Artists know that
negative space
defines
a composition.
Musicians know that
the silence
between
the notes
is as much
a part of the
experience
of the music
as the notes.
Think of
space
and
silence
when you
breathe,
knowing
that
the pause
between
the
in-breath
and the
out-breath
fills you.
Paying attention
to one’s breath
is a
reminder of
how full of life
we are.
Imagine
soothing
oxygen,
filling
your body,
reaching
every cell.
It is a way
to stay
in the moment.
livinglinesreflections.com
Do the best
you can
with what
you have.
Enjoy the ride!
A 90 year old
shares the secret.
If we aren’t
satisfied
doing
our best
with
what
we have,
we won’t enjoy
what
we did
accomplish.
livinglinesreflections.com
At this time of the year
when
shorter days of light,
holidays
and holydays
combine,
many people,
maybe most,
wear
a mixed
rainbow of feelings.
Sadness
from past
and
present,
pleasure,
joy
sometimes
collide
with outer
appearances,
sparkling lights,
jingle bells,
and our own selves.
How to reconcile
the different streams?
A dear friend
in the theater
told me
about
preparing for a role.
“Put on a rehearsal skirt.”
This season
as I dress to go out,
I put on
my rehearsal skirt.
I am not
playing a role
other than myself.
I am tuning into the
joy
which lives
in my heart
next to the
sadder feelings.
Each time
I return home,
I realize
the rehearsal skirt
helped me
BE
in the happier self.
I am reminded that
dark
and light
are part of the
seasons
and living
as a human being
in a world
where
living
in each moment
is the gift
of Being.
Thinking of
Fall
crisp apples?
Is it a coincidence
that Apple
has a
big product announcement
scheduled for
this time of the year?
Many years
there is a
dazzling
announcement that
a world-changing product
will be available
at the Apple store near You!
That has meant
some Septembers
that there will be
lines outside
as if a rock star is
appearing.
On the web marketplaces,
some people are
selling their older but still good phones
to get a
bigger, better,
this year’s design.
I don’t have
an I-Phone.
How can I live
without one,
you might ask?
I function
very well,
thank you,
with my Jitterbug phone.
A flip phone,
it does what I need it to do.
That is what
technology means for me.
It is to serve me,
not complicate
my life.
I have a three and a half year old
Mac
which this week
announced that my Safari app
was no longer
being
supported
so I ordered it to
upgrade.
Now I have to hunt for
previously familiar
functions.
I couldn’t find my
e-mail Files.
A flash of insight
came to me in the shower
and
I found where
to make the Files
show by clicking under my name
and the word “show”
appeared.
Click and there they were.
I did not want to spend time on the phone
or responding to the screen
“May we help”
and not have the
question
I needed
show.
I have a four and a half
year old I-Pad which
has Kindle
loaded in it.
Generally
I prefer books in my hand.
Luddite, no!
I did publish
a book
Living Lines
on the Espresso robotic
book-making machine
at The Harvard Book Store.
Now that is amazing!
Savor
Senses
Sensual!
Our brains
receive information
from our senses
seeing
hearing
tasting
touching
smelling.
Our brains are particularly
sensitive
and respond
to direct
experience.
This is our
basic
form of learning.
Virtual
learning
and habit
dull
our senses.
Our brains respond
to new
input.
Routine
Repetition
dulls
our senses.
We are not enjoying
and experiencing
the sensuality.
When we have
fixed ideas
of things
-we miss
so much.
When we encounter them
we want to experience
with new eyes,
real awareness.
Take a strawberry.
Enjoy the redness,
the fresh
green leaf and stem.
Smell the berry.
Feel its shape.
Small
or gigantic?
Skirted with chocolate?
Think of the
earth the plant
grew in.
Feel the rain
needed to
bring
that sweetness.
Feel your saliva
wetting
your mouth
to receive
this beautiful
single strawberry.
Perhaps
you have heard the expression
“If you want to hear God laugh
tell him your plans!”
Lives spent
multi-tasking,
making calendars for
planning ahead,
electronic devices
tracking our whereabouts
through
satellite GPS,
may call
for some TIMEOUT.
There can be so much
to do
in a day,
a week,
a month,
I realized
I needed
to find a perspective.
This is now
my mantra:
“I no longer
make a plan
for myself,
but respond
to the things in my life
that are part of
a pattern
or a plan
I cannot see.”
On the surface,
these words may sound
passive,
but they remind me
to strive for
active awareness.
While I may not
be
in control of events,
I can be ready
to respond.
Etiquette
written in books
taught
at home, school
went away
when life
became
more casual,
communication
changed.
Manners
seemed to go
gradually too.
Formulas
about how to act,
who to hold the door for,
which fork to use,
who to stand up for and greet
did offer
formulas for how
to behave.
There was value
in knowing what
guidelines
could help people
feel more comfortable,
doing the right thing.
Did the baby get thrown out with the bathwater?
Underlying etiquette
is manners.
Manners are not about
formal rules
but
more important
about how to treat
others
with respect,
kindness,
gracefully.
One day last week,
I was crossing a busy
city sidewalk.
A large group
of pre-teen boys,
uniformed with bow ties, shirts
trousers or shorts
moved in a pack around me.
Oblivious.
No stepping to the right,
I was stuck in the middle.
No eye contact,
not even seeing me,
acknowledging
I was there.
High school tuition,
but what are they learning?
Later that day,
the local news
showed
an inner-city class
of boys and girls,
paired somewhat
uncomfortably
in a position of holding
in dance position.
Guided by an unseen voice,
they were learning
MANNERS!
No white gloves
this group.
A girl said,
“oh, this is ok
except his hands are sweaty.”
Gradually they seemed
to become
more comfortable.
Decades ago I remember
going to dance class
at the same age.
Other than the tall boys
choosing the short girls
leaving we tall girls with the short boys,
we learned to dance
and our manners, learned at home and school
were expanded
to other situations.
I will hold open
the door for you
and you for me.
It doesn’t matter
our age, our sex,
our neighborhood.
It is thoughtful courtesy.
Spiritual but not religious.
What does that mean
to you
or to others?
Pew Research Center
polls
these trends.
Their findings
show
the number of people
unaffiliated
with any religious body
is continuing
to grow
at a rapid pace.
The number is
about one-fifth
of the U.S. public
and
one-third
of adults under thirty.
However,
two-thirds
of this
unaffiliated group
say they
believe in God.
Churches and places
of worship
are being sold
and re-purposed.
One denomination
buys and forms
a new congregation,
a community
with another way
for worship.
Empty churches
can be
discouraging.
Some people and families
are coming together in
different places,
some in homes
where
as the Bible
says,
“Wherever there are more
than two people gathered,
there am I
in their midst.”
Spiritual but not religious.
Is that how you feel?
Are you seeking
others
to create
new rituals
which express
and become
community
for you?
Routine
How can what
we do
become ritual?
For some,
up early
to run,
meditate,
yoga,
steal time to write.
Putting out clothes
for yourself
for the children
the night before.
Make lunch, bag it,
ready in the morning.
Would you call this routine?
What about thinking
Ritual?
Do you
self-describe
as
spiritual
not religious?
Has something
been missing,
repetitive
not thinking
of meaning
of the routine?
Is there
a way
to deepen
the value?
Create a ritual,
savoring the meaning
of gratefulness
for time,
food and clothing, shelter.
Emotions.
Thoughtfulness.
In the moment
by moment.
Many people like to read about different spiritual traditions or to perform rituals but don’t want to practice their teachings very much. The teachings can transform us no matter what religion or spiritual traditions we belong to, if we are willing to practice. Thich Nhat Hanh, Anger p. 26
Living Lines Moment by Moment 