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Today's Daily OM by : by Madisyn Taylor
The Power Within Energy 101 Energy cannot be destroyed, but it be changed and transformed. There is an undercurrent of energy thrumming through the Universe. Like the wind or a whisper, we can sometimes hear it and often feel it. Most of the time, we sense this energy unconsciously without any tangible proof it is really there. Thoughts, emotions, and the life force in all living things are forms of this kind of energy. So are creativity, growth, and change. The impressions, images, and vague premonitions we get about people and situations are other examples of formless energy. When you enter a space and feel an “intangible tension” in the air that gives you a sense of foreboding in your gut, what you are likely experiencing is energy. Energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be transformed or transferred from one person, thing, or source to another. Though energy is formless, it does take form and shape in the way it flows and resides within all things: a grain of sand, a bird, a stone, and an ocean wave. Living things radiate complex vibrations while nonliving things’ vibrations are simpler. Energy is a magnifier that can attract like energies while repelling disparate ones. Many of our reactions to people and circumstances are based on unconscious reactions to their energies. We may even intuitively tune into the energy of a situation we are facing when making a decision about how to proceed. With careful practice and meditation, we can learn to sense the energy within other living things and ourselves. We can also become more attuned to how we are impacted by different kinds of energy. For instance, being around too many energies can leave one person feeling edgy or excited, while another person will feel tired and drained. While some people feel that energy can be controlled, others see it is as the unknowable force that moves through all things. The combined energy in all things plays a hand in birth, death, growth, movement, and stillness. Practitioners of Aikido believe that all living beings share a common energy source that is our life force. Whatever your beliefs, it is worthwhile to explore the roles energy plays in your life so you can understand it more fully. |
Using Yourself as a Pendulum Intuitive Guidance from Within Using your body as a pendulum is another tool you can use to access your higher wisdom. Learning to trust our intuition is something that can connect us with our higher selves. Sometimes it might not seem easy to do this. Our thoughts and minds often get in the way. But by accessing our innermost self, we will find that the information we receive is usually what we truly need at that moment. One of the techniques that allows us to really get in touch with our deepest font of wisdom is using our body as a pendulum. The simple act of letting our physical being lead us in a certain direction can offer us extremely deep insights and help us find the answers we seek. Many of us may have tried using a pendulum or crystal on a chain as a dousing tool to acquire the information we need to make decisions or even find lost objects. Using our bodies puts us much more closely in tune with our being. The process of using your body as a pendulum is to ask your higher self a question and wait for your body to respond in either a forward-tilting or backward-tilting motion. The first step is to really understand how our higher self communicates with us by centering our bodies, asking ourselves the directions for “yes” and “no,” and noting which way our body moves. For a lot of people a forward motion is “yes,” and your body tilting backward is a “no” answer. It is easier to start with simple questions at first to understand how our higher self communicates with us. As we become more used to the messages we receive and how we process them, we can start asking for more specific things such as what dosage of herbs to take or which foods would best nourish our bodies. Using this technique in the grocery store or when shopping for vitamins and remedies can be extremely helpful. Since we are always present in our bodies, understanding how we can use our bodies as pendulums is a tool we can use at any given moment in our lives. Letting our bodies tell us what is happening inside of us will in turn help to guide us through not just daily but also major life decisions. The more we allow our bodies to open up and share with us the connection it has with our deeper self, the better able we will be to truly access the knowledge we hold so deeply within. |
Daily OM
Finding Peace Within A Full Embrace Excluding Nothing If we are to have true peace in the world, we must first find it within ourselves. Most people agree that a more peaceful world would be an ideal situation for all living creatures. However, we often seem stumped as to how to bring this ideal situation into being. If we are to have true peace in this world, each one of us must find it in ourselves first. If we don’t like ourselves, for example, we probably won’t like those around us. If we are in a constant state of inner conflict, then we will probably manifest conflict in the world. If we have fighting within our families, there can be no peace in the world. We must shine the light of inquiry on our internal struggles, because this is the only place we can really create change. When we initiate the process of looking inside ourselves for the meaning of peace, we will begin to understand why it has always been so difficult to come by. This in itself will enable us to be compassionate toward the many people in the world who find themselves caught up in conflicts both personal and universal. We may have an experience of peace that we can call up in ourselves to remind us of what we want to create, but if we are human we will also feel the pull in the opposite direction—the desire to defend ourselves, to keep what we feel belongs to us, to protect our loved ones and our cherished ideals, and the anger we feel when threatened. This awareness is important because we cannot truly know peace until we understand the many tendencies and passions that threaten our ability to find it. Peace necessarily includes, even as it transcends, all of our primal energy, much of which has been expressed in ways that contradict peace. Being at peace with ourselves is not about denying or rejecting any part of ourselves. On the contrary, in order to be at peace we must be willing and able to hold ourselves, in all our complexity, in a full embrace that excludes nothing. This is perhaps the most difficult part for many of us, because we want so much to disown the negative aspects of our humanity. Ironically, though, true peace begins with a willingness to take responsibility for our humanity so that we might ultimately transform it in the light of our love. |
"When you go inside that power, there's no fear. It's so beautiful!! There's no fear there. There's no pain." Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA When we shift within ourselves and evole to our true being it is only then that we exude our power, allowing us to fully embrace what is life. RG© |
Daily OM
Missing Our Old Habits Enduring Discomfort Sometimes when we break a habit or addiction we find ourselves missing it like a dear friend. Whenever we make the effort to free ourselves of an addiction or a habit we no longer need, we are often surprised to find ourselves missing the old pattern as we would a familiar friend. This sounds counterintuitive, because we think we should instinctively gravitate toward that which is good for us. And yet, it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we humans are creatures of habit. This is why we gravitate to people and places—and patterns of behavior--that make us feel comfortable. Therefore, many of the habits we form are not conscious and are based instead on learned behavior from role models who were not always making the healthiest decisions. Most addictions begin as a way of avoiding feelings that are extremely uncomfortable, so it makes sense that stopping the addiction means, for a time, a fair amount of discomfort. The same, of course, is true of habits that we have developed over time that we are ready to release. Just knowing that this is hard, and having compassion for ourselves as we work through this process, can help us to stay the course when we feel the urge to backtrack. It’s also helpful to remember that in time we will establish new, healthier patterns, and the yearning for the old ones will disappear. Eventually, we will instinctively reach for things that are good for us, and the longing for positive change may form the basis of a new habit. The only way to get to this new place is to endure a time of difficulty, which is a challenge we can confidently handle, if we remember that it will lead to the change we seek in our lives. Our bodies, hearts, and minds always need time to adjust to a new way of doing things, but they will adapt, and even become our allies, if we remain true to our vision of a new way. |
Mindful Walking Walking with Awareness Walking meditation is a simple way to connect with your spirit and mother earth in a very grounded way. Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health, but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth. Even when walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times, when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment. Each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings. Walking slows us down enough not only to pay attention to where we are in our body, but also to our breath. Taking time to simply notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to the way in which we breathe is taking a step towards mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and start to recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings are not always related to where we are in the present moment. Gradually we realize that the connection we have with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. By walking and practicing breathing mindfully we gain a sense of calm and tranquility -- the problems and troubles of the day slowly fade away because we are in the ‘now’. The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allows us to create time, space and awareness of our surroundings and of the wonders that lie within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will in turn open the door for the beauty of the world around us to filter in. |
The old people came literally to love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth, and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth. Their tipis were built upon the earth and their altars were made of earth. The birds that flew in the air came to rest upon the earth, and it was the final abiding place of all things that lived and grew. The soul was soothing, strengthening, cleansing, and healing. This is why the old Indian still sits upon the earth instead of propping himself up and away from its life-giving forces. For him, to sit or lie upon the ground is to be able to think more deeply and to feel more keenly. He can see more clearly into the mysteries of life and come closer in kinship to other lives about him. - Chief Luther Standing Bear - Teton Sioux, Born 1868 |
A Stress-Free Home Your Wellspring of Energy Your home will be infused with supportive energy if you take the time to create a stress-free home. Sometimes our lives are so busy that we treat our homes as if they were impersonal places that we merely pass through. But we can make certain that our homes truly feel like our sanctuaries by taking the time to tend to them like gardens, which need care in order to offer us the beauty of their blooms. When we take the time to treat our homes like beloved treasures, we can shift their energy from being merely places to being wellsprings for the replenishment of our energy. Consider that homes are the outer reflections of those who live within. If we feel that the current appearance clashes with how we’d like to see ourselves, it can keep us from fully allowing our light to shine. Updating our homes to reflect our inner landscape need not involve massive redecorating or a large outlay of money. Small things can make a big difference, like simply moving items so that we constantly gaze upon the things we love the most, liberating the treasures we’ve hidden in our closets, using our best dishes and making small repairs. Organizing and cleaning is a no-cost way to remove chaos from our homes and introduce more calm. Lovingly rejuvenating our personal space can become a creative project that increases the flow of good throughout all aspects of our lives and increases our feeling of connection. We can give old things new life by donating them to charity, opening space for newness to enter. Removing stress from our homes can be as simple as putting our bills into pretty boxes and choosing a specific time to deal with them, or removing clutter so that we and our energy can move freely throughout our space. Simplifying our space lets our imagination and energy roam free. We can choose to prioritize our homes, making them the true heart of our family’s activities. Then we are free to focus on what really matters—time to ourselves, to share with loved ones, and to replenish our energy so that we have more to share with each other and with the world. |
"It's time. If you are to walk the path of heart, then it is time..."
Nippawanock, ARAPAHOE Embrace your journey, look to what is inside of your heart. |
[QUOTE=Spirit Dancer;585521]
Mindful Walking [/QUOTEWalking with Awareness Walking meditation is a simple way to connect with your spirit and mother earth in a very grounded way. Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health, but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth. Even when walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times, when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment. Each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings. Walking slows us down enough not only to pay attention to where we are in our body, but also to our breath. Taking time to simply notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to the way in which we breathe is taking a step towards mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and start to recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings are not always related to where we are in the present moment. Gradually we realize that the connection we have with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. By walking and practicing breathing mindfully we gain a sense of calm and tranquility -- the problems and troubles of the day slowly fade away because we are in the ‘now’. The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allows us to create time, space and awareness of our surroundings and of the wonders that lie within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will in turn open the door for the beauty of the world around us to filter in. I love this! Thank you SD. :) I do this when I run! |
Daily OM
Trying to Please Others Living for Ourselves by Madisyn Taylor We may not realize until we are adults that we are living our life to make our parents happy. Most of us come to a point in our lives when we question why we are doing what we are doing, and many of us come to realize that we may be living our lives in an effort to make our parents happy. This realization can dawn when we are in our 20s, our 40s, or even later, depending upon how tight a hold our family of origin has on our psyche. We may feel shocked or depressed by this information, but we can trust that it is coming to us at this time because we are ready to find out what it would mean to live our lives for ourselves, following the call of our own soul, and refusing any longer to be beholden to someone else’s expectations. One of the most common reasons we are so tied into making our parents, or others, happy, is that we were not properly mirrored when we were children. We were not honored as individuals in our own right, with a will and purpose of our own, to be determined by our own unfolding. As a result, we learned to look outside of ourselves for approval, support, and direction rather than look within. The good news is that the part of us that was not adequately nurtured is still there, inside us, like a seed that has not yet received the sunlight and moisture it needs to open and to allow its inner contents to unfurl. It is never too late to provide ourselves with what we need to awaken this inner being. There are many ways to create a safe container for ourselves so that we can turn within and shine the light of awareness there. We may join a support group, go to therapy, or start a practice of journaling every day for half an hour. This experience of becoming is well worth the difficult work that may be required of us to get there. In whatever process we choose, we may feel worse before we feel better, but we will ultimately find out how to live our lives for ourselves and how to make ourselves happy. |
"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of the Earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clear and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people.The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the man, all belong to the same family.
Chief Seattle |
Daily OM
Putting Our Tools to Use Bringing Inspiration into Form We have all built up a toolbox of unique tools to help us navigate life, we just need to use them. Every craftsperson has a toolbox full of tools and a number of techniques to help them bring inspiration into form. In the same way, throughout our lives, we have discovered our own life tools and techniques—the ways and means that have helped us create our lives up to this point. Sometimes we forget about the tools and skills we’ve acquired, and we wonder why we aren’t moving forward. At times like these, it might just be a matter of remembering what we already know, and rediscovering the tools we already have at our disposal. In the process of becoming who we are and creating our lives, we have all gone through the experience of being inspired to do something and then finding the tools we needed to do it. If we look back, we may be able to remember that we used, for example, the tool of writing every day in order to clarify our intentions. We may also have used the tools of ritual, meditation, or visualization to make something happen. In addition, we may have been fueled by a new idea about how the universe works, which is what gave us the inspiration to use these tools. In order for ideas to be powerful, they must be imbued with the energy of our engagement with them, and in order for tools to be effective they must be put to use. This sounds obvious, but often we fall into the habit of thinking we are engaging with ideas and using tools by virtue of the fact that we are reading about them, or listening to other people talk about them. In truth, using our tools is a very personal action, one we must take on behalf of ourselves. Like artists, we are each unique and no two of us will receive the same inspiration, nor will we bring it into form in the same two ways. To discover the truth of our own vision, we must take action by remembering our tools and putting them to use. |
"To be able to greet the sun with the sounds from all of Nature is a great blessing, and it helps us to remember Who is the real provider of all of our benefits." Thomas Yellowtail, CROW |
Daily OM
Bigger is not always better. Having better clothes or a better car doesn't make us better people. Having a whole world of information at our fingertips doesn't make us any wiser at all--it just means that we have access to more information than people used to have access to. Many of us mistake this information as wisdom. To be wise, though, we can't just know things--we have to understand them, and understand the principles behind them. If we're going to be wise, we can't just share facts and figures--we have to share why's and how's. We must reach a deeper understanding of most things and then share that understanding with others, or else our wisdom will be for naught. Wisdom isn't using big words--most wisdom is breathtaking in its simplicity. Wisdom isn't having the answer for everything--it's often wiser to allow someone else to find his or her own answers to a problem or dilemma. These days we're tempted to feel wise because we know more, but quantity doesn't mean quality. What we share can reach much farther through the Internet and the phone lines, but distance doesn't mean as much as depth. |
"...the sacred ceremonies given to us by the Creator are the Heart of our existence. These ceremonies are our first duty." Traditional Circle of Elders. NORTHERN CHEYENNE |
Daily OM
Trial and Error Learning to Trust Divine Guidance Keeping an open mind is the most important step when learning to listen to divine guidance. Anyone who has asked for divine guidance knows that it can be challenging to trust it when it comes. This is because divine guidance comes in many forms and it is sometimes hard to locate it. We aren’t sure if we are meant to trust our thoughts, our feelings, our dreams, or our intuitions to be the carriers of divine wisdom. We are not sure if advice from a friend is the form in which the guidance has come into the world, or if our own opinion is the source of wisdom we need to take seriously. The ability to sort all this out comes with trial and error, and the best way to learn to recognize divine guidance is to engage in the process of asking and receiving. Sometimes when we ask for guidance, we already have a sense of what we want to hear. At such times, receiving guidance can be difficult, because we don’t want to hear anything that appears to be in opposition to our desire. Therefore, one of the most important qualities we need to cultivate if we are to receive guidance is an open mind. It helps to acknowledge what we want, and then to symbolically set it aside, making room for whatever wisdom comes through to us. Cultivating an active relationship with the divine is the essential ingredient to being able to receive and trust guidance when it comes our way. We can make a daily practice of this by using a set of runes, a deck of cards, or a pendulum. We can also use our journals, developing a relationship with the divine through the written word. As we request and receive guidance, we might take notes on our experiences. Over time we will begin to recognize when we were able to hear correctly and when we were not. In this way, we will gradually attune ourselves to our particular relationship with the divine. Begin to trust the guidance you are receiving and soon you will find it flowing with ease. |
"A vision could put you on a path you don't want to follow." Archie Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA There is a saying, "You move toward and become like that which you think about." If we keep thinking about a bad thing, we will move in that direction. If we think about fear in some area of our life, we will probably experience this fear. We move toward and become like that which we think about. If we think about secret things, these secret things will come to pass. Our visions are very powerful. Visions determine our direction, our lives. If you think about lustful things, it's a matter of time before you'll be wrestling with it. We should think about our visions to make sure they include the Great Spirit in every area. Great Spirit, today, give me Your vision to follow. |
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i need to work on this, thank you SO much for the reminder xoxo |
From my tipi the sight of Wakan Tanka
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Daily OM
How do you feel when someone gives you something with lots of conditions attached to it? Here, take this, they may say, but now you owe me. This type of action isn't coming from a loving space, but from a selfish one, and the people who give in this way definitely aren't people who have given freely to themselves. In fact, their need for return on their "gift" means that they probably neglect themselves on a very regular basis. We've all heard the saying that you can't love others until you love yourself, and it's just as true that you can't give freely to others until you're willing to give freely to yourself. If you always have to rationalize everything you do for yourself, you're not giving freely, and you're not able to take from yourself freely, either. Many people neglect themselves because they feel that doing things for themselves is selfish. They feel that if they neglect themselves, they're able to help others more. But if they aren't taking care of themselves and their own needs, then where does their giving come from? Finances are a great example--how can you truly help me financially if your own finances aren't in order? How can you help me emotionally if your own emotional needs haven't been taken care of? How can you tell me to treat myself well if you don't do the same for yourself? It makes little sense. . . . Give yourself something that you need today. Take the time and make the effort to add something nice to your life--you do deserve it. And you'll be much better at giving to others when you do practice giving to yourself first. |
"The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as it was... The country was made without lines of demarcation, and it is no man's business to divide it..." Chief Joseph, NEZ PERCE There is danger when we start to draw lines and boundaries. This is true whether outside ourselves or inside ourselves. The danger is losing sight of the interconnectedness. When we lose sight of interconnectedness, separation, possessiveness (this is mine, I can do what I want) and infighting results. Even at an individual level, if we don't believe we are connected to all things we get self-centered and have self-seeking motives. We must think in harmony, balance and integrity. We must see our relationship to the great whole and conduct ourselves accordingly. Great Spirit, today, let me think beyond boundaries. |
i was gifted with the most beautiful hand crafted dream catcher today. It came from one of Syr's Native friends, she picked out the beading and got it all done for me, i'll see about uploading a photo, it's so very nice!
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Daily OM
When we're angry with someone else, especially for long periods of time, we do harm to ourselves. It's such a simple concept to understand, but understanding it doesn't usually make it easier to control our anger. After all, some things that people do to us or to others are so bad that we have to stay mad, we have to hold onto the righteous anger that results from their actions. It sounds logical, but it's completely untrue. When we're angry or resentful, we hurt ourselves. It's worth repeating, over and over, every day of our lives, until we're free of such feelings. Anger will never help us to move on to higher levels of self, for it stunts our growth and keeps us locked in negativity while we should be growing in positive ways. Forgiveness helps us to cast away our anger. So do compassion, love, and understanding. We have so many gifts available to us that can help us to grow as people that are held in check by our negative emotions that we risk being held prisoner at low levels of being by them. If we're going to move on, we can't take our anger with us. We have to leave it behind or it will hold us down while we beat our wings in a futile effort to fly. It takes a strong decision on our part, and it takes a lot of effort to follow through on that decision, which is probably why so few people are willing to make the commitment to try to live anger-free. It's easier to be angry than it is to forgive, but if we're angry, we're feeding our ego. If we get rid of the anger, we're feeding our higher selves. Which one do you want to be feeding? |
"To me, if you're Indian, you're Indian. You don't have to put on your buckskin, beads, and feathers, and stuff like that." Cecilia Mitchell, MOHAWK The most important thing that determines who we are is on our insides, not our outsides. If we are Indian inside, that's all that matters. Being Indian means to think right, to be spiritual, and to pray. Feathers and beads don't make us Indian. Being Indian means to have a good heart and a good mind. |
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Dear SD,
Migwitch! dee |
Daily OM
Centering and Expressing Communication Expressing ourselves honestly in any relationship is essential to our well-being. When we are in a relationship where we feel listened to and understood, we count ourselves lucky because we know how rare that experience is. We reserve our most intimate selves for the people who, along with us, cocreate an open space where we feel free to express ourselves and listen without judgment. These relationships, which thrive on open communication, can mean the difference between existential loneliness and a deep sense of belonging. We all long to feel heard, understood, and loved, and clear communication makes this possible. Sometimes problems arise in the process of expressing how we feel, but it is always worth it to do the work. Even in our less intimate relationships, expressing ourselves honestly is essential to our sense of well-being. Whether at home with family or in the outside world, successful communication requires some forethought; otherwise we risk blundering through our relationships like the proverbial bull in a china shop. However, too much forethought can stifle us or cause us to pad our words so extremely that we end up saying nothing at all or confusing the matter further. The good news is that there are many methods that can come to our rescue, from meditation to visualization to journaling. If the person we need to communicate with is open to sitting in meditation together for a set period of time before speaking, this can be invaluable. When we are calm and centered, we can count on ourselves to speak and respond truthfully. We can also meditate on our own time and then practice what we need to say. A visualization in which we sit with the person and lovingly exchange a few words can also be a great precedent to an actual conversation. If writing comes easily, we can write out what we need to say; it may take several drafts, but we will eventually find the words. The key is to find ways to center ourselves so that we communicate meaningfully, lovingly, and wisely. In this way, we honor our companions and create relationships in which there is a genuine sense of understanding and respect. |
"...in Tunkashila, there is no time. Everything moves in the blink of an eye. It's as fast as thought. So there is no speed there. There is no time in between." Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA There is a relationship between thought and reality. Every thought is alive, and as soon as you think it, a result occurs immediately. However, to make something happen it may take a series of one thousand thoughts before you can actually see it with your eyes. This occurs because the Laws of the Great Spirit act immediately. When you tell a lie, you immediately experience fear. When you tell the truth, you immediately experience freedom. To the Creator, there is no time. For us to experience the meaning of this requires us to act on faith. Faith is belief without evidence. Great Spirit, today, let me act on my faith. |
Daily OM
Centering and Expressing Communication Expressing ourselves honestly in any relationship is essential to our well-being. When we are in a relationship where we feel listened to and understood, we count ourselves lucky because we know how rare that experience is. We reserve our most intimate selves for the people who, along with us, cocreate an open space where we feel free to express ourselves and listen without judgment. These relationships, which thrive on open communication, can mean the difference between existential loneliness and a deep sense of belonging. We all long to feel heard, understood, and loved, and clear communication makes this possible. Sometimes problems arise in the process of expressing how we feel, but it is always worth it to do the work. Even in our less intimate relationships, expressing ourselves honestly is essential to our sense of well-being. Whether at home with family or in the outside world, successful communication requires some forethought; otherwise we risk blundering through our relationships like the proverbial bull in a china shop. However, too much forethought can stifle us or cause us to pad our words so extremely that we end up saying nothing at all or confusing the matter further. The good news is that there are many methods that can come to our rescue, from meditation to visualization to journaling. If the person we need to communicate with is open to sitting in meditation together for a set period of time before speaking, this can be invaluable. When we are calm and centered, we can count on ourselves to speak and respond truthfully. We can also meditate on our own time and then practice what we need to say. A visualization in which we sit with the person and lovingly exchange a few words can also be a great precedent to an actual conversation. If writing comes easily, we can write out what we need to say; it may take several drafts, but we will eventually find the words. The key is to find ways to center ourselves so that we communicate meaningfully, lovingly, and wisely. In this way, we honor our companions and create relationships in which there is a genuine sense of understanding and respect. |
"If you listen close at night, you will hear the creatures of the dark, all of them sacred - the owls, the crickets, the frogs, the night birds - and you will hear beautiful songs, songs you have never heard before. Listen with your heart. Never stop listening." Henery Quick Bear, LAKOTA |
Daily OM
Resilience and adaptation. These are qualities that can be quite beneficial to us, but which we tend to struggle greatly with. First of all, we tend to do our best to avoid situations in which we need to show these qualities, for they're very often unpleasant. Why do we need to show our ability to adapt unless someone's put some barbed wire in our way? Why do we need to adapt unless we need to grow around a nail or through a chain link fence? If someone does put an obstacle in the way of the direction in which we're growing, we tend to complain a lot before we even think of adapting to the new obstacle. We tend to say it's not fair, and the obstacle should be removed! Unfortunately, I think, we far too often succeed in removing the barrier before we ever have to learn how to grow around it, and we end up learning nothing from a potentially great learning opportunity. We can learn from the trees who stand their ground day after day, just doing what trees do. They grow to be strong but flexible, and it's not their strength that allows them to withstand severe storms, but their flexibility. When they meet an obstacle, they grow slowly but surely around it, without a single complaint (that we know of, anyway!) This moment requires something from you, be it patience, understanding, strength, courage, or something else. There are examples of all these things to be found in the natural world, role models for us to learn from and to take valuable lessons from. The lessons are there for us, but the question is whether or not we see and accept them. |
"The man who sat on the ground in his tipi meditating on life and its meaning, accepting the kinship of all creatures, and acknowledging unity with the universe of things, was infusing into his being the true essence of civilization." Luther Standing Bear, OGLALA SIOUX |
Native Traditions
Some insight on our traditions: Native Americans place a lot of importance on identity and a person’s name. As a matter of fact, individuals frequently will have a new name bestowed upon them as adults and some will actually receive several different names throughout their lifetime. A Native American can request a new name and the tribal Name Giver, or kabir, will consider the request. He could consider the name request for any length of time from a few days to a year. He will bestow the name on the requester during a naming ceremony after the name “comes to him.” The new name will be somehow connected to nature, frequently animals, but not always; trees, the sky, clouds and bodies of water are also commonly used for names. Actually, anything connected with nature that somehow signifies a personality trait of the requester can be used. The tradition of naming even through adulthood represents the changeable nature of humans and that people are not destined to always be the same. http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/a...e-ceremony.jpg |
Daily OM
Forgiveness truly is one of the greatest things in life. I've found that when I'm willing and able to forgive someone else, the burden of anger and resentment that I've been carrying around is gone immediately, and they no longer affect the way that I feel. I'm able to see the world in a brighter, more cheerful way, and my life is much more enjoyable. Forgiving someone else is sometimes important to the person who has caused us pain, but it's much, much more important to me. If I don't forgive someone, I sometimes cause that other person a bit of pain, but I always cause myself a great deal of misery. One of the most ironic things about not forgiving someone, on the other hand, is that the other person very often doesn't even know that we've been hurt or that we're bearing a grudge. We're not affecting the other person at all, but we're causing ourselves to live our lives much less fully than we normally would. In other words, we're hurting ourselves and accomplishing absolutely nothing with the effort. John Gray says that forgiveness strengthens our souls, and I believe him. My soul is strengthened through love and loving, and the more I love others--the more I actually show that love--the stronger I become as a human being. The more I forgive, the less that outside circumstances are able to affect me, the less hurt I feel because of other people's actions. Most people hurt us inadvertently, anyway, and most of our pain is caused by our reactions to what other people do. Take care of yourself, and help yourself to grow and strengthen and live life more fully. Learning how to forgive fully, sincerely, and lovingly is one of the best things you can do to help yourself grow into the person you were put here to be. |
"One of the things the old people taught me about the spirits was to never have a doubt." Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA |
Daily OM
This day--it truly is all we've got. There is nothing more in this life over which we have any control at all. While our actions today may affect our tomorrows, it's still true that we have control only over today's actions and thoughts and reactions. When you get right down to it, you could even say that we have only this moment, for we don't have control over any of our actions even half an hour into the future. There's just right now. If you want to grow and develop as a person, you must take some sort of action today to make sure it happens. That means sitting down and reading a book that's important to you, or even planning to register tomorrow for a certain course or seminar. It may not take place for a while, but by making plans today you can guarantee that you'll be a part of it. I think that we're not taught to appreciate this thing called "today." We tend to take it for granted, for here it is--it has come unannounced, and we haven't had to do anything for it to become part of our lives. It just came. We appreciate those moments that we've worked for--slipping into a hot tub after a long and difficult day, leaving for a nice vacation, receiving the raise at work--but we tend not to see our right now as the most important moment of our lives. So we tend not to appreciate it. But it doesn't have to be so. We can look to this day as the beautiful gift that it is. It really does contain everything, and we can see it all if we train ourselves to do so. You are living in a beautiful new today right now, and you have the choice to look to it for the marvel that it is, or to take it for granted as just another day. Which do you think will help you the most? |
"The land is a sacred trust held in common for the benefit of the future of our nations." Haida Gwaii - Traditional Circle of Elders |
"Humility is probably the most difficult virtue to realize." Thomas Yellowtail, CROW |
Daily OM
The Pursuit of Conscious Wholeness Earthbound Our bodies are living, breathing expressions of our consciousness and should be treated as such. Striking the right balance between our physical and spiritual aspects is one of the most challenging aspects of existence. We are dual beings by nature, spiritual entities bound to earth by physical bodies. In our lifetimes, we are charged with the duty of nurturing and tending both with equal devotion and love. Yet while both aspects of the self are deserving of honor and respect, there is a tendency for people who are more spiritually focused to ignore, avoid, or dismiss their bodies. Similarly, many individuals are entirely ensconced in the carnal realm and pay no attention to the needs of the soul. In both cases, an adjustment is in order. We are whole only to the degree that we embrace both sides of our beings. If the soul is the inward manifestation of our consciousness, the body is the living, breathing expression of that consciousness. The physical self provides the home in which the spiritual self takes root and flourishes. Just as we must tend to the seed of the soul to ensure that it grows strong, so, too, must we care for the protective shell that is the body to make certain it is capable of playing its role in our development. Though there will no doubt be times in our lives when we feel more comfortable focusing on the spiritual self or the physical self, denying the fundamental importance of one or the other can lead to ill health, emotional distress, and a sense of incompleteness. Both facets of the human experience play a vital role in our well-being. The body and the soul are the yin and yang of our current reality. They are, at this point of human evolution, irreparably bound together, and many spiritual teachers agree that the body is one of the greatest vehicles through which to access the soul. In fact, many believe that our spirit has chosen to be embodied as an essential part of our spiritual development. Consequently, it is the responsibility of each person on the planet to forge a marriage between the two, so that these disparate aspects bring out the best in each other, creating a vibrant, dynamic, and workable whole. |
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