Red, Alabaster, and Blue
He is a young African American male.
By the time he hits draft age he might be dead or live in jail
And he found his life of crime when they said “No Child Left Behind”
He’s an American too.
She is 90 with dementia all alone
Well, her family couldn’t take it so they put her in that home
And now she withers down to bones and at night she gently moans.
She’s an American Too
She is a young Hmong refugee, She’s full with Child.
If her Daddy finds out He will go insanely wild
They say they understand her plight, call themselves the Christian Right.
She’s An American Too.
Chorus:
And all they Wanted was to be Free
But greenback dollars can’t buy you dignity
Black Gold and Icebergs separate us from them.
Time to re write the master plan.
It is terminal, he’s sick, he needs a cure
He’s a second class citizen because he’s uninsured
He will leave his family broke because our health care is a joke.
He’s an American Too
She is a Mexican, She loves her family
She risks her life to cross the boarder to harvest the trees
And they get dollars to her dime She works triple the time.
What she would give to be American too.
He is a young attractive man and he is gay.
Well, they beat him and they burned him and they left him that way
And now the 26th of April is the Silent Day.
He’s an American too.
Chorus II:
And all they Wanted was a better life
And to be Equal, no matter black, rainbow, or white
It’s getting risky to demonstrate for peace.
You just might get shot down by police
We’re Crying Oh …….
His hair is curly skin is freckled eyes are green
No Irish Need Apply, What’s wrong Mick Can’t you read
Right off the boat he hits the land..they shove a gun into his hands.
Saying, “You’ll Die for America Too”.
Her skin is black her hair is curly eyes are brown
Arrived here in shackles and her master threw her down
And she grits her pearly whites cuz they’ll beat her if she fights
She’s an American Too.
His skin is Red his eyes are brown his hair is black
Lived here in peace until the White Man attacked
And he tries to understand how a man could own the land.
He’s an American Too.
Chorus III
And all they wanted was to be free
But they were robbed and ripped of their dignity
And their Grandmother’s are crying in their graves.
How some Americans Behaved
They watched their babies turned to slaves
Their babies built this place.
They’re crying Oh…..
My hair is Red, Skin’s Alabaster and I’m Blue
I’m a spiritual shaman and my lover is a Jew
And we’re fierce and we’re proud and we serve our songs up loud
And we are American’s too.
But there was a time they would have torched me without care
Tied me to that stake for the color of my hair
And I’m not the only one
It’s been done and done and done
And we are Americans too
My Hair is Red, Skin’s Alabaster, and I’m Blue
And I’m an American Too.
– words and music by Celia La
Nourishment for the Soul
My trip to Northern California was full of beauty. Here is an exploration of my journey in pictures:
The deep blue sea, dark green forest, the intricacy of nature, the vastness all around, rolling hills, the site where I presented a class on prosperity.
The time was relaxing, refreshing, and did a good job of feeding me in all of the ways I needed. I came home with renewed clarity as to what’s important and what isn’t.
I received many gifts. From the sea, I forged again a connection with the primordial depths; from the sky, I rejoiced in the freedom of the gulls in flight, and the infinitude of the starry sky; from the land, I shared in the abundance of growth, I reveled in the beauty of a purple flower amidst a field of barley, and the intricate shapes made by rocks and old stumps.
As in the days of old, we taught our classes outside. There is nothing like a talk on prosperity when the abundance of the earth is so obviously all around us.
When tomorrow comes
Today I have had the fortunate challenge of working on some of my investment properties in their various stages of being. I have one unit that was vacated at the beginning of the month and needed some cleanup, so I have been coordinating cleaning, rug replacement, and landscaping. I’m happy to say that except for a last minute sweeping, it’s ready to be rented again. I’ve also been working on my newly acquired triplex – the mundane things like getting the electricity turned on, and figuring out how many gallons of paint we need to paint the exterior, not to mention getting an idea of all of the little things that need to be done to make it rent-ready. And finally, I have been in negotiation with another partner on a 16-unit building. We really can’t do anything further on this until next week, but it’s exciting nonetheless. And so my little empire grows.
So how is this a win/win situation?
Well, I am primarily the wheeler/dealer on these deals, but there are several people involved in each one. I have partners who are participating in one way or another, either by providing funds, expertise, grunt work, support, etc. Our agreements all need to be worked out to each person’s satisfaction.
And then I have the people for whom I am providing housing. I believe myself to be a fair property manager – perhaps sometimes a little TOO fair – but I find I get better results with kindness and respect than drawing hard lines. Some people would disagree with that, but so far, even when I need to deal with a non-performing tenant, I find I can do so with a minimum of hassle, as long as we keep it civil and between two adults. Believe me, I know what hard times are like, so I have more than a small share of compassion. At the same time, I need to be cognizant of the fact that this is a business, and because of that, sometimes I need to make hard decisions. In the long run, though, I have great tenants, and I have had more than one thank me for the opportunity to rent from me. I really enjoy knowing that I am helping them.
In addition to handling my real estate investment business, I have also had some dealings with running the comic book store today, including negotiations to cut expenses. It is encouraging to see that I can be treated with the same level of understanding and respect that I offer to others. What goes around comes around.
Tomorrow, I leave all of this mayhem behind me for four days, as I head out for a much-needed mini-vacation; a speaking engagement/camping trip on the Northern California coast – 80’s by day, 50’s by night. What a refreshing idea after this week’s Arizona temperatures in the 100’s already. Where I am headed has no wireless access, so no laptop, no internet, not even a cell phone. I can’t wait!
What About Me?
I am currently reading a phenomenal book called, “What About Me? A Novel Approach to Personal Growth” by Jacqueline M. Dierks, PhD. Jackie Dierks was my therapist for two years, during and following my two year training in Gestalt Therapy at the Gestalt Institute of Phoenix. It always helps to have someone to talk with when going through such intense training, and Jackie was great! She was so supportive and positive, and her suggestions made so much sense! I really enjoyed having her as a therapist, and probably continued going to her for my once a month appointment months after I didn’t really need to anymore, just because I loved basking in the warmth and appreciation I felt with her.
Her book brings me right back to those sessions.
The book gives us an inside peek into the therapy sessions of a troubled young woman, Samantha, who has challenges coping with her family. Maggie, the therapist in the story, confronts the issues in a gentle, yet straightforward way, offering suggestions to Samantha, that are exercises that anyone can practice.
The appendices in the book also give handouts that we can use in our own journeys toward greater self-awareness and self-control.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to, well, everyone! And especially me.
As a coach, it is important for me to continually check in with myself, to see where I am at, so that I can give my best to those I work with. This book took me right back to the therapy sessions I had with Jackie, and I have found that in the past two days, I have been remembering the very basic function of breathing consciously. It makes all the difference, especially in stressful situations.
As a result, my life seems to be flowing better than ever. I don’t feel rushed. I don’t feel overwhelmed. I feel as though I am in the flow.
Couldn’t we all use a little more affluence (being in the flow) in our lives?
Time budget
I have just finished a very challenging week.
It was challenging because I didn’t have enough time to do all of the things I needed to do, let alone time for myself. Usually, I am pretty good at juggling, but this past week was busier than usual, and I didn’t get everything done. I have decided that I really need to budget my time better, and I am going to use the same model that I use for my finances.
50% of my time will be spent on necessities – putting out the fires that arise and doing what is necessary to maintain what I have, including money making activities to keep things going
10% of my time will be spent on education – this can include reading, taking classes, going to seminars, webinars, etc.
10% of my time will be spent on play – doing something for no other reason than I enjoy it. This is one of the hardest categories for me. Even when I am doing something I love, I am usually doing it FOR something else. This 10% is challenging me to do things for NO reason but enjoyment. Spend time with my family, my partner – going to the movies, whatever! And networking doesn’t count!
10% of my time will be spent on planning. The planning will consist of sitting down and looking at my long term goals, and seeing if my yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily goals are in line with where I am going. If not, I will adjust accordingly, and incorporate my new to-do’s into my necessities time.
10% of my time will be spent on my spirituality and/or charity work. This is my giving back, and it is also my receiving of spiritual wealth. Without this, nothing else will mean a thing to me. As a minister, I have folks to serve, and I will not let this work get short-changed by any other part of my life.
10% of my time will be spent on me, just me. This includes exercising, journalling, meditating – all of the things I do to ensure I am healthy and balanced.
There are 168 hours in a week. I am budgeting 7 hours a day for sleeping, and 8 on Sunday (so I can sleep in at least one day a week if I want). So that leaves 120 hours for everything else. 50% = 60 hours per week for work; 10% = 12 hours per week each for my other 5 categories.
I’ll let you know how it works out.
Journeys of the Underworld
I found myself going down, down
into the darkness of
the cavity of neverending cave
And in that darkness
Iridescent light revealed
ghastly, tortured masks
of souls in agony
Frozen forever in their pain.
Down past the painful parade
I tumbled and fell,
Into the realm of beasts
and primitive practices.
I could hear the tribal drums
and visions came to me
of blood-curling rituals
as shamans cut out the hearts
of sacrifical offerings
and held them up
to the Gods
in the moonlight
as they sang their mournful song
of lost souls
and guided them
down avenues long forgotten
back to the heart of Life.
I tumbled past the hunter,
the murderer with poised knife,
calm nerves,
mouth twisted in anger and revenge
as he braced himself for the kill.
I tumbled past the forlorn mother
forever wandering in twilight
seeking her stillborn child
and grieving incessantly.
I tumbled into the fire
of ever-burning hatred
bent on destroying
everything in its path,
And I came out of that flame
charred, but alive
left only with that shining glory
which cannot be destroyed.
I suffered the turmoil of banishment
as friend and foe alike
turned their backs on me
and I wandered alone
lost in the mirages
of old and worn experiences
begging over and over for revival.
I fell on and on
ever tumbling head over heels
not knowing which way was aright
Until I came face to face
with the part of me
who had committed every sin
every injustice
every blasphemy,
the ugly troll hiding under
the rainbow bridge,
And I faced myself with steady eyes
and looked deep and long
into the wounds
that created this creature….
And I forgave.
The Spiritual Matrix
Do you know how in The Matrix, it is revealed that we are all just led to believe that this is reality, when in actuality, we are being brainwashed and controlled? Well, I don’t think that is so far from the truth.
According to many religions and throughout recorded history, references have been made to a power, an energy, a spiritual source, wherein, if one could access it, miracles could be performed. Great spiritual leaders and gurus, including Jesus, Moses, Mohammad, Gandhi, and Buddha, to name a few, have talked of this spiritual energy source. Today, through Quantum Physics, we have proof that such an energy field exists and that we are all within it, and a part of it. Sometimes it is referred to as the Mind of God; sometimes as Collective Consciousness, sometimes as Source, or the Great Spirit. No matter what the name, it is all the same thing.
This energy is malleable! This energy is the creative energy of the universe! This energy can and does provide us with anything we desire – based upon our beliefs! Unfortunately, we have been brainwashed to believe that we cannot have certain things, or that certain other things don’t exist, and so we close our minds to the opportunities, and thus to the current that could make it come to be.
Everything in our lives is there because we have brought it into being as co-creators with this spiritual matrix. We have created a web of experiences, feelings, thoughts, and beliefs that have brought our lives to this moment. When we WANT something, we are believing that we don’t HAVE it. Yet, in the realm of the spiritual matrix, all realities exist simultaneously, so in a different reality, the object of our desire already exists.
How do we get past the brainwashing to discover how to align our beliefs with our desires in a way that will bring them to manifestation?
We need to learn to re-brainwash ourselves on a higher level from that which created what we now think exists. We do this by first recognizing our part in creating that which we perceive; this is being accountable for our lives and everything in them. Then we get in touch with our heart energy, with the compassion at the core of our beings, and we sincerely forgive others who we believe have wronged us. From this place of pure love and acceptance, we can begin the process of re-creating our world to be more in alignment with our love, with our desires, with our highest values by knowing it already is. We can supplement this on a daily basis with affirmations, declarations, hypnotherapy, repetition, anything that reinforces our new way of thinking, and doesn’t let the old ways take hold again.
In going through this exercise, we get in touch with that energy, that spirit, which knows our very own blueprint. We align with that, and from this place, we effortlessly find opportunities to bring our blueprint into being; we take the right actions, make the right decisions, and before we know it, we are living incredible, fulfilling lives from our best selves. Our lives are richer than we ever dreamed possible.
Memorial Day
When I was a little girl, my mother would buy big bouquets of flowers and then drive to two local cemeteries, where she would put one bouquet on her father’s grave, and the other one on my dad’s stepfather’s grave. To me, Memorial Day was a day to remember those who had passed away.
I realize now that it was particularly created to memorialize those who have given their lives fighting for our country… brave, young warriors who absolutely deserve to be memorialized for their service in honor of our freedoms.
I often tremble at the thought of these young members of our society being sent off to fight in wars across the sea, away from family and friends, when they are little more than children themselves, barely having a handle on what life is about, and so many of them never do find out.
Those that have fought for us are undeniably changed in the process, and when they return to civilian life, they don’t quite know how to fit in again.
Yes, those who have given their young lives for us deserve to be honored, but what about those who are still among us, perhaps without limbs, or with indisputable emotional trauma? What sort of honor do they deserve? Do they receive it? What can we do to make a difference in their lives? How do we teach them to trust again and to again recognize the beauty, the abundance all around them?
Stand by Me
A friend of mine has taken the time to share this little video with me twice now.
The first time I saw it, I thought it was a bunch of musicians playing the same song, spliced together. But THIS time, I noticed that they were all wearing headphones and all playing at the SAME TIME.
WOW!
Imagine what it would be like to have people all over the world singing the same song at the same time. Imagine how unifying such an experience can be!
I love the message of this song, Stand By Me. How often we forget that we are not alone, that there are others we can lean on when we need to. How often we try to do it all ourselves, when our strength is in our connections and relationships. This video is a strong reminder of how far-reaching our connections can be and how very connected we already are.
As I watched the video, I was also impressed with all of the different folks from all of the different places singing in their own unique voices with passion and beauty. The uniqueness of each one of them adds to the poignancy of the moment, creating a synergy that is much greater than the whole, each one of them a different size and shape, and all equally beautiful.
How wonderful it would be if we remember that our strength is in our united diversity! We all have a message to share, a special reason for being here, and none of us deliver it the same way. Isn’t that awesome?
WHOLISTIC PROSPERITY 