Peace Ripple...

I am not usually into hip-hop music, but I changed my mind after hearing this! 

A lot of people complicate the path to Peace.  It can be very simple...a choice... I can choose to be stressed and cranky...or I can choose to see this moment unfolding exactly as it should, especially when it is beyond my control.  In choosing the latter, I release my control and can flow much more in tune with the situation.  With no need for control, I am then free to create .  And I will create whatever I think about. I choose Peace!

Take the hand of your child and invite her to go out and sit with you on the grass. The two of you may want to contemplate the green grass, the little flowers that grow among the grasses, and the sky. Breathing and smiling together - that is peace education. If we know how to appreciate these beautiful things, we will not have to search for anything else. Peace is available in every moment, in every breath, in every step.                                                            - Thich Nhat Hanh

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village and an American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. "Not very long," said the fisherman. "But then why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" Asked the American. The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family. The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go to the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play guitar and sing songs... I have a full life." The American interrupted "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat. With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy mo

When you hug someone you know, to which side do you hug on?  Often it is the 'right side' hug.  I offer a suggestion...try hugging to the left and let your hearts connect for a moment.  I have found that this adds a depth to my hugs. ...Try it and let me know what you think. 

As we get older with more experience under our belt, it can be an interesting game to play "what if..?". What if I had moved south instead of north, what if I'd taken that other job instead of the one I did. What if I'd married / not married / had kids / not had kids ..etc. We can get lost in the other scenario for a while and fantasize of how much better or different it would have been. The different things we would own and do. But would we still be the same people...waking up one day wondering what life would be like if we took the path we actually did? This game can consume us, or it can be an interesting question to ask to just review our choices thus far. Perhaps we could focus not on the things we might have, but on the person we are really wishing to BE. Perhaps we play that game because we are out of alignment with our true nature. Although we are all very busy, it could be that we are lacking depth with ourselves, with who we really are. It is ea

How many times do you get caught up thinking of yourself as one thing as defined by what you do...for example, a parent, a plumber, a banker, etc. And then you get confused because you feel like you're not just that, you're also a son, a sister, a friend, a member of a sports or social group, someone who has to take care of the family finances, do the maintenance on the car, clean the house, do volunteer work, etc. We are all so busy these days! Yet sometimes think we can only focus on one of these sides of ourselves at a time. What if you thought of yourself as a diamond? So many different sides, yet it takes all of them to capture the light to make it shine so very brightly.. ..that is you! Don't try to limit yourself with one label. Know that it is good to have different sides of yourself. You don't have to show just one at a time. Let yourself move through those different aspects of yourself as if you were imagining moving a diamond in the light, watching yours

I went to a discussion on anger and peace a couple of nights ago. There was a lot of talk about anger - what it actually; is it beneficial; how we use it; what it means to different people; how to handle other people's anger; do peaceful people feel anger; etc.. I realised that I very rarely feel anger these days. Oh yes, I have in the past...I would get frustrated rather easily, but not say anything until it had built upon itself to the point that it needed to be released. I was torn between the power I knew I had inside of me and the rules and conditionings I was raised to follow. I rebelled and struggled and tried not to hurt others. Denying myself only prolonged my own hurt until I found the courage to reclaim my power and heal. I was attracted to go to the discussion because they were to be talking about Peace...and I just love that topic! The majority of the evening was on anger and I started wondering why I was there. I don't know if I said anything during the eve

Have you ever had your child or a good friend do or say something to you that they were later sorry for? Did they ask you to forgive them? If so, you probably did. A little hurt may have lingered, but it was then forgotten. Have you ever done anything that you were really sorry for? Something that you just couldn't change or make right? It's so easy to stay in a state of guilt and mentally beat ourselves up. It can even last for years. But is that helpful? I think once we've reached the point where we realise we did the wrong thing, the lesson has been learned and there is no point in dragging it out, or denying ourselves other pleasures until we feel worthy in our own eyes again. As soon as we realise the lesson, we can apply that knowledge and commitment to our lives to make sure we don't repeat it. Some of us have to overcome some old conditionings first before we can get to that though. It's not exactly easy to get to that point where we can just let g

My husband and I were talking about all of the subtle choices we made leading up to us meeting. So many options were divinely presented and we chose where we felt most strongly led. We were two people from opposite sides of the world who "happened" to meet on a tropical island. When we met, we knew that there was a definite energy between us, and there was almost an audible sigh from the little angels around us that sat back, breathed out and said "ahhh...finally!!" The funny thing is that we thought we were in control! I guess we were, kind of. But our meeting felt like it was something that was meant to happen, no matter what. So I think that even if we hadn't met that night, other opportunities would have been arranged to ensure we did meet. I guess some things are like that. Some lessons, and some people, are so important in our lives, that they will come to us no matter what, even if we try to avoid it in a particular way, it will be presented in another wa

Towards the end of Spring, my children and I planted seeds for tomatoes and lettuce and some herbs. Every morning we'd go out first thing and check to see if there was any progress. We'd talk to the seeds and give them some energy and check the soil to see if it was moist enough. We were so excited when they started to grow! We left to go away for 10 days and, as it was expected to rain, I did not ask a neighbour to drop by and water them. But it did not rain, and it was rather warm. When we got back, they were not looking very well, and as I had gotten out of the habit of tending to them every morning, I sometimes missed a day of checking on them. Then we got rain. A lot of rain. And it didn't do them any good either. Long story short...we didn't get any tomatoes or lettuce and the herbs are doing just ok. I got to thinking of how we - specifically our health (physical, mental and spiritual) - are like a garden. Often we'll get all excited about a new exercise prog

"Think of your body as a sacred temple, and extend reverence as a form of love. Be aware of, and grateful for, every organ, every drop of blood, every appendage, and every cell that constitutes your body. Start right this minute by offering a silent prayer of gratitude for your liver, your heart, and your brain." - Dr Wayne Dyer I think when we remember to do this, when we are gentle with our minds and our bodies, we naturally gravitate towards taking better care of our physical form. We eat healthy food because we want to, not because we have to. We move because it feels good, not like a chore. And the expression of love for ourselves is radiated to those around us. Health becomes our new standard and we realise that it feels so good to feel good! What's more - you deserve it!

On this day of your life, dear friend, I believe God wants you to know... ...that as you start the first full work week of the NewYear you should do no 'work' at all. The point of your activities throughout the day is not to make a living, but to make a life; not to 'work' but to create joy. If you are doing what you are doing merely to 'pay the bills,' you will have missed the major reason for All Of Life. The purpose of life is to know and express Who You Are. If you do other than that during the days and times of your life, you will have not used those days and times in a way that profits your soul. It is soul profit we are after here, not body profit. This first week of the New Year is a good time to contemplate that, yes? Love, Your Friend.... Neale