Seen in Berlin..

while walking, just before I flew home to the US.

Thoughtful post to share

A Voice From The 1% does a good job of addressing the questions raised surrounding the Occupy Wall Street movement. I've walked by protests in action and they appeared to be quiet people, clean and tidy, but still I did not know what I thought. I have always believed that while I have made good choices in my life, there is little that separates me from someone who has much less in life but a few strokes of luck.

Our country is in a state of demise in many ways and these protests are putting the our economic inequalities into question. For this I am proud- of the American right to free speech and that we are able to effect changes in this country. No matter what happens or whose side we are on, there is success in being reminded of the democratic process, of speaking up when we believe things need to change, of starting the dialogue.

Revolution

"But this is how the revolution begins: a few of us start chasing our dreams, breaking our old patterns, embracing what we love (and in the process discovering what we hate), daydreaming, questioning, acting outside the boundaries of routine and regularity. Others see us doing this, see people daring to be more creative and more adventurous, more generous and more ambitious than they had imagined possible, and join us one by one. Once enough people enbrace this new way of living, a point of critical mass is finally reached, and society itself begins to change. From that moment, the world will start to undergo a transformation: from the frightening, alien place that it is, into a place ripe with possibility, where our lives are in our own hands and any dream can come true."

Living deliberately- no destinations or borders.

"We're all fed such false messages about success in life, made to believe it's a point of arrival. So most of us spend our whole lives waiting to arrive. We expect that once we get there, the long story of the life we just lived will be infused with meaning. But while we're waiting our voices dry up. They forget how to ask, they forget how to listen, they forget how to tell."

I hope I don't forget how to listen or forget how to tell. I hope I don't get fixated on the destination, the arrival, checking the box, or making other people happy. I hope I can live with an open heart. I hope I see beauty in the world every day. I hope I have time for all people.

"And I go on making small promises to myself in the meanwhile: I will walk every day in between the trees, I will make some celebration, I will love without fear, I will create beautiful things, I will be unafraid to fly, I will move and speak and live deliberately..."

"In the end, the only thing standing between each of us and what we most want, is ourselves. We're our own border guards. And sometimes the crossing is easier than expected."
- from Off the Map.

Rain + darkness = overactive contemplation!

My favorite things at this moment in life:
The peacefulness of my flat in Parnell, especially when there’s light rain on the roof. (Not so much when it’s downpouring!)
Lying under my down comforter, enjoying the view when I have time to spare before getting up.
Reading a great book where I have to look up a lot of words. (I don't think I'll stop loving learning.)
Running without music, just listening to my feet hit the sidewalk, my breath in and out and my thoughts as they wander through my head.
Meeting friends for coffee.

My wishes for the world:
We all live with peace in our hearts and at the forefront of our consciousness.
We look into each others eyes and realize that we’re all are the same underneath.
We treat everyone we meet with love and kindness.
We give graciously and through our generosity, we’ll receive.
We remove ourselves from consumerism, and return to idealism.



Man does not weave the web of life;
He is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web;
He does to himself.
-Chief Seattle 1854

Channeling the peregrine

I'd like to be a witty, wacky journalist here. And I am, in my head. But the words that show up on the page are rather serious. Is it that I've been trained to be like that? All those years of being the orthopedic, oldest child are hard to shake off. Reconciling myself as seen by others (predictable planner) with my own inner image (free-floating fairy) is a feat of no small effort.

So I'm wondering, does everyone go through this? Is it something I should've done ten years ago? Am I a late bloomer?

Today I came across a coin-phrase depicting a new trend, "Flashpackers:" 30-something backpackers with more money to spend than traditional backpackers. So apparently my travel disease is nothing unique. Perhaps it's the idealism of a generation of children raised by the babyboomers, who've suddenly realised that money and status may not be the gateway to happiness and life meaning.

Or maybe we're all just a bunch of lost souls with loose feet and loose minds. Wandering about, delivering cash to nations who need it more than our own.

Who else would like to take up the golden bicycle and raid the world's streets, searching for creative social encounters and life enhancement? Any takers? Next year, I'll meetcha anywhere!
Any tips, any crazy ideas that you'd like someone else to carry out before you try it yourself? Submit it here and I may just take you up on it! I'm serious, now.

Two Quotes from "A New Earth"

I've been reading "A New Earth" by Ekhart Tolle, which is the second book of his I've read. A few years ago, my good friend Laura Prisbe recommended "The Power of Now," which seemed to be particularly applicable while we were travelling through India. It was a life-changing read and helped me to source an inner calm. I saw that he had a new book out and wasn't too keen to read it since I'd found so much value in "The Power of Now" that I figured either his new book would be a repeat of the same ideas or I'd be disappointed that it wasn't as good. I've found neither is true. I'd highly recommend this read if you're looking to question your perspective on life. Don't be scared off that it's too deep or new-agey- he addresses our perspective on life/emotions/spirituality in the context of all religions.

A couple of lines that really resonated with me:

"Only if you resist what happens are you at the mercy of what happens, and the world will determine your happiness and unhappiness." p.200

"The joy of being, which is the only true happiness, cannot come to you through any form, possession, achievement, person, or event - through anything that happens. That joy cannot come to you - ever. It emanates from the formless dimension within you, from consciousness itself and that is one with who you are." p.214

"Behind the sometimes seemingly random or even chaotic succession of events in our lives as well as in the world lies concealed the unfolding of a higher order and purpose." Explaining the Zen saying, "The snow falls, each flake in its appropriate place." p.194

Not what happens to you but how you accept it is of paramount importance.

Interesting article in the Herald editorial section this morning:

Colin James: Bush's true victim - the morale of the US people

In his five year anniversary review of Iraq war, Mr. James asks (and answers) many questions. He also says with quite a lot of good things about America. I've heard those sentiments from many of the foreigners with whom I've had discussions- even ones who've said bad things about our arrogance in the beginning of the conversation. They come around and say that the United States has historically done so many good things in the world.

I hope we can return to those days. I know that Americans are good people who want to help. I think we have to raise our standards and start taking care of each other again, rather than thinking about ourselves, our problems and the next thing we can acquire.

If we all just worked on kindness to others, imagine what the world could be like.