Ponderings #14

Dear fellow travelers,

Welcome to my new travelers! And thank you again for your comments and ideas. Thank you, for suggesting journaling as one way to process and deflate "worrying". I know a women who teaches journaling, if interested, please email me.

I do journal. To me it is a way to refocus, and gain a different perspective on a situation. There are many different techniques to journaling: one is to just write, stream of consciousness; another is to write using your non-dominate hand, and one I do often, is to write under another name, that one results in creating for me a totally different perspective on who I am, that sometimes proves to be very interesting: and also it does for me, prove that "worrying" about whatever it is, is a waste of my time and energy. Better to go for a higher use of my thoughts. --- I didn't say it was easy.

And a follow up on the word "NEVER".

I just returned from the country I said I would NEVER go to again. However, this was a different city and it was wonderful, on many different levels. I met some very interesting people. The town was warm, not only in temperature but friendliness.

Sometimes it may just be better to RISK IT and just DO IT. Taking that step may open the door to many rewards and opportunities. Very Glad I let that NEVER go.

One of opportunities I had, happened at one of the events I went to, I heard a story a women tells at her workshops, I thought it was so intriguing, I need to share it with you:

The Dream

While I was asleep, I had this nightmare.

It was one of those dark, dark, nights, no moon, no stars.

Only a few house lights in the distance that gave a slight glow across the road I was walking on.

As I passed a wooded area, I heard leaves crunch and then I faintly heard sounds behind me, I slowly turned and saw a figure dressed in black walking slowly behind me. I started to walk faster, I heard foot steps behind me-- also walking faster.

I felt myself stop breathing, my heart started to race, chills ran thought me, then

my palms turned moist.

My mind was racing, what am I going to do? Run! I started to run,

The footsteps behind me picked up pace and were running also.

No other person in sight, no houses,.... I was alone...no one to help.....I saw an alley

I turned quickly and ran down it... the dark hooted figure was right there also, almost up to me.

I tripped and felt against an old wire fence.. I felt myself laying on the ground..

I pulled myself over and looked up at the figure standing over me...

With tears streaming down my face, I whispered.. "What are you going to do?"

The figure hissed back,"I haven't the slightest idea...It's your DREAM!!!"

Just Pondering,

Linda, RScP, ENTC

http://Ponderings-everyday-spirituality.blogspot.com

Ponderings #13

Dear Fellow Travelers,

I am saying, as so many others have said to you: Happy New Year!! and may 2012 be all, that your wonderful visions have visioned it to be!! May all your days and moments be filled with wonder and joy.

And again thank you for being you!!

I have been chuckling over a word I have used many times.

I am going on a vacation, back to a country I said I would NEVER visit again.

NEVER is the word. I reflected back on all the times I could remember using that word and guess what? I always did again exactly what I said I would NEVER do.

What has happened to have this NEVER manifest, again? I came to the "Spiritual Principle" WHAT I RESIST--PERSISTS!

Why is that? I believe for me, that the word NEVER has so much energy behind it that I draw back into my life the very thing I was resisting. I still have lessons to learn from the experience.

Until I stop resisting, and allow myself to go to Acceptance. and going to Acceptance is, for me, finding the good in the situation or place, forgiving what I perceived as not good, finding the value, the good, and focusing on the good.

And there is always GOOD!!

Another word, I have heard in various conversations, and I use it, I admit, (but of course just every now and then). is WORRYING. An extreme example is when I was talking with a woman lately and she said she was worried that her daughter, who was at the moment off drugs, would slip and go back on them. She said she was, "a Mom and she worried". I thought to myself does Mom need to equal worrying? How would it be if Mom just equaled Love and Support? and that was where all the energy used for worrying was channeled, To Love and Support ! Something to ponder.

To me there would be more time and energy for her to focus on being fully available for her daughter.

I know this is just me, you wont be doing this: but up until now, I have spent hours worrying, about this or that, and if I changed my thoughts from worrying to more productive ideas, I could actually manifest and accomplish much more.

I could truly focus on positive, life enhancing ideas and activities.

Also worrying to me translates into Control!, If I worry enough I think I have Control over this situation. I have deluded myself into thinking I could control it! The only thing or person I can Control is myself, and that is mostly a full time job.

For me, I must catch myself when my thoughts, my mind, strays to Worrying, to recognize it, and change those worrying, negative thoughts into positive thoughts.

Thoughts do become reality: choose the good ones.

This is my resolution for 2012, and for all times: Enjoy these magical, mystical, miracles that happen in every moment. Think Great thoughts, Drop the word NEVER! Love, support, forgive and accept. And be all, I am here to be.

Stand in my own Truth, be centered in myself. And see only the Good.

We all have lessons to learn and this beautiful, magnificent Earth is our classroom, our school; and we are each others teachers.

In great gratitude for you being my teacher and for you being in my life, Thank you!!

Do you have vision for yourself?

If so, how is it working for you?

Just Pondering with great blessings,

Linda RScP, ENTC

Blog address http://Ponderings-everyday-spirituality.blogspot.com.

Ponderings #12a

Ponderings #12 A

                                            Everyday Spirituality

Dear Fellow Travelers,

During this season of mystical and magical miracles. I am drawn to the spiritual truth WE ARE ALL ONE at our most inner being. We all want to be loved and to feel loved.

I have noticed signs of oneness, a Religious Science church, metaphysical in beliefs, (beyond the physical), is holding a Christmas eve service at a Jewish Temple:

WE ARE ONE!

The Chinese Cultural Center has on its sign,

"Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah",

how beautiful!!

WE ARE ALL ONE !

And to me one of the most beautiful songs that is sung at the end of a yoga class is

from an Irish Son Blessing:

May the long time son shine upon you.

All love surrounds you and the pure light with in you

Guide your way home

May the long time son shine upon you

May the long time son shine upon you

And the pure light with in you

Guide your way home.

Guide your way home.

All love surrounds you and the pure light with in you

Guide your way home. Guide your way home.

May many blessings be bestowed on you, you are a blessing to me and many many others.

Love and Peace.

Just Pondering on my blessings and love,

Linda

RScP  ENTC

Ponderings #12

Ponderings #12

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Everyday Spirituality 12

Dear fellow travelers,

To you: you, who are my many blessings. Thank you!!

I have been pondering about synchronicity!! Yes, what some may call coincidence.

One incident which happened a few days ago, was another opportunity for me to learn another lesson:

On my way to volunteer at an organization, I was uptight most of the way there: I was attempting to remember how to do this and that. Fear was invading me that I would not know how to do certain tasks. After I was there about an hour, an employee, a women who exudes warmth and friendliness, came in to stuff envelopes, I offered to help her and part way thru, she exclaimed; she had put some of the labels on the envelopes upside down! and she didn't know how to print more of them.

Inside me, I felt this great sense of relief sweep over me. She didn't feel she needed to be "perfect"! Then it occurred to me, "What would happen if I didn't feel I had to be, thru my eyes, "perfect"? It was really OK for me to forget certain facets of an assignment and ask again how to do them! If I didn't feel I needed to be "perfect", maybe some other people could possibly feel a sweep of relief and relax ! the lessons just keep coming!!

How perfect this situation was, it allowed me to put away my fears and have FUN!!

I needed this lesson, and the teacher appeared.

Synchronicity!!

Synchronicity is a WOW factor, this happened and then that happened!! How magical!! How mystical!! When everything happens in precise sequence and order.

This transitioned to my thinking about another time that intuition and synchronicity joined hand in hand:

I was talking to a friend the other evening, and we discussed how our lives, with intervals of absences along the way, always seemed to migrate back to each other. One time we reunited was thirteen years ago. We had been at that point, out of touch for a few years. It was on a Black Friday, and listening to my inner voice ( intuition). I had this knowing I had to go to Mall, as I was driving there, "I keep verbally saying to myself, "Why are you doing this, mobs of people, you never go to the Mall on Black Friday!! What are you doing??" and I kept on driving to the Mall. When I got there, after parking which seemed like a mile away, I walked into the mob at an anchor store and, YES, right into her!!. She explained to me that she never went to the stores on Black Friday either!! This started one of our reunions that lead us both on life changing experiences and adventures.

Synchronicity and listening to that inner voice, of intuition!! a double WOW!! factor.

Life is about being open to growing, learning, believing and knowing. And one knowing I have is that people come into our life's: The student and then teacher, interchangeable, we are both: And some people stay forever; some come and leave and come back, and some just past by. But everyone is and has been and will be there for a reason. I Believe it!!!

This is to me the great tapestry of life. How these people in our lives add another strand to this tapestry, is one of the greats gifts of the weaving. We are all interwoven, and if we could see this tapestry from the underside, we probably would see a very tiny segment, with the strands hanging, and Yes, some of the knots, but if we were able to be way up above it, looking down, we could see the majestic design of the whole from the top. An exquisite design of our perfection, everything and everyone interconnected, a magnificent array of colors and beauty of what our lives are and how majestic the design is. The miracle of all that is. The synchronicity of all that is!!

I have written that miracles happen every moment.

Every breath is a miracle, every blink is a miracle, every heart beat is a miracle.

Every life is a miracle.

Now, what we choose to do with our miracle of life, is our choice.

What we choose to do in this moment may have far reaching effects.

Let's choose the best we can. And know where ever our life's were and are, have lead us to exactly where we are today.

If we do not love where we are. We can always choose again.

Choice is always ours.

In this season of acknowledged miracles!, let us know that what ever we desire is not only possible but probable, maybe not in our time frame but when everything in the tapestry of life is woven in precise alignment. It does manifest.

We need only to have clarity on what we truly desire.

Be focused, take what action we need to take, and then LET GO.

The how is not ours to decide.

Just believe!!!

Be grateful for all you do have!!

and be open for the miracles to flow!!

Believe in the inner voice of intuition, it will always lead us to where we need to be.

What are we grateful for?

Where are we in this moment?

What choices are we making?

Just Pondering,

Linda P

RScP--ENTC

Ponderings #11

Ponderings #11

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Everyday Spirituality

Dear fellow travelers,

The Thanksgiving festivities are over; the dishes are clean and the house is now quiet. I am spending time reflecting; and I can honestly say that you are my most cherished blessing. You, who trust me with your private thoughts and dreams. I honor that gift.

You are also an inspiration to me.

Yesterday, while cleaning up, I found an old newspaper cartoon clipping, it was of a little caterpillar saying to a dog, "I had a dream that I could fly".

If this little caterpillar was told in that moment that his dream would be a reality, do you think he would believe it? or would he doubt it?

A week ago I took myself on a short retreat, I read, journaled, and visioned. (to vision, if you are in question, is setting an intent, such as "What is the highest outcome of my retreat ?" without a predetermined agenda, and then you meditate, and write down everything you see or hear, Yes, everything! -- I trust I wrote a good general description, there are classes on this process)

One image that I saw, I must say I doubt or question its possibility. Do you think I have some human work to do to believe and imagine and not doubt? One is not to question the "How" just believe.

Part of the vision process is to list what would have to be released to have it manifest.

I would have to release doubt and not believing in the potential, and embrace that the possibility that all things visioned or imagined are possible. That I can also fly, like the caterpillar is to do one day. We all can.

Since I am (up until, now, somewhat of a perfectionist) I can just go back a few days to my doubts about Thanksgiving dinner turning out just fine. At 12:30 the pre-baked turkey was picked up and it was still partially frozen, Yes, I did what I would caution you not to do. I panicked!! -- What!!-- yes, I did for a brief time. But at 4;00 with a house full of people laughing and having a wonderful time, the turkey was ready with all the trimmings. It was a joyous time.

Lesson learned, ask more questions up front, Don't panic, and don't doubt, everything is in perfect order.

I trust you would have handled it with more ease.

Since our life's here are finite in relative terms, after all the earth is millions of years old, how we choose to live our life's, moment to moment is our choice! Every challenge, every situation is an opportunity to decide--do I handle this was grace and love or with worry, anger and doubt, or at different moments, differently. This is our choice!

Do we need to trust in the process more, doubt less, accept more, live one day at a time?

Everything is in perspective, for some of us, past situations in life may be used as a barometer on what is deemed important enough to fret about, if anything.

One person has told me that once you lose a child, nothing else is worth the energy of becoming upset.

Everyone's challenges are important to them. But at some point all challenges will be a memory, how we choose to remember it, is also our choice.

I had a boss who frequently said, "Will this be important five years from now?"

This question took the anxiety out of most issues.

Fear of the unknown, maybe what is keeping us from flying, and it also keeps us imprisoned,--- shackled !

Many of us may do the same routine everyday to help keep us away from the unknown. Keep us in our comfort zone. Lets release doubt and worry and just be willing to move out of our comfort zones. Lets allow ourselves to fly, to soar and be open to possibilities.

Just suppose the unknown is something magically wonderful, like the butterfly?

Would that be worth, taking charge of our lives and releasing the doubts and worry we may have of the unknown?

Allowing ourselves to float in the darkness until the light appears? It always does.

Our lives are finite, at sometime we will all be watching over others as we are watched over now, but until then we have choice as to how we live the life's we have.

Let us live every moment with grace and peace, releasing everything other than that.

Miracles happen, every breath is a miracle.

You have touched someone with yours. Believe it!!!!!!!!!! Live in the moment and don't be afraid of the dark, or doubt, and fly.! Lets allow ourselves to live in this mystery of the great unknown.

Focus on the caterpillar with an unimaginable dream that is to be a reality. Believe!!

Do we need to release anything to fly?

What are we not allowing ourselves to do to reach our dreams?

Are we choosing to live in grace, love, and peace?

Just Pondering,

Linda

RScP, ENTC

Ponderings #10

Ponderings #10

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Dear fellow travelers,

After my decision to make a change in my life, many doors have opened, and many people have offered kind words of support and love.

Thank you so much, very much appreciated.

Life, as I have written before, is always changing, life may go along with the same routine day after day and then in an instant or yes, over a period of time, change happens. From the seasons, to our chosen life tasks, our activities, and our attachments, attachments be it people or material; change happens. How we choose to deal with these changes are our challenge.

The period in between change and then our rebirth, our re-creation, can be exciting, sad, or frightening, or all emotions, depending on the moment, -- again, it is whatever we choose it to be. It is our choice, how we choose to perceive it. We will be reborn, we will be recreated at our level of acceptance. Acceptance to change is the key, I didn't say it was always easy. just important.

I know from one job I had which dealt with locating 150 families from their homes of many years after the state bought their properties, change is perceived differently by everyone.

The people who came in with the attitude of, "Great, I can start over", to the others who at our meetings were furious and/or cried and told their stories of how attached they were to their homes, their neighborhood, their friends, seemed to be the ones over the months of negotiations that manifested heart attacks and many other health issues. I know these illnesses could have happened anyway. But I cant discount the fact that having this major change in their lives, which was unwanted, contributed to their health issues.

It was really sad at times to witness these events, but it was a great lesson to me of how a persons good attitude can be a steady anchor. The people who choose to happily accept the change seemed to move on with much ease and quickly.

Another awareness I personally realized, up close and personal, even though I knew it was there in my emotional makeup, on the back burner, was my issue of having outside approval. How much having outside approval for my own decisions meant to me. My teachings, as I know many of you know, is that the only approval we need is our own. It is inside job, we are pre-approved!!! honestly!! pre-approved. As we enter this world, we are already approved of, maybe not always by our caretakers but from our master creator.

And I claim I am releasing this need for outside approval for myself here and now! The only approval I need is my own!! YES!!!

Using my intellect, when I think about outside approval, , and the facts: 7 billion people on earth, all different countries, cultures, ethnic groups, languages and experiences. Approval, outside myself: Wow, what was I setting myself up for! Yes, Acceptance as a child of the universe, we are all entitle to that, and we can choose to accept our differences. That to me would make a wonderful world.

I believe, we are here to serve each other with love, understanding and forgiveness.

I was at a wonderful retreat a few days ago and the speaker told us of his favorite guru.

She is a witness at a diner. She comes into work every morning and makes a large industrial pot of coffee, then fills two coffee urns. She walks around to the diner's customers and asked each one if they want coffee, some accept, others don't, and some even ignore her. She then goes back and refills her urns, and then again goes to all the customers and asks if they want coffee. Some accept, some don't and some still ignore her.

She never goes behind the counter and to cry and berate herself for not being enough or approved of, or what ever else she could say negative about herself, because not everyone wanted her coffee.

She serves it to who wants it, and always offers it to everyone. A great guru.

I say, Yes, we are pre-approved, and here accept and to serve. and we need only our own approval.

We are here to offer support to those that will accept it and to keep on offering, like this wise coffee guru.

And Love and smiles may be the greatest gifts of support we can give to many.

We really may not need to say anything. Our heart to heart vibration is enough.

Yes, it is pre-approved!!

I say, let's follow our hearts, approve of ourselves, we are perfect! just the way we are. and always be willing to serve.

How do we serve?

Is there anything you need to release?

Are there any changes you need to make? even if it just in attitude?

Just pondering

Linda

RScP

Ponderings #9

Ponderings #8

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Dear Fellow Travelers,

Again thank you for your responses, they are a blessing to me.

When I first started "Ponderings" and then stopped, it was ten years ago. How the world has changed since then.

Ten years ago, to me, there was no Face book, texting, twitter, blogs, Iphones, IPads, etc. Now by choice, by email, I receive five spiritual messages a day. And not by choice, numerous emails to join various link up groups.

I have to laugh now when I remember when I purchased my first answering machine in my group, and one of my friends refused to leave a message and berated me for buying such a contraction. My father never did have one.

Yes, how times how changed. When I worked for what is now Verizon in DE. Carolyn Berger was the first women CEO of our Co. and asked at a meeting what we visioned the telephone would be like in twenty years. No one visioned the

Cell Phone. No one actually really visioned Dick Tracey would be our destiny.

All these new innovations, inventions, the world of information, which I know some of you are saying-- this is all so good. And I can really say I like goggle for information that I need. But wasn't this toted to make our lives easier and to use less paper?

Sometimes I feel like my life is way over scheduled, -- I know my choice.

All the people through history who have changed the world or the world view, and the thoughts of people (the race consciousness) were visionaries, leaders, they weren't followers.

They walked to their own beat, and it wasn't always easy.

There are thousands of examples, from Joan of Arc, Galileo, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, just to list a few.

But one action, one small action can also change the world. When Rosa Parks in 1955, decided not to give her seat to a white man on the bus , as the law stated at that time, to me, lead indirectly to our first black president.

Like a pebble thrown in a stream, the ripple effect can spread to far unknown places.

We all don't have to be great visionaries, but we can do one small act.....

With the transition of Steve Jobs, a great visionary, and DE icon artist Edward Loper, two great leaders. Our world was blessed for them being here. Who will be our next great visionaries ?

But we only have to be a Rosa Parks, one small act, maybe we already have done it and don't even know it, can change the course of some ones life.

But, I do feel a little melancholy from the recent transition of these beings, even through I didn't know one, I have had several other long term friends that have transitioned recently, I may need to reevaluate what I have as my priorities, I really want to spend more times with friends and family.

And if you sometimes feel like I do at times, over scheduled, maybe we need to just exhale and be good to ourselves, or call on the phone, (that old fashion machine,) that person we think about. Our lives do pass quickly, we need to do for ourselves and for others, we need to be kind. To listen, to be there for them, And in the end that is what is important to me, what I have contributed to others, and how I feel about my self.

Let's also enjoy time with others, maybe actually spend time with others. The people in our lives that we know we can count on. Those special people. Just to say Thank you for being in my life.

Do you think you have done that one small act?

Who do you need to call?

Who can you count on?

Have you exhaled lately?

What are your priorities?

How do you vision the future?

Just Pondering

Linda

Practitioner

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