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MONDAY’S POEM: Connection
The theme I started today’s poem with is “Connection.” I am feeling connected. The last several days have been all about connection: from our trip south, connecting along with way with family and friends, to the event we attended with Red Elephant and connecting with the “herd” at the Stand, Speak and Profit program, to the Ashram, Amrit Yoga Institute and yoga practice, and now prepared to return “home” – to reconnect. The Big Connect for these days is to the future – our newest grandson, Tristan, who brings a new light into the world! Can I summarize all of these delicious feelings in a poem?
Connection
I like the feeling of the word.
I like the sense of it –
The two “ns” in the middle
Are connectors –
Like twins holding hands
Across the word.
I like the feel of the “co”
Within the breath –
A catch in the throat and
A soft exhalation.
Across the “ns” we connect
With the click
In the throat and
With the tongue.
Another quieting sound
Of the breath moving to the close
Of the word
With the trailing n.
Connection.
We are all looking for connection.
And as with all things conscious
The connection begins within.
There is no outer; we create with
The connection within.
It is all inside.
And from there the connection
With breath begins
The connection with the All.
It is deep, inside.
It grows there expanding
Ever deeper and higher and wider
Taking in the totality of it all.
Connection can only expand
From the inside.
Just as all love flows
From self-love,
So too does all connection flow
From inner connection.
Breath
Body
Vibration
Prana
Yoga
Union
Connection.
It is all right here.
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
A FRIDAY POEM FROM “RHYTHMS AND CYCLES” – A Poem for Tristan
Yesterday was an eventful day! Our newest grandson, Tristan Wallace Bredeson, was born! Rosemary and I are at a conference in Orlando which also started Thursday. We knew some additional testing was being done for the baby, not due until August 24, but did not expect his arrival so soon! When we got word of his impending birth we began to wait and wonder; just as excited as expecting parents ourselves!
I began this poem while we still did not know; parents had not wanted to know the gender of this child and we did not even know name choices! I completed the poem after a few details were added. I include it in this volume, “Rhythms and Cycles”, because birth is certainly the beginning of another cycle! And I’m happy to share the joy of this new cycle!
A Poem for Tristan
I hold my breath
Waiting to hear in the silence
That first ring of life-news.
Is he here? Is she breathing?
Has our new grandchild
Joined us on the Mother’s surface
Breathing the Mother’s air?
And I wait.
I glance at my phone for signs.
I see only a dark face.
Cold technology is waiting
for some signal to let us know
All is well.
The phone remains inert,
Resting in that space of silence
Between breaths, between updates.
I take a breath.
Does baby take a breath?
I take a baby-breath
As baby takes his first breaths.
“Can I make my breath
As soft as a baby’s?”
Can baby breathe a healthy
Breath of air – and spirit?
Yes, I believe he can!
Then all comes to life
As we learn the joyous news
That all is well and he is here.
He may be early, anxious for
Sun, Moon, Stars to be just right.
He may be small, for now;
He will grow into his big name!
Tristan Wallace Bredeson is here!
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
CRYSTALS AND YOU – Richard’s Commentary
As I write this we are in Florida visiting friends on our way to a conference in Orlando. The items we brought, combining housewarming (our friends moved here recently) and host gifts, are crystals. In fact our son, who has been collecting crystals since he was two, sent a special quartz crystal he had found in Raleigh, NC, to our “adopted grandson”, aged 6, as a special connection. We are all tapping into the “wisdom of the worlds.”
Here is the paragraph from Rosemary’s channeled message from The Divine Feminine that I most resonate with:
Not all people alive at this time are ready to hear the Wisdom of the Worlds as transmitted by these crystals, and, so, they will deny the value or, indeed, even the idea of crystals as messengers. They will dismiss crystals as ‘new age fads’ or ‘just fancy rocks.’ When you hear this from a person, or if you feel this yourself, know that this attitude comes from a fear of the challenge of personal growth. If you are connecting to these words then, Dear One, you are ready for personal growth through a personal relationship with the Crystal Kingdom.
Many people are awakening to this special and “personal relationship.” We have another friend in the Annapolis area who hosts a crystal grid and sing bowls meditation once each month. These experiences are some of the most powerful meditation experiences I have had recently. And I am pleased and impressed by the number of young people who are attending. Several help with the hundreds of pounds of crystals set up each month. They are clearly ready for the “personal relationship.”
What does this mean exactly? I can’t explain it with rational thought or logical words. These are feelings. There is a vibrational experience and sensibility that works on trans-rational levels. It could be loosely compared to intoxication, but it is a trip of the mind/soul/spirit rather than a chemical trip of the body. And there is a Universe of “information” available on these trips. I am still processing my last experience with the crystals.
Do you have a crystal with which you resonate? If so you can simply sit with it. Hold it in any way that feels comfortable. Let your mind drift. Follow your breath. Then begin to gently tune in to the crystal. This is usually a very subtle process; a sensitive attunement with the energy radiating from the crystal. It is a delicate “listening” experience…listen with your entire person, especially inside. Tune out the five senses and “listen” with your heart. After a little while set the crystal aside and record what you experienced.
If you need to find a crystal to discover a “personal relationship” you can simply locate a “rock shop” in your area; you can find very inexpensive and yet powerful crystals almost anywhere these days (the Crystal Kingdom is seeking these relationships). Go into the shop in this “listening” mode described above. First sense the overall feeling of the shop. If it feels dead, low energy, or if you sense any negativity from the shopkeeper, choose another shop. But in my experience it is rare for a shop with crystals to have negative energy. To find “your” crystal simple scan the collection in the sensitive mode, listening with your heart. The crystal will call out to you!
Of course, if none of this makes any sense to you, you may not be ready for this “personal relationship.” And that’s OK too! We are all growing and developing at our individual rates. Remain in flow and patient!
For all of us, in all stages of development, the Crystal Kingdom is blessing us with their energy and messages!
New Moon in Leo I Ching Divination
I love New Moons. And I love working with the I Ching around these times of new energy, new beginnings, fresh starts each month (or moonth!). And I especially like this New Moon: both Rosemary and I are Leos. If you too are a Leo I celebrate you! And if you are not I recommend making some Leo friends!
One of the reasons I love the I Ching is because it works! I think my example this month demonstrates this beautifully. Last month the accomplished Gua, the six-line symbol of yin and yang lines (open and closed) that we ended the month with was Union. (See that post.) Among other things that symbol referred to partnerships, marriages. And it is significant that Rosemary and I celebrated our 31st Anniversary just as the Sun was moving into Leo on July 22. And, yes, we did commit to additional years of marriage (I’m looking forward to another 31 years!).
And here is the interesting thing. The Gua I cast for the Leo New Moon is Heng which means Long Lasting! I picture the Gua here:
Master Alfred Huang, author of my main reference text, The Complete I Ching, says this about Long Lasting: “The union of husband and wife should not be short lived.” From the Cancer New Moon when we celebrated Union we continue on this Leo month with the “Long Lasting of that Union”! And the I Ching decision is:
Long lasting
Prosperous and smooth.
No fault.
Favorable to be steadfast and upright.
Favorable to have somewhere to go.
The beginning of the month looks good. And we are about to begin a trip to visit family and friends, and to attend a conference; a combination of a work and play trip. Long Lasting seems to favor this trip.
It is a good time to look at partnerships, especially long-term partnerships. Renew them; honor them; celebrate them! And take this Gua’s decision to heart.
Now, notice that there are two “9 lines” at the second and fourth positions. These are changing lines; in this case the 9s can shift to 6s, from yang lines to yin lines. Master Huang suggests reading the lower changing line to derive the accomplished Gua. This yields Xiao Guo which means Little Exceeding. It is pictured here:
An initial reaction to this Gua may be a bit negative. There are several warning components in the text, but the main message is more cautionary than negative. Part of the Decision says:
A flying bird leaves a message:
Not appropriate to ascend
Appropriate to descend.
This means it is time to pause and assess. Now is a good time to take small steps and make small adjustments. Reflect. It is good to do this with the Leo sun. We are in harvest time now. The Celtic cross-quarter day of Lughnasadh or Lammas is celebrated in early August. It is time to both reap the rewards of hard work and take stock of the supplies moving toward fall and winter. Be prepared for the coming shift. Note the symbol of the flying bird and the warning to descend. We are moving toward the descent of the season. After Lammas begin to notice that the days are growing significantly shorter.
And here is the good news: the mutual Gua which contains the hidden meaning for Little Exceeding is Da Guo, Great Exceeding! In this month of Little Exceeding, we can prepare for something big on the horizon. The harvest will be sufficient. Be ready for this Great Exceeding by tending to details and making the necessary small adjustment now.
Are you ready for the harvest? Tend to the details and celebrate Lammas; note the changing light as we move toward Equinox; and enjoy the warm and inviting Leo Sun!
A FRIDAY POEM FROM “RHYTHMS AND CYCLES” – Grandmother Moon (a reprise)
It hasn’t been that long since I published this poem. But for you new followers, in case you missed it, here it is again. And here we are again, sinking with the moon as she falls ever further behind in her race with the sun. I seem to be sensing the “death” of this particular moon, into the Leo sun, even more powerfully than usual. Maybe the Lion’s jaws are fierce and strong and Grandmother is falling toward them with more than her usual reluctance!
Do you feel the effects of the “old moon” a day or two before the new moon? Check in with your intuitive nature. The moon is there to support that feminine side of you!
Grandmother Moon
She is dying into the arms
Of the Father.
She is old and worn,
So close to his breast.
What will you give her
To offer the Father?
Her emptiness can hold all
You have to release.
Are your standards so fixed
To forgive and forget?
Let fly the high-horse
To Grandmother Moon.
Release your regrets
To her skinny white arms.
She’ll fold them and hold all
To burn with her heart.
In three days she’ll appear
Reborn and renewed.
Look to the west for the joy
Of her face and rejoice.
You too are new!
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
We Are Family – Richard’s Commentary
I want to begin my comments with Rosemary’s ending to her Exploration:
This is important 21st Century work for each human being. Love yourself. Be Who You REALLY Are. Be the Light. Write your own story.
…and create your family; “we are family”! This is a lesson I have learned and continue to learn from Rosemary. It started over 30 years ago (we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary yesterday!). We came together with kids; Rosemary had a daughter and I had two sons. From the very beginning we made a conscious choice, and from then on a conscious and valiant effort, to blend and create a “nuclear” family of the five of us. And it worked. Today our 30-something kids could not be closer if they were blood-related. We are family!
And we each have our extended families. I met Rosemary’s at her sister’s wedding. The vibe is dominated by Italian ancestry; my Norwegian/Swiss (northern) ancestry was welcomed in with open arms and big hugs. My cold northern blood melted right in to this southern love. Meanwhile my family remains pretty much in tact in Wisconsin – that Norwegian blood just likes it cold! I love them, visit (in the summer/fall) now and then. We are family!
And then we have our ultra-extended family that spans the globe from here north into Canada, east to Europe, south to Australia, west to China. We have grandchildren here in Maryland, another on the way in California. And then there are our adopted grandchildren/god-children spread all over from England to Florida and far beyond. Our younger friends with children just seem to know: we are family! (Of course, the children know it immediatedly!)
We are about to begin a fun trip to Florida for a work-related conference in Orlando next week. On the way (we are driving) we will stop in Raleigh, NC to visit with our youngest child, catching up with that part of the nuclear family and his delightful girl friend. Then it is on to Brunswick, GA to visit long-term, but not seen in years, friends; and even though there is a serious back injury in the picture here, we are compelled to spend the night – “you are family.” Then it is on to Tampa to visit more friends and one of our adopted grand/god-children. After the Orlando conference it is on to Amrit Ashram to visit a nephew and Gurudev. We are family!
And my story goes on. It is still unfolding. We have more family members to meet; they are out there waiting for us. As Rosemary says:
…write a NEW story! You have permission. You are Lady or Lord Creator of Your Own Truth! Love yourself enough to be the creator of a fine life story. Be the ancestor of a legacy that makes you proud and smiling today.
Be the love. Be the light. Go meet your family; they are out there waiting for you! Be the ancestor of a legacy! And remember:
We are family!
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: Be the Family You Want to Have!
Rosemary’s “Two-Minute” Video for this Week: Be the Family You Want to Have!
MONDAY’S POEM: Inner Life
We are approaching the time of the Sun in Leo! If you are a Leo, as Rosemary and I are (same birthday: August 2) then you understand the exclamation point! If you aren’t a Leo find a Leo friend!
The Sun moves into Leo tomorrow, July 22; one characteristic of Leos is they know things like this, even if they aren’t into Astrology! (They also use a lot of exclamation points!) And, if you share the same birthday with someone close, like a spouse, then you tend to celebrate birthdays for much longer than a day!
The only point of all of this (besides announcing my birthday) is that I wrote this poem when the Sun was in Leo in 2011. Enjoy! And don’t be surprised to see more Leonine poems here over the next few weeks!
Inner Life
There is a secret to this
Inner Life:
It is reflected in the outer.
To find peace in the world
Still the heart,
Still the mind.
To find abundance in the world
Enrich the Inner,
Fill the heart
With Love.
To find wisdom in the world
Still the mind,
Fill the mind
From Source.
To find joy in the world
Reach inward
Fill the Heart-Mind
With radiance!
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
A FRIDAY POEM FROM RHYTHMS AND CYCLES – “The Future is Now”
Rosemary’s Exploration, posted today on her blog (look for it here next Wednesday), is about choice, about choosing our family, our life, our Truth. It’s about rewriting our stories the way we want them to be lived and told.
I came across this poem before I read her article; they seem to go together. All time is NOW. When we live in the present every moment is a moment of our choosing. Dream into your own reality!
The Future is Now
If the future is now
Dreams are now.
This is Dream Time.
And is the past now?
Forgiveness is now.
This is the lesson.
Now is only now,
Past time, Dream Time,
All one now.
©2014 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
The Moon and YOU! – Richard’s Commentary
Do you pay attention to the moon? Right now we are being inundated with rain here in Maryland, so I can’t see the moon. But I know she is waning after fullness last Saturday. We’ll soon be coming up on last quarter and then a week later a New Moon. The cycle repeats reminding us of rhythm. Moon cycles are like breaths; she swells from newness to fullness as with a two-week inhale, and then shrinks from fullness back to newness on her two-week exhale. She reminds us to breathe with her: big, full abdominal breaths.
As some of you may know I cast an I Ching Gua on every New Moon. A gua is a six-line hexagram made up of yin and yang(open and solid) lines. (My last post about this can be found HERE for the last New Moon.) I do this for a number of reasons but the key one is I am curious about what new things the New Moon is bringing in, especially what the energies, specifically the energies of change may offer during the month between the New Moons. It is fun to go back over the month and the “reading” of the I Ching to see the correspondences between the reading and actual events! I am amazed at the accuracy!
Another tool I use in conjunction with moon cycles is my Possibilities Playbook I created during Rosemary’s January Possibilities Playshop. My Playbook is a 12-month notebook filled with pictures, phrases, themes and other guidance that I intuitively chose to go into my book in January. Of course, the book is laid out according to the moon phases. Now I record plans, events, feelings and senses of how unfolding reality aligns with what I set in motion in January. This tool is like a “vision board on steroids.” The pictures, words, phrases are pulled from magazines not with desires, hopes, plans in mind but how I want to feel. Looking back on the process I had no idea why certain pictures appealed to me. Now as I examine the pictures in context of what is actually happening I get it! And I am continually amazed!
There are lots of reasons to pay attention to the moon cycles in your life. Certainly gardening and farming, fishing and boating are activities influenced by the moon. I was pleased to learn, during a tour of Napa Valley a few years ago, that at least one vintner, Grgche Hills Estates, uses the phases of the moon for planting, pruning and harvesting. As they say: “Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, we farm our five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, rely on wild yeast fermentation…”
The moon has so much to offer us if we let her into our lives. Think of all the songs we would miss if not for the moon! Pay attention. Note the days on the calendar when she fill, empties and goes dark for a time. Keep a diary of how you feel in relation to the phases. Note your dreams and if they are influenced. Be aware of peoples’ driving and how it changes with the changing moon. You too may be amazed at what you find!
Men and The Goddess 