And July is in full swing ... that is to say, more than half over -- how does that even happen??
As I ease my way back into writing -- anywhere -- I am trying to put some time back into the blog ... working up, I hope to sharing some of what I have been going through for the past six months.
June was a good month for the DailyOm ... and I share with you some of the ones that I felt I couldn't live without (not making too much progress with my grasping issues yet). That is to say, the ones I saved in my OmGems folder.
I have picked out a quote I enjoyed for each, but there is a link to the printable version for each as well.
June 1 - Recognizing Happiness
"We can examine how joy feels in our bodies and what thoughts run through our minds in times of bliss. ... Once we know what it feels like and can identify some of the triggers and are aware of our actions, we can recreate that happiness when we are feeling low."June 4 - Prayer and Meditation
"When we meditate, we cease movement and allow the activity of our minds and hearts to go on without us in a sense. Eventually, we fall into a deep silence, a place that underlies all the noise and fray of daily human existence. In this place, it becomes possible for us to hear the universe as it speaks for itself, responds to our questions, or sits with us in its silent way."June 7 - Life Packaging
"It is as if our different lives are in essence the same gift, wrapped in an infinite variety of containers, wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. Everybody experiences loss, grief, happiness, excitement, anger, and fear. ... Even as it appears that some people have it easy while others are in a continual state of struggle, the truth is that we are all learning, and it is very difficult to tell, when looking only at the exterior of a person, what’s going on inside.
This is one of the many things that can be so valuable about cultivating relationships with people from all walks of life."June 8 - Sitting with our Sadness
"The last thing most of us want to hear or think about when we are dealing with profound feelings of sadness is that deep learning can be found in this place. In the midst of our pain, we often feel picked on by life, or overwhelmed by the enormity of some loss, or simply too exhausted to try and examine the situation. We may feel far too disappointed and angry to look for anything resembling a bright side to our suffering. Still, somewhere in our hearts, we know that we will eventually emerge from the depths into the light of greater awareness. Remembering this truth, no matter how elusive it seems, can help."June 15 - Giving Away Power
"To some degree, giving our energy to other people is simply part of the social contract, and we feel that we have to do it in order to survive. It is possible to exchange energy in a way that preserves our inner integrity and stability. This begins in a small way: by listening to the voice that continues to let us know what we want, no matter how many times we override its messages."June 19 - Beyond Reacting
"...there is much to be said for teaching ourselves to remember to pause and take a deep breath before we respond to the shocks and insults that can come our way in life. ... Some situations require a fairly immediate response, but even just a moment of grounding ourselves before we do so can help enormously."June 22 - Saying Yes to the Universe
"The hardest thing about saying yes to the universe is that it means accepting everything life puts in front of us. ... We may be afraid that if we say yes to the things we don’t like, we will be stuck with them forever, but really, it is only through acknowledging the existence of what’s not working for us that we can begin the process of change. So saying yes doesn’t mean indiscriminately accepting things that don’t work for us. It means conversing with the universe, and starting the conversation with a very powerful word—yes."June 26 - Let it Roll of Our Back
"One of the most difficult challenges in life is learning not to take things to heart and hold on to it. Especially when we’re younger, or if we’re very sensitive, we take so much of what comes our way to heart. This can be overwhelming and unproductive if it throws us off balance on a regular basis. When we are feeling criticized or attacked from all directions, it becomes very difficult for us to recover ourselves so that we can continue to speak and act our truth. This is when we would do well to remember the old saying about letting certain things roll off us, like water off a duck’s back."On this topic, I also read this book with a precocious 2 1/2 year old ... and was bowled over. There was one "short" specifically on the subject of not carrying around more grief and unhappiness than we need. Between Stillwell the Panda and my pops, this seems to be a pretty universal theme. In any case, I think all small (and not so small) children should read it. I might have to add it to my collection ... I am rebuilding it after all. [Here's something about the author.]
June 27 - Going through a Phase
"We are all almost always in the process of learning something new, developing an underused ability or talent, or toning down an overused one. ... Understanding what’s happening is a useful tool that helps us to be patient with the process. In the end, the pendulum settles comfortably in the center, restoring balance inside and out."[Photo credits: Me, fancy camera, April 2012 (I think); outskirts of Gallup, towards Church Rock]
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