Working for the liberation of all beings everywhere. Bringing higher consciousness to the planet, one eternal moment at a time.
May, 2024 Bardo Buzz (06-05)
Blessed Be The Obstacles - AI created - Barbara Haynes
Blessed Be The Obstacles
Barbara Haynes
In the stillness of our cloistered lives, there's a rhythm we come to cherish. It's the gentle hum of presence, mindfulness, and spiritual growth. Yet, even in this environment, challenges, which can be viewed as obstructions to our practice, find their way in, disrupting the calm and testing our resolve. At these moments, it's easy to view them as interruptions on the spiritual path, obstacles to be overcome or avoided. But what if these interruptions are part of the path itself?
I do a lot of administrative work as part of my contribution to the community. So, that means there are times when things just do not go very smoothly. Sometimes there are several things not going smoothly all at once. I have observed my reactions to these bumps in the road to be one of irritation, tension and resistance – saying to myself “Why does this have to happen now?" or "This didn't used to be so hard.” I grit my teeth and delve into solving the problem – all the while becoming more and more irritated and tense, which of course, increases my resistance.
A few days ago, I sat down at my desk expecting to have my usual calm and orderly work. Reciting my mantra that the work be used to benefit the community, I sat to work. However, soon more than one thing began to not go so well. Each problem would take time I felt I just didn't have. Irritation, tension and resistance was on the rise. Then, my sister, Jewel came into the office to deliver some paperwork and I expressed my frustrations to her. After listening patiently, she reminded me of a tool E.J. has given us to work with just such situations. “There are no obstructions on the path. Everything is the path, including the obstructions.”
Armed with this reminder I decided to shift my perspective. To view the obstructions as holding an opportunity for growth and transformation. I used the invocation of presence exercise from The Invocation of Presence to transform the energy of irritation, tension and resistance into a way to invoke my presence.
Navigating challenges is less about avoiding interruptions and more about embracing them. When we see every twist and turn as a necessary part of the journey, we open ourselves to the lessons they bring. Using a sudden change in routine, each moment has its place on the path. It all works. And it's all part of the journey toward spiritual awakening.
"With or Without My Agreement the Play Goes On." AI generated image using Night Cafe, style Abstract Curves by vettizon.
Musings of a Labyrinth Reader
HONORING A OLD FRIEND
Marvette Kort
I answered the phone and heard the voice of an old friend from the past who was reaching out for help. I listened while he was trying to remember how to communicate the initial circumstance to be resolved. Responding with a deliberate posture of gentle inquiry, I empathized, hoping to follow his circuitous path and provide what was needed.
During our conversation, I perceived how life whirls by, a complexity of impressions; so many things pop up to pull at the attention. And inwardly the question arises, “Is a response required?”
I witnessed the thread of thought and continuity of actions and events mutate their contexts just as some majestic almighty juggler juggles balls of various possibilities ready to play out any moment as the minutes pass.
Born from the grips of struggling with confusion, he weaves his reality, walking quietly, tentatively like an uncertain child stepping on stage in a large auditorium full of judgmental eyes.
What persists from the encounter is the recognition that the winds of Karma in the Bardo are constant and compelling – one's habits carry one through. Know thyself is not just a principle, it's a necessity.
It is also useful to understand that reality is a projection of one's self. So if I see rigidity, impatience or irritation characterizing interactions in my environment, I need to look inside myself for what these qualities are connected to. Furthermore, I realized that the underlying mood in which one spends one's life will affect how one navigates the Bardo as one's personae loosens its grip.
These observations are fuel for my moment by moment work efforts of remembering and invoking my presence – the authentic connection I have to what is real. Employing consistent self-observation and intentional focused work aims to accomplish within the context of performing one's ordinary tasks – i.e. cooking a meal – build momentum for an outcome oriented toward being of service to the Work.
When I enter the zone of letting go of the personae or chamber of dissolving all reverberations of my organic identity, as it is referred to in the Angels Healing Journey, I aim to be able to surrender and be impartial in order to be attentive and function in a state of high indifference. “When in doubt, go limp” and allow for “fuzzy boundaries” are two axioms that I intend to inform the set of habits that will carry me through.
To check out Angels Healing Journey, click: https://www.gatewaysbooksandtapes.com/books/bk079.html
PINTEREST POSTS
Christiane Wolters
“The Hidden Work” quotes pics and other nifty creations. At least one post a day as a practice and with the intention to bring this to people who have probably never read or seen anything like it.
https://www.pinterest.com/ChristianeDok/_created/
May you feel seen all the way by What Is.
Blessings to all and have a beautiful May.
Jewel McInroy
The statement "Life is real only then when 'I am'" encapsulates a truth about the nature of existence and consciousness. It points to the fundamental connection between our sense of self-awareness and the reality we perceive. This statement suggests that our experience of life is intricately tied to our own consciousness and presence. In other words, the reality, the world we perceive is shaped and defined by our own experience of it.
In our Work, when we say "I am," we are referring to our higher self, initiating our awareness of its existence. The practice of sensing the “I”, develops a relationship, and growing familiarity with its identity. This relationship, fostered over decades by practice, allows one to experience a deeper connection to one's true nature, to others, and to the worlds around us. When one is fully present and engaged in the present moment, life becomes real.
This heightened awareness fosters a sense of gratitude, awe, and responsibility towards the world. By recognizing our interconnectedness with all of life, we are inspired to act with kindness, compassion, and stewardship, contributing to the well-being of all.
WHISPERS OF THE HEART
Michele De Paris & Lexi Anne
In the garden of silence, where whispers bloom,
The heart seeks the echoes of a sacred room.
Voices of the ancient dance with the breeze,
"Open your heart, it's the key to ease."
Through the heart’s gate, where gentle waters flow,
The stream of compassion, forever to grow.
"Within each beat," the quiet voice reveals,
"Lies the power that heals all ills."
The heart, a whirlwind, spins in pure delight,
Catching glimpses of love in the moon's tender light.
Songs of a love so vast and deep,
A treasure in our hearts, ours to keep.
"Listen," whispers the sage of old,
"The heart’s story is the bravest told.
It knows no bounds, it breaks all chains,
In its strength, the universe remains."
Wisdom, a lantern in the night,
Guides the heart through shadows to light.
"Embrace each moment, each breath anew,
Your heart’s pure light will see you through."
Together, they speak, through time and space,
In the heart’s realm, a divine embrace.
A union of wisdom, deep and profound,
In the heart’s silence, the truths are found.
So dance, dear heart, with joy and might,
In the sacred dance of inner light.
Guided by poems and ancient grace,
Your heart finds its sacred place.
THIS IS ENOUGH
Beverly Korenwaser
There is enough here
washing the brushes
rubbing out the colors in my hands
enough here that makes the marrow sing
There is enough here
coyotes crooning to Maritza's "Fado"
dervishes turning turning
to Ravel's unstoppable "La Valse"
And it is enough
to be in stillness
I hear your speechless daughter sigh
a petal falling
There is enough here
in this little mountain town
when friends meet to sing the ancient and lusty songs
a prayer
singing singing
together longing
to make harmony
At the center of your Heart, you hold a mystery...call it Life. -- Tamara Murray