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it’s that word trust again

I just deleted a post I wasn’t sure about. That word delete makes me think of other ways we delete events in our lives. It can happen when we have a thought that manages to take over, and soon we’re second-guessing what was once a solid plan.

For instance, I like reading travel essays, travel books, and, well, most anything having to do with travel. Lately there’s plenty written about moving to Cuenca, Ecuador where I live. However, I don’t often hear or read about what happens when people cancel a move, or make the move and find that it’s not what they expected. I suppose it could be a good thing that quite a few travel writers don’t write a whole lot about the downside of living abroad because doubts would take hold, and once that happens, the thought of, I’m not going because if it didn’t work for them, it probably won’t work for me would/could easily sabotage what were once solid plans.

Too bad because simply stated, change is probably calling – change in all its many wonderful possibilities, and moving for movings’s sake becomes a secondary reason. For instance, we move abroad and a feeling of regret begins to creep over us. But before we stress about it, we try to understand the situation we’re in, and why we thought it would work.

Then we stop second-guessing ourselves. perhaps it’s not only about the move, but that we had to go from here to there to meet an extraordinary person who will be instrumental in helping us in a meaningful way, or maybe the love of our life is waiting for us when we get to our destination, or we needed a good enough reason to quit that awful job that was pulling us down.

And so, when a decision is made, we simply trust whatever comes our way – trust we have what it takes to expand, explore, spread some joy, have fun with new experiences, meet people, and at times be open to serendipity and spontaneity. Otherwise, we’ll never know the incredible opportunities waiting for us if we don’t go, or if we let regret take hold. Because for sure, if we trust, they’ll be there.

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Simply be who you are, do what you do best, be where you are called by joy, and let life work its magic on your behalf. ~ Alan Cohen

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the power by rhonda byrnes

There’s a lot to say about the CD The Power by Rhonda Byrnes. Listening to it can serve as a clearing out of unnecessary stuff we’ve accumulated in mind, body, emotions. Basically, it’s about being grateful, the power of our imaginations, and finding all the things to love about life.

It’s a joy listening to the stories and quotes, and as we continue to listen, we begin to sense the power in living a life of gratitude, and the fun we can have in using our imaginations and witnessing the results.

It’s raining in Cuenca. The rivers need it, the flowers and trees, too. Rain has a way of contributing to a tranquil day. So, I’m grateful for the rain. I love the rain. I imagine the rivers rapidly flowing once again. I listen to the rain.

How’s your day going?

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We choose our joys and sorrows before we experience them. – Kahlil Gibran

 

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comings and goings in ecuador

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In the nine months I’ve lived in Cuenca, I’ve heard stories about expats trying to decide whether to stay or leave, and at Stateside stories of people trying to decide whether to move here, or elsewhere in the world.

It seems more than a few people base their decisions on other people’s experiences; they think that what works for that person will work for them. That’s not necessarily the case. Why would we want to plan our lives by what another person does? Their energy, experiences, memories, likes and dislikes are completely different from our own.

Questioning the lay of the land, etc. is important, then if it seems the right fit, we continue with the lay of the heart. This is another way of pondering what to do . . . because the within has its own wonderful methods of arriving at decisions. Sitting still for a while will welcome an all-important decision-maker – one that knows, one we can trust, one who is eager to assist – if we would just let it play its part, too.

When I look back at the times in my life when I followed someone else’s line of reasoning, and put my own aside, things didn’t flow. Of course it’s a different story when we’re in a helpless state, and unable to figure things out ourselves, on the whole though that’s not usually the case.

Learning self-love is a crucial part of the process, and from there we can go on to learning to trust ourselves. Then we learn to trust Life. It’s a nice way to live.

20140510-180248.jpg Look at the usually tranquil Rio Tomebamba with its waves of water rushing pass – thanks to rain, rain, rain. I like it; it’s so alive.

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ancient secret of the fountain of youth book 2

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It could be that some people might consider not buying ANCIENT SECRET OF THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH because of the title. Though once the book is opened, a treasure trove is revealed. Book 1 tells of how it all began. It’s a marvelous story, almost in the category of a delightful fairy tale. It’s a story that you’ll want to read before picking up Book 2 “A companion to the book by Peter Kelder.”

It’s written in Book 2 about Book 1: “. . . It is not essential for you to read it, but it is highly recommended that you do so. In Kelder’s book you’ll find inspiration and magic that can’t be duplicated here. Many people who read the book cherish the experience and return to reread it again and again.”

There are amazing stories of those adventurers who dared to wander into territory most people thought they could only dream about. And then there are the amazing five rites which are fairly simple to do and which have innumerable benefits. The only way to discover their power is to practice them yourself. It’s one of the few books I took along with me to Ecuador. That’s how much I like the book.

To give you a glimpse of what the five rites do, I’ll quote the inside cover:

“In this book, readers were introduced to the Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation, a series of exercises developed over centuries in the monasteries of Tibet and credited by thousands for everything from increased energy to better memory, weight loss, and just looking and feeling younger. Almost as quickly as the books filtered across the globe, letters began to pour into Harbor Press requesting more information on these mysterious rites. Now more than ten years and two million books later, comes a comprehensive companion volume that addresses the unanswered questions of so many readers.”

It’s good to know what’s in the marketplace so that we can choose what works for us, right? Now, if I could find a normal yoga mat in Cuenca, I’d be on the floor practicing those Five Rites:-)

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Someone said, “Have a happy day.” I am; you, too?

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dr. seuss

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@TheRealPsychics: “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!

I really like the above quote. Oh how the memories return of how much fun it was to read his books to my children.
www.seussville.com

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paul selig

I watched an interview – Bob Olson of www.afterlifetv.com interviewed Paul Selig, teacher, playwriter, and writer of three books that were channeled.

Watching and listening was immensely interesting and informative, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this one.

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@JamesVanPraagh: There is no need for judgment. Judgment comes from the lower physical self, or the ego. Open yourself to the light of tolerance & love.

One of Cuenca’s finest

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the magic of some words

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I’m retweeting . . . my way . . . these words want to be shared . . . they speak to the heart, to the spirit, they have their own kind of magic – they show us another way of understanding ourselves and each other.

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@Soulseedzforall: Trust your instincts. Intuition doesn’t lie.

@PanacheDesai: Every one of us embarks on this journey from the Divine and every one of us is returning to the Divine. So what are you worried about?

@soniachoquette: You cannot breathe deeply and worry at the same time. Breathe. Let the worry go. Breathe. Allow the love and intuition in.

I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance. ~Reuben Blades

@james odea: The world is also facing a lot of new problems, most of which are man-made.

@james odea: A great Tibetan teacher of mind training once remarked that 1 of the mind’s most marvelous qualities is that it can b transformed.

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We don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us. – Marcel Proust

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quiet by susan cain

I found a book at Carolina Bookstore in Cuenca; it’s called Quiet The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. It’s written by Susan Cain. I don’t think this book could have been written any better. To read it is to have a clear understanding of what it means to be an introvert. And, if you’re an extrovert, you’ll discover things about yourself that will enhance your life; things you never stopped to think about before because you were always so busy. I’m an introvert and, for most of my life, have been surrounded by a lot of extroverts. And, so I say, If you’re an introvert Quiet will rescue you from thinking you’re a bit anti-social. And if you’re an extrovert, Quiet will enhance your life by giving you a chance to take a breather from your daily strivings. So . . . introvert and extrovert, this well-researched, wonderfully interesting, completely absorbing book just might give you both a new lease on life.

Could Quiet possibly be one of the best books extroverts and introverts can give each other – on this special day? Quite possibly, yes.

Happy Valentine’s Day and ¡Feliz Día de la Amistad! (Day of Friendship in Latin America) to all you introverts and extroverts!

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bumps on the road of life

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Cuenca’s Rio Tomebamba. It’s well-loved and a perfect setting for strolling.

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There are times in our lives when we need to find a way to bring us out of a bump on the road of life. Otherwise, staying too long with that bump can damage our entire day.

Those securely anchored bumps can play havoc with our thoughts, and when that happens, returning to a calm mind can be a full-time job. Uh-Oh!

When a bump on the road of life is strangled in its path without too much delay, we quickly regain our equanimity. A passage in a book, a chance conversation with a stranger, a wise teacher, even tapping into our own wise selves, can snap us out of a bumpy situation.

Ram Dass has written about one such bumpy issue. In lieu of another way, his way makes great sense, and can be used time and again. Because, let’s face it, in today’s world, bumps on the road of life happen, and a quick resolution so that we can get on with creating wonderful lives, is indeed an awesome thing to know.

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www.ramdass.org

“If somebody is a problem for you, it’s not that they should change, it’s that you need to change. If they’re a problem for themselves that’s their karma, if they’re causing you trouble that’s your problem on yourself. So, in other words when Christ is crucified, he says “forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing”, they’re not a problem for him, he’s trying to get them out of being a problem for themselves, because he’s clear. Your job is to clear yourself. In ideal situations you would clear yourself within the situation, but very often it’s too thick and you can’t do that. Now, what you do then is you pull back and you do the stuff you do in the morning or at night before you go to work, you do the stuff on weekends, you do the stuff that quiets you down and then each time you go into the situation to where you have to work, you lose it again. And then you go home and you see how you lost it, and you examine it, and then you go the next day and you lose it again, and you go home and you keep a little diary “how did I lose it today”, and you saw that, and then you go and you do it again, and after a while as you’re starting to lose it you don’t buy in so much. You start to watch the mechanics of what it is that makes you lose it all the time.
If I’m not appreciated, that’s your problem that you don’t appreciate me. Unless I need your love, then it’s my problem. So my needs are what are giving you the power over me. Those people’s power over you to take you out of your equanimity and love and consciousness has to do with your own attachments and clingings of mind. That’s your work on yourself, that’s where you need to meditate more, it’s where you need to reflect more, it’s where you need a deeper philosophical framework, it’s where you need to cultivate the witness more, it’s where you need to work on practicing opening your heart more in circumstances that aren’t optimum. This is your work. You were given a heavy curriculum, that’s it. There’s no blame, it’s not even wrong, it’s just what you’re given. You hear what I’m saying? It’s interesting. Can you all hear that one?”
-Ram Dass, Summer 1989
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Let’s make it a grand day in however way we can.

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by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller

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Once in the head, it seems to stay for hours . . . easy singing . . .

“Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father,
brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother in
perfect harmony.”

I’m wishing everyone a full-of-laughter kind of day.