A Dragon from My Past
When visiting my grandmother while growing up, I’d always stop and look at a particular pitcher in her china cabinet. I wasn’t allowed to touch it until I was at least 12 or so. It is an ugly mustard color and has weird bumps to simulate dragon skin, for wrapped around the pitcher was a dragon with flashing red eyes, tongue, and claws complete with splashes of gold leaf. His body created the handle. and I was utterly fascinated by it.
Visiting my aunt a couple of weeks ago I picked the pitcher up and looked at it, remembering how much I used to stare at it. This past week the pitcher kept coming to mind as I tried to meditate and struggle through allowing the best health plan for my life. I laughed thinking the universe was telling me to be a fire-breathing dragon – or perhaps to eat only what a dragon would eat.
Last night I remembered a book on Chinese medicine I’d purchased in 2003: Traditional Chinese Medicine by Nan Lu, OMD. Oh – the subtitle? “The Dragon’s Way to Natural, Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss.”
In reading it I am impressed that weight loss is NOT the goal – but being healthy and having a balance Qi (Chi, energy) was the goal. So, I am reading, and I will be learning QiGong to balance the organ meridians. My acupuncturist, Carl, has been talking about Liver Heat and how that organ is out of balance.
The “dragon of my past” has confirmed my following the “dragon of my present.”
Patience
Soooooooooo, patience is a virtue, eh? Whomever said that did not have my temperment. I have this issue that has been weighing heavily on me for months. It's something over which I have no control (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change...) and yet, with a few choice words from me, things could be sorted out. However, it takes courage (God grant me the courage to change the things I can...) to risk change by forcing the issue. And issues that mature from deep within, slowly, healing totally, take time. Oh, we're back to patience again, are we not? That's when relying completely on our higher power is important. It takes wisdom to allow unconditional love to grow beyond our limited human knowledge. (God grant me the wisdom to know the difference.) Ah, St. Francis, thankyou for walking your walk, and for giving us the words that help us endeavor to endure in the face of uncertainty. God is faithful.
Time
Timing is everything and we as creatures of time have to abide by it in respect to others. We all can't have the green light -- someone has to wait at the intersection with the red light until it is their time to "go." A fetus takes a certain time to mature before it is his time to come into this world. No matter how quickly you eat, you still have to take the time to nurture your body with food and drink.
Everything happens when the time is right for it to manifest. When you have prepared your mind, body, and spirit for something it becomes the "right time" to happen. When you wait and wait concerning something that involves another person or persons you need to know that even though it is the right time for you, it hasn't happened yet because it isn't the right time for others. One can not be pushed or cajoled into the "right time" to coincide with your schedule. Some never reach a particular goal in this lifetime and will have to do it all over again - that's what reincarnation is for (well, one reason anyway as I understand it.)
Take time, precious time, for yourself today. Go outside, take in a deep breath and smile that you have the freedom to do so. Old hymn from my childhood: "Take time to be holy, speak oft with the Lord..." Taking time for yourself, with yourself, with your higher power is holiness."
Enjoy Joy
A great way to start the day - or relax at lunchtime - or end the evening -- a rekindling of the reasons why joy is available and how to "en-joy" life. Thanks to friend Andy for sending this to me!
CHECK IT OUT! :)
http://www.thejoymovie.com
When Needing is not Needy
This touched my soul and is reproduced in part......
I NEED YOU...
(C) 2000 BY AVC
When our eyes have seen a few dozen winters and summers, we learn more about the difference between the emotions of love and lust and sometimes when the wrinkles and grey hairs start to sprout our mature wisdom brings the knowledge of what's really important in our lives.
After many years of loneliness and turning away from temptations that appear to be nice and warm, but fall far short of real happiness, it is then that we learn that we have to become the person we want to find for our self and that in giving, we truly receive.
So when I met you, warm sparks stirred inside me and the sweetness I met in you are making it nice to awaken every day. It doesn't surprise me that I can say easier today than just yesterday that my heart is telling me for once, it's you that I need in my life.
I need you to walk with me on this path, holding hands and smiling alongside. I need you to share my dreams and fears, and wrap my arms around your mind.
