December 2008 ~ Shibui

For my "jottings" this year, I have drawn from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. Once again, on this last month of this year, I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book. The word for December is:

Shibui – (she BOO ee) Japanese
The beauty of aging

If January is the month of new beginnings, often characterized by a newborn baby, then December must be the month of maturity or completions. Without seeing this as a sad or negative thing, let us recognize the beauty of bringing things to fruition. Here’s what the compiler of “World Words” has to say.

“From the growth of moss on a rock to the pattern of wrinkles in a face, time bestows loveliness on all that is alive. Maturity cannot be rushed. It depends upon the everlasting cycle of development and decay. Whether referring to a mellowed tea, a landscape feature, or an aged room, shibui is a quality that speaks of persistence and sustained unfolding. In a culture which glorifies both youth and speed, this elusive sense of beauty may be hard to grasp. Yet it helps us to redefine how we embrace everything from old growth forests to revered sacred sites to the old people living next door. When we are able to appreciate the gifts that only the passage of a lifetime can manifest, all of existence seems more precious. In one face we perceive all the golden features that have ever been. Within a single ancient oak lie the forms of all the trees yet to come.”

There is a scene in one of my favorite movies called “Phenomenon” where the main character is trying to help two children understand the fact that he is dying. He says, “Everything is on its way to somewhere.” Perhaps December says this, as well, being, as it is, a bridge that we cross from what has been to what is yet to be. Learning to see the beauty in each transition, from what is completed to what is beginning, is our work. Perhaps it begins with seeing that beauty in ourselves… in our faces and changing bodies… in our relationships as they come and go… in our understanding of what beauty truly is and how it relates to everything around us. I love the Native American prayer/song that goes like this:

I walk with beauty before me,
I walk with beauty behind me,
I walk with beauty above me,
I walk with beauty below me,
I walk with beauty all around me.
My world is so beautiful, my Lord.

May this be our prayer of shibui as we gently release all that has been and welcome all that is coming to meet us.

jbm

November 2008 ~ Hoomaikai

For some of my "jottings" this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for November is:

Hoomaikai–(hoo-o-MY–ky) Hawaiian
Grateful

For many Americans, the words “November” and “Thanksgiving” are nearly synonymous. Thanksgiving, here, is a noun rather than a verb. It is the name given to one of our major holidays. It signifies prosperity, family, the beauty of the autumn season, the beginning of the holiday season… and of course, football! Thanksgiving is used less often as a verb that signifies a way of doing that is also a way of being. Being thankful or grateful is often assumed when we think of Thanksgiving as an event, but most of us know that we can participate in feasting and family gathering without being thankful. This may be less true in some other parts of the world. (from the book) “Being hoomaikai is deeply woven into the fabric of Native Hawaiian island culture. Music, dance, an exquisite variety of fine artworks and personal adornments all function as expressions of thanksgiving.”

Perhaps it is our loss of meaningful celebration that allows our special days to be little more than what lies on the surface and we come away sad and disappointed. But it need not be so. Being hoomaikai is choice that each of us can make.

(from the book) “We have so much to celebrate. Our being alive, awake and aware, and able to survive are great blessings. Most of us can feel the wind on our face, listen to morning birds, and treasure the visual magnificence of a moonset. When you focus more on what you have than on what you want, a space of abundance is created. Happiness is indeed wanting exactly what you already have. Hoomaikai is recognizing and actively giving thanks for what is.”

jbm

October 2008 ~ Nichevo

For some of my "jottings" this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own.

The word for October is:

Nichevo – (nee chee VHO) Russian
Don’t worry, doesn’t matter, nothing to do about it.

(from the book) “Good Morning. This is God speaking. I will be handling all of your problems today, without any assistance from you. I’ll let you know if I require your input. So just relax and enjoy the day."

This (imaginary) message is a gentle reminder to simply lighten up. We spend so much time resisting life, trying to command it, ignoring the basic reality that what we resist persists. When we are upset and anxious, gently speaking the word nichevo reminds us that the challenge of the moment is simply not to hold on so tightly. Clinging to what is not controllable is, in part, the source of our misery. Bouncing between blame and self pity only brings more suffering.”

Learning to “let go” is a vital part of our spiritual growth. But, “letting go” is part of a larger practice. This is the practice of trusting or “having faith” in that which is larger than our own understanding. One of my teachers used to say: “Faith is like the motor in an automobile. In and of itself, it will not take you anywhere. Only when the ignition is turned on, does the power of the motor cause movement to happen. Belief is the ignition that activates faith.”

So, when we believe that God is our Source and our Supply, this belief quickens our faith and we can let go of our anxiety and attempts to control things that are beyond out control. We can whisper the word nichevo and know that we are not abandoning the direction of our lives, but rather we are surrendering to a larger power. One of the most dynamic and comprehensive affirmations we can know and believe and use is this:

There is only One Presence and One Power
in the universe and in my life, God, the Good.
Or, we can simply say, with understanding, “Nichevo!”

jbm

September 2008 ~ Uthsaha

For some of my "jottings" this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own.
The word for September is:

uthsaha – (oot SA hah) Sanskrit
Spiritual call or encouragement.

I grew up in a church that talked a lot about God’s Plan for each person’s life. There was not much information given about what the plan was or how we were to find it, but it was clear that a plan existed. I think I saw it as a sort of paint by number canvas. The design was drawn and the color numbers were shown. My task was to match the colors with the numbers and fill in the spaces. Later, it seemed to me that I was to select the colors without the help of numbers and even later, that there was no design. My life was a blank canvas and my task was to create a work of art on the canvas. God’s Plan was that I should make it beautiful and in alignment with His Will. As time went on, I came into an understanding that spiritual guidance was available to me and that through that “call” or guidance, I could know and do God’s Will. And so, the work of hearing and following the guidance or call of Spirit began for me.

(from the book) ”The spiritual call is sometimes vague and hesitant, though often quite clear and compelling. It may appear when least expected, or arise in response to immediate need. More like a sense of direction than a road map, it will first appear on the fringe of awareness, a barely perceptible shift in feeling.

We all need the presence of uthsaha in our lives. It can arise from many sources: an inspirational teacher, an enlightened book, a conversation with friends, a regular devotional practice. Both symbolic and practical, the divine can be awakened by continually acting upon the still, small, inner voice. As you experience the positive aspects of its guidance in your life, a stronger bridge will be built, based on increasing trust and unfolding delight.”

And to this, I say, “Amen!”

A long time ago I came upon a little poem that spoke to me. I carried it in my wallet for many years.. I no longer have it in my wallet, but I still carry it in my mind. I don’t know who wrote it, but it goes like this:

I am the place where God shines through
For God and I are One, not two.
I need not fear, nor fret, nor plan –
God needs me now, right where I am.
And if I’ll be relaxed and free,
He’ll carry out His Plan through me.

jbm

August 2008 ~ Myrtle

As you can see, the word I have chosen for this month’s jotting is a familiar one… the name of a woman who was born on August 6, 1845 in a small town in Ohio… a town that was founded by this woman’s father and given her family name. It was called Paigetown.

Today the town is gone, except for a small graveyard where Myrtle’s parents and some of her siblings are buried. However, if you go there today, you will find a placard along the highway that was erected by the Ohio Historical Society in honor of Myrtle Paige Fillmore, the co-founder of the Unity movement.

Between the years of 1990 and 1995, Wayne and I served the Unity church in Columbus, Ohio. Soon after we arrived in Columbus, we made the 30 mile trip to Paigetown and visited the graveyard. A tall obelisk had been erected over the grave of Myrtle’s parents, apparently without a solid footer. It was leaning badly. We had already formed a Heritage Team at the church and so we called them together and told them about the gravestone. We decided to have an auction to raise the funds needed to have it reset. The auction was a success and soon the obelisk was standing straight and tall. Each year on an August Sunday, which we called Heritage Sunday, we led a “pilgrimage” to Paigetown and visited the graveyard of our co-founder. We made a circle and sang her favorite song, “The Song of Faith,” written by Hannah More Kohaus.

God is my help in ev’ry need,
God does my ev’ry hunger feed.
God walks beside me, guides my way,
Through ev’ry moment of the day.

God is my health, I can’t be sick,
God is my strength, unfailing, quick.
God is my All, I know no fear,
Since God, and Love and Truth are here.

Myrtle was a woman of faith. When she first heard the words that gave rise to her healing affirmation, she believed them, she trusted them, she lived them, she shared them and she was healed. Her affirmation is embedded in the Unity story and goes like this: I am a child of God. Therefore, I do not inherit sickness. To a woman who had been told from childhood that she had inherited tuberculosis and who had lived to see it manifest, this truth of her divine inheritance was life changing.

Most of us have inherited something that “runs in the family.” Myrtle’s affirmation is as powerful today as it was when she created it. Believing it, trusting it, living and sharing it is our work. Without the work, the words are just words. Using the words to ground ourselves in faith, they become stepping stones to freedom and wholeness.

jbm

July 2008 ~ Wa

For my "jottings" inspiration this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for July is:

Wa (Wah)
Sense of harmony and well-being.

I probably watch too much CNN. Whenever I think about watching less news, I am reminded of the early Tuesday morning when Wayne came rushing in from a 7:00 a.m. meeting he had attended to tell me about the World Trade Center being attacked. All of this had happened, my world had changed, while I was feeding my cats! Since then, I have tried to pay more attention to the “news.”

During the recent primary elections, I began to check in to CNN more often. I say CNN because that’s where I begin, moving to other news channels from time to time. I think it is good to have an overall awareness of the “big stuff” and there always seems to be some “big stuff,” especially in an election year. Unfortunately, there is a down side to the decision to watch more news and that’s the stressful feelings that often come with it. On any given day, there are at least a half dozen things I can wonder about, worry about, feel helpless about, have opinions about. And, on any given day, there are as many or more “big” things I can know about without losing my peace of mind. That is, if I understand that “the news” and “peace of mind” are not mutually exclusive.

Here are a few lines from “Worldwords” ~ “Life’s turbulent waters always seem to be stirring something up: concerns about material goods, a variety of physical and emotional aches and pains, and the anxiety of our crazy minds worrying about it all. It seems that the norm is to live with the mindset that things are never quite right. To choose instead a worldview that wa is always accessible requires changing some fundamental habits. As we focus on discovering peace, the old patterns will wither of their own accord.”

This is not a new idea to those of us who are familiar with New Thought, the parent teaching that birthed Unity and other similar organizations. The name “New Thought” is sometimes misunderstood as meaning something new… never heard before. New Thought, of course, is a teaching that goes back at least as far as the biblical record and so cannot be seen as "new," in terms of time. It comes from this idea: You can change your life by taking a new thought.

More from the book: “First you must believe that you deserve to nurture yourself in this way. Then it is possible to allow this sense to permeate your being. Drink serenity in like water from an oasis, like nectar from a flower. Breathe tranquility into every fiber of your being. The floodgates will open and a river will flow within you from a calm center.”

Perhaps nobody has said it better than our old friend, Paul, who wrote, in his letter to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Or, to put it more succinctly ~ Wa!

jbm

June 2008 ~ Banjar

For my "jottings" inspiration this year, I am drawing from a book called "Worldwords," which is a collection of words from around the world… one word for each day of the year… with an explanation of the word and a brief interpretation of its meaning. I will share a word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for June is:

banjar ~ Indonesian
Cooperative groups of neighbors bound to assist each other.

CNN commentators have recently been using a catchy phrase to introduce news stories relating to tornadoes and storms. They call it “when the weather becomes the news.” It seems we’ve been having a lot of those stories in recent weeks… here and abroad. But one of the things that is always part of the story is the way people help each other in times of terror and tragedy. One of my favorite stories was about a young woman in China who became aware that there were babies going hungry because their mothers were no longer with them. This young woman had given birth to a baby a few months earlier and was still nursing him. She offered to nurse some of the other motherless babies, as well. At one point she was nursing nine babies. Talk about the law of giving and receiving! She was the multiplication of “loaves and fishes” in expression. When she was interviewed by a newscaster, she expressed surprise that she was being called a “hero.” To her, it was simply something she could do… and so she did.

From the book: “Given the increased mobility of our society, for many of us, our sense of community arises, not so much from neighborhood, but rather from a loose assemblage of friends and acquaintances. Even if scattered across the country, these relationships may seem more solid that the shifting dynamics of who happens to live next door. It is hard for us to imagine the stability and sense of defined place inherent in the concept of a banjar. Its roots lie in the daily pressures of village life where survival means having neighbors you can count on. The challenge for us is to incorporate into our daily awareness the importance of supportive interaction with those around us. In the giving there is always receiving.”

Jesus told a story about a man who was beaten, and robbed, and left by the roadside to die. Several travelers passed by on the other side without giving him a glance or any kind of help. And then, finally, a man who was considered to be of a “lower class” came by. He stopped, put the injured man on his donkey and took him to an inn where care could be given. Most of us know this story and way it ends. Jesus asked his listeners who, in the story, was the true neighbor… those who passed by or the one who risked himself in order to help? It was agreed that the neighbor was the man who did what he could to help. At another time, Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22: 36 – 40

jbm