Presence and Communication

Sacred and Secular

2008-12-09T10:15:00.011-05:00

I like the dearness of Christmas without the hubbub. Celebrating the tangible arrival of Love (the birth of Jesus), God's simplicity and majesty, makes sense to me. I like the babe in the manger, arriving in the humblest of ways, in the heart of Nature, celebrated by kings and shepherd, grand and common alike. This sounds like appropriate celebration for every person, every creature ever born.

Can sacred and secular live together, mingling within one another? Definitely. A few years ago at a children's mass in Marblehead, MA you could hear a pin drop when Santa arrived at the back door of the church. Hundreds of excited children were silent with awe. Never had I experienced such a holy integration of traditions. The mass was over and the children's Christmas pageant complete. We had only to depart when with lights low and candles glowing, Santa arrived in the back of the church with a small square package in hand. He walked slowly, reverently up the aisle to the sanctuary, genuflected, then knelt at the manager on the side altar. He set his gift there for the baby and quietly departed out the side door. Not a creature had stirred, not even a mouse.

Then this past weekend Santa arrived by lobster boat in the small town square of Rockport, MA. While there was none of the obvious versions of sacred in this secular event, the spirit of love, cherishing, and simple dear joy embedded hereare the very essence of sacred itself. Stephanie Hobart of Sacred World Art sent me the sweet photos here. Her link is above at right. Enjoy!

Wishing you Love this holiday and always,

Kathy

5 Ways to Change with Grace

2008-12-01T10:00:00.010-05:00

When everything is changing, how do we both stay in control and interact willingly versus willfully with Life?

Be Insightful - Think Creatively - Get Physical
Connect - Be Receptive and Generous

Be Insightful
Quantum physics has proven the whole and its parts are both complete and contained in each other. Our body, mind and spirit are part of Life, and Life is part of us, constantly evolving tself through us as we too are evolving through it. Given our inherent union, we have access to Life's infinite potential.

To change with insight, learn from what is occurring and then act more effectively with Life, with its creative life force, Love. Focus in your heart and on your uncomfortable physical sensations associated with your current challenge, then receptively ask;

Life, what's causing this challenge?
How shall we resolve it?
What am I to learn from this experience?

There is always something we can do to make a positive difference. When we act consistently, intelligently and skillfully with Love in service of others, we are working in harmony with Life.

Think Creatively
Ask yourself, Where do my joy and skills meet the world's great need? Frederick Buechner, Presbyterian minister and author, said this is often our life's path. Ask yourself;

What does the world need now?
Using my joy, talents, skills, and interests what would I like to contribute to help satisfy that need?
Do I choose to do so?
Where am I now?
What's needed to move from here to there?

Create simple, tangible action plans to create what you intend. Engage with people who are strong minded and strong hearted, people who skillfully take positive action for positive impact.

Get Physical
Act each day in ways that gradually move you toward contributing what you intend. Exercise your physical body. Change what you can change now to have a positive impact immediately.

Connect
Ask for or offer support in new or tough situations. Seek and be for someone a thinking partner, sounding board, ally, challenger, cheerleader. Share your feelings, insights, ideas, actions, results, and next best action to improve your life. Stay in committed action with a group of people doing something you care about - a singing or sports group, your church, school, local government. Research new ways to share your gifts.

Be Receptive and Generous
Let Love assist you in the form of everything and everyone around you. Explore your intuitions, synchronises, surprise events. They are often quiet taps versus loud shouts. Remember you too are the hand of Love. Use all you are and all you have (time, talents, and possessions) to assist others with an open heart and without expectation. Reach out and Love someone. Help them now. You'll know how.

Potlatch - Presence and Generosity

2008-11-20T08:25:00.019-05:00

In these times of financial challenge and change I see friends and neighbors gently and often silently reaching out to help each other, however they can. Deep generosity is steadying us here, like a wave of nameless love, our pride laid down, hands so quietly, kindly joining, making a difference for both giver and receiver. This is Potlach.

Among ancient indigenous people in North America for thousands of years Potlatch was a ceremonial event, one for which the wealthy gave away all that was needed for the celebration. In doing so recipients who were not as wealthy raised the status of the givers by receiving their gifts. And for the next event someone else who could, would reciprocate by giving all their gifts for the celebration.

Potlatch seems not so much about ‘having it all’ as about giving what we have, giving of ourselves. Being with each other in ways that both lend tangible support and assist us in thinking creatively about how next to proceed is an act of Potlatch. The ancients would say that receiving such generosity raises the status of the giver. Surely it enlivens his or her heart.

Potlatch also rests in the heart of the receiver. As the receiver, no matter what is occurring, I choose to believe that in every moment you are offering me the bounty of who you are, however you are. No matter what you do or do not do, you are giving me the chance to discover what does or doesn't work, a chance to learn the skills necessary to more effectively be with what is occurring in the moment.

And when any of us offers, or does not offer, or offers and it works horribly or miraculously, and we still care for ourselves and one another with love, respect and kindness then we have all practiced Potlatch. We have given and received generously of maybe the greatest gift of all, acceptance. Acceptance, being present with what is without falling into it or departing from it. It's here that we help each other discover that we are enough in every moment to deal with what is and to manifest the next best experience.

Paraphrasing the words of a dear minister, in every moment we have the chance to use our talents for the good of one another, and to choose to be with and act from the 'abundance of our extravagant love'. Potlatch.