There is only one you, an individual, unique and special, You are the artist in your life, the environment and the things that happen around you , are the materials used for your self expression. Express yourself honestly, and with integrity in all you do. Have courage for the great sorrows in your life, and patience for the smaller ones. Happiness is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to deal with it. If your troubles are deep-seated or long-standing, try praying. It works. When you are happy, share your joy.
Focus on your true feelings, do your best to express your self honestly, practice Makoto (utmost sincerity) in everything you do. Kamuwaza (God’s will) is part of our everyday life, like the weather, it has a purpose, When you live believing in your Oneness with the Universe, not loosing sight of your God given individuality, you will experience the true joy of living. The joy of self expression. We are truly leading our lives when we live expressing ourselves to the fullest…. and this… is what makes us truly happy.
Blessings dear friends are heaped on you today, that your day will be filled with the joy and happiness of a happy heart. Today, Tomorrow and Always ……. Oyashikiri
This picture is powerful, dynamic, it is was taken along the Oregon Coastline at a place called Keyhole, it has been photographed by many visitors who have been enraptured by its vibrant energy. ( This picture was taken by Garry Liddell.) I’ve always had a interest in doors, gates and the like. A door is not just something that closes you in, but it an opportunity to go through or enter into a new discovery. I recall many years ago, while still at the hospital, we had expanded, adding another large component to our corporate structure a new Public Relations Director came on board. He was from “away” meaning he wasn’t local, When I had occasion to meet with him, I found him pleasant enough, but what struck me most was the huge poster he had in his office. It was all doors, all shapes, sizes and colours. Till that moment I hadn’t realized that others shared my “passion” for doors. Like duh!
Sometimes in life we are so engrossed in what we are doing, have to do, need to do, want to do, we forget that there is a whole world going on around us that we are not “seeing” or partaking in, because we are existing and not LIVING. Maybe a month or so later, Michael came to my office with a big round package, he had remembered my delight in seeing the doors so next time he had returned to him hometown, he got me a copy of the poster. I have it to this day, as a reminder of his kindness, and the memory of the Ah Ha! moment I had that day. I had become so focused and caught up in my “job” and “hospital politics” I had lost touch with my “inner voice”.
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles/kindness is to humanity. They are but trifles, to be sure, but, scattered along life’s pathways, the good they do is inconceivable. (Addison)
Finnich Glen, near loch Lomond, Scotland
It is easy to get caught up in our day to day, however if it is important to you, you can always find some time in your day to pray/meditate. Give yourself permission to get in touch with your “inner voice” . with strong conviction and Makoto (sincere effort) you will find the door or pathway that will lead you towards your goal, and give you the “key” or drive to see your “challenge” through. May your day be blessed with positive, loving energy. Oyashikiri
Optical illusion ,movement when there is none, solid materials given a feeling of activity….the photographer’s composition was such that my first thought was not that they were stairs at all, but of the spiraling movement towards a destination. A spine, a vertebra, a vortex. What do you see? each and everyone of us, will react to this presentation in a different way, that is what is so unique about being a human being. In our maturing process we have different experiences, the input from family, friends, co-workers all shape how we “see” the world how we react, and what we do about the challenges presented to us.
After my initial..wow.. and I’d enjoyed the picture for the “art” that it is… my mind began to wonder what it must be like to walk up or down those stairs. Let me tell you, my first thought… for me… would be instant vertigo. It is one thing for me to admire the beauty of the captured moment, it is another for me to imagine being on those stairs. That said, if I was looking at those steps from a different angle .. seeing them from my own perspective, it is very likely that I would race you up the stairs and laugh with joy when I reached the top claiming the prize of achievement! Who can resist a bright cheerful red staircase that leads to a new adventure or sight that will boggle the mind.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder …………………………Life is what we make it……………….Oyashikiri
photographs >Pinterest, Saying, author is identified in picture
There is nothing like a good ole country song to set the tone of the moment.
I grew up on the sounds of Detroit, and MoTown, I would find an American radio station at night and listen to the sounds of a music that spoke to me and had me moving and grooving. I loved to dance and feel the songs, the words, the rhythms vibrated and spoke to me of a life I had yet to really live and experience . Oh sure, as teenager I was sure I knew love, my heart would skip a beat when the groceries were being delivered by the “older” boy who came to the house to bring my Mother’s meat order. If I actually was close enough to see his blue eyes, I’d swoon, to this day I remember him coming in with the box of groceries, his blonde hair, blue eyes and smile, would I really recognize him if he walked in now and stood in front of me, no. Back then I thought Id ‘d recognize him forever, I was so sure his memory would be carved in my heart forever, every love song was about this powerful draw/feeling.
In PL, Precept #15 – All is a Mirror is a one of the Precepts that pays a visit into my days, often. Not long ago I was with a friend who has currently lived through a “heartbreak” or “Heart ache” as she talked I felt her pain, the feelings reached across and joined us, with one single tear, her memory of love lost spoke to me. I heard and felt all the country love songs I’d ever cried to, flash across my eyes in just that moment, from her one single tear. Heart ache no matter how we sugar coat it, hurts, it can render us shattered and vulnerable. Intellectually we know the moment will pass, but gall darn it, while we are living it, its a crusher.
Yes I said country music.. somewhere along the way in my “growing up” especially when I played in the bars of Nothern Ontario, it wan’t R&B they wanted to hear, it was country. That is what life on the road is like when you are a “bar band”. Doesn’t matter you are a Blues band, your agent says you are playing Wawa, Sudbury, Timmins, and Hearst, that is where you head. A gig is a gig, and a string of bookings, hey that is $ in the bank. Besides when you are young, you adapt. I don’t even know if traveling bar bands still exist in this day and age, likely not. Live entertainment is not what it used to be, “back in the good ole’ days” Now it seems everything is streamed.
Even a cracked and broken mirror can be beautiful. Mirrors are seldom perfect, and never do they really reflect all there is to see. One has to look past what is automatically seen, and if you dare, look right into the eyes that will look back at you. My friend’s “heart ache” shows the tremendous love she has in her to share, and her courage to have shared and lived a love that was so strong it shook her world. So many people hide in a comfort zone that no longer reflects passion and strong emotion. Preference is to sail calm waters. Nothing wrong with that, but we all know that calm waters are prone to wave, storms and bad weather.
And then.. like a switch goes on, the sun comes out, the winds die down and its paradise again. When we hit a rocky patch in life, know that it is just one step along the way. Tomorrow is another day. To love and be loved is a gift, a beautiful present wrapped in bow, once the wrapping comes undone, and the bow is tucked away …. what’s inside will either fill your life forever, or fade away. Some memories never go away.
Feelings, emotions, they are so much a part of our every day lives. Is there really a moment in the day when we are not experiencing a feeling of some kind. Is there a moment in your day when you are void of a feeling? I first saw this quote weeks ago. Aside from thinking …wow.. Johnny Depp said this, and thinking, “did he really? Not that I know Johnny personally, but when my mind captured the picture and the thought, it also automatically ran through the files in my memory banks to see if what I remembered of Johnny fit with the wisdom of the words…Funny how the mind processes information coming in. When I think of Mr. Depp. I think of a visit to California and some pirate themed ride at a park I was at with my sister. I smile because it brings back happy memories of being with her and our sudden desire to collect Disney pins.
The image of us wandering the grounds looking for pins to buy, our delight at each new find to add to our now growing collection. LOL this was not all that long ago, we were grown women delighting in the activity of “search and find” it was fun to look through the multitude of colourful pins and decide which characters appealed to us. What we wanted to collect, and share with friends and family. We had fun. We immersed ourselves in the activity and today, I’m not even sure I know where the pins our, but that memory brings back feelings that are happy and joyful.
“You can’t close your heart to things you don’t want to feel” is what the saying above says. PL Precept #12 Everything has a way according to its name. We have choices in life, we can try to live void of emotion, feelings & LOVE…. but that is near impossible. We are blessed with the gift of LIFE, life is living and living is about being alive, When an opportunity cones along with the potential of bringing you happy moments and new and positive experiences that delight and thrill your senses. you have a choice, you can say, no, I want to stay the way I am. OR…. you can embrace the new adventure and be rewarded by new and wonderful experiences that bring a heightened sense of personal awareness to your life. When you embrace your decisions and life with enthusiasm and makoto (sincerity) there is that word again…….. there should be no lasting let down when that moment passes. there can be sadness … perhaps the moment was fleeting… but the reality is.. you lived an incredible “moment in time” and now have this extraordinary memory that has added new beauty to your life.
We accept the temporary beauty and wonder of a flower. We don’t look at the flower and say you are going to die, I’ll mourn you forever. NO, we don’t do that, we accept and appreciate the beauty offered, capture the moment if we can, like this artist did, and move on. Nothing in life is forever, only change is constant. TAO.
Have a good day everyone, be joyful, enjoy what the world has designed for you today. May the love of God surround and keep you safe. Oyashikiri
Over the years I’ve had a strong attachment to the night, its inky black skies, with dancing twinkling stars. Those of you who remember one phase of my life where bling on my fingers was de rigour. ( a must, never met a diamond I didn’t like ) =^_^=. Like the moon, for me all that is bright gives my spirit a life. Where my friends would drool over the sun and gold, I had this love affair with silver, white gold, and platinum. The night skies could turn my romantic young heart to butter. While the heat of the scorching sun sent me running for cover. Differences…. that is what life is all about… The trick is balance and moderation.
The high mountains of China – Tibet
Thank you for sharing these moments with me… Enjoy whatever you are doing today, my thoughts and prayers are with you. and remember -SMILE – allow your beauty within to shine through, not just with your lips but through your eyes.. Blessings – Oyashikiri
Ever tried ice kayaking………….. I certainly haven’t, nor had I even heard of it … There is so much of life beyond what we know in our own personal worlds. So much to see, do and explore. Question begs, do we do them, do we even get up out of our comfort zones and travel the roads, or are we arm chair travelers. No answer required, you know the answer in your heart. Recently I had a “blue” patch, I had a yearning for a good cry, had no idea why. It just washed over me. To me this is a sign from above, means something is happening in and around me and I’m not reading the clues, I’m missing something. The Universe has been obviously sending me subtle messages and I’ve been missing them. We all have such ahHA moments. In our own way, we are faced with a challenge and for some reason, either we follow the same old patterns at dealing with them, or we stumble through the process and really come no closer to resolving the matter.
Tao say, a wise man/woman knows when to stand still. Go neither forward. or sideways.. stand still, retreat step or two.. stop. Practice being still. Pray, meditate.. don’t just do it.. you have to put our whole effort into being still, listening to your inner voice. Really listen. Sometimes we reach a point where change is both necessary and timely, but we cling and try to hold on. Nature is every changing, trying to hold on to something is futile, spring, becomes summer, and summer fades into fall, our lives move forward, whether we want them to or not. PL Precept. #11 Always be with God.
The photographer of this picture, managed to show us the fish in the water, and the stillness of the lake/stream…. I’m winter wearing, =^_^= and long for the sounds of spring/summer and fall…… but today is here, and I will embrace what the day has to offer. Starting with saying my good morning to each and every one of you. Thank you for sharing this moment with me. I so appreciate and love each and every one of you. God Bless…………Oyashikiri
Remember to smile… psst do you know what fish symbolize?
Bonjour! Hey, how you doing today? So happy to share this moment with you.
Feelings what a topic to meditate on. What a range , what a gamut of feelings to explore. smiles and send you love….. Feelings are unique to each and everyone of us. The depth, the breadth of our emotions belong to us. We need to learn to own them. So easy to say, so hard sometimes to do. AND, dear friend not only do we have to own our own feelings, we have to accept differences and respect the feelings of others. We all have different ways of thinking and feeling.
Proverbs of Solomon 25 : 11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Sayings of the wise 24 : 26 an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips
When I was younger, this place or one like it was in my dreams, this is where I wanted to study and be, (China, Fuqing temple). I never got there physically, but today I found this photograph and my feelings of yesterday, came rushing back. Value your ability to feel, feelings are part of who you are. Own them, allow them to flourish and grow, even feelings that hurt or are painful, bring a lesson and their own rewards. Trust and believe in the blessings of the Universe. May you feel the love that surrounds you, today and always. Amen. Oyashikiri
Happy Sunday everyone! Do you do anything special on Sundays, is it a special day for you today, what ever Sunday brings your way, embrace it for the opportunity it offers. Another day to explore the wonders of life, the gifts of friendship you share with others, the weather in all its variety. We are blessed with a magnitude of possibilities. There really are no problems in life, see them as opportunities. Enrich your day and those around you by being a mirror of light, joy and sunshine. S M I L E.
Our souls are not physical, they are the force field of our BEING.
Blessings – Oyashikiri today,tomorrow and always !
Remember the song, Rock and Roll is here to stay, or when we were all hearing about the “British invasion”? Of course not, some of you do, and others have no idea of what I’m talking about. Never -the-less … both are part of “history”, contributed to the world today. Not all that long ago, I was doing research for a virtual blog* I write, when I came across these characters in a haunted house. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the builder of this particular setting and others just as much fun and creative, Being an artist myself, I am often humbled by the ability of others to recreate such fun and authentic looking scenes. The designer, BambiTwice Nitely has given the virtual world of SL a playground for explorers that is unbelievable in the range of destinations she has provided. i.e Medieval Fantasy, Star Wars, Aquatic-Marine and Tropical fish, the list goes on, oh and I must not forget a museum of amazing Illusions, these are just a few. all this to say, because in our limited worlds, we often resist stepping outside the box. Going or doing something that we have never done before, will always bring something new into our lives. Give us a new perspective. Challenge us to revisit some of our thinking?
How has your day been so far, where you on the stairway through the day, are your steps leading up or coming down? Either way, you will find a new vista(s) to explore. We should try to start each day with a renewed sense of appreciation. Smiles through the screen at you. Life is so full of treasures some long forgotten that need to be rediscovered and others that are brand spanking new. Remember LIFE IS ART
Where do you want to be today? Choose to feel the range of your emotions rather than become numb or indifferent. Make your choice the one that will have you being present in all you do, to be mindful of what the day has in store – reach out and share your mega watt smile with the world. Trust you will be empowered. Blessings, Oyashikiri
TAOIST Life is Art (Perfect Liberty precept #1)
contact info.- via blogs
--- there are two energies, Yin and Yang = ONE
---to have balance we must live each moment
of our lives.. with Makoto (sincerity)
The only constant in life is change. I am grounded in the reality of Living.
This is true, in all worlds. RL or virtual. I am me and only me.