http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFaJTHvQT3k

So amazing to get to sing with the fabulous Orchestra Morphine at the Mark Sandman Memorial Concert/Middle East/Cambridge, on Sunday, Sept. 27th. Mark - we miss you. You live on inside us, inspiring us always. xoxLV

EIGHT BRIGHT MARKS OF
APPLIED MEDITATION THERAPY®

The True Practice Body Of Deep Humanness
1. EMBODIMENT: Aroused wakefulness and deep intimacy with flesh, blood, bone, marrow, electrochemistry, cell metabolism, breath, bioenergy, gravitational alignment, and quantum integrity.

2. TRANSPARENCY:Seeing and experiencing the functional value, emptiness, insubstantiality and virtual reality of self, ego, personality, beliefs, linear time, culture, history, and thinking mind.

3. IMPERMANENCE:Recognizing and embracing the wisdoming of impermanence in all beings and things. Acknowledging death as an intimate companion while clarifying the true values of life, love, caring, family, and friendships.

4. INTERDEPENDENCY: Experiencing the dynamic interrelatedness and wisdoming Oneness of all phenomena across the vastness of20interstellar time and space. The wholeness of body wisdoming consciously merging with the infinitely wisdoming nature of a Whole Universe.

5. ARISING PEACE: A sense of deep joy and tranquility in experiencing the wholeness of body wisdoming and the felt immediacy of a future where all human beings exist with a sense of harmony and balance within themselves and amongst each other.

6. COMPLETION: A sense of dignity, nobility, self-compassion, and self-acceptance. No gap between the actual experience of the embodied self and any social or mental projection of an ideal or perfected self.

7. NOT-KNOWING: Not attaching to any arising insights, acknowledging Infinite Wisdoming beyond self, enjoying the freshness of wondering mind, embracing ceaseless investigation of life and death, and resting in the innate humility of humanness.

8. LIFE AS PRACTICE: Endlessly training and beginning again to deepen felt intimacy with the wisdoming of embodiment, transparency, impermanence, interdependency, arising peace, completion, and not-knowing.

Greetings dear ones...hope you are well and warm wherever you are!
I have been thinking a lot about the search for "enlightenment", in my current form, in this flawed and fearful body and mind...this mind and body that dips and tumbles, soars and trembles, understands for a moment and then knows nothing. This body that sometimes feels glorious and strong and sometimes feels achy, vulnerable, weak.  This mind that vears wildly from clarity to confusion. This heart that sometimes knows bliss, sometimes despair, and everything in between.
I have been laughing at the range of feeling that embodies the human experience. At what a funny friend and foe the ego is.  I have cried over and over for all that is lost and can never be again, and been filled with peace that nothing ever ends.
What drives us on? To begin again each day, moment to moment even, reaching towards understanding, to want to be better, wiser, deeper as a person...what spark is it?
Today I received Paul Coelho's online newsletter, Warrior of Light, and it set me straight.  It helped me to understand that all that matters is that we keep the spark in our eyes, a sense of wonder in our hearts, that we take actions based in love however small, and that we continue to nurture an authentic curiosity about the world and ourselves.
Read on my loves, and be healed by Paul's honesty, courage, and wisdom.
Much peace brothers and sisters!!!
All my love,
Linda
March 4, 2009 - Paul Coelho:  In Search of the Perfect Leader
A reader sends me a questionnaire in which he presents the profile of three world leaders who lived in the same period of history, and asks if it is possible to choose the best one using the following ..

Candidate A was associated with witchdoctors and often consulted astrologists. He had two mistresses. His wife was a Lesbian. He smoked a lot. He drank eight to ten martinis a day.

Candidate B never managed to hold down a job because of his arrogance. He slept the whole morning. He used opium at school, and was always considered a bad student. He drank a glass of brandy every morning.

Candidate C was decorated a hero. A vegetarian, he did not smoke. His discipline was exemplary. He occasionally drank a beer. He stayed with the same woman during his moments of glory and defeat.

And what was the answer?

A] Franklin Delano Roosevelt. B] Winston Churchill. C] Adolf Hitler.

So what then is leadership? The encyclopedia defines it as an individual’s capacity to motivate others to seek the same objective. The bookstores are full of texts on this theme, and the leaders are normally portrayed in brilliant colors, with enviable qualities and supreme ideals. The leader is to society as the “master” is to spirituality. This, however, is not absolutely true (in either case).
Our big problem, especially in a world that is growing more and more fundamentalist, is not allowing people in prominent positions to commit human mistakes. We are always in search of the perfect ruler. We are always looking for a pastor to guide and help us find our way. The truth is that the great revolutions and the progress made by humanity were brought about by people just like us – the only difference being that they had the courage to make a key decision at a crucial moment.

A long time ago, in my unconscious, I changed the word “leader” for the expression “warrior of light”. What is a warrior of light?
Warriors of light keep the spark in their eyes.
They are in the world, are part of other people’s lives, and began their journey without a rucksack and sandals. They are often cowards. They don’t always act right.

Warriors of light suffer over useless things, have some petty attitudes, and at times feel they are incapable of growing. They frequently believe they are unworthy of any blessing or miracle.

Warriors of light are not always sure what they are doing here. Often they stay up all night thinking that their lives have no meaning.
Every warrior of light has felt the fear of joining in battle. Every warrior of light has once lost faith in the future.
Every warrior of light has once trodden a path that was not his. Every warrior of light has once felt that he was not a warrior of light. Every warrior of light has once failed in his spiritual obligations.

That is what makes him a warrior of light; because he has been through all this and has not lost the hope of becoming better than he was.
That is why they are warriors of light. Because they make mistakes. Because they wonder. Because they look for a reason – and they will certainly find one.
 

Dear friends,

Today on this day of the celebration of Love in all of it's forms I offer up this "invitation".

These are not my words, but they are what is in my heart, and the gift of them is a blessing of clarity and truth that heals the very core of my soul.

I had to share! :-)

Love on dear ones, be good to each other, open wide your great beating heart on this day, and celebrate who you are and the gorgeous love you make all the time, every day.

With immense gratitude to be sharing this journey with you all...

love and kisses,

Linda


The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic
remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty every day.
And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes."

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

- Oriah Mountain Dreamer


xoxoxox

There is so much that is hard in this world.

Terrorist attacks.

War.

Unemployment.

Getting old.

Car accidents.

Murdered children.

Natural disasters.

Disease.

Depression.

Violent crimes.

Death.

Loss of all kinds.
I'm indulging in a holiday pedicure, sitting in a vibrating massage chair and watching Fox News, and at least one example of everything on the above list has been mentioned in tonight's broadcast.

I'm supposed to be having fun, but is there anything more terrifying, more fear and anxiety producing than the evening news? It's hard to hold onto hope (the Light) or the idea of essential human goodness when faced with the truth of the world filtered through this myopic lens.

But the upside is, I'm listening. Taking stock. Getting perspective. Did my own life collide with any of these tragedies? What has been my own experience of suffering and/or joy? Nothing like bad news for an instant reality check: "wait a minute... I'm healthy, I can walk...I can see... no one bombed my house, my loved ones are safe...damn things are good, at least for right now, at this moment! Spiritual awareness is some kind of dance between empathy for the larger world, accepting what is, and knowing we are responsible to help, and the wisdom to be grateful for any and all good fortune, no matter how small or how humble.

December 21st marks the 2008 Winter Solstice. What a year it's been! But then, aren't they all? The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. The day with the longest hours of darkness. The Winter Solstice marks the first day of Winter in the northern hemisphere, and in the pagan traditions it is a day for taking stock, for preparing for winter; giving thanks for the year's blessings and for planting the seeds of change and hope for the New Year.

Taking stock is one of the things we do in ritual. Prayer, church, reflection, meditation, yoga. That is the beauty of making time for it. The Great Wheel of Time turns again and we're still here, for better or for worse, but hopefully for better: more grateful, more alive, more aware of all that we have to be thankful for.

The Winter Solstice is also the pagan origin of the celebration of Christmas and the rebirth of the Son (or Sun). After the Solstice, the light returns to the Northern Hemisphere, as the days grow longer once again. At Winter Solstice we honor both the dark and the light: the dark of human frailty, of all death, but the inevitable return of the light (the sun) and new life.
All reflection on the light and the dark begs the question:

how do we keep meeting life (and death) with joy and grace?

We keep finding reasons to celebrate. We cook and feast and gather and sing and dance. As humans have for millennia. We share our stories of hardship and help each other to endure. We celebrate the good things. We make beauty and show acts of kindness. Caring about people. Remembering to be happy because life is short and existence fragile. And always, always, remembering to have FUN whenever possible!

It is in the spirit of the Return of the Light that one of the great bands i get to play in: local folk-rockers "Angeline", are hosting a night of song and revelry on Thursday, December 18th at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. It's the coziest room in the city and the bill is a good one:
Super glam rockers Gene Dante & the Future Starlets (http://www.myspace.com/genedantestarlets) play at 11 p.m. Angeline plays at 10 p.m. (www.myspace.com/angelinemusic) and the luminous and soulful Amber deLaurentis (from Burlington, VT http://www.amberdelaurentis.com/) kicks off the night at 9 p.m.

Shut the T.V. off. Make more love. Help someone. Read more books and get outside. Sing and dance. This Winter Solstice make a wish list for your dreams for 2009 and beyond and begin to take baby steps towards making them happen. Don't feel disempowered by bad news. Clarify your own vision for making both your life and the world a better place.


Happy New Year one and all! Now all we gotta do is do it.

Yes we can.

Blessings and love, light and peace,
and eternal gratitude for all of YOU...
xoxoxo
Linda

Now is not the time to give in to worry​,​ anxie​ty,​ nervo​usnes​s or doubt​.​

There​ can be no doubt​ing of what is possi​ble now.

On the eve of one of the most impor​tant elect​ions in moder​n histo​ry,​ now is not the time to expre​ss cynic​ism.​ Now is not the time to play it emoti​onall​y safe by prepa​ring for the worst​.​

Now is the time to gathe​r our core inner​ stren​gth and to fully​,​ colle​ctive​ly,​ and clear​ly,​ in the next 36 hours​,​ envis​ion Barac​k Obama​ as Presi​dent of the Unite​d State​s;​ a perso​n whose​ spiri​t prese​nce and actio​ns as presi​dent will help us to live on this plane​t in overa​ll great​er peace​ and harmo​ny.​

In the next 36 hours​ we must suspe​nd expre​ssing​ any fears​ about​ the outco​me of the elect​ion.​ We must not indul​ge in proce​ssing​ what might​ happe​n to our lives​,​ our child​ren,​ our elder​ly,​ our anima​ls,​ our farms​,​ our neigh​borho​ods,​ our towns​,​ our state​s,​ our count​ry,​ our world​,​ indee​d our very sanit​y if Barac​k loses​,​ or indul​ge in conce​rns about​ Barac​k Obama​'s safet​y.​ Visua​lizin​g Barac​k safe and stron​g and able to lead,​ doesn​'t make us less carin​g or reali​stic or empat​hic;​ it only makes​ it more possi​ble for it to be so.

Now is the time to summo​n every​ bit of coura​ge and confi​dence​ we have insid​e and stand​ tall in the knowl​edge that it is not only the power​ of our count​less actio​ns but the power​ of our thoug​hts that can make a diffe​rence​ in the outco​me of this elect​ion.​

Yes we can.

Think​ good thoug​hts.​ Allow​ only good thoug​hts.​ Silen​ce the naysa​yers both withi​n and witho​ut:​ breat​he,​ medit​ate,​ smile​,​ relax​.​ Do whate​ver you have to do to stay posit​ive and clear​.​

Take time to visua​lize Barac​k Obama​ winni​ng the elect​ion.​ Visua​lize it over and over again​ in the next 36 hours​.​ Say it out loud and say it proud​:​

Barac​k Obama​!​ The 44th Presi​dent of the Unite​d State​s!​!​!​!​!​

Live the Dream​.​

Peace​ and bless​ings one and all, and alway​s.​.​.​much love.​.​.​

Linda​

Dear ones,

At no other time has it been so crucially important to make a choice that reflects America's true values of democracy, humanism, and the right to happiness for all. If you still need convincing...this article offers compelling and heartfelt reason to vote for Barack Obama on November 4th.

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/10/13/081013taco_talk_editors

Yours in eternal optimism,

xoxoxo

Linda

I am at last coming to understand something I read a long time ago....

that

"'Thank you' is the only prayer we will ever need."

"Thank you". As in, practised appreciation. Not just 'gratitude", but the daily practice of appreciating what is right here, or right there, in the face of great pain or suffering. To find the jewel in the moment, no matter how hard or deep the dirt, that it is buried in. To be glad the leg wasn't broken in the fall; that a loved one is alive after a suicide attempt; that a dear friend has modeled supreme grace throuhg her ordeal of cancer, that a beloved ex wants to be connected and close; to celebrate that people are heroic over and over again in the face of natural disasters, war, and personal tragedy.  I have been happy and sad at the same time for so long now that it is second nature, but it remained mysterious to me as to how it was so. Now I am beginning to understand that the joy I have glimpsed within my grief, (for my own losses and the world's), was simply the practice of trying to see the good that was still there, in the center of the dark pool of pain, floating like a gorgeous lotus.

To see the good, is not to deny the pain. Or the loss. Or the suffering. There can be no transcendence without deep and authentic acknowledgement. But there is a tapping into something richer, something larger, more expansive, more empowered to help us, when we allow the truth of infinite love, beauty and goodness to resonate alongside the suffering. When we let it in: the good. When we choose to see it: the good.  When we let it flow: our pain out...and the peace in. "Flowing downstream" as Abraham/Ester Hicks would say. Not fighting Source, or resisting Source, but joining Source, letting it in and letting it help.

Watching this utube video last night, it all made sense. A new sense, a deeper sense. A 'knowing' on a whole new level. Watch this my dear ones, if you have the urge, and the time. It will change you forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DhHXoIC0iU&feature=related

Much love and many blessings for a beautiful and fruitful Fall season to you all.....

xoxoxoxoxoox

Linda