Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Reflections


So much has happened this last year that seems to have intensified my life tremendously. What am I learning from all this. That love is the answer to all things. That the world is becoming a better place. That when we are all doing our best in a family or community that we can overcome our problems with love. And when we see someone who is loving, we are inspired to be more loving ourselves, and then we can experience a little microcosm of what the world could be like in a perpetual state of harmony. It is like a dance. It is like doing the best you can even though you know it is not perfect. It is like really dealing with problems and facing challenges, doing that hard work, within ourselves, and having faith that everyone else is doing that too. And it is like realizing that it is all too big to handle and turning it over to higher powers.

And then every once in a while that state of grace is achieved when the whole family or community is happy together, like a beautiful sunny day after a storm, like an orchestra that moment when everything just works right and the energy of the audience inspires the musicians and the magic happens, and you just feel like a part of something big and beautiful. And then this makes you appreciate everything in the world more. Even the little mundane things start to shine. And as you care, you change, into something more glowing too. This gives me such hope that the world is becoming more whole, more healthy, and that as this is happening, so also the world is more able to support the health of each individual.

Oneness, wholeness, health, - it is possible, for ourselves, our families, our communities, and our world!

Now I understand. When I wrote my little contract with myself to dedicate myself to my health 16 years ago, then found myself working towards the health of others, I thought it was because it would help me to be healthier. Now I see it is also because as the world becomes healthier, I become healthier. If you dedicate yourself to your health, if you become healthier, then the world becomes a healthier place, which supports the health of each person including yourself. The cycle of good. No good is ever wasted.

I was walking down the dock today and saw the masts of all the boats reaching upward and outward on either side of me. It was like walking down an aisle of energy that reached up into eternity, like I was at the top of an inverse pyramid. And I thought of another pyramid starting in infinity and reaching down and out embracing all of creation. Of course that is impossible, but it is a nice metaphor for what it could be like if infinity was a place. And it seems like it could be a reflection of sorts.

Here at the top
reaching down
seeing all

Here at the bottom
reaching up
being me

Here at the top
streaming energy towards you
calling you to me

Here at the bottom
streaming my little beacon up
here I am

Here at the top
I'm not really at the top
I'm enveloping you

Here at the bottom
I'm not really at the bottom
But within you

Here at the top
I'm not really at the top
But within you

Here at the bottom
I'm not really at the bottom
But around you
You are in each of my cells
You are my core

Here at the top
I know everything now and always
And I need you to illustrate it all

Here at the bottom
I know only that I know nothing
And yet I am here to be it all

Here at the top
I am love, growing
And I reflect all your love

Here at the bottom
I am loved
A reflection of you

OK, its not rap! Its pretty corny but I didn't have a paper and pen and I wanted to draw a picture of it - so I did this instead. Oh well. These things happen. You'll forgive me I'm sure!


In Joy!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

positivethinkingdiscipline


Overview: Positive thinking takes a discipline of the mind. Learning this will help discipline your food thoughts too.

When you've figured out that a certain thought hurts you (even if it seems like its hurtful to someone else) (Storm's little wisdom Regarding revenge: You have to hurt yourself first in order to hurt another person).

Further, Katie Byron's The Work helped me to realize that when you have negative thoughts about others you primarily hurt yourself! That was a nice thing to realize, but it took a long time after that to actually stop thinking negative thoughts about others. I had to go through several experiences that were like the Universe was beating me up so bad that I had to say OK, fine! Mercy! I'll stop thinking those negative thoughts! And then I had to find a way. It turns out that for me it was a discipline.

You identify which thoughts are hurting you (not hard to do!) and you make a decision to not think that thought any more. Then you discipline yourself to block that thought. You start by ignoring it or giving it no energy. If it persists then you say to yourself - This thought hurts me so I'm not going to think it.

Sometimes part of you will think that it is important to think a negative thought. For instance "My DH doesn't clean up enough". - I know that thought triggers a whole tirade of negative thoughts and emotions, that we just go around and around year after year and that it is just better for me to clean up myself, so I choose to block that thought. But then another voice asks, hey, aren't you just letting him walk all over you, or aren't you afraid you're being used, or what if you are ruining your life by not allowing this thought? But I am learning that when we have big issues with someone else, they are usually reflections of our own problems.

(I love the way Katie Byron puts it so simply - "If its so easy, do it yourself!")

I'm a terrible slob and so I have a super problem with people who are slobs. The more something bugs you, the more you can be sure it is an issue you are working on yourself (or that you feel you should be working on, or that you dislike about yourself). And of course you are attracting these people to your life to show you what your issues are. So be grateful for them! And every time you think "so and so should do this" - instantly turn it around and say "I should do this". and take that wonderful opportunity to work on yourself!

You'll be helping them too! - Setting a good example.

Work on yourself! You can't work on anyone else anyway!

My DH's untidiness and unfairness is his own problem - and the Universe will give him ample opportunities to solve them. Its not my job! Isn't that freeing! And what's more, I don't even have to THINK about his problems - or anyones! I get to have a totally positive mental attitude!

And in that positive mind state, you'll find you have have room for the most wonderful creative thoughts! Life can be good! Right now! OK, it might take some practice to get good at disciplining the mind, for some of us! But it is worth the work!

And this discipline can be used to stay raw or to overcome addictions! Blocking Food Thoughts! If you start thinking about a cooked food you want to eat, you can say the same thing - I don't want this thought. I reject this thought. I don't own this thought. I cancel this thought. I release this thought.

And soon your mind is so organized and disciplined that it doesn't suggest so many destructive thoughts to you anymore.

We all filter our thoughts all the time anyway. This is just being more conscious of the process. For instance dreams - we don't take those thoughts seriously, or literally. Random thoughts, violent thoughts, fantasies, - most of us dismiss those thoughts almost right away. Sometimes strange thoughts that make no sense, like a dream-like garbled stream of thoughts - enters our mind when we're tired, trying to pray or meditate, in bed late at night after a long day - and we just recognize those as not our right mind, not our normal head-space - and we dismiss them, ignore them, or take them with a grain of salt.

Sometimes they can be annoying or confusing, but usually they don't even get that far. So, now I am learning to do this same thing for bad food thoughts. It might be difficult the first few times, but after that - well, you've just created a great new habit! - One that will give you so much energy! A new life!

Co-incidentally, I was talking with a man on the dock yesterday who told me he got over his bi-polar disorder (manic depression) after reading a book about how to control your thoughts!

Thoughts are very powerful! You deserve to live in a positive, stimulating, happy, and harmonious mental environment!

We just went and saw the second Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, and Jome was attracted to the song at the very end - The Call - which he's been listening to on Youtube, and I think its about how thoughts become reality. - Pretty song, anyway! - The movie was a bit full of battles, but it was like "The Good Fight" with a very Christian message - I enjoyed it, having grown up loving The Narnia Books!


In Joy!
Jinjee

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Love's Layered Lessons!

Love! I am learning more from my 1 yr. old Yarrow about love! You think you know love, then something happens, someone happens, and you realize you knew so little. An endless journey, this unfolding of love in our hearts!

Yarrow has been looking at me with this very blissful kind of love, very joyful. And I'm joining her in that joy - and we just sort of bliss out together in love - its very magical - I'm sure many mother's know what I'm talking about - But then today she was a bit upset about something and I looked in her eyes and there was sadness there, but then the love/joy was still there too between us! Like a continuation, unbroken. And it was as though our love made the sadness and joy blend together and become one! As though love is accepting and understanding and sharing each-others bliss as well as pain. It reminded me again that life and death are one.

I am getting many similar reminders of late. Looking at people, people-watching, trying to figure this life out, I notice that there are good people in every type of person. You just can't stereotype or label people really, as far as their goodness goes.

But if you like this kind of learning about love stuff, you might enjoy my ebook of all the things I've learned from Yarrow so far -- which is called The Yoga of Nursing, or alternately titled Nursing For Emotional Intelligence - which also gets in to learning to eat to nourish our emotions in a good way, and why emotional eating isn't really at all bad if done right. The eBook is available on my garden diet site when you buy all the eBooks - - I haven't gotten around to putting it up for sale as a single eBook yet -- I will put a link in here to do that, just in case you'd like to order it individually:

Click to order Nursing For Emotional Intelligence eBook

In Joy!
Jinjee
http://www.TheGardenDiet.com