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Good morning everyone

I was asked a question last night by someone who is just getting to know me. He said “who are you anyway”, simple question I guess, but it was not an easy answer. I’ve been reflecting on it since it was such a direct question, and I did not have a simple 1 liner answer. For those of you reading this who have followed my many blogs and lived, experienced my numerous discoveries with me, I doubt you could come up with a one word answer yourselves, because certainly over the years I have rolled along life’s roadways simply living what the Universe put down before me. That what life is to me, a journey in which I am always traveling through the moments life presents to me.

When I was actively teaching lessons of the TAO through Chinese art forms, landscaping,martial arts, meditation, body work etc. it was always very interesting to me how different the reaction or answer would be when I asked a potential student why they had come to the Center. How they had arrived at my door. Answered varied, chronic pain, their doctor’s had recommended something I was teaching/offering, anger management, wanting more from the martial arts training they were getting. Health care professionals who needed a release from the day to day pressures of their jobs. Golfers wanting to improve their game. It was a joy each day to work with people who had a thirst for more. We wanted to take back control of their lives, to be more connected. Yes I have been very blessed in this life. I so appreciate all of my life experiences, for without them, I would not be the person I am today.

In schools you are taught lessons, techniques, in life you learn to use these lessons. It is not how much you learn, it is how you learn, it is not in the quantity of things you do, but in the quality of what you do. In the last 20 years I have seen a change in Massage Therapy. I was in one life a certified RMT (Registered Massage Therapist) why because to practice that Taoist ”WAY” of body work, I required certification in the discipline as required by whatever State of Province I was working in. Each geographical place had different levels of competence required. ( I’ll save my comments on this for another visit.) Over my years I’ve had to acquire certification for this and for that, lots of useless pieces of card stock, that in time get grey and time worn and really serve no purpose except put $ into the accounts of the groups/associations that give out the renewal stickers. I never put them up.

For teachers like myself, it isn’t about the numbers or the money, it is about the connection you make with another human being. That said I soon learned that $ does for some reason have an impact on the perceived value of the sessions. I am generalizing here, but often when something is given free or at little cost, less value is put on what is being shared. For most of my adult life, I lived alone by choice. Work was my passion, and my life. Work was something to do to earn money to live, but for me, I loved what I did, and so yes I needed the money to live, but I sure loved the experience of working. When I would get publicity, an interview on television, radio, or newsprint, the phones would go wild. However I am one person, and I can only do so much, so…. in time…. the Universe worked it out for me…. and life settled back to a comfortable pace.

I did not do combat sports, I did work with students of the art at perfecting what they were striving to do. I did teach meditation, active and passive, but with each student I worked out what was best for them. The land and nature were and will always be, part of the teaching. We gain strength through our hardships. It is in repeated and often simple movement that we achieve great things. There are no mistakes, only learning curves.

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE – the TAO

pictures .Pinterest

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Funny how time slips away

This picture* was taken somewhere along the Central Coast, farmland,ocean, ocean, farmland with some nice mountains thrown in along the way for good measure. I talk a lot about quiet, contemplation and the living life as it it presented to you. Being unique each and every one of us, experiences life in a different way. No matter how grown up I get,I never cease to be amazed at how much I am touched by another human beings courage, or determination in the face of challenging news or obstacles that are put in their paths.

No matter how difficult today seems, when you have that piercing moment of stabbing pain and doubt, remember that it is only a passing segment in you life, and that tomorrow will be another day. Actually in an hours time, this moment will be part of history.

LOL how often of late do I hear, darn I forgot what I came in to do, or I know I left my glasses somewhere, for me its my car keys, they turn up, inanimate objects get put down, or left behind when something new (thought/phone call/distraction) comes along.

In PL, there is a Principle that I have to work hard at everyday to do my best to live in this way. It is PL Principle #2, I will not have complaints about others, matters, nor the weather. Rather I will always be creative and will look for shortcomings in my own thinking and actions. Principle #6 – I will not be stubborn, being captured by my own thoughts. There are only 21 principles in PL (Perfect Liberty) but by golly, each one packs a mitt full of lessons to work on … My challenge every day is to try and bring each one into my life as my journey through the day progresses.

It helps me to be reminded to leave the past in the past, and to remember that what is important is what I am doing right now, this very moment. ( I smile thinking of you as I write this knowing that you will be reading my words sometime later today.) A friend asked me who I am speaking to when I get personal … I’m speaking to each and ever pair of eyes that wander through my thoughts with me. I feel very blessed to have met you through this blog. And believe me when I say that I appreciate each and everyone of you, I’ll never tire of our friendship, it will change, it will flow, and it will grow. That is what life is all about.

WE are not inanimate objects, we are a life form, part of the Universe, we survive and regroup, we are like the moss and the lush green forest that reclaims what time forgets. It is a slow process, but the growth is life. Life is beautiful in all its stages.

Ireland – Heaven’s Trail – every two years, (June 10-18) the stars line up with this path. Time – Funny how it slips away =^_^=

Now is always the start of something new. – Have a greet Saturday everyone! You are in my prayers – Oyashikiri

* posted by Monica Roberts -Pinterest

** the land that time forgot, by Peteryoung1 on flickr

*** found on 28dayslater.co.uk

**** blogs4fun271.blogspot.com

**** – Ireland, via Alianne Hemmsherk

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Aging – best before date

Maxine always has something to say! As we mature, age, our bodies start to lose the zest and vigor, our minds may still want to play and experience all that life has to offer, but the balance between body and mind has shifted. We’ve all at one time or another had the e-mails or faxed “words of wisdom” passed around to us.

All cute and all words to quote and use when times get tough when we think we are getting old. Usually if I am to believe the moaners and groaners out there in the 25-45 year age group getting older is a process and accept it or not, it is a journey that has to be taken. The magazines, and marketing shows all want us to think that we can stop the process, there are products out there to make one look younger, or a way to apply makeup so you take years away. The French have an expression, “whether you want or you don’t want it, life happens” that is a literal translation.

Laughter is timeless – Imagination has no age – and Dreams are forever (Walt Disney) I can tell you that when for some reason or another I’ve had to visit a home for the elderly, I don’t hear a lot of laughter. When you look into the faces of the men and women who are sitting there lined up in chairs, facing or backs to the sunshine. You usually meet eyes that are blank, with no laughter waiting to spill over, just a tired, resigned look of apathy. No one wants to be in that position, no one goes out of their way to be alone in their very senior years, but for some this is where their journey will bring them.

Even the young are facing such moments. Social media, has a lot of pluses, but it also has the potential of leaving us more alienated from life than we’ve ever found ourselves before. We (society) has taken steps to ensure that what we put into and on our bodies has a best before date emblazoned on it. We joke, and talk about getting old, but we don’t really prepare, really prepare for old age. We accept that a plant will grow and go through the cycle of its life and die, but our own life cycle, we tend to put on hold. We want to live at all costs, and we are always so busy planning how we will do that.. We do not live the moment. If we are unhappy with something, we cleverly, create other means of satisfying that itch, or passion. There is a lot of talk of improving our own SELF. it is a huge task, do we really work hard putting our utmost sincerity (makoto) into dealing with our own issues. Happiness is something that begins within. One first has to be happy with one’s SELF, in the end, that is all you have is your SELF.

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the joy of transformation

Good morning everyone… how is your day so far? Good I hope. When I drove into the gym parking lot today I found myself parked beside a gleaning black and chrome Harley. I would have taken a picture but hot not been prepared to run into such a beauty. She was polished to perfection. Obviously the rider had ridden her to the gym, but even with the light dust she acquired during her morning ride she shone. I took the time to tour the bike, walk around her and really check her out. Wow, the love her owner showers on her was obvious. When I got home I tried to find a picture of a dirty bike in my files, even went on Pinterest.

Except for action shots like this one, most of the bikes are in immaculate condition. I bet that as soon as that little treasure got back home, it was cleaned down and not a spec of dirt would remain on it anywhere. The motorcycles that I found in my travels, (research) even the vintage old classis, were in top form. Like the motor I used the other day, they radiate love. Their chrome and bodies are pristine. Ok what am I getting at, ladies, not only men love the motorcycle, the motorcycle is an art piece just as an inanimate object. OK not everyone agrees, but there are a lot who do. Myself included.

Most riders I know develop respect for the bike they are riding. They trust the vehicle to transport them to another space in time. And really, until you’ve ridden on one, felt the power beneath you, you don’t realize just how personal being on a bike is.

The first time I took a corner on a motorcycle other than a touring bike, I was transformed from a passenger or driver of a car, to a motorcycle enthusiast. I was ready to grab a rag and start shining the chrome when we got back from our ride. If I thought I loved riding a bike when I rode as a passenger on a Honda gold Wing, ( my legs were too short and I too “little” to attempt to hold a Gold Wing up on my own, I tried!) I became a tad fanatic about a road and off road bike (Triumph Tiger) In a split second, I had been transformed and it was a transformation. I wanted the leathers and I always wanted to be out riding. Good or bad weather didn’t really matter, I wanted the wind on my face, and the freedom of being in Nature unconfined by a metal or fiberglass box around me.

I don’t ride at all now, but the love of the ride has never left me, nor the joy of transformation, the thrill of a new discovery. The true happiness of finding another dimension of yourself in life, how wonderful a shift of gears can be… To do those curves, you have to lean into them, balance, be in harmony with the bike and the motion of being there. You are in the moment. Living it, there is no other way!

pictures – Pinterest

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Roots

Roots the life line that digs in, burrows down and holds a tree in place. Roots travel through the soil around in search of food, in their search they provide stability Ever wonder what your invisible roots look like. Imagine that each experience we live through is another root forming, some are strong and are leaders, others are just side shoots and really only affect us for awhile.

Mother Nature, has given this old beech tree very strong roots, the tree above(top) has very decorative roots. We all know if we garden, or do landscaping, that a tree can be very resilient even when it has had a good portion of its roots cut away by a careless shovel, or with full intention by the gardener. In the woods when I am traipsing through on one of my exploring forays, I actually go in search of roots, driftwood, fallen trees that have somehow come down exposing their root system, it is a treasure hunt, camera in hand I wander happily off trails and into the brush. When I was actively carving and sculpting I searched for pieces that I could carry away that could be recycled into “art” that represented human forms and “activities”. In nature, we see the natural progression of the life cycle of plants/trees. For our personal “selves” it isn’t so easy, yet each and every one of us has roots.

I could be one of these trees, this is a picture of “the Dark Hedges” of Ireland, after all, trees that have lived a long and productive life, are mostly seen along side other trees. We do see stand alone majestic trees, however, usually at one time, they were surrounded by other trees. I am one of many on this earth. But I see myself as a lone individual. Nor am I able to see the scars (rings) of my life. I may feel them, as my body ages, but I do not see them, nor do I see the roots that have held me and supported me through my journey. I am wanting to pay my respects to my roots, I want to nourish and take care of my roots. To do so I first have to acknowledge them, and determine what is needed to keep them strong and healthy.

Now how about this, I want to be this tree offering shelter to the wee ones, (for more info on this picture, follow link shown in picture) Roots come in all shapes and size, the older we get, the deeper our roots. Do you know, does a tree die from old age?

What do you see?

Thank you to all the wonderful photographers who posted to Pinterest

#1- lori-wright houldsworth

#2, beech Derbyhire district,National park, England by Keartona.flickr.jpg

#3 Ireland vickie hopper.jpg

#4 fb.com/nature galleries

#5 gnarled by loominpapa.flickr.jjpg

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Fitness

$minteral, fractal, nature's art found on flickr$

Fitness, what does the word conjure up in your mind when you think of fitness, is it your weight, your overall body’s ability to work out, run, walk, do? What exactly does it mean to you. I went to the gym first thing this morning after the feeding of the dogs. Somehow my body seems to prefer waking up to the familiar routine of walking and spinning. To those of you who have traveled along with me for some time, you remember years ago when I first started at TAC (www.theottawaathleticclubs.ca ) how fired up I was, enthusiastic was an understatement. I was going 7 days a week, you couldn’t keep me away. Thankfully that was back then, now I am much more realistic. ah ha ah. am I hearing some snickers out there.

After my workout, I come home and have fresh fish for breakfast. When I looked for fish recipes I was surprised to find that there were so few plain fish, steamed, or baked recipes, with NO batter, or not drenched in butter or sauces. Anyway, I beg pardon I am digressing. Being back at the gym I find myself more “intune” with a part of me that somehow got very lazy over winter, and truth be told, rather boring.

Ok so I won’t be doing that anytime soon, but I am working out, and I have signed up with a personal trainer. Michelle from Epic Fitness, a smaller gym that’s focus is on personal training. epicfitnessottawa.com Why 2 different gyms, because they are so totally different. Yes they basically are both gyms but their approach and their styles are different. I tried a PT at TAC earlier on my “fitness” journey, but it just didn’t work out, I obviously was not ready for the guidance or really open to allowing someone else help me.

Fitness is not only the physical part of your life, it involves a total commitment from ALL of you. If our Makoto (sincere effort) isn’t 100% then no matter who you are working with, they will encounter a resistance. You may not even know you are doing it, but for you to succeed at achieving your goal, you must partner with the trainer in a relationship much like a friendship so you can accomplish what you set out to do.

C.S. Lewis said >Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival. <

Good Morning everyone! Friday is well on its way. Enjoy the day! Be yourself it is the only way!

Love and Blessings… Oyashikiri

pictures >Pinterest (top picture -fractal mineral.jpg)

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Simplicity

There was a time before cars got bigger, faster, when the world moved at a more leisurely pace. A Sunday drive was something you looked forward to after a busy week. Of course, that is if you had a car, if you were determined, we could ride the bus, then transfer to a streetcar that would take us out to a beach just outside the city limits, where along with other families we could enjoy fresh air and sunshine by the water Today this beach is still there, but it is no longer outside the city limits, it is in the heart of the city and surrounded by homes,shops and restaurants. Life has changed, and with it, the natural wonders that were so available before are now, way way out and require travel by motor vehicle to get there, and even then, it is protected land, or parks that are managed and looked after. To find a really wilderness like retreat, you have to get out the maps and plan accordingly. And unfortunately many of us, like certain conveniences of home to be with us while we enjoy a quiet retreat.

We have friends with a wonderful good size camper that they take off in every year for camping retreats they’ve found over the years. They found a place by the water they can rent, park their camper, and then tour in their luxury truck that they purchased to visit the areas around the park. Both are excellent cooks and bring their skills with them, dining out with them has to be a feast of delights. They didn’t always camp, they took it up only a couple of years back, but once the decision was made, they applied themselves, researched and took action. Now when I hear my friend say, that soon they will take off on t heir first trip of this year I’m green with envy. I’ve talked about doing what they have done, since they first got the idea and acted on it. Years later, they have developed a roaming lifestyle that is very enticing. Thanks to social media we get to enjoy many of their journeys and discoveries, but we (hubby and I) meanwhile, still have it on our “bucket list”

Vintage campers are making a comeback, people are finding them and refurbishing them, fixing them up and putting them somewhere where they can have their home away from home at certain times of the year. In researching for this blog, I saw darling little caravans, little tin rolling cans as they are affectionately called. So caught in my search, I started a folder of small homes/campers on my Pinterest page. To acquire the simplicity that I would so like, requires work! Unlike in a virtual world, I can’t just click on a button and be transported to another time and different location. In the real world, I have to downsize and plan so that I can pick up and go. AND… unlike years gone by……. I have to travel further to find undeveloped spaces. Hmmmm simplicity I hear that to get to some lakes now, one has to be flown in, and guess what, at the other end is a camping resort, that may or may not allow pets. Just saying.

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Buongiorno good morning everyone!

Mineral Flowers @ Danakii Desert in Ethiopia

This is a picture of acid lakes in the Dallol volcano * beautiful sight isn’t it. Zillions of tiny mineral deposits come together to form magnificent little rosettes that in turn, weave and join together to form natural basins for the acid waters to form. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how often have we heard that!

It is interesting how different cultures, we go about finding a mate, or partner. In traveling to the East, I had occasion to speak with a number of different women who were in(what appeared) very happy relationships, and who were all from arranged marriages. I say arranged, not the way necessarily that the west has portrayed them but arranged never-the-less. Having spent the majority of my working life working as a Stress Management Specialist in Health Care, where over 65% of the issues I dealt with stemmed from unhappy relationships, and in many ways very unhealthy “coupling”. I was impressed with the natural harmony I saw and felt when talking to these woman. They found men with common interests and goals, learned what they could about whether or not their goals were similar and found out if their paths were on the same playing field. Then made a decision on whether or not to go forward in a relationship. This also applied to the men, looking for a wife. Two criteria, practical and long term. I’ve simplified this of course , more at another time.

In the culture I’ve lived in here in North America, and the social interactions that I’ve even participated in, is very different. We seem to be attracted first to the “looks” (outer wrappings ) of the object we “desire”. We can date someone for months and yes even years, and know deep down they are not satisfying our inner needs, yet …we hold on….. why…. out of fear of being alone. Not having someone to be part of a couple with, so when we go out with friends, or go places we are doing it with someone else. EVEN WHEN, the activities we are attending or doing (and this applies to both men and women) are not what we really want to be doing. Ah HAH!!!! ring any bells. If you are going to do something, do it because you want to, do it with sincerity in your heart. If you choose to do something, then do it with joy and enthusiasm, you are the only person who is in control of your choices.

I like to live quietly in harmony with Nature. To know what you find compatible with your way of life, you first have to know your SELF, and what you want!. By doing this, you will find a greater sense of inner beauty and calm. God/Nature/Universe is with us always! Oyashikiri

* Acid Lakes -Ethiopia -photographer Pascal Boegli> Pboog flickr

** Natural terrace pools Pamukkale,Turkey (turbotwister.ru)

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Bom dia, happy Saturday everyone!

A lazy start to another wonderful day, closes my eyes, smiles and remembers yesterday. Would you look at this tree, how old must it be, how extraordinary its experiences in life must have been. It is hard to tell from a picture just how high that opening is, right away, I want to climb up to explore inside. In some ways it reminds me of a big bird with its mouth open, and other times when I look at it, I imagine its the entrance to a hobbit condo. Imagination is wonderful isn’t, so is intuition. Both are gifts we were born with, some of us use these gifts more than others.

It is still too cool in this part of the world, to lay in the shade basking under the warm healing sunshine, but in other parts of the country this could be one of your options today. Yes I am a bit of a day dreamer, but what is wrong with taking a bit of “laid back” time for yourself. Value your intuition, often we “know” a little voice tells us, we “need” to slow down, engage in some “me time”. Instead we look at our lists, or to the voices of friends who want to go here, there and everywhere, and you become “busy, busy busy”. We are not machines, and we all know that machines break down, require ongoing maintenance. Unlike the tree in the first picture, we might not show our scars and our age in the same way, but instinctively we do know when its time to rest, when we have pushed ourselves to a limit. The “Universe” looks out for us, Believe and have Faith, listen to your “intuition”, stop planning every minute of your day. Allow time in your day to P L A Y. Don’t wait for a better time, that time will never just materialize. Be good to your SELF today. PRAY=recharge, rain or shine, make this a day you’ll remember. PL Precept #18. Each moment is a Turning Point.

LIFE IS ART…… LIVE IN PERFECT LIBERTY (PL #1 and 21)

May your day be full of blessings you will enjoy and cherish forever ……. Oyashikiri

pictures> Pinterest

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Good Gozaimasu everyone!

Everybody wants happiness, no one wants pain, but you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain *

Another bright sunny day, can’t wait to get outside into the fresh air and sunshine. Having errands to run yesterday, I was out for half the day driving from one place to another, car window down, the air still a bit of chill to it, but I wanted the wind in my hair and that feeling of being on the move. Not convertible time yet, but the motorcycle enthusiast are out. Just the day before everyone was moaning about the rain. Certainly for those having to deal with the challenges that come with a lot of rain and melting from the heavy snows we’ve had over the winter, it wasn’t all hearts and flowers. But to many of us, the rain meant a day without sunshine, it was wet and sometimes inconvenient. Ever noticed that when it rains, the greetings aren’t so friendly, and some are even grumpy.

Have you ever danced in the rain? Have you ever been caught in a summer shower? When I was younger, walking to work with my hair all done, my clothes all fresh and ready for a work day, caught without an umbrella didn’t make me cheerful. LOL.. I don’t think, I know I grumbled and mumbled words that would have earned me a proper scolding by my parents. Older and wiser now, I am more accepting of the rain, I know it is going to rain, and there is nothing I can do about it, I can either stay inside, or go out and enjoy the world and what the day has to offer. I no longer concern myself about my hair, and if I know it is raining I dress accordingly, if I didn’t expect the rain, so what, I’ll dry. Rain has been a part of this world long before I arrived, and it will continue to fall long after I’ve moved on.

I know that I have many of you who share these moments with me ,write, doesn’t this picture evoke some kind of response from you. Wow! The photographer (*** below) really captured a moment here. That dear reader is what life is, we live our lives in segments, it may not seem so at the time, but I can assure you, that each and everyone of you, will come up with a different story line, or thought on what the picture says to them, or the emotion it evokes. Let us all try to live life a day at a time and make the best of each moment whatever the task or challenge, don’t give up, look for the positives in the situation, Life is art ….. and someone, somewhere is living their day in a similar way ….. remember with the rain comes new growth and if you are lucky you will see your own rainbow.