Prose for the moment

 
I read for a few minutes from the Tao Te Ching each morning, I am always impressed by the power of prose and what can be communicated in such few words.

Having always been attracted to prose, as you know a fan of the Haiku.  Perhaps today is a good day to share just a couple from my pen and see if their message rings true.

Smile and warm the soul
Lifting others from within
Sun only has more glow


Simple light
Opening eyes wide
Being there


Friends are all we are
Can you be more than heart strings
The grand sum of love

I hope that you can feel the power of connection with those around you.

May there be grace in the way you live today.  May the power of your smile light the way for others to take the chill off of their challenges this fine day.  May you have the power to love without prejudice.

Peace, love and warm smiles to you.

Billy B

One Lovely Blog Award

   First of all, I wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU!!! to Michelle My Bell and her marvelous little blog The Ramblings of a Peacock for the award!  I'm sure that if you have been by her blog you will agree that she has fun with it and definitely does her part to re-enforce the importance of family.

   I also wanted to say THANK YOU to several new followers and for those who visit regularly,  I enjoy more than anything reading your comments and getting feedback on my entries.  HOWDEE!

   It is my turn to chose several blogs I have discovered recently and give this very nice award.  This is so hard for me because there are so many great blogs out there and I have such varied tastes I barely have time to read the ones I want to!!!

Some of these are ones that I may have already mentioned.  Forgive me if I have.

1. Twain Wannabe (recently published author)
2. Whispers in the Windows (lovely poems when she does)
3. Inside Insights (her personal spiritual journey in a wonderful written style)
4. Bake-Me-Away (don't go here unless you are ok with food addictions....*smile* )
She is now posting her recipes on Misty Mornings
5. MainlyMugUps (probably have shown appreciation for her before, read her Clug stories, just fun.)
6. Skipping Stone Memories (she found me first, great blog!)
7. Diminishing Gene Pool (for when you need a laugh about life in a family setting)
8. 'Poetry'  (pretty much the name says it all ;)

Take time to visit these and follow the ones you enjoy!  It's important to support the creative side of life and those who honor the creative spirit within us all!

Remember, be a participant in your own life, not a passenger!

One more Haiku... just cause I love them and feel like one.

Create with all your heart
Live with your whole soul immersed
No sideline will do

Love, peace and joy to you all!

Billy B

Haiku for you

I wanted to thank Michelle My Bell for giving me the "One Lovely Blog Award"!!!  I really appreciate it!  I will take time to follow up it here in the very near future.  Be sure to visit her blog by clicking the link on the award.  She is very family focused and that is awesome!

Although I do not have time today, I definitely want to keep this ball rolling! ;D

Today, being a fan of the art of Haiku, I felt I would leave one for you, my friends who come and visit me regularly.

Thank you each one for your time and consideration.

Billy B


Peace faith and courage
Pieces of stillness within
A time with you friend

The Best Day!

   Today, I apologize to you who stop by regularly that I have not been able to get my entries in on a timely manner lately.  I am needing to re-arrange my schedule and habits some so that I can devote the time to it each day.  I feel it is very important to get what is in me out where others can participate and enjoy.

   Of every lesson that I have ever learned, I have learned that one has more leverage for change in our daily lives than anything else when it comes to practices and efforts.   It is consistency.  Any noteworthy practice, if given it's due over a period of time, be it weeks, months or a lifetime can create results that would be impossible by any other means.  Example, an athlete repeats  an action over and over again  in sessions over a periods of years and get's to the point that the action is now habit, thoughtless, automatic, and with this acquired muscle memory the athlete can now focus on refining the details and the outcome of the effort so that they no long have to think about or place any concentration on the action itself.  IE,  A pro basketball player making foul shots.  When you don't have to think about hand placement and foot placement or the order of movements only on the aim, the outcome.

   The question is, how does that apply to our own lives.  I'm no pro athlete, nor will I be however, I am human and have the desire to create good works and positive impact.  Reading from great works each day.  The reading becomes habit, the words themselves may with consistency fall to the wayside so the I may focus on the message, the spirit of the work or perhaps the effect it will have on my day and the effectiveness of my efforts.  Another one could be meditation or prayer (I will treat them both as the same thing for this instance). Through practice, repetition and patience of use, consistently over time one can get to the point that attention does not need to be placed on the act of meditation/prayer.  One can focus on the feeling, the intentions and the outcome or purpose of the effort.  Great masters of the human race have achieved marvels from the Buddha to Christ, to St. Augustine to everyday people who have been able to connect to the brilliance and inspiration that underlies every noble deed and life through consistent effort.

   Just as I became very good at one point in my selling because I practiced, studied and participated daily in the act there of, so can I at being a positive influence to others by practicing, studying and participating in creating good will, broader horizons, love for all humanity and open mindedness each and every day.

   Here are several items I give daily attention and consistent effort to;   Love, love one another.   Stillness, being still at my core so that I may not be whisked away into reaction instead of considerate action.  Peace, no conflict within or without.  Do not take things personally, so that I may be a participant instead of a passenger in my daily life.

   What items do you focus on daily that increases the value of your daily life?  Is there specific ones that you feel should get more attention or that you should do that your are not currently practicing consistently?  How can this have a negative effect if the wrong item is given consistent attention?

   It is my hope that through intention and consistency you are able to improve the quality of your daily life and the lives of those within your influence.   I pray for great peace, great presence and love in your lives.

   Today is the best day to start something good!

Billy B

 

When you say nothing at all.

 "Hear with your ears and listen with your whole body."

   Although I do not know where this quote comes from, I have heard it several times in my life and have only begin to understand it in the last couple of years.

   Another one is "There is no greater gift you can give someone than your presence."  I know that Jesse Jackson said something similar to it about your presence being the greatest present you can give your kids.  Still very much along the same lines.  Although I am going to follow more general lines right now.

   I find that there are many times that I am having a conversation with someone only to notice that I may have wondered from the point, internally.  I am always embarrassed when I catch myself.  This is one of the disciplines I have been working on for years now.  I believe it is because of something that can be the kiss of death for any conversation, when we believe we already know what is being said and where it is going.  When we assume, we lose the right to experience anything new in a conversation, to experience the joy of surprise because we quit being engaged.

   Do we have the right to determine that someone has said all they can say on any given subject?  Are words all that we share when we converse?  When we talk about quality time with our kids, is it different words or a different level of presence?  I've noticed that the best quality time I spend with my kids and the ones I love, fewer words are exchanged, or maybe I just listen a lot of the time.  How many times have you had an important conversation with your spouse or significant other and barely exchanged any words?  A look, a glance, a smile or just the curl of the corner of their mouth is all that is needed to communicate something.

  One of my favorite songs is by Alison Krause "When you say nothing at all."  It is very romanticized yet, it can be so very true!

  How much courage does it take to eliminate the protective barriers we put up to communicate on this level with someone?  To give someone complete presence, all assumptions must be eliminated and we get to bask in the glow of their presence, their sound and aura, their spirit.  It's the nuances and communication that goes far beyond the capacity of words that really communicates, it's up to us to chose at what level we chose to commune with someone.  Do we do it on just the surface, words?  Do you prefer to commune on the level of intellect?  Not that this is bad, or do we chose to commune with others on the level or heart or even soul?

  I claim no perfection.  It is probably obvious to those who know me that I have so much yet to learn here.  I bring this up because I am now able to notice some of these things.  Perhaps one day I will become a great communicator and be able to fulfill my life wish and goal.  My purpose.  To create real enduring value for others and for humanity.

   May you notice the brightness is someones eyes that you converse with today.  May you be inspired by the meaning and not the words of another.  May you inspire someone by your intentions and your presence this marvelous day!

Love, hugs and peace.

Billy B

   

Selfless

   One of my sons is Autistic.  His life has been one of the greatest blessings anyone could ever imagine in my life.  Not perhaps, in the ways that you might think either.  He has proven to be one of the easiest children to raise in many aspects.  Very mild mannered, clear headed and incredibly selfless.  Yes, there have been challenges and there may still be some to come however, the real blessing he brings to my life is that of no ego.

   He lives free from the need to justify himself, to defend himself.  Why lie when you have no need to protect who you imagine yourself to be?  I have known immense peace simply because I have seen what the state of no ego is like and experienced it's magic first hand.  To be around my son is to be with someone who is completely genuine and without airs.

   Why do we (I ask myself this rhetorically) need to feel like we are right?  Why do we at times feel we need to prove that we are wrong or right or anything?  It seems that no matter what, most of the humans I have ever met, have a deep attachment to what we believe is our personal story.  That what has happened (whether simple perception or reality) needs to be explainable in a story.  That we are convinced in some way that the story is who we are.

   So, the question begs to be asked, if the story changed, would we cease to be who we are?  If the story went away, do we go away too?  This is where the logic of the ego starts to fall apart.  The problem is, that like all egos, when proven wrong they become belligerent or hide behind an opinion or obstinate stance on the subject or some subject  (not that it matters as long as it feels justified about it).

  Ok, so it sounds like I'm talking in circles.  This is how it sounds should you take a step back and listen to the conversations of mind.

   Do you know someone who is without ego?  What kind of example or blessing have they been in your life? Have you really noticed?  Some would criticize individuals like my son or others who some would call a "fool".  Referring to characters within the world of theatrics and fiction.  Yet, how can we.  Our goal is to return to the states of no ego, to evolve beyond our ego centric existence.  In and effort to live freely experiencing life live!  Not by experiencing it through the narration of the mind.

  Ultimately, our goal is to get to the point where the mind takes it's proper place as a tool of our current existence and not something that we mistake for "who we are."

   May you be completely at ease in your own skin.  May this peace and one-ness of being permeate your presence so that others are blessed by it.  Most of all, may you be selfless, without a false self image, willing to assist others simply because they are.

Peace and balance to you.

Billy B

Currents Deeper within.

 
 I had to use this picture just to give myself some hope of warmer weather, meaning we are currently experiencing the first snow storm of the season here in Salt Lake City today.  I'm not against the seasons,  I'm just better equipped to shed heat instead of retain it.

   I have to acknowledge that I am in the midst of a challenge this day.  I awoke this morning and could immediately sense the irritation under the surface and that it would be there looking for an opportunity to rear it's ugly head today..  So today's challenge is to keep in touch with the stillness and peace that lies deeper within.

   There are many different little techniques that can help with this.  You probably already have a couple of your own.  I usually start with breathing exercises and go from there if needed.  Reading from the Tao Te Ching is one that has helped when not much else does.  In dire circumstances, riding a bicycle is amazingly effective when weather and time allow.

  Today, like many of us, I will be tested to keep a connection with peace and my core.  I may lose it for brief moments however,  I am so thankful that I can perceive when it happens now!  Not to many years ago, it would just be a bad day.  Now, peace can still have it's say, the storm can stir the surface and I can control the currents deep within.

   May you find your peace within.  May love rule over chaos and irritation in your life.

   Peace, above all else, peace from within.  A wellspring of joy and a foundation of love in your life and the lives of those in your circle of influence.

Billy B