- My dear friend, mentor, and spiritual teacher, Bill Bauman, who I regard as a shining star that heals, inspires, and forever shines in the depths of my soul.
- A friend for many years, Nirmala, who has a gift in expressing the unexplainable in the most loving and tender way that continues to astound me.
- A friend and spiritual teacher, Gina Lake, whose depth of caring and boundless gifts shine throughout.
- My loving and open hearted daughter, who has taught me patience, love, and wisdom and will forever be a source of joy and love.
- My dear friend and confidant, Nancy Glass, who has been a shining example of freedom, dance, and openness and will always have a special place in my heart.
- Paula Mullins who has always shared her wise perspective on life, relationships, and work… which is nothing less than miraculous.
- The late Steve Murphy, a man of deep conviction and empathy, offered many gifts at the most challenging times of my life.
- To my clients and students who have inspired me through their resilience, fortitude, and love of life.
Gather The Men
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It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are. - e.e. cummings
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You are not just a meaningless fragment in an alien universe…Underneath your outer form, you are connected with something so vast, so immeasurable and sacred, that it cannot be spoken of… I am speaking of it now not to give you something to believe in but to show you how you can know it for yourself. – Eckhart Tolle
- Our task must be to free ourselves...by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures,
the whole of nature, and its beauty. - Albert Einstein
The Cracked Pot
Author unknown
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it, and
while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water
at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the
cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on
daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in
his master's house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.
But the poor
cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was
able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the
water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load
because this crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to
your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work,
and you
don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful
flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun
warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path,
and this cheered
it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had
leaked out half its load,
and so again it apologized to the bearer for its
failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path,
but not on the other pot's side? I planted flower seeds on your side of the
path, and every day while we walk
back from the stream, you've watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have
this beauty to grace his house."
The Woodcarver
A Taoist Tale – Chuang Tzu
Khing, the master carver, made a bell stand of precious wood.
When it was finished, all who saw it were astounded. They said it must be the work of Spirits.
The Prince of Lu said to the master carver: “What is your secret?”
Khing replied, “I am only a workman: I have no secret. There is only this:
When I began to think about the work you commanded I guarded my spirit, did not expend it on trifles, that were not to the point.
I fasted in order to set my heart to rest. After three days of fasting, I had forgotten gain and success.
After five days I had forgotten praise or criticism. After seven days I had forgotten my body with all its limbs.
By this time all thought of your Highness and of the court had faded away. All that might distract me from the work had vanished.
I was collected in the single thought of the bell stand. Then I went to the forest to see the trees in their own natural state.
When the right tree appeared before my eyes, the bell stand also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt.
All I had to do was to put forth my hand and begin. If I had not met this particular tree there would have been no bell stand at all.
What happened? My own collected thought encountered the hidden potential in the wood;
from this live encounter came the work
which you ascribe to the spirits.
"On a day when the wind is perfect the sail just needs to open
and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day."
Rumi |
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