I’m feeling stiff and need a walk, the sun is gleaming and the wind is faint. Song birds wrestle against the spring roar of the waterfall. The hill in my driveway is my first challenge. It is saturated beneath my feet from recent rains.
The firs, cedars and pines bouquet fume the forest. I drink the intoxicating smell. How many times can I walk the same path and still see new life? Grouse and birds scatter, pecking stone and earth. a feathery flustered day. I stop and face the sun, allowing it to enter my space, so warming, healing. I carry on feeling energized.
As my path narrows I see my friend the crow, still dead beneath the fir tree. I placed him there after a nasty car encounter. I memorialized him by plucking some feathers off his bones and placed the feathers on my animal alter at home. I miss his caws. I, like the birds feel free to pick and peck at the garbage thrown from windows, a hasty retrieval to bag and dispose.
As I march I mark time at the Artesian well that springs forth down the mountain, carving new waterways to the inland lake receiving in the valley. The soothing sound echoes against the rocks in its path and bubbles appear then float away. My hike circles around pussy willows bursting the branch, a sure sign of spring. The rock-cut blasted is fractured and falling. Vertical lines like an abstract work of art remind me of human veins. Yes natures art created by human hands.
Now I am mountain climbing. Lichen and moss growing over the incline make it slippery as I plant each foot slowly. Standing tall, queen of the hill, I notice the sky is full of dragon clouds. Spiney outlines, surrounding and protecting, floating ribs of transparency. I imagine one of them is mine and send telepathic messages calling her down. Oh what an imagination conspiring when walking with a poets eye!
Take The Challenge:
On your next walk write down all the things you see, hear, feel or sense. Be present, be creative. Walk connecting yourself to nature and to your imagination. Please leave me a comment below if you accepted the challenge and walked with a poets eye.
Did you know today is national Notebook Day? Pull out those old notebooks and start writing. Jot down some notes for your future writing projects, wants or left to do bucket lists and maybe just maybe you will publish a book like my friend Laurene Vernon did. “Spirits Descent: Holy Spirit inspirations” available on Amazon.
There comes a moment in our lives where we can go insane worrying about who we are in a changing world or surrender to the fact that although we are connected as humanity, each of us is experiencing life with our own perspective. Surrendering to this fact can help us develop empathy, compassion and a space for grace.
Deep within us lies the need to surround ourselves with others who think like we do, believe what we believe, dress, act, eat and play like we do. This actually limits and separates us from others. Gone are the debates, conversations and agreements to disagree. We rarely even look others in the eyes or care about their soul presence anymore. By soul presence I mean when is the last time you questioned “Who is this person in my life and what do they want to accomplish during their life journey?” “Can I help them even though it doesn’t interest me?” With our heads buried deep in the software and technology of the future many seek answers that others give them, or fall victim to accepting and complying with someone who says they have your best interest. Doctors, lawyers, politicians, pharmaceutical companies, spouses, the list goes on.
In reality creating you in a world of change demands we bring it home to our own hearts and surrender to the realization that; You are the only being on this planet that knows what you need, You have your own best interest, You can make your own decisions, find your own answers and only You can create the present and future that best serves you! It’s time to step up to your uniqueness.
There are two pillars to which we create and I believe they are Love & Hope. The first involves Love for all we thought we knew, ways in which we patterned our lives and love for the moments we recognized our need for joy & happiness. Our intensions for understanding our need for love in our lives is not selfish, it is filling our cup so we may move forward to help and support others. Love involves forgiving ourselves and others while continuing down our paths. The second pillar is Hope. Hope is the glue that binds our desires to their creation, our spirits to our minds and bodies, and our uniqueness to a shared vison with others. Hope is being seen in a crowd, heard under the ocean, and felt with someone’s heart, especially in times of conflict and worldly change. As society shifts people will be for us or against us. It is their fear that may lead them. Fear causes separation. It is your role to understand Fear is the evil we fight against, not our brothers & sisters. Fear is the force that has held us in control our whole lives and it is the force that needs to be obliterated! Once we surrender to love in our hearts for our fellow humans, fear dissolves. It melts away and it can not come back without invitation. Fear is a choice just like love and it is my hope that you understand this as you teeter on the edge of your human transformation. Your new life, new journey, begins with a step towards what you really want for yourself, your family, your world. I am here to remind you we can co-create anything and everything with love in our hearts and hope in each step we take.
It’s been 14 years today since your life was taken from our hopes & dreams for you. Someone else determined your path. We know death is an illusion and you thrive elsewhere. Here is my Haiku poem for you as we still teeter on the edge for understanding.
Lisa’s life- no poem no song – only rain
For 14 years – how sharp – the silence
Stone cold – joy and grief – one brushstroke
A painted life – canvas expectations – framed white
In the spirit of Valentines Day, I wish everyone who follows me a terrific day filled with love. Whether you are celebrating with a special person or celebrating on your own, take time to appreciate all you have and do something that you love today.
Teeteringontheedge & sending high Love vibrations tribe,
The New Year stands before us as a blank page. It is up to each of us, individually, as well as collectively, to create this moment in time. With eyes wide open we reflect what has worked for us in the past and what has not.
Settle your soul and recognize the window of opportunity you have been given. Release all that does not work, let it go, it has no hold on your soul now. Realize there is now a void that needs filling. Fill it and allow the overflow of what your heart really wants, what really brings you joy and happiness, what you desire for yourself and others and where you want this year to lead you!
Dream a new dream. Some of us are already creating vison boards, some are dealing with unexpected events & triggers, while others just don’t know where this past year went. We are all different but we all have the same needs and desires to be loved and accepted.
This year let us be the light and be the love we forgot to be last year!
Do you create a New Years Resolutions list each year in the hopes of changing the things that don’t resonate anymore? I’m here to say hold on! 2023 can be your quantum leap.
Creating a place of authenticity means investing in yourself. Reconnecting to your abilities, responsibilities and believing in yourself starts with answering the following questions created by Kerry k.
Question #1 “Where am I neglecting myself?”
Often the answer to this question is not obvious. By sitting and connecting to your feelings, and I don’t mean analyzing yourself, just allow your feelings to rise as you ask this question. When did your over investment in others over take your priority to yourself? You can not give to others what you yourself do not have within. Others will create priority for their own needs if you allow them. Yes, I know we all have people who depend upon us but there has to be a balance. When you start to question where others put you on their priority list, you begin to awaken from the dream. Others can not give to you anything you have not given to yourself. When we ask others to give you quality time, to focus on your relationship or pay attention to your needs, you lose sight of who really comes first. YOU come first, so prioritize yourself.
Question #2 “Am I learning to validate what I cannot see?”
So many of us have been gas lighted by our family, friends or acquaintances who are mostly trying to compete with us. Many of us having non validating conversations, superficial relationships with me-centered beings. Their truths being thrown at us to be absorbed as our own. Holding your truth and validating your own feelings and experiences should never be compromised. Use your discernment and intuition and allow your heart to lead you. You will never be led astray.
Question #3 “Can you be true to yourself?”
In the traditional sense boundaries can be limiting and inhibiting, sometimes placing a wall between you and those in your life. Although using a higher version of self-honor with integrity, you can create healthy boundaries. Behaviors seen in others that you do not like, often gets you to thinking “am I not honoring myself?” Make your life about you’re own behavior. By self-honoring, your issuing a decree that says you will be treated by a better, expanded standard. By having this attitude and taking personal responsibility for yourself, this will create a huge catalyst for personal growth.
Question #4 “Have I practiced saying NO to others?”
Saying NO is a standard not a boundary. You can not do more for others then you do for yourself. When you say no to others do so with a higher frequency of love. Say it in a way that does not shut them off or shut them out. Do so without bias, prejudice or alienating them. Say No without shutting yourself down! Say I need, promised, scheduled etc….. right now, and can not be available, do this, or take care of that…… for you. Growing up means letting your YES beYES and your NO be NO.
Question #5 “Can you say YES to yourself?”
This is a technique that requires receptivity and connection to self. You can only say yes to yourself first before expecting others to say yes to you. Invest in yourself so you can give to others in the world. Today that might look like healing, recovery, silence, and time to sit & read. Tomorrow it might be an interlude with abundance. Your needs are not stationary they require an action and being in a mind set of receptivity. Your needs require a connection to yourself and an agreement to invest in YOU. It’s ok now to ask yourself what the hell are my needs?
Question #6 “Am I able to recognize the difference between Love and Self-compromise?”
The words love and self compromise are different and have different meanings but in relationships they look the same. Most of the time you don’t see self-compromise until you feel rotten, bitter, miserable, depleted and fatigued. When you realize that your energy has been sucked out of you and the only people standing around looking back at you are your loved ones. Addressing this question requires you to look back and see where you self-compromised yourself in the past. Did you see it coming then? Follow the pattern forward. Do you see it now? Self -Love needs to come before Love because it is the foundation or pillar of who you are. Your being has to be filled with love in order for you to share it with others. Then it is your responsibility, not others, for filling your cup up and over flowing. Self love is an action you perform to invest in your own life!
Question #7 “Who am I sacrificing myself for?”
Lastly, this is where we meet the martyr within. Who in your life are you giving away your free time, love and energy to? Did they specifically ask you to do all those things for them? Did your self sacrifice serve them, uplift them or benefit them? I’m here to let you in on a dirty little truth we rarely talk about. “No one benefits from self sacrifice”. You do not benefit nor do others; in fact, you are depriving them of their own self growth. Balance is needed here, if not, you will become bitter, resentful, and fatigued emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. You staying small serves no one!
It’s time for you to validate yourself and get into a commitment with yourself. When you self monitor you become;
The highest version of you and you serve the most people
The wisest version of you and you have the greatest wisdom to give
The most loving version of you and you can love the most people
The most abundant version of you and you can give the most!
Start 2023 with openness and a commitment to yourself so that the path ahead of you is paved with great intentions for living your best life!
Today I am alone and comfortable with the quiet. I clean and pick up my house, wrap a few presents and make myself another coffee. The mug is warm and the contents enticing. I grab my mug and head to the window. It is a dark grey day in the North. A slight dusting of snow fills the forest floor and mountainside’s. Peace and quiet over come me and I am one with myself and the world.
Suddenly, I notice ducks popping their heads up from under the lake and this surprises me. I think I have some bread to share with them. I grab three pieces, don my boots and head outside. It is mild with no breeze, another welcomed surprise. Teetering at the water’s edge, I rip shreds of bread and throw them at the ducks. They swim away in fear and I laugh.
How many times have others tried to help us and we mis understood their actions or walked away really not knowing how to accept a favor or kindness itself? Think about this today as I send you love & light and all the bread you need.
Leading a balanced life means finding a way to enjoy your hobbies, family life, work and your inner spiritual needs. This is a never-ending process that requires you to re-assess your values, priorities, and personal growth. Often times it means learning from your mistakes and learning how to flow with a new mindset.
Finding balance involves your Internal vs External needs, knowing the difference between them and addressing each of them separately.
External Balance refers to:
Work:
Work goals, enjoyment, work relationships and time spent doing work.
Saying “NO” without regret is important for your work balance. Trim where you can, delegate others to help you and use technology like Business Apps to help you organize your work load.
Turn it off “Disconnect” on days you are not working or hours before bedtime.
Friendships:
Nurturing, satisfying and socializing are important to finding balanced work friendships.
Reflect each day on how you are experiencing them.
Journaling can help reveal work-life patterns that may need to be adjusted.
When is the last time you had a deep moving conversation with your friends, partner or family?
Internal Balance refers to:
Mind
Keep your thought process positive.
Meditate to silence and ground yourself, there are many ways to stop and focus inward each day.
Spend time alone from the hustle & bustle of daily life.
Health
Insert physical activities into your day. Even a short walk helps.
Add Joy or fun to an activity. This helps release endorphins, serotonin and dopamine.
Develop healthy eating habits
Explore your world – travel
Emotions
Prioritize “Me Time” say yes to yourself without resentment.
Turn off social media and Tune In.
Allow all emotions to flow in & out of yourself without judgement.
Treat Yourself
Expand your awareness of all things, be a avid student in search of knowledge.
Creating balance in life is knowing what is important to you and what is not. Creating a well-balanced life is crucial for your health, happiness and well being so that you can live your best life!
The greatest moral challenge of our time is our flawed conception of morality. The way we think and talk about morality stifles our ability to engage in views other than our own, making managing diversity and disagreement harder. It also locks us into thinking patterns that produce more suffering and unrest than they solve.
Right/wrong, male/female, life/death issues are subjective. it is down to each of us to figure out the correct interpretation of these issues.
Morality is a cultural tool that we humans set up to live and work together in social situations. Interests may vary but we all want to provide for ourselves and loved ones, avoid suffering and hardship and pursue pleasurable and fulfilling experiences.
Morality should be created with the premise, what is good for me , should be good for everyone and vice versa. Morality should be less about proving your view and more about tolerance and negotiation of all people, communities and cultures. It should be less dogmatic and more adaptable. Morality should answer questions and solve problems.
While we are teetering on the edge of our greatest moral challenges, we should envelop patience. Patience will allow us to see the lessons in our own life stories and teach us how to behave in the world. Patience will also align us with our authentic, honest and truthful self; which will in turn direct us forward to the process and justice of morality.
These are chaotic times and it is critical to listen to your heart and trust your inner guidance. Your light is needed in the world!
TEETERING ON THE EDGE 