The four days and nights of the 'OLE DAYS starts Sunday, March 1st. See you back here on Thursday of next week. To learn more about our practice of refraining from new posts and new decisions during 'Ole (pronounced OH-lay) Days, please check out the link to the right (a great interview with kumu Kalei Tsuha of Maui, Hawai`i) for a beautiful description of living in sync with the universe by attending to the moon.
COMMENTS ARE ENABLED. Take care.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Listen … with your whole body … LISTEN RESPECTFULLY
Admitting I am living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities was as important an admission as any alcoholic makes when she works into the rooms, introduces herself by name, and adds, "I am an alcoholic." I've been in the rooms, would still be in the rooms if I could handle the smells. I am not an alcoholic, but only by the grace of god. I have been affected by the alcoholism of others and as they tell us in Al-Anon, alcoholism is a family disease. The similarities between my experiences in recovery from addictive 'side-effects' and life with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities are many, but I can start with these:
I am powerless over other peoples' choices ... yet, I am not helpless to do things that matter for me.
The first step is to admit the 'ism or the sensitivities exists.
The second is to make a choice to turn to a power greater than the struggle.
That's a start. The real work is in the continuing to listen to the power within. The outside visuals, the anxiety of scanning for the triggers (of potential exposure) and the hyper-vigilance that comes with always be 'ON' are loud! The power within is gentle, soft sometimes, and always available to be listened to respectfully. I'm not sure how this writing meditation will play out ... I'm really just listening respectfully to the voice that tells me "Sure, you're taking this dictation just right ~ keep on it."
The point I'm at today is a celebrating time. My dear husband Pete and I have come through so many challenges and I know "I am powerless over many things." With the guidance of my power within I have been led to a counselor who has modeled generous and respectful listening. She is a woman who lives with chemical sensitivities as well, so there is a common foundation of life view between us. Her brand of sensitivities is different and yet we don't spend too much time going through the comparisons. Instead, over the past ten months I have learned to listen to her listen to me. "You are powerless over x, y, 1, 2, 3, but you have such power within." "Do you recognize the mastery in that?" She has asked me that in so many conversations. "Do you feel you are getting enough from me today?" Weekly and now every other week I have been learning the vital skill of listening respectfully to me with my whole body/mind/spirit.
I celebrate because I am making progress reclaiming a transformed self ... a self who lives with an illness that can isolate like Hansen's Disease once isolated. I claim this self with more assurance today. My feeling of attachment to this Kitchenette ... it's a good thing, an indicator that I care for the comforts of regularity. Gently, I notice there are unexpected bouts of tears ... short bouts up they come from where I am aware yes, I know they come from old hurts healing. Then the crying stops. I celebrate my healing today and give thanks to a wonderful woman who has used her own vulnerable and caring self to care for me. Thank you "K." your magnificence spills over and its come my way.
I am powerless over other peoples' choices ... yet, I am not helpless to do things that matter for me.
The first step is to admit the 'ism or the sensitivities exists.
The second is to make a choice to turn to a power greater than the struggle.
That's a start. The real work is in the continuing to listen to the power within. The outside visuals, the anxiety of scanning for the triggers (of potential exposure) and the hyper-vigilance that comes with always be 'ON' are loud! The power within is gentle, soft sometimes, and always available to be listened to respectfully. I'm not sure how this writing meditation will play out ... I'm really just listening respectfully to the voice that tells me "Sure, you're taking this dictation just right ~ keep on it."
The point I'm at today is a celebrating time. My dear husband Pete and I have come through so many challenges and I know "I am powerless over many things." With the guidance of my power within I have been led to a counselor who has modeled generous and respectful listening. She is a woman who lives with chemical sensitivities as well, so there is a common foundation of life view between us. Her brand of sensitivities is different and yet we don't spend too much time going through the comparisons. Instead, over the past ten months I have learned to listen to her listen to me. "You are powerless over x, y, 1, 2, 3, but you have such power within." "Do you recognize the mastery in that?" She has asked me that in so many conversations. "Do you feel you are getting enough from me today?" Weekly and now every other week I have been learning the vital skill of listening respectfully to me with my whole body/mind/spirit.
I celebrate because I am making progress reclaiming a transformed self ... a self who lives with an illness that can isolate like Hansen's Disease once isolated. I claim this self with more assurance today. My feeling of attachment to this Kitchenette ... it's a good thing, an indicator that I care for the comforts of regularity. Gently, I notice there are unexpected bouts of tears ... short bouts up they come from where I am aware yes, I know they come from old hurts healing. Then the crying stops. I celebrate my healing today and give thanks to a wonderful woman who has used her own vulnerable and caring self to care for me. Thank you "K." your magnificence spills over and its come my way.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Engage in good health practices … CARE
Well, I gotta admit the weather is baffling me. Snowed last night. I appreciate the changes because there's always the chance something new will be 'better.' Or, maybe not. I glance over at "The Humor Stick" and read Swami Beyondananda's daily dose of humor. The universe being a "C grade" science project really shakes me up, laughing at myself. Is it okay to get "C's" in your world? Though I have no recollection of my GPA in high school, I do know that it was definitely more C's than the other letters at the beginning of the alphabet. Grades are a dangerous barometer for assessing worth in my opinion. There's all kinds of research and study that prove a narrow view of a student's prowess in the fundamentals of learning can put a crimp in the collective value of a tribe-country. We humans learn stuff in many ways ... and sit down and listen is probably the least effective, least fun way for most kids.
Looking back, I see the two styles of learning stuff in my family home: my brother the Sagittarius was athletic, charming, physical and adventurous. He did a lot. Classrooms weren't his best fit ... he still prefers being outside, and was a soldier who used all his "Sag" to make it out alive. Oh how I see his Value bright and clear from this point. And then me. I wished I were as popular and vigorous as my younger by two years brother. I was serious, funny when comfortable, quiet and observant, I thought a lot. Like most siblings the life we lived and the memories we have of the early years were different. "You thought that?" "I don't remember that?" I was a tough grader, and I remain a tough grader, it's not easy to win my trust. My brother and I are many years older and the thoughts we have about family life and learning seems to be more accepting and forgiving. Both of us have learned to understand ourselves by living life in our unique fashion. In some ways we have switched roles: I was the home-body until my early twenties, my brother rarely made appearances in the home during those days. I left home at twenty-five and have floated in and out every since.
Good for you isn't always good for me. Getting a "C" might be great for you, and not enough for me. In the long run it might be useful for all alphabets to be valued for there uniqueness and not there commonness. Let's see, if there weren't a lot of alphabets this post might read like ....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
Looking back, I see the two styles of learning stuff in my family home: my brother the Sagittarius was athletic, charming, physical and adventurous. He did a lot. Classrooms weren't his best fit ... he still prefers being outside, and was a soldier who used all his "Sag" to make it out alive. Oh how I see his Value bright and clear from this point. And then me. I wished I were as popular and vigorous as my younger by two years brother. I was serious, funny when comfortable, quiet and observant, I thought a lot. Like most siblings the life we lived and the memories we have of the early years were different. "You thought that?" "I don't remember that?" I was a tough grader, and I remain a tough grader, it's not easy to win my trust. My brother and I are many years older and the thoughts we have about family life and learning seems to be more accepting and forgiving. Both of us have learned to understand ourselves by living life in our unique fashion. In some ways we have switched roles: I was the home-body until my early twenties, my brother rarely made appearances in the home during those days. I left home at twenty-five and have floated in and out every since.
Good for you isn't always good for me. Getting a "C" might be great for you, and not enough for me. In the long run it might be useful for all alphabets to be valued for there uniqueness and not there commonness. Let's see, if there weren't a lot of alphabets this post might read like ....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Know that wisdom is found in many places … SOFTEN THE GROUND OF YOUR BEING
Laughter and humor have found their way back into my life. There's a new gadget on the sidebar. I've called it "The Humor Stick" a positively essential O'o in a Makua's life. Every day, there's something ...Swami is playing with my serious genes and it's softening me up in all the right places. My friend Linda turned me back on to the healing from Beyond(ananda) and I simply can't stop feeling the ripple of that act of kindness.
Here's a link to Swami's website if you're curious about the old wizard
Here's a link to Swami's website if you're curious about the old wizard
Monday, February 23, 2009
Feel the heartbeat of the culture … MAKE TIME FOR LOVE
Spring bulbs sprouting through last year's leaves.
A major worm on its way to the compost pile.
The beauty of a compost pile with patches of wheat grass and egg shells on top.The sun is bright today, Spring seems to have a green light. Our compost heap has been perking through the ten months we've been here in Seattle. Heaped up with a layer of fallen Japanese maple leaves our food scraps break down with the help of the hard-working family worms. The birds love the compost pile, too. Perched on it from time to time, eyes alert and poised the early bird gets at least one of those worms.
Season's change happens to us as well. I feel the season change and recognize the complementary sense I have: soon we will be changing place and move on. After nearly ten months in The Kitchenette, we near the final steps to making the vardo our home. I have become attached to the regularity of this place with all its quirkiness and shortfalls, there is comfort in the familiar. Today I give thanks for the gifts of regularity that have aided us in our journey:
- a bed to sleep on every night
- a loving partner to lay beside
- privacy when it is needed
- strength from a Source greater than struggle
- supportive friends and resources
- restorative sleep to mend what can not be done awake
Friday, February 20, 2009
Keep a keen sense of observation … NOTICE
What is catching your attention?
Today is Friday and tonight I turns the comments back on and look to see if any one has something to share.
1. Today I wonder what you are noticing?
2. Are there changes to the plants around you that catches your attention?
3. Is your body asking for your attention? How does it ask?
4. Are thoughts or images popping up more than once in a day/in the week?
5. What are your dreams like?
6. Who are you thinking about lately? Have you been in touch with these folk recently?
7. Do you give yourself the gift of a few minutes or more minutes to be attentive?
Just wondering. Care to share?
Today is Friday and tonight I turns the comments back on and look to see if any one has something to share.
1. Today I wonder what you are noticing?
2. Are there changes to the plants around you that catches your attention?
3. Is your body asking for your attention? How does it ask?
4. Are thoughts or images popping up more than once in a day/in the week?
5. What are your dreams like?
6. Who are you thinking about lately? Have you been in touch with these folk recently?
7. Do you give yourself the gift of a few minutes or more minutes to be attentive?
Just wondering. Care to share?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Question for clarity when making decisions … ASK
We have set a date for moving VARDOFORTWO. We're a month away and there's excitement in the air along with pollens as the trees begin their budding thing. In posts to come we will be asking our friends "Turtle" and "Pellet" about just how comfortable they are with becoming public ... part of the blogsphere. Our life as vardo builders was always contingent upon having folks who would willingly share their lives with us. Months ago "Turtle" and "Pellet" said "Yes." Kinda like marriage, or a promise to wed we have been getting to know each other in new ways. These friends have been in my life for more than thirty years. We met when we were young hippies, in a time when revolution was evolutionary ... we built businesses together, drank beer together, designed futures together, raised babies together. And now we contemplate and anticipate growing old together.
Over at VardoForTwo a commenter asked about our cooking arrangement once we are full-time vardo residents. "Will we build an outdoor room for cooking?" The answer is "no" we will share the large kitchen in "Turtle and Pellet's" woodsey home near Hood's Canal in Washington, and set up camp cooking in the woods near VARDOFORTWO. The specifics of our lives together with our old friends will evolve as we park ourselves on their acreage. We have laid preliminary groundwork for a shared life, and have one more visit-and-chat time scheduled two weeks before VardoForTwo is hitched to the flat bed truck we have reserved.
There are many, many questions to ask and answer, discuss and consider in any journey and if you are a partnered reader you know how relationships need nurturing to flourish. That is our fondest wish for our relationship with "Turtle and Pellet." That it will receive nurturing and flourish... It's a fine day to send that wish into the collective current of good. With every bit of star power and positivity that wish is made.
And so, it is. Love to the Turtle and Pellet ~ ~
Over at VardoForTwo a commenter asked about our cooking arrangement once we are full-time vardo residents. "Will we build an outdoor room for cooking?" The answer is "no" we will share the large kitchen in "Turtle and Pellet's" woodsey home near Hood's Canal in Washington, and set up camp cooking in the woods near VARDOFORTWO. The specifics of our lives together with our old friends will evolve as we park ourselves on their acreage. We have laid preliminary groundwork for a shared life, and have one more visit-and-chat time scheduled two weeks before VardoForTwo is hitched to the flat bed truck we have reserved.
There are many, many questions to ask and answer, discuss and consider in any journey and if you are a partnered reader you know how relationships need nurturing to flourish. That is our fondest wish for our relationship with "Turtle and Pellet." That it will receive nurturing and flourish... It's a fine day to send that wish into the collective current of good. With every bit of star power and positivity that wish is made.
And so, it is. Love to the Turtle and Pellet ~ ~
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