I decide!!

Quote from dr. Rich. Anderson who inspired me to make another detox and  fast.

"Some will use this program to help heal their body;

some will use it to sharpen their minds:

and others will use it to achieve their highest potential,

and that is to love all life unconditionally."

Icon of Mary - Ready to go

Feels like I have been painting on this icon (70 x 80 cm)  for ages - but I know it has only been some weeks.
This icon is painted in tempera mixed with the special glue Theodoros gave me. And I have used an easel for the first time.  A new experience for me.
Slowly, slowly, step by step - she has come forth.
In a way - I do not want to let her go. This has to do with attachment. I still feel attached to this icon.  I really love it!! As if I cannot have enough of it...

This is how it is in my life.  Many other things I seem to want, and cannot have enough of.
Food for example, and wine...  and admiration!
Well this is how it is, I  forgive myself for feeling this way.  I observe - this is how it is and I do not judge myself for it.  I show it to the Holy Spirit - (and now to you) and it will be taken care of. No worry.  Acceptance.

But I really, really love this painting of mine, and everything Mary tells me! :))

She will be here - even if I let the painting go.  I know.

In short - benefits of meditation...

Lifting of the veil...

Today I have been painting the veil of Mary.
Again and again the thought came to me: lifting of the veil ...lifting of the veil.
Her veil is lifted so she can see.

So this is what I read in A Course in Miracles:
T.19.IV.D.i.21

"You came this far because the journey was your choice. And no one undertakes to do what he believes is meaningless. What you had faith in still is faithful, and watches over you in faith so gentle yet so strong that it would lift you far beyond the veil, and place the Son of God safely within the sure protection of his Father."

Thank you... This She assures me of as I am painting the veil...

The Great Bell Chant - The end of suffering

Read by Thich Nath Hanh, chanted by brother Phap Niem.


I find it more than relaxing - listening to - and watching this wonderful video.

I hope you will enjoy it too.

* * *

Be mild...

I thought today was going to be - not so difficult. I was wrong!  But I felt so ready, after a good night's sleep and all.  Not so.  It seemed as if I could not even draw one straight line.  And when I did, I wanted to improve it a little bit, and it was all wrong - again.  Theodore helped me out, and I made the same mistake again, it should be just a little bit darker towards the end, and then - ups the dark area got too big.

And when Theodore said he did not understand why I was so good the other day and today could do nothing, I was prepared to wnkjwhiohnfvxszk!!!
Perhaps it is the heat, my age, the noise etc. etc.?  No, the thing is - this is me.  This is my skill, the problem is I want to be perfect, or at least very good.  I push myself,   I am never content, it is as if I am hearing my parents in the background, come on, you can do it,you can do better than this, be good now, work on it...

This will stop now.

I will be mild with myself.  I will not compare myself with a master. I do the best I can, and that will be fine! I will accept myself, just the way I am.

So help me God.

Specialness...

I have come to realize that every thing that happens to me, I ask for, and receive as I have asked.  And everything that happens to me is for a reason and is a lesson I can choose to learn.
So far so good.
I also know now that this journey is taken in steps... one at a time.
So here I am in Larissa, thinking I am here to learn iconpainting, by a  great teacher who paints wonderful icons.  And I am here to learn that - but I am being given anothert lesson - on top of that.  I am so lucky!
I have been teaching iconpainting for maybe 4 or 5 years now.  I often hear from the students that I am good.  Good at painting straight lines, good at painting lovely eyes, and goodlooking hair etc. And I observe how much my ego rejoices in all this!
And I do not attack myself for that, I observe it - and leave it, without judging myself.  So far so good.
Today I had another great lesson presented to me.  On working with a particularly difficult part of one of Theodore's own icons, I just lost it.  Could not see the lines, misunderstood what he said, and all went totally wrong.
And then, my teacher told me that I must practice, try to teach my eyes to see, see different shades, darkness and light,   remember I am a beginner, paint straight lines, not too blurred, blurred on one side, not the other...
Of my God, I was just about to walk out of the whole thing. Why?  Someone tried to push me from my comfort zone, and my throne of specialness!!  I knew I wanted to be special, but that it was this big?
It really pissed me off.
So what to do here?  I am so glad I was able to observe this.   But observation is not enough.   I have to show the whole thing to the Holy Spirit, look at it with forgiving eyes, and not judging it.  Just see that this is how I am,  this is the way I react.  And slowly it lost its grip in me, and I could laugh at the whole thing, and I could also tell Theodore and Violeta about my observations.
I am so grateful that they  would listen to me,  it is of great help to get it out in the open so to speak...

So - besides being taught Theodore's way to paint an icon - there are also other great  lessons involved here!
And there is great help for me to read in A Course in Miracles.
When I came home I read the following lesson :

 Light and joy and peace abide in me (lesson 93)

This is the truth bout me

One lucky me!!

Today Theodore has shown us how he paints a very dark garment lightened in red colours.  This is an amazing process to watch. (The above is my first feeble attempt)

The bottom layer is painted, the shadows are added in 3 different tones.  First from left to the right on the left side of this icon, gradually disappearing into  the bottom layer. Then a few of the explanatory lines are added, as well as dark shadows in the areas at the bottom of the icon and around the inside of the elbow,

Gradually, very gradually we work our way from darkness to light.

What can be seen above is with the very helpful hand of my teacher.  Tomorrow we will be adding the last 2 layers of the lightenings.

Most of the morning we were watching how Theodoros was working - it is so amazing to watch his hand dancing, working effortlessly to create this garment which almost invites you to put it on!
 

I am so very grateful to be here and be taught by one of the best iconpainters ever.... 

Visit his homepage here:  http://www.theodoreicons.com/index.php?id=208

  

Knowledge is timeless...

The questioning mind perceives itself in time, and therefore looks for future answers.  

Knowledge is timeless, because certainty is not questionable.  

You know when you have ceased to ask questions.

***

The Freedom of Not Wanting Anything

Mooji taler om ikke at have investering i noget. "Life takes care of life"...

I do not worry about my day.

Happiness IS a choice!

This is my plan:
Every day  I will  remember to make a choice - a choice for happiness and joy.

This is the truth. I can decide. I know it.  I have  made that choice - and it works for me.
I have to be willing to let it be so.  I does not come out of the blue.  I have to make a decision.
...sometimes I forget that I can decide!
I have to ask for help to always remember that joy and happiness is my natural state, together with peace and love.  It is one.
Every morning I ask God to help me remember my choice for joy, and that it is obtained by letting go of my judgements and attachment to fear.
Every morning I check on my willingness. Am I willing to let go of my worries about the future today?  Am I willing to let go of my thoughts about the past?  By letting past and future thoughts  go, I open up to joy and laughter.
I let the ego go and let God take the lead.
It sounds easy - and it is - when I remember.
So my first thought in the morning is God.  I have to remember God.   He helps me and reminds me of my decision for joy.

GOD - CHOICE  - DECISION - PEACE - HAPPINESS - JOY

Spontaneous Happiness

Mooji on Happiness ...

:))

May I present my new center:

I am not the center of the world.  Although  I often have wanted I was, and probably do most of the time...

In the same way - my mind, my thoughts, my brain is not my center, but I have chosen it to be the center - most of the time.  

But from now on that is changed. May I present my new center:

Exactly - My Heart.

This is how I want it to be.  If I am not aware of what is going on in my head, and choose to change it - my thoughts become the center.  I must choose the change. 2000 years have proven it does not work.

What I think and do must come from the Heart or LOVE  and not fear.

My then  5 year old granddaughter Kajsa  (like most other children) knows this.  Like she replied when I told her I meditate to quiet my mind and all the thoughts in my head:

"Do you think with your head? 

Yes - was my answer...

She looked at me with regret and said:

I think with my heart!"

As simple as that - from now on.

***

I give my life to God

Lesson 233 A Course in Miracles

I give my life to God to guide today.

“Father, I give You all my thoughts today. I

would have none of mine. In place of them,

give me Your Own. I give You all my acts as

well, that I may do Your Will instead of seeking goals which cannot be obtained, and

wasting time in vain imaginings.

 Today I come to You. 

I will step back and merely follow You. Be You the Guide, 

and I the follower who questions not the wisdom of the Infinite, 

nor Love whose tenderness I cannot comprehend, 

but which is yet Your perfect gift to me.

Today we have one Guide to lead us on.

And as we walk together, we will give this

day to Him with no reserve at all. 

This is His day. 

And so it is a day of countless gifts

and mercies unto us.

***

Friend request from Jesus...

I got a friend request this morning - and I was so happy!  I seem to forget.  I know how much  I want to be His friend - but I tend to forget HE wants to be my friend too!

I have pushed the confirm button.  Now that friendship will last forever!

***


“A decision must be made, and it can be
made now. It is simply this: ‘I will begin.’
And what must we begin? We must try to
be kind now—not appear kind, but be
kind. We must make the effort, no, the
struggle, to be happy now—and not
first gain what we ‘need’ in order to be
happy. We can’t just add the concepts of
kindness and happinessto our life. They
must be our life.”

Hugh Prathner in
Morning Notes:
365 Meditations to Wake You Up

Honesty - what does it mean?

The key element in the Course’s approach is honesty, which is the second of the ten characteristics of a teacher of God, discussed in the manual for teachers (M.4). Jesus states there that honesty means consistency: "There is nothing you say that contradicts what you think or do; no thought opposes any other thought..." (M.4.II.1). In other words, there is a consistency between your words (form) and your thoughts (content). If we set aside any ego investment in the situation, then only love will flow though us, and it will be expressed in a form that would be appropriate in that specific situation. The emphasis is on the content in our minds. If we are kind within, we will be kind on the outside. Our attention, thus, should be on searching for any unkindness lurking in our thoughts, and asking for help to let that go. Once we have gotten past the unkindness, whatever we say or do will be kind, in a form that is appropriate to the circumstances


From Question and Answer service - Foundation for A Course in Miracles


http://www.facimoutreach.org/qa/indextoquestions.htm

"All the world's a stage": Watching ourselves from the audience

Kenneth Wapnick, Ph.D. discusses the "you" whom Jesus addresses in his Course. He also presents a practical exercise students can use in their daily lives to help them observe their egos in action.


Thank you Mathine for reminding me of this!

I will just walk on

No matter what seems to happen to me - I just walk on - the end is certain.
I do not have to worry about what to say - or what to do.
The only thing I will work on is observing  my thoughts.  I have to be vigilant of my thoughts. The ones I do not want - the ones that make me uneasy -  I will give to the Holy Spirit. 
And I will be - just be in my breath, my every step and my every move.

***

Sounds easy!

***

We are light!

I feel your love, calling out to me. In the rhythm of your heart, the journey to be free. Carried by the One, hand in hand we'll go. You are so beautiful, so let your spirit flow...

We are the light, 
We are the love, 
We are the peace 

In the warmth of the sun, in the cool of the moon
I feel it in my soul, and I know that it's true
In the midst of love, a smile upon your face
The light of children and giving, fills the world with grace.

We are the light, We are the love, We are the peace. May this prevail, may mankind live in absolute joy Happiness, and prosperity. And may we understand each other, in trust and affection

We are the light
We are the love 
We are the peace 
~~~~

Simplify your life 
Discover your joy 
Share your heart 
Live your dreams 
Ground the New Earth ♥




Music & Lyrics ~Snatam Kaur "We Are People"
http://www.snatamkaur.com/

Whatever I love about you, I also have in me...

Whatever I love about you, I also have in me,

Whatever I don't like about you, I also have in me.


How do I know?

Because I can only see it in you, if I already know it in me.

It's not possible to see things in others, that don't exist in me.

And so, all is a reflection. Can you see?

So next time you don't like the way someone is,

or what they say,

Take a breath, and remember each day
.
When we recognise it as a calling to heal that part in us,

We'll feel freedom and forgiveness and give up the fuss.

And when you see great beauty and strength in another,

Know you too carry these qualities,

Dear sister and brother.


~Sarah Churcher-Owen




***