Lao Tzu Wisdom

Lao Tzu also said:

Just remain in the center, watching.
And then forget that you are there.
—Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching

4th Step Resentment Prayer

"God, Please help me to be free of anger and to see that the world and its people have dominated me. Show me that the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, has the power to actually kill me. Help me to master my resentments by understanding that the people who wrong me were perhaps spiritually sick. Please help me show those I resent the same Tolerance, Pity and Patience that I would cheerfully grant a sick friend. Help me to see that this is a sick man. God, please show me how I can be helpful to that person and save me from being angry. Lord, help me to avoid retaliation or argument. I know I can’t be helpful to all people, but at least show me how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one. Thy will be done." 

The Step Prayers are from Alcoholics Anonymous, but they are relevant to all of us. We all have our addictions. Anyway, I post them here, to take or leave them, use or not use them, as they do or do not appeal to you.

Sing Your Heart Out!

Sing your song with abandon and innocence.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200291308432061&set=vb.31867439512&type=2&theater

Chicken Walks Into A Hug

This is a short video and I watched it over and over--such a simple and beautiful expression of innocence and love.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152751459660299&set=vb.32799215298&type=2&theater

"ANGEL TREE" LOCATED ON JOHNS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Beauty in Smallness

Just beautiful...so small...so simple.. Check out the website...
http://news.distractify.com/culture/arts/macro-photos-of-snails/?v=1
"Ukrainian photographer Vyacheslav Mishchenko documents tiny creatures in nature who often go unseen. In particular, he captures portraits of snails that are both magical and adorable. The photographer gets in close to snap macro shots of precious, surreal moments."

First Step Prayer

You can fill in the blank here, with whatever habit or addiction is controlling your life. What probably works for all of us is....thinking. Our negative, limited, fearful thinking controls our lives in unfriendly ways. This prayer originated to deal with alcoholism. You can substitute any other addictive behavior . . . even the word, ego, will work. Other words might be: compulsive eating, anger, greed, fear, spending, daydreaming, laziness....you get the picture.

God, Help me to see and admit that I am powerless over  _________. Help me to understand how _____________has led to unmanageability in my life. Help me this day to understand the true meaning of powerlessness. Remove from me all denial of _____________ .

This prayer comes from the Chapter to the Agnostic from the AA Big Book.

The Set Aside Prayer:

"Dear God please help me to set aside everything I think I know about (people, places,or things) so I may have an open mind and a new experience.  Please help me to see the truth about (people, places or things). AMEN." 

Blood Moon

 

On Tuesday, April 15, there will be a total lunar eclipse that will turn the moon a coppery red. It's called a blood moon, and it's one of four total eclipses that will take place in North America within the next year and a half. Pictured here is a blood moon seen over Gaza City in March 2007.

Before the dawn of the 20th century, there was a 300-year period when there were none, he said. Zero. That would mean that neither Sir Isaac Newton, Mozart, Queen Anne, George Washington, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln nor their contemporaries ever had a chance to see one.

West Coast Retreat is now complete...

The West Coast Mini-Retreat held in Altadena, C is now over. It was very nice. The next retreat will be held in a really beautiful setting in western New York State, so if you are in the area, or just want to get away from your normal routine, consider giving yourself a 3 day retreat. Full details can be found on my website-- http://www.theclearandsimpleway.com/eastcoastretreat.htm

EAST COAST SUMMER SOLSTICE RETREAT
JUNE 20-22, CATTARAUGUS, NEW YORK

You are invited for a weekend in
ENCHANTING RURAL NEW YORK STATE
 

MOVE TOWARDS BEAUTIFUL VISIONS
AND HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
SLIDE INTO SUMMER!
SAY YES TO LIFE!

Cherry Blossoms in Japan

Springtime Yogic Massage

I found this interesting. I haven't tried it, but I plan to. I never heard of mustard oil before, but I will look for it.

Given by Yogi Bhajan - April 25th, 2000 - Espanola, NM

Massage the body with a 2:1 mixture of virgin pressed mustard oil and fresh ginger juice. Lie down and rest.
 
Then relax in a bathtub full of lukewarm water and clean yourself off. You will save your skin and many things under it. When summer is coming, because of the change of the season, you can get many kinds of pimples and sicknesses. This massage will keep you very clean and clear.
 

A RIGHT PRAYER

Let there be less of me and more of Thee.

wonderful reminder

http://www.upworthy.com/this-guy-was-really-nice-to-a-homeless-little-girl-and-got-best-reward-ever-in-return?g=2

Third Step Prayer

God, I offer myself to Thee — to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!

Prayer

 I like to find prayers. Here is one I came across recently, from...
--Salve Regina, prayer to the patroness of the City of Our Lady Queen of the Angels, Los Angeles

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy; our life, our sweetness and our hope; to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O  clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

West Coast Mini-Retreat

West Coast Mini-Retreat
Altadena, CA
April 13 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Spring into Spring!

You have visions that are yours alone and so does everyone else. How do you move towards your visions while staying in harmony with the people around you who are moving towards visions of their own? And what are your highest visions? This is the focus of this afternoon retreat from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Say yes! to your most spiritually inspired visions.
http://www.theclearandsimpleway.com/west-coast-retreat

Nature Fairies

Small bit of wisdom ....

Compare . . .  and . . .  despair.

FEAR NOT THE FEAR!

The good news is you do not have to have courage. The false self has no courage. It has nothing of its own, not even itself. The false self is like a mirage on the desert. How can a mirage claim that it has anything? The mirage claims it is an oasis; but it is nothing.

We are all walking across the desert towards a mirage that doesn’t exist. Aren’t you tired of being alone on the desert?

The angels whisper to you, Give up. Surrender. Stop. Fall to your knees. Tell yourself the truth. See through the lies you tell yourself.

Stop pretending you have courage. Stop pretending you are not afraid. Be as afraid as you are. Fear not the fear! Fear has no power over you. Fear has no power! Be as afraid as you are. The false self is afraid that you will see it is not real. That you will see through it.

See through it! See through the mirage. The false self is not an oasis. It is a mere mirage. It doesn’t exist. The false self is trembling even now, even as you read these words. The false self does not want you to know the truth. It does not want you to know Truth!

Truth does not require that you have courage. Truth has all the courage you need. Truth is the Oasis you seek.