Lesson # 20: How we can come from nothing.

"Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand."

Lesson # 19: Being awake.

I really wanted to write this entry about meditation. It is an art I've attempted several times with no avail. Whenever I sit down with the intentions of remaining still, concentrating on breathing, and clearing my head, I end up doing exactly the opposite and need to get up within 5 minutes to open a window, clean a dish or just plain move around.

I had a breakthrough today. I sat on my bed, after a pretty below-average morning, and was able to at least sit, breathe, and sort of clear my mind for the better part of 15 minutes! This is HUGE. My biggest battle with reading is being able to sit still long enough to make any serious progress. How many people out there are so conditioned from moving to one distraction to the next that the thought of doing nothing in mediation for 20 minutes is ridiculous?

I want to work on this. Besides feeling extremely relaxed, I think there must be a lot of potential in the art of mind control, thought screening, or just plain sitting still. The only reality we have, is what we let enter our brain, and how we feel and think about it, so if you could learn how to really master that, think of the possibilities! This brings me to everyday waking consciousness.

I've been finding recently that I have been having remarkably wonderful days. The funny thing is, when my sister and I retold the story of our day yesterday (a shining beacon of happiness as far as any day hopes to be), it sounded completely mundane. We... went to the doctor (two of them), we ate lunch, visited her father, and just hung out. But it had nothing to do with the things we were physically doing. It was all about the state of mind we were experiencing it all through.

Besides the fact that my sister makes me extremely happy, I realized, my summer thus far, has been so marvelous, because I am awake. I spend most days doing arts and crafts, or reading, or chatting with my Mom or Mackenzie, but every detail of that day, big or small, I appreciate. I mean, the taste of the coffee, the heat of the sun, the sound of the birds, or just being alone under a tree. I love it all. I feel so awake.

Waking Life

This movie is wonderful. You can watch the whole thing off this Google Video link. I need to watch it a few times and google a few things before it all comes together for me, but the medley of people interviewed in the film are dazzling and they give a great depiction of a whole new world of reality, that was only a foggy thought for me before.

"There are two types of sufferers in this world. Those that suffer from a lack of life and those that suffer from an overabundance of it. 

"A boy has a dream that he can float, but unless he holds on, he will drift away into the sky. Even when he is grown up, this idea recurs. After a strange accident, he walks through what may be a dream, flowing in and out of scenarios and encountering various characters. People he meets discuss science, philosophy and the life of dreaming and waking, and the protagonist gradually becomes alarmed that he cannot awake from this confusing dream."

Lesson # 18: The Cruise

 

“I think that my favorite victory is the ability to feel.”

This makes my heart ache.

Maynooth, Ireland.

I miss this home.

Lesson #17: The beauty of Communication.

Do you ever take for granted the simple fact that when you speak, those around you understand what you mean? Thanks to language we can communicate with each other like no other animal. No matter what we're feeling or thinking, there are usually words, one or many, that we can use to express ourselves to those around us. This is so beautiful!

I find writing beautiful in this way, because whenever I have an "AH HA" moment, I can sit down, and write to the few people who actually read this blog, or just to myself for later, but I can record and communicate a feeling, idea, emotion; almost anything that can spark in my brain can be translated. I LOVE THIS.

I had to write about this today, because I met two new members of my growing family. Since I figured out who I was a few years ago, I feel like I've been picking up a handful of special people everywhere I go and I met two amazing folks today to add to that wonderful collection. To meet people who not only can rebound just about any idea I frantically spill out, but understand it (seemingly always better than I do myself), have felt it or contemplated it, and can elaborate upon it makes me almost bubble over with excitement. How lovely is this world? How lovely is communication and understanding? Amazing. BEAUTIFUL, lovely, brilliant. 

New ADVENTURE

Even though it is nowhere near complete; here's Mackenzie and my NEWEST project!

Castles in the Air : Etsy

Right now we only have our travel journals up, but jewelry and other fun handmade pieces will come shortly :D

The Wonderful

Extraordinary people are a perfect storm. A magnificent accumulation of circumstance and strokes of clarity that comes together to create a seed which takes courage to grow and feed. But if one does, the rest of life will be illuminated by this magic and nothing will be dull again.

Add this one to your vocab.

All rights reserved by the eternal cat lady

Hurtigruten In 5 Minutes

"Norwegian TV recently streamed 134 hours continuously of a camera attached to a boat. Here it is compressed down to 5 minutes."

Lesson # 16: Build Castles in the Air

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. 

Henry David Thoreau

Lesson #15: Courage

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pensiero

This week's lesson is simply, "have courage." I just returned to New Jersey early Wednesday morning and realized I needed to begin making more money, immediately. Like so many others, I usually view money as the one thing that can stress me out and shift my forecast from sunshine to thunderstorms. I strongly believe that making money should always be apart of "the details" and not the entire focus of your life and you absolutely must figure out what you love before any job or opportunity will present itself or lead you in the right direction.

Mackenzie and I always talk about all the beautiful things we love and how many tragic cases we've seen where lives are lost to occupational slavery, but in order to escape that you must first find your passion and then have the courage to step outside the box and pursue. This is what this entry is about, have the courage to follow the beauty and spark in your life. There's no other way to live.

Lesson # 14: You Are Home.

Life will take you in every direction. One lesson I learned on a train traveling from Germany to Italy was, "Life is about feeling it all; the happiness, the sadness, feeling tired, being hurt, working, loving, all of it." The man who told me that was right.  Humans go from one emotion to the next, from one experience to the next, constantly. There's no stopping and no shielding against what tomorrow brings, but if you learn to be balanced internally and yet fluid with the external, it can be exhilarating. It is a wonderful skill to understand what you can and cannot control.

I find myself terrified and lonely every time a major shift happens in my life that doesn't immediately produce rays of sunshine. But that constant motion that constitutes our lives will never stop throwing us curveballs and the sooner you accept that, the more you'll be able to squeeze out of your journey. Trust yourself; know that you are capable and strong and that change brings new light and opportunities to a stagnent life and always, always find that bright side. We learn from every new experience we have, we grow and change and develop. Isn't that the point of living? Don't we all want to grow and evolve and change and become better? Although sometimes change brings pain, every experience helps shape us and teaches us how to cope and thrive no matter where our short lives take us.

Nothing is constant, so be comfortable with the instability. Find your balance within. You are home.