Tag Archives: Spirituality

AWAKENING TO THE UNIVERSAL

Posted on September 1, 2021 | 1 comment

“There is a universal, intelligent life force that exists within everyone and everything.  It resides within each of us as a deep wisdom, an inner knowing.  We can access this wonderful source of knowledge and wisdom through our intuition, an inner sense that tells us what feels right and true for us at any given moment.”  Shakti Gawain

Are you in touch with the Universal?  How do you do that?  If you do, what value does it have for you?  If not, why not?

(Many thanks to Micah and Cathy for today’s topic.  Next week I’ll be writing about a topic that begins with a “V” so if there are words starting with “V” that interest you, please leave the ideas under Comment.  Thanks so much!)

Sometimes we are so involved with ourselves and local events that we forget there is something greater.  Lately, I’ve focused on taking care of myself after back surgery and dealing with the initial pain that took every moment.  It felt like I was living in a tunnel. Now that I’m feeling better and move around easily, I’ve walked out into the light.

Deep Breaths Release Pain

What finally made the difference was my choice to look beyond this body.  I prayed, “Please release this pain from me,” as I took deep breaths, letting the exhale flow down my leg while mentally experiencing a release.  When I felt fear arise, and I usually did, I envisioned light pushing it away.

The more often I did this, the more I felt some release of pain or at the least, my fear of not recovering went away.  In those moments I moved beyond my ego and body to a universal place.

Our World Generates Fear

Even if we aren’t experiencing physical distress, the world around us is filled with anxiety-producing events.  The crazy and sad situation in Afghanistan breaks our hearts for all of those who cannot escape such a dangerous situation.  We also worry about those in other countries controlled by dictatorial leaders, and if in their fight for freedom they will survive.

The world-wide pandemic, instead of declining as we had hoped, is becoming a worse threat to our daily lives.  Despite all the scientific evidence, there are still those who refuse to be vaccinated or wear masks.  As a consequence, many of us fear going out into public places, even as the restrictions are choking our lives.

God And Nature Connect Us To The Universal

While it is important that those who can protest and work in public help people with these problems, we need to keep in mind that there is something beyond what we are experiencing on this earth.  We are all connected to a greater life force that some may call God.  We are also surrounded by the energy of Nature which is one with the universal.

Living among the lush forest of the mountains, I feel that I am part of something greater than myself.  It isn’t surprising that we refer to nature as Mother Nature, for this life force does create that which keeps us alive with food, air, and water.  Being with nature illuminates the universal and teaches us to be better stewards of our lives as well as of the Earth.

The Universal Has No Boundaries

When we are disturbed by what is happening in our family, city, or country, we need to remember that this physical life is not all there is.  There is a spirit within us that exists beyond our time on Earth.  Feeding our spirit is just as important as feeding our body.

Taking the time to walk through the forest or desert, meditating or reading spiritually uplifting material, enriches our souls and strengthens our intuition.  It allows what we know at a deeper level to rise to the surface and assist us in making the best choices for ourselves and those around us at any given moment.  The Universal knows no boundaries and can open us to its inner riches.

May the Universal guide all you do today.

© 2021 Georganne Spruce

Related Blog posts:

AWAKENING TO BE QUIET

AWAKENING TO DEEPEN OURSELVES

AWAKENING TO THE ONENESS WITHIN

 

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AWAKENING TO SIMPLICITY

Posted on August 11, 2021 | 1 comment

“Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.”  Isaac Newton

Is your life fairly simple or are you busy all the time?  How do you feel about that?  Do you try to please everyone or are  you simply who you are in every situation?

(Many thanks to Randy for giving us today’s topic.  Again, thanks to all of you who made so many great suggestions.  For next week, the topic will begin with a “T” so if you have a favorite word starting with “T” please leave it under Comment.  Thanks!)

Simplicity is a word most of us are unlikely to use to describe our lives at the moment.  It’s a lovely idea, but in reality, it is often challenging to achieve.  We’ve all grown up in a world where we can move around freely and explore whatever appeals to our curiosity.  Now, though, we are surrounded by limitations that make shopping, playing with kids, visiting friends, or going to school or work more challenging.

So, how do we create the simplicity we need in our lives in the midst of chaos?  If we have more time at home, like many of us who are retired, the easiest way to simplify our lives is to downsize.

Simplifying Things Can Be Easy

I enjoy organizing things in the house and rearranging as if redecorating a room.  But to create a simpler environment at present, I have to get rid of some books.  So far, I have failed to do this.

The few books I have cleared out haven’t created much space and they still sit in a box waiting to be taken away. Every time I pick up a book I think I’m ready to let go of, I find a reason to keep it.  If I had to move, perhaps that would push me to let go, but that won’t happen in the near future.

Clearing out some of our collection of things is probably the easiest way to simplify.  However, clearing space to find who we truly are may be our greatest challenge, and living in a complicated world makes this confusing at times.

Becoming Our True Selves Can Be Difficult

Being who we truly are means shedding the costumes we wear in different situations.  Who are we at home with the spouse and/or children?  Who are we at work?  Who are we with other members of the family or with friends?  Having to play a different role in various circumstances complicates life.

We have to look beyond the outer.  Do we like who we are?  If not, are we willing to make the changes that allow us to be our true selves?

Being a different person in different situations may mean we do not accept who we really are.  If we accept our weaknesses as well as our strengths and love ourselves, then we are more likely to draw to us people and situations that are pleasing.

Finding Acceptance With Others

I moved to Asheville because I knew it was my soul’s home and I knew I had to follow my soul’s guidance in order to find a way to live and be myself.

I became part of a spiritual community that accepted people as they are.  They didn’t try to convert people to their way of thinking because their philosophy was based not only on Jesus’ teachings, but eastern spiritual paths as well.  I found peace there because I didn’t have to pretend to accept views I was uncomfortable with and I quickly made friends.

Difficulty At Work

Working as a substitute in the high schools was another story.  It made my life more complex because each school had its own culture and the school system as a whole had a culture as well.  Being myself didn’t work well at times because I was asked not to discipline students or to ignore problems that I felt the administration should deal with.

Work situations like this complicate our lives but if we set aside time to reflect and perhaps meditate each day, our quieted minds can give us wise guidance based on the core of the problem.  It may not be what we really want to do, but following our anger or frustration is not likely to improve the situation.

Becoming Who We Really Are

For some of us, the confusion in our minds is related to negative messages we received as children.  Seeing a spiritual counselor or a therapist may help us learn how to let go of the garbage and move on.  We are products of our past, but we are also who we choose to be if we are willing to do the work it requires.

Simplifying our lives may be the best starting point from which to grow into better loving ourselves and others, leaving the unnecessary clutter behind.

© 2021 Georganne Spruce

AWAKENING TO LAUGH AT SIMPLE THINGS

AWAKENING TO SEE OURSELVES HONESTLY

AWAKENING TO LOVE OURSELVES

 

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AWAKENING TO FOCUS

Posted on April 28, 2021 | Leave a comment

“The focus is what is right before you – to give it your best.  It sows the seeds of tomorrow.”  Kiran Bedit

How focused are you?  On what do you focus most days?  How do you stay focused in order to complete what you started?

(Thanks to Eleanore for suggesting today’s topic and to Joanne for seconding it as relevant.  Next week I need a word starting with “G” so please leave me some words in Comment at the end of the post.  If you don’t want me to use your name if I choose your word as the topic, please just write “no name” after your suggestion.  Thanks for participating in this venture.)

* * *

Oh, my gosh! That beautiful bluebird just landed in the shrubbery outside the window.  I can’t decide if that’s my favorite or the red-winged blackbird I saw at the lake?

Isn’t that cute! The little girl from the next block has a new pink helmet – she needs to be careful riding her little bike so fast.

Oh, gee! I forgot to put out some protein to defrost for supper.

Now where was I going with this blog?

Can anyone relate to this?  I know it would be smart of me not to have my desk facing a front window, but on the other hand, the beauty of my neighborhood often inspires me.  What’s a gal to do?  Clearly, I need to focus on the task at hand.

How To Use Our Time

Do you ever experience this challenge?  With the pandemic, some people have more time on their hands than they like, so the question is how it is best to use it.  With others of us, the day is already too full of things that have to be done and we have to prioritize.

Wednesdays are the day I focus on writing this blog post, but the other days are not so focused.  Over the years, I’ve learned that the best way for me to get things done is to make a list each day of what I need to do.  As I complete each activity, I check it off the list.  At the end of the day, if I’ve completed them all, I throw away the list and tell myself – “well-done!”  If anything is still on the list, it is moved to the next day.

The Value of Long Term Lists

I also have a list that is not attached to a completion date.  These are items that need to be done in the next few days or week, and I can fit them into my schedule whenever it’s convenient.  While I can probably remember the things I need to do on a certain day without a list, other items can easily slip out of mind for days.  When I have completed the daily chores, the list reminds me of other productive ways to use my time.

A list doesn’t have to contain only work we need to do.  It may also remind us of social events as well.  Now that so much socializing takes place on Zoom, I place events on my calendar so I won’t forget when one is to occur.  I don’t attend them all, but this helps me remember options, so I can choose what I’m in the mood for that day.

Present Choices Affect the Future

Much of what we do today prepares us for tomorrow.  A champion baseball player didn’t become great over night; neither did a ballet dancer with the New York Ballet Company.  Becoming a doctor takes years, and getting a teaching certificate requires a college degree.

Especially as we age, how we focus on taking care of ourselves determines how active and healthy we can be for the present and the future.  We may have more restrictions in our diet, trying to avoid or maintain a low level of diabetes or other disease.  We may need to follow an exercise program to avoid back problems or just to keep us strong enough to go hiking.  Caring for ourselves requires doing the best we can right now, by focusing.

To meet any long-term goal, we have to focus on the moment and stay on track.  That requires commitment, discipline, and the willingness to avoid tantalizing distractions.  (Darn, there’s that blue bird again!)  What we do right now affects tomorrow.

It is probably a good thing I was at the lake yesterday watching the birds or I would be even more distracted today.  However, writing is also a major pleasure for me and creating this post is the goal I focus on right now.

What’s on your list for today?

© 2021 Georganne Spruce

RELATED POSTS:

AWAKENING TO AN OPEN MIND

AWAKENING TO WHAT IS BETTER

DANCE THE TRANSFORMATION

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AWAKENING TO THE LIGHT WITHIN

Posted on January 27, 2021 | 1 comment

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”  Leonard Cohen

Is there light in your life?  What is its source?  How does it affect your life?

At this time of year, the crack in the darkness slowly enlarges until months later we find ourselves in the long daily light of summer.  As the rain and snow fall, we dream of the days when we can walk and play outside without a heavy coat or rain jacket.  We long for what we used to called normal before the pandemic and onset of winter.

This week the light has come into my life from two specific sources.  One occurred on Sunday as I listened to Laura Collins’ message at Jubilee Community.  This community is based on the theology of Creation Spirituality, and this period of the year is called the Via Creativa, a time when the light gradually increases and prepares for living things to awaken and grow again.

Being Present With Ourselves

Sunday’s theme was “Rooted and Grounded in Presence.” One of the ideas presented was that being present is being in our bodies, and when we are, we can be in touch with who we really  are.  When we are present, the light of our being allows us to be seen and to see ourselves.

We have to remember that darkness is not always bad.  It allows us to rest, to dream, to refresh, and when we reawaken in the light, a new day, a new thought, a new awareness may brighten our lives.  We cannot run around out in the world every day.  The darkness presents an opportunity to sit quietly and look within.

Returning To Our True Selves

The other experience I had was viewing a movie called, “Time of Sixth Sun.”  It was about the belief of indigenous people, that we are entering a time when we must come back to who we truly are.  It is a time to remember, to hear the voice inside and allow the parts of ourselves that are asleep to awaken.

It is a time to remember and listen to the voice within.  For centuries we have focused outside ourselves.  We have let the left brain control life, putting the emphasis on acquiring things and money and power.  It is the world of the masculine, the energy of the sun, but we must now move into the right brain awareness of the feminine, the moon energy.  There we can hear the part of ourselves that wishes to awaken.  By doing so, we will find who we truly are.

In that inner darkness, we will find the light within – our divinity, our soul.  We must create the quiet and solitude we need for ourselves and with others who travel a similar path. When we are able to see more deeply, we will no longer be afraid of letting our light shine through the crack this awakening creates.

A Future Designed For All People

We already see ways that the young people in the world are rejecting the old ways.  They want to save the planet, create equality for all, make racial justice a reality, and insure that no one goes hungry.  We have seen the beginning of this new vibration in our country since the recent election.  The changes the Biden administration seeks to make are not merely political.  They are in response to the actual needs of the country’s citizens.

The old crack in our world has widened to allow more light to flow into our lives.  This world will expand through the diversity that is now part of our government.  Just as the indigenous people have predicted, we see women, life nurturers, rising to create the new earth we all need.  Let us awaken to the dream of the ancient ones, and allow our light to create a new society bringing together all people.

The indigenous people in “The Time of the Sixth Sun” believe that in seven years we will have a “perfect” world, a more cooperative and wholistic society.  I hope they are right.

© 2021 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:

AWAKENING TO DISCOVER THE LIGHT

AWAKENING TO LIGHT THE DARKNESS

LIGHTING OUR DARKNESS

 

 

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AWAKENING TO SEE

Posted on December 9, 2020 | 1 comment

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”  Helen Keller

How do you see yourself?  How do you feel about that? What is your vision of life?

Seeing is about more than viewing the person in front of you or the brown leaves falling from the trees.  Our sight pulls the tangible world into our brains to be processed.  We also describe “seeing” as vision.  The word “vision” is about much more than gazing at the things around us.  Even the blind possess vision.  What we value determines our vision.

The environment in which we grow up has a powerful effect upon us and forms the way we see the world when we are young.  As we develop we may be exposed to new ideas about life, what is good and what is bad, and how we are supposed to act in various situations.  How we respond to such ideas, rejecting or accepting them, may be determined by our family’s values.

Learning From Our Families

I grew up with a mother and father who valued the fine arts.  My father often played classical music on the record player and took us to art galleries.  My mother played the piano and taught me to sing.  She also pushed me into taking drama and dance classes because she felt I was too shy.  Although it was scary at first, I learned to love creatively expressing myself through the arts even when other people thought those pursuits were foolish.

As a result of being involved with the fine arts, I learned to appreciate a variety of people and how their different visions of life had value.  When analyzing a character in order to act the part in a play, I developed a deeper understanding of psychology that flowed into my life with friends and family.

Through this experience, my vision of humanity expanded.  I came to accept and value people who were very different from the community where I grew up.  However, part of the reason I became more open-minded than typical Southerners of that time was that my mother also taught me that all people were of value.  From her Baptist background she learned to love everyone.  She and my grandparents were good role models.

Some Family Values Are Unbending

In other families there is little room to explore and develop oneself.  The family vision of life must be followed or one is excluded from the group.  In these situations there is no room to develop one’s own vision.  The primary value is “don’t rock the ship.”  If you do, you will be “thrown overboard.”

These rigid ways of viewing life have a vision, but it is one that leaves no room to be who one truly is.  Tara Westover’s book “Educated” is about an extreme vision of a rigid life.  It tells the sad story of a woman who leaves the cult to which her family is devoted.  Not surprisingly, she is rejected by them.  Despite her loss, she searches for who she really is, finds her own vision, and creates the life she wants to live.

Learning to Value Ourselves

The experiences we have in life offer us opportunities to ponder our values and determine our vision of life.  Have our experiences taught us to value ourselves, to believe we are intelligent, loving, or wise?  Or do we believe we are stupid, unloving, and foolish?  If it is the latter, it is probably because we have grown up with people who are blind to their own value.

When we do not have a positive vision of ourselves, it is crucial that we find help through counseling or spiritual means to discover who we truly are, to see our value, to change what we need to change in order to value ourselves.  This internal work will strengthen our internal vision of ourselves in a positive way and allow us to become who we truly are.

When we can see ourselves as worthwhile, we can see others as valuable human beings.  This positive vision takes us beyond seeing.  It allows us to connect in deep, often spiritual ways, and to value what is best for us individually and for us all.  When we can awaken to a vision of love and acceptance, even with those who see the world differently, we have an opportunity to uplift us all and save the world.  Namaste.

© 2020 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:

AWAKENING TO NEW THOUGHTS

AWAKENING TO HOPE

AWAKENING TO WHAT YOU SEE

 

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AWAKENING TO GIVE THANKS

Posted on November 26, 2020 | 2 comments

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”  Oprah Winfrey

Susie Q

Susie Q

I hope you enjoy this post from a few years ago.  It says so much that I think is relevant during these times and any others.  This honors Thanksgiving but also Susie who has aged considerably and may not be around as long as we would like.  So Happy Thanksgiving to you All!

For the last several years, I have focused on the philosophy that Oprah espouses, and it has served me well.  It has reprogrammed my previous disappointment with the specific aspects of my life with a belief that there is more good than bad in the challenges I’ve encountered.   I have grown in many ways that have made me a wiser person because I have often been forced to change the way I see things.

Pets Offer Us to Love

I know that most people prefer dogs, but I’ve always preferred cats.  They’re so cuddly like holding a baby in your arms, and they take care of their own cleaning, eat when they feel like it, and use a litter box so you don’t have to walk them on rainy days.  They are much easier to live with than a dog if you live in apartments as I usually have, and their need for some “private time” works nicely with my need for time alone.  While many people see them as indifferent, I have always felt very loved by my cats.

Cats0001

I never wanted a dog.  You have to walk them, bathe them, give them lots of attention, and they are rather scary if they don’t like you, especially if they are large.  However, I’ve been around many dogs because I live in a dog-loving city where many people have bumper stickers that read “Dog is Love” and take their dogs into stores and out to dinner with them.  Asheville has been called “The Paris of the South” partly because it has so many restaurants with outdoor dining areas.  Personally, I believe these areas were created for the customers who refuse to be separated from their dogs even for a meal.

Receiving Two Gifts, Not One

I never expected to have a dog in my life on a daily basis, but here I am, the adopted mother of a dog named Susie Q.  She is in my life because one of the great gifts I’ve received this year is a relationship with a loving man, her “daddy,” a man who has all the qualities I had on my list for the perfect partner. I didn’t realize when I started seeing him that I had received two treasures, not just one.

Dogs Can Teach Us to Be Thankful for Small Things

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t choose to be involved with a man who deeply loves another woman, but I decided to make an exception in this case, and I’m glad I did because Susie Q is a wise woman dog.  She has taught me so much about love and thankfulness.  In a time when people often don’t say thank you when you open the door for them, I truly appreciate how thankful Susie is.

Each time we meet, she is so excited she comes running up to me with her tail wagging, barking, and jumping around like a happy little kid.  When I pet her, she looks at me with her dreamy brown eyes like I’m the most wonderful person in the world.  She shows her affection for me by sitting on my foot, or if I’m sitting, she sweetly lays her head on my shoe.  If I would let her, I’m sure she would crawl into my lap, but she’s a little large for that.

dog3

Animals Demonstrate the Love They Are Shown

With a tail that wags “thank you” for each good thing she experiences, no matter how small, she reminds me to appreciate all that I experience in life.  She accepts me when I am joyful, and when I am sad, she is nearby looking for an opportunity to show her concern.  It is clear to me that she is able to love so much because she has been loved and that says a lot about her “daddy” –a man who knows a great deal about giving and receiving love.  Susie Q and I are very lucky women.

Be Open to Unexpected Gifts

So, on this day before Thanksgiving, with the first snow of the year falling, I am reminded that some of our greatest gifts come from unexpected places in unexpected ways.  If we are willing to keep an open mind, we will be present to accept them.

Thanks to each and every one of you who read and follow my blog.

May you have an abundant Thanksgiving!

© 2013 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:   Staying Thankful by Wayne Dyer, Gratitude by Wayne Dyer, A Dose of Gratitude: How Being Grateful Can Keep You Happy, Being Thankful Is Good for Your Heart

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AWAKENING TO LEARN FROM NATURE

Posted on September 9, 2020 | 1 comment

      “Adopt the pace of nature.  Her secret    is patience.”  Emerson

How often are you in nature?  How do you feel there?  What do you most love about nature?

We are not currently living in a time when it is easy to be patient.  We all want things to return to normal.  We want to work again, visit friends and relatives, eat out for dinner, or visit an art festival.  When we are feeling irritable or anxious, nature can offer us some peace and help us find the patience we need to slow down.

Once I’m in nature, tension drops away.  It’s affected me that way as long as I can remember because I spent a lot of time in the forests of Arkansas as I grew up.  Hiking and swimming in streams were two of my family’s favorite outings and as a kid I thought this activity was fun.

Now, stepping into the forest or my shady backyard takes me to a peaceful place immediately.  So today, I’m offering you a different kind of blog post—one with photos of natural scenes I’ve observed, and I do include animals as a part of nature.  I hope this experience will bring you peace and laughter.

What is Suz hunting for?

Suz is snoozing. “Don’t bother me!”

Owen Lake

Ducks at Owen Lake

The beauty of nature

Neighborhood bear family enjoying our dinner of acorns.

Very rude squirrel eating dinner on St. Francis’s head.

Giant mushroom tent

© 2020 Georganne Spruce

AWAKENING TO WILDNESS, ONE WITH NATURE, Part 2

AWAKENING TO THE GIFTS OF SOLITUDE

AWAKENING TO STILLNESS

 

 

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AWAKENING TO LIGHT THE DARKNESS

Posted on September 2, 2020 | 2 comments

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” Francis of Assisi

Who or what is the sunbeam in your life?  Is it you? How do you shine your light?

Light comes to us early in the summer and stays late although rainy days cast shadows across the mountains.  Still the sun peaks through every day and at times surrounds us as a reminder there is at least one sunbeam in our lives.

But besides the physical light, what other sunbeams appear in your life?

Some Elements of Our Lives Lift Us Up

Is your spouse or are your children or other family members lights in your life?  My husband certainly is.  The depth of his ideas often opens my mind and takes me down a path I have not seen before.  He also lightens my mood with his humor and the jazz he plays on his saxophone.

My nephews and niece, who live halfway across the country, all have children.  I miss seeing them face to face, but I often feel “lit up” by the kids’ antics and accomplishments when their parents’ share their activities on Facebook.

Do you ever feel enlightened by what you read?  I am often amazed by the ability of some people to rise above their limiting backgrounds.  Recently, I was deeply touched by James McBride’s story, The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother.  While he was a black man learning to survive in a white world, his white Jewish mother was living most of her life among black people who kept her at a distance.  Their heroic stories lifted my heart and brought light to my understanding.

How Light Slips Through the Darkness

Although we are surrounded by much negativity today, the light slips through the news with  stories of people surviving the virus, taking care of the natural environment by reviving plants and animals that have almost disappeared, and feeding the hungry and helping the homeless.

But the stories that often touch me the most deeply are those of people, who having been wrongly accused and put in prison for years, are finally released.  Imagine your life and reputation being falsely stolen for most of your adult years. Thank goodness for DNA, for it is often the evidence that allows these human beings to step out of the prison darkness into the light of a real life.

Focusing to See the Light

What about the times when our lives contain light but we don’t see it?  Aristotle once said, “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”  I’ve known people who invariably saw the dark side of a situation first and become so caught up in that that they missed what was positive.

In 1999 I sadly discovered I had chronic fatique syndrome.  Living near my family in New Orleans, the hot, damp weather had made me sick.  I longed to move to Asheville to be near mountains and a couple of friends, but my doctor insisted I could only heal in a dry climate.  I was very depressed about this.Fortunately, a friend had recently moved to Albuquerque which I assumed was a boring landscape.  I visited her and was amazed by the beauty of the sunsets and the Latino and Native American art and culture.  Moving there, not only healed me, it helped me grow by expanding my awareness as I taught in high schools filled with students of diverse cultures.

How Can We Change This Dark Time

We are now living in a dark time when our democracy is significantly endangered. We can either let this depress and limit us or we can see that it is an opportunity to shine a light on what needs to be changed.

Each day there are more displays of light: peaceful protesters, politicians speaking out against what is corrupt even when it may risk their careers, and citizens who give money to organizations that feed the hungry or help those losing their homes.  Those who faithfully wear masks despite the discomfort are also beings of light protecting themselves and others.

How are you the sunbeam that shatters the darkness and chases the clouds away?

©2020 Georganne Spruce

AWAKENING TO TRUE ENLIGHTENMENT

LIGHTING OUR DARKNESS

AWAKENING TO DISCOVER THE LIGHT

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AWAKENING TO OUR SOUL’S GARDEN

Posted on August 26, 2020 | 1 comment

“Our uniqueness is God’s garden and God calls us to walk in this garden in love…for one another.” Reverend Naomi Tutu

Does your spiritual belief allow you to love all people? Does your life include diversity?  How are you able to accept those who are different?

On Sunday, August 16, I was very moved by the main message Rev. Naomi Tutu gave at the online Jubilee Community service in Asheville, NC.  Related to her statement that I have quoted, she talked about how diverse her mother’s garden was and how much she loved that diversity in nature. I was very moved by the metaphor of the garden.  Although I have rarely grown gardens, I love the natural gardens of the forest.

Most of us would find a garden with a wide variety of blossoms to be very beautiful.  Around here, the Biltmore Estate has a popular flower garden filled with color especially in the spring and summer where people love to walk and relax.

My husband and I recently wandered off a hiking path to discover a lovely community garden.  We were amazed by the wide diversity of colorful fruits and vegetables that lusciously feed those who cultivate the field.

We are blessed to live in this Appalachian area around Asheville because the natural environment is the most diverse in the world.  It is a gold mine for those who wish to explore the diversity of the natural environment and we frequently find flowers or mushrooms we’ve never before seen.

Most of us appreciate the diversity in our natural garden, but what about our human garden?  Are we comfortable walking among its diversity?  Does the variety of humanity feed us in some way?

What Diversity Can Teach Us

Our ability to be comfortable with human diversity is deeply rooted in our background, experiences, and open mindedness. As a child I was taught to respect all people, but for many years the only people I was around were white like me.  In high school and college, I had minor contacts with people of African descent but did not really know anyone until I acted alongside a black student in a theatrical performance. It was the first time I realized I really had no idea what it was like not to be white.

Later, living in Washington, D. C., I encountered few people in the suburbs unlike me except when I was teaching at a Catholic girls’ school.  I’d grown up Protestant so I had to get used to the culture of nuns, dress more conservatively, and adjust to attending the school’s religious masses.

It was not until I lived in Denver in the eighties that I experienced an even more diverse spiritual environment.  I had always been searching for something without knowing what it was that was missing in my Christian spiritual life.  I had long ago stopped attending services, and because of a deep friendship with a man who was a Buddhist, I became curious about his faith.  I studied eastern religion, learned to meditate, and taught dance for a short time at the Naropa Institute in Boulder.

From this new experience, my understanding of God’s love expanded.  I dealt with life’s challenges in a calmer, more centered manner.  As I moved through this new spiritual garden, I enjoyed its diversity because it opened my mind to an expanded understanding of humanity.  I felt connected to people from Eastern countries in a way I had never before experienced.

Differences May Teach Us

Diversity is easier to accept when we understand the nature of our differences.  Except for the gender prejudice I had experienced as a woman, I had never been treated differently because I was white until I lived in New Orleans where, in some areas, whites did not feel welcome.

It is hard to imagine any place on earth that is more unique than New Orleans.  It is a multicultural city with a large black population, where most of all families are Catholic, and the food is unique, based on French and African influences.  I moved there to be with my family.

Having previously taught in a Catholic school helped me understand those I met who were dedicated to Catholicism.  Teaching multiracial gifted students in the inner city helped me understand their challenges and I felt compassion for the difficulties they faced trapped in poverty. I still remember the girl with a dysfunctional mother who got pregnant so someone would love her and the boy who feared his brother would be shot by a gang member.

Accepting Diversity Opens Hearts

It is so easy to judge people at a distance because we cannot see who they truly are.  It is much easier to simply dismiss them as different, but when we take the time to know them, they can potentially enrich our lives.

The diversity in my life experiences has taught me that we must learn to love those who are different from us and to respect all humanity.  When we focus on what we share in common rather than only on what is different, we plant seeds of love that will grow into a garden of understanding and respect.  Anais Nin has said, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

The more we open our eyes and our hearts and come to understand that we are all God’s children, the more our soul’s garden will expand and feed us abundantly.

© 2020 Georganne Spruce

AWAKENING TO LOVE THE WORLD Part 2, DIVERSITY

AWAKENING TO COMPASSION

AWAKENING TO OUR WORLD COMMUNITY

 

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AWAKENING TO IMPROVISE OUR LIVES

Posted on May 28, 2020 | 2 comments

“Life we all know is of course completely unpredictable and is constantly changing, and the way we navigate through life is simply by improvising.”  Niels Lan Doky

When you don’t know what to do, how do you approach that situation?  Do you create a plan or improvise?

When we don’t know what to do, we often improvise.  Sometimes that works out well, sometimes it doesn’t, but at least we may have learned from the experience.

This pandemic time is especially stressful for those who want life to stay the same and have a set plan to live by, but it requires some change for virtually all of us, and that can lead us to do things that we don’t usually do.

We can create new games for our children, bake bread, work on the novel we’d put away, zoom with friends we rarely have coffee with, and we wear masks when we go out rather than just wearing them at Halloween.

We Can Learn About Life From Jazz

While changes in life create some discomfort for us all, the ability to improvise can make all the difference in what comes next.  In Niels Lan Doky’s wonderful video “How Jazz Wisdom Will Change Your Life,” he says, “You can always create something out of anything.”  Really? Why not?

I hope you will watch  Doky’s video because it is profound.  He states that you can apply the principles of jazz technique to your life.  They are the ability to adapt to change, the ability to be creative on demand, and the ability to treat your life as a work of art.

Following the Unknown Path

When I look at my own life, I can honestly say it has not followed a planned path.  I’ve had to improvise.  As a result, I’ve been exposed to situations that helped me grow.  I would not have thought to create them.  For example, I’ve moved many times, each for a different reason.  Things just happened.

I was living in Denver working at an art school and teaching modern dance part-time when the economy in the 1980’s bottomed out.  I lost my full-time job and couldn’t live on part-time work.  I didn’t know what to do.  I loved being close to artsy Boulder,  was exploring Buddhism, and had a meditation community that supported my spiritual growth.

Making Changes

At the same time, my brother, my only sibling, lived in New Orleans, with his wife and kids.  Since I didn’t have kids, I liked the idea of being near him and experiencing his children going up.  My parents also lived there.  There was much I didn’t like about New Orleans, especially the humid weather, but it was also an artsy place, so I thought, “Why not?”

During the twelve years I lived in New Orleans, my world greatly expanded.  I loved knowing my brother’s children as they grew up, being close to family, and enjoying the arts.  I worked as a full-time high school teacher in two excellent situations. I taught multicultural literature in a private Catholic girl’s school and later taught in a public school in the African-American community.  As a result of this second position, I was one of several teachers who traveled in West Africa for six weeks on a grant.

The Value of Choices We Prefer Not to Make

Unfortunately, after twelve years in New Orleans, I became ill with Chronic Fatique Syndrome.  My doctor was adamant that I needed to live in a dry environment in order to get well.  I had no idea what to do.   Then, that summer, a close woman friend of mine decided to move to Albuquerque to be near her family.  After she moved, she invited me to visit.

During that visit, I fell in love with the colorful art I saw throughout the city and in Santa Fe.  For the first time, I saw art on the side of buildings.  Art and brilliant colors were everywhere!  Amazingly, when I applied for a teaching job for the new school year, I was hired.

Although I never felt at home living in the desert, I liked being near mountains, and the sunsets were stunning.  Teaching in one school with mostly Native American students taught me about the reality of their culture, its beauty and its challenges.   Again my cultural awareness was expanded.  After four years in New Mexico, I was cured of the Chronic Fatigue and ready to move on.

By this time,  two of my friends from New Orleans had moved to Asheville.  I had previously visited them several times and loved being among the mountains and forests.  It felt like my soul’s home and similar to the land in Arkansas where I grew up.   So I improvised again.

The Values of Improvisation

Perhaps I could consider these changes because I had learned the value of improvising when I was a modern dancer.  When  a dancer improvises, she never knows where the dance will go or what the outcome will be.  Each moment, the movement changes.  The interaction of the dancers shifts.  Often the result is a beautiful phrase of movement one could not have imagined.

Life can be like that too.  When we are confronted with a new situation, how we choose to respond may take us to places we never dreamed we could go and awaken us to a new dance of life.  I am grateful that I found the courage to improvise, for that decision has led me to a richer life.  May you find the courage to improvise too.

Be sure to watch Doky’s video and see how your life is like jazz.  Cool!

© 2020 Georganne Spruce

TRANSFORMING THE FEAR OF CHANGE

AWAKENING TO THE POWER WITHIN

AWAKENING TO UNEXPECTED FEAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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