Blessed Are The Mothers In 1870, author, suffragist, and pacifist Julia Ward Howe campaigned for Mother’s Peace Day, the forerunner of Mother’s Day (which was also created thanks to the vision of a mother and daughter, both named Anna Jarvis). In her Mother’s Peace Day Proclamation, Howe, the author of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” … Read more
The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery – not over nature but of ourselves. — Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring Today marks the end of Winter, and seven years since the U.S. invaded Iraq for excuses based on lies and greed. Rather than pouring our economic well-being and … Read more
Another encore post, this time, from one I wrote back in 2005. Court the Wild: Find Your Secret Spot in Nature Courting the wild–spending one to two hours each day in nature–is a suggestion from author Jim Merkel. In his book, Radical Simplicity (New Society Publishers ©2003) he offers this important recommendation for how to … Read more
This “guest post” is from one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babauta, of Zen Habits. In his post today he recommends that folks new to his blog check out “The Beginners Guide to Zen Habits,” which is a compilation of some of most illuminating posts since he began, back in 2007. This one seems particularly … Read more
After giving it a lot of thought, including my own Imbolc Tarot reading yesterday, I am taking the advice of the Hermit. Instead of starting our exploration of Chapter Twelve today, I am going to allow myself a much-needed retreat for the rest of the week. I would suggest that you use this time to … Read more
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. — Alan Watts We are now in the last week of the Year of Justice, poised before the first decade of the new millennium is gone forever and the next begins. And we are in a very magical time out of time. The … Read more
A Moment’s Indulgence from Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) I ask for a moment’s indulgence to sit by thy side. The works that I have in hand I will finish afterwards. Away from the sight of thy face my heart knows no rest nor respite, and my work becomes an endless toil in a shoreless … Read more
© Rodney Smith Your innermost sense of self, of who you are, is inseparable from stillness. This is the I Am that is deeper than name and form. — Eckhart Tolle As we gently release and heal our addiction to busyness, author Leo Babauta makes these additional suggestions about Doing Less: “Do Less complaining and … Read more
One’s action ought to come out of an achieved stillness:not to be mere rushing on. — D.H. Lawrence The days are definitely getting longer. A new era is dawning for our country and our new President has hit the ground running. So am I wrong to want to linger a while yet in stillness? With … Read more
As I watch the stars of evening, and in the morning open my window toward the east, I shall observe the Ceremonial of quietness of heart, of simplicity, and poise of spirit, that I may keep my soul and the souls of others free from entanglements in the machinery of the day.— Ceremonials of Common … Read more