Archive for March, 2016
Obstacles
The following quote led me to a glimpse into the life of an amazing man. Before reading the quote, I had never heard of Orison Swett Marden.
His story fascinates and inspires me. After a life of much hardship and challenge, he became among other things, a successful author. His book, Pushing to the Front (Houghton-Miffen 1894), became an instant best seller. He went on to publish over 50 books. Among them, Prosperity: How to Attract It; an essential and seminal work on the Law of Attraction. He also founded Success magazine in 1897.
“Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them…they are liable to spring on you, but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight.”
I love the image of looking squarely at the obstacles we face, both big and small and watching them “…slink out of sight.” Wishing you the power to face your obstacles.
Spring Equinox 2016
It is the earliest Spring Equinox since 1896. In Central and Pacific Daylight Time Zones it occurred Saturday, March 19th.
The Spring Equinox occurs… “midway between the sun’s lowest path across the sky in winter and the highest path across the sky in summer,” Deborah Byrd, earthsky.org. In other words, Equinoxes occur at the mid-point between the Solstices, and, Solstices occur at the mid-point between Equinoxes; dividing the year into four equal parts, four seasons.
In the Northern Hemisphere the Earth awakens. In the Southern Hemisphere it is the Autumnal Equinox, a time of harvest and preparation for the coming of sleeping winter.
Four is the number of all things earthly. In Tarot, four is the Earth Element. Four represents the natural order; four represents renewal. The Spring Equinox is a time of awakening.
I invite you to take some precious moments this week to rejoice in renewal and the blossoming of Spring.
Storytelling
Human history is recorded through storytelling. “Stories have been carved, scratched, painted, printed, or inked into wood, bamboo, ivory, bones, pottery, clay tablets, stone, palm-leaf books, skins, parchment, bark cloth, paper, silk, canvas and other textiles, recorded on film and stored electronically in digital form.” (Wikipedia)
Fairy tales, mythology, folktales, legends, sagas and epics are traditional forms of storytelling. Documentaries and interactive electronic games are examples of contemporary storytelling.
All cultures, nations, tribes and families have their stories; familial, political, historical, psychological and spiritual. Stories are kept alive through repetition.
The Spring Equinox is fast approaching initiating renewal and awakening. I invite you this week to review your path; your personal story.
Music
Music is powerful. It has the capacity to effect a wide range of human functions and emotions.
Music creates and manipulates mood; has therapeutic value; it can help relieve pain and anxiety (endorphin production); it is used for social, religious and spiritual purposes, and for celebrations of all kinds in all cultures; music influences consumer behavior and jingles create product association.
Music enhances the quality of life… and it is available 24 hours a day.
“As you begin to realize that every different type of music, everybody’s individual music, has it’s own rhythm, life, language and heritage, you realize how life changes, and you learn how to be more open and adaptive to what is around us.”
~Yo-Yo Ma
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”
~Plato
It is so very easy to take music for granted. This week I invite you to look at the influence of music in your life.
