Meaning of life and more..

For those wondering, I'm hanging in there. One day at a time. Have a bit to share, the pictures are some I took on a walk from last week. Enjoy!

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A great man once said that a human soul may be thought of as seeking a
creative outlet. If that outlet is clear and free, all is well. But if the
channel is clogged with fuss and worry, we can forget the creativity. Even
in quiet, we can be in a frenzy. Quiet desperation, Thoreau called it.
True silence comes from directing thought to quiet places and still waters.
If we allow our minds to drift toward something that could go wrong, then it
steals our peace and clogs our creative capacity. Sit quietly and think of
softly flowing water, gentle breezes, and the call of the whippoorwill.
Reflect on the joy of thinking freely, of unlimited vitality--and don't tell
yourself that it couldn't possibly happen. -- Joyce Sequichie Hifler

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Well, just chalk me up to being all clogged with fuss, worry and doubt. That's me in a nutshell lately.

Ever stand still, look back and reflect on all those little dreams you once had? How carefree and full of optimism you were when young. You could take on the world - and win. Life was what you made it and you would be "whatever you wanted to be". I was a rockstar, an investigator, a crime fighter extraordinaire and a selfless humanitarian who helped all people and animals, so no one would ever be sad.

What were your dreams and goals when you were young?

I think though, the most memorable parts of my childhood that I still love as an adult are - the smell of fresh cut grass. Watching a rainstorm with someone you love. The dew covered grass on my bare feet in the morning, how it tickles the toes :)  Laying on the soft grass and staring up at the star speckled sky and just daydreaming and laughing without a care in the world.

So, what happened to that little girl? I wonder if she's still in me, way in there waiting to reappear again.. Sounds like some weird philosophical mumbo-jumbo (if that is such a word) But seriously, I sometimes wonder.

I feel like 1/2 my life has just rushed by and I haven't even come close to accomplishing much. Sometimes I am disappointed at who I am.

Perhaps its just that dreaded middle-age thing we all talk of. :)

Then, on the other hand, I know that I am loved deeply by my family and I have made some good friends here in Indiana. I also know that it's not the job or the bank account that makes a person good or bad, worthy or unworthy, or even memorable. It's what is within, what the heart says, what the soul is like. Character, morals, etc.

One thing that is still just as strong today as it was when I was young, and has always remained the same -- my willingness to help others, and be a good listener. I'm a healer and a helper, always have been and always will be.

So, perhaps my life has not been wasted or just whizzed away. Maybe, just maybe I've touched a few lives and made a difference. And that, to me is a part of the meaning of life.

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Living For Ourselves

Trying To Please Others

Most of us come to a point in our lives when we question why we are doing what we are doing, and many of us come to realize that we may be living our lives in an effort to make our parents happy. This realization can dawn when we are in our 20s, our 40s, or even later, depending upon how tight a hold our family of origin has on our psyche. We may feel shocked or depressed by this information, but we can trust that it is coming to us at this time because we are ready to find out what it would mean to live our lives for ourselves, following the call of our own soul, and refusing any longer to be beholden to someone else’s expectations.

One of the most common reasons we are so tied into making our parents, or others, happy, is that we were not properly mirrored when we were children. We were not honored as individuals in our own right, with a will and purpose of our own, to be determined by our own unfolding. As a result, we learned to look outside of ourselves for approval, support, and direction rather than look within. The good news is that the part of us that was not adequately nurtured is still there, inside us, like a seed that has not yet received the sunlight and moisture it needs to open and to allow its inner contents to unfurl. It is never too late to provide ourselves with what we need to awaken this inner being.

There are many ways to create a safe container for ourselves so that we can turn within and shine the light of awareness there. We may join a support group, go to therapy, or start a practice of journaling every day for half an hour. This experience of becoming is well worth the difficult work that may be required of us to get there. In whatever process we choose, we may feel worse before we feel better, but we will ultimately find out how to live our lives for ourselves and how to make ourselves happy.

Source: dailyom.com

Take care everyone, Hugs & Blessings, ~Helena

You've been warned, please

As the title says "You've been warned" - Please don't be mad at me ..

Below this is a protected posting... read at your own risk...

To everyone else ~ hope you are doing well!

Blessings, ~Helena

Currently Listening Led Zeppelin: A Classical Tribute Stairway to Heaven see related

Evaluating Media & more

Sorry I haven't been on here much. Life has taken over :) I'm trying to get back into the swing/habit/addiction of visiting and writing here daily.. I do honestly miss it when I am away!

The following article is from the dailyom I receive daily in my email. Some are better than others. I found it rather 'wild' that this is exactly what I've been talking about over the last week with friends & family.

I've never been one to watch a lot of news. I have a low opinion when it comes to the media. I think they are definitely onesided on a lot of things, like the War, and of course politics. I think they influence us almost like a "brainwash" (for lack of a better term) to think their way, or rather the way of those who give the final *go* or *approval* of all the on-air stories and views.

I think a lot of the reasons why Obama has gotten as far as he has, was due to the fact that the media mainly focused on him & Hillary from the beginning. The way I look at it - of course this is only my opinion - John Edwards never had a chance, because the media tended to just focus on the 'big' story of the two minorities (woman and african american) candidates and not the more important facts we care about like issues, and the like.

What do you think?? Am I way off in left field? Or do you think its a bit on the true side?

Evaluating Media
Fresh Mind
There is a lot of information available to us at this time in history, more than ever before, and it travels fast. We are able to learn in the blink of an eye about something that happened halfway around the world, and it’s natural for us to want to know what’s going on. However, it’s also fair to say that we don’t want to become so caught up in one way of looking at events that we lose perspective. Often, the news comes to us in a very fear-oriented format, and when too many of us get caught up in fear, the balance of the whole is disrupted. It helps to remember that we have a much greater and more positive impact on the world when we maintain our inner sense of peace and joy.

We are aware enough to know when we are eating something that is not good for us, because we don’t feel well after we’ve eaten it. In the same way, we can determine for ourselves whether the sources in which our information comes are ultimately healthful. News can be presented in a way that inspires us to take positive action to help the world, or it can be presented in a way that leaves us feeling powerless and sad. It is up to us to seek out and support media that empowers and informs us, and to say no to media that drains our energy and our hope.

For a time, it may even be of benefit to commit to a media fast, in which we stop taking information in for a time to give ourselves a rest. When we return to the task of taking in and processing the information all around us, we will come to it with a fresh mind. This will enable us to really notice how we are affected by what we hear and see, and to make conscious choices about the sources of information that we allow into our lives.

What do you think?

Source: DailyOM.com

Blessings, ~Helena

Dreams

You cannot depend on anybody.
There is no guide, no teacher, no authority.
there is only YOU --
your relationship with others and the world --
there is nothing else.
  ~ J. Krishnamurti

A picture of my little kitty, loves to cuddle and loves to play. The date on the camera is wrong it was taken last week.

Been dreaming a lot lately. Seems as though the creator is trying to tell me something. Been sleeping, but not restfully.. Something is going on, I can feel it. I don't like it. I know its not good.. I'd compare it to a preparation for a funeral.. of which you can never truly be prepared. *sigh*

Thought for today: Family.

Blessings, ~Helena

The simple life

Yay! I made it back to xanga, and I actually visited quite a few of you this morning. It has been one heck of a week this past week. I'm thankful for my home and my family all being a-ok and well. Here's a little run-down short version of this past weeks events:

(x)   power outage
(x)   tornado
(x)   severe thunder-lightening storm
(x)   lightening striking TOO close for comfort!!
(x)   frig dying from too many power surges *sigh*
(x)   friends' home completely destroyed from tornado while family was hiding in basement

Other than all of that. It was an ok week. So, how was yours?

Just a cute picture to share of my cat, Striker :

its actually a picture that's only a few weeks old - the date wasn't set right on the camera lol.

The Simple Life

Most spiritual traditions encourage simple living, and yoga is no exception. In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali laid out the yamas (moral restraints) and niyamas (observances), a set of 10 principles that are crucial to one's progress along the yogic path. One of the yamas is aparigraha, often translated as "greedlessness." But it means more than just taking only what you need, explains David Frawley, founder and director of the American Institute of Vedic Studies and author of Yoga and the Sacred Fire. Aparigraha also means "not having a lot of unnecessary things around yourself and not hankering after what other people have," Frawley says. In other words, aparigraha also means keeping only what you need and wanting only what you need.

Aparigraha leads naturally to one of the niyamas: santosha, or "contentment," being satisfied with the resources at hand and not desiring more. Ultimately, Frawley says, "Yoga is about transcending the desire for external things, which is the cause of suffering, and finding peace and happiness within."

The desire for external wealth causes unhappiness on both a practical level and a spiritual one. In order to afford things, you have to work long hours, leaving you less time for what truly sustains you, whether that's yoga and meditation, a hobby, or time with your kids. An expensive lifestyle also limits your choice of career, forcing you to take a high-paying job that may not be fulfilling. It's hard to transcend the desire for external things when we see hundreds of ads implying that happiness lies in a new iPod, laptop, or car. But despite those commercial messages, acquisition doesn't equal happiness. Many yogis find that if they transcend their material cravings, they can lead more satisfying, albeit more modest, lives. (More...)

After the events of this past week, I realize how lucky and blessed I am. In the words of my co-worker & friend at work, whose home was totally destroyed by the tornado that ripped through, and lost everything - clothes, furniture, everything. "Amazingly, I'm ok. I mean, I'm really ok with it. All I can think is Thank God that my Mom & Dad and my brothers and sisters are ok and not hurt or worse. The rest of it doesn't really seem to matter. As I kicked off my heals, and ran barefoot through splinters of wood and broken glass, I was absolutely hysterical yelling for them, and I helped get my younger siblings out of the basement (they were under the rubble) all I could think of was my God I hope they are ok. What would I ever do without them. Nothing else mattered, nothing in the world. Its amazing that I didn't even cut or scratch my feet on that stuff."

Makes you realize how you truly cannot take for granted - your loved ones, or your blessings in life. Because in a flash, it can all come tumbling down, and it can all be gone forever.

Blessings & hugs, ~Helena