gurgling water
redwoods sighing
peace
Note: All the plants in this 78 acre garden are native to the area including the coastal redwoods.
Santa Barbara Botanical Garden
peace
Imagine–1
Imagine a world full of roses.
Winter Afternoon
No wind, stringy high clouds block a bit of blue.
Someone bounces a ball next door,
I hear the intermittent sound.
Suddenly several dogs bark across the golf course green,
Suddenly stop.
Across the turquoise pool water burnt orange leaves waft downward,
some land on the pale gold rocks,
some float at the pool’s terracotta edge,
others lay across the dark green rosemary bushes.
Bird song I cannot identify fills the background.
Two men, voices loud, banter –they’re neighbors, friends.
One of their small children cries, stops, cries again.
A late day golfer strides a ball, shouts.
Breeze arises, quits, more leaves fall,
the pool and birdbath water slightly ripple.
The lemons glow against the dark green leaves,
a painting emerald and bright yellow.
I sit beside the African multi-colored granite table my son made,
admire the colors:
-succulents called fire sticks match the falling leaves.
shades of orange, red, and green.
-the pots that house them match the dark blue of the pool’s old fashioned
Mexican tile.
-roses still display a few blossoms, dark red, pale pink, peach.
Tomorrow the gardener will trim them back to help them bloom lushly n spring.
-the oleander, still green, quit blooming weeks ago.
-rosemary loves this time of year, covers itself with tiny, fragrant, grey-blue flowers.
-in the distance mountains arise, a purple haze.
Now, no sounds, only silence.
I sit in the quiet beauty, write, drink green tea, feel grateful.
Summer Dawn
Birdsong
Mist
Peace
Making Peace by Denise Levertov
As today we are celebrating a World Peace Day, I thought of sharing this beautiful words by Denise Levertov, “Making Peace” and through poetry take opportunity to first find peace within ourselves and simply let that energy transcend further, around us:
If you liked this post, please share! And if you are interested in getting more inspiration for your creativity, sign up for our free monthly newsletter.
Reflections
Doors open, wind whispers
Cottonball clouds drift in pale blue
Reflections on early autumn afternoons
Four Reasons We Need To Reclaim The Power of the Divine Feminine Now by Mary Petiet
Why is the divine feminine so important? What does it promote that values others, our planet? This says everything I could have said myself.
(Spoiler alert: She’s already here)
The power of the divine feminine taps into the power of life. The power is accessible to everyone as the equal opportunity energy surrounding and connecting all living things. The power is ancient, and meditative practices such as yoga, which in Sanskrit means linking to the divine, can connect us to this power. When we make the connection, we find the balance we need to realize our highest selves, and through that balance we can realize the highest self of the larger society. To reclaim the divine feminine, we need only remember, and as more and more of us remember, we heal first ourselves, and ultimately the planet.
1. She is the route back to the self.
In her mother aspect the divine feminine offers a route back to the self and She is all-inclusive. She embraces all of creation, men, women and nature, and we…
View original post 501 more words
Jesus and Easter
Yesterday, I learned several new aspects of the religious debates surrounding the teachings of Jesus, Christianity, Mormonism., and how Easter is viewed. Mostly, it followed a discussion on a post about Jesus, Good Friday, and Christian politics. Whether most modern Christians want to believe it, Jesus’ teachings were radical, revolutionary. However, most modern Christians pay much more attention to the teachings of the misogynist Greek, Paul. The debate centered on comments after this particular post about the politics of Christianity.
It centered on Mormon beliefs about Easter. According to the comments, Mormons do not use crosses because they focus on the teachings of Jesus and his life. They use these teachings and his life as a guide. I thought to myself: what a good idea. If the whole world followed his teachings, the world would be a much better place full of peace, equality for all, not just the powerful few, tolerance, understanding–the list is long.
The contention of many of the so-called Christians commenting is that true Christianity focuses on the death of Jesus and his subsequent rising from the dead, that what matters is that he died for their sins, and rose on the third day, that Mormons are not Christians because they focus on his life. Really?? Not only did I find this information new–and perhaps this is what many Christians believe–but astonishing. Although my family celebrated Easter in a big way, I was always taught that Jesus’ teachings held the center of belief.
I will admit that although I grew up in a mainstream Protestant, Christian denomination, I no longer consider myself a Christian. I firmly think (notice I did not use the word believe) the world would be a much better place if everyone followed the teachings of Jesus!!!! Religion, as most practice it, is ruining the world. Perhaps if everyone focused on Jesus’ teachings instead of arguing over who is right, we could attain some sort of mutual respect and peace. As Jesus taught:
-respect one another
-love one another
-share
-treat others as you hope to be treated
May your day be filled with joy and peace!!!
be the peace you wish to see in the world
Sadly, little progress toward this seems to be the current state of affairs in the world.
Painting Marys, Welcoming Refugees by Angela Yarber
Last week I read the article in “National Geographic” about Mary, this shows up today in my email, saw “Amahl and the Night Visitors” a week ago, and Christmas comes soon. The Mary article was inspiring because it shows several places in the world where Christians and Muslims pray together to honor Mary. We need so much peace and goodwill now!!!
This holiday season, in the midst of our ever-repeating mass shootings and debates about the welcoming of Syrian refugees, I have seen a meme, a pithy quote, a bumper sticker time and time again amidst my fellow liberals:
“If only we had a seasonally appropriate story about Middle Eastern people seeking refuge being turned away by the heartless.”
Similarly, many have posted pictures of nativity scenes with a tongue-in-cheek quip, “I’m so glad people are placing these lawn ornaments in their yards to indicate that they welcome refugees into their homes.”
Myriad articles have been published encouraging Christians to remember our calling to welcome the refugee, and as an ordained clergywoman, I affirm these thoughts. I believe it is our responsibility, as Christians and particularly as feminist Christians, to welcome the marginalized, the oppressed, the refugee. I am also a strong believer in the separation of church and state, a…
View original post 743 more words
writingontherim 