Cultivating Kindness, Wonder, Laughter, Meaning & Other Essentials of Life
Jen [zhuhn, ruhn]
–noun (in Chinese philosophy)
That which brings the good in others to completion; a compassionate love for humanity or for the world as a whole.
Untitled, Jamie Black
Resilience is a National Billboard Exhibition Project taking place from coast to coast in Canada this summer. This extraordinary exhibit promotes the work of 50 Indigenous women artists and the voice they give, collectively and individually, to First Nation history, identity and art.
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"Nature is not only a source of spirit; it also has soul. Spiritually, nature directs our attention toward eternity, but at the same time it contains us and creates an intimacy with our own personal lives that nurtures the soul. The individuality of a tree or rock or pool of water is another sign of nature's soul. These intriguing natural beings not only point outward toward infinity; more intimately, they also befriend us. It's easy to love groves of trees or mountain ridges, to feel related to them as though by blood, and to be secure in their familial protection."
- Thomas Moore, "The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life"
These Spring beauties befriended me on my walk with the dogs this afternoon. So stunning, so fleeting, how could I not stop and take notice?
"It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty."
- Navajo Chant
"Beauty is a deeply spiritual experience. It shouts to us always, "More. There is yet more.' We cannot hope for fullness of life without nurturing fullness of soul. We must seek beauty, study beauty, surround ourselves with beauty. To revivify the soul, the world, we must become beauty."
- Joan Chittister, Aspects of the Heart
Seeking solace and wisdom, this morning I decided to turn to this gem of a book by Joan Chittister. Opening to a random page, I found the passage above. It's exactly what I needed.
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There is a certain time of day when the sun rises high enough in the sky to fill the kitchen, patio and backyard with a warm, golden light. At this time of year it's between 7:30 and 8 AM.
It's so ordinary, you could miss it.
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You are loved, and your purpose is to love.
Signed,
The Management
Notes:
Quote by Marianne Williamson, "The Law of Divine Compensation"
Image: My own, morning walk in Brooklyn, November 2017
2016 was a heartbreaking year in many ways. So it's especially heartening to encounter reminders that, despite the 'gloom of the world', whose existence we can't deny, Heaven, Peace, and Joy, are still ours for the taking.
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Love's first step is attention.Read More
- Simone Weil
Sitting down at my desk early this morning while the world was dark and still, I witnessed the most beautiful sunrise.
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