The Present Moment ...

“The present moment is the point of escape 

from our three-dimensional prison of space and time. 

For in this present moment, 

remembering oneself, 

one can put oneself in contact with a place outside time, 

and with the help of eternity, 

where all possibilities in their fulness are already waiting. 

We must squeeze all its contents out of each moment." 

~ Rodney Collin

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It Feels Right...

Gustav Klimt

It feels right to say that being in essence 

is a feeling of “Wholeness” or completeness, 

as we feel complete and warmed by the circulation of the bold, 

essence is like our sun shining through our Being somehow, 

like this painting “Woman in Gold” 

there is something of the promise 

of inner transformation about this image.

~C

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I Was Reflecting...

 I was reflecting on how real suffering 

clears out the unimportant, 

and no matter how I may try to escape its lessons, 

it burns me, 

and purifies me and helps me see 

what I could not when I was distracted by things of lesser importance. 

This is I think similar to distilling one's essence, 

and peeling away false personality. 

~J

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Our Family Had Quite a Miracle...

Our family had quite a miracle

of regeneration this week through the suffering of one close to us. 

Because we were open, loving -- 

and time had given us many years to heal -- 

regeneration was possible. 

I verified the process of healing

is one underneath layers of processes above it. 

And that by continuing to be humble 

and dedicated to genuine personal evolution 

through work on one's self, 

Grace can enter for regeneration to truly give us a leap forward. 

Sometimes it is difficult to accept crime. 

When we are on the receiving end. 

And especially when we are dishing it out. 

But again and again, I verify, 

it is the greatest challenges in life

that open windows for the Soul to Grow. 

If, we look honestly at ourselves

and without self-pity I's, allow the Gods to purify us.

~E

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This Painting Reminds Me...

~Sandro Botticelli - Madonna of the Magnificat

This painting reminds me

how we are all used by the HIGHER to achieve something. 

We can be the ink, or the pen, or hold a crown, 

or hold Christ, or hold PRESENCE. 

And when we know this and feel it in the middle of everyday life

something miraculous happens. 

We are part of something so great, 

and mysterious, and yet so simple.

~L

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In Our Kitchen...

In our kitchen, 

we currently have 27 Anise Swallowtail caterpillars 

we've been nurturing for over a week.

I love verifying the great patterns of the Universe. 

The caterpillars go through 5 instars. 

Each instar is a "process" and they shed their skin each time. 

The last, sixth process, is the emergence of a butterfly.

The Six Processes are everywhere.

~E


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As You Start to Walk...

As you start to walk out on the way, 

the way appears.

~Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi

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I Have Wrestled ...

I have wrestled with my understanding 
of the concept of dimensions and time, 
and admit that my intellect begins to check out 
when I start pondering it too much. 
That said, ironically, 
"Time" has been a bit of an obsession 
in regards to how Time is used or spent: 
wasting time, making the most of your time, etc. 
Aging, relaxing, studying, working, etc., day/night. 
It is beyond me how it works but work it does. 
What I have verified is that is that unless I am Here for it, 
I am unable to account for it. 
But even when I am Present in the moment, 
when that moment has "passed" 
and I am present in the Now, 
the last moments, or the time spent, seems like a dream. 
Almost as if it never happened.

~J

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Eternity Is The Universal Now...

Eternity is the universal now, 

with all times equally and simultaneously present, 

then, of course, there is no conflict 

with seeing time backward as well as forwards, 

because really there is no progress any which way, 

it just all IS. And so when I play Bach, 

I am feeding the beautiful composer 

as much as he is feeding me, and us, 

in his eternal celebration of the Divine. 

There is no “now” in contrast to what came before 

or what comes later, there are only all of the moments 

in time simultaneously, the universal and unending present.

And this is what it is to truly self-remember. 

~J

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There Are No Old Friends...

Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale

There are no old friends in the world of the soul, 

only continually new and renewing, 

moment by moment in the world, 

the love, the connections, nothing is separate. 

We are connected to all times and worlds.

~M

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Where There Is Love...

Gustav Klimt

“Where there is love, 

God is within us. 

Wherever we see something beautiful God is there. 

God made all that is beautiful. 

It is man who makes ugliness. 

Real love does not stop at a person on an object; 

if it is real it goes on to God.

Nothing real ever disappears. 

If it disappears it is not real. 

What is not true always disappears for it has never been.”

~Rodney Collin

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The Machine Demands...

The machine demands, doesn't it? It can be harsh. 

The image of Alice at the tea party comes to mind. 

She's sitting there watching all the craziness going on. 

That's how it is. 

The craziness of life and the machine (which I often take as being real). 

However, if I can sit and watch, 

be present to it all, then I don't get trapped. 

This image is helpful to me as it lightens the load!

~M

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One Reason Why...

”One reason why it is so important to find our real selves

is that no one can hurt us. 

No one knows who we are. 

Others can see the outside but not the inside, 

the real self. 

We must be individual to make our souls strong. 

Your soul can make mine stronger, 

mine can make yours stronger.”

~Rodney Collin

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When We Finally See Ourselves...

Sir John Edward Millais

When we finally see ourselves with all our flaws

we have an opportunity to shake off the feelings of judgment, 

and accompanying attempts to buffer. 

That feeling that one must be oh so perfect 

is such a stumbling block to awakening.

When one accepts oneself finally, 

there is the possibility of seeing the beauty in our struggles, 

the strength behind our features, 

and all the help we are continuously gifted from the gods.

~J

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I Am Currently Focusing...

I am currently focusing some of my first line work 

on non-expression of negative emotions about others. 

I notice my machine seems to get some sort of energy kick 

from complaining about the weaknesses of others. 

It is something I really desire to transform.

I’m observing that the desire is a wonderful place to start. 

And that what enables me to keep my Soul 

in front of this weakness in my machine is to exercise my Soul. 

More time in presence. More time in meditation. 

More beautiful impressions. 

More time in the stillness of nature. 

More hydrogens.

This gives my Being the strength to say “get behind me machine!” 

And at the same time, 

not waste energy blaming myself.

~E

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He is a Wise Man ...

"He is a wise man 

who does not grieve for the things which he has not, 

but rejoices for those which he has."

~ Epictetus

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Piglet Noticed...

"Piglet noticed 

that even though he had a Very Small Heart, 

it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude."

~ A.A. Milne

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Make Your Ego Porous...

Rembrandt

"Make your ego porous.

Will is of little importance,

complaining is nothing, fame is nothing.

Openness, patience, receptivity,

solitude is everything."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

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I Don't Want to Get Stuck...

I don't want to get stuck - 

and not see the gargoyles as I grow and grow. 

My machine can be quite clever. 

So a few days ago I started to be honest

and observe those parts of me that sometimes take the lead. 

Features, etc., my role in my life, 

what mechanical tendencies in me take the lead. 

I cannot say they are gone, 

that would not be honest. 

But it has helped me to observe and not get comfortable to date.

And love the ingredient that lets them all Be - 

Machine and Soul.

~S

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Observe ...

Observe and move on.

~S

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I Have Verified the Power of Our School...

I have verified the power of our school

and the growth of our students has given me so much. 

I verify this in my recent struggles in my personal life. 

I am speaking about what has lifted me 

out of the mechanicalness of my play right now.

There were times I could not take a moment

as my consciousness was so full

of what was needed from me in the state of nearly constant motion. 

I felt myself drifting and sinking and remembered 

another time in my life that was similar 

and I did take a break from the school 

and luckily embers were still in the fire burning 

and I did return.

This time I did not leave the school 

and the work renewed my spirit 

by accessing my higher emotional center, 

for even brief moments 

was a lifeline to the work.

~M

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We Can Only Learn...

“We can only learn to know ourselves

and do what we can - 

namely, surrender our will and fulfill God's will in us.”

~Teresa of Avila 

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The Logical Mind Has to Bend...

The logical mind has to bend, 

to give way to the higher voice developing in us. 

This is a subtle and mysterious process, 

demanding great acceptance, 

and continuous renewal of efforts to self-remember. 

I am so grateful to be in a school 

where this is a continuously renewable possibility, 

and where I can be given, 

through each student, 

new glimpses of the complex prism of this mystery.

~J

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