I recently watched I Am An Animal: the story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA. Well, I'll be honest. I half-watched it. After a while, I felt I got the picture and the picture was nasty.
I watched it because I've never understood PETA. I know they're a controversial group and I've seen video footage of them going too far (in my opinion), but I wanted to really understand their perspective. And, I didn't want to read a book in order to do so.
The video had some disturbing footage, but that was to be expected because their goal is to keep animals from getting mistreated and killed. I made sure I was in the correct frame of mind to watch abuse and then I made sure there was daylight outside when I sat down to enjoy the DVD.
Another reason I wanted to watch the DVD and understand more about PETA was because I'm a big, ol' animal hypocrite. I think animals exist for their own reasons and we should try our hardest to live life in a manner that doesn't infringe upon their freedoms. I think they should be treated with some respect and compassion. Which is why I have a slight problem with housepets.
But, I also think animals taste delicious. (Some of them, anyway.) And, I struggle with this. (Some of the time, anyway.)
Mostly, I don't think it's a big deal to eat animals. They're living things. Okay. So are plants and I'm not about to stop eating them. They have feelings. Okay. I happen to think plants have something akin to feelings, too. Or at least, they also act within whatever energy paradigm feelings operate within. I think that's why certain types of music helps their growth and certain types hinder their growth. (No, they're not sentient beings, but hopefully you get my drift.)
So, I wanted to see what PETA had to say about animals in order to help prompt my return to vegetarianism. Or not.
The result: there will be no change in my diet. I just don't see the point, as I do my best to be appreciative of the animals whose lives make my meals tastier and I seek out more humane meat markets. I also try not to eat a lot of meat.
But, another unexpected result: my self-talk on this issue has become gentler.
See, I like to walk my talk. I know that thinking all animals should be free to roam the Earth as they see fit and we should treat them with respect and thinking that I like to eat them may seem incongruous. But, I've decided that it's not, because I truly appreciate the animals whose bodies become part of mine. I thank them for their energy and respect the fact that a life was taken to enhance mine.
Maybe that will make no sense to some people, but it makes sense to me. Eating meat is not out of alignment with who I am right now.
I've always made a practice of thanking the farmers, plants, animals, Earth, and Sun when I eat. I teach my kids to practice this acknowledgment and appreciation. And, I think that doing so keeps the energy in our foods clear.
I won't kill an animal for sport. I think that's pretty morbid. I don't even like to kill insects when I can help it.
And so I do appreciate PETA's efforts. There are some despicable practices going on in our world with regard to animals. I'm very happy organizations like PETA exist.
I'm also very happy frog legs taste like chicken.
April 9, 2009
April 8, 2009
amethyst
I'm working with amethyst, again.
Amethyst is in the quartz family and is regarded as a good crystal to work with when overcoming addictions. (I find it cute that there is a company called Amethyst, Inc. that's geared toward helping women overcome addictions, violence, and poverty.) It's also good for helping with psychic abilities.
What am I using it for? Clarity of thought.
I think. It's what I do, who I am. Thinker. As such, I get overwhelmed at times. So many thoughts, so little time! When I'm feeling like I need my thinking to be extra-clear and subsequently, uber-beneficial, I put my big amethyst crystal in my pocket.
I like the passivity of putting it in my pocket and going about my day. I trust that it's helping and I don't need to sit and meditate with it. I notice that when I do that, I have an easier time staying true to my goals. That's a problem of mine. Focus/discipline. I can easily be led astray. And, I usually enjoy it.
Lately, though, I really want to accomplish certain goals I've set for myself and so...in the pocket it goes. Sometimes, I think it's like carrying around a portable Spirit Guide. The "Good Angel". She's not on my shoulder, she's in my jean pocket.
Of course, there are times when I meditate with it. I close my hands around it and sit. Think. Sit. Think. Get up and go about my business. Those times have gotten rarer, though, as I find I benefit most from crystal-work when I'm active.
I guess it's no coincidence (or surprise) that this stone is the February birth stone. Aquarians are known for contemplation. I think I'll re-start my crystal study. I now wonder what the connection is with all birthstones and astrological sun sign.
Amethyst is in the quartz family and is regarded as a good crystal to work with when overcoming addictions. (I find it cute that there is a company called Amethyst, Inc. that's geared toward helping women overcome addictions, violence, and poverty.) It's also good for helping with psychic abilities.
What am I using it for? Clarity of thought.
I think. It's what I do, who I am. Thinker. As such, I get overwhelmed at times. So many thoughts, so little time! When I'm feeling like I need my thinking to be extra-clear and subsequently, uber-beneficial, I put my big amethyst crystal in my pocket.
I like the passivity of putting it in my pocket and going about my day. I trust that it's helping and I don't need to sit and meditate with it. I notice that when I do that, I have an easier time staying true to my goals. That's a problem of mine. Focus/discipline. I can easily be led astray. And, I usually enjoy it.
Lately, though, I really want to accomplish certain goals I've set for myself and so...in the pocket it goes. Sometimes, I think it's like carrying around a portable Spirit Guide. The "Good Angel". She's not on my shoulder, she's in my jean pocket.
Of course, there are times when I meditate with it. I close my hands around it and sit. Think. Sit. Think. Get up and go about my business. Those times have gotten rarer, though, as I find I benefit most from crystal-work when I'm active.
I guess it's no coincidence (or surprise) that this stone is the February birth stone. Aquarians are known for contemplation. I think I'll re-start my crystal study. I now wonder what the connection is with all birthstones and astrological sun sign.
April 6, 2009
what's your story?
We all have a story. Or, rather, many stories.
We tell ourselves things about what we’re going through, what we think of other people, how we should live our lives, how we would live our lives if only…
Lots and lots of stories.
Sometimes, I sit and wonder what life would be like if there were no stories. If I just lived in the Now and behaved as if the Past and the Future didn’t exist, how would my life be different? What would change within me? What would change outside of me?
I sit and I wonder and an answer comes to me. What would change? Nothing. Because the fact is that I’m not as significant as I like to tell myself. I say that I do such-and-such because I choose to do it, but what if such-and-such is choosing to get accomplished through me? What if I’m not the one in control?
I like to think I’m a servant of Life. It’s possible I only exist to be used. Some say we are only here so that Source can experience itself. I believe that. And, because I believe that, I agree that nothing we do is horrible. But, that doesn’t mean it lacks meaning. That doesn’t mean it lacks significance. It is inherently significant because it happens at all. Simultaneously, it is inherently insignificant because the purpose is simply to exist. To be. And, that means that no matter what happens, the situation and outcome are acceptable.
I could be wrong. After all, this is a story. And, what if there is no such thing as non-fiction?
We tell ourselves things about what we’re going through, what we think of other people, how we should live our lives, how we would live our lives if only…
Lots and lots of stories.
Sometimes, I sit and wonder what life would be like if there were no stories. If I just lived in the Now and behaved as if the Past and the Future didn’t exist, how would my life be different? What would change within me? What would change outside of me?
I sit and I wonder and an answer comes to me. What would change? Nothing. Because the fact is that I’m not as significant as I like to tell myself. I say that I do such-and-such because I choose to do it, but what if such-and-such is choosing to get accomplished through me? What if I’m not the one in control?
I like to think I’m a servant of Life. It’s possible I only exist to be used. Some say we are only here so that Source can experience itself. I believe that. And, because I believe that, I agree that nothing we do is horrible. But, that doesn’t mean it lacks meaning. That doesn’t mean it lacks significance. It is inherently significant because it happens at all. Simultaneously, it is inherently insignificant because the purpose is simply to exist. To be. And, that means that no matter what happens, the situation and outcome are acceptable.
I could be wrong. After all, this is a story. And, what if there is no such thing as non-fiction?
April 4, 2009
(un)bound
"tied up and twisted
the way I'd like to be
for you, for me, come crash
into me" -Dave Matthews Band, Crash Into Me
For so long it seemed Lust was easier
for Love...
Love comes
but warrants no behavior
no reaction
nothing at all
Lust can be fathomed
can be tamed
can be comprehended the way only stars and moons and suns can
but Love
what is Love if not pain?
either joyful
or tormenting
neither unrequited
nor reciprocal
Love exists
Lust
Love
matters not which you prefer
one will lead to the other
as long as you mind your own business
the way I'd like to be
for you, for me, come crash
into me" -Dave Matthews Band, Crash Into Me
For so long it seemed Lust was easier
for Love...
Love comes
but warrants no behavior
no reaction
nothing at all
Lust can be fathomed
can be tamed
can be comprehended the way only stars and moons and suns can
but Love
what is Love if not pain?
either joyful
or tormenting
neither unrequited
nor reciprocal
Love exists
Lust
Love
matters not which you prefer
one will lead to the other
as long as you mind your own business
April 3, 2009
the wheels keep a-turnin'
For the past few months, I've been focusing on my chakras. When I feel stressed or my energy feels overwhelming (you know the feeling--I must do something, but I don't know what), I sit and focus on making sure my chakras are clear.
The way I think of chakras is that they're energy centers in your body that operate a lot like wheels connected by chains. Sometimes, they get gunk in them, slowing them down, keeping the wheels from turning smoothly. In those moments, it's my job to go in and de-gunk.
When I de-gunk my chakras, I focus on two things: light and motion. I start with focusing on light, because the easiest way for me to visualize energy is by seeing light in my mind's eye. Sometimes I start at the top of my head (the Crown chakra) and sometimes I start at my tailbone (the Root chakra). The process is the same no matter what: imagine myself connected to Source energy (which formulates as either yellow or white light in my mind) and then bring that Source energy into my body through whichever chakra I'm starting with and use it to "clean" the energy of that chakra.
I move through my body this way. Once one chakra's brilliance matches that of the Source energy/light I started with, I move to the next chakra. When I finish cleaning the last chakra, I begin, again, in the opposite direction, only this time I focus on movement.
When I work on getting the chakras moving, I visualize a wheel in whichever chakra I'm working with. I imagine myself turning that wheel with my mind (not my hands...I never visualize myself in human form when working with my chakras). Sometimes, it takes a while for the wheel to speed up, but I'm patient. I know that eventually it will turn faster and when it does, I am patient while it gets to a speed I feel is healthy for the moment.
Sometimes, I encounter a wheel that is already spinning too quickly. I sit patiently with myself while it slows down. I don't talk to myself in these moments, but I do concentrate on the turning wheel and visualize my energy forcing it to move a bit slower. It seems that I'm dispursing the abundant supply of energy in that wheel, because I know I send energy either up or down a chakra path when I'm doing this.
I visit each chakra, acknowledging the speed of the wheel and changing it when necessary. (Some chakras are already at the exact speed and/or brilliance they need to be at in that moment.) Then, when I reach the last chakra, again, I sit for a moment and do a full-body scan of sorts, where I'm checking to make sure everything seems balanced, open, and clear.
This has made a huge difference in my ability to handle stress. Even if the stressor is still present after this chakra cleaning (and it usually is), I find that I tend to focus on the brightness of the light within me instead of the problem I'm facing. Because of that, I am able to meet the stressor with more compassion and peace and love. Because of that, I don't re-stress myself.
It's a gift to myself as well as others. And, I appreciate that.
The way I think of chakras is that they're energy centers in your body that operate a lot like wheels connected by chains. Sometimes, they get gunk in them, slowing them down, keeping the wheels from turning smoothly. In those moments, it's my job to go in and de-gunk.
When I de-gunk my chakras, I focus on two things: light and motion. I start with focusing on light, because the easiest way for me to visualize energy is by seeing light in my mind's eye. Sometimes I start at the top of my head (the Crown chakra) and sometimes I start at my tailbone (the Root chakra). The process is the same no matter what: imagine myself connected to Source energy (which formulates as either yellow or white light in my mind) and then bring that Source energy into my body through whichever chakra I'm starting with and use it to "clean" the energy of that chakra.
I move through my body this way. Once one chakra's brilliance matches that of the Source energy/light I started with, I move to the next chakra. When I finish cleaning the last chakra, I begin, again, in the opposite direction, only this time I focus on movement.
When I work on getting the chakras moving, I visualize a wheel in whichever chakra I'm working with. I imagine myself turning that wheel with my mind (not my hands...I never visualize myself in human form when working with my chakras). Sometimes, it takes a while for the wheel to speed up, but I'm patient. I know that eventually it will turn faster and when it does, I am patient while it gets to a speed I feel is healthy for the moment.
Sometimes, I encounter a wheel that is already spinning too quickly. I sit patiently with myself while it slows down. I don't talk to myself in these moments, but I do concentrate on the turning wheel and visualize my energy forcing it to move a bit slower. It seems that I'm dispursing the abundant supply of energy in that wheel, because I know I send energy either up or down a chakra path when I'm doing this.
I visit each chakra, acknowledging the speed of the wheel and changing it when necessary. (Some chakras are already at the exact speed and/or brilliance they need to be at in that moment.) Then, when I reach the last chakra, again, I sit for a moment and do a full-body scan of sorts, where I'm checking to make sure everything seems balanced, open, and clear.
This has made a huge difference in my ability to handle stress. Even if the stressor is still present after this chakra cleaning (and it usually is), I find that I tend to focus on the brightness of the light within me instead of the problem I'm facing. Because of that, I am able to meet the stressor with more compassion and peace and love. Because of that, I don't re-stress myself.
It's a gift to myself as well as others. And, I appreciate that.
April 2, 2009
treasure? yes, please.
So, it's Treasure Map time and I completed mine last Sunday. After doing one for a few years, I finally found my stride and I'm pretty pleased with what resulted.
It's not full of beautiful pictures, but the imagery is there all the same. I am a Words Chick. Anyone who knows me knows that. As such, I have had problems with Treasure Mapping in the past because I would see other people's maps and think, Is that what my Map should look like?
The answer finally came to me this year: NO.
My Treasure Map cannot contain a lot of pictures because I am a very literal person. If I see a picture of something on my Treasure Map, my mind instantly goes into Do-We-Really-Want-To-Manifest-That? mode and it fuddles my energy. I cannot have pictures that simply represent what I want. The pictures have to be what I want or not. Period.
And, so, I use words. I've always had some words on my Maps, but this year, as you can see, it is almost 100% words. I have three pictures and those pictures are things with which, should they manifest, I will be 100% happy. I like the house, the car is a Camry (I loooove Toyotas!), and the gate is a gated entrance for a home. I've always preferred private, gated entrances to properties.
The rest? Words that resonate. This year, I am focusing on finding the Love of My Life, acquiring Mad Wealth, and moving into a New & Better Home. I focused on those three things, because...well, they chose me, really. I stood over the posterboard and that's what came out.
I am really excited about this year. I feel like I finally have the energy to achieve everything I want. I can fulfill my dreams this year. It's a very powerful feeling. It's a very loving feeling. I am full of Hope, Wonder, and Vitality.
Power stuff, that. Powerful stuff.
It's not full of beautiful pictures, but the imagery is there all the same. I am a Words Chick. Anyone who knows me knows that. As such, I have had problems with Treasure Mapping in the past because I would see other people's maps and think, Is that what my Map should look like?
The answer finally came to me this year: NO.
My Treasure Map cannot contain a lot of pictures because I am a very literal person. If I see a picture of something on my Treasure Map, my mind instantly goes into Do-We-Really-Want-To-Manifest-That? mode and it fuddles my energy. I cannot have pictures that simply represent what I want. The pictures have to be what I want or not. Period.
And, so, I use words. I've always had some words on my Maps, but this year, as you can see, it is almost 100% words. I have three pictures and those pictures are things with which, should they manifest, I will be 100% happy. I like the house, the car is a Camry (I loooove Toyotas!), and the gate is a gated entrance for a home. I've always preferred private, gated entrances to properties.
The rest? Words that resonate. This year, I am focusing on finding the Love of My Life, acquiring Mad Wealth, and moving into a New & Better Home. I focused on those three things, because...well, they chose me, really. I stood over the posterboard and that's what came out.
I am really excited about this year. I feel like I finally have the energy to achieve everything I want. I can fulfill my dreams this year. It's a very powerful feeling. It's a very loving feeling. I am full of Hope, Wonder, and Vitality.
Power stuff, that. Powerful stuff.
April 1, 2009
April Fools!
Okay, in the spirit of April Fools Day, I am going to diverge from seriousness and introspection and go straight to the tequila. Ready? Here we go...
Wanna know the possible origins of the day and how others maybe do it? Ask Wikipedia. It could be wrong, but how would you know, anyway? It's best not to worry about it.
Looking for kid-friendly pranks? Go no further. (I especially like the one about supergluing coins to the ground. I should try that. Tomorrow.)
And, just because I love onions: Good reading.
Now that we're good and drunk on the superficial things in life, let's find healthier ways to cope. Twilight fan-fic, anyone?
Wanna know the possible origins of the day and how others maybe do it? Ask Wikipedia. It could be wrong, but how would you know, anyway? It's best not to worry about it.
Looking for kid-friendly pranks? Go no further. (I especially like the one about supergluing coins to the ground. I should try that. Tomorrow.)
And, just because I love onions: Good reading.
Now that we're good and drunk on the superficial things in life, let's find healthier ways to cope. Twilight fan-fic, anyone?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
