Love and truth

Love is a very popular word. We love your hair, your clothes, food, car and so on. But is the word being overused and do we really mean something else. Love is important where friends and family are concerned and there are different kinds of love within the family and friends circle. Maternal love for our children is a different kind of love than we have for our parents and our partners.

We use the word love often when talking about things we like doing. I love to walk amongst the trees is a good example of this. I love to paint, to draw, to sew, to make things, to ride a bike and so on. Do we really mean we love these things or are we using the word love for a word such as enjoy or like?

For me love is something that represents a deep emotion of caring for someone or something. I love my children and my friends but I also have a deep love for our land and everything that lives on it. I generally hesitate to say ‘I love that’ about something such as a dress, a hair do or a car. I prefer to use the word like for those kind of things.

But that brings me to another word that is often misused, truth. I tried to find a good definition of the word truth and was not really happy with any of them. Truth is important though to all of us as a society and to all of us as individuals.There are different kinds of truth; historic truth is about something that actually happened, but truth today is often opposed . Some facts or beliefs are accepted as true even if there is no proof. But other true facts are often opposed and considered to be lies.

It is important to be honest and truthful. Honesty allows you to have a fulfilling life. It’s also about being true to yourself and not pretending to be someone else. There is nothing wrong with being who you really are and avoiding changing at times to suit others. Truth, honesty and love go together in my mind and are extremely important in my life.

Looking back at 2020

Reflecting on this year has been difficult. There has been so much change to the way we all live. When the first lockdown arrived I chose to treat the next few weeks as a retreat. This was good but I found it quite hard to do. I missed the company of others and the face to face chats. I did not have access to Skype or other similar media at that time and I felt quite lonely at times.

After a while I found solace in my garden, watching the birds nest and produce young and watching the plants grow. As time went by I found that the highlight of my week was when my son visited as part of my ‘bubble’. This made life much better and we were able to go out and visit nature reserves. This enabled me to go to places I could not have gone to otherwise as I do not drive. I found these visits inspiring and exhilarating as we saw species I had not seen before. I took many photos and decided to make a scrapbook of the garden and these visits. I have filled two scrapbooks so far and half of another one.

I tried to walk every day but this became far too much and there were far too many people around. I started research projects and creative things like sewing and knitting and have eventually settled into a different existence. I write more, create more and I am looking forward to meeting others when the time comes. In many ways I have become more insular both by myself and with my son in our ‘bubble’. It’s as if the world outside our small radius no longer exists.

It was not until quite recently that I went into town. I needed money from the bank and I missed my sewing and knitting magazines. My son came with me and helped me through the sanitising process of shopping in stores. But I find I am not really interested in going shopping. I have never been a shopper that browses and used to just go with a list and get what was on the list. I think that goes back to when I had very little money and could only afford what was essential.

But there have been days and weeks when I have felt very down and did not want to get out of bed. These times come and go and I expect are the result of the way of life I am now living. I feel for others in similar and in worse situations. At least I have a garden and a hedge full of birds. I used to enjoy the winter days when the sky was blue and the sun shone. This last month the days seem to have been grey and wet which I find quite depressing but I noticed that the blue tits have returned.

I have done a lot of reading, light fiction and other deeper stuff and have bought myself a webcam so now I have more learning to do. But life is a journey with many lessons on the way and it is true that you learn something new every day. Overall I have managed. Some days have been exceptionally good, others quite bad and then there are plenty of what I can only call passable days. But my way of life has changed in many ways and I have survived so far.

In some areas, the community have got together to make sure every one has what they need and to help those who cannot do shopping on-line or get other things. There has been a wealth of help for the vulnerable especially families who find themselves in poverty through no fault of their own. There is more caring going on too and this is good. Many have realised what is most important in life and it is not the latest phone or gadget or the latest fashion clothing.

I always felt there was a purpose for the virus, that it was meant to make us stop and think what we were doing in our lives, the way we were abusing our planet and how we wasted stuff. I felt the virus would disappear when we all realised that we had to change. But the virus is still here so what does that tell me? I think we have a long way to go and maybe with the effect of climate change we have left it too late. I am trying hard to stay positive about the future and holding a vision in my mind of a world where we live in peace and work together in peace and respect each other knowing that we all have a part to play and that these parts can be different for each of us.

So let’s see what 2021 brings. Happy New Year to you all!

Ripples

This is an old post from 2017 but I thought it was just as relevant today. I have added bits here and there as well.

Have you ever thrown a stone into a pond or river and watched the ripples spread out? They go on for ages and ages. I find watching these is a wonderful way to think about how we live our lives. Over the last couple of weeks here in the UK large stones have been thrown into the pond and the ripples are still moving along reaching all parts of the world.

These ripples affect everything they come into contact with and we do not know what that effect will be. We need to have faith that all will be well, that whatever the effect of the ripples it will be for our own good. But this is hard to do. The future is uncertain and we need to have trust and faith. We need to come together, to forgive others for their harsh words and to move forward in peace. But those who have been badly hurt by the throwing of the stone are finding it hard to forgive. But forgiveness is important. If we don’t forgive and move on, then hate and anger fester inside us making us ill and also making us hurt others who we see as enemies.

We have to trust that all is as it should be and that the future is good. We will get through the changes brought upon us by the ripples and we will see a better world for all.

Those of us who work at higher levels of  consciousness often see what is not seen by others We know that the way forward is not via hate and anger but is by love, peace and understanding. We need to be united and work together to help others to understand this. Anger and revenge is not the way to go. Time out in nature can help us to reflect on the ripples that go out after the throwing of the stone and how they interact with other ripples thrown by other stones. Take time now to contemplate on your actions and your way forward.

Finding the positive and the opportunities in the current world crisis.

First of all let’s be clear that fear is not a good thing. Fear spreads quickly and leaves your immune system stressed and less able to work properly. Worry does the same thing. Don’t worry about things you can’t change but change what you can to make sure you stay well. But in this crisis opportunities for change for the good are appearing. Families are able to become closer by caring for each other better, and spend time together if in isolation mode and learn to work with each other. Working from home is becoming acceptable and many who are isolated in this way are welcoming the fact they don’t have the commute to work and that is also helping them to feel better.

Some will pass over but they will only go if their time is right. You go when you are meant to go. There is no choice about this. But you can take precautions as stated in the governments notes. Businesses are failing and people are struggling moneywise but they will then start to look at what life is really about. Do we need new phones and gadgets all the time. Do we need expensive imported foods? Do we need expensive holidays and weddings abroad? What is most important in your life? Do we always have to have the latest fashion fad? These items are often made in countries where labour is cheap and work conditions are like slavery. Think about this.

People have not listened to the warnings about our planet and the way they live so something had to happen to make them think. For over a year now I have ‘known’ that something would happen. I thought it might be a giant earthquake or intensive flooding. We have had the wild fires and the flooding and all that happened was people complained about compensation and getting more money to rebuild in the same way as before. So now we have a spreading illness bringing everything to a halt. Now is your opportunity to reflect on your life, the way you live and how you could make changes. The world will not be the same again. Look for the good things and the opportunities that are there for you to learn about love for the earth, for your family and for others.
And if you get ill, then make sure you recover properly before mixing with others.

Here is a wonderful piece of writing that I came across yesterday. It is long but worth the read.

LOCKDOWN …

by Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM

March 13th 2020

Yes there is fear.

Yes there is isolation.

Yes there is panic buying.

Yes there is sickness.

Yes there is even death.

But,

They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise

You can hear the birds again.

They say that after just a few weeks of quiet

The sky is no longer thick with fumes

But blue and grey and clear.

They say that in the streets of Assisi

People are singing to each other

across the empty squares,

keeping their windows open

so that those who are alone

may hear the sounds of family around them.

They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland

Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.

Today a young woman I know

is busy spreading fliers with her number

through the neighbourhood

So that the elders may have someone to call on.

Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples

are preparing to welcome

and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary

All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting

All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way

All over the world people are waking up to a new reality

To how big we really are.

To how little control we really have.

To what really matters.

To Love.

So we pray and we remember that

Yes there is fear.

But there does not have to be hate.

Yes there is isolation.

But there does not have to be loneliness.

Yes there is panic buying.

But there does not have to be meanness.

Yes there is sickness.

But there does not have to be disease of the soul

Yes there is even death.

But there can always be a rebirth of love.

Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.

Today, breathe.

Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic

The birds are singing again

The sky is clearing,

Spring is coming,

And we are always encompassed by Love.

Open the windows of your soul

And though you may not be able

to touch across the empty square,

Sing.

Looking beyond current events

With all the turmoil, climate change and a spreading virus, many people are worrying, feeling lost and hurt both physically and emotionally. There is panic and fear about what might happen next. It is time to stop worying and feeling fear and stand back and look at the overall picture.

Yes, floods and fires cause a lot of damage and people feel hurt and lot by it all. Many are worried about catching this virus that is spreading around the world. But if you think about everything as a whole event, then you can see that the infrastructure of towns, cities and countries is starting to crumble. Those in power are starting to lose that power. The people are starting to rebel. Over the last few decades and centuries even, the rich have got richer and the poor have got poorer. Will this ever change?

I try to keep politics out of my blogs but I was told in meditation to speak my truth even though some will not like what I am about to say. We have to get rid of the old to make way for the new. This is hurting many people but continuing as we are will also hurt many more. We are on the edge of a new world. If you work with your light body in some way or spend time filling yourself with light then now is the time. Stand tall and strong with your body full of light, shining out into the world and so helping others to see this light and go and find it for themselves. If you work with any form of healing energy then use it to send out peace and love to all on the planet, even those who are causing the trouble. The light are winning. Take heart and join with them to see the change that our world needs. Do not be afraid. At a higher level all is as it should be and all will end well with a world that is fit for all. Stand tall and shine out like a beacon!

A vision for the future

Some time ago a friend told me about vision boards and I thought about visions of the future. What would I want on a vision board? Well, at my age the only thing I want for me is better health but there are many things I want for the world. So these are my thoughts on the future but not in any particular order but as they came into my mind. First of all I would like to see peace in our world where people worked together, respected each others ideas and thought about the community as a whole. To do this we would need to have more love in the world and more compassion for those less fortunate. Although in my future world we would all be equal so only those who became ill could be called less fortunate. We would care for them in a safe manner and make sure they were loved as well.

Happiness would be there too. I would hope that we all had a deeper understanding and connection with the natural world and that we all could see how we were all connected and how everything was connected, insects, animals, even the landscape that serves us all.

We would live simply, and wisely, speaking our truth and walking our talk. I don’t see items such as mobile phones in my future world either. They stop us from communicating face to face which is so important. It is much better to talk than to text! At the moment computers have their place but with the advent of so much fake news I wonder if we would be better without them. OK they help us to learn about things but observation and thought are so much better.

I would also see that natural ways of healing were paramount. We would learn to grow our own food in a good way and the herbs that help us to stay healthy. I see each family with its own garden plot and many living in groups sharing expertise and working together.No-one would be homeless either. Energy would be generated in a natural way harnessing the sun and water.

I feel my vision is ‘doable’ so why aren’t we starting to live this way? I would love to read about your vision for the future of our world.

Wishes for 2020

Wishes is probably not the right word to use however this is what this blog is about. First of all I wish you all a Happy New Year whatever and however you celebrate. A week ago, one of my friends asked us all to give her one word to describe what we wished for her during this coming year. This brought up lots of suggestions and I am taking some of these words to use in this blog. First of all I wish you all peace during the year. This is peace with yourself and peace with others as well as peace around you wherever you live.

I’d like to wish you love as well. Love for yourself and your family as well as for those around you. Love is a powerful vibration and can change lives. So what else do I wish for you? Gratitude; gratitude for what you have. I give gratitude each night for three things that are not the obvious ones like a roof over my head, food and clothes. There are many other things we can be grateful for. Caring and compassion for others is something else I wish for you. In our current world, compassion and caring are extremely important when there are so many who need help of some kind.

I wish good health for you and happiness. With good health comes another wish, sustainable eating and living. This is another very important thing in view of the changes in our climate, living sustainably, not wasting anything that can be used in some way and not buying what we don’t need. Repairing items that can be repaired is good as well. It is better than throwing them away.

I wish also that you gain a deeper connection with yourself, with others and with the natural world around us and also with the spiritual world. Take time to stand and stare, to contemplate and to reflect, to look at the bigger picture around the current circumstances, to forgive and to share. But above all I wish you happiness. Be happy with yourself and then you will be happy with others.

There is a website called http://www.actionforhappiness.org who produce a monthly happiness guide. I am using the one for this month as my photo today. Can you do the things it asks of you?

All you need is love

This week the words from the Beatles song ‘All you need is love’ have kept going round in my head. So is love all we need? There are of course many different kinds of love. We love our parents and our aunts and uncles. We also love our siblings but in a different way to the love for our parents. We love our firends as well. We love our pets too but again a different kind of love.

We love doing different things. Some of us love cooking and baking, others love gardening or going out walking. So we are all different and our kinds of love are all different. Whatever we do, we do it with love or at least I do and I hope you do too. But what about those we do not know who need our love? Refugees and children who live in poverty too. If we send them love does it make a difference to their lives. At some point it does make a difference especially if they realise that they are loved. But it won’t necessarily change their circumstances.

In our 3d world we need material things in order to survive. We need food and clothing and a roof over our heads. Does love provide this? In order to have those things we generally need some form of income usually from a job. Does love provide this? Many of us have worked at jobs that we do not like in order to have the roof over our head. Although we might come from love and it might make us feel better, love does not provide the roof or food or clothes.

So how are we going to get around this? Is it possible that in a different world love would give us everything we needed? I think there is a lot of thinking to do about this phrase ‘love is all we need’. What are your thoughts?

Closure

There are many words in the English language that have added to or changed their meanings over the years. Closure is one of those words. It meant and still means the closure of coal mines and department stores for example. But it has now got another meaning, closure after an unpleasant time or experience. I suppose it still means the act or process of closing something even with its extra definition.

So closure is the feeling or act of bringing an unpleasant time or experience to an end so that you can start again. Closure could refer then to ending one job which was not pleasant and starting a new job. Once you got into the new job you could forget about all the bad bits of the previous job. But is it that easy?

What about separation or divorce? How easy is it to start again and forget the bad bits? If children are involved then this can make it even harder to let go of the past and move on. Letting go of the pain is hard but it needs to be done if you want to move on. You can make a conscious decision to let the pain and anger go but if this doesn’t work you can try to express your pain and anger. You can write letters to the other person but not send them. Instead you can burn them with the intent that the pain and anger has gone so you can move forward again.

You also need to ‘be’ in the present. Focus on what you are doing now and enjoy your life as it happens. The final thing you have to do is to forgive the other person and that is possibly the hardest bit of all. But if you keep the pain and anger inside you, it will make you ill later on.

But how do you have closure when someone dear to you dies? Our emotions at that time run deep and as the grieving process takes its course we think of closure. Personally I find that with a death of a loved one, there is never what you could call a proper closure. We learn to live with the fact that our loved ones are no longer with us. Our love does not die so we have to learn to accept that they are no longer here but closure, I don’t think so. You can move on and even find another partner but your life has changed from what it was before the death occurred so you look at everything and everybody through different eyes. Also grieving can take several years as you adjust to the fact that your loved one has gone.

Is closure something that we deal with and achieve, or is it a myth?

All you need is love

Yesterday brought the power of love to the front of the stage and anyone watching the royal wedding would see that and hear the powerful words in the address. Even the music gave that feeling of love to the ceremony.

But years ago there was a song about love is all we need and those words often resonate in my head for days. Each night when I send my distant healing I also send out love to all corners of the world. I know from personal experience that love can change lives especially those of children. We need to love ourselves as well and that can be hard to do for some people. No one is perfect and we have to love all the bits of ourselves whether they are good or bad and the same goes for the way we love others. We love them whatever and look for the good bits of them to help them .

Unconditional love can be hard but it is important. But we need to  work on sending love out to others, to those who can change our lives like politicians. What would our world be like if we all loved each other and there was peace? There would be no hatred for others like there is now and that can only be a good thing. If you can’t love others as you do yourself then at least have respect for them. We cannot all agree on the same point of view but we can respect that point of view and look for things we can agree on. Some where in each person is a point where you can find that love so you need to look for it.

This morning I am sending love to you all. Please send it out to others so that we form a ripple of love going out into the world. Thank you.