When I was a little girl growing up in small town USA, we had 4th of July parades and proudly waved the American flag. Fireworks followed a sweaty day of three-leg races and hot dogs, carnival games and lemonade. Laying on blankets looking up at the sky the idea that in a few short years …
Tag Archives: love
The Radical Message of an Anarchist
Jesus, a brown-skinned man, was arrested by armed men in the middle of the night, put up for auction with Barabbas, and lost. His radical message, he message of anarchy, was simply too much for the establishment to allow as they shouted, ‘Kill him and bury him deep.’ What was his crime? Living as love, …
When Nothing is Left of the Dream
I see what I need to see, the perfect thing to move me along my unique path. Infinite worlds are appearing as one, taking on the mantle of sky and earth, of rich greens and the spectrum of blues, and yet, colored by how I look, the stories within my heart and mind, the expectations …
A World Turned Inside Out
I realized something today. Well, actually I’ve been quietly ignoring it for a while now. Sometimes when I write, I hold a glimmer of hope that loved ones will read my words and awaken to the harm and suffering that their staunch support of this administration is causing. Maybe you know someone like that too. …
Dread: Meeting the failure of compassion
What’s going to happen is going to happen, including all the actions I am going to take or not take. Perhaps more importantly, what’s happening is what’s happening and there is nothing I can do about what’s here right now. Despite these material realities, or at least my realities, I occasionally find myself a bit …
Righteous Anger
I do not look away. I feel the suffering. I allow it in without filters. I am present, so I know that what is arising now is not the fallout of not feeling, of denial, of ignorance, willful or otherwise. What is arising now is anger, righteous anger, anger at those who see nothing wrong …
The Juice of Transformation
lies in the heart of chaos … Are you wondering whether you should leave your spiritual practices and spend your time resisting the harm being done? Are you trying to decide if you should quit spending so much time on your own baggage and instead, help to allay the suffering of others? Your wondering is …
Ripples of Infinite Aliveness
Years back, my favorite expression was, “What about this can’t you love?” It kind of still is, but I understand it totally differently and probably would use another word besides love, although love when understood for what it actually is, works beautifully. This. Just this. Only this. This alone. This this. Yeah. Life exactly as …
Nothin’ Left to Lose
“Freedom is just another word for nothin’ left to loseNothin’, don’t mean nothin’ hon’ if it ain’t free, no-no”Me and Bobby MCGee, Janis JoplinNothing left to lose is an interesting concept, right there along with freedom. One holds the potential of captivity, while the other dangles the promise of something to hold onto. The actuality …
Today I Grieve
Today I am grieving. Deeply. Painfully. Messily. Preciously. Not for the beloveds I’ve lost but for this world imploding about me. Maybe it’s nothing to grieve. Perhaps it was never worth the love I gave it. Maybe this country has always been the monster in the closet that everyone cowered from while smiling and pretending …
Boom! What Aren’t You Appreciating?
After a morning without power, I’m snugged up in my cushy chair watching the snow fall … and accumulate. It is putting it down right now. Wow. I awoke this morning to the sound of a transformer blowing – bang. No that’s too high, this one boomed, snapped and grumbled. Not a sound you expect …
This Sucks
It’s so easy to get sucked into the insanity, but ask yourself, who or what gets sucked? That part of you who believes you’re right and that what’s happening is wrong gets sucked into the void of crazy town, not the present moment awareness in which that sucking sound appears, but the idea, the concept, …
Is it possible to thrive in an era of radicalization?
Radicalization is fascinating to me. The word applies to religions, politics, social norms, personal expression, even our self-talk and the way we respond to one another. It’s an all-purpose term. The more radicalization worms into the mind, gut and heart, the greater the inflexibility is. Radicalization is another word for intolerance, for judgement, for knowing …
Bridging the Ever-Widening Gap
There are infinite responses available to us as we approach possibly the last (anything’s possible) peaceful handover of power on January 20th. Several come to mind: unbridled anger, deep and clawing angst, suffocating depression, willful ignorance, and feigned neutrality that would put Switzerland on notice. Oh, I forgot myself for the moment. Geez, can’t forget …
It Doesn’t Bode Well for Love
I’m not sure why sleepless nights are so rich with insights. Regardless of reasons, and mind can come up with a million possibilities, mine are. Maybe the breakthroughs require the freshly broken sense of control. I mean really, if we can’t control whether we fall asleep, what can we control? Last night I couldn’t …
Amaya Gayle 