Friday Poetry ~ Rebirth

 

I wrote this piece long years ago when I first embarked on my Spiritual Path, when I found it, and it found me. It was such a turning point in my life…and I lovingly share the words that flowed as that turn took place. I hope you enjoy them. Love & Blessings to you all!

REBIRTH

I want to be reborn

From the moist fragrant soul of the earth

To be baptized in the blue waters of the ocean

And warmed by the fingers

Of the golden light of the sun

To put myself in the hands of nature

And be delivered anew

I want to sink

Into the dewy womb of the earth

And feel her arms of soil wrap round me

I seek the roots

Of the Tree of Life

So that I may grow strong and wise

From his limbs

I wish to be washed clean

By sweet pouring rain drops

Then dried by soft meadow winds

And as the Light of Spirit

Warms my trembling Soul

I shall burst forth

As a flowering bud

And be reborn

Thoughts For The Day

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.”  ~ Viktor Frankl

MarDrag’s Thoughts:

Something happens to us…then there is a heartbeat…and then we respond. Within that heartbeat, that minute space, there is a vast reservoir of freedom and power because, in that instant, lives our gift of choice. We pass over that moment in a rush to respond…but if we can strengthen our awareness to expand our focus of this moment, it opens up a great potential for growth. As the quote says, there is freedom in knowing we have that choice of how to respond…and that can change everything. Because it is in how we respond that sets the tone of how what happens to us plays out. And that gives us so much more command over our lives, rightly so. It also gives us more responsibility for our lives…but what is responsibility…but the ability to respond.

“We tend to be held back from our goals by the simplicity of our comfort zones…but just how comfortable are we? Wouldn’t we be more content living in our dreams?”  ~ Michelle C. Ustaszeski

MarDrag’s Thoughts:

“The simplicity of our comfort zones”…This really caught my attention. Because I never thought of comfort zones as simplistic…but it makes sense. It may be “simpler” to stay in our comfort zones than it is to take the risk to break out of them. But as the quote says, how comfortable are we really within those zones? We create them because we are uncomfortable with something in our lives, but we are either afraid or unmotivated to make a change. So really, they do not offer us as much comfort as we would think. The question is ~ comfort vs. content. Should we settle for a comfort zone or aspire to be content by living in and following our dreams?

“Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.”  ~ Oprah Winfrey

MarDrag’s Thoughts:

We are fortunate in that we do have the ability and the right to choose our own path. We might think that circumstances force our path, and indeed, they do influence our progress. But…we are always at choice about what path we decide to follow. If we can remember that…even when it does not appear so…there are unlimited possibilities at our fingertips, then we will see that those paths are fluid and we can choose how and where those paths flow. Acknowledge this privilege, and honor your path by knowing it is a sacred gift and following its truth.

Blessings!

Wednesday ~ “Getting Over The Hump Day” Humor

Happy Wednesday! It is time for that merry mid-week mountain of mirth…so take a breath, followed by a chuckle, and have a great day! Blessings!

About That Glass

A new and dear blog friend (link below) had a post last week about that age ole’ saying…”Is the glass half empty or half full?” I added a quite witty and humorous comment (I thought), and chuckled my way to other blogs. But…the comment stayed on my mind and began its illustrious path along the thought process, roads and valleys of what makes sense, and came to rest on the fence of epiphany.

You see…my comment went something like this…”Well, if it is MY glass, then I have command over whether it is empty or full or in between. I can fill it, empty it, and fill it again and again, and have all the levels I like in between.”

See…I like that. Because really…who is asking us if we see the glass as half empty or half full? Shouldn’t we be the ones who decide how much the glass is filled? I mean, sometimes we will want it overflowing, full, and spilling over. But, sometimes we may want it empty because we have used all the liquid and we need to replenish. Or, we may need a break. And then there are the times we are working on letting go of something…so the glass half empties out so we can have room to fill it with something different. And too, there are times when the glass spills or drains a bit, and we have to wait until it is time to stick our glass under the spout again and fill it up. The idea is…the glass is always at some form of fill, empty, refill…just like life.

So…you see…the answer to that question someone may ask us…”Do you see the glass half empty or half full?”…should always be…”It is at exactly the level I want it to be”.

And, as this illustration so eloquently points out…the glass is really all full all the time anyway…because both air and water take up space, so the glass is never really empty to begin with.

THINK ABOUT IT!

And then…there is always this…

Blessings!

The blog and post that inspired this one:   http://erikslehman.wordpress.com/2014/02/21/sippin-life/

Monday Message ~ Partnership

 

Good Morning! I am happy to be here this morning, having finally come through a rough week of the flu. I rarely get sick, so this threw me for the proverbial loop. But I am Blessed that it was not worse, and that I am healing well. It is with that gratitude that I seek the Runes this morning for our weekly message. And, as I gather the stones and “The Book of Runes” by Ralph Blum, the stone that presents itself today is:

Gebo:   “Partnership, A Gift”

Message (paraphrased): “Drawing this Rune is an indication that union, uniting or partnership in some form is at hand. But you are put on notice not to collapse yourself into that union. For true partnership can only be achieved by separate and whole beings who retain their separateness even in unity and uniting.

This counsel applies at all levels: in love relationships, in business affairs, in partnering of every kind. It is particularly appropriate when entering into partnership with the Higher Self, while others speak of the interplay between the conscious and the unconscious in each of us. But most of all, it is the case when seeking union with the Divine.

Gebo, the Rune of Partnership, has no reverse, for it signifies the gift of freedom from which flow all other gifts.”

from The Desk of MarDrag:

I love when synchronicity happens. This Rune pick this morning is perfect to follow the Weekend Inspiration post about Spirituality, and finding Spirit in ourselves and bringing it into our lives. When seeking Spirit, by whatever name we call it, we are seeking a connection with the Power and Energy of something greater than us, with the Divine. And with that part of us that is greater than the sum of the mundane in which we live, the Higher Self.

Gebo is telling us here that this union is at hand. In some form or another…a partnership is forming. Whether it be in business, love, or with the Self…the union comes after hard work and progress on our paths. So, if we have something waiting to manifest…we should take this as a good sign.

Most importantly though…Gebo counsels us that the most vital Partnership is, indeed, with the Self…or the Higher Self, which is our link to the Divine. We cannot do this life business alone…and the first person we need to know is there for us…is Ourselves, and that Higher consciousness we know is our bridge and connection to the Divine, or Higher Source.

And, as we seek to strengthen that Partnership within, the connection to Spirit and the Divine…we also hold ourselves independent…even within that union…so that we may know and live as who we truly are. We must depend on ourselves, even as we Unite with the Divine and that energy floods our lives.

And from this Union with our Higher Self and Divine energy comes the gift of freedom…for all things flow and grow from this Union. It is the single most important thing we can do to set our lives right.

Blessings!

Weekend Inspiration ~ Spirituality

“Spirituality is to be found and nurtured in the smallest of daily activities. The Spirituality that feeds the soul and ultimately heals our psychological wounds may be found in those sacred objects that dress themselves in the accoutrements of the ordinary.”  ~ Thomas Moore

This quote is on the post that has been up the last couple of days…and as I have been befuddled with a hazy mind as I have been sick…this quote floated and looped around that haze and caught my attention. It is really very profound to me because…sometimes we can think that Spirituality, or the Spirit in our lives, lives outside of us, or is something we look for outside ourselves. But the Spiritual Path is not something that is “above” our life, or “outside” it to find…it is that blanket of Belief, Oneness, and Power that we lay over our life to rise up from the mundane and connect with the Divine. For it is when we allow the Divine energy, and Spirit by whatever name we call it, to manifest and become one with our Soul, that Understanding, Love, and Harmony can truly become part of us.

Be inspired to look for, and see, Spirit in your life today. It is within you yet all around you too, and in everything you do. And when found and connected to Divine energy, that is when miracles begin to happen. Blessings!

Thoughts for The Day (repost)

 

Good Morning! I have been battling a nasty head cold this week that has left my head in a fog…with only thoughts left wrapped in a haze of…well, you get it.  So, I offer you a repost of one of my favorite “Thoughts For The Day” blogs and hope it speaks to you again today. My Love and Warm Thoughts are with you as always. Blessings!

_______

“Spirituality is to be found and nurtured in the smallest of daily activities. The Spirituality that feeds the soul and ultimately heals our psychological wounds may be found in those sacred objects that dress themselves in the accoutrements of the ordinary.”  ~ Thomas Moore

MarDrags’ Thoughts:

Spirituality and Healing , though it can at times, does not always come in a blaze of light or a volcanic aha moment. Spirituality  and Healing is in everything that we do, it is all around us…in the feel of the fur on the pets that we run our hands through. It is in the kisses we bestow on our spouses, children and loved ones though out the day. It is in the laughter that gurgles up from our chests when they do or say something funny. Healing is in the sad song we hear that brings tears to our eyes. It is in the spices that we put in the food we prepare. It is in the small activities we sometimes take for granted, or even dislike. It is in the love we feel for our families and friends. It is in the very breath we breathe that gives us life. So…look for your Spirit and Healing in all those mundane and, as Thomas Moore says, those “ordinary” things that when looked upon through the Soul, show the magic held within.

“The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others, but ourselves as well.”  ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

MarDrags’ Thoughts:

And it is when we look to those “ordinary” things and find joy, peace, spirit, and healing that we find the source of Unconditional Love. Absolutely unlimited sources of Love and Harmony are built into the senses we use each and every day. Can you find it?

“We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create or dream.”  ~ Robert Coles

MarDrags’ Thoughts:

We live in a fast paced world ruled by technology and gadgets and all manner of things that keep us distracted and looking outside ourselves for validation…and to keep busy. “Busy” is the new buzz word. But where would all of these “things” and ideas have come from, but for a man or woman who spent some time alone and quiet to dare to dream them up? Empty hours do not equal non-productive moments. It means we are aware enough to know that great things come from ordinary minds that take the time to sit quiet, reflect…and Dream. Take your time.

Blessings!

Wednesday ~ “Getting Over The Hump Day” Humor

Good Wednesday Morning! It’s that day again and time for our Comic Relief Break. There are some good chuckles here today…so enjoy…and may they bring you a moment of pure laughter and rib tickling joy. Blessings!

Tuesday Affirmations ~ Making Room

 

It is time for Tuesday Affirmations again. As I spin through my deck “The Gift of Affirmations” by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber, the card that presents itself for today is:

Gift of The New:   “I Let Go Of Things That Are No Longer Useful”

Message: “Use this gift when you are resisting letting go of outmoded ways of thinking and acting, and people who are taking advantage of your time, energy, and other resources. If you want new people, places, things, situations, and ideas to come to you, you must make room for them in your life. Then enjoy your new freedom and know that exciting things await you.”

from The Desk of MarDrag:

This is a profound affirmation, and builds a bit on yesterday’s post about Messages. For if we take that overview of our lives…soaring above like the Hawk to clear our vision and notice our surroundings and get a comprehensive look at all that is happening in our lives…then we are sure to find some things that need to be cleared away, let go of, and that no longer serve us. Sometimes we are loathe to let them go because they have done something for us in the past. But, if they are no longer useful to us…or are, in fact, holding us back…then we need to let them go so that we can make room for the new and exciting things that are waiting to have the space to come through.

Sometimes we have to change our perspective to get the to the truth. That often means letting go of ways of thinking, or beliefs, that have been with us for a long time. We think they should continue to work for us…but as we grow and change, so do our thoughts and beliefs…and that is a good thing. Looking back…how many times have we said, “I never thought I would do that or think that, but now look how I have changed and grown and how much better my life is now.” It is only the fear of change or letting go that stops us. Because once we do it…and we get a whiff of how great things to come can be…then we are on our way and not looking back.

So, as you soar like the Hawk, taking that focused view of your life, notice what is no longer working for you, and let it go…knowing unequivocally that something new and wonderful will be coming to take its place…all because you were brave and smart enough to open the space.

Blessings!

Monday Message ~ Life’s Messages

 

I woke this morning not sure yet where to look for our Monday Message. As I sat and meditated, asking for guidance to that message, a rustle of movement, a blur out of the corner of my “eye” came into vision, and as it came clear, I saw it was a Hawk, soaring across my mind. Our answer! So, I took to my “Animal Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams & David Carson to see what the Hawk has to say to us this morning:

Hawk: “Messenger”

Message (paraphrased): “Hawk medicine teaches you to be observant, to look at your surroundings. Observe the obvious in everything that you do. Life is sending you signals. Life is the initiation.

Right now, a clue about the magic of life is being brought to you. This Magic can imbue you with the power to overcome a currently stressful or difficult situation. The test is your ability to observe the nuances of Power lurking nearby. Is Power the talent you have and are not using? Are solutions always hard to find because you have lost the broader vision of Hawk? Pay attention! You are only as powerful as your capacity to perceive, receive, and use your abilities.

Hawk’s cry signals the need for the beholder to heighten awareness and receive a message. You are to be aware of signals in your life – so notice and receive them. Hawk may be teaching you to grab an opportunity which may be coming your way. On the other hand, Hawk may be bringing you the message that you should circle over your life, and examine it from a higher perspective. From this vantage point you may be able to discern the hazards which bar you from freedom of flight. Remember, Hawk has a keen eye and a bold heart, and flies close to the light of the Sun.”

from the Desk of MarDrag:

I believe in Messages. I believe that signals about our lives are everywhere, if we but listen and look. It requires broadening our vision and hearing, and quieting the daily chatter, and when we do, we will pick up things that we would otherwise miss completely. We are intuitive by nature, and we can either ignore that part of ourselves, or acknowledge it and give it credence and power.

There are whispers of Messages all around us. Look and Listen.

The Hawk, by nature, has a keen eye and ear. He can fly high and observe the movements on the ground with vital clarity. His senses are crystal clear, and he is bold in his knowledge that he has Power. He searches – looking and listening – for his path and his prey and moves swiftly when the opportunity shows itself. So take a view of your life from that higher perspective so you can see the whole of it and what or where you must take action next.

There is Magic to be had in life. If we listen to the Hawk, and the Messages that life and the Higher Powers breathe into our threads on the tapestry, then we can broaden our vision about our lives and create all that we need, want and desire.

Be like the Hawk…listen attentively, clear your vision, notice your surroundings and all the small (or large) nuances in it like chance meetings, a random thought, an idea, an unexpected happening…for they all have voices that tell you something. And be bold enough to recognize your abilities and talents for the value that they hold. They are what will take you forward into a better life.

Now Listen…for the rustlings of A Message!

Blessings!