I was reminded today that practicing peace for a new Earth means practicing peace towards all inhabitants of Earth, not just humans; even enormous, hairy spiders!
In general I am a great friend of the creatures of Earth, especially birds. I was just having a conversation with my daughter the other day about how I can’t stand to kill bugs, despite the large quantity of fruit flies that have taken up residence in our kitchen. My daughters know this already because they have watched me capture bugs and release them back outside. For me it really is part of my practice of peace, because truly I don’t think killing anything is peaceful. I find it a real challenge in the summer in my mosquito infested yard, and if I do react and swat at one I feel badly afterward. I still have a memory from my childhood of an afternoon when I was playing outside and there was a colony of ants climbing up the trunk of a birch tree in our yard. I remember killing many of them with a stick - why I’m not quite sure other than I was a child and saw ants as pests. However, I also remember afterward thinking of it from their perspective as the great ant massacre and feeling badly about the ants who were left alive and had lost their family. I didn’t see it as a lesson in peace at the time, but I felt so badly about it that I remember it to this day.
Peace toward all the creatures of Earth has been on my mind this week because of the robin I wrote about the other day, the snake I saw flattened in the road on my walk yesterday and the many squirrels I’ve seen dead on the roads lately. They helped me remember that the truth is it’s not just our planet. We share it with many others. It is their space as much as it is ours. Some of their species evolved long before ours. Yet it seems we don’t always share the space peacefully, but rather see them as intruders in our space.
That’s the way I saw the enormous, hairy spider in my bathroom this morning. Spiders are one creature that I don’t exactly like to be in close proximity to, though I do like the lessons spiders can teach. Today I remembered my lessons of living in peace and sharing space as I ran as fast and as peacefully as I could out of the bathroom. Perhaps as I practice more, next time I will only walk quickly away, grateful for a chance to share the space of peace.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 5
Today I’m working hard on peace; only not in a way I anticipated. I am working with the understanding that inner peace is not the same thing as being peaceful towards yourself. I’m certain that one must be peaceful towards oneself in order to really have inner peace, but I just never thought about it that way before. Somehow I had separated out the spiritual journey of peace from the physical aspect of peace, of treating the vessel peacefully.
I have a tendency to push myself and take on a lot. I have gotten much better over the years at saying no to at least some things I’m asked to do, in order to honor myself and the time I need with family or the need for down time. Well, let me clarify that, I’ve gotten better at saying no to others, but not so good at saying no to myself. I’m learning that clearly today as I’m feeling quite exhausted, but hadn’t honored that feeling enough over the past week to allow for much renewal time.
Now how does that contribute to the peace in the world, you may ask? Simple I would say. If I can’t honor myself, how can I truly honor another? If I can’t be peaceful toward myself, how will I truly be peaceful toward you? For me, peace is a practice and that practice begins with me and moves out from there. Right now I am really feeling the knowing that it doesn’t only begin with practice of inner spiritual peace, but also with the practice of inner physical peace through rest, renewal time and making nourishing choices about what I put into my body in the form of food and drink. In honor of that harmony of physical and spiritual peace and so I can better offer that peace to the world tomorrow, I will post this and go rest!
I have a tendency to push myself and take on a lot. I have gotten much better over the years at saying no to at least some things I’m asked to do, in order to honor myself and the time I need with family or the need for down time. Well, let me clarify that, I’ve gotten better at saying no to others, but not so good at saying no to myself. I’m learning that clearly today as I’m feeling quite exhausted, but hadn’t honored that feeling enough over the past week to allow for much renewal time.
Now how does that contribute to the peace in the world, you may ask? Simple I would say. If I can’t honor myself, how can I truly honor another? If I can’t be peaceful toward myself, how will I truly be peaceful toward you? For me, peace is a practice and that practice begins with me and moves out from there. Right now I am really feeling the knowing that it doesn’t only begin with practice of inner spiritual peace, but also with the practice of inner physical peace through rest, renewal time and making nourishing choices about what I put into my body in the form of food and drink. In honor of that harmony of physical and spiritual peace and so I can better offer that peace to the world tomorrow, I will post this and go rest!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 4
Love was a theme throughout the day today. This year in particular I have been reminded again and again how precious life is. Today seemed full of those reminders. I found out that a friend’s Mother passed away. Really I prefer the idea of transitioning to another form of energy, but that is irrelevant when compared with the loss and grief her family is feeling. Yet, my friend and her family were by their Mother’s side when she surrendered this life. What an amazing and yet difficult gift for them all. To be able to be there, in love and to honor her as she leaves is a wonderful thing, even if it doesn’t necessarily feel wonderful in the midst of it. We have a tendency to have an aversion to the dying and death and yet to hold someone in your heart with love and to send them off onto the next part of their journey with that love surrounding them, what could be more loving than that? So I was glad to hear that my friend had been by her Mother’s side, glad for them both.
I am letting it serve as a reminder to me to appreciate each moment with the people I love, with the warmth of the sun, with the song of the birds, with the laughter of children, with a gentle breeze, with the purr of a cat, with connection to all my human family. Even though I do make a conscious effort to be present in the moment, being human, I don’t always succeed. When my daughters come home from school am I focused on what they are saying the minute they come in and want to share? Not always, sometimes I’m working and only half listening. Do I take a moment to hear the birds when I awake in the morning, or am I too grumpy that the alarm went off so soon? Do I treasure each moment with the people I love? I will be more aware of it now, hopefully. And I don’t mean to get so lost in the appreciation that I’m still not being present, but just the awareness that the simple act of being present with another is a way of appreciating them and the gift of that moment. My heart sometimes reminds me of opportunities I’ve missed with a gentle ache that says, pay attention. I hope to lessen the potentially greater aches of having missed precious moments by heeding the smaller nudges now.
I am letting it serve as a reminder to me to appreciate each moment with the people I love, with the warmth of the sun, with the song of the birds, with the laughter of children, with a gentle breeze, with the purr of a cat, with connection to all my human family. Even though I do make a conscious effort to be present in the moment, being human, I don’t always succeed. When my daughters come home from school am I focused on what they are saying the minute they come in and want to share? Not always, sometimes I’m working and only half listening. Do I take a moment to hear the birds when I awake in the morning, or am I too grumpy that the alarm went off so soon? Do I treasure each moment with the people I love? I will be more aware of it now, hopefully. And I don’t mean to get so lost in the appreciation that I’m still not being present, but just the awareness that the simple act of being present with another is a way of appreciating them and the gift of that moment. My heart sometimes reminds me of opportunities I’ve missed with a gentle ache that says, pay attention. I hope to lessen the potentially greater aches of having missed precious moments by heeding the smaller nudges now.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 3
My practice today centered mostly on peace. The practice of peace actually began last night when my daughters and I went to Kings Dominion to their annual Halloween Haunt and continued into today as I sat with it and as we talked about it. Halloween Haunt is basically a variety of themed haunted houses, as well as fog filled areas of the park called scare zones where people jump out at you. Horror is not my thing, never has been, and I didn’t think it would be something my daughters would particularly enjoy because it’s not really their thing either. However, my younger daughter really wanted to go and find out for herself. I thought she was old enough to have that opportunity, so we went.
It didn’t go well. We waited on line for at least an hour and a half for the first ride (though it was lots of fun!). Then we walked through the scare zone called Feary Tales. The park was darker than it usually is at night and the “fog” so dense in the scary areas that you really couldn’t see much at all sometimes. And yes there were people in frightening costumes with very gory makeup or masks that would follow you or jump out at you. My youngest quickly discovered that she didn’t like it one bit. It made her extremely uncomfortable and unhappy. I was good with leaving right then if she wanted to, but she didn’t want to feel like we had wasted our time. So we went on one more ride and called it quits after that. Even having to walk out to the exit through the scare zones one more time was difficult for her.
Looking back on it I think part of her discomfort was the general atmosphere of not just the park, but also the people attending. The intention of the whole evening was fear created from violence, and that feeling was pervasive. I know it was supposed to be “all in good fun” but from the perspective of peace, it made me wonder why we would think that violence and fear are good fun. Where is the peace in that?
The only peace I found that night was within myself, and I was quite glad that I was able to find it there so that I could share it with my daughters. The crowd was not peaceful; there was a lot of swearing and yelling and one person being led away in handcuffs. The intention of fear and violence had an impact on all there. We have been to the park at night before and it was nothing like what we experienced last night. I don’t exactly regret going because I think it was a good learning for them both; to honor the kind of people they are in the activities in which they choose to participate. I just wish my youngest could have learned that more gently than what she was feeling last night, but I think she learned it quite clearly through the experience. I don’t think it was fear she was feeling as much as discomfort. I felt it too. What an interesting contrast it was for me when I’m consciously trying to live a life of peace to be in the midst of a creation from such a different place. A good learning for all three of us.
We at least could choose to leave as opposed to people who live surrounded by fear and violence that they can’t so easily escape. Along with my daughters, they are part of the reason for this pledge, so that one day none of us will have to leave anywhere to find peace; it will be within and all around us. I believe each choice we each make for peace and love brings us all closer to that world.
It didn’t go well. We waited on line for at least an hour and a half for the first ride (though it was lots of fun!). Then we walked through the scare zone called Feary Tales. The park was darker than it usually is at night and the “fog” so dense in the scary areas that you really couldn’t see much at all sometimes. And yes there were people in frightening costumes with very gory makeup or masks that would follow you or jump out at you. My youngest quickly discovered that she didn’t like it one bit. It made her extremely uncomfortable and unhappy. I was good with leaving right then if she wanted to, but she didn’t want to feel like we had wasted our time. So we went on one more ride and called it quits after that. Even having to walk out to the exit through the scare zones one more time was difficult for her.
Looking back on it I think part of her discomfort was the general atmosphere of not just the park, but also the people attending. The intention of the whole evening was fear created from violence, and that feeling was pervasive. I know it was supposed to be “all in good fun” but from the perspective of peace, it made me wonder why we would think that violence and fear are good fun. Where is the peace in that?
The only peace I found that night was within myself, and I was quite glad that I was able to find it there so that I could share it with my daughters. The crowd was not peaceful; there was a lot of swearing and yelling and one person being led away in handcuffs. The intention of fear and violence had an impact on all there. We have been to the park at night before and it was nothing like what we experienced last night. I don’t exactly regret going because I think it was a good learning for them both; to honor the kind of people they are in the activities in which they choose to participate. I just wish my youngest could have learned that more gently than what she was feeling last night, but I think she learned it quite clearly through the experience. I don’t think it was fear she was feeling as much as discomfort. I felt it too. What an interesting contrast it was for me when I’m consciously trying to live a life of peace to be in the midst of a creation from such a different place. A good learning for all three of us.
We at least could choose to leave as opposed to people who live surrounded by fear and violence that they can’t so easily escape. Along with my daughters, they are part of the reason for this pledge, so that one day none of us will have to leave anywhere to find peace; it will be within and all around us. I believe each choice we each make for peace and love brings us all closer to that world.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 2
Interesting day today. Lots of practice of peace. First off you should know that my family is very competitive. It's apparently genetic. So sports are not generally a peaceful experience for me (baseball season in particular is a time I find it challenging to be peaceful). I got to practice peace watching my daughter's field hockey game this morning and cheering in only a supportive and encouraging way. I have to say not all my thoughts were peaceful in relation to the refs but I did keep my words peaceful at least! I also had an opportunity to send love to a girl who was hurt during the game. As she laid crying on the field I just kept imagining her surrounded with love, knowing that could only help her.
Another chance to practice peace came while driving down I95. I wrote a poem once called Each Life. I remembered driving soon after writing that poem and looking at each car on the road and thinking, each life is precious, each life has value. It completely changed my perspective of the other drivers. I remembered that tonight as I was driving on the highway and looked at each car and remembered those two words, Each life. It didn't matter if I agreed with their driving choices, those two words changed how I was looking at each person. And what if they were to give me that gift as well, as we passed each other on the road? Seems like driving might be a much more peaceful experience then, for each life.
Another chance to practice peace came while driving down I95. I wrote a poem once called Each Life. I remembered driving soon after writing that poem and looking at each car on the road and thinking, each life is precious, each life has value. It completely changed my perspective of the other drivers. I remembered that tonight as I was driving on the highway and looked at each car and remembered those two words, Each life. It didn't matter if I agreed with their driving choices, those two words changed how I was looking at each person. And what if they were to give me that gift as well, as we passed each other on the road? Seems like driving might be a much more peaceful experience then, for each life.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 1
How I lived my pledge of love today had to do with a robin. On my morning walk I saw a dead robin laying in the grass in front of a house on Washington Ave. As I noticed it I thought, Awww, how sad, and continued walking. I got about six feet before I stopped and turned back. I went and stood beside the robin, bowed my head and offered my love and my gratitude for the robin, his song, his colors, his inspiring flight and his life. As I walked away I thought of all the other creatures, plants/trees and people who would transition to another form today, whose songs I would never hear. I bowed my head as I walked and offered them love and gratitude for their songs, that though I will never hear them, echo in the hearts of others.
Thank you sweet robins for the gift of your songs.
Thank you sweet robins for the gift of your songs.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Pledge of Peace and Love ~ October 13, 2011
Posting the Campaign 2012 pledge of non-violence in word, thought and deed on my FB page today inspired me to make my own pledge. Mine will be not only a pledge of non-violence, but also a pledge of love and peace. Now through the end of the year I will attempt every day to be conscious of what I put out into the world through my words, thoughts and deeds. I will make a conscious effort every day to choose from peace and love. Each day I will post something on my blog about at least one thing I did that day that contributed to a more peaceful, loving world. It may only be a small thing, but I believe what we do and think makes ripples that move out and touch others. I hope that I will have lots of peaceful, loving ripples to write about each day. However, I will also be honest about the times I fall short of a choice that was loving or peaceful, because I am human and there will be moments of forgetting. Though I am hoping that just making the pledge will keep the thought in mind and heart enough that it will get easier as I go along, to remember it each moment.
I do have a reason for making this pledge now. It may seem strange, but there is something I have been feeling all week, it feels as though a new Earth has been born. It is a pure and pristine Earth with no veils to cover it, no layers of separation, new and whole and oh, so beautiful! An opportunity to create anew for all of us. Like any fresh, new baby, this baby Earth needs nurturing, love and nourishment. So my pledge is for the new Earth so that it may be nourished by Love and Peace. You may say I’m a dreamer….
How I lived my pledge today was setting the intention of living a life of peace and love by the simple act of making this pledge. There is a great joy that has been ignited in me. I hope to share that with all. For those of you who may be wondering, “What the heck does that really mean, living a life of peace and love?” my only response is, I guess we will find out together.
Peace and Love,
Lynda
I do have a reason for making this pledge now. It may seem strange, but there is something I have been feeling all week, it feels as though a new Earth has been born. It is a pure and pristine Earth with no veils to cover it, no layers of separation, new and whole and oh, so beautiful! An opportunity to create anew for all of us. Like any fresh, new baby, this baby Earth needs nurturing, love and nourishment. So my pledge is for the new Earth so that it may be nourished by Love and Peace. You may say I’m a dreamer….
How I lived my pledge today was setting the intention of living a life of peace and love by the simple act of making this pledge. There is a great joy that has been ignited in me. I hope to share that with all. For those of you who may be wondering, “What the heck does that really mean, living a life of peace and love?” my only response is, I guess we will find out together.
Peace and Love,
Lynda
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