Interruptions vs. Postive Contagion

Anything which causes us to be disturbed or upset momentarily disrupts our calm state of thought.

When that happens, we are temporarily distracted from our inner Guidance.

When we reestablish our calm, we can once again feel and hear Guidance from within.

It is asking a lot not to react, but it is more important to stay attuned to our inner resources.

The more consistently we can do this, the more powerful and confident we are.

We are able to listen for the right steps to take regardless of what is going on around us.

Quietness and calm thinking are also part of the fabric of society, and provide clarity.

Despite the justification to be outraged, it is more effective to be consciously aware and to stay focused in order to to listen within.

Then, we will hear what is going on around us, but we will not contribute any more energy to disruption and disturbance.

Instead, we will overcome a portion of it, with the superior power of steadiness and our ability to hear the solutions.

Our steady attitude will catch the attention of those around us and inspire them to listen for their own steps within their own mind.

Calm, steadiness, and quiet are resilient qualities and spread their own positive contagion.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.pebblesofpeace.blogspot.com

Oneness

One power.

Infinite divine oneness.

Solutions begin as you draw toward the light.

Be light.

Light is truth.

Truth just is.

It doesn’t have to prove itself.

Simply notice the difference between truth and lies.

Be aware.

As long as you do not give your consent to a lie, even if it is imposed on you and all around you you will live a life of truth.

Since your life comes from within, keep cultivating the truth you know within.

Let the Universe, the One Power, guide you.

It will produce oneness.

You will live under the guidance of One Power.

It will reorient your life in a truthful, productive direction.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.sharedglobalvision.blogspot.com

Working at an Optimum

Today, at the quilt show in Springfield, I visited a booth whose exhibitor was “downsizing”.  

I got a couple of good finds for myself, keeping  in mind that I live in a tiny house, or at least a small cabin-in-the-woods.

It makes it so easy when contemplating beautiful and useful things.

What will make my life more enjoyable?

What will make my living space too crowded?

Even as I move things back and forth between the cabin and the in-town Studio, I find I can still overplan.

Whereas I might have time to read at the cabin, it overloads me in the Studio where I have a project completion program going on.

I still have to keep myself sane, even though I now have an outlet and lots of space.

What I do love, is that I can work to an optimum.

As I am finishing one or two, (or let’s be realistic and honest), several things, I can start a few more.

It gives me a flow, and lets me feel fulfilled in several directions.

The overlap is marvelous.

I have several friends who actually do work on one thing at a time.

Not all of them can work on “monogamous” projects, though.

There are plenty of us who need the stimulation and feedback between all the projects at once.

I find that I gather a yarn stash or a fabric stash, and then at a certain point, I am full, and I work on several things at once.

It makes me happy.

I love that I can work in the ways that make me feel good.

Sometimes I work by myself, and sometimes I work in community with others.

That, too, gives me a balance.

Having so many acquaintances in so many groups who are all employing our hands and minds to create beautiful things is very uplifting.

There is a given for why we are so involved.

It is a mutual feeling of joy and value in engagement.

It is not passive.

it is tangible evidence of love, order, utility, beauty.

It is an optimum way to work.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.yourdiamondmind.blogspot.com

A Modern Museum Built on Slave Labor

I had mixed feelings today as we visited a wonderful museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, Crystal Bridges Museum.  http://crystalbridges.org

The exhibit of American Folk art was very inspiring.

It showed the accomplishments of every day people, in wood carving, quilts, weaving, embroidery, metal working, scrimshaw, painting.

A picture of every day wealth was exhibited by the accomplishments of every day people.

What our ancestors knew how to do and make was beautiful, practical, and astonishing.

A very great deal of satisfaction came from this work, both while it was being done, and now, one hundred and fifty years later.

This museum was built by Alice Walton, of Wal-Mart.

I couldn’t help but notice that it was built on the backs of their Wal-Mart minimum wage employees.

I was grateful for the classical education of Alice Walton.

I wish I could feel better about the possibilities for the education of the Wal-Mart employees and their families.

I usually am happy to visit museums funded by real estate and oil and utility magnates;  it never bothered me before this.

But now, with the growing inequality of our country, I realize I am missing so many conversations with literate people.

I had expected that would be my great joy as I continued my own education and got out into the world.

But those conversations are fewer than I would have hoped, and it looks like they will be fewer still with the corporatist attitudes which have replaced the idea of businesses as services for every day people.

Now people service businesses.

At the end of the day, although the museum experience was beautiful, it is in a context of inhumanity after all.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.sharedvisionswmo.blogspot.com

Quiet Places, Quiet Moments

I am discovering a different pace.

I am learning to live in quiet places and in quiet moments.

I am still getting a lot done.

It is just quiet, not so noisy.

Without tension and pressure, there is time to do things in a relaxed and orderly fashion.

There is the opportunity to just appreciate the beauty of what is going on.

I still have project materials spread out all over, but I don’t panic when something is  not right at hand.

I know I will see where it is momentarily.

And there it is.

After a stressful afternoon one day last week, I decided to do less the next morning when I got up.

I didn’t try to move fast, but I got so much more done than when I had been stressing.

Now that was a quantum realization!

I am so happy to have projects which I love.

It is so wonderful to make beautiful things.

It is a joy and a delight to play with fabrics, yarns, embellishments, and create inspiring and beautiful journals, spiritual treasure bags, scarfs, fabric art pockets for affirmation cards, drawings.

There is no hurry, no deadline.

The quiet moments of work are part of the blessings people receive in the designs.

It is part of what they feel when they use them.

Another way of sharing quiet moments and quiet places in the heart and mind.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.lovedcherishedadored.blogspot.com

Closing What I Think About

I am so grateful I can choose what I think about.

Everyone I know is so grateful they can choose what they think about.

Everyone I don’t even know, all over the planet, is so grateful they can choose what they think about.

———————

As I noticed more and more tension building up in my mind and body, I realized I had to change the focus of my thoughts.

I had gotten so caught up in what the world was delivering to me, that I became more and more distraught.

Then, I remembered that I, too, can send out information.

And the information that I can send out can be healing.

So I chose to look for the healing thought which I can apply to the disturbing images of world situations.

Here is what I am finding:

Gratitude, deep profound gratitude for those who are standing up to protect the integrity of our natural resources.

Respect for their immense courage.

Great respect for their peaceful methods.

Their clear understanding and expression for what they are doing.

Their consistency and self-respect.

These are the true voices which must be heard.

People’s voices, not corporate entities.

I am grateful for their participation in the healing of our earth, their continuing stewardship and leadership.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.takethreedeepbreaths.blogspot.com

The Beauty That I See

I am very gradually and gently completing projects.

Many of these I have been carrying around with me for several years.

And yet, now that it is time, I have the space to spread out the materials I need to finish them.

I am taking little steps with each one.

I am sewing linings into little Spiritual Treasure Bags that I knitted several years ago.

I am adding beads and button closures.

I will print up the meditations that I wrote to go with them and make them into booklets.

I will make fiber art pockets to hold affirmation cards.

It is a completion process that makes me feel so calm inside and quietly happy.

It is a way that I can share the beauty that I see.

© 2016 Kathryn Hardage

www.lovedcherishedadored.blogspot.com