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

May 2008 ~ Namaste

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 May is:

namaste (nah-MASS-tay) Hindi
A greeting that honors the unity of all living beings.

May is my birth month, as you may know. When I turned to May 24 in “Worldwords,” I was pleased to find “namaste” as the word for that day… my special day. At a time when there seems to be so much divisiveness in the world, the idea of honoring the unity or oneness of all living beings seems important. It has always been important and has long been a part of the spiritual practice of the Unity movement. In this context, it is referred to as “beholding the Christ.” Here the word “Christ” means the spiritual nature, the God or Higher Self, the True Self. Jesus expressed the Christ more fully that any person we know of, but each of us has the same Christ Potential. As we like to say, Jesus was not different from us in kind, only in degree. He said, “The things that I do, you may do, and even greater things.” This is our purpose here on earth… to bring forth our divine potential in all that we think, say, and do. Beholding this divinity in each other helps all of us become more expressive of it.

“To speak this word is to remain hopeful. It is to declare that although as an individual being you may not always be able to act out of that commonality, you do remember that such a connection is always present. The more you allow this insight to penetrate your daily living, the wider the doors of compassion are flung open. Compassion is not pity or sympathy; it is a way of walking through life valuing all of creation. It is the beginning of the circle of kindness and caring that ultimately brings us to peace.”

We may not always be comfortable speaking the word “namaste” aloud. We can, however, speak it silently in our thoughts and prayers. It is a comprehensive word, holding within its meaning all the “specifics” we might wish or pray for ourselves or another. Some people like to relate a color to the “namaste “ and visualize those for whom they pray in an energy of that color. One of my teachers always said, “God is blue.” You may find another color more natural or comfortable for the practice of “seeing people” in the color of your choice. There is nothing magic about the color. It simply serves as a reminder of the true purpose of the thought or prayer… of the practice of “namaste”… the divinity in me beholds and honors the divinity in you.

jbm

March 2008 ~ Easy Does It

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 the word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for March is:

mollo mollo (MOH–lo MOH-lo) French
Easy does it; carefully, sweetly.

Have you every tried so hard to do something right that you ended up with a mess?! Trying to do everything right comes naturally to those of us who grew up hearing the old adage, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well (or right)!” Is this not true? Of course, it is true, but when “doing it well” becomes an obsession, it crosses the line between striving for excellence and being a perfectionist.

One of the primary dis-eases in our culture is something called STRESS! Stress, according to the dictionary, is “a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.” Ask yourself this question: what are my feelings when I am stressed? I find that stress tends to wear other names, such as inadequacy, anger, worry, uncertainty, and anxiety. Stress, simply put, is fear in the face of what life is presenting to us at this moment. And, often, that fear is based in a lack of confidence that we can do it right!

Here are a few lines from the book “Worldwords” ~

“Like a doctor shouting at his patient 'Just Relax!' we can wreak havoc by struggling too hard to get something right. In delicate situations the energy flows best when allowed to expand rather than constrict, and we embrace the task rather than attempt to control it.”

Embracing the task, whatever it is, includes being willing to let it unfold in its own way, without trying to control what that way must be, what the outcome must look like. This “mollo mollo” frame of mind allows us to take each step that is revealed to us, without being stressed about the steps that we cannot yet see.

Many 12 Step Recovery programs work with the ideas of “one day at a time” and “easy does it.” These are valuable affirmations for those of us who are recovering perfectionists. In addition, we may wish to softly say “mollo mollo” as we move through our day, especially when we start feeling stressed… “mollo mollo”… easy does it… all is well.

jbm

February 2008 ~ The Beloved

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 the word from each month, along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. The word for February is:

Priya (PREE – yuh) ~ a Sanskrit word which means "the beloved."

(from the book): "Relationship can be a devotional, spiritual, practice of awakening. When we are really able to see with the heart, and appreciate that our most intimate (friend) is only a universal breath away, we are filled with gratitude for the truth and beauty of what is present, now in this moment together. Walls of fear come down, and this beloved person is appreciated for the mirror they are to our own true nature. Beyond the old ideas of our self, we guide each other to new realities. Most of us can taste and savor such moments of connection, but rarely can we bring such light into permanent focus. A glimpse is enough to remind us that it is possible to be fully accepted as we are, and to experience the intimacy we long to create."

(from me) While February hosts several special days, it is best known for Valentine’s Day. This is the day we honor those we love… family… friends… partners… anyone with whom we share a relationship. The Hallmark card company makes it possible for us to send a valentine to almost everyone, however close or casual our relationship may be.

I especially like the line from the book quote that says, "Walls of fear come down and this beloved person is appreciated for the mirror they are to our own true nature." In my recent reading, I came across this idea with the suggestion that we think of someone we admire and love to be with. Now ask these questions:

What qualities do I value in this person ?
How do I see those same qualities in myself?

Now let us think of someone we do not admire nor enjoy being with. Can we see those qualities as reflections of something in ourselves? Is there something to be learned?

Looking for what is mirrored in our relationships can bring a new sense of clarity and appreciation for "the beloved" and for ourselves. That we are only a universal breath apart is a breath-taking idea! This is what we mean by "beholding the Christ," seeing with the eyes of "Oneness," being in Unity. This is what we mean by spiritual practice, unfoldment, enlightenment! This is what we mean by world peace!

And we can start right where we are! Happy Valentine’s Day, Priya!


jbm

January 2008 ~ Beauty

As you, my faithful readers (all 6 of you), have no doubt observed, I am late with this month’s Jotting. Somehow it has been hard to think of something that I haven’t already written about… starting over… new beginnings… making promises… etc. etc. and then it occurred to me to return to my first love… words. This was, in part, because I picked up a little book that I bought a few years ago at a used book sale. The book is called “Worldwords” and it 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. It occurred to me to share the word for the first day of the month… along with some thoughts from the book and some of my own. So, here we go.

January 1
Nasho hozho (nah-SHAS HO-ZHOW (Navaho)
To walk in the beauty way in one’s life and actions.

“Everyone of us makes a unique contribution to the patterns of creation in the world. When we appreciate the need to find our place in relation to all that is good around us, we begin to comprehend the depth of the worldview known as nasho hozho.

In this Navaho concept, all life is viewed from the lens of relationships with natural and supernatural forces as well as other human beings. When one lives with balance, creating harmony and beauty as one moves through the day, then mind, body and spirit mingle together in wondrous interplay with all that is. To walk in the beauty way is to explore the goodness of all creation.”

This reminds me of a little story I heard long ago. It is about a young woman who had just graduated from college with a degree in social work. She went to work in a low income neighborhood in a large city. Her first assignment was to begin a weekly gathering for women. At the first meeting, she asked, “What would you like to know about?” A woman replied, “Teach us how to be happy.” The social worker was puzzled, but she said she would have an answer when they next came together. A week went by and the group gathered again, eager to hear her answer. This is what she said: “Before I tell you how to be happy, you must promise me that you will do what I say.” The women promised. The social worker went on: “Each day you must do three things. First, you must read something positive. Second, you must do something nice for someone without getting found out. Third, you must spend five minutes looking at something beautiful.” Over the weeks that followed, the women shared their experience of doing the three “happy” things. Without exception they experienced a lifting of their spirits as they walked the beauty way.

As we enter into this new year, let us open our eyes and ears to the beauty that surrounds us… and perhaps we, too, may find a new happiness as we follow the three small steps of the beauty way.

Happy New Year!!

jbm

December Jot 2007 ~ Immanuel

One of my favorite “Christmas words” is the Hebrew word “Immanuel.” Sometimes used in the Greek form and spelled “Emmanuel,” the word is a prophetic name for Jesus and simply means “God with us.” I say “simply” because as a definition, it is simple and straightforward. However, as a spiritual principle, it is rich with meaning and promise.

This morning, as I was thinking about Christmas being near, I prayerfully asked myself this question: Why was Jesus born? What was his purpose? To my surprise, these words almost immediately spoke themselves into my mind: “He came to show us who God is and who we are.” This is such a satisfying answer for me. It is certainly not a new idea, but it is fresh for me today as I begin to prepare for the celebration of Christmas… the birth of the Christ Child… Immanuel.

What was the portrait of God that Jesus painted for us? If we look patiently and with willing eyes, we see intelligence and wisdom, caring and courage, discipline and surrender, love and strength, generosity and creativity. We see true power, in all its many forms. We see these and more, not as qualities that Jesus had, but as attributes of being… of who he was. Given as we are to creating God in our image and likeness, it is vital that we see what Jesus saw… not a big man in the sky, but the Absolute Source of All Good. Jesus showed us our Oneness with this Unlimited Good. His faith knew no bounds… had no limit… it carried him through all that his purpose held for him.

And so, I ask myself, how is all this a picture of me? The answer comes more quietly, but no less surely. I am all of this in possibility, just as Jesus was. He was lifetimes ahead of me in soul enlightenment, but he was not different from me in kind, only in degree of expression. How lovely it must have been for those who were present to hear him say, “The things that I do, you shall do, and greater than these will you do.” But these words were not just for his listeners then. They are for each one of us now.

But what about sin? Didn’t Jesus come to save us from sin? Yes, he truly did. But we can only understand this if we understand “sin.” In his book “Original Blessing,” Matthew Fox defines sin as “belief in duality… in separation.” If I truly know and believe that I am one with you, with all creation, can I do anything to harm you or the planet we share? Jesus summed up our Oneness in his great commandment: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength… and your neighbor as yourself.” When we get this right, we are saved from sin… from our belief that we are separate. This is what faith is all about. This is what salvation is all about: believing, trusting the Oneness, Immanuel, God with us. Have a blessed Christmas!

jbm