the silver lining is known as a hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty, it is literally the presence of light that surrounds and defines a cloud.
This is my silver lining
Once uponall the time, something challenging happens, followed by something amazing...
When I sat down to write today, I had one idea in mind, wisdom. Simple. Well, that's where I got some true experience in what wisdom really is!! As I began to write, I found one thing kept leading me to question the next. As I sat and took a look at wisdom, I had to question knowledge...
Knowledge: n.- acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition; the sum of what is known; the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; awareness, as of a fact or circumstance.
So, there you have it... the knowledge of what knowledge is known as :-) Now, learning that what I found interesting, is that not one place in it's definition did it state that knowledge is the truth. So that lead me to wonder, what exactly is...
Truth: n.- the true or actual state of a matter; conformity with fact or reality; a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like.
And of course that lead me to ask, what is a...
Fact: n.- something that actually exists; reality; truth.
Ok, well there's that word reality again, so I had to know...
Reality: n- the state or quality of being real;a real thing or fact.
Then, this is where I found something that really jumped out at me...
Reality: n.-Philosophy a. that which exists, independent of human awareness b. the totality of facts as they are independent of human awareness
I have to go back into my knowledge vault for a moment and question that. What about the theory that our thoughts create our reality... isn't our thought part of our...
awareness n.- having knowledge of
Well that brings me back to knowledge again... so I have to reference back to my source:
Simply stated, we create the world we live in by our thoughts and beliefs. Our experience of life is created directly by the way we think. Thoughts and words are powerful living entities. Creation is made first by a thought. God once decided to create the world of matter. First came the thought. Then by speaking, God made manifest the thought - "Let There Be Light".
So now I see a connection!!! If God made manifest by doing, then it brings me to:
Wisdom: the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
That gets me back to wisdom, but I still have more questions!! Which is where I utilize my knowledge:
"One's first step in wisdom is to question everything - and one's last is to come to terms with everything."- Lichtenberg
Step one... check, check, check!!! Now, it's time to keep on walking!!
Today's Silver Lining:
"The lips of the righteous teach many, But fools die for want of wisdom. The rich man wealth is in his city; Do you hear, do you hear, can you understa-and?! Destruction of the poor, is poverty; destruction of the soul, is vanity. The righteous' wealth is in his Holy Pla-ace. Do you hear? Those who have eyes, to see will see!" Wisdom- by Bob Marley
Breath. It's all we really need... Well, that and maybe a couple of other things, like water and computers... hehe... but it's the main thing. It's always with there... Me and breath, til death do we part.:-) Our seldom acknowledged in and outs of life... literally. Breathing is what keeps us alive, helps us calm down, and prevents us from staying underwater for too long... It is one of the few things we can trust ourselves to do without too much thought or effort. Here is a great quote, since I'm always using other peoples words to get my points across and save my breath : )...
“. . . see without looking, . . . hear without listening, . . . breathe without asking.” W. H. Auden
I love that. So simple. All these things that we can just do... that sometimes we force, but when we experience them as they happen, are just perfect. Breathing. It is such an easy thing to forget about, even while you're doing it, and yet if we weren't breathing, boy would we miss it! Just like I missed adding another quote... so here's another goodie:
“A man who has to be convinced to act before he acts is not a man of action. You must act as you breathe.” George Clemenceau
I hate to be redundant, but... I love it!! Imagine if acting on an idea was as easy as taking a breath in, and producing a result was easy as an exhale... well... drumrolllllllll..... IT IS!! The only thing that prevents us from allowing things into action is our thought about them. We don't judge our breath, (well most of the time), thinking it's to long to last, or too shallow to make it through the day. We just do it. Wait a minute... so that means if we act like we breathe, then to act, all we need to remember... is to just do it. Wow, I've written that before, and I'll write it again... Just. Do. It. Makes sense, now huh??!!! Ahhhhhhh...(exhale!)
Our breath is what keeps us active and all we have to do is just go with it. Just like a car has to be running to go anywhere, we have to be breathing... then the possibilities are endless!! Once we're turned on we can go wherever we want, we simply pick a place, and go there... or drive around for a while enjoying the ride, the music, and the scenery until we end up somewhere we love!
So just breathe... inhale as you smile at how easy it is, and exhale, knowing that you now have all you need to "just do" anything... as long as you keep breathing!!!
Today's Silver Lining:
"There's a light at each end of this tunnel, You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out, And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again, If you only try turning around. 2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song, If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me, Threatening the life it belongs to, And I feel like I'm naked in front, of the crowd, Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud, And I know that you'll use them, however you want to, But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable, And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table, No one can find the rewind button now, Sing it if you understand... and breathe, just breathe" Breathe (2am.)- by Anna Nalick
Miracle: n.- an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause; such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of god; any amazing or wonderful occurrence
Just so we're all clear on what a miracle is : -) Now when I think of miracles, I usually think of angels and light and waterfalls and rainbows, well that has changed! Today I heard a song, and I could hardly believe it was true... these hardcore dudes, rapping and swearing about how much of a miracle this life is. I mean. Crazy. They even say effing rainbows... haha!! I mean the song is a little crude for those who don't like the dirty language, so beware if the kids are around... but they have a point! As tough and hardcore as these guys are, they can still see how amazing each star in the sky is, and how obvious miracles are in the little things all around us. They explain in their music what Albert Einstein said:
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
That's just the thing, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, we aren't as different as we appear! Things are changing, expanding, shifting, and everyone is starting to notice... In a weird way it's like we are all starting to become more similar, even amidst our differences.
I was watching these videos my Uncle Peter has been making for chiropractors, and they're just some tips and inspiration for fellow chiros to help with their practice and support each other in general. While I was watching, even though I'm not a chiropractor, I could relate to so much of what he was saying. So much of what works for one specific thing can also be applied to several things. I always tell people, it's not so much where you go location wise that matters when you travel, it's how you go mentally! You can go to India and stay in a resort and learn nothing about them, or yourself... or you can go down the street to a local bar with an open mind and meet someone who teaches you about something that changes your life... It's all about being open to change and learning from everything in life without judgement... being eager to see things from someones else's point of view. It's about being able to look at gangsters and be grateful for the reminder on how amazing this life really is, and realizing you're both witnessing the same wonders, without judging them for the clown makeup on their face and baggy pants...lol!!
The more we start to become aware of just how amazing even the things that we don't relate to/understand are, the more these miracles seem to pop up, because we are open to pay attention and be grateful! It can happen any time... in places we'd least expect it, shown to us by people we'd never guess we see it from, in forms we may even judge. So, I guess what I'm basically trying to say, is the same thing as Thoreau:
“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?”
Today's Silver Lining:
"Miracles each and every where you look, And nobody has to stay where they put, This world is yours for you to explore, there's nothing but miracles beyond your door, The Dark Carnival is your invitation, To witness that without explanation, Take a look at this fine creation, And enjoy it better with appreciation, Crows, ghosts, the midnight coast, The wonders of the world, mysteries the most, Just open your mind, and it ain't no way, To ignore the miracles of every day." Miracles- by Insane Clown Posse
So many times in life, things aren't quite shaping up to our expectations, or liking. So many times we hit a point where it looks like there is nothing we can to do get what we need. I have many moments where I have no clue how I'm gonna make it from one dot to the next, but without fail, a line always appears connecting me to where I need to be... even if the line doesn't go to the dot I thought it would... I know that it's not until the end that I will see the picture I'm creating.
It's hard not to worry sometimes; when the bills are high, and money's low... when someone we love is sick... when we lose something that we never thought we would... but even in times like these, things work themselves out some how. One of my favorite lessons on this is from the bible:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34
It is so true, everything else around us is taken care of, so of course we will be too!! There is nothing worrying can do, and as Leo Buscaglia says: "Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy." If these words aren't doing it for you, don't worry... that's what the silver lining is for!! The advice of the 2 furry creatures below really hit it home, and are sure to remind you of their catchy mantra, which always makes me forget about my worries... well at least while I'm singing along!! :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days. It's our problem-free philosophy, Hakuna Matata!"
"Don't worry a-bout a thing, 'cause ev-ry little thing gonna be all right. Singing': "Don't worry about a thing, 'cause ev-ry little thing gonna be all right!" Rise up this mornin'; smiled with the risin' sun. Three little birds pitch by my doorstep, Singin' sweet songs of melodies pure and true; saying, "This is my message to you-ou-ou.” Three Little Birds- by Bob Marley
1. A typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth, especially in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism.
2. A representation of such a being, especially in Christianity, conventionally in the image of a human figure with a halo and wings.
3. angels Christianity The last of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. From the highest to the lowest in rank, the orders are: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels.
4. A guardian spirit or guiding influence. 5.a. A kind and lovable person.b. One who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness
When I was a little girl I had lots of friends... nobody else could see them or hear them, but to me they were as real as the sunlight... they were angels. They told me stories, helped me build forts and write poems. I grew up in a Catholic school, where angels were part of a simple definitive lesson... something as easy as 2+2=4... my experience didn't add up. One day I was taught to believe that they have wings and live with God in heaven, and get to wear cool tinsel halos around their head at the Christmas play. I figured that angels weren't my friends, since they lived in heaven, so I stopped talking to them and making castles for us to play in together. As time has passed and I have seen many other perspectives of them... from celestial beings of light and simple plants, to my mom... I have realized that like so many things in life there are many places from which people look at angels, thus many angles from which people see them depending on where they're looking from.
To some they are shunned, associated with fantasy... to some they are an image from a book, they sing in choirs in heaven and wear all white and have golden halos of light ... to some they are profound sacred guides that are always there for assistance in times of need... to some they are people who make them smile... as for me, well, I'm moving around so much, I've seen many too many angles to pick one angel... but I am grateful for all of the above!! I've also found that many more people now strive to be their own angels... as defined in #5!
No matter how it looks from wherever you are... it's your angle on angels that you see... so don't be too quick to judge someone else's angel, before you're standing on their ledge viewing things from their angle :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Says she talks to angels, Says they all know her name, Oh yeah, she talks to angels, Says they call her out by her name. She don't know no lover, None that I ever seen, And to her that ain't nothing, But to me, It means, means everything." She Talks to Angels- by The Black Crows
Fake it till you make it:is a common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence.
Sometimes in life you aren't quite where you wanna be, and you just have to fool the world, (and yourself), into thinking you are... you've gotta fake it til you make it! I was reminded of this lesson in yoga today of all places. The teacher was telling us to give gratitude for all the things we have and then for the things we don't have as if we do... she said you may not have them, but just keep saying thank you for them as if you do, and fake it til you make it.
Sometimes in life there are those moments where we are in a place that looks so far from we want to be, that it seems impossible to get there ... and it is in those moments where the thoughts you think create the transportation, or lack there of, to get there. When you believe in your dreams, your capabilities, yourself... you're on your way there!! Some places have a longer journey to take than others, but they're all reachable as long as we continue our way, and don't stop fueling our thought bus with the belief to get us there.
I have found that in my life if there is something I truly want, I will find a way to get it. If I seem to be lazy on the way there, or standing in one place, I ask myself, "Is this where I really want to be going?" Many times I find it's not, and get my head, to head somewhere else! The things that we really feel good about and love to spend our time on will naturally occupy our thoughts on their own, creating a joy ride to success!! When we think as if we are, we eventually build our belief in that... and whatever you believe you receive!
So fake it til ya make it, and you may realize before long, that you already are!!
Here's someone teaching me this:
Here's the first thing, (and one of the only one's that I use), I learned on guitar when I was in Asia... it was the perfect first lesson, and I realized then just how powerful it was to fake it til you make it!! :-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Well you might be a bit confused, and you might be a little bit bruised, but baby how we spoon like no one else. So I will help you read those books, if you will soothe my worried looks, and we will put the lonesome on the shelf. Oh let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the South of France, let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters, and teach them how to dance, let's get rich and build our house on a mountain, making everybody look like ants, from way up there you and I, you and I." You and I- by Ingrid Michaelson
Happy Earth Day everybody!!!!! Of course, I soooo love this day... especially lately since I've adopted the motto: "go green, or bust!!" So now that we've had the day to celebrate this beautiful planet we live on by using our eco friendly bags, and posting love notes to mother earth on facebook; let's take a minute to get to know the birthday girl a little better, shall we....
Earth: is the third planet from the Sun, and the fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the Solar System's densest planet, as well as the largest of its four terrestrial planets. It is sometimes referred to as the World, the Blue Planet, or by its Latin name, Terra. Home to millions of species including humans, Earth is the only place in the universe where life is known to exist.
Pachamama: is usually translated as "Mother Earth" but a more literal translation would be "Mother world" (in Aymara and Quechua mama = mother / pacha = world or land; and later spread fairly modern as the cosmos or the universe) Pachamama and Inti are the most benevolent deities and are worshiped in parts of the Andean mountain ranges, also known as Tawantinsuyu (stretching from present day Ecuador to Chile and Argentina). In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting. Since Pachamama is a "good mother", people usually toast to her honor before every meeting or festivity, in some regions by spilling a small amount of chicha on the floor, before drinking the rest. This toast is called "challa" and it's made almost everyday. Pachamama has a special worship day called "Martes de challa" (Challa's Tuesday) where people bury food, throw candies, burn incense. In some cases, celebrants assist traditional priests, known as "yatiris" in Aymara, in performing ancient rites to bring good luck or the good will of the goddess, such as sacrificing guinea pigs or burning llama fetuses (although these last two are no longer very common).
Gaia (pronounced /ˈɡeɪ.ə/ or /ˈɡaɪ.ə/) "land" or "earth", from the Ancient Greek Γαῖα; also Gaea or Gea, is the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth, the Greek version of "Mother Nature". Gaia is a primordial deity in the Ancient Greek pantheon and considered a Mother Goddess or Great Goddess. Gaia is believed by some sources to be the original deity behind the Oracle at Delphi. She passed her powers on to, depending on the source, Poseidon, Apollo or Themis. Apollo is the best-known as the oracle power behind Delphi, long established by the time of Homer, having killed Gaia's child Python there and usurped the chthonic power. Hera punished Apollo for this by sending him to King Admetus as a shepherd for nine years. Oaths sworn in the name of Gaia, in ancient Greece, were considered the most binding of all. In classical art Gaia was represented in one of two ways. In Athenian vase painting she was shown as a matronly woman only half risen from the earth, often in the act of handing the baby Erichthonius (a future king of Athens) to Athena to foster. Later in mosaic representations she appears as a woman reclining upon the earth surrounded by a host of Carpi, infant gods of the fruits of the earth .
Mat Zemlya: also Matka Ziemia (literally Mother Earth, various other names are in use as well) is the collective term applied to a number of Slavic deities devoted to plants, growth, birth, creation and patrons of field works. In the early Middle Ages, the Mother Earth was one of the most important deities in the Slavic world. Oaths were made binding by touching the Earth and sins were confessed to the Earth before death. She was worshipped in her natural form and was not given a human personage or likeness. Since the adoption of Christianity in all Slavic lands, she has been identified with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Nokomis: the Grandmother. According to Algonquin legend "beneath the clouds lives the Earth-Mother from whom is derived the Water of Life, who at her bosom feeds plants."
Prithvi: is one of several Sanskrit names for the Earth Mother, more commonly known as Mother Bhumi Devi. Prithvi is the personification of the Earth, and is therefore also known as Prithivi Tattwa, the essence of the element earth. Prithvi is also called Dhra, Dharti, or Dhrithri, meaning 'that which holds everything'.
So no matter how you see it.....
One thing is clear...She sure is well rounded!!! (yes I did! : )
So don't forget to say thank you to your earth today and everyday for putting up with our crazy shenanigans, and for always being such a giving, loving support system! Yay, for Earth for being the best planet to live on ever!! Here's to many more Happy Earth-days, and beyond!!!
Today's Silver Linings... A playlist tribute to Mama Earth:
"Now the trees are almost green. But will they still be seen? When time and tide have been. Fall into your passing hands. Please don’t destroy these lands. Don’t make them desert sands." Shapes of Things- by The Yardbirds
"Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no. Where did all the blue skies go?Poison is the wind that blows from the north, west, south and east, Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no. Oil wasted on the oceans and our seas, Fish full of mercury, Oh, oh mercy, mercy me, Oh, things ain't what they used to be, No, no." Mercy Me- by Marvin Gaye
"Heal The World, Make It A Better Place, For You And For Me, And The Entire Human Race, There Are People Dying, If You Care Enough, For The Living, Make A Better Place, For You And For Me, If You Want To Know Why, There's A Love That Cannot Lie, Love Is Strong, It Only Cares For Joyful Giving, If We Try, We Shall See, In This Bliss We Cannot Feel, Fear Or Dread, We Stop Existing And Start Living." Heal the World- by Michael Jacson
"When I walk beside her, I am the better man, When I look to leave her, I always stagger back again, Once I built an ivory tower, So I could worship from above, When I climb down to be set free, She took me in again. There's a big, A big hard sun, Beating on the big people, In a big hard world." Hard Sun- by Eddie Vedder
"lokah samasta suhkino bhavantu"
"Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down, And the whole world loves it when you make that sound, And the whole world loves it when you're in the news, And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues." The Whole World- by Outkast
"I'm thinking about a-this whole world, Late at night I think about the love of this whole world, Lots of different people everywhere, And when I go anywhere I see love I see love I see love." This Whole World- by The Beach Boys
"I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. I see skies of blue and clouds of white, The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night, And I think to myself, what a wonderful world" What a Wonderful World- by Louis Armstrong
"It's a world of laughter, a world or tears, its a world of hopes, its a world of fear, there's so much that we share, that its time we're aware, its a small world after all." It's a Small World- Disney
"I keep on waiting to find myself, I keep on running towards the sun, I guess I want everything under the blue sky, and I wanna laugh 'til I cry again, I want to feel all the pain and all the joy for the first time again, 'cause I'm alive and I'm not waiting, I love it here but I'm not staying, Because it hurts too much to watch it all slip away, I'm standing here in your eyes all the things I can't say, I don't want to lose myself so I've just got to start again, it's such a big world out there that I'm not waiting." I'm Not Waiting- by the beautiful and talented Lelia Broussard http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/leliabroussardmusic?ref=ts
"When a man of faith, loses hope, when a man of faith has no one to hold, who's gonna show him the way, who's gonna show him the way? When a man of faith, is as far from the sun as he is his goals, when a man of faith loses love in his heart, the light in his soul, who's gonna show him the way, who's gonna show him the way?The miracle, is not walking on the water, the miracle, is not walking on the water, the miracle, is not walking on the water... the miracle, is walking on the earth, the miracle, is walking on the earth." Walking On the Earth- by Chris Pierce
"Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! GO PLANET! With your powers combined I am Captain Planet! Captain Planet, he's our hero, Gonna take pollution down to zero, He's our powers magnified, And he's fighting on the planet side." Captain Planet Theme- by Phil Collins
