Inevitability

As I explore the practice of Acceptance, I am more often coming upon what I must accept simply because there is no choice present to do otherwise.  Now these opportunities (I use the word with a smile on my face) are not the simpler ones in my life.  As I face these times, I long for the simple opportunities of acceptance such as accepting the rain, accepting my more unhealthy choices like not going to the gym, or eating that last piece of pie.

NO, these are other times, other opportunities; times when truly my egoic self must face that it is, as it is, no matter what I do.  Of course, the most obvious one to me is death, but that one is easier, for me, than this one.  What I have experienced is more related to the aging process itself.

As I spend more and more time with Mom, David’s Mom who has become my Mom too, I am faced with my own human inevitability.  Witnessing her aging process and her gracious acceptance of what she no longer can control, I am literally frightened.  Dare I admit that to you as well as to myself – yes, I am frightened; the many controls that she is loosing, and so graciously accepting. The loss of memories, the loss of the flow of the conversation, the loss of some of her bodily functions; the list goes on and on.

It causes me to be faced so blatantly with my ego that I am speechless within myself.  “Inevitability”

Simply - A Poem

Recently, at a workshop, we were asked to present writings that had affected our spiritual journey. Below is the piece that my husband, David, presented. His remembering this poem, which I wrote in 1989, gave me a chance to revisit it.  I have taken time with this poem and had to see that in its simplicity, it held so much wisdom.  This has caused me to revisit my journey now, and reflect on how far I have come to only see, that I had the idea way back then.

I believe our  journey is meant to be simple.  Now that I have been reminded of that, I am working diligently to stop myself from complicating, what can be so simple.

So, I simply offer this to You. May it affect Your view in a simple way.


AND GOD SMILED

And God smiled down on us and said “Let all be well, let everyone be happy!”
But everyone did not listen. Everyone did not hear.

And so, some walked about unhappy waiting for more.
And some, walked about collecting,
    Busy collecting all the things they needed to be happy.

What is Presence?

I was recently reading an article in Oprah Magazine, March 2010 (click here and you can read it too, on line!). While reading the interview with Thich Nhat Hanh, I became aware of being present again.

For me, because of what I do, I am more often present than not present. Basically because I cannot do a reading and have my mind wander at the same time.  For me, when my work “tires” me, it shows because it takes more and more concentration for me to hold my focus.  If my focus leaves, I stop talking and a great pause ensues in the channeling I am doing. What is most interesting, and embarrassing about this, is that I am not even aware of it. I begin to speak again, thinking that I paused for a few seconds, when minutes have passed. Am happy to report it seldom happens.

But I digress.  We were talking about “being present”.