Posts Tagged ‘Love’
All We Have Is This Moment (Part II)
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
Just as I finished my last blog about living in the moment, I came across this topic in the book I am reading, A Thousand Names for Joy, by Byron Katie. In her book, Katie writes, “Where are you going, other than where you are right now? How can you go anywhere else? The direct path means realizing that the beginning and end of every journey is where you always are.”
Then this past weekend, I picked up the book, Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert and started to re-read all the dog-eared pages. As I flipped the pages, I came across the following lines in the book: “The other problem with all this swinging through the vines of thought is that you are never where you are. You are always digging in the past or poking at the future, but rarely do you rest in this moment.
In my meditation, this is what came through about living in the moment:
You are here. Not knowing, never knew. Never needed to and never will. If your thoughts float to the past, you can bring them back with love. If your thoughts wander too far into the future, you can bring them back with love. When we choose to live in this moment, we choose a direct path to our heart and the divine. Being present to this moment right now means being home. Welcome home.
To celebrating now with love,
Mary Anne
I Am a Mirror of You
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
One day my spiritual teacher asked me what I admired most about a new friend I had just met. I said, “She is smart, creative, and funny. She is generous, kind, and heart-centered. I admire her tenacity, her openness, and dedication to spirituality.” My teacher said, “That sounds a lot like you.” With a smile on my face, I thought, “Really?” She went on to say, “What you see in her is what is inside of you. She is simply a mirror looking back at you.”
What positive aspect of another is showing up in your life as a mirror looking back at you?
Mary Anne
Conversation with a Seven Year Old
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
I love speaking with my nephew as he can always make me smile – even without realizing it. He is just so open, real, and pure and he reminds me I can still be like a seven year old in the world. About two weeks ago we spoke on the phone and the conversation went something like this:
Me: Hi George.
George: Hi Aunt Mary Anne (said with glee).
Me: What are you doing?
George: Playing my Nintendo DS.
Me: Which game?
George: Mario Brothers.
Me: How was school today?
George: Great!
Me: What was the best part of your day?
George: Well…I think it was when I was in the lunch room and saw Mrs. Henderson (the lunchroom lady).
Me: Why was that the best part of your day?
George: Well, I like Mrs. Henderson because she is nice.
Me: That’s great George. Have you ever told her that you think she is nice?
George: No, but I do give her a hug.
Me: I am sure she likes that.
George: Yea.
Me: George?
George: What?
Me: Are you distracted?
George: Yes, I am distracted.
Me: What’s distracting you?
George: Well, I am talking to you.
Me: Thanks for that. I love you.
George: I love you too, lots and lots.
Note to self: play more, thank people more, remember the best part of my day, give more hugs, and focus on love.
Thanks George.
Mary Anne
Beloved
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
“The Beloved simply is. In fact, in it’s exploration—at the center of that indescribable feeling of simply being, of ishness—the Beloved is discovered spontaneously, self-effulgent, the presence within the presence.”
– Stephen & Ondrea Levine
A Meditation on the Beloved:
Beloved
Let that drop in
Beloved
Go deep inside
Who is your beloved?
Where in your body is the beloved?
Beloved
Is it falling into you yet?
Look back into yourself.
Beloved
Drop in a little more
Beloved
Listen with your eyes
Hear with your heart
Beloved
What are you experiencing now?
Beloved
Be Love
You are loved. Stay there.
Mary Anne
This is dedicated to all who have allowed me to experience the Beloved—Lorene, Val, Paulette, Meredith, Louis, Joe, Greg, and Myron.
Overwhelmed by Love
Friday, April 9th, 2010
Sometimes I hit the “enter” button on the keyboard and wonder how people will respond to one of my writings I post publicly on my blog. I was so excited to write a blog about “coming out” and how we all get a chance to do that every day when we live life as who we are openly and authentically. I spent years being ashamed of who I was, which brought me so much unhappiness. It has taken me some time, but now all parts of my life are integrated – loving relationships, friendships, hobbies, spirituality, work, and dreams.
Many people were moved by my “coming out” blog and have written some amazing responses. I am sharing some of the responses because they were full of so much wisdom. I have been overwhelmed by the love and acceptance that has flowed my way. May each day give us a chance to embrace who we are and allow our full light to shine.
“Here’s to being able to truly be authentic, to openly say ‘this is an important part of who I am’, without shame or fear. I look forward to embracing & welcoming others doing the same, whatever hidden part of themselves that may be.”
“I too blew off the (High School) reunion thinking no one would remember me or care if I was there, and it saddens me to think you felt alone during any part of your life.”
“I am happy to have found all the PC (High School) people here, as well. So many people (girls and guys) that I wish I had gotten to know then…because I’m coming to learn that we can each offer support and friendship to others.”
“In many ways, the most significant ‘coming outs’ for me have been politically and spiritually and those self-realizations might not have happened if it wasn’t for my needing to deal with my sexual orientation. As you said, I needed to live authentically before my light could shine, both in personal relationships and professionally.”
“But then I thought, what would I have done if you shared this with me? Would I have had the maturity and grace and compassion to accept you, to help you? Probably not, back then. It’s a cruel trick of nature that we start to realize who we are, just when our peers are least likely to accept us! But if there is one thing I’ve learned, and something I hope (God I hope) I can impart to my daughters, it’s this: EVERYONE feels alone and different and depressed and disconnected in high school, at some point. Nobody ever feels they are good enough. We need to live a lot of years before we realize, hey, we’re ok after all.”
With gratitude,
Mary Anne
March OM Meditations
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
In keeping with the rhythm of sharing monthly meditations and the new season of Spring, I invite you to join me in celebrating March with some meditations and contemplative questions as a way to open up to more love.
As an invitation, feel free to close your eyes, sit with your spine straight and take a few soft breaths. Then inhale a little deeper through your nose, and on the exhale, repeat the mantra OM (AUM). Do this three times. Allow yourself to really feel everything and become the observer of your thoughts. Feel free to focus on one question or statement below and just allow your experience to unfold
Love What Is Now. Love What is Now.
I am open to the rhythms of the world.
Beloved, what do you hear in the silence?
“I love you and you are perfect exactly as you are.”
How do you become an observer of your thoughts? What practices allow you to see things as they are?
We show up with love and that is all grief needs to flow into grace. We show up with love because in the end that’s all we really need.
What seeds (inside yourself) are you watering?
The invitation is to be open for whatever thoughts flow through you. Allow your mind and body to expand into the experience (without judgment). Feel free to start with whatever mantra calls to you.
May you experience the bursting of seeds within your heart and mind. Take time to water the garden of you!
In every moment, there is grace,
Mary Anne
The Sacred Space of You
Monday, March 29th, 2010
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again”
– Joseph Campbell
After spending a gray and damp Sunday cleaning the house, I thought about how much “space” there was after removing lots of clutter. Every weekend I have been dedicating time to throwing away papers, making donations bags, and clearing corners of the house. I realized how much space there really is in my apartment. Other than my collection of books, drums, stones/crystals, CD’s, sweatshirts, and mastana’s (altar cloths), I am pretty much a minimalist. I don’t own a lot or have stuff all over the walls. Perhaps because I grew up with a lot of knick-knacks and tables that had beautiful Irish Belleek and doilies on the table (every table), I wanted to have less things to collect. My house growing up had a lot of nice things and many photos—including pictures from First Communion all the way through College graduation, and many photos in between.
I like having space in the house without the need to put something there. How often do we fill a space rather than just let an area remain empty? How else are we filling the space in our lives? What are we filling our space up with?
Think about the space in between musical notes—otherwise known as “rest.” This allows us to live in the space between the notes—that’s where the quiet space is. How can we allow the space to teach us, to fill us, to empty us?
Love the space in between because you are that space. Find the sacred space of you and stay there. Remove the clutter within and make space for more love.
To the sacred space of you,
Mary Anne
Ella Mae Johnson: A Legacy of Compassion
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
In honor of Women’s History Month, here is an amazing story of Ella Mae Johnson. Her memoir will be published next month, It Is Well With My Soul: The Extraordinary Life of a 106-Year Old Woman. As her co-writer, Patricia Mulcahy said, “Ella Mae’s real lesson is that compassion is what will get you through life.”
Ella Mae passed away on Monday, 3/22, at home surrounded by friends. She left us a legacy of life.
“I Need to Know”
Friday, March 19th, 2010
One of my greatest teachers is my seven year old nephew, George. As soon as we see each other, we give each other big hugs. His face lights up when I walk in the room and my heart lights up when he walks in the room. My last visit with him was no exception. It had been a good few weeks since my past visit with George. When I walked in the door, there was an excited shout, “Aunt Mary Anne, you’re here!” I gave him a tight hug and said, “I’ve missed you.” George responded, “I haven’t seen you in three months.” It was his way of saying that it felt like a really long time.
We decided to go out for lunch. Upon returning to my sister’s house, George and I went for a walk. There is a wonderful small pond near his house and George took my hand and off we went. We spoke about school, his trip to Ireland, his birthday, and other random things. Upon returning back to the house, he said he wanted to stay outside. Although most of their lawn still had a lot of snow, the day was bright and not that cold, so we decided to play in the driveway. Our first game was “Mario Brothers goes to the Winter Olympics.” George would name a Mario character and an Olympic event, act out the event, and give a score. The highlight was watching him pretend to ice skate and do curling – as entertaining as the live Olympics.
We decided we would play hide and go seek in the backyard. I hid first and George could not find me despite giving hints with making noises. I came out of my spot and George asked, “Where were you?” I told him I would hide there again on my next turn. He said, “But where were you?” I told him that he can look again on the next round. “But Aunt Mary Anne, I need to know.” It was at that point I smiled and asked, “You need to know?” I think he wanted to know and it was hard for him to look again. He took his turn hiding and then I took mine, returning to the same spot. I peeked out and George found me.
All day I couldn’t get his little voice and expression out of my head – I need to know. How many times had I wanted to know something that I convinced myself I needed to know it? Is there anything I really need to know?
The day was full of big hugs, long walks, being lost and being found – I have everything I need to know.
Mary Anne
This is dedicated to my nephew George who I love this, this, this, this much!
Irish Inspiration
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Take time to work;
It is the price of success.
Take time to think;
It is the source of power.
Take time to play;
It is the source of perpetual youth.
Take time to read;
It is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly;
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream;
It is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved;
It is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around;
It is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh;
It is the music of the soul.
—Old Irish Prayer
