December 30, 2012 ~ Welcoming the New Year

December 30, 2012 ~ Looking Back & Looking Forward: Welcoming the New Year

 "And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

"Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending."

~Carl Bard

That's Janus, the ancient Roman god of gates, doorways, beginnings and transitions, depicted with two faces, one that can see into the past and one into the future. He was worshiped at harvest and planting times, at marriages, deaths, and other times of beginnings and transitions, and the first month of the year was named in his honor. What an apt symbol for these final days of 2012, as we reflect on the harvest of our thoughts and actions born of the past and envision the seeds of our intentions for the coming year.

Last week my good friend Diana and I created a ceremony to honor and appreciate the beloveds in our lives. I had requested this ceremony because I had had a realization of my tendency to have difficulty in receiving positive reflections, in really letting love in. There has been some resistance. That's the shift I wanted to experience for 2013—to open to allow more love in—and I know that gratitude and acceptance are the keys.

We created a little impromptu altar area with lavender and sage, lit a candle, and we each took a turn laying out photographs, cards, mementos and gifts that we had received from friends and loved ones over the years. We shared with one another how each person has touched our lives, how love has been expressed through each one, appreciating the unique qualities of each person and how we had been inspired or had grown as a person through their presence in our lives. What a heart-opening experience it was to be able to get in touch with those feelings and to have a space to share them.

Looking back into the past with abundant gratitude for all of it—even the losses, the "opportunities for learning" that were challenging or painful—we were also looking with new eyes toward the future. We were preparing the soil, planting seeds of intention for new ways of being in life and relationship. Knowing that we are authors of our own life stories, we are opening to the possibility of creating a whole new story. With hearts full of gratitude for all that has come before, we are "starting from now, making a brand new ending." 

Wishing you many blessings in the coming year. May the stories that unfold be filled with adventure, rich learning opportunities, and abundant joy!

"A happy New Year! Grant that I

May bring no tear to any eye

When this New Year in Time shall end.

Let it be said I've played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year."

~Edgar Guest 

December 17, 2012 ~ Indra's Net: The Web of Life

December 17, 2012 ~ Indra's Net: The Web of Life

"We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it.

Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves."

~Chief Seattle, North American Duwamish People

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
~Mother Teresa

Last Friday the universe shifted. A wave of deep and powerful emotion struck every shore like a tsumami of shock, horror and grief. How could this possibly happen? Twenty beautiful innocent children, 6 and 7 years olds, and the principal, guidance counselor and teachers who lovingly dedicated their lives to teaching and caring for them, were gunned down that morning in the most brutal and violent way imaginable. It is unfathomable; in trying to speak of it, words utterly fail.

Although I wept last night as I sat in my car 3,000 miles away listening to the radio broadcast of President Obama's speech at the Interfaith service in Newtown. He somehow found heartfelt and eloquent words, reminding Newtown that they are not alone, that the whole world has been struck by grief, and hoping that our sharing in the grief might lighten their burden just a little. For a terrible situation for which words utterly fail, I was immensely grateful that he was the one called upon at this moment in history as Commander in Chief to speak so genuinely on behalf of the rest of the nation, and indeed the world. Since Friday I've had an overwhelming urge to fly to Newtown and give the entire town a hug. It felt like President Obama did that for us all last night.

I worked at a publishing house in Newtown for several years and spent a lot of time there. It's Hometown USA—a beautiful woodsy suburban town bustling with commerce and families committed to values of community and family living. One of my family members knows a child who was in Sandy Hook Elementary School that day, who blessings be, was unharmed. The shock and grief reverberated through my heart deeply when I heard the news. But you don't have to live in Newtown or know someone who does to be deeply altered by this experience. Expressions of condolence came from all over the globe: from Queen Elizabeth, Pope Benedict XVI, from China, Israel, Japan, Germany, France, and Russia. In Rio de Janeiro 50 people gathered on Copacabana beach, planting crosses in the sand bearing messages of solidarity in mourning. 

There is an ancient Buddhist story that teaches about the interconnectedness of all life. The story goes: In the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net that stretches out infinitely in all directions. At each juncture in the net has been placed a glittering jewel. Each jewel, representing an individual life form, reflects all the other jewels in this cosmic matrix. Each jewel is intimately connected to all the others—thus a change in one gem is reflected in all the others.

May we honor the lives lost in this tragic event by striving to understand our oneness, our interconnectedness. We are each a glittering jewel on Indra's Net, intimately connected to all the others, and what we do has an effect on all the others. May we accept the responsibility each one of us has to the whole. May our hearts remain open and loving in the face of this terrible thing, and as we are called to, may we listen to our heart's wisdom about right action...whether it be sending love and prayers to the families in Newtown (and all over the world where peace is needed), or whether it is engaging in social or political action to curb gun violence (becoming the change we want to see)...whatever it is that we are called to do, may we act with love and kindness. Namaste.

 

December 2, 2012 ~ The Brain

December 2, 2012 ~ The Brain

"The brain is a monstrous, beautiful mess. Its billions of nerve cells, called neurons,

lie in a tangled web that displays cognitive powers far exceeding any of the silicon

machines we have built to mimic it."

~William F. Allman

"You have brains in your head.

    You have feet in your shoes.

    You can steer yourself

    any direction you choose."

~Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

As the Bard says, what a piece of work is man! This year of living in gratitude has opened my eyes to so many wonders of life that I used to take for granted, and has awakened awe and appreciation within my soul. Today I am celebrating the human body, in particular the workings of the central nervous system and its command center, the brain. What a truly magnificent piece of architecture, this "monstrous beautiful mess of nerve cells" that regulates every life process and gives us the ability to think and reason, create works of art and music, store memories, communicate with one another, experience emotions, dream, envision, inquire and explore the world around us and the universe within us.

I've got the brain "on the brain" ever since I watched a program on PBS this week in which Rudolph Tanzi PhD, Professor of Neurology at Harvard, gave a talk promoting his book (coauthored by Deepak Chopra) called Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness and Spiritual Well-Being. Dr. Tanzi teaches how to transform our everyday brain into a super brain—how to keep the brain healthy (exercise it like you would a muscle), induce neuroplasticity (increase the production of new brain cells), and integrate the different parts of the brain for increased health and well-being.

How do we keep the brain healthy? Dr. Tanzi talks about the importance of eating a balanced diet—your basic Mediterranean diet is best; limiting sugar, fat, salt, wheat and butter (darn!) and increasing foods high in antioxidants, such as blueberries and dark chocolate (yes!). Getting adequate sleep is important, giving the body time to recharge and repair. Stress reduction is key, through meditation or yoga. Here's some good news: did you know we can actually increase brain cells as we age? Although we lose tens of thousands of brain cells every day, we are also constantly replacing them. Exercise is the best way to induce production of new brain cells. Staying socially connected is important for brain health, as well as staying intellectually stimulated—perhaps learning a new language or learning to play a musical instrument.

I also learned about a simple exercise that helps to increase mental energy: SuperBrain Yoga. Check out this video for a demonstration.: 

Practicing this simple exercise for a few minutes two or three times a day, they say, sharpens memory and concentration and actually increases intelligence. I tried it out and it's actually quite fun and energizing. Created by Master Choa Kok Sui (see his book SuperBrain Yoga), this exercise stimulates neural pathways and synchronizes right and left hemispheres of the brain by activating acupuncture points on the earlobes while incorporating movement and breath.

We exercise our bodies to stay fit and strong—whether it's working out at the gym, running, walking, biking, swimming, hiking, whatever. Doesn't it make sense to exercise our brains as well—to choose thought patterns, attitudes and practices that nurture and protect our mental and emotional health as well. Gotta run...I'm off to eat some blueberries and do some SuperBrain Yoga!

November 22, 2012 ~ Giving Thanks

November 22, 2012 ~ Giving Thanks

"He enjoys much who is thankful for little; a grateful mind is both a great

and a happy mind."

~Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, 18th century

 

"Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

~GK Chesterton (1874-1936)

Today is the day we have set aside for thanks giving. And hopefully—along with allowing ourselves to get caught up in the mad rush for Christmas bargains at the big box stores (do you know that some people have literally been camping out at Best Buy stores since MONDAY?), and fussing over trussing the perfect turkey—hopefully somewhere in the midst of it all we will actually take time to reflect on the bounty and the beauty that surrounds us every moment and share that with one another.

I'll sneak in one more quote, by Eric Hoffer: "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."  How true. Writing this blog for the last 6 months has certainly opened my eyes to how much in life I have taken for granted, and I am grateful to be cultivating the eyes to see and a heart opening to gratitude and wonder. I am reminded of the wise fox in The Little Prince who says, "it is only with the heart that one can see rightly."

I think we're 'hard wired' to always want more...and better...and it's that spirit of evolution and expansion that propels humankind to great innovation and wonderful creative endeavors and scientific breakthroughs. However, we can also get stuck in the groove of taking for granted the many gifts we have been given and focus on what's missing...always wanting more, so that it never quite feels like enough. The remedy is found in giving thanks.

When we actually sit down with pen in hand and list all the things, and people, we have to be grateful for, it is absolutely mind boggling. Like food, shelter, clean water to drink, a source of income, beloved pets, cherished friends and loved ones, for starters—and the list is literally endless. Then taking the time to share with these folks how much we appreciate them...well, there is no greater gift.

So this Thanksgiving weekend, may we truly enjoy the feast of beauty, wonder, love, and infinite blessings that abound in our lives, as well as the feast on the table. May our hearts be full as well as our bellies. To enjoy a feast for the soul, check out the Youtube video "A Good Day" with Brother David Steindl-Rast. Guaranteed to uplift and inspire.

Wishing you many blessings this Thanksgiving Day and always,
Joanne   

November 15, 2012 ~ Kindness

November 15, 2012 ~ Kindness

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

~Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word,

a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

~Leo Buscaglia

Did you know this is World Kindness Week? We have not only a day but a whole week to practice being kind. How fabulous is that?! November 13 was the original date decreed for World Kindness Day at the first World Kindness Movement conference in Tokyo back in 1998, and now there is a whole week, from November 13-20, designated as a time to focus on acts of kindness. If you'd like some ideas, there are several websites to offer inspiration: www.randomactsofkindness.org;  www.helpothers.org; and www.onemillionactsofkindness.com to name a few. 

Some of the ideas they suggest are: cook dinner for a friend; offer to help a family member, friend or neighbor with yard work or babysitting; give someone an inspirational book with a note in it; go to a public place and pick up trash; offer to fix someone's car; help teach a child; give care packs to the homeless...the possibilities are endless.

Although I think kindness is as much about a state of being as it is about doing anything in particular. Sometimes a simple heart warming smile or a gentle touch or a listening ear convey kindness and caring in profound ways that we may not even realize. It is the love and compassion behind the action that can be healing and even life changing.

I was thinking about some acts of kindness that I have received in my life (and there are MANY, for which I am very grateful), and a few touch me deeply in recalling the memories. When I was about 12 years old I wanted to do something special for my Dad's birthday, so I baked him a cake. Unfortunately, in removing the cake from the round pan, part of it stuck to the pan, resulting in several large craters in the top of the cake. I was inconsolable about this 'disaster', terribly upset that the cake was ruined. My grandmother "Mimi", a lovely, kind, woman with a jolly soul, reassured me, exclaiming with delight and a twinkle in her eye, "Oh! This is perfect! We'll make it a 'sand trap cake'!" My Dad was an avid golfer, so this made perfect sense to me. We had so much fun decorating that cake, making little fairways with flags, a little duck pond, and sand traps. It was the coolest cake ever!

What an act of kindness it was for my grandmother to spend time with me helping to turn this disappointment into a delightful experience. And what a wonderful lesson about creative problem solving. It is a treasured memory that warms my heart to this day. Kindness is such a simple thing to practice, and much needed in the world today.

So, this week, I'll be thinking about ways to spread a little more kindness in the world. I hope you'll join in the fun too!

November 11, 2012 ~ Butterflies, Beauty and Grace

November 11, 2012 ~ Butterflies, Beauty and Grace

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies

lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine."

~Jeffrey Glassberg

 "There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."

~R. Buckminster Fuller

I'm suddenly noticing butterflies everywhere~flitting across my path as I walk along the wildlife ponds, in movies, and in books. As someone who enjoys looking at the symbolic significance of animals and insects that I encounter in dreams and in waking life, I am drawn to inquire how am I being invited to make changes in my life; what is in the process of transformation; and how may I find lightness, beauty and joy in the process?

What an amazing little creature, the butterfly! So delicate and fragile, yet powerful and strong. It boggles the mind to think of the transformation this little being goes through. It begins life as an egg, than grows into a furry little caterpillar that inches along the ground and munches leaves, and then compelled by some ancient instinctive impulse, finds a sheltered spot, suspends itself and creates a cocoon, and waits...and by some miraculous process of transmutation, becomes something that is totally unrecognizable from its former self. For a time, it is what one might call "goo", neither caterpillar nor butterfly. Once the transformation is complete, it emerges from its cocoon, in a sort of rebirth, as a magnificently beautiful creature capable of taking flight and pollinating the flowers, helping to fill the world with even more beauty. 

And then there's the Monarch—what an amazing feat these tiny delicate creatures perform, migrating as far as 2,500-3,000 miles to winter in the warmer southern climate of Mexico and Southern California. How do they know the way? How do they find the very same trees year after year that previous generations roosted upon? Guided by some inner compass, no doubt.

I am feeling very grateful today the presence of butterflies in the world~for sharing their radiant beauty and for reminding us of our potential for transformation. For there may be times in our lives when we feel we are "in the goo" of it all—life as we knew it is no longer recognizable; we are not who we once were...and not yet who we will become. Being in the goo can feel like a lonely and frightening place. The butterfly reminds us that we too have an inner guidance system and an inner compass, and we are invited to nurture connection with Spirit, with our 'higher self', our inner wise man or woman, through contemplation, prayer and meditation. We can trust in the perfect unfolding, even in the uncertainty of life. And we are reminded of the exquisite beauty, joy, and freedom that is found at the other end of the transformation process.

Wishing you moments of beauty, grace and inspiration this day and always. Yours in continuing gratitude and awe,

~Joanne 

Nov. 5, 2012 ~ The Enneagram: Freeing the Angel in the Marble

November 5, 2012 ~The Enneagram: Freeing the Angel in the Marble

"Freedom is knowing who you really are."

~Linda Thomson

"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."
~Michelangelo

   
I'm very excited to be learning about the Enneagram, an ancient tool of psychological and spiritual growth and transformation, and grateful for new insights that are helping me release old patterns of behavior. 

Have you ever felt like there's more of you hidden inside than meets the eye, other songs your heart would sing if they were allowed air time? Have you noticed automatic ways of reacting in life, patterns and circumstances that repeat over and over (the names and faces change but the relationship patterns are strangely similar)—and have you ever wanted to unravel the mystery of what gets in the way of achieving your goals and ideals? Those are some of the gifts of studying the Enneagram. 

The Enneagram is a circle graph with 9 points that describes nine basic personality types, each style having different ways of being in the world, with different motivations, perspectives, ways of thinking and feeling and relating to others. The premise is that we all come into the world with essential qualities such as Love, Goodness, Wisdom, Power, Peace, Joy, etc. and with unique gifts and talents. Over time, however, certain personality traits can develop in reaction to family and environmental influences, and as the personality overlay grows stronger, we lose connection to our essence, to our authentic self. We become identified with the personality, and for better or worse can become fixated in ways of thinking and relating to others. 

Studying the Enneagram and learning about who we really are in essence beneath the outer shell of the personality, to borrow the picture from Michelangelo, we 'chip away at the marble' of the personality to reveal the authentic being inside and we 'set the angel free'. For me, the revelations have been profound. I have discovered that I'm a 9-point. Nines are the Peacemakers and Mediators, as they can understand multiple points of view. Accommodating to others, they often have difficulty knowing what THEY think and feel, what THEIR needs and desires are...and they can get distracted with trivial pursuits rather than doing what is really important to them or following their true path.

The 'virtue' for the 9-point is ACTION—taking authentic action that honors their essential nature. So, being consciously aware now of my tendency to procrastinate, lose focus, or become distracted, I am beginning to make different choices—taking action that honors my gifts and talents, and committing to walking my true life path. Like honoring my commitment to writing rather than watching TV tonight, for instance :-) 

There is indeed freedom in knowing who you really are, and great joy in 'chipping away all that is not David' (to borrow another metaphor from Michelangelo) to free the angel in the marble! 

If you are interested in learning more about the Enneagram, here are some websites to visit: www.enneagram.com; www.enneagramspectrum.com;  and www.internationalenneagram.org. If you send me an email, I'd be happy to send book recommendations as well: joannelefferts@gmail.com. 

October 28, 2012 ~ For Every Storm a Rainbow

October 28, 2012 ~ For Every Storm a Rainbow

"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in.

That's what this storm's all about"

~Haruki Murakami

"There can be no rainbow without a cloud and a storm."

~John H. Vincent

   

Tonight my thoughts and prayers are with friends and loved ones who live along the east coast as they prepare for the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy, predicted to be the biggest storm ever to hit the mainland. Dubbed "Frankenstorm" by the National Weather Service, this arctic storm wrapped around a hurricane is a expected to cause widespread wind damage and flooding all along the eastern seaboard.

Watching news reports and checking my iPhone for Hurricane Sandy updates has got me thinking about the awesome power of mother nature, and how humbling it is to experience a storm such as this one. It feels like a reminder of just who is in charge here. We feel pretty powerless in the face of howling winds and pounding rain, toppled trees, and rising tide surges. With loss of power, perhaps for many days, life becomes a bit of an adventure. Without our usual creature comforts, we are reminded of how much we take for granted...one misses the simple things, like the ability to take a hot shower in the morning or make toast and coffee. Survival is the order of the day.

Yet there is something magical too that takes place as we hunker down to weather a storm. There is a pioneer spirit that emerges, as priorities shift to the essentials of life. We pull out the Coleman stove and flashlights, we dine by candlelight, and sit beside the fire to stay warm. We read, we engage in conversation or play games together when we might otherwise be watching TV. We check in with our neighbors to see if they're alright. There is a spirit of unity, of pulling together to help one another and share our resources. 

It seems that facing adversity seems to bring out the highest and best within us. And that is what I am grateful for—the hidden gifts in the storms of life. We don't know how strong or courageous or kind or caring we can be until we are called upon to rise to the occasion. And in times of extreme adversity, in stormy weather or the storms of life, we are invited to connect more deeply with what is essential—with the mystery and majesty of the universe, with our own wild nature, and most importantly with others. And of course, after the storm comes the rainbow, a sort of divine promise of the good—the peace and beauty—that always prevails.

Feeling deep gratitude tonight, I leave you with an Irish blessing:

"May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and and an answer for each prayer."

October 21, 2012 ~ Peace, Love and Rock & Roll: The '60s

October 21, 2012 ~ Peace, Love and Rock & Roll: Celebrating the '60s

"This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place, and I think

you people have proven something to the world: that a half a million kids can

get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but

fun and music, and I God Bless You for it!"

~Max Yasgur, to the crowd at Woodstock

"Like wow, these people are really beautiful—the cops, the storekeepers,

the army, everybody."

~Laura Glazer, an 18-year-old Woodstock attendee

Last night I caught part of the PBS special Ed Sullivan's Rock & Roll Classics: The '60s, and was surprised by the emotions it evoked and the memories that came flooding back to me. Something about hearing The Association sing "And Then Along Comes Mary", and seeing a very young Mick Jagger prance across the stage (much as he still does today and looking amazingly not much older) singing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", and watching the Beatles perform "She Loves You", took me right back in time. As nostalgia swept over me, I found myself feeling very grateful to have lived through this amazing era of the 60's.

You might say "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." There was no 'sitting it out' in the 60s—it was a time of questioning authority, speaking out for what one believed in and taking action, a time of social harmony and group protest, coming together en masse for social and political change. We had the Civil Rights movement, rioting in the streets, non-violent anti-war protests, sit-ins, love-ins, the Women's Liberation movement, the Sexual Revolution, and loosening up of social mores. How about Woodstock? Talk about social harmony...500,000 young people gathered in a field for three days, camping out in the rain in extremely crowded conditions, and there were no acts of violence. Can you imagine anything like that happening today?

The popular music of the 60s really defined the era. The Beatles embodied the cataclysmic changes throughout the decade, with each new album reflecting those changes. Their early hits of 1963 were simple, innocent love songs: "I Saw Her Standing There", "Please Please Me", and "Love Me Do". By 1967-68 their music was veering more into counter culture and and the psychedelic experience in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Magical Mystery Tour, with songs like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "A Day in the Life". In The White Album they shared their discovery of Eastern spirituality and introduced us to transcendental meditation and sitar music. And the decade ended with the release of Let It Be and the break-up of the band (how we grieved the loss; we had to learn how to let it be and let them go). What a 'long and winding road' it was indeed, and we traveled along with them all the way. Their music expanded our consciousness and our awareness of the world, and reassured us that ultimately 'all you need is love.'

The 60s brought us John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert Kennedy, Mother Theresa, the first man in space, and the first walk on the moon. The 60s brought us civil rights, women's rights, a horrific war that we viewed nightly on our TV sets. It also brought freedom of expression, creativity, and light. You might say, "...it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope..." We got to view earth from space for the first time, and it took our breath away, to see this beautiful blue jewel that is our home. It awakened within us an awareness of unity, of our being part of a global community, and inspired notions of harmony, peace, and justice for all people. 

Some say it was 'the dawning of the Age of Aquarius' (cue music :-) and the birthing of a new era of enlightenment. In joyful appreciation for all of it, I leave you now with these words of inspiration from John Lennon: "Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one." May it be so.

October 6, 2012 ~ Honey: Nectar of the Gods

October 6, 2012 ~ Honey: Nectar of the Gods

"How doth the little busy bee improve each shining hour, and gather honey all the day from every opening flower."

~Isaac Watts

"Well, said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called."

~A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

I'm with Pooh—just thinking about honey, picturing this glorious golden nectar, simply anticipating the rich sweet taste—Mmm Mmm, almost, but not quite, better than the actual experience of eating it! I love honey drizzled on buttered toast or biscuits; honey in my tea; honey-ginger glaze on grilled salmon; or simply a spoon full of honey right out of the jar—"honey in the morning, honey in the evening, honey at supper time."

Did you know that there are more than 300 different kinds of honey produced in the United States? And what really amazes me is the process of its creation. I read somewhere that the 60,000 or so bees in a beehive may collectively travel as much as 55,000 miles and visit more than 2,000,000 flowers to gather enough nectar to make a pound of honey. What amazing little creatures honeybees are. Honeycombs are wonders of efficiency in structural design: somehow honeybees figured out that in creating a lattice of cells with a hexagonal structure, the least amount of wax is used to hold the most honey. Pretty smart, those bees! 

I personally have an allergy to bee stings, so I can't believe I'm celebrating bees...however I do have a deep appreciation for their presence in the world. They pollinate the flowers, and they provide us with this wonderful golden elixir without which life would not be as sweet. And they provide us with beeswax for candles, and the wonder food product bee pollen—filled with vitamins, minerals, protein, and folic acid—that many people testify has miraculous healing properties.

Honey has long been a symbol of richness and sweetness in spiritual traditions, a symbol for abundance and God's blessings. The Bible describes the Promised Land as flowing with milk and honey; in Greek mythology honey is the drink of the Gods of Olympus; and according to the Koran, "Honey is the first blessing that God gave the earth."

Today I am in gratitude and appreciation for the blessings that nature bestows upon us in the form of this sweet nectar, and the honeybees that make it possible—and I am wishing for you, dear reader, all the sweetness that life has to offer.

October 2, 2012 ~ Movie Magic

October 2, 2012 ~ Movie Magic

"...certain things stay with you. And that's why we're all interested in movies—those ones that make you feel, you still think about. Because it gave you such an emotional response, it's actually part of your emotional make-up, in a way."

~Tim Burton

Ever since my 10th birthday party, a screening of the 1963 re-release of Disney's classic Fantasia at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, I've been hooked on movies. Some other early favorites were: Hatari; Breakfast at Tiffany's; and Bye Bye Birdie. I would often buy the album of the soundtrack (back in the day of vinyl LPs :-) so I could relive the experience over and over again. I loved everything about going to the movies—sitting in a darkened theater away from the hustle bustle of the world, speaking in hushed whispers to your friends, enjoying a big tub of hot buttered popcorn, and being transported to far away places, losing oneself for a time in a really great drama.

I had such an experience this past weekend, watching a very beautiful and powerful film, Beasts of the Southern Wild. It actually felt more like a full immersion experience than simply watching a movie. Beasts is a fantasy drama set in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans—a community separated from the mainland by a levee, a place called The Bathtub. The story centers on a very remarkable 6-year-old girl, her father, and their community, a band of merry men and women who are determined to stay and face the next apocalyptic storm rather than be torn from their home. It's a story about the tearing apart of the fabric of life in the face of imminent catastrophic changes due to melting polar ice and rising sea levels (a mythic tale that is somehow eerily realistic). It's a story about courage, bravery, loyalty, and the strength of the human spirit.

The remarkable thing about this film, winner of Cannes Film Festival and Sundance awards, is that none of the actors are professional. The little girl at the heart of the film, Quvenzhane Wallis, was five years old when she auditioned; in fact she and her mother "fibbed" about her age because the minimum age to audition was six. She wowed the director Benh Zeitlin (at 29 years old, this is his first film, by the way), and won the part over the 4,000 other young girls. The man who plays her father, Dwight Henry, was a bakery owner with absolutely no acting experience. He would practice his lines with acting coaches while making jelly donuts at his bakery late at night. The fascinating thing is, their performances are some of the most compelling I have ever seen.

Did I mention that I highly recommend this film? :-)  This makes the short list of my all-time favorite films. Let's see, what else is on that list: Hugo; The King's Speech; It's a Wonderful Life; Life is Beautiful; Shawshank Redemption; Forrest Gump; the Lord of the Rings series, everything by Alfred Hitchcock; everything starring Jimmy Stewart; and the documentaries I Am, What the Bleep, and Thrive (a shout out to my brother-in-law Marshall Lefferts, one of the co-producers).

Here's to the magic of the movies. Funny, with all the changes in technology and culture over the decades, the experience of going to the movies remains pretty much the same. There is something reassuring about that, being able to sit in a darkened theater eating hot buttered popcorn and being transported to other worlds, losing oneself in a really great drama...just like the old days!

September 22, 2012 ~ Feeling At Home

September 22, 2012 ~ Feeling At Home

"No matter what happens in the rush of daily life,

may your home welcome you at day's end

with comfort, peace and light."

~Corrine De Winter

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself."

~Maya Angelou

As I visit with friends and family members while on vacation this week, I find the subject of HOME is very much on my mind. At a dinner gathering of several dear friends, women I've known since the early 60s—in the days before Paul Simon longed to be 'Homeward Bound'; before Bob Dylan asked 'how does it feel, to be on your own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone'; before ET phoned his extraterrestrial home—in this circle of close friends, we shared stories of life changes and transitions. Each one of us has experienced major transitions involving family life and home.

It seems many in our generation are going through similar experiences. We live in a time of great change—the financial world is in upheaval, foreclosure rates are skyrocketing, communities have become more transient as people need to move to where the jobs are, and with the advent of the internet, many people can work from just about anywhere, so there is less need to stay in one place. It's a very different world than the one we grew up in.

Although my lifestyle in recent years has been somewhat transient, home has traditionally been very important to me. For me, home is a sanctuary, a retreat in which to relax and renew and uplift one's spirits, a place to express creativity, and a place for friends and family to gather in community. It's a place to center and ground and nourish body, mind and spirit for ourselves and our families, from which we go forth into the world strengthened and renewed.

I think in these times of change and transition we are needing to redefine, reframe, re-create our vision of what home is. In going through my own shifts and changes regarding home life, I have found peace, realizing that in essence the important thing is to feel at home within oneself, to be as Maya Angelou says "at home wherever I find myself" in the midst of outer changes. Also, in this day of globalization, we are beginning to really get how the world is our home and our attention is being drawn outward beyond our own backyards to seek connection with our world community. Our children know this; so many of them are traveling or living abroad and engaging in the world at large.

We find "family" in community, in churches, temples and synagogues, in our circle of friends, in 12-step groups, in dream groups, in all manner of groups. And ultimately we find the sanctuary of home within ourselves. My heart is full of gratitude today for the homes that have been my sanctuary, and for discovering the sanctuary within. This is sent with loving gratitude to my sister friends with whom I have shared the journey all these years.  Wherever you are, may your home welcome you at day's end with comfort, peace and delight.