. When I consider how to become the best me I might be, I look to the beauty of nature, the beauty of true love, and the beauty of light shining itself strong into the darkness, and then I know; beauty’s truth draws me forward into the next right thing.
The main thing to know is that there are forces within us that want to enslave us to patterns of thinking, feeling, speaking
and behaving that lead us just about anywhere other than lives of goodness. Sometimes a person has to suffer, sometimes terribly, to choose not to let their inner Pharaoh ruin their lives any further. Some people, sadly, never learn.
Rabbi Mordecai Finley
So here I sit, on January 1, 2022, contemplating and wondering what this year holds for myself and all those in my little world. It is tempting to look and perceive a future full of more uncertainty and gloom. It is tempting to believe that our collective soul-lights are smoldering themselves into deeper night. And yet, when I think or feel these dark thoughts, I am reminded, rebuffed, and revived by the light of my own soul’s shining light. The answer to our darkness dwells in our very own presence. Our each and every source to beauty’s life force burns brightest when we decide to let it shine through our brokenness; our own broken thinking and ways of being. A soul’s light shines because it is designed to do so. And a soul’s beauty is shrouded only when it chooses to dis-believe in its own beauty. The soul, mine and yours, is beautiful simply because it IS!
So where is the light at the end of our collective tunnel? Is it possible for all of our dimming lights to shine bright, as one for all? May we then, each one decide, to choose, to remember and to act today, and every day hereafter, as though we are THE LIGHTS in the tunnels of dark! Let’s try, shall we…as we may not even have every one of the 365 opportunities ahead of us to perfect this work. May we agree to endeavor to become what we already are and let our soul’s beauty shine like never before? Shall we muster forward and shine like beautiful light-cutting sabers, slicing through the depths of despair, from our insides out? If each one of us could muster our courage, what a beautiful world we might create.
You are not here to waste your time deciding whether my life is true and beautiful enough for you. You are here to decide if your life, relationships, and world are true and beautiful enough for you. And if they are not and you dare to admit they are not, you must decide if you have the guts, the right–perhaps even the duty–to burn to the ground that which is not true and beautiful enough and get started building what is.
Glennon Doyle
Think...Feel...Be....BodyWise! 