Category:Mind/Body/Spirit
“Bird Walking”
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Tending Our “Gardens” or Snowfalls? of Life
Spring is one of my favorite times of year as it is for many. Yes, because of more sunlight, warmth, greenery, fresh air, fruits, & vegies, new blossoming buds innately bursting back into life, but also because my own life blossoms. Could it be that this time of year is really a time of renewal for nature and humans? Are we connected to the innate rhythms of seasons and cycles ? Does being conscious of this connection and in harmony with them help us to improve the quality of our lives, our families, our communities, our world? Are we already doing so or do we forget and simply follow our routines? Are our daily rhythms impacted by what is going on in our natural world? Does it matter? Well on a day like today, mid-April when rather than a warm, sunny (or possibly rainy) Spring day we instead have an uncharacteristic snowstorm, it seems a simple proof in the experience of “this contrast” that we are impacted. And, although I am still enjoying my life on this snowy spring Sunday, doing laundry, cleaning, getting caught up, somehow this snowy, slushy 30 degree day somehow doesn’t feel quite right, and it is impacting the rhythm of my day. Instead of going to the grocery store, running errands, getting gas, drinking lemonade, and eating a cool salad, I’m under a blankee on the couch drinking tea, eating soup and writing this blog. Being honest, my spirit is somewhat dampened, but I’m doing my best to redirect my attention towards that which I’m grateful for so it doesn’t bring me down too...The Power of Contrast
Because it is fresh as potent growth experience for me, I decided to write about the concept of contrast. As a noun, contrast is defined as: ”The state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association.” As a verb, “Differ strikingly.” So, why am I thinking about it? Well, I gotta say: 1) After recently fasting for 19 days between sunrise and sunset, (described in previous post) now that I can remain hydrated and energized with food during the day, I find a deeper level of gratitude for the alertness and energy eating and drinking provides, not to mention a deeper appreciation for the taste, texture and periodic pauses it offers. At the same time, because “the fast” specifically is no longer a daily spiritual practice, in contrast of it’s absence, it requires my added attentiveness to maintain a heightened spiritual attention to the moments of my daily life. 2) One weekend a month, I provide care giving services for two young ladies that I love dearly and whose family I love dearly, that require 24 hour care to lift, dress, feed, provide personal hygiene, massage, chi machine, etc…. It is both physically intensive and has provided me great opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. How it relates to contrast, is multi-fold and multi-dimensional. A) On a multi-fold note, after working one 7 hour and (2) 12 hour shifts in a row this past weekend, on a day like today (Monday), when I do not have to get up at 6:45 to be there by 7:30 am – 7:30 pm, and I get...Penultimate Day of Fasting
“…prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests.” Abdu’l-Baha “Fasting is the cause of awakening man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases.” I have been fasting for 17 days (18 including today) now between sunrise and sunset, and with 19 days as the target, I have 1 day to go. As a Baha’i’, since 2004, this is my 9th fasting cycle. “As has been the case with other revealed religions, the Bahá’í Faith sees great value in the practice of fasting as a discipline for the soul. Bahá’u’lláh , the founder of the Baha’i’ faith designated a nineteen-day period each year when adult Bahá’ís fast from sunrise to sunset each day. This period coincides with the Bahá’í month of Ala (meaning Loftiness), from March 2 to 20, inclusive. This is the month immediately preceding the Bahá’í new year, which occurs the day of the vernal equinox; and the period of fasting is therefore viewed as a time of spiritual preparation and regeneration for a new year’s activities.” “The fasting period involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. “ In my own experience, I would have to agree that the fast becomes a period of meditation and prayer, and that it allows me...What are YOU thinking?
Looking around with an attentive eye it is easy to see the power of the mind in action. Whether reflecting upon the broader role of the mind in creating a skyscraper, roadway or bridge; leading innovations in technology, science, business, education or the arts; or the role it plays in our daily lives to help us learn, make decisions, interact and navigate life, it is clear that the human mind is powerful. Upon waking to greet each day, our minds lead us (often without thinking) through our morning routine, get us to work, and in most cases become the focus of our work. Our interactions with ourselves, and others are often centered in the mind. Our workplaces buzz with the mind and although, we also have a heart, a body and a spirit through which we can perceive the moments of our lives, the mind is commonly the primary “radio channel” to which we attune. (Sometimes playing a song we like, often not.) Everyone’s mind’s sends thoughts endlessly into our awareness. As you know, these thoughts can be very useful, are necessary and can accomplish great things, however left un-attended, they can also rob the quality from our lives. They also link directly to the emotions we then feel and vice versa, which can create positive emotion with positive thoughts and negative emotion with negative thoughts. (again visa versa) One step further, as mind/body/spirit beings, they can also impact our body in a positive or negative way depending upon the thoughts we are thinking and feelings we are feeling. (For example, I can always tell when I’m thinking or...About Dawn Vogel
Dawn Vogel is founder of Luminous Concepts Productions. She is passionate about elevating health and human potential, advancing consciousness in practical ways and bettering our world. Working with people in practices, businesses or causes who are elevating people, her vision is to strengthen individuals and groups of individuals to strengthen those they serve through Luminous Concepts Productions. She creates photography & video stories that inspire, promote, educate and help people better reach their people.