151.  Past

Principles

Living


The price of accomplishment   
         
Accomplishment sometimes is just a hardening process.  You are directing all your life’s force through a funnel that hardens and molds this force into stone.  All the other elements of life, vulnerability, doubt, and conflict have been sifted out.  Wonder, discovery and playfulness have been replaced.

150.


Spiritual living


All that can be done


Fill up with the world and experience all that comes your way.

At the same time reach up to the above and be enlarged and expanded.

Do one, then the other, and both and you have done all that can be done.

149. Past

Principles

Family

“Mother power”

I remember years ago hearing and reading about the importance of the mother.  New Age studies, anthropological studies, animal studies brought this to my attention.  Lionesses lick their young, cared for them, nourished them.  Human moms hold and hug their young, stroke them, breast feed them, undoubtedly giving them a sense of well-being from the start.

Then I discovered philosophical, psychological, and spiritual paradigms that emphasized righteousness, right over wrong, delayed gratification and discipline.  The key figure in the family was the father.  He set the tone, corrected, trained and guided the child.  No doubt he was important.

Finally I remembered talking to my friend Steve and we agreed that life needed power and being nourished was the key to that power.  The dedicated mother was the source of this.  There is a Christian scripture (I’m referencing it, not revering it) where God blesses the womb that gave birth to the child (paraphrased) which implies all good things in the child originated in the mom.  Your dad might guide you, put you on the right track, but without the strength from the mother there is not enough raw “power” to pursue this track effectively.  If a son receives all he needs from the mother, he will have the strength to live through the day whether he be in the right or the wrong.  Without the nourishment from the mom, even if he is right he will be overcome.  A crude example is what happens in prison to the weakest.

The best situation is to be given strength from the mother and guidance on how to live from the dad.  However, without the strength and nourishment from mother, choosing between right and wrong becomes a luxury.

148.



Principles




Living and life

For the moment there was contentment

In the morning my mind was cleared with a light.  Thoughts that did come were orderly and took their proper place. The darkness was peaceful.  I stepped out to look at the half moon and greeted it.

Last night I had my weekly chat with dad.  He described the Passover get together with my sister and her family and grandchildren.  The grandson read the four questions.  Sounded pleasant.  I did not resent being far away.  A small skin surgery was healing on his arm and he was told to avoid the sun.

I asked him what the correct use of 'lives' versus 'lifes'  was for the plural of life and he answered lives.

After a day of fasting my stomach had quieted and my sinuses too.  A cup of tea with a little milk and honey warmed my insides.  Classical music softly played in the background.  The golden lamp lit up the dark, but not too much.

Earlier possible new writings structured themselves in my mind.  Each phrase settled in its own slot.  As the light hit my head the next step was becoming clear.  It felt big and inclusive. 

As I sipped my tea for the moment there was contentment.

147. Past





Theological




Relating to the maker




Dual relationship

There are two ways to look at man’s relationship with the maker given one believes in the maker.  The first is just between you and the maker.  It exists in isolation and is timeless.  The second is the history of man as related to the maker and where you, the individual, fit into this.  This is less certain, for it depends upon interpretation of the past, which is never a sure thing.  You can intuit you role and standing in the timeline of the past, as long as you don’t write it in stone.

146.  Past




Personal




Unexpected peace

One Saturday I felt some unexpected peace.  Somehow I was thinking or feeling I had not used my life correctly, nor fulfilled my potential.  In realizing this, I felt exonerated and peaceful.  Even, if something happened to me and I had to let go of life, it would be acceptable.  For the moment, I felt free.

144.  Past




Principles




Age




Quiet


Sometimes I've wondered why older people often become quiet, almost with nothing to say.  When younger some sought truth, distinguished between right and wrong, and had a sense of justice.  After a while many things go wrong.  All they see, when looking over the landscape of society is "just get what you want any way you can,” and this seems to work.  This leaves them speechless and quiet.  What can they say?

143.

Principles

Systems and patterns

Certain energies


Have you ever noticed how on some days a certain energy is in the atmosphere?  It could be the way the light hits the landscape, or maybe an electrical current in the air, or from various gravitational pulls.  Sometimes its the first thing you see, other times you see it reflected in people's behavior, reflected in their driving or on their faces.  Each time the energy is unique, having its own 'angle.'  It is neither good nor bad, but just is.  It's as if a certain note has been struck.

On such days our awareness grows.  You are witness to complex systems and patterns that are beyond what we know.  We can observe and watch but it is wise not to interfere.  Larger things are taking place and it is best to step back.

142.  Past




Principles


Systems, patterns, and understanding


Evolving

What you opposed when young is also a part of you. Your reactions to what you opposed formed new beliefs and actions, which eventually also fell short. Your old beliefs were inadequate, your new ones are not fully right, so you remain in no man’s land. What you thought was the answer wasn’t, so you still have to search and look for what makes sense, but it is no longer clear. In this way we evolve into a bigger view of life. Our understanding and acceptance are forced to enlarge.