Blessing parade

Last week I tuned in (via net) to the talk by Edwene Gaines in the cfcl site. If you want to get the whole talk you can check it out on my blogroll.

The part of the talk that stayed with me was how she does periodic inventories of herself. And if she finds someone she feels yucky about, she does this little blessing parade on them.  She mentioned an ex. that she hadn’t seen in about 20 years and did this with him, thinking of any possible thing that he could need or want, and just giving him the works. About a week later she got a letter from this guy saying that he just wanted to catch up with her and every single thing she blessed him with, even unto the particulars he said were part of his world.  He also sent her a check for 3 thousand dollars.

Now when I’ve told this story to people they have a little problem with it. Is she telling the truth, they say. What were his motivations they say. It’s enough to make me not want to share this story. But I’ve decided to anyway. Everything I’ve heard about Edwene is reputable. And her story is just the tip of the iceberg. Lots of people have these kinds of experiences. Now when we daily read stories about the economy being in the drink is the time to learn ways to turn things around for ourselves, not buy into this fear-making.

So…I’m having fun raining blessings on my old problem-people (read, teachers) during my prayer time.Because letting go of my old resentment can only open up the way to my own blessings. And you never know. It might help out someone else.

Of Trucks and gratitude

I’m thankful to Jose for his feedback. It’s nice to have when you’re new to this, to keep you motivated. I’m already 3 books behind on my revues(sic). If I don’t get around to it, check out the book, Truck: a love story by Michael Perry. Wonderful, if you happen to be a sensitive-type who happens to love old trucks (with a deep purple passion).

Overfill

I listened today to one of the talks on cfcl.org. It was on Overfilling your place. I can give a little taste of it here, but I recommend it. Just click on my blogroll.

Her talk (Barbara’s) was based on Wallace D. Wattle’s  book of the subject, which is available for free download from her site. The idea is, if you’re not happy with where you are in your life, then say, “Only good can come of this” and start to do all you can to overfill the place where you find yourself. If you shrink in your life, then the life around you shrinks. If you overfill then the life around you expands. You start to create what you want in your life, by giving to it. Another thought she gave was to leave things better than you find them. This can include little things like picking up around you. Of course if you did that with a grudging scowl, that would not be overfilling, but contracting your heart.

I knew the teachers at cfcl when they started their center in a mobile home in a corn field only 13 years ago. They have a large, beautiful center in the progressive city of Asheville, NC now. It seems the lady knows of what she speaks. If you want to have more, be more.

You have just read another mini-revue.

The Formula

I’ve been reading a Book called The Formula, by Dr. Vernon M. Sylvest. In his book Dr. Sylvest presents his format for meditation or prayer, in order to rewire our erroneous perceptions. Sylvest is a medical doctor and he uses his methods to help his patients recover their health. In the book he explains why and how he developed this plan. He also gives anecdotal evidence to support the claims he puts forth.

The author is a student of the Course in Miracles. Since I too attend an ACIM group I find that this book expands on its concepts and brings new life and meaning to them. What is the Formula? Read the book to get an understanding of the meaning in the prayer.

The Formula for Prayer

Gratitude Express gratitude for love and its manifestations.

Release Surrender all fears, anger guilt sadness and the false perceptions upon which they are based.

Commitment All the things you want in the world is how much you want to experience this love from God.

Acceptance Accept the out-picturing of God’s love in all aspects of life: health, happiness, success, prosperity and good relationships.

Celebration Once again acknowledge gratitude.

Night Spark

The Splendour of Being

Confine in minute cell

A world within a wilderness

Was shrunk by wizard’s spell

Until the laughing glee-hounds

When bounding by a brook

Were startled by its brilliance

Compelled to take a look

Then casting artful net-loops

To snare its glinting soul

They took it to the fairies

The guardians of the Scroll

And Tera of the Night Brook

With peeping eye did spy

The glory of the Universe

Contained in mite of sky

“Send Dark Wind to the Lore Book

To see if ought there be

A majesty so glorious

The size of yonder flea”.

And when the page was opened

And all concerned could see

A miracle betook them

A dawn beyond degree

For there in dusty hand print

Was written bright and clear

A meaning unmistakable

Untouched by human fear

“When Day and Dark can coexist:

Confusion’s storms are still

Then will the mysteries of the Race

Be beacons on a hill

For when the Dwellers in the Sun

Dread not the dint of Night

Then creatures hid in earth’s dark grave

Will walk into the Light.”

The Patron Saint of Liars

As mentioned, I will be writing some reviews in this spot.

This book, The PS of L was written by Ann Patchett in 1992. The basic premise is that a young pregnant woman, Rose, runs away from her family and life to a Catholic home for unwed mothers. She stays on to become their cook and never talks about her former life. She marries the caretaker and raises her daughter there. The hiding of her secret begins to consume her and her new family.

What I love about Patchett’s work is the exquisite care she takes to bring out nuances of character and blemishes. It’s never overdone. For example, Rose neglects her daughter emotionally, but is totally devoted to an elderly nun. The effortless way this is woven together seems natural.

It’s easy to tell who the liars are. But we don’t know until the end who the saint will be. We see heroism in Son, the adopted father who nevertheless believes himself a failure. We also see that people who would seem villains are only lost and confused.

The author is fond of playing with names. The name of the town is Habit, Kentucky. There is also the habit of the nuns and the way that lies that are told have to be protected until they become habit. There is also the name of Son (Wilson), who is the father, but not the biological one. Then there is the daughter, Cecilia. Son won’t call her that because of a secret from his own past, so he insists on Sissy, which is another form of sister (the nun sisters?)

I have to admit that one of the things I like about this book is the mood and scenery. The aging hotel still holding its former glory. The young women on the porch drinking tea. The gatherings in the kitchen. Everyone seems to want to be there. That’s where most of the action takes place. The sweet lazy Kentucky summers.

I’ve read all of Ann Patchett’s novels and this one twice. I invite you to try one. It’s fun and interesting and you won’t guess where this one’s going. Not formulaic in the least.

We Are

Loving ages gather round

And counter bare remembrance

Like time-worn shoulders

Fit to cry on, but better for cuddling

Just when we think it’s over

The party begins again

Wrinkled faces paved with years

Glov with new found child-eyes

And around their merry feet

Dance the ancient songs

Bringing back the passion

Of races long forgot

The rainbow of union-lre

Is braced across the eons

Ringing back and forth

Across its spine

The cries of joy

Sung from people to people

Free again

Hello world!

Hi all,

This is my first post. Cross your fingers and toes for me. Turning folks onto books, films, poems, music etc… this is my mission here.

I’ll be entering large reviews and minireviews and looking forward to hearing your response. Keep your eyes upon this space for further developments!

Revuewaltz