“Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”

~ Lao Tzu

Listen :: Everything – Michael Buble

After a rain

I have to stand straight

As my back pain

Will let me  and  wait

To take note.

Take it all in,  Breath first.

“Skin second”  He wrote &

Worked to recall.  by breakfast.

Pride + People = Anger.  In contrast, a humble spirit is not frustrated by people.   From ~ Boomer in the Pew (A study of Esther)

There is a strange strength conceived in solitude. Jesus every little while withdrew from the crowd. Oh, for the tonic of waiting upon God! From – Streams in the Desert 12.4.09 ~ (SITH)

Listen :: Comptine D’ un Autre Ete –  Amelie Soundtrack

Listen :: Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas – Perry Como

Maybe you’ve experienced a situation where all you wanted to be was “heard??

Nothing more … nothing less.

If so, this will probably resonate with you …

The first duty of love is to listen

(Paul Tillich) Listening, real listening is what most people fail to do…listening is done not only with the ears but with all of our being. It is compassion and a tolerance that another may say something you don’t want to hear……It is the courage to have your world view change….real listening is a gift and a duty in love that you give to another that tells them they are cherished and of worth. On Listening (Ralph Roughton)

When I ask you to listen to me and you start by giving me advice, you have not done what I have asked.

When I ask you to listen to me and you begin by telling me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to solve my problems, you have failed me, strange as it may seem.

Listen!

All I ask is that you listen, not talk or do ….. just hear me. When you do something for me that I can do for myself, you contribute to my fear and inadequacy. And I can do for myself. I’m not helpless. Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless. But, when you accept as simple fact that I do feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can quit trying to convince you and get about the business of understanding what’s behind this irrational feeling. And when that’s clear the answers are obvious – and I don’t need advise. Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what is behind them.

Perhaps that’s why prayer works, sometimes, for some people ….. because God is mute, and doesn’t give advise or try to fix things.

—-

After learning REAL listening through Satvatove, it’s apparent MILLIONS of people everyday, seldom get “heard”.

Just in the last 24 hours, 2 friends approached me about this; in both instances the “listener” was giving them advice about their situation (without permission) and not actually listening. I used to assume that “giving advice” was hand in hand with being a good listener … and often it’s not. Even though it does have its time and place. It should be one tool of many, not the only one.

Some give advice … before determining the true situation. Also a big mistake. Sometimes these “advice feeders“would be served to put their giant ego to the side … at least for 5 minutes. Start with listening. To many people preach listening and don’t practice it.

“Praise” is also an all-time favourite amongst many and also something I did constantly for over 25 years. Why not give someone some praise? After all it will make them “feel better” right? Cover up the reality of their situation. Making them walk away saying, “well I feel a bit better, but I sure didn’t get to the heart of the matter”.

It serves them more to LISTEN. It ultimately serves you too, as the listener, b/c people’s trust will go through the roof. And if you’re authentic and well intentioned, there’s nothing wrong with this and absolutely everything right.

We all have the answers to our own questions and it’s WAY MORE POWERFUL when we create our own solutions, vs. having them feed from someone else. As great listeners we can help people find clarity in their own thoughts & empowerment in their own conclusions.

** Update on one of my friends, who I truly listened to …

She went from being hungry, lazily lying on the floor, feeling totally uninspired … to telling jokes, taking powerful responsiblity for her situation, making plans, etc., all with in the course of 45 minutes.  Allowing her to unload the weight she was feeling about life and BE HEARD, turned her day around 180 degrees & she authentically thanked me for it.

This it’s what’s possible for everyone of us! Just a matter of being willing to grow and learn some new skills. If we sit around and think grade 1-12 plus some post secondary is all the education we’ll need … that’s cheating ourselves, our friends, our family & society at large.

So it’s clear – I’m not a communication god. There’s still much to learn. Thanks to incredible teachers and an evolving circle of friends, I’m aware my own journey in this regard has just started.

As always, thoughts & comments are welcome.

Sincerely,

Kyle

PS -  Last Tuesday I woke to immense inspiration around this … “what if worldwide we could communicate on a really deep level”? What would that do for our problems? The war? The hate? The misunderstanding? The pain amongst in our very own families?  Satvatove for me is the doorway to what’s possible. Hundreds who’ve taken their courses & coaching would agree.

PSS – The things I saw in Florida this past August @ the Advanced Course, were some of the most profound things ever seen with my own two eyes. As a society we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible. We’re playing small … we can play bigger. Lastly, to my two dear friends who depart to Florida this Saturday – you’re both incredibly courageous for having the guts to take this on. My thoughts are with you and I await your return in two weeks time.

day 1997
decided today
would be a “silent Thursday” -
quiet production

The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind., originally uploaded by Boy_Wonder.

Comment: Quiet room for individual study is pointless when you can hear every word of the discussion of the group next door.

We need to know what works for you in our library and what doesn’t.  So thanks for letting us know about this problem.  To address this problem, we will soon make the old test centre our quiet study room.    This will be a bigger room and it should be quiet too!

Fabian Harrison, Program Head
Kelsey Library

Listen :: Clean White Love – Lisa Mitchell

There is one thing—one rare and very elusive thing— that everyone should experience at least once in their lives. With the pace of everyday life in the world today and the many problems and issues that barrage us constantly, we need this one thing that some many of us don’t get to experience. Stress piles upon us driving our blood pressure up and making our hair fall out and making us miserable. We have our diversions to deal with stress and many of us do such a good job at balancing our lives that we don’t even miss the one thing we really need. Even the most co-dependent and clingy among us need this: one moment of blissful solitary serenity.

For me, the first time I recognized it for what it was, it was December 1999 (I don’t remember the exact day) and I was living in Little Rock Arkansas at the time. I had an apartment on the west side and it started snowing in the early afternoon and kept it up all day. I have always liked snow (and I have never lived in a climate that would require shoveling a driveway or a sidewalk, or that snowed for more than a day at a time so I never learned to hate it) so I was glad to see the accumulation.

I had a DVD that needed to be returned before the store closed and I had forgotten it during the day and it was about 9:30 that evening when I noticed it. The store was just down the road from my complex, so I decided to walk. The snow had covered the ground so much that it made it difficult to tell where the sidewalk ended and the street began and it was still falling in heavy, chunky flakes. The snow crunched under my shoes as I walked down the street. The street lights illuminated the flakes as the swirled and danced on their way down from the heavens. Because snow is not all that common, people decided to stay in rather then drive, so the usually busy street was empty and the snow that filled it was pristine and sparkled in the light from the street lights.

There was no sound but the crunching of my footsteps in the snow. The air was brisk and my breath made clouds as I walked along in my solitude. This was it. This was serenity. I had all kinds of problems in my life at that time. I had to work on my master’s thesis, I had a job to do and I had a bad relationship that needed some hard decisions. But out in the cold, walking along a deserted snow-covered road as the flakes kept falling all these problems were—if only for a half-hour—far away and I could enjoy just being.

I didn’t waste it trying to figure out my life. I didn’t stop and take a picture. I just stopped, lifted my face to the sky and felt the snow falling on my face. I let my problems go. After a while, I made it to the rental store and, of course, it was closed. But that did not matter. I dropped the video in the return slot and walked back home as the snow continued to fall. School was cancelled the next day and I couldn’t get to work because the roads were closed, but the snow had stopped falling and it melted in short order. Life resumes.

These moments are rare because most people don’t recognize them when they happen. We are programmed to think that we have to fill every moment of our day with productive activities. The key is to see serenity and stop and enjoy it. Call it “stopping to smell the roses” or “stop to catch a snowflake on your tongue.” The key is to disconnect from the world for a little while. I have had serene moments since then and I enjoyed every one of them. May you find many such a moments in your lives and when you do, make the most of them.

Now folks, this is a super neat place to visit. It is perfect for people who love the mountains. Just consider…sitting in a pool filled with 102-105 degree water from 5 natural hot springs. Add to that it’s all outdoors so while you soak you are surrounded by the beauty of 10,000 foot mountains and pine forests. Talk about an experience!

Grover Hot Springs, a part of the California State Park system, is open all year. In fact, if you’re sitting in that hot spring water during mid-winter and the snow begins falling the effect is something you’ll not soon forget.

It only takes about 30-45 minutes to drive there from South Lake Tahoe. For more information check their website link below.
Grover Hot Springs

So, needless to say my day hasn’t been going well at all. First, a paper I worked very hard on, and had proofread multiple times received a low grade. And, second, my father comes home boasting about how he’s lost 25 pounds by doing nothing, and I’m eating very healthy, and exercising at the gym almost daily, and nothing is happening. Now, I’m at Barnes and Noble just trying to relax, and get some quiet. It’s not working too well thanks to the group of obnoxious people two tables down.

Ah, the internet is a wonderful place. I stumbled across Hippy Urban Girl’s blog this morning (via artcetera) and her wonderful December Views. December is a busy time of the year without adding the stress of having to think about writing something on the blog, so I have decided to join in with December Views – only posting photos throughout the month. There are no rules, and I am not promising to blog everyday (because who am I kidding, there is no way I could do that!) and I am not promising that I won’t add words (because sometimes I just can’t help it), I am just promising to be quiet, and share December with you, with a month of photos and viewing. I am also thinking a few songs might make their way into my quiet month – for me a no stress, quiet, relaxing moment is always helped along with music!

If you want to join in, you can find the December Views Explanation here.

Listen :: Owl City – Fireflies

SHUT THE HELL UP!  I trying to study.  I might lace your drinks with sleeping pills so I can get work done!  J/k I can’t focus on anything anyways. Just wanted to yell at someone.   I’m really a teddy bear, completely harmless.  Don’t mind me I might just go hide in a corner somewhere.

Kindest Regards,

Petrie

My world is quiet
As the darkness settles in
And the snow begins to fall
As the winter of my soul begins

I held on to the light
For as long as hope would allow
But its flame has dimmed
And only the emptiness remains now

I see the world spin by
As if in a snow-filled haze
Shadows & shapes, they pass-
Only figures of blacks & greys

The shadows, they reach out for me
As I push each of them away
I embrace the solitude
But, alas, its loneliness aches

Dreams,
buried beneath the snow
Acceptance,
of a life I’ll never know
Simply Existing,
In the Winterland of my Soul.

「祂就獨自上山去禱告。」（聖經馬太福音十四章 23 節）

寂靜裡面含蓄著一種奇異的能力。

烏鴉和豺狼是喜歡集群的，獅子和鷲鷹，是喜歡單獨的。

能力不在喧擾中，乃在安靜中。湖水必須極其平靜，才能在面上映照出美麗的天空來。我們的主是極其愛世人的， 可是多少次我們在經上讀到祂暫時離開群眾，退去禱告。祂工作的地方常在海邊，可是祂最愛山上；所以我們看見祂晚間常上山去安息。

今天我們所最需要的一件事，乃是獨自與主親近，坐在祂腳前安靜。哦，巴不得我們能恢復那已失去的默想的藝術！ 哦，巴不得我們能受到密室的教育！

It’s not yet the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter, but it sure feels like it. Night time temps are in the low 20’s, and the daytime highs are in the hi 40’s-lo 50’s. The air is so clean, and the stars so bright. The full moon that is now in the sky makes the night like day. You can even cast a moon shadow.

The camp is shuttered for the winter, but plans are being made for May, 2010 to October, 2010. We are looking to host our usual martial arts, and are expecting our Yoga friends to return.

Check with us for open dates for your group:

or

If you, like me, prefer to avoid Black Friday you’ll be happy to know that today is the National Day of Listening in the US (and there’s no reason not to do it everywhere else). From it’s website:

On the day after Thanksgiving, set aside one hour to record a conversation with someone important to you. You can interview anyone you choose: an older relative, a friend, a teacher, or someone from the neighborhood.

Make a yearly tradition of listening to and preserving a loved one’s story. The stories you collect will become treasured keepsakes that grow more valuable with each passing generation.

The website even has a question generator and guides for the recording, if you need help.

National Day of Listening

She Had Some Horses

She had some horses.

She had horses who were bodies of sand.
She had horses who were maps drawn of blood.
She had horses who were skins of ocean water.
She had horses who were the blue air of sky.
She had horses who were fur and teeth.
She had horses who were clay and would break.
She had horses who were splintered red cliff.

She had some horses.

She had horses with long, pointed breasts.
She had horses with full, brown thighs.
She had horses who laughed too much.
She had horses who threw rocks at glass houses.
She had horses who licked razor blades.

She had some horses.

She had horses who danced in their mothers’ arms.
She had horses who thought they were the sun and their bodies shone and burned like stars.
She had horses who waltzed nightly on the moon.
She had horses who were much too shy, and kept quiet in stalls of their own making.

She had some horses.

She had horses who liked Creek Stomp Dance songs.
She had horses who cried in their beer.
She had horses who spit at male queens who made them afraid of themselves.
She had horses who said they weren’t afraid.
She had horses who lied.
She had horses who told the truth, who were stripped bare of their tongues.

She had some horses.

She had horses who called themselves, “horse.”
She had horses who called themselves, “spirit.” and kept their voices secret and to themselves.
She had horses who had no names.
She had horses who had books of names.

She had some horses.

She had horses who whispered in the dark, who were afraid to speak.
She had horses who screamed out of fear of the silence, who carried knives to protect themselves from ghosts.
She had horses who waited for destruction.
She had horses who waited for resurrection.

She had some horses.

She had horses who got down on their knees for any savior.
She had horses who thought their high price had saved them.
She had horses who tried to save her, who climbed in her bed at night and prayed as they raped her.

She had some horses.

She had some horses she loved.
She had some horses she hated.

These were the same horses.

~ Joy Harjo

Rumble…
Air conditioner
…Otherwise quiet