Music as Prayer...

Sometimes I find listening to music is almost like a religious experience...  When it's deep and heartfelt it moves the soul...  it stirs, it shakes...

When I listen to a singer really put themselves into a song, it almost feels like a form of prayer...

Deep genuine concern and interest...

The more I explore, the more I come to realize these things are gems...  rare treasures...

Done with fullness in spirit... with complete enthusiasm... with a genuine sense of wonder and wanting to know more...

These create an amazing feeling of connection... A healing connection that whence found, if one is wise... becomes a bond to be cherished... if cultivated it becomes a bond most sacred.

Tolerance?

Le sigh...  I know for myself I often have to catch myself from falling into pits of self-righteousness...  But what makes me feel sick to my stomach is when I see fellow veg-heads approach others not-behaving-like-themselves... with so much open hostility and anger...

If I came from an omnivore perspective, I'd say "Who the Hell are YOU  To think that you're so much better than me?"

Even when fighting for a good cause... Self-righteousness only serves to divide...  It stirs up anger, hate, and discord.  It's a way of inflating one's own ego...

I find myself battling my own sense of self-righteousness...  Perhaps even saying I'm uncomfortable with other people when they're openly hostile... perhaps that has a tinge of self-righteousness...  The only thing I really know is when something makes me feel uncomfortable to my chest...  I feel hurt inside, like a twisting in my chest followed by feelings of sadness...

Somehow there is irony in promoting "compassion" while condemning the actions of others.  In an ideal world, to me true compassion lies in understanding the actions of others.  From that understanding we develop a sense of sameness since we all have our own self-work to do on some level.  And hopefully from that we develop an attitude of kindness, caring, gentleness...  and love despite perceived difference.

I dunno... I feel sad... my heart sinks reading angry comments of fellow veg-heads...  Though I know there are times I fall into my own boat of self-righteousness and intolerance...

When things aren't exactly as we want... Pain, suffering...

Our beings are challenged when the world around us isn't exactly as we want...  When we experience pain and suffering whether it's physical or mental...

These challenges exercise our patience...  To see if we can truly remain kind, gentle, and loving no matter what the situation...

Hardship is often a pathway for the Soul to grow and expand...

38 years...

Happy 38th to my parents... They're still loving and affectionate after all of these years...  I'm guessing they never stopped feeling lucky...

Sharing with a Special Someone...

One of the things I enjoy most about having a special someone in my life...  It's sharing the beautiful things I experience in my own life... The things that move me deeply...  With the hopes that they too might partake in the wonderful fulfilling feelings I experience when being immersed in the beauty of whatever it is I'm experiencing...  Food, Music, Nature, Quiet Moments, Spiritual Moments, ....Loving Moments

There's something healing about sharing that which is beautiful....

Seeing people who have passed in dreams...

It was so nice to see my Nina in my dream...  Apparently I gave myself a haircut and left all sorts of bald patches...  She was concerned and offered to help fix my funny haircut.  So good to see her.  :)

Denying my feelings...

It's completely clear what I feel when I drift off to sleep...
It's completely clear I can't deny these things...
The only thing I can do is expand my heart to make room to love even more...