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fun & sun in aruba

And I got chills reading your blog, Michael. Because there you are at a beautiful resort in Aruba with Alicia, and friends and acquaintances, eating, drinking, most likely there’s dancing and good conversation. It’s an absolutely beautiful evening. You leave because Sebastian is ready for sleep, and you both walk slowly along a path, you find a place to sit, there’s a cool breeze, you watch your baby fall asleep in your arms, and the laughter and chatter of your fellow party goers enjoying a good time reaches your ears and you smile, the stars have filled the sky above. And there you are completely relaxed – totally aware and immersed in the present moment – and appreciating all of it. And you feel blessed. And Sebastian’s lucky to have a father who sees beauty and joy in these kind of moments.

“The moment your attention turns to the now you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace.” -Eckhardt Tolle
www.eckhardttolle.com

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alone, with ourselves

What is the use of being busy just to be busy? I know it’s difficult for many people to slow down, to sit, relax and simply enjoy quiet time. However, alone, with ourselves, we begin to understand things about Life that were once puzzling. Quiet time can bring answers to questions that are being pondered. Quiet time allows us to feel comfortable with ourselves, and when we’re comfortable with ourselves we don’t go searching for things in all the wrong places. Once we get used to quiet time, we’ll find that those times we spend with ourselves have their own big rewards. Also, quiet time brings wonderful, new energy to us. And clarity, too. Life is meant to be savoured, to be meaningful, to be enjoyed and appreciated. When we’re anxious about anything, quiet time restores us, and gently nudges us to know Life differently.

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completely still


Do you ever go to bed at night completely exhausted and wanting seven or eight hours of sleep, and three hours later you’re still wide awake? Or do you sometimes fall asleep only to wake up refreshed 30 minutes later? You want to have your wits about you when the day begins; however, you think the way things are going, that might not happen.

A book I purchased in Galway, Ireland gave me a new way of thinking about sleepless nights. Although I don’t have the book with me, I remember a few of the author’s words. She said not to be concerned about losing a night’s sleep, just relax and enjoy the quietness of the night. It’s a soothing way to think. When we can’t sleep we can be still and relaxed, tomorrow will take care of itself. We’ll be fine.

When I don’t fall asleep, I usually do one of two things. I listen to my discs on the POWER OF NOW by Eckhart Tolle www.eckhardttolle.com , or I stay in bed and repeat a beautiful prayer. And when I repeat the words and concentrate on them, a calmness takes over. I give up the noise of the outside world and the thoughts in my head, and get into my own inner world. I read these beautiful words many years ago from a book written by Catherine Ponder, and have since read them in many other books. The prayer:

Be still, and know that I am God.
Be still, and know that I am God at work in this situation
Be still, and know that I am Supreme Good at work in this situation now
Relax, let go and let God
Relax, feel the peace of God
Feel the peace of God’s loving presence
Relax, let go and let God.


“When the mind is very quiet, completely still, when there is not a movement of thought and therefore no experience, no observer, then that very stillness has its own creative understanding. In that stillness the mind is transformed into something else.” -J. Krishnamurti, Indian Philosopher

www.jkrishnamurti.org

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imagine

July 9, Saturday, was a perfect day to go to Strawberry FIelds. A steady stream of people, mostly tourists from many countries, strolled past and took pictures or sat quietly. A guitar player sitting on a bench steadily played the Beatles music. And I was surprised to see so many people staying to enjoy the stillness and the music. So, I sat and watched and stayed for a long time. A man in his thirties got up from time to time to rearrange the roses and remove any little leaf or paper that fell. I wondered whether he appointed himself caretaker of the area. I stayed because I didn’t feel like leaving that pocket of quietness. Pictures continued to be taken and when the guitarist played “Imagine All The People Living Life In Peace” we sang, we hummed, we reflected. I was so glad to be in this place at this time. It was a fine place to reflect on peace for our world.

A second guitarist arrived to play, and the one who’d been playing placed his guitar on the ground. I didn’t want to leave, but it was time. It was a lovely peaceful Saturday afternoon in Manhattan. And the peace was felt by all those who were there. And that’s very good.