our interaction With all things

Endurance, Cleanliness,

strength, purity,

Will keep our lives straight

Our actions only for a good

purpose.

Our words will be truth.

Only honesty shall come from

our interactions

With all things.

- from the Lakota Sioux Sweat

Lodge Ceremony      

    http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/adorable-newborn-baby-deer/1jrab2kry?q=Deer&rel=MSN

This link is a special treat today!

It certainly takes my breath away.

The glorious gifts of our Creator ...

all right here for me,

if I only take the time to see!!

Love, Cate     

Be Here Now

Don't think about the future.
Just be here now.
Don't think about the past.
Just be here now.
                     -Ram Dass

Several years ago while struggling with serious illness.

I watched an Anthony DeMello presentation on acceptance.

He spoke of living in the present moment in a way that struck

me right to the core ~ I remember it still, and refer myself and  others

to his simple wisdom quite often.

He said that a person could handle even the most excruciating pain

as long as they stayed in the present moment.  We CAN handle peacefully

anything that comes our way, as long as we are fully present to it, living in the

exact moment.

 

We get in trouble when we stop being fully present to the present

and begin to add our fears from the future ~ which multiply quickly ~

and/or tack on our unresolved issues from the past.  

Soon, the present moment is so painful and heavy, it is no wonder it feels impossible!!

So, just be here now, breathe into the now moment,

know that God is right here in the now, and the what-is-ness of life is right here!! 

No mater what ...

jut be right here,

right now ...

all is well in this present moment ...

take it one present moment at a time ...

that makes all the difference!!

Cate

If you let go a lot

Do everything with a mind that lets go.  Do not expect

any  praise or reward.  If you let go a little, you will have

a little peace.  If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of

peace.  If you let go completely, you will know complete

peace and freedom.  Your struggles with the world will

have come to an end.

                                 - Achaan Chah

Wow .. what a reading for today! 

Just what I needed.

Sometimes I really do get this and I let go

quickly and completely.

Other things I hang on to things

and let go a little bit at a time.

Sometimes these simple truths

are just not that easy!

Therefore, I practice praying for the willingness ...

it works, it really does!

I'm struggling with grief today,

praying to let it go into gratitude.

What are you willing to let go?

Let's choose freedom!!

Cate

Living in Awareness

Praised be my Lord for our Mother the earth, that

which doth sustain us and keep us, and bringeth forth

divers fruit, and flowers of many colours, and grass.

- Saint Francis of Assisi

May the food we are eating make us aware of the

interconnections between the universe and us, the

earth and us, and all other living species and us.

Because each bite contains in itself the life of the sun

and the earth, may we see the meaning and value of life

from these precious morsels of food.

- adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh

I read these centering thoughts after a very busy and productive day.

I am weary now, grateful for this day,

and grateful for the slowing down and centering of these thoughts

at the end of this day.

When I begin and end my day in a centered prayerful way,

I find myself more balanced and connected

during those difficult moments that may

cross my path along the way.

The miracle of the inter-independence

of all living beings is more than my pea brain can ponder ...

but, taking a moment to receive that awareness;

fills me with gratitude,

surrounds me with peace,

and deepens my trust in the ONE who has ALL POWER.

Sweet sleep ~

Cate

The gift is there

Life is so generous a giver, but we, judging its gifts by
their covering, cast them away as ugly or heavy, or
hard.   Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it
a living splendor, woven of love, by wisdom, with power.

Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angels hand
that brings it to you.   Everything we call a trial, a sorrow
or a duty, believe me, that the angel's hand is there;
the gift is there,
and the wonder of an overshadowing presence.

Our joys too: be not content with them as joys.
They too conceal diviner gifts.

And so, at this time, I greet you.
Not quite as the world sends greetings, but with
profound esteem and with the prayer that for you
now and forever, the day breaks, and the shadows flee.
                                                       - FRA Giovanni, A.D. 1513

The Spiritual Journey remains the same throughout time, doesn't it?
These words spoken in 1513 ring true still today ...

It is the rare person who wants to hear them when in the midst
of tragedy, loss or crisis ... most of us don't have the fortitude of
Viktor Frankl.  I remember the many times I dragged myelf through
difficult times, fighting aganst the flow of life!  Yet, in retrospect,
I can see the gifts that were surrounding me during those times.

I am so grateful for a dear friend who told me that she would remember
the truth for me during those times when I was unable to remember it
for myself.  It was her faith that carried me through some difficult
times.

I know the gift is always there, whether I can see it or not.  I know
many people who are struggling deeply right now....my human heart
struggles with them.  But, I remember the gift from my friend,
and what a difference it made.  So, I remember the truth for them ...
the truth that God is with them and in them, and nothing can ever
take them away from the love that is God.

I know that when you are desperately seeking a solution,
this probably seems like spiritual hogwash.  But, this is the
truth upon which I base my life.

Divine gifts are all around us, lets remind each other
to wake up and see them this day!!
Love, Cate

The Shelter of Love

Now we will feel no rain
for each of us will be shelter for the other.
Now we will feel no cold
for each of us will be warmth for the other.
Now there is no lonliness
for each of us will be companion for the other.
There is only one life before us
and our seasons will be long and good.
          - adapted from an Apache Wedding Blessing

The unconditional love that is shared so freely in 12 step communities
sets them apart from any other community I have ever known ...
They mean it when they say "let us love you until you learn to love yourself".
For so many of us,it is the first time we discover people who think like we do,
suddenly, we are no longer alone, "we've got people!"

As I watch the difficulties facing so many people in our world this day,
I wish for them the power of such a spiritual community,
a place to call home where people embrace you with love,
acceptance and spiritual truth.

I once attended the funeral of the father of a young Priest I knew.
He said the funeral Mass for his dad surrounded by many other Priests,
joining in one in prayer and concelebration of the Mass.
As I watched them I thought, there is the body of Christ.
He was surounded by God in humanity,
the hug of the "God with arms"

Whatever your community may be this day,
I hope it finds you sharing and receiving  love,
acceptance and spiritual Truth.

Gratefully,
Cate

Life is eternal

Immortal Love,

   all human loves excelling,

   of all human loves the source,

How shall we thank thee

   for the bonds of affection

   with  which we are made members

   one of another?

To those who gave us birth and have

   nurtured us,

To those who have been the guides

   of our childhood and youth,

To those who are our brothers and sisters,

To those whose lives are linked with ours

    in bonds of friendship

To these, to all others, dear to us,

    present or absent,

    near or far,

    companions invisible,

    a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,

We pay the tribute of our grateful love,

And because of their faith in us,

Here before thee we pledge anew

   our loyalty to them.

      - Robert French Leavens

 

What a grand reminder this is of the many wonderful people

who have given birth to the many parts of me,

and who have healed the broken parts of me,

who have inspired the holy parts of me

and those guides and friends and partners who have

traveled the many roads with me.

 

The older I become,

the more grateful I am to realize that

"life is eternal and love is immortal

and death is only a horizon"

 

I feel so truly blessed

by so many amazing transforming encounters ....

some as brief as a moment and some much longer.

A gift, each and every ONE!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eR1ni6sZK4

 

I often pause at night to ponder on the stars that fill the sky,

and feel the wonder of the people who have blessed my life so abundantly.

 

Their blessings have become

a part of me.

Cate

Parking Space Thank You's

Oh giver of each perfect gift!

This day our daily bread supply:

While from the Spirit’s tranquil depths

We drink unfailing droughts of joy.

       - Lyra Catholica

 

Many years ago, I began practicing gratitude and the presence of God within parking lots!  It began when I was injured and needed a parking space that was not too far from the store entrance on an  icy day ~ I whispered a quiet prayer asking for a safe parking space...and suddenly, there it was; a parking space opened up before my very eyes! 

 

At that moment, I choose to believe ~

I remembered that what I truly needed would be there,

I realized that life is indeed generous,

I began to become a wide receiver!!

 

This morning I needed one of those parking spots,

and it was there! 

I still practice gratitude at this parking miracle,

it is a wonderful invitation to live in gratitude!

 

And, when the parking space is not there for me,

and your car is there instead,

I figure you must have needed it more than  I did!

So, I say a prayer of thank you that it was there for you

when you needed it!

 

It is a simple thing ...

it keeps me grounded!

 

What grounds you?

Cate

The Boy in the Box

Do not care

overly much for

wealth, or power, or fame,

Or one day you will meet someone

Who cares for none of these things,

And you realize

How poor you have become.

         - Rudyard Kipling

 

 

O God who art Peace everlasting, whose chosen reward

is the gift of peace, and who has taught us that the

peacemakers are Thy children, pour Thy sweet peace

into our souls, that everything discordant may  utterly

vanish, and all that makes for peace be

sweet for us forever.       - Galasian

 

 

As I listened to the radio on the way home from work tonight,

I heard the story of a young homeless boy who lived with his family in a cardboard box.  When asked what he would want if he could have anything in the world, he didn't ask for a house, or a car, or even a toy ... the little boy wanted a new cardboard box for his family to live in. 

So simple, so purely in the moment,

how powerless he makes me feel.

I think so often of the many people who are suffering in this cold

weather, and I wonder what I can do to help.  Am I doing enough?  Am I giving enough? 

 

It is always a challenge for me to see the deep suffering that faces so many

people.  As surely as suffering is a part of life for everyone,

and each of us can only do what we can do,

coming face to face with the suffering of another can

put a shadow on the joy in my heart.

 

Tonight, I need the wisdom of Dr. Bob to put me into perspective ...

 

"   And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life — unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.      Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” He forgot to mention that I was the chief critic. I was always able to see the flaw in every person, every situation. And I was always glad to point it out, because I knew you wanted perfection, just as I did. A.A. and acceptance have taught me that there is a bit of good in the worst of us and a bit of bad in the best of us; that we are all children of God and we each have a right to be here. When I complain about me or about you, I am complaining about God’s handiwork. I am saying that I know better than God."

Breathe that in for a while ....

... it helps me to stay in balance,
not to become overwhelmed by the sadness in this world.
From this space I can pray for guidance on what I CAN do to help,
and be grateful for this little boy and his message.

I wish him peace and warmth,
I wish you peace and warmth,
I am grateful for the wisdom of Dr. Bob.
 l pray to be of service.
Love, Cate

Fancy socks!

In soft whisperings from the heart,

The child within offers you always

The thread of your youth.

May you cherish that child, trust

That voice and weave that thread

Richly into the frame of your days.

      - Anonymous

As the eldest daughter in a family of six children, I grew up very quickly.  For many years I barely remembered what it was like to be a child!  I was over 30 when I came again to know that child within ~ what a delight I found!  She has taught me to laugh more, play more, express more and sometimes wear crazy socks just for fun!

I missed her all those years when I was seriously grown up!  My balance is better now, my joy is deeper and my delight dances across my face more often ...

and then there are the giggles ... lolololol

The open connection to my inner kid voice connects me to great intution
 and wisdom as well! 

 I practice taking time to pause and listen to that voice ~ 

 it really makes a big difference in my day!

What color are your socks today?

Cate

Good night Moon

Teach me your mood, O patient stars!

Who climb each night the ancient sky,

Leaving on space no shade, no scars,

No trace of age, no fear to die.

             -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Could it really be as simple as this ?

To simply do my job here on earth,

quietly, simply and without struggle or fear...

until I am all used up?

The Saints speak of such things,

but of course, I am no Saint!

But, with them and the moon,

I do think life is a call to service ~

the moon lighting our path through the dark,
as do the Saints!

I'm not talking about the cannonized here ...
but of the many people who simply give loving service
freely and without expecation.
I have met so many of these living Saints,
and I honor them!

At the end of each day,
I ask myself...
What have I done today to light the path of another?

It is a simple question,
but for me and my focus,
it makes all the difference!!!

Good night Moon .......Cate

Be Here Now

No longer forward nor behind

I look in hope or fear,

But, grateful, take the good I find,

The best of now and here.

              -John Greenleaf Whittier

Yes, the best moments are those simple ones

where you are simply present ...

sometimes they take my breath away.

Be Here Now!!!

Love,

Cate

Homage to ONE and all

Homage to the omniscient one

May all good fortune come about.

-The Dammapada

This is such a simple prayer ...

a loving reminder that we are all ONE

and all deserve respect and homage.

The more respect we equally share,

the more good fortune we can bring about for ONE another ...

that is peace on earth!!

In the ONENESS,

Cate

Hold on to TRUTH

Hold on to what is good

   Even if it is a handful of earth.

Hold on to what you believe

   Even if it is a tree which stands by itself.

Hold on to what you must do

   Even if it is a long way from here.

Hold on to life

   Even when it is easier letting go.

Hold on to my hand

   Even when I have gone away from you.

                -Pueblo Verse

Hold on?  It is interesting to be reading this when my current call seems to

be that of letting go!  More and more I want to live in the way of the open-hearted, open-minded,

open-handed...living truly free to be open to the call ... to the possibilities ...

to fully be able to live in growing fidelity to God.

I have to chuckle at myself a little as I write this, because at this same moment of

wanting to let go, I am so aware of the winter cold and my underdeveloped willingness to let go

of having a warm home to live in at this time!  I guess I can only hope that life

never calls me out into the cold, and yet, that very thing is happening to more and more

people all the time.  So, if that should ever be my call, I guess that would be the time I

would be called to be willing to let go of my desire to be tucked in warmly?  Yikes!

At any rate, I think this prayer is a reminder to cherish

the many gifts that fill my life,

to live out the Truth in every moment,

and to keep the love that I share always alive in my heart.

That is something I certainly can try to do!

I hope that my days will grow in moments of awareness,

cherishing the many gifts that are life,

and carrying them in open hands

with an  open heart and mind ...

willing to pass them along

at  a moments notice.

Cate

And acceptance is ....

Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be

Free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are

Doing.  This is the ultimate.

      -Chuang  Tsu

Ahhhh, so this is the ultimate?  lolol .... well,  for some of us it just may be!  For me, when I live life on life's terms in acceptance mode, I am able to be fully present because I am not caught up in judging, comparing, wanting things to be different or fearing the future.  Acceptance ... simple acceptance ... staying in the flow of the river instead of fighting to swim upstream.  I can do this when I trust, when I live on a steady diet of Faith! 

Our famous beloved page 449 in the AABB says it so well:

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation -- some fact of my life -- unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes."

Simple, not easy.  Worth it?  Always!!!                         Gratefully, Cate

Join the Choir Invisible

May I reach

That purest heaven, be to other souls

The cup of strength in some great agony,

Enkindle generous ardour, feed pure love,

Be the sweet presence of a good diffused,

And in diffusion ever more intense!

So shall I join the choir invisible

Whose music is the gladness of the world.

          -George Eliot

This speaks to me of the amazing quiet generousity of

the anonymous people of 12 step programs.

They share their Spirituality lovingly and openly

with those who are seeking ...

ever available, sharing freely and without expectation.

Through that fellowship,

lives are completely transformed!!

Patt always said she wanted to give until she was all used up,

and so she did.

She has joined the choir invisible,

and her music lives on in hundreds of lives

as gladness in this world.

in gratitude,

Cate

Today, I remember!

Do not fear the truth,

Hard as it may appear,

Grievously as it may hurt,

It is still right

And you were born for it.

If you go out to meet

And love it,

Let it exercise your mind,

It is your best friend

And closest sister.

-Dom Helder Camara

 “The Desert is Fertile”

Surrender...

again and again this simple word describes the call.

Be it the still small voice or the rumbling voice of thunder,
the voice is ALWAYS there IF I am able to listen.

Surrender means "Thy" way, not "my" way.

The more I live that out,
the more peaceful and joyous my journey.

When I receive a call, it ALWAYS comes with the grace to live it out!
The quicker I say "YES" , the smoother the transition.

They say you could sum up the Big Book into one word,
SURRENDER!
Most of us need 12 steps to get there,
and a lifetime of daily practice to stay there ...
cause, it is so easy to forget,

and then, you remember!  :)

Today, I remember, and I am so very grateful!!
Cate

As the old saying goes: “If not now, when? If not you, who?”

The Surprise of Delight

Before me, may it be delightful.

Behind me, may it be delightful.

Around me, may it be delightful.

Below me, may it be delightful.

Above me, may it be delightful.

All, may it be delightful.

               -Navajo  Prayer

I can picture this Navajo prayer being composed while perched on top

of  a towering rock while surrounded by a vast green valley visible on all sides below,

 and a clear blue sky dressed with puffy puffy white clouds all above. 

In that space, in that moment, one would surely be surounded by delight!

I pondered the discovery of being surrounded by delight

in a more challenging time,

and the strangest memory came to me.

I remembered being at the Stations of the Cross as a young Nun

just a few weeks after my Mother had died from cancer.

There was a moment in the prayer where we were praying for those who were no longer

with us, and my breath seemed to pass away for a moment.

Then, I felt the warmth of a hand reaching forward from  behind me

and softly resting on my shoulder....softly and gently pulling me back to the present

living, loving moment. 

It was a program friend who had quietly slipped into the church to join us in prayer.

 It was the simplest of moments,

but one that has stayed alive with me for these many years.

It was as if the God within, and the God with Skin, and the Body of Christ that is Chuch all came together as ONE ... and I felt at complete peace and complete connection and complete Oneness.

What a strange moment to be called a memory of delight.  I wonder what that is about?

  I think it is about love ...

at that very moment I felt love enter into a a painful wound of loss,

and the love was healing and warming and unexpected...

yes, it was delightful.

What a surpise!

Love, Cate



Full of Mud ... make mud pies?

By wishes alone you cannot a livelihood make,

Roll up your sleeves, send your bucket down

With those that others send.

Then behold!

At times, it will come up full,

Full to the brim;

At times full with mud,

And perhaps a little water.

                -ABD AL-ASWALD AL-DUWALI

What a fun reminder that I am simply called to do my part,

and to live and accept life on life's terms,

and can choose to be grateful for whatever my bucket brings :)

If I want to win the lottery, I do need to buy a ticket! 

If I want to live in conscious contact with God, I do need to invest my time in that relationship!

I can choose to put forth the effort needed to toss in my bucket,

but there are no guarantees what my bucket will bring back to me!

So, if it brings much needed water, I can be grateful!

If it brings a bucket full of mud, I can be grateful too,

and make mud pies.

practice...practice...and practice again

http://www.mfalstreau.com/index.html

I vow to practice breathing and smiling,

Looking deeply into things.

I vow to understand living beings and their suffering,

To cultivate compassion and loving kindness,

And to practice joy and equanimity.

        -Thich Nhat Hanh

I smile as I read this tonight,

this makes so much sense ...

and so easily I forget!

Just how many vows have I made,

only to get swept up into the havoc of daily life.

Yet, these are great vows ...worth taking again and again.

Each time I take them,

I practice living them out for a little bit longer.

I practice and I practice,

and one day I realize that I truly remember,

and the vows have become a part of who I am.

Kinda makes me wish I would have been more willing to practice

the piano and the violin when I was a kid  :)

Practice really can become presence!!!

Cate

I hope to be in harmony

The creative energy of Heaven

   Is our paternal source.

The receptive energy of Earth

   Is our maternal source.

All people are the offspring

   Of the same universal Origin.

Within my true nature

   Are the same virtues

   As those of the inspired sages …

I have love for all people

   Who are in their “winter” years

    And wish them to live enjoyably.

I treat all young ones kindly

   And help them, to have a good life.

The sick and needy are also

   My brothers and sisters

   So I protect and shelter

   Them under my wings.

I assist the talented

   And do not waste my own talents …

By knowing the principles of change

    And always doing my best,

    I hope to be in harmony

    With the enduring Will of the universe.

                -   From Workbook for Spiritual Development

                            Of all people.  P.  161-162

This lovely teaching reflects one of the greatest gifts I have received

through the 12 step spirituality.  Those simple words ... "love and tolerance 

is our code"  and   ...

"Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, "This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."

We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn't treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one."  AABB p. 67

This was my invitation to live in and through "Oneness" !  This was my first experience of Namaste'.  This made all the difference for me in growing towards living in harmony with all. 

A very wise woman often told me that there are only two things happening at any  time .. a person is either loving or looking for love.  So, the person who feels so far removed from real love can be so seemingly broken as they look for love in all the wrong places.  No matter what that person does or does not do, this reality calls out compassion rather than judgement.     But for the grace of God go any of us ....

So, as the offspring of the creative energy of heaven and the receptive energy  of earth ...

we are born of love and we are all siblings on this journey of life! 

May we journey together in peace and unity ... each and every ONE!!!

In-joy this day!!!   Cate

She decided to love herself ...

We thank you now for love, the great, the miraculous

gift.  For love in the body that comforts, for love in the

emotional body that delights and frustrates and

instructs, for love of our sacred circle of friends, for

love in the spirit beyond all walls and wounds, bounds

and ends.

   Love, we thank you for love, love that stirs and

soothes us, love that gathers us into all joy and delivers

us from all brokenness.  Love that hears the soundless

language, love that imagines and dreams, that can

conquer all and willingly surrenders everything.  Love

that brought us into our lives and love that will carry us

home.

-      Daphne Rose Kingma

(From the hourglass series by Marylou Falstreau)

http://mfalstreau.3dcartstores.com/Women-and-the-Hourglass-Cards_c_9.html

I think that learning to love myself has been the most difficult love of all.

In the generation of my formative years, we did not speak of love,

particularly love of self.  In fact, I always thought that was a negative and self centered sort of thing!  It was most holy to be selfless, invisible, sacrificing self silently for others ...taking care of youself last.  I could not figure out how loving yourself  could fit in with that presentation of self!

I lived many decades before I finally began to embrace this new idea ...

that I must love myself first, before I was really able to love others fully.

This calls me to take loving care of myself so that I can be present and available to others.

This calls me to learn to say "no" some of the time, 

 so that I can more completely say "YES" the rest f the time.

This calls my to be loving and accepting of myself

 exactly as I am in the present moment,

knowing that God loves me in the now moment, no matter what!

Once I began to receive this gift from God,

I  knew it was the greatest gift I could share with others.

I hope you find yourself surrounded by love this day,

beginning with a deep love for youself,

a love that is lived out in awareness of the great love that is our God!

Love, Cate