Hopi Elder Speaks

 

I’ve been holding on to this message from the Hopi elder, waiting for the right time.

This feels like a good time.

“You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour.  And there are things to be considered . . .

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.”

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time!”

“There is a river flowing now very fast.  It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.  They will try to hold on to the shore.   They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly.

“Know the river has its destination.  The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water.   And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate.  At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves.  For the moment that we do,  our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

“The time for the lone wolf is over.  Gather yourselves!  Banish the word struggle from you attitude and your vocabulary.  All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

— attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder

Hopi Nation, Oraibi, Arizona

…

The river is moving fast for me this week. I’m getting ready for a trip to see my grandchildren, heading into a bit of weather maybe, so prayers are welcome.  I’ll be driving to the NC mountains to pick up my son, then it’s on to Indianapolis. My son will be doing most of the driving. He reminded me he has ten years of experience driving in snow.

Angels, make our way clear and safe.

Sometimes, I’d rather be the lone wolf, staying close to home. But when I look around and see who is with me on this journey,  I see magic and meaning.  A decade ago, when my son was in his early twenties, he was physically and emotionally distant. For one year, he barely talked to me. Now, we enjoy each other’s company. I look forward to our time together.

Love still flourishes. Love carries the best kind of courage.

I feel a pull that I sometimes resist, but I’m going with it now, to the middle of the river where the water runs deep.  I remember that I’m a good swimmer and at home in the water.  It’s time to celebrate like a breaching whale, to keep my eyes open, my head above water, and let my heart go with the flow.

All waters – rivers, oceans, rain, and snow – have much in common. Just as we are more alike than different. It is time for each of us to find our sacred way and to see that our rivers connect.

Everyone belongs.

8 Ways to Keep Going When the Journey Gets Long

     

   Most of us have seen that ancient quote by Lao-Tzu,

  “A  journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.”

     It’s a good motivator to get us started. But what about when you’ve been taking those steps for a while, and the journey of a thousand miles feels like two-thousand? Lately, I’ve felt that way about my book.

     Don’t get me wrong! I love my book. I believe in my book. But it feels like high time for my baby to leave the nest and fly out into the world. Yet, I keep getting these opportunities to trust the timing. Thanks, God.

     I know my past six years of book writing is a drop in the bucket compared to some journeys, and I’m glad I got to learn so much about the intricacies of writing, editing, revising, book cover design, ….. and the technical stuff – but let’s not even go there except for this picture.

How I feel about technical glitches

      The good news is that publication is right around the corner. I can see it! I have real paperback proof copies being proof read as I write this. And I am thankful. This journey has been worth every step.

So, What does it take to keep going, to not give up, when we tire of the journey?  Here are some things that can help:

1. Rest. Take breaks. But don’t rest too long, because there’s that inertia thing.

2. Do something totally different. If you spend a lot of time on the computer, get outside and move!  Use different parts of your mind and body. Stretch your legs! Put on some music and dance! (I’m talking to myself here, too.)

3. Get a fresh perspective – ask for honest and encouraging feedback. Ask for positive feedback along with constructive criticism. What do they like? What could be better?

4.  Consider changes. Research, then trust your gut. Maybe there’s a different path to take that just feels right. For me, it was the decision to publish under my maiden name – a big, inconvenient step but one that brought peace of mind and forward momentum.

5. Break big jobs into small steps. In writing a book, take one chapter at a time or one paragraph at a time, and congratulate yourself for getting through each step.  I have clutter issues. (Hey, I’m an artist!) It helps me to focus on one corner, counter, or table top and de-clutter that small space. Then I stand back and admire the “after” picture.

6. Think about the reason for the finished product, whether it’s a clean table top or a published book. What are the likely benefits? How will it improve your life or help others?

7. Pray. Ask for what you need, be it guidance, strength, balance, gratitude, or patience.

     Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.

                                                   (Dr. Joyce Meyer)

8. Remember that “Nothing is impossible.” That’s what my father told me when I was 12, and it stuck. Here’s the poem I posted for him last week: https://joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com/2017/06/15/for-my-father/

What’s the next step on your journey? I’d love to know.

Flow

---

The stream of consciousness flows

around rocks and fallen trees,

looking at first

for the path of least resistance

but over time

creating new pathways.

 

Every now and then

we get caught

in whirlpools,

spinning in what ifs,

chasing our tails

until we find our way

back to the stream

and the journey continues

with more questions.

 

God, give us peace

to rest in quiet pools,

basking in the golden sun

of Indian summer.

Help us let go,

to breathe

the breath

of your love…

 

…until we hear a whisper.

 

A still small voice

guides us forward

to the next adventure.

 

 

This post was inspired by Harlon at http://apatientvoice.com/

I started it a while back, and then put it aside to marinate.

Questions swirl around my life lately.

Adventure comes!

 

(The second and fourth images are from pixabay. The first and third are from me.)

There’s Still Time!

 

 We thought we were too late

to catch the river sunset,

But you never know

What marvelous things

God is going to do

with the canvas of the sky,

or the journey of your life.

Photos by JoAnne Silvia, May 6, 2015

Thirty Nine Years Later

It had been 39 years since we’d seen each other.

When I heard his voice on the phone, he sounded very different from the 15 year old boyfriend I remembered. I didn’t remember him having an accent. I guess 39 years of living back home in New England can do that.

When I’d last seen him, it was 1972. He was tall and lean with sensitive hazel eyes like mine. I can imagine the scene. Him in his jeans with the battery acid holes and his leather jacket, or the olive military field jacket. His hair in his eyes just a little bit. Humming Jethro Tull. Working on a motorcycle.

                                 

When we met again in 2011, he looked different. Still tall, but filled out nicely. Silvery hair, slightly, handsomely weathered. My heart was beating like a set of bongos. I bet his was too. 🙂

The smell of my soul mate was intoxicating. My body remembered, without even consciously knowing that it remembered. It was my first love. Back again after all those years.

We had both seen tears and years of disappointment, overcoming life’s hills and mountains, journeying the long and winding road back. We had no idea this was part of the plan. This reunion. This grand surprise, ripening when the time was finally right for us to journey together on new adventures!

You never know what wonderful surprises are on the way. Anything is Possible!

The prompt for this week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday Post was: scene/seen.  If you’d like to join in the fun, visit:

http://lindaghill.com/2015/01/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-january-3115/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” or “Begin with the word ‘The’.”

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments, for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. Have fun!