Posted in Various Authors, tagged committment, community, Dag Hammarskjöld, existence, goal, love, meaningful life, opinion, relationships, yes on July 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
“I don’t know Who — or what — put the question,
I don’t know when it was put.
I don’t even remember answering.
But at some moment I did answer
Yes
to Someone — or Something —
and from that hour
I was certain that existence is meaningful
and that, therefore, my life in self-surrender, had a goal.”
~Dag Hammarskjöld
Posted in Authored by-Liisa, Various Authors, tagged beginnings, Butterfly, butterfly emerging from chrysalis, creative life, endings, harvest, John O'Donohue, new beginnings, Pacific Northwest, Religion and Spirituality, riches, stagnant, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, trust on May 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
This morning the dream before I awakened continued to linger in my consciousness as I sat and gazed out the window drinking a cup of coffee. I was appreciating a symphony of birdsong, the amazing blue skies—a rarity here in the Pacific Northwest, the fluff of cottonwood seeds wafting on the gentle breeze and enjoying the stillness and quiet only morning can bring.
My plan was to begin work on a homework assignment. However, the dream remained with me, gently nudging me to sit with it. After distilling its essence, the image that came to mind was a butterfly newly emerged from its cocoon allowing its wings to dry prior to taking flight. The butterfly’s instincts, the innate knowing encoded in its DNA indicates how long it will need to rest after emergence from the chrysalis, how many beats of its wings would enable it to take flight, and finally when the metamorphosis and re-birth was complete, to leave the branch that was its temporary home and explore its new surroundings.
I am reminded that I am this butterfly. My chrysalis for the past eight years has been the world of academia. Like the butterfly in my mind’s eye, I have emerged from the chrysalis—am nearing the completion of a master’s degree and will be leaving the university that has facilitated a large part of my transformation. Soon like the butterfly, I too will pump my wings—I will begin to put in practice what I have learned. As I was musing on this image and how my life once again will be facing new beginnings, I pulled a book by one of my favorite author’s off the shelf, opened it, and read:
“Tus maith leath na hoibre.”
Translation: “A good beginning is half the work.”
Perhaps the art of harvesting the secret riches of our lives
is best achieved when we place
profound trust
in the act of beginning.
Risk might be our greatest ally.
To live a truly creative life,
we always need to cast a critical look
at where we presently are,
attempting always to discern
where we have become stagnant
and
where new beginning might be ripening.
There can be no new growth
if we do not remain open
to what is new and different.
This year I see many profound changes on the horizon. I eagerly anticipate crossing the threshold of endings and entering another doorway of new possibilities and beginnings. John O’Donohue’s poetic words remind me that as I have journeyed I have experienced many storms, the road has twisted and turned, has lead me around blind corners, has been enshrouded in dense fog and blinding sun. Yet I continued to trust and persevere.
Now, towards the end of the journey I am reminded to watch for the ripening of additional new beginnings, and to remain open to them.
Like the butterfly in my mind’s eye, I too will know when the metamorphosis is complete. I will know when it is time to take flight and explore a world which for the most part has remained the same; it is I who have changed.
© L. Gavlick 5/2012
…
Excerpt from the book: To Bless The Space Between Us. © John O’Donohue All rights reserved. For more information go to: http://www.johnodonohue.com
Posted in Various Authors, tagged beauty, broken, confused, images, innocence, love, purpose, reflection, wholeness on April 10, 2012 | 1 Comment »
Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made
or dark images you hold about yourself.
They remember your beauty when you feel ugly…
your wholeness when you are broken…
your innocence when you feel guilty…
and your purpose when you are confused.
~African saying
Posted in Various Authors, tagged Buddha, compassion, Gautama Buddha, generous heart, kind speech, Religion and Spirituality, renew humanity on March 3, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Teach this triple truth to all:
A generous heart,
kind speech,
and a life of service and compassion
are the things which renew humanity.
~The Buddha
Posted in Various Authors, tagged awaken to the wonder, blessings, free the joy, grace, John O'Donohue, new journey, open eyes, open heart, patience, respect, tranquility, tread softly on January 2, 2012 | 2 Comments »
John O’Donohue in:
To Bless The Space Between Us
…
Now that you have entered with an open heart
into a complex and fragile situation,
hoping with patience and respect
to tread softly over sore ground in order
that somewhere beneath the raw estrangement
some fresh spring of healing might be coaxed
to release the grace for a new journey
beyond repetition and judgment,
and have achieved nothing of that,
emerged helpless, and with added hurt….
…
Withdraw for a while into your own tranquility,
loosen from your heart the new fester.
free yourself of the wounded gaze
that is not yet able to see you.
Recognize your responsibility for the past.
Don’t allow your sense of yourself to wilt.
Draw deep from your own dignity.
Temper your expectation to the other’s limits,
and take your time carefully,
learning that there is a time for everything
and for healing too….
but that now is not that time….yet.
…
Now is the time to free the heart,
let all intentions and worries stop,
free the joy inside the self,
awaken to the wonder of your life.
…
Open your eyes and see the friends
whose hearts recognize your face as kin,
those whose kindness watchful and near,
encourages you to live everything here.
…
See the gifts the years have given,
things your effort could never earn,
the health to enjoy who you want to be
and the mind to mirror mystery.
Posted in Various Authors, tagged blossom, come home to yourself, grace, John O'Donohue, love, release, tranquility, unforgiven on November 24, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Posted in Various Authors, tagged David Steindl-Rast, enjoy the adventure, faith, surrender, swimmer on November 2, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Various Authors, tagged acceptance, Carl Jung, change on October 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Various Authors, tagged desire, emerge, emptiness, john o donohue, new beginnings, wander on October 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Photo ©Liisa Gavlick 2011
John O’Donohue
From the book:
Bless The Space Between Us
…
For a New Beginning
In the out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.
~~~
For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.
~~~
It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.
~~~
Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.
~~~
Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.
~~~
Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.
Copyright © 2008 by John O’Donohue
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Various Authors, tagged begin again, courage, faith, perseverence, sisu, trust on October 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
May you keep coloring outside the lines, thinking outside the box, diving deeper into the love that you are...experiencing life in all of its magnificent, shades, hues and textures. ~Liisa
