High Mesa Happenings & Heartstrings

Gifts to Juarez

Several weeks ago Kathy Golightly gave us some tapes to gift to others on the Course of Miracles. Then we received all these books and tapes from a friend in High Rolls--what to do with all these tapes--everyone seems to have only CDs these days. Well, my prayers were answered last week when this lady came in from Juarez, Mexico and I offered the tapes to her. She left here so happy for there is a Course of Miracles group in Juarez who would be so happy to have them. It not only warmed my heart to know that they are in the right place to do the right thing, it also warmed the gifters knowing that they carry the energy into Juarez.

 

Barbara

Gift giving

Over the past several years our family has gone into giving to non-profits for special occasions. I would much rather receive a flock of chickens sent to a family in one of the developing nations than to have yet another dust catcher. I recently read where most of these gifts will go into the solid waste in just a few months. That does not make sense to me to take our diminishing resources, have some factory worker make it only to go into our overflowing landfill sites. I am so much happier to know that a family somewhere is providing for themselves with the contribution from family and friends. One year they purchased rabbits and another year it was a hive of bees. How fun is that?

This year for my birthday, I requested that if you wanted to make a gift it be designated to the Peace Village Scholarship Fund. So Peace Village 2010 now has $200 added to that fund. I love it that we can make a difference by giving locally and globally. With Peace Village I can see and know how much impact we are having on the youth of our community. Both ways of gifting are important for I can know what effect the gift has on the larger picture. What is it doing to our environment? Did someone have to work in a sweat shop to manufacture it and how useful is it going to be to me? And for how long? I am a part of the web of life and what I do effects the whole of life. I take that responsibility for my own actions. Let's create a sustainable world community. Together we can do it! 

 

Barbara

Just Some Thoughts: from Barbara

This comes to me from a nurse colleague in El Paso. I think that it carries a very vital message, a wake up call to all of us.. It got me to thinking about my priorities. Would I have been one of those who just walked on by, too busy to look and listen? I wonder?? How do you think that you would respond?

I ask myself am I hurrying through life so fast that I am missing the beauty?  What is the hurry? Where are we all rushing to be? I no longer choose to spend the rest of my life rushing here and there and miss out on the present now.

Just some thoughts…

9/28/09

:-: :-: :-: :-: :-:

PERCEPTION

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

 The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
45 minutes:
The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*Do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.
How many other things are we missing?

More Books on 50% sale

We have just lowered the prices on our books to 50% off retail price. Just in time for early Holiday shopping, consider giving books this year and $ave. These babies need to be out there in good homes rather than sitting on our shelves. This all started with a generous donation from a bookstore in California. So to sweeten the pot even more we have added our own merchandise on $ale! Come early and come often for the best selections! If you have the time we might sit down for a cup of tea!

Art Show

 

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I just got home from an art show and I am so glad that I went. It was a different kind of art show, one in a designer home. The home is a piece of art, filled with beautiful pieces of creations from our local artists.  It was such a comfortable setting, maybe it was the water that you could see outside every window and there were lots of windows. Very relaxed and calming atmosphere.

I am so glad that Vicky Mauldin and Jamie Slack invited the "Open Circle" to attend, It was well worth the trip.

It is on tomorrow as well (Sunday) You just find the balloons on Gavalin and turn onto Homestead Acres follow the balloons one more time and you are there! Enjoy!

Trading Boots for Sandals: Yet A Friend Forever

Today I am thinking of my dear friend, Fr. Larry, who is opening San Miguel Mission this weekend. It was closed in the '90s following earthquake damages that left it unsafe for people to attend mass.
When I spoke with Fr. Larry in May he was so excited to be going to San Miguel to oversee a renovation project. With a $13 million grant from the Hearst Foundation they were ready to begin the project. He expressed his strong connection with the mission, having been assigned there just prior to coming to NM.
On my way home from China I drove up from L.A. to see him and the renovation project, which was well underway with artisans everywhere with paintbrushes and other tools of their trade, bringing this place back to life and into service to the community.
I was fortunate to spend a couple of hours with Fr. Larry climbing ladders and walking over scaffolding to see the renovation in progress. Everywhere we went everyone was so warm and friendly displaying a warm respect for Fr. Larry.
So I am happy for Fr. Larry and the community of San Miguel for this wonderful event.
On a more personal level, I must report that Fr. Larry has traded in his boots in for sandals. It might have something to do with the fact that it is very hot in San Miguel, Ca. He may have retired his boots but he has not forgotten his friends in New Mexico.
He promised to let me know when he comes to NM to teach a workshop/seminar in the future.

Barbara

9/27/2009

Never Too Late to Heal

Last year when I went to renew my drivers license I was totally bummed that I could not pass the vision test. Try as I may I could not make out those letters. This event seemed to start me on a downward spiral of the aging process; or, at least, my thoughts on that process. I was convincing myself that I might as well just hang it all up and go into retirement. Well, that option was not very attractive to me, but what was I to do when this body would not do what I wanted it to do? I was diagnosed with dystrophy of the cornea many years ago and it just got progressively worse. I had cataract surgery several years ago and that did not do that much for my vision.

As synchronicity would have it, someone came into my life only long enough to tell me about her doctor and teacher at the Eye Associates of NM. and then she was gone, off to do other things. I did get in to see the doctor who founded the clinic and he immediately referred me to the corneal specialist who looked at my eyes and said you will have to have surgery sometime and you might as well do it now. Well, he is one of the few doctors who are doing this new corneal surgery and I found him right here in Albuquerque. I had the first implant in April, which did not take but the one in May did take. The vision improvement was slow and I was still wondering if I would ever be whole again. Slowly I began to regain my vision and I began to become more hopeful for an active life again.

I guess on some level I set an intention to continue to heal for the next thing I knew I was going to a sweat lodge with my friend Lydia and she mentioned that her new TurboSonic machine was in and wouldn't I like to come try it out.  Well, sure, I am always open to experience the newest and the latest. When I went in to use the TurboSonic, Lydia asked if I had any condition that might qualify this treatment for Medicare to pay for some sessions. Well yes, I had this white water river accident 22 yrs ago that left me with a right arm and shoulder that had restricted movement. Following an evaluation we began PT treatment 2 -3 times a week. We were both amazed that this body wanted to heal after all these years.

So these two events proved to me that it is NEVER too late to heal; it is a life long process.  And to think that I was beginning to believe that it was over and time to throw in the towel! Well I did not, and I am back in the game of life to it's fullest.

Then in January I get this invitation from Dr. Barbara Dossey to be a part of a Holistic Nursing Delegation to China. I read it and put it aside until Kate came in and I showed it to her. Her remark was "and you are going of course" ? No, I can't go and spend all that money, that's my kids inheritance. Actually, in retrospect, it was more about me still feeling too old to go to China. I am so grateful that Kate responded with "and how many more times do you think that you will be invited to go to China this lifetime?" That was my wake up call, the light bulb went on and I saw things differently. I no longer saw myself too old or too unworthy to take this wonderful opportunity.

So off to China I go with 18 other holistic nurses and what an experience that was for me. The time was just right for I returned with an inner calmness and self confidence.

Barbara Mader

9/25/09

 

Image courtesy X-ray: NASA/CXC/JHU/K.Kuntz et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/JHU/K. Kuntz et al; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI/K. Gordon

 

Not Picking Up the Rope

I have been receiving some forwarded political emails that are filled with fear, hate and are just downright nasty. As I was pondering on how to deal with this issue this quote came from Abraham this morning.

“There is a big mix out there, and there's lots of different things going on, and there is not one way that was intended to be the right way. Just like there's not one color or one flower or one vegetable or one fingerprint. There is not one that is to be the right one over all others. The variety is what fosters the creativity. And so you say, "Okay, I accept that there's lots of variety, but I don't like to eat cucumbers." Don't eat cucumbers. But don't ask them to be eliminated and don't condemn those who eat them. Don't stand on corners waving signs trying to outlaw the things that you don't like. Don't ruin your life by pushing against. Instead, say, "I choose this instead. This does please me. --- Abraham”

(Excerpted from the workshop in  Rye, NY on Sunday, October 12th, 1997, #204)

It makes perfect sense to me for I do not want to resist the fear and hate, for that would only give it more energy. I know that what I resist persists.  My first thought is to argue with them, to show them how wrong they are, which gets me enmeshed with them and with the issue.This is a no win solution and I am stuck, sucked into that downward spiral of fear, hate and resentment. It is so easy for me to get into righteous indignation! And what would that get me? Stress, separation, anxiety, loss of sleep and all that good stuff. 

It takes discipline for me to just unplug from that energy without judgment or anger. Sometimes I am successful and sometimes I fall short. With practice and patience I am getting better at letting go, or of "not picking up the rope" and playing tug of war.

So how is it with you, my friends, are you affected by all this mud slinging and madness? What gets you out of it? I am grateful when my friends remind me to stay out of the craziness. Is this something that we as a spiritual community might work on together? Suggestions, please!

Peace, Love and Blessings,
Barbara

 

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I Am Home: Wonder Filled

   I am home, I had a wonder filled, amazing trip to China and I am back home.

   The first thing that I did, that is after greeting George, Merlin and Zuni, was to take a stone that I picked up at The Great Wall of China, do a little ceremony and place it in the center of HMHC labyrinth. It was my intention to bring that energy and ground it here at HMHC for in that little stone I placed some wonderful experiences, intentions and memories that they might be grounded and integrated into this sacred place. When I walk the labyrinth I can so easily tap into and refresh those experiences.

  Nancy Bankston asked me to bring her nothing from China, unless I just happened to see a little stone that wanted to come to home. Well, not only did I find one stone for Nancy I found several that wanted to come to NM. Wonder why my luggage was so heavy? The baggage man at South West was most generous for my bag was 52# and he could have charged me $50 for those 2# but he did not for which I was most grateful. Any way I want to thank Nancy for giving me the idea to bring stones and connect the energy with them from China to NM.

Barbara

September 29, 2009

A Click and a Minute for Peace

 

Nancy Bankston and the HMHC Team are inviting all readers and families to consider participating in the A Million Minutes for Peace, on the United Nations International Day of Peace

 September 21, 2009.

It means you click once, right now to pledge your minute, and you pray, meditate or reflect a minute on September 21, 2009 at Noon.

Odyssey Networks is “the nation's largest coalition of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith groups dedicated to media production, and distribution of media. Odyssey’s membership includes over 40 faith groups and organizations and comprises more than 200,000 congregations with 120 million congregants.” ( Mission Statement)

Visit Odyssey Networks to get acquainted with their mission and work, and opportunities to find bloggers, discussion groups, and young advocates for Peace Movement , films, etc.

To pledge click here on Pledge to Pray for Peace.

Still undecided ? Watch below:

“By working together, there will be peace one day” JEREMY GILLEY

Jeremy Gilley is an actor turned film maker, who in the late 1990's became preoccupied with questions about the fundamental nature of humanity and the issue of peace. He decided to explore these through the medium of film, and specifically, to create a documentary following his campaign to establish a day of ceasefire and non-violence.
In 1999, Jeremy founded Peace One Day, a non-profit organisation, and in 2001 Peace One Day's efforts were rewarded when the United Nations unanimously adopted the first-ever day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September annually - Peace Day.
In 2007 according to the UN, over 100 million people were active on Peace Day, in 192 countries. There were life-saving initiatives in 14 countries, and over 80 activities in Afghanistan alone where 1.4 million children were vaccinated against polio. (YouTube.)