I love Arunachala. It is a hill in southern India more
ancient than the Himalayas. The name means "red mount" or "hill of light." I
think of it as if it were a wise relative. That may seem strange to some, but
for me, everything is life and I am willing to befriend a tree or a hill.
It's just my way. It is an eight mile trek around the mystic mount. Ramana Maharshi loved this hill. When asked if he had a
spiritual teacher, he said that this sacred hill was his guru.
Paul Brunton was a disciple of Ramana. He spent time on and
with this small celebrated mound of ground. He wrote a book entitled A Message
from Arunachala while spending a few short weeks at the base of the hill.
Contemplation is an art. It provides a fertile ground for
birthing wisdom. The mind reads for how to's and facts. The mystic reads for
wisdom. The following is an excerpt from the book. I suggest you contemplate
this text. Read each line slowly about 3 to five times. Then just look
at the live feed of Arunachala at http://www.arunachala-live.com/ and
embrace the sentence while in an open listening mode. Do this with each
sentence. Then relax and see what comes up. You may want to pen your insights.
If you chose to do this, you will notice how it slows the
mind and that unique ideas rise to the mental surface. This is how my mother
taught me to read the Bible. She told me reading it was not about the content; it
was about the revelation. Thanks mom.
"Our thoughts and desires are our betrayers. They delude us
into accepting them as guides to happiness, but in the end they deride us. They
drive us hither and dither from birth to death, from every grey dawn 'til every
dark night, and we imagine that we are hurrying to some long-sought-for happiness; one disillusioning day
we find that they were really hurrying us away from true happiness. The moral -
if there be one - is that only when thoughts cease to hurry us and desires are
still, shall we be truly blissful.
The House Next Door Died
My husband and I moved to our new home in 2005. We were
excited, busy, and bubbly about our neighborhood, the multitude of parks, and
the 140 miles of walking trails.
There never seemed to be time for the widower next
door. We met and spoke
from time to time, but in the scurry of life, he remained remote. He was in his
eighties, and when his health began to fail, his daughter, son-in-law
and granddaughter moved in. I went to greet them as they stepped up to the
plate for their dad. After that day, we waved when we saw each other, but still
I knew nothing of their day-to-day lives, nor did they have an inkling of ours.
Jim, the widower, didn't need that much looking after; in spite of poor
health, he worked at the golf course every day, but one day about two years
ago, he passed away. I went to the funeral, informed the neighbors of his death,
and encouraged them to leave sympathy cards at the door. I visited his bereaved
children. After that, it was estrangement as usual. Maybe it was not
traditional estrangement, but certainly there was only minimal engagement, or
at least that's what I thought.
Time went by and last week they moved. Their daughter
graduated from high school; it was time to sell the family home. My husband and
I found ourselves involved in the move. It was like watching TV. "What is
happening now?" We offered some help. We have things in the garage to take to
Goodwill. They ran out of time and had to pitch good things; I went through their
trash every day. My friend got a table and lamp from them. As they slipped
away, we talked with our neighbors. We heard family stories. Kids had grown in
this house. Lives were transformed. Hope sprang anew and then quietly retired.
Now it was the end of an era. I heard Mary stories. She died before we moved
in. It seems we had a lot in common. I would have loved Mary. I have a new
dining room set, a wrought iron outdoor table, and an assortment of cast offs
populating my home. I thought about Mary picking out that dining room set and
how excited she must have been. Her dining room cabinet is beside me as I
write. Her dream is in my life now. It reminds me of her. It is my new
bookshelf and storage closet. It's a handsome piece. I love the books. They had
some notes about diet, and certain portions underlined; they were Mary's books.
When I read them, I feel like she's with me. One is on reflexology. I love
reflexology, and the information on the article on Healthy Hair is from
that book. She died in 2002. I never met
her; now I feel like I'm meeting her. It's as if her ghost is hanging around
gathering the family stardust in her arms.
My family room faces the side of the house. The house used
to be alive with activity. Every night I sat down and could see the shadowy
figures rove around the bedroom. Someone was leaving and going much of the
time. When I was upstairs, I always made sure I was covered as I scampered by
the window facing the house. Now when I gaze out the window, there is nothing.
It is like that house itself has died. Without a family, the house is nothing.
And it has impacted me. The first few days I felt that something was really
wrong. It was disconcerting. This thing affects my guts. Today there are men
putting on a new roof; they seem like interlopers. An investor bought the house
and, as people work to remodel it, I cry. I know they are building
someone else's' dream and I could be happy that new people are coming. The
house will reincarnate, but I am sad. Don't ask why. I can't tell you the
underlying reasons or even what's going on, but I can tell you that the house
is dead and I am mourning the loss.
Healthy Hair
We love our hair. Women spend millions to color, cut, style
and manipulate their hair. Here are few tips for healthy hair that are free and
easy to do. Do this even if you have a bald head. You might restart hair
growth!
1. Practice
deep breathing exercises or aerobics. Hair needs oxygen. As we get older we
tend to subventilate. Be sure that your exhale is at least as deep as your
inhale. Rub the center of the base of your spine for 5 to 10 seconds. This
point works with breathing and circulation.
2. Gently
pull your hair. Yes grab handfuls of your
hair and pull gently all over the head. Feel the energy. Wow! The head comes
alive. This stimulates the hair as well as the whole body. If you are bald,
tap.
3. To
stimulate hair growth, fold your fingers on both hands, put your nails together
and rub, rub, rub sideways, as if you are buffing them. Go faster and faster and
then relax your hands.
Source: Reflexology, Carter and Weber
Anne's Schedule
Sign up for the Tuesday and Thursday Enlightened Networking Free Teleseminars. Amazing speakers on powerful topics. You can listen to a streaming link for up to 48 hours after the teleconference. My talk will be next Tuesday August 14 at 11 AM CST. You can listen to as many or as few talks as you want and it's all free or just listen to my talk. Sign Up or get more information.
Sunday August 26 11 AM Unity of Brazosport. Lesson "Why Unity; What Led the Fillmores to this Point"
Tuesday, August 28, "EZosophy"
Location: Unitarian
Church, 1501 Wirt Road, Houston, TX 7:00pm - 8:00pm Conscious Giving,
Appreciated Hostess Barbara Baldwin
September 2, Unity Circle of Light, The Woodlands 10:30 AM worship Unity web site
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I'm doing some ontological self clearing. I'm having a going out of "isness" sale.
Never not here.
"We have the right and responsibility to interpret anew in every age." 1963 mission statement United Church of Christ
It's time for an Inner View.
Old age is always 15 years older than I am. I remember when 30 was old!
"I never think about the future. It comes soon enough." Albert Einstein
Check out this interview with Anne The Searcher's Road Map Show
Thanks to Charles Heineke who in his infinite compassion offered to edit the newsletter. Charles has been a supporter for many years. Thanks Charles.
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