Broken Thankfulness

I feel broken 
broken hearted

Broken hearted that one typo 
was perhaps a nail in democracy’s coffin
it not really about Trump

But that betray of Country for some is acceptable


Broken hearted so many smart people

don’t realize change isn’t always good

sometimes it is worse

much, much worse

Broken hearted at the blindness
rejection of wisdom,
opinion confused with fact
the search for that next thrill, or text

Broken hearted by the slaughter
planet pillaged
pipelines build carrying the earth’s blood, made toxic
 by the waste, greed, profanity

Broken hearted by
the number of people in fear for their lives
 because of the color of their skin
because of how they worship
because of who they love

Broken hearted by
 the number of people hurt, angry, alone
homeless
in more ways then one

broken hearted that we are pulled
further and further into a world of lies
tiny insignfianct things, empty words
“I didn’t see," I will send”,  “I care”

white lies

Broken hearted by my own stupidity

broken hearted that we have such pretty words
such beautiful dreams
such poor commitment to make it real
intention confused with action

Broken hearted by the rejection of people,
 through neglect
or drifting away
by people who say they’ll always be there
who couldn’t forgive

Broken hearted like Job,
 pieces on the ground,
 and yet he still got up,
still held his love of God.

And broken hearted that the only thing I can do is
say thank-you
see that today is a beautiful day.
say thank-you for sitting next to a fragrant rose
picked from an Eden Ed and I create

Thank-you

In the days ahead some will be well below freezing
But all we have is here and now
 it can be incredibly beautiful and sweet.

Thank-you for the opportunity to if we choose

be part of the unfolding
where everyone is feed
where everyone is safe and sheltered,

respected, equal
and where everyone's lips can say simply, thank-you

Down to my toes I am grateful
Thank-you!
                           12/18/16 (after Trump's election)

Path of Peace

discouraged, disheartened, depressed, devastated
Where is the path of Peace?
understand implications of prejudice, privilege
devastating pain 
so casually inflicted.

perspective and perception
look to the horizon
beautiful sights
look to eternity

Love did not trump hate
senseless fear. 
starting in our own hearts
Be courageous! 

healing through humor 
divine presence as trickster 
choices
get stronger,  grow 
move and change
change the narrative, 
change the outcome 
move the world

stand our ground
what is your ground? 
fertile soil of spiritual connection
in a tempest 
who we are is known

No it is not okay
But embrace joy anyway
Enjoy a beautiful sunset or flower, 
a chocolate bar 

Don’t give-up on who we are! 
Don’t give up on hope! 
Don’t give up on Love!
Be Peace. 
Be your true Self. 
Onward!

.......................
I suspect that probably all of us are feeling discouraged, disheartened, depressed and maybe even despondent.  We feel this way not so much because “our” candidate lost, for many of us H. Clinton was not our first choice. Rather because of what we have learned about who we are as a nation and where we see things going. It feels devastating. Where is the path of Peace?

A necessary balm for my soul at this very troubling time is to look to eternity. We might live in this material, finite world surrounded with the busy-ness of day to day tasks, with leaders who are contrary to what we hold true and precious, with other people who do not see or understand the implications of prejudice, privilege and devastating pain so casually inflicted.  But this too will pass with not even a blink of Brahma’s eye. Who was the greatest king or leader the world had every known 10,000 years ago? Gilgamesh existed less then 5,000 years ago and who really believes that D.J. Trump would be anywhere near the category of one the greatest world leaders?

So instead of dwelling on this scary moment,  I lift up that there is a part of us, an energy that was neither created not can be destroyed because it is part of a whole. It is not finite but infinite, not temporal so not limited by any human or natural disaster because it is eternal. Its a question of perspective and perception. Twice a day, instead of focusing on the troubles close at hand if we look to the horizon in the east or west we will see one of the most beautiful sights in the whole universe. Those days when it is cloudy and the phenomenal array of color and shape isn't visible, we all know it is there none the less. Just so for this time we are in. 

Difficult as it is to see, there are positives to this situation. No, I am not saying that it is or will be at all okay.  But there is learning from this, although frankly,  it is things I really didn’t want to see or know regarding my fellow citizen especially in terms of the hugeness of the deep and pervasive underlying sexism and racism.  D. J. Trump's election demonstrated the grip it has on white men in particular, plus  tapped into white women’s strong share of racism. In the broader picture, not all men of color are clean in regards to sexism and wealth and class play a huge role in who benefits. Love did not seem to trump hate but it isn’t that hate or indifference got the upper hand, it is senseless fear. An antidote is keeping it local, starting in our own hearts. This part is something we can do something about. Be courageous! 

Another thing I’ve learned is that the innocence of gullibility can have serious implications for everyone.  Proverbs 18:2   — "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion”.  It is hard to see this as part of the Creator's purpose but easier if we see it within the context of our soul experience beyond this one brief life.

From steaks, to university to get rich quick schemes, the phrase “a Sucker is Born Every Minute" said in regards to one of the penultimate showman, P. T. Barnum’s hoaxes,  applies today. “Nobody ever lost a dollar by underestimating the taste of the American public.” is also one of his quotes. In 2016, P. T. Barnum has been trumped. What else can this teach us?  Remember, one important aspect of the divine presence is as the trickster. 

I hold for myself that I and all of us, have choices. We can laugh and we can learn and we can heal.  Obstacles present something to push against or move around which might give a new solution or path that we did not see before. We also can use any circumstance to get stronger,  to grow and to move and change; change the narrative, change the outcome and move the world. What new ways can Spirit be made manifest? 

Every challenge has opportunity; "The Mighty Oak Was Once A Little Nut That Stood It’s Ground…” What is important in this quote is the stand our ground part. But what is your ground? For some of us it is the fertile soil of our spiritual connection.  We are nourished and nurtured by an experiential knowing that is beyond human language. It is not when we stand our ground in times of calm that who we really are is known, even the seed fallen on a rock can sprout,  but it is in a tempest. Those of us who have been able to send our roots down into the midst, through both our joys and sorrows (for seasoned manure is best for growth), will stand the tests of time. We weren't promised that it would be easy.

A few days before the election I left my little Cape Cod bubble and crossed the bridge onto the mainland.  Seeing the amount of support for Trump was deeply disturbing. That night I was looking for some prayer for healing. Nothing spoke to me until I saw the the above quote about the oak tree and the 1st line of this prayer:  "Dear God,  I’m quirky I know. I don’t always do things in a traditional way. But I know what’s right. I know how to stand my ground for what I believe to be true. Still, I need Your help dear God. You planted the seed. You nourish me. Shelter me now from the elements that stand in my way. Help me grow.” Growth can be painful;  learning expensive. I do so wish this hadn’t been such a steep price.

Some prayers that feel appropriate at this time; "May the Source of peace send peace to all who mourn, and comfort to all who are bereaved.”   And “ Eternal Source, may we face the morrow with hope made stronger by the vision of Your deliverance, a world where poverty and war are banished, where injustice and hate are gone. Teach us more and more to respond to the pain of others, to heed Your call for justice, that we may bring nearer the day when all the world shall be one. On that day the age-old dream shall come true..” 

Finally, lets not give up! Find something joyful. Stay strong and gentle with each other and ourselves. Enjoy a beautiful sunset or flower, a chocolate bar or all three.   
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)”   
Lets really be these people! We can do it!
Don’t give-up on who we are! 
Don’t give up on hope! 
Don’t give up on Love!
Don’t give-up on each other!
Be Peace.
The Path is within you.  
Be your true Self. 
Onward!

In Love,
Rachel

Walking the Path of Love

It came in a dream and then a memory of a dream; elusive upon waking. A mass of extraneous things swirled around the seed of truth. The things the mind hooks onto are easy to remember.  They seem annoying, a distraction but the realization came that they fill an important function by presenting the aspects that tell where the path is not.  These need to be cleared out before the essential is reveled.  It does no good to clear the undergrowth from the whole forest. It is only when we can clear away the obstructions from where we want to travel that we can rise to a higher plane of being and walk the path. 

What are the components of this undergrowth? Much is a normal part of the human condition, thoughts or feeling that possibly everyone has from time to time: 

a.  Competition: finding the path has nothing to do with being the victor or loser,  winning or losing. Rivalry, antagonism obscures the path.

b. Judgement: The path of love has nothing to do making a negative assessment, recrimination, judging someone to be troublesome or mean. 

c. Differences:  It also surprisingly, has nothing to do with reconciliation, the repair of a past relationship, overcoming rejection or irreconcilable differences.  This type of love is not about expectations. 

d. Success: It is not about success, achievement,  being given a great honor, recognition and the pleasant feeling this engenders. 

e. Failure:  it is also not about failure; everyone, everyone is doing the best they can with the resources they have available.

f. Friendship: Odd as it sounds, its not about the love people feel for each other, even those who set the heart racing. 

To get to the core of the message all this has to be cleared away.

The essence of how to walk the path of love can only break through when everything seems lost, when all hope of doing or making things better is gone. Realization comes after,  in that dream of being chased,  there is no where to turn,  not intellect, not feelings, not strength, not even faith.  It is then that a voice comes; at this time when there is nothing else to hold onto, there is a feeling of being receptive, resigned and complete surrender. It's a secret message but in plain sight, it comes and says something so simple it seems idiotic. Pure, unconditional Love can be held in one’s heart. It’s possible. As President Obama said quoting MLK Jr. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

The instruction that came through the dream about how to walk this path, was simple. At times of meditation think about a person only in terms of how they are wonderful, miraculous and special. Reject the components of this undergrowth; judgement, differences, success, failure, friendship.  See, feel, sense the inner essence; see  only the eternal, not finite, beauty. The negative or positive stuff might be true but it isn’t Truth. For this moment it doesn't matter.   Cleared away what is left is brilliance, uniqueness and beauty; just radiant inner goodness, with no, expectation. None. No right or wrong, no if / then. No quid pro quo, no strings, no "going back to how things were,” no opinion, or business, just simply being in that space of pure positive soul to soul connection.  In prayer BE in the place, hold this energy. This is relating on a higher plane. On the lower plane of life there is good and bad and tangled agendas, like a piece of paper filled with so much writing that eventually there is no space to write even one more letter. But on the higher plane it is all blown away with one breath, disappearing ink; no duality. 

Imagine the world where this is practiced; a different way of being with each other surrounded by peace and joy. Certainly we all will fail at this but what would it be like if we don't give up? Imagine starting right now … Imagine …