For Presence

Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path.
Let the flame of anger free you from all falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.
~John O’Donohue, For Presence, from “To Bless This Space Between Us”

Sometimes I forget what it is to be fully human. With all the consciousness, potential, diversity of emotions playing within, embodied physicality changing and shifting constantly, vulnerability that we sometimes push aside into a dark closet lest fear take the upper hand…..and the innate interconnected presence with everyone and everything.

It is in those moments of forgetfulness that wonder, courage, presence and joy may recede into the background.

is it possible to dive into the rich and vibrant colors of the dahlias in the image above, to remember the light of our own being within the candle flame in a time of life that presents challenges never navigated before, to breathe with the River Birch outside the window celebrating birdsong, squirrel antics and a myriad of smaller creatures that cannot be seen yet still hold an important part in the evolution and diversity of life unfolding.

The mantra of one woman here in the Asheville N. Carolina area who contributed greatly to the local community was “Don’t Postpone Joy”. The story that was told to me was of a woman who was intimately and generously involved in, and contributed to, many projects and causes in the local Asheville community. She was passionate and devoted to making a difference with her presence and within that found joy.

Joy of simply living fully within our own presence. Of making choices that align with heart and soul. Her vulnerability and challenge? Cancer – which eventually took her life.

Each line of John O”Donohue’s blessing “On Presence” asks us to receive fully all it is to be human until the last breath we take. I like to believe that is how he lived his too short life, taken suddenly from this physical embodiment without permission.

Perhaps in the remembering of what it is to live passionately, even within the challenges we all face and the wounding we have all incurred, we shall recapture the potential and possibility – the juiciness of being – to celebrate together in collaboration of what it is to be human.

“Elemental Musings” offers postings by a nature lover and elder in transition in the Blue Ridge Mountain area of North Western N. Carolina, in addition to postings by the Wildly Free Elder community.

Re-Posted by Gaye Abbott, 9/16/21, Natural Passages Consulting.from WildlyFreeElder

We ask that you reference Wildly Free Elder if you wish to pass this on…and thank you for doing so!

Content Within One’s Own Nature

“There is no greater calamity for a nation, or for an individual than not finding contentment with one’s own sufficiency.

There is no greater mistake for a nation, or for an individual, than to be covetous.

Hence, when one is content within one’s own nature, one will always have enough.”

Lao Tzu – The Tao Teh Ching, #46

Were you aware that picking too many flowers in the Spring from a fruit bearing tree will yield little fruit in the Fall?

Though common sense for most this is a metaphor for the senseless use and waste of our natural resources out of a deep discontent and unconscious egocentric gratification that permeates humans on this planet.

Take and use only what is yours – what you truly need – only what fills you with joy.

Gift the rest and appreciate it’s beauty from the flow of generosity.

When we gaze out into the world – outside of our own inner dialog, filters and standards – do we clearly see and embrace the blessings that contribute to what our life is now and always becoming?

Or do we gaze out from the contracted space of depletion and “not enoughness” always taking action from a scarcity consciousness that never, ever allows the sacred into our heart.

The Swedish proverb, “Enough is as good as a feast.”, reflects on contentment – whether as an individual or a nation – as pivotal to halt, reverse and shift consumerism, unconscious and short sighted use of our planets resources, and the ugliness of racial, ethnic and religious fanaticism leading to tensions, hatred and violence.

Finding contentment within one’s own sufficiency or “enoughness” is powerful. It is an inside job and a community intention.

The striving for more is replaced with compassion in action taken on behalf of the well being of all life – enough.

What a different world we would love in…..

….if we simply lived our life as enough.

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Other Blogs by Gaye Abbott:

WildlyFreeWoman

LifeAtWolfCreek

Nature Does Not Hurry

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“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” Lao Tzu

Is there ever a reason for hurrying through our life moments? Only to get to the end of our embodied time here having forgotten we are the artist immersed in our own creation.

In a recent painting class the teacher taught us to step away from the canvas, walk around the room for a bit, then come back and see with a new perspective.

The everyday pace of nature unfolds slowly and with purpose, though sometimes it seems to humans there are sudden storms, hurricanes, earthquakes,, fires, trees dying or species disappearing.

What we don’t perceive is the conditions for these changes have been slowly building and changing hidden from us as we focused our awareness away from natural cycles and rhythms.

Aging brings us the wisdom of slowing down, sometimes because our physicality demands it – but more often we notice the vast richness, depth and beauty of life is missed when our minds are caught in the web of a goal.

Natural unfolding – and the trust of it – reveals far more than goal orientation and hurry.

When a woman is in the first stages of giving birth, or a flower is still in bud, the natural unyielding laws of nature prevail.

Any attempt at hurrying those natural processes can destroy a life, or lives, waiting at the threshold to emerge.

If we merged with nature, as many indigenous humans have, and accepted her rhythms – instead of attempting to control, change or dominate – the natural cycles would carry us into the womb of life unfolding and the mystery and wisdom we seek.

Gaining trust never involves hurry. Relationships take time to evolve and unfold. They take attending to like an infant newly born or a tree just planted.

At some point as we rush through our life experiences focused on what is next we are faced with our own mortality.

Rushing something sooner than it is ready to be birthed means not listening to, or aware of, the innate impulses giving birth. Instead we exert our will and accept meeting others perceived expectations or our own – loosing ourselves and the precious moments of our life.

Life artistry never hurries. It always waits in the spaciousness of the moment….

before making it’s presence known. Be surprised!

Gaye Abbott, 7/14/19

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OTHER BLOGS:

WildlyFreeWoman

LifeAtWolfCreek

The Open Palm

Life as it really is dictates that we will go through periods of discomfort. Sometimes minor and at other times incredibly challenging like death of a loved one or serious illness. This very discomfort reminds us that we are alive, as do the moments of pure joy and happiness. There is no good or bad here. It is ALL life unfolding – creatively being brought forth and then falling away.

Surfing the waves of change requires a presence of complete attention and devotion to what I will call here surrender. Without this practice the personal conversations take us on side trips where we can get lost and, at times, unable to find our way out for a very long period of time. If we were on a surf board we may be dumped upside down under the water!

That is until we realize that everything falls away, and new spaces open up. All we have to do is trust.

This past two weeks I have been bombarded by what I could construe as “loss” in the domain of money. As my personal conversations gathered together in anxious and survival based actions to storm the castle walls of change, my body was breached as defenses went down and the immune system sank. Strategic planning around how to avoid worst case scenarios was part of the battle plan.

Now, if you read the above paragraph again you will see language that speaks to the “all out war” approach of tackling a situation that is perceived to be threatening survival. The thoughts and conversations were literally and figuratively creating havoc with peace of mind and well being, and at the same time diminishing the possibility for actions that would get the required results – that in turn would open even more possibility.

Shifting attention inwardly immediately brought the ego/personal conversations to a screaming halt (sometimes it does scream in frustration when either not listened to or attention is deflected away)! What was being called for here?

Certainly not a grasping of actions to take – a “battle plan” if you will…..but instead an “open palm approach” where deep surrender was called for. A shift into operating from a place of simply Being. The personal thoughts and conversations were actually roadblocks, and at times insurgents against life lived in peaceful flow and trust.

As each situation encountered or personal thought of how things “should be” done, one truth kept coming forward. The necessity for absolute trust in the creative force of life unfolding the exact possibilities to take effective action on with heart and soul – that would then create the results required to bring more life and dignity.

Letting go of the grasping of how things should be we find the possibilities and absolute freedom that we have been seeking and yearning for all along.

How did this show up in my life as I surrendered to this unfolding of life? Full breath reinstated in the body and physical well being returned; a loan was funded to assist with the present circumstances; other sources of income started showing up; a new book release, The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer, supported and assisted the shift (see review below); saying YES to opportunities presenting themselves, without resistance or “background conversations”, was more often the answer given; and even a shower drain in the house that had been slow and often blocked for an entire year opened up without any assistance.

Trusting the flow of the living systems of how life operates from the deepest reservoirs of Source demands the open palm of surrender…..and full life giving breath. The butterfly can then be free to fly away…..

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The Surrender Experiment: My Journey Into Life’s Perfection by Michael Singer

When I first saw on the IONS website that Michael Singer had a new book out, The Surrender Experiment, My Journey Into Life’s Perfection—something within me knew that this was to be a perfect catalyst to complete the transition I was presently deeply in process with. That indeed proved to be correct as I journeyed with the author from the 1970’s to present time.

This is not a “how to”, technique, or even spiritual practice manual – but instead a clear and relevant declaration on how life really operates, absolutely supporting the embodiment of peaceful well being, while stimulating effective action taken from the depths of heart and soul.

The author has transparently presented his unique journey, which of course is fascinating in and of itself. However, what opened me was his devoted practice of “witnessing” ever constant thoughts, and clearly “leaning back” from them – surrendering – into a place of simple Being, where the creative Source of all life elegantly evolves and unfolds.

What struck me through each situation he encountered, or each personal thought of how things “should be”, was the absolute trust in the force of life unfolding that over time, was developed and practiced even in the most challenging circumstances. This is what I call the practice of trusting the unfolding of our lives. For it is when we simply open our palms and let go of the grasping of how things should be that we find the possibilities and freedom that we have been seeking and yearning for all along.

Thank you Michael Singer for an elegant and soul Sourced reminder of the possibilities inherent in being human and to being of service in the world.

Reviewed by Gaye Abbott, author of Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath: Weekly Breathing Spaces to Delight, Rest and Reflect In

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NATURAL PASSAGES CONSULTING

Inspiring New Possibilities, Living From the Heart of Life While Co-creating Well Being of Body, Being, Heart and Planet….One Breath At A Time

http://www.GayeAbbott.com

Gaye Abbott, RYT assists individuals to dissolve the layers that block well being and reveal, through a combination of the energy medicine of Jin Shin Jyutsu, yoga therapy and breath re-patterning, and as spiritual mentor/guide/coach, the larger purpose and co-creative expression that we are here for.

For those interested in receiving private sessions please contact Gaye at: JoyfulGaye@NaturalPassages.com. Travel to your location in the U.S. or globally is available as is Skype mentoring/coaching. Please inquire.

NEW OFFERING AS OF 3/20/15!!

Coaching and Editing for Transformative and Visionary Writers

I help you reveal new possibilities in your creative work

Language is fundamental to who we are as biological beings and is the primary vehicle for taking effective action in our lives. It inherently carries within it our identity in the world and the potential for connection and collaboration.

As an advanced practitioner of Jin Shin Jyutsu I am able to see and work with the connection between the body’s energy system and that of language. Conversations actually live in our bodies. Words hold energy that stimulate our biology in various ways.

Transformative writing opens spaces, triggers possibility and stimulates your reader to take effective action. This is Language as Energy Medicine

Inquire: JoyfulGaye@NaturalPassages.com

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:
www.WildlyFreeWoman.com

Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview, Reviews and purchase links can be found here:

http://gayeabbott.com/books/

EMERGENCE: Bringing To Light the Unseen and Unrecognized

Deep in the ground
a root grows out of nothing.
Soon, a blossom emerges sending its fragrance
to the wind.
A bee stops for supper.
Pollen spawns an offshoot
years later
a garden of verbena appears.
All that lives grows within,
All that dies lives within.
Each breath nurtures
an unfolding,
pours water
to a budding blossom
and the chest flowers open
breath by breath,
leaning towards Spring.

-Leza Lowitz, Yoga Poems, Lines to Unfold By,
Revolving Head to Knee

Walking in the brilliant sunshine on a path I know well here in Austin was cause for celebration of emerging life that has been hidden within Winter’s embrace. The turn of season’s, especially Winter to Spring, reminds us of the aspects of our being that lay in wait to be rediscovered and brought into the Light as the lovely pink buds on this tree.

Today was my usual day to visit my one remaining Hospice patient at a nearby nursing home. I know little about his life before he was placed here, but what I do know is that in spite of the advancing Alzheimer’s disease he brightens and opens when his senses are stimulated.

What to some is a man who is retreating into a world where no one can reach, is to me unlimited potential for emergence. If you have never been in a nursing home before, and particularly on a Memory Care Unit, you will not know of the containment that often exists and the lack of stimulus to open into flower.

On this emerging Spring day we decided to take a short walk outside in the patio of the Memory Care Unit. As soon as the sunshine and the fresh air were upon Terry his entire being opened and blossomed right in front of me. Ahhhhh sounds erupted, a smile broke across his face, eyes widened, full breath engaged. His excitement literally vibrated through the hand that I was holding as we walked a bit and sat on the patio listening to the sound of the birds in the nearby trees.

In those moments I was privileged to witness that which is unseen and unrecognized by most who care for him daily. Living systems come into being through emergence and are illuminated as they change in the ever present dance of life and death. Art, music, writing, dance, science, the natural world….and we as humans are part of this biological phenomenon.

Taking some moments to be absolutely present to those small unassuming births, rebirths and deaths align us with our own lives in a way that illuminates those liminal thresholds of emergence.

Breathe…..

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