For Good

This was the Thought for Today that slipped, almost innocently, into my inbox during the early morning hours. It was sent to me by a good friend. I could sign up to receive them directly, but I appreciate the connection with a person who touched my life when she lived here in my hometown, and continues to touch my life now, even though she lives in Florida year round.

You spend most of your life running after things, doing things. You forget that being comes before doing. Those who remember this secret make an effort to "be" and discover that when they stop and observe, life helps and brings whatever is needed. Learning to be is learning to be at peace. It is our most fundamental nature.

As I read this thought, I had an almost-guilty echo of a conversation shared with friends last evening as we indulged in ice cream following dinner at one of our favorite Indian restaurants.One friend was talking about her work-related stress. I slipped into my "helper" role quite easily, and even drew support from one of the others. Reading this "Thought" reminds me that a greater ease with all of our lives is available to each of us at every moment.

This time of year I really enjoy early mornings sitting out front on my Zen Walkway. 

I had finished my meditation, and was listening to myriad birds, savoring my leisure on a late-summer Sunday morning. I checked email. Joel, my co-author, had shared a link to an amazing video of professional singer, Kristin Chenoweth, who was Glinda in Wicked. 

In the video, Kristin calls a member of the audience (Sarah Horn) up to sing with her. Youtube user, Mike Kestler uploaded this video of the duet. I hope you will be blessed if you take time to listen. 

I have watched the video several times, and now I can finally watch it without crying. I was crying as I was thinking of my friends I had dinner with. I was crying as I was thinking of those I have worked with and played with and agreed with and argued with over the course of my lifetime. I was crying as I was thinking of how the winds of time have blown us together and apart like autumn leaves riding the river out to sea.

If you are reading my blog, I think you will recognize the truth and agree with the lyrics:

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

After having seen the video, some of you will deeply appreciate reading all the words to this powerful song, so wonderfully sung in this chance duet by Kristin and Glinda. Truly, this is demonstration of the way every encounter we have (you can call it chance) changes us for good....

Here are the words to "For Good" (from LyricsFreak):

(Elphaba):
I'm limited
Just look at me - I'm limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
For both of us - now it's up to you...

(Glinda):
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from it's mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

(Glinda):
Because I knew you

(Both):
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba):
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

(Glinda):
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

(Both):
And none of it seems to matter anymore

(Glinda):
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

(Elphaba):
Like a ship blown from it's mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

(Both):
Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

(Glinda):
And because I knew you...

(Elphaba):
Because I knew you...

(Both):
Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good...

White-footed Deer Mouse

When you are aware that perspective creates experience, you really do choose to take a greater sense of responsibility for your life. What do you think of when you think of a mouse? Many people are very frightened of mice. Does that seem odd when you bring a rational mind to it? Have you ever heard of a mouse attacking a human? For sure, having mouse droppings in one's home is not sanitary and can present health risks. But, honestly, humans might be being influenced by a mammal much larger than we.

In A.D. 77, Pliny the Elder—Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, wrote that elephants are afraid of mice in an encyclopedic work, Naturalis Historia, which became a model for all other encyclopedias. MythBusters Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman have done experiments (thinking they would disprove Pliny) and shown in a Natural Geographic film that, indeed, elephants do run from mice.

Here is a comment on a blog about the showing of their conclusions:

I've seen this episode several times now, and my first thought when the elephant backed off from the mouse was not that it was afraid, but being cautious not to step on it. Elephants are intelligent and compassionate animals. I think if they come across a small, non threatening animal like a mouse, they will make every effort not to harm it.

So, here you are confronted with two very different opinions. One might give more weight to Adam and Jamie since they were the ones who saw the elephants. But, what if we cannot believe what we see with our own eyes? A lot of people obviously have at least a suspicion you should be suspicious about what you see and what you think. You will get about 260 million results to a search for the phrase, "Don't believe every thought that you think."

Native American lore is likely to put nature into context, meaning the suggestion to observe the behavior and message (called medicine) of the specific creature you encounter. In Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small (p.290), author Ted Andrews, says this about mouse:

When mouse shows up as a totem, it is either time to pay attention to details, or an indication that you cannot see the forest for the trees. You may be getting so locked into details that you forget the big picture. 

Mouse medicine can show you how to focus and pay attention to detail. It can show you how to attain the big things by working on the little things. Whenever mouse shows up there are lessons associated with attention.

This month I am working with attention by developing an expanded awareness of things that allow me to access what is sometimes called the "field of infinite possibilities." As part of the workshop series with Barbara Brodsky, I am doing an energy technique using colors and the chakras and aura. Once that "etheric field" has been accessed, the suggestion is to hold your highest intention in mind. From the Buddhist tradition you might intend (1) harm no one (2) may all sentient beings come to the end of suffering (3) may all experience peace. As a Christian, you can intend for each person to experience salvation and live in love.

A wonderful reminder for each of us to not be afraid of the little things in life comes from this baby white-footed deer mouse. We found  him stunned on the pavement and picked him up and moved to him to the safety of the foliage you see him on in the photo.They are strictly nocturnal and can become blinded by the sunlight. This guy was about the length of my little finger. Soon after we put him down, he burrowed himself down under the leaves. Ah... safety!

Being aware of both the details that we can attend to and the sense of meaning that comes from seeing the bigger picture does provide a greater sense of connection to the All That Is, doesn't it...

Sunrays on the Forest Floor

I have been more than aware of patterns and habits while attending a series of workshops on higher states and stages of consciousness. The second day of the second workshop was about meditating on the four elements of nature. We were instructed to do this while floating in the water, or sitting with feet in the water, or while looking out at the water. We braced for the cool wind and each chose our space and settled in. 

I did have some thought of getting into trouble as I got pulled out of my meditation practice because I saw a snake sliding its way along the edge of the bank of the lake, weaving in and out the legs of the chairs and the legs of the participants sitting in the chairs in the shallow water. Many were wrapped up against the chill. 

I knew one other participant saw the snake, and I was deep in delight as I waited almost breathlessly to see if any others of those sitting on the chair or along the bank would feel a close encounter or see our slithering friend. None did—or at least no one reacted.

No one else seemed to notice at all, so I easily tucked my memory into my open heart and returned to pure awareness of the wind and the earth and the water and the sun. It is amazing to notice how everything really is a blend of the elements, and those are both in the world and inside us. 

The sand at the bottom of the lake is made up of air, water, and earth, and the wind was blowing ripples across the surface of the water. My face got a bit sunburned, even in the low temperatures. I was aware of choosing to experience the blessing of the elements as I remembered the teacher had previously mentioned the story of a meditation student who had complained about construction noise nearby his meditation hall, to which the master simply replied, "Did you note it?" 

As we were wrapping up the weekend with questions and answers, an interesting exchange occurred. Our teacher had responded to an email question someone not at the workshop had asked me, and as she began addressing the question, a participant in the workshop raised a hand and expressed discomfort and confusion as to why our teacher was addressing the question. Our teacher did her best to reply kindly that she was addressing the question because I had asked it. 

I felt a familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach—and I noted "awkward..."

Early the previous morning, on the way to the location of the workshop, the morning mist had cast a spell of delight on the forest floor. It was as though the fairies were holding a gala! The entire length of the lane leading from the house is hugged by tall tree people. Slender trunks and upward reaching branches guard the way with as much poise as the soldiers at Buckingham Palace. 

Just as we pulled onto the lane, the sun broke through an opening in the trees and we were greeted with an almost endless row of rays! Totally stunned by the view, I stopped the van, put it into park, got out and snapped this photo:

As I sit in meditation now that I am home, my intention is to be moving on into awareness of those higher states of consciousness. I noted I had had a fleeting wondering what the energy would have been like in the workshop if the teacher had said to the person who expressed confusion with an annoyed tone of voice, "Did you note it?" 

For a while, maybe for a long while, I will appreciate the moment that mist greeted the morning sun. Amazing where you can find true and lasting beauty, isn't it....