June 7--What You See

The question is not what you look at, but what you see.  --Henry David Thoreau

    I love going to art museums. These are classic examples of Thoreau's quote. Everyone who passes through looks at the same things, but what they see can be vastly different. When imagination and perception get involved, the options are infinite. This is a glorious aspect of being human. 

    In daily life, what do I see? I'm a gardener, so one would think I see beautiful flowers and plants. Alas, this life-long gardener sees weeds first, then the supposed-to-be-there vegetation. That's the natural reaction of someone who has spent hundreds of hours weeding. My greater intent is to see beauty and kindness. When I walk Barney, I notice the emerald green grass, the sturdy trees, the blue sky, and brilliant sunshine. When I run errands, I practice seeing and being kindness in interactions. Focusing on beauty and kindness bring more of those into my life. 

    By the way, I highly recommend the Art Institute of Chicago and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, both great places to practice seeing. The photo below is a huge sculpture suspended from the ceiling in the contemporary wing of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. It is made, I kid you not, of ordinary styrofoam cups. I see something to drink out of, the artist (can't remember) saw this. 

    Humans are amazing!

        Leta

June 6--Where Do We Wonder?

People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars... and they pass by themselves without wondering. 
--Saint Augustine

    I must say it does take some effort and persistence to dig into the mysteries of one's own being. It can be considerably easier to travel to exotic lands than to open one's closet and release the skeletons. Another thing I've come to realize as a yoga and Melt Method teacher is how little attention folks give to the magnificence and mystery of their own bodies. It seems like they don't want to admit to having a body, especially if it hurts or troubles them in some way. 

    Yesterday included the memorial service for a dear friend who nearly achieved the impressive age of 90. The location and the many folks attending and involved incited some PTSD in me, in addition to grief. I used to think that going to funerals as one ages would get easier, given that the number attended would most likely increase. For me, each one is getting more difficult, as my own gets closer. Death of a loved one is definitely an opportunity to explore internally--how we grieve, how we live, how we appreciate others and ourselves. 

    I've been blessed to travel to the many places mentioned by Saint Augustine, and to wonder and explore myself deeply. This all has led to a very rich and interesting life. How gratifying is it that we have infinite inner and outer territory to explore, enough for many, many lifetimes!

        Leta

June 5--What's Your Interpretation?

There are no facts, only interpretations.  --Friedrich Nietzsche

    Well! Haven't we experienced a lot of this, especially in politics the last five years!!?!?! Every single thing is interpreted through the perspective of each individual involved, filtered through the person's history, triggers, prejudices, etc. Acknowledging and accepting this brings greater understanding of others, and hopefully some level of peace. Resisting this brings only frustration and conflict. 

    Still figuring out life,

        Leta

June 4--Take a Nap, Take a Walk

In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion. 
--Albert Camus

    I am totally onboard with the "turn away" part. I'm not sure I can understand the world, but if there is any hope of that, yes, it requires a step back to bring things into perspective. When I turn away from the world, I naturally turn within, and understanding myself better helps me to understand the world better. My nap time is my consistent daily turn away, which I refer to as my "stop the world, I want to get off" time. 

    Another "turn away" practice that is most beneficial for me is to not take anything personally. This is no small challenge. My codependent self thinks everything is about me. Separating myself from others' actions and opinions certainly helps my understanding of life. 

    My daily walks with Barney are also an opportunity to "turn away." His joy in being outdoors is infectious. He's not burdened by the cares of the world. He's alert, curious, always ready to go. He is love incarnate, and that's what I want to practice, and what I want the world to be. 

    Learning every day,

        Leta

Nap time with Barney

June 3--The Yin Yang of Life

One is never fortunate or as unfortunate as one imagines. 
--Francois de la Rochefoucauld

     D-R-A-M-A!!!! Most especially if you have raised one or more children through their teenage years, you know it well. So many crises! Maybe you thrive on drama. It does have its addictive qualities. 

    One would think that winning the big lottery jackpot would be the ultimate in good fortune, but post-winning stories indicate that it can cause all sorts of problems for the winner. 

    I am saddened by the passing yesterday of a dear friend. Despite the great sadness her many friends are feeling, it is good fortune that she is no longer in pain. We were very blessed by her long life, and I rejoice in her new state of bliss.

    We are enjoying family good fortune today as we celebrate the 32nd birthday of our younger son. 

    There you have it... fortunate/unfortunate, happy/sad, drama/peace. We move through it all. 

        Leta

June 2--Magical Mother Earth

Look at everything as though you were seeing it for either the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.  --Betty Smith    

    Today's "Note from the Universe" by Mike Dooley further adds to Smith's sentiment:

Some claim not to know, and not to see...
But that there are…
Birds who sing at every hour of the day for no other reason than to be heard…
Creatures of the deep who flip and twirl just for the fun of it…
Furry friends who love just as dearly as they are loved, and…
Flowers so exquisite, pleasing human eyes could be their only explanation…
… must surely prove that you're living in the most magical fairytale ever imagined.

    My favorite flower is the lily, and they are blooming in my garden right now. Dozens of buds are about to open. They are "flowers so exquisite." We live in paradise if only we take the time to truly see it...

    Today I begin the twice-weekly drive to Clearwater to teach my MELT and yoga classes in person for the first time in 14 months. It is a beautiful drive through rich Kansas wheat fields. I love watching the wheat ripen over the early summer days leading up to harvest. It is an excellent reminder that our vibrant earth home feeds and sustains us.  

    Eyes wide open,

        Leta

    

June 1--The Many Questions of 2020

There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.  --Zora Neale Hurston

    Whoa! Does that ever apply to life right now! I would say that 2020 asked an extraordinary number of questions. 

• What is happening?
• What can I do about it?
• What is my personal responsibility in all this?
• Can I change?
• Do I want to change?
• What is life without the usual busyness?
• What do I do with all this time on my hands?
• Can I survive the isolation?
• Will we have enough toilet paper?
• What can I do for exercise, to get outside?
• How can I use this time creatively?
• How can I stay healthy through the pandemic?
• Are my loved ones being careful and safe?
• Is this the direction we want to see our country continue to go?
• How can we celebrate occasions without gatherings? 
• When will this be over!!?!?!?!

    The list could go on and on. It has taken some time, but we've come up with a lot of answers--that seems to be the year 2021. 

    June's theme in "Daily Joy" is perspective. 

    It's all in how we look at things,

        Leta

Did you say "walk"!?!?!