Aligning with Grace

"If you have made up your mind to be cheerful, nothing can make you unhappy." ~ Paramahansa Yogananda "We must believe in the power and strength of our words. Our words can change the world." ~ Yousafzai Malala "If you are angry when you are doing something, even if you speak of peace,  you are actually engaged in war." ~ The Venerable Pomnyun Sunim Choose your words every morning, as you would choose the clothes you wear. "God has given me the power to change my ways." ~ Mechtild of Magdeburg In the last several weeks, I have made a practice of meticulously observing my language. What am I saying - both consciously and unconsciously? I have also worked to replace not so subtle negative or limiting thoughts with an affirmation expressing the exact opposite of these thoughts and words. It is said, and I have read this in so many places recently - and was also just reminded of it by a friend a week ago - th...

We are almost half way into a new month, and I am beginning to think of the fall season... I am beginning to look forward to nesting, to journeying inward, to curling up on the couch with a  warm throw, and a steaming cup of tea... It is a time for reflection, and greater contemplation... This morning I read an article by Christine Valters Paintner, "Abbess" of Abbey of the Arts, an online virtual monastery, that a wonderful friend introduced me to, and she spoke of autumn and winter and being the seasons of the monk. So true! After the buoyancy and openness of the summer months, there is a true desire for me to retreat, and to give myself wholly to the coming season... The days are getting shorter, the sun sets earlier, and in a few days the Autumnal Exquinox will arrive, followed by the High Holy Days... Paintner began her article with this beautiful poem by Rilke, which I shall leave you with, and I've included another autumn poem by Rilke translated b...

The changing of the seasons is upon us... For the first time since last winter/early spring, I made my way down to the river in a fleece and mittens and my Grover flannels, and pumpkin spice coffee. I only ran into a couple of people briefly. Do you suppose they had any inkling that I slept in those flannels? The colors here, down by river, have been resistant to changing - perhaps because of the long drought we experienced this year. I watched leaves slowly fall off the river birches and maples hugging the river bank... This truly is a season of change. It seems that everyone I speak to is undergoing change of some magnitude or other. I hold my cup of coffee, taking in the expanse of the river before me - stopping to respond to a few texts - having only assimilated into the iPhone brigade barely less than twenty-four hours ago. For someone who always embraced all aspects of technology wholeheartedly, it is ironic I am the last one to come on board with this. I just couldn'...