Sliding Into Summer

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.
-- John Lubbock



no sweltering swaggering entrance
just a soft sweet beginning
summer settling in

My first day of summer started with an early morning ride to downtown Everett to serve on Jury Duty. I was proud to find out that in Snohomish County 92% T0 95% of usually show up to serve our Jury Duty.

I found myself intrigued by the responses of some of my fellow citizens during the jury selection. One woman had marked no in response to the question of can you be a fair and impartial juror. I was immediately curious as to why she came. When queried by the judge about her answer as to why she answered as she did, she responded, "I'm opinionated and intolerant." Then, I admired in honesty. By the time the judge asked clarifying question of her, I was impressed with his wisdom. This is my third time to appear for jury duty. I still find it a fascinating process. I was neither selected nor rejected for today's still as they reached their quota for panel before they got to my number. So I am looking forward to going back tomorrow except for the part of getting up early.

In spite of not having written in a sometime, I have not abandoned
my blog completely. Hmm, I have been wandering or wondering around
the non-cyber world including taking a vacation to Northeastern Oregon/Southern Eastern Washington.

Since I last wrote I have spent time with three favorite spiritual teachers. Karunamayi, Ammachi, and Agnes Pilgrim Baker(oldest living member of the Confederated Siletz Tribes of Oregon and Chair of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. I have had an opportunity to meet, listen to and speak with author Gayle Redfern who has studied with. communicated with indigenous elders around the world.

This Friday, I looking forward to seeing Nadia Duvan, last living shaman of her Southeastern Siberian Ulchi tribe.

I am in awe of all these inspiring women and the selfless work that they do. It is nourishing to be around such amazing, diverse women who embody a deep reverence and compassion for our world and spirituality, God, the Beloved.

And I didn't make my goal of losing 10 lbs by May 22. A didn't lose an ounce. I have continued my daily meditation, but stopped the exercise program at that told.

However, after seeing Karunamayi on May 22 and asking her to help me lose weight, I have lost 7-8 lbs.

May we have a wondrous summer

freeway - field of red lights ahead
left lane driver shifts right, right to center, center to left
same result - all stop

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves." - Albert Einstein

frenetically weaving in and out
daredevil's actions gains total of zero
freeway

"Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead." - Mac McCleary

Yeah! Seattle Celebrates Compassion

There is a celebration taking place today at Center for Spiritual Living, 5801 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington.

Seattle has made history again by being the first city to affirm the Charter for Compassion and to commit to the 10-year Campaign for Compassionate Cities.

The Compassionate Action Network & Seeds of Compassion for: Compassionate Seattle: It's Up to Us!This event marks the two-year anniversary of Seeds of Compassion, which was the largest event in the history of Washington State.

Religion scholar and popular author Karen Armstrong will be the keynote speaker along with James O'Dea, and Courtney E. Martin.

It is wonderful to see the seeds planted growing and taking root.

Bananas

I read a wonderful book review by Theresa Poalucci, entitled The Infamous Banana - a fruit with a jaded past and uncertain future, in local Edmonds paper The Journal. The review was of Dan Koeppel's book Banana - The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World.

I am intrigued enough about the history, the infamous banana republics, to consider reading the book. The thing I found most curious in the review was the fact bananas plants have a disease that is killing them off, they don't grow from seeds, and are herbs.

So I decided to see what the Oxford Dictionary had to say, from AskOxford.com

Is a banana a fruit or a herb?

Both. A banana (the yellow thing you peel and eat) is undoubtedly a fruit (containing the seeds of the plant: see answer regarding tomatoes), though since commercially grown banana plants are sterile, the seeds are reduced to little specks. However, the banana plant, though it is called a 'banana-tree' in popular usage, is technically regarded as a herbaceous plant (or 'herb'), not a tree, because the stem does not contain true woody tissue

with a flick of her wrist ash clouds appear
we can only watch and wait
nature is still mistress of this realm

"As we move through life, the force of fate creates events that we only appreciate when we reflect on our existence." Ronald Harmon

Poem and excerpt from blog post Season of Resurrection - April 12, 2010 · by Christine on website abbeyofthearts.com:

Do you have a body? Don’t sit on the porch!
Go out and walk in the rain!
If you are in love,
then why are you asleep?
Wake up, wake up!
You have slept millions of years
Why not wake up this morning

-Kabir

Something always amazing happens when I cocoon.  Cocooning is the revolutionary act of taking care of yourself rather than pushing through. It means quieting and listening to the body’s gentle, insistent whispers.  It means slowing down rather than speeding up.  Cocooning creates space for the body to heal and in the process the spirit has space to roam freely and ponder the wide landscape of possibility.  While turning inward I rediscovered some essential things about self-nourishment which have gone neglected for too long in this overly full season of my life.  So I return back home with a longing to respond to Kabir’s invitation to walk in the rain and awaken my senses.