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Reflections

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Listening Deeply to the Body

We had our fifth Awakening the Creative Spirit session on Friday and Saturday.  The focus this time was on movement led primarily by my teaching partner Betsey.  I was eager to see our group of wonderful women participating as always, but also wondered how I would do during this session since my body hasn’t been feeling very well lately.  I deal with chronic illness and it has been rearing its ugly head these last couple of weeks again.  I have dealt with this my whole adult life, and it doesn’t get any easier to confront the limitations of the body. 

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More Offerings Added. . .

Greetings again dear readers, I have added two different sets of photo notecards (trees and flowers) to my Offerings page, so head on over and take a peek (and better yet, order yourself a set or two!).  They are packaged with love and care and always a little extra treat.   More reflections to come later in the day. . .

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Body-Words of Love

I am fashioned as a galaxy, Not as a solid substance but a mesh Of atoms in their far complexity Forming the pattern of my bone and flesh.  Small solar systems are my eyes, Muscle and sinew are composed of air. Like comets flashing through the evening skies My blood runs, ordered, arrogant, and fair. Ten lifetimes distant is the nearest star, And yet within my body, firm as wood, Proton and electron separate are. Bone is more fluid than my coursing blood. What plan had God, so strict and empassioned When He an island universe my body fashioned? -Madeleine

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Sabbath Feasting

Last night we invited four of our neighbors over for our Sabbath evening meal.  Below I share two new recipes I used that turned out really well and were not hard to make.  We feasted on good food and wine and then laughed for hours playing board games.  Our neighbors are delightful people, not folks we would probably get the chance to know otherwise.  What we seem to have in common is an ecological commitment, a commitment to our building and neighborhood, and a desire to enjoy the company of others and have some fun.  The table was prepared in the afternoon as I gathered

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Sacred Earth

I am the vine and you are the branches. -John 15:5 God said, “Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. -Exodus 3:5 This earth we are riding keeps trying to tell us something with its continuous scripture of leaves.  –William Stafford I love the element of earth. I adore trees and mountains. I love the feel of dirt or sand under my feet.  The earth feels solid and secure, grounding me here in this place, in this moment.  When I am deeply rooted, my branches can reach far and wide. When

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Sacred Wind

A feather on the breath of God. -Hildegard of Bingen On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day.  -Rumi The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.  -John 3:8 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there

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Holy Fire

Abba Lot came to Abba Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and, according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire.  He said: Why not become fire? -Desert Fathers Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves and gravity, we shall harness for God energies of love. Then for

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