You Know That

 This has been sitting in my "pending" file for some time.

I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

It seems contradictory when she says,

everything yields yet, 

it can be focused, diverted

and shaped by anyone at all?

(Isn't that the truth?  I see folks "shaping" God all over the place.)

Perhaps, what is true, lies in the midst

of the contradiction?

kastilwell

Can You Be Astonished?

 The question for today.

More Life In Our Time

This week has been unusually hectic 

throwing off my regular schedule of posting.

I'm attributing that to the sentiment above

although there's no question

posting these sentiments 

falls in the "life" column for me.

(The author, unfortunately, is unknown.)

kastilwell

 

Superheroines

 I stand in awe and admiration 

of the women I am fortunate to know

who fall into the category of super heroines.

I hope you know who you are and

know how much you inspire me every day.

Take a bow!  

kastilwell

Let Them Judge You

The infamous "them".

Often they're my own voices

murmuring in my own mind,

whispering behind their palms,

pointing fingers surreptitiously. 

But nothing is secret because

I can hear them loud and clear.

(Of course I can, I'm the one

working the controls.)

And there are those outside hecklers.

Who brandish opinions like sabers

and shoot out words like bullets.

They cannot douse your light.

Keep shining your unspeakable beauty,

be aware of your own warm glow,

spilling over into this broken world.

kastilwell

 

Design Your Own Mind

This concept keeps coming around

from various sources,

said in somewhat different ways.

Even Octavia Butler's "God Is Change"

notion puts forth

the same idea.

We have agency if we can 

see how our mind operates

and make some adjustments.

It continues to intrigue and inspire me

although, I confess to less than satisfactory

results on developing 

consistent habits in acting on it.

kastilwell

 

Trusting Yourself

 This is referring specifically to visual art,

but I believe it applies to other creative endeavors.

A garden creation, for example,

can take years of allowing

it to "just be" and see

how it communicates itself

back to you.

kastilwell

When Friendships Grow Closer

This is true for all kinds of relationships.

I remember one of the first "conflicts"

my partner and I had.

There came a point 

in the midst of the upset

where we realized simultaneously

we were going to remain

and work through things

rather than abandon ship.  

It has served us well

over our many years together.

kastilwell

 

Habits Are Powerful

My mind is focused on habits 

and how limiting my inner monologue might be.

Contemplating ways to expand

possibilities and expectations.

Reaching for horizons

beyond the scope of

my current imagination.

Looking at my habitual thoughts

and behaviors is a beginning.

kastilwell

 

Our Real Journey Begins

 How's this for encouraging when you're in the thick of an ebb period?

David Whyte says even standing on solid ground means movement;

solid ground is tidal.

Something to ponder and flow with, I think.

To be fluid.

kastilwell

It All Matters

Talk about encouraging words.

Those tiny events and brief moments

which often slip away unnoticed

are the threads of life.

They all come together into

a beautiful tapestry

for those with the eyes

to notice and appreciate.

May this day be about

noticing.

kastilwell

 

Fire

 I love the idea of the gentle, quiet humans

showing loud manipulators and bullies

the fire in their hearts.

Blazing fierce reminders of

what fairness and justice,

truth and equality REALLY

look like.  

kastilwell

Truth Breaks Through Lies

 This seems extremely poignant as so many in our country 

fall under the spell of a Great Lie.

May the rest of us, rise up in strong numbers

to "break through the dams of artifact and adaptation."

Bravo to Texan Representatives for their courage.

kastilwell

Immortality

 I love the idea of contributing my cells

to the natural world upon my absence.

The wings of an owl would be sufficient.

Or the roots of an oak? 

It really doesn't matter cause it's all matter.

kastilwell

If You Want Something...Nurture It

https://www.victoriaerickson.com/

It seems this is the only way to go.

Create your path one moment at a time.

Step by bumbling step.

Sometimes it means doing "nothing".

Living deeply into where you are and who you are.

Sometimes it feels like nothing is happening.

Something is happening.

You are becoming You.

And you are the one composing and conducting.

kastilwell

 

Find Yourself

This is a quote by Sarah Gale and I love it.

It gives hope and inspiration

especially when one finds herself

in a dark woods

attempting to create

one's own unique path forward.

I guess detours, delays and stalled traffic

are part of the lesson.

Don't stop believing in yourself. 

Happy Friday...Welcome Weekend.

kastilwell

 

Speaking of Shame

 Posting this was exquisitely difficult for me. 

The default voices were in high gear 

telling me no one wants to think about shame,

much less talk about it.  

I had to remind myself that the resistance

to speaking of it is exactly the point.

The goal is to find the courage to 

grow away from the shame

and the best way to do it is to think about it,

 allow ourselves to FEEL it, and talk about it.

It's the only way to neutralize its power.

It brought to mind a very recent event

at a table with good friends (thank goodness)

when I found myself visibly drooling

while I as talking.

I was mortified.  

Completely and totally mortified.

It felt like a preview of what's ahead

and

I. Did. Not. Like. It. 

Thankfully my friends laughed about it

which took away some of the horror.

If they'd gone silent or 

pretended not to notice,

it would have been so much worse.

Ok, this is my awkward, sort of brave

attempt for today.

I may need some recovery time. 

Thanks for listening.

kastilwell

Anybody You Need Me To Be

 Even though it gives me a giant pit in my stomach,

this is spot on for me as painful as it is to realize and admit.  

How I wish it weren't so.

The work goes on.  

kastilwell

Our Culture Causes It.

 Brace yourself for a revisit of Brene Brown's words of wisdom and encouragement.

Her "Unlocking Us" Podcast is covering The Gifts of Imperfection with Brene and her two sisters conducting a walk through the principles of wholehearted living.  It's good stuff, in my opinion.  It's hard stuff.  Sigh.  But even as a rerun, I feel it's worthwhile.  Especially when her definition of midlife says " it begins somewhere around age 37 and goes on for the rest of your life".  If you are interested in a discussion of the principles, let me know.  kastilwell

PS:  I'm curious to see if/how this lands in your email box now that google is no longer using Feedburner.  

Extracting Sweetness and Comfort

Let's all mimic the bees (and butterflies) searching for honey! 

Honoring Democracy on this 4th of July weekend.

kastilwell

 

A Story?

 This is the crux of Butler's concept of God described in her series.

When a nonbeliever asked why she named

her idea "God";

she replied that by doing so,

she felt it would be taken more seriously

and would endure longer 

then if she called it an idea or concept.

What if God/Allah/Jehovah/Buddha is a story? 

A long-lasting, far-reaching story 

very loosely based on actual circumstances, 

written by many different authors

at different times,

in different places,

for different purposes. 

A true collaboration. 

One that has endured 

throughout the centuries 

and across the globe?

kastilwell