You Are A Sleeping Machine

The truth is hard to hear.

The ego is in denial of reality all the time.

The moment it gets a glimpse of itself, it starts the "blame game"; often beginning with whoever or whatever gave it the opportunity to see itself - clearly - in action for a moment or two. It goes into kill mode trying to ensure it won't happen again.

After all, it wants you to stay in your comfort zone - that is it's cozy little home.

I see you staring daggers.
False love turns to false hate in the same breath my friend.

Don't shoot the messenger.
The messenger may be your only true friend.

She appears at the behest of your real wish to BE.

Be Calm in the midst of that ego tantrum.
Watch it wiggle and squirm.
Don't be taken in or frightened by its lies.
Shed that snake's "skin".

Then, you will see who you really are under there.
That's the road to Freedom.
Begin to BE Free for the first time in your life.
This is my Prayer for you.

Peace and Blessings,
Peace and Blessings


Be Peace
Be Love
Be Listening
Be Watching
BE
~ by Laura Lopez, 3 July 2010
` por mi Alma

Every Moment

Vessel

Every moment there is an opportunity to 'come back' to my-self. I can stop for a moment and in that moment I can take a deep breath and relax the body - releasing tensions in muscles. I can let go of the chatter in the 'mind' and return to awareness of my own presence -my body here, in this moment, in the now. I can awaken to the reality that I am not just a talking head; I am a living breathing organism.

As I return to my self perhaps, if I am quiet enough, I can see that what I truly wish for in my heart of hearts cannot be found outside of my self in worldly striving, it is here, in this Peace. Everything I truly wish for can only be found through Being in this moment and this moment and this moment and so on. When I forget and am taken again by the outer world and lose the connection to self, in every moment I have an opportunity to stop, breathe, let go, and return.

Stop
Breathe
Let go
Be Still
Return
Be Peace Full
BE

  

Who Is Talking?

This morning, as body and mind were waking up, I noticed a stream of words going through the head. I wondered what was being said and who (which part of me) was talking so early in the morning with such a forward moving energy. I listened to the internal chatter for a bit and recognized it as the part of me that plans my work day. It was already laying out the schedule, making lists and expressing worry about whether this or that item would sell. As I listened to it, I noticed it's force lessening and disappearing like a wisp of smoke. That part was replaced by another. This one complained about a disagreement it had become attached to. It was reliving the argument, listing its grievances. It also disappeared under the light of my attention. I waited a few moments longer, all nice and cozy under the covers to see if any other part had something to say; none did. Except for breath and heart beat, there was a beautiful silence internally. I closed my eyes and began the morning exercise of bringing my attention to all parts of my body, one by one, head to toe - re-membering myself. More connected now and much more awake, I consciously recited "gratitudes" for everything  and everyone I would come into contact with today. Aware of self in movement, I rose, showered and dressed, still listening, still conscious of self as Being, now making my work day lists - intentionally.

I know that there will be forgetting to remember self, but I am prepared - my intention is to be aware of self in movement. I know there will be many  times when the clamor of "talking" in my head will come with associations to what I see with my eyes and I will be 'taken', however, I also know that I don't believe everything I hear in that mode. I know what I want. I wish to BE.

Be In Self
Be in Movement
Be Listening
BE

Patience

Mastering patience is necessary. You must first find out what it means to Be patient; what patience really is. Patience is not what you automatically 'think'.  Practice patience in all things, with all people and situations, with yourself, with everything. Practice this all the time. Practice until you do not have to practice any more because you can Be patient, even when you act swiftly.

Be Still Inside
Be Patient
BE

The Octave of Easter

Russian Icon  16th Century

This entire post is taken from Wikipedia:

"The term Octave of Easter [can] refer to the eight day period from Easter Sunday until the Sunday following Easter, inclusive; or it may only refer to that Sunday after Easter, the Octave Day of Easter sometimes known as Low Sunday.

That Sunday is also known historically as St. Thomas Sunday St. Thomas Sunday is so called because the Gospel reading always relates the story of "Doubting Thomas," in which Thomas the Apostle comes to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus only after being told by the resurrected Christ to place his finger in the nail marks and his hand in His side. In the Gospel accounts, this event takes place on the eighth day after the Resurrection, hence their significance for this Sunday (John 20:19-29

In the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and certain Eastern Catholic churches, the first Sunday after Pascha (Easter) is known as Thomas Sunday, after the Gospel passage read that day (John 20:19-31) which recounts the story of Christ appearing to the Apostle Thomas in order to dispel his doubt about the Resurrection. It should be noted that among Eastern Christians Thomas is not so much remembered as "doubting Thomas," but is rather remembered for his confession of faith: "My Lord and my God," thus being the first to publicly proclaim the two natures of Christ: human and divine.

The entire week from Pascha to Thomas Sunday, known as Bright Week or Renewal Week, is considered to be one continuous day. The hymns chanted every day are identical to those chanted on the Sunday of Pascha, with the exception of a few parts that are taken from the Octoechos (the "Book of the Eight Tones"). Each day has a different tone: Easter Sunday is Tone One, Bright Monday is Tone Two, and so on through the eight tones (skipping Tone Seven, the "Grave Tone"). On Bright Friday, in addition to the normal Paschal hymns, special stichera and a canon in honor of the Theotokos (Mother of God) are chanted in commemoration of her Icon of the "Life-giving Spring." During all of Bright Week the Royal Doors on the Iconostasis are kept open—the only time of the year when this occurs. The doors are closed before the Ninth Hour on the eve of Thomas Sunday. However, the Afterfeast of Pascha will continue until the eve of the Ascension.

Be Peace

Be Love

Be Good

BE

(Butterfly photo)

Free, free at last,

Great God almighty,

Free at last

Be yourself, no matter what.

BE

Happy 2010

“What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”  ~ Mother Teresa of Calcutta

~

"Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne  (long, long ago)?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you'll buy your pint cup !
and surely I'll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We [too] have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

We [too] have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine (dawn);
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o' thine !
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne."

~ 

I Wish everyone, everywhere a year filled with Illumination and Peace.

BE Peaceful
BE Under Standing
BE Loving
BE True

God Is Love
BE Love 

"Oh Crist Mass Tree"

He thinks he understands.
He thinks with his head brain.
She believes she knows.
The voices in her head tell her so.
He thinks he is wise.
He's just learned a few tricks.
 All
Blind pain bodies.
Dictating, orchestrating
In illusion.

What is the duty of a real friend?
What is the greatest Gift you can give?

BE LOVE
BE Happy Holy Days
BE

Humble Pie is a Good Thing

Humble Pie is a Good Thing

BE Humble
Eat some Humble pie
A suggestion to the ego
To PRACTICE Humility

Entertain the idea
Perhaps all would go easier for you
If you would only…

Wait to see

Who and what is standing in front of you
Stay all those reactive parts
Entice your "brain" with the promise

Perhaps the deep sorrow you experience
Is your heart yearning.

Open to Love

You are them
They are you
You are it
It is you

All connected
One very long Golden thread

What is all the fear about?
Afraid you won’t get your share?
Afraid you won’t get enough?
Afraid you will be tricked?
Afraid you won't get a return on your "investments"?

Stop being a puffed up goose
Your hissing keeps you from what you want most
Your doubt chokes and empties your life
Until you are dead
Worse than stone

Already consumed by the moon

Be at Peace,
Lalo

Disappointment

I was speaking with a young man (young to me is mid thirties LOL) the other day about where he finds himself in his life now. He is seriously disappointed and filled with fear. He did not know which way to turn so, on a friend's advice, he contacted me for help. His voice was shaky and he cried several times during the conversation. He has just lost his job, he's not as buff as he used to be when he was twenty and with no job and no money - he can't get a decent date. As soon as women find he is unemployed, they run the other way. He does not understand what happened and how he got to where he is - he blames everyone else for his situation, complains about the government and everyone who has "done him wrong."

Somehow the story of the Ant and the Grasshopper keeps running through my mind - simple but true.

This is his inner script, his hit movie, the illusion he runs in his head and believes so completely. He will argue and argue should you suggest anything that challenges his viewpoints and analysis of his situation. He wants help but the door is closed to any suggestions that point to looking within.

There are millions who have been thrust into this new state . They are forced now to wake up every morning on the edges of reality. They have been shaken out of bed and dumped onto the cold hard floor in their jammies - waking just a bit to realize their lives have been mostly an illusion; beginning to realize they have put all their eggs into an illusory basket and there are really no eggs.

Karmic payback for not having fed the starving men women and children or the helped the homeless in our own and other countries when they could have? ..... I'm jus sayin'....

Now that the world economy has shifted and the majority has finally been dragged out of denial about environmental issues and the big changes taking place on the planet and thus in people's lives, the dream is over. It is wake up time. It is time to get to work cleaning up the mess and taking individual responsibility for what happens next on this planet and in our lives - or are you still in denial and going to continue the lifestyle of me, me, me? Do something for someone else. Begin by practicing random acts of kindness privately without ever telling anyone else about them. See what happens inside you. What can you do to lift the world's energy to a more positive level? "Horton Hears a Who" wasn't just written to amuse children.

Thought for the day:

What do you do when you are disappointed? Do you own your own part in the disappointment and keep moving toward your goals with a healthy positive attitude or do you wallow in self pity and look for an easy way out?

Acknowledge, accept, release

BE Peaceful