Thought For The Day..

Change and Transformation


Change is a psychological event; transformation is a spiritual gift. Transformation, unlike change, cannot be achieved; it happens. Transformation means love, wisdom, and healing in thought, word, and deed so that an equation results between the inner Self and our healthy ego choices. In this sense, transformation is a holy communion of our psychology and our spirituality. It always goes beyond the narrow limits of psychological change.

Perhaps the attitude of thanks makes the most supreme sense as we contemplate this fact. I am still what I always was so I musts also already be what I will become. In this sense, life is not about how I change but about how I finally happen. There comes a time when staying tight within the bud becomes more painful than the strain it takes to bloom.

Thank You Elrick, good message, beautiful colors (-: Linda

Yes!
it's complicated but you can't
enjoy Life if you
don't let it happen.....

that's the message.....

keep it simple....LOL

enjoy the creations; and wow!
some creations are harmful...
but we couldn't be
cavemen forever....or could we?

even back then change had to happen - the evolving.

Thank you Linda and D-knots for your comments.



Thought For The Day

The Questioning
A very original moment in life….





When we are open and ready to undertake a special and very original moment in life, that of individuation, the quests for meaning and true identity, we begin by questioning ourselves. This questioning which we experience will enable us to be free to discover ourselves and be true to ourselves listening to our own voice and being faithful to our essence. The "I" that we thought was lost acquires new dimensions and forms, and with its wings strengthened by the change of feathers we can fly to meet the new unknown being within us. There is still much to question at, but out of happiness... perhaps even with serenity.

Very interesting Elrick, When change are meant to happen, it will happen, and we need to make ourselves ready to embrace them.

Inspiring pictures & your words are very thought provoking

Many Blessings

very interesting statue
does it have a name....LOL?
it seems to have many symbols
of life...

d-knots wrote:very interesting statue
does it have a name....LOL?
it seems to have many symbols
of life...

Thank you for your comments Spirit-Being, Vanilla2 and D-knots.
The name of the statue is The Caduceus Angel of Healing. The picture is of one 5 of these statues located St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, made by James Muir, an sculptor I much admire as a person and as an artist.

"Caduceus", recognized as a universal medical symbol, in this bronze representation by James N. Muir has become and Angel of Healing bringing love and peace upon the earth and all of its inhabitants. She is 12 feet high with a 9-foot wing span and includes fountain capabilities.

"Recognized internationally as the universal symbol of Medicine, the "Caduceus" has become an Angel of Healing rising, like the mythical Phoenix heralding a New Era of harmony and Peace, to heal the Earth and all its inhabitants with Love as the Master Physician."

The word "Caduceus" (Ka-doo'-seus) originates from the Greek "karykeion", itself derived from "karyx" meaning a herald's badge or staff. In latin, the word, "Caduceum" means practically the same. The caduceus was worn or displayed by Roman surgeons, official messengers, and by military emissaries to signify a cessation of hostilities on the battlefield. It symbolized the herald of the gods, as well,--Mercury in Rome and Hermes in Greece--who carried a winged wand on which were coiled two serpents, symbolizing male and female. Legend was that Hermes came upon two serpents at war and, in his beguiling manner placed a staff, which Aesculapius had given him (also a symbol used in Medicine), between them wereupon entwining with it, they ceased warring and began loving one another thus expressing unity, fertility, and peace.

At this critical juncture in world history, the Caduceus seems a uniquely appropriate symbol for the redirection of hatred and conflict by the staff of a higher Power to produce unification, harmony and peace on earth. As "Quo Vadis" depicts our upward spiritual journey, "Caduceus" expresses the initial spiritual flow of energy from Creator to Creation. Also like "Quo Vadis", the symbologies run so deep and complex that, other than a brief overview, the allegories are best left to the personal insight of each individual.

The seven-rayed crown or tiara in the form of a nurse's cap and the crown of Liberty (physical and spiritual) also refers to the seven energy centers of the body as well as to the seven ancient Hermetic causes of "dis-ease." The latter being physical: (1) misuse of faculty, organ or function, (2) presence of foreign substances, impurities or obstructions in the system, and superphysical: (3) unhealthy (negative) mental attitudes (thoughts), (4) imbalance (disharmony) between the physical and spiritual nature, (5) internal spiritual influences, (6) external spiritual influences, (7) astrological energy influences. More directly, the seven rays issue forth the likewise ancient healing energies to flow down the seven ringlets of hair upon a disparate world: (1) practical allopathic medicine, (2) naturopathic medicine of diet, exercise and daily healthful habits, (3) homeopathic medicine of nature's herbs, (4) vibration and color, (5) amulets, (6) invocations, and (7) prayer, which cures all but requires faith.

The jewel on her forehead, over the mystical third or spiritual eye, represents vision with full intuitive insight and acuity into the esoteric world of healing and metaphysical reality. The "sun-moon" of the earrings are traditional symbols for the "doctor-patient" relationship but herein reflect the perfect balance of the fully spiritualized energy of the "Yang" and the "Yin", mind-heart symbols. At her back, the feather of Truth (Ma'at) is tied at the juncture where the two polarities of her braids become one in completeness. The "ANKH", the "key" or "staff" of life is an ancient healing device pre-dating Egypt's symbolic use by thousands of years. Here it is combined with the equally ancient "Rose Croix" (cross) of spiritual unfoldment over a divine trinity of leaves, along with three nails signifying the sacrifice of the lower self (Mind, Emotional Body, Soul) for the resurrection of the true Higher Self. The jewel rests upon her breast to radiate down healing energy in the form of rain water flowing forth through her open exposed heart.

The nine-foot wings (the number nine being the number of Unconditional Universal Love as well as "Mankind") with their twenty-four primary feathers, expand to shield, protect and uplift a disparate and fearful world. The Lady's hands raised in blessing, with one and two fingers raised to signify the two universal commandments also for the twin signs for "Love" and "Peace." Her left hand bears the wedding ring of perfect union with the Creator, a marriage of Heaven and Earth, while her right hand bears the ancient signature ring of --in service to the Creator through service to His creation.

In a whirlwind of energy, her hair ribbons radiate to the ends of the earth: the front ribbons with twelve suns symbolic of the months of the solar year and the higher, universal life cycle this world of humanity in transiting, the rear ribbons with one hundred and forty-four (twelve-square) stars symbolizing a new enlightened level of awareness. The bow at the top, with one and seven stars, suggests the crest of the mythical "Phoenix" bird as she rises out of the ashes of the old-world thinking of mankind, and, with acute vision, sees and comprehends the truth in all things. The "Ourobaros", the serpent swallowing its tail in eternal resurrection and renewal like the Phoenix herself, continues its never-ending cycle around her crown.

Whirling up in their own double vortex of energy rise the twin serpents of the Caduceus. Like the serpents which the Hopi legends say reside at the earth's poles awaiting the time to be re-awakened into activity, they are kept in balance by her wisdom in a symbiotic relationship of spiritual/physical, heart/head energies and form the double helix of the human DNA molecule. The python represents the "spiritual" while the cobra symbolizes the "body"; both in harmony provide a balance point or fulcrum for the "mind" to bring forth peace and healing.
The old earth symbolically, and literally, is falling away to reveal the golden orb of a new world of enlightenment, harmony and peace. America is transformed into the genesis of that New Era, tasked to responsibly lead the way into a brighter and better future for all. If she fails in this regeneration, then her fate is sealed and the Phoenix shall rise from the ashes of her funeral pyre.

The base establishes the orientation of the four quarters with the center, the sacred point or "Sanctum Sanctorum" being the earth herself. While we, as humans, must heal the earth, the earth must first heal us humans. The perfect elixir of the mythical "philosopher's stone" combined the four elements in ideal balance to heal any "dis-ease." This magic elixir flows forth gentle as the rain from the spouts of each element -- Fire, Water, Air, Earth--through Truth and Peace to the four corners of the earth. The true physician can only heal through the power of love and, though the lessons will be hard ones, the earth will teach us love-love for this sacred living planet, love for all creation, and perhaps even love for ourselves. Then, and only then, will we take our rightful place as master physicians to share the promise of Caduceus' enigmatic dolphin in healing the earth and being the true stewards of all creation. As the most important symbol of all, the benevolent, compassionate expression of the lady herself, is to remind us all that perfect healing must begin with perfect love and, even in the darkest hour of the darkest night of the soul, Love will be the Master Physician.

"It is my avowed goal to see this sculpture at twelve meters (39 feet) high and one placed appropriately on each continent of the world--"Seven Ladies on Seven Continents"--transcending individual differences to become a unifying symbol for the universal kinship of humanity and all creation in a physical metaphor representing the spiritual connection between all things; to help bring the healing power of Love into the earth, ushering in a new era of Peace."
James Nathan Muir

A Special Place

Each of us needs a special place. That special place must be found from within first. If you haven't already make a large place in your heart and soul -- a warm, cozy, non- judgmental place where you can just sit and be with and by yourself. This place, inside of you is the foundation and will provide the way by which you will experience all other places. No matter how much one may share with others or have trusted others in one's life it is so important and necessary to have a private place as well. Love yourself there.

~*~

Elrick! you are Beautiful.......

I love Muir's dedication to Life
very much an artist and "alive" isn't he.....
Life is a Journey
Lovely inspiration his Angle of Healing
the words and the symbolic meaning makes
it more worthy of admiration;
Very happy he created his vision.

the explaination give folks something to think about
I hope never to forget it, ty.


Special Place, ty

Thought for the Day……

Honesty




Honesty is the channel of truth between the soul and mind. Those who nurture it are imbued with enormous power: the power to see, the power to know, the power to differentiate, the power to reflect, and the power to choose.

Most people are dishonest in an attempt to eschew their power. They live as victims, strapped into the childhood ruts their parents lovingly beat them into. They lie not only to their closest intimates but to themselves. Their inner truth is dangerous because it connects with all their years of buried pain and rage and sadness. If it were to explode it would crush their fragile external lives.

But at the same time it would free their real purpose for being. Suddenly their lives would find hope and peace. This peace might kill their artificial external lives, as it has killed some, but at least they would die to their artificial lives knowing for once who they really were.

~*~

Your posts never cease to Inspire me Elrick

I feel at this moment i have been Living an Artificial Life for quite some time, funny thing is i seem to wake up a little, then fall back asleep, and then awake, then asleep, over and over like the arms on a clock. But reading your posts and all the other posts that all the Wonderful people share here, have always helped me to find a balance, usually when i cannot see that my Life is out of Balance.

The pictures are so symbolic and hold so much meaning, Love them all and thank you for your encouraging words.

Many Blessings

Flexibility



Be flexible in your outlook on life. Be prepared to accept that the human mind is incapable of comprehending the full dimensions of truth. Truth in one set of circumstances may be different when considered from another level. Be prepared to accept that a so-called mystery may have either a simple explanation, or one quite beyond our understanding.

Mental study in books does not lead to wisdom. It always needs to be chastened by experience. In fact too much study strengthens the intellect, giving it a dominant position leading to imbalance. Wisdom arises in a harmonius blend of all parts of being.
Intuitive grasp, opening one's mind to inspiration and creative play with ideas have always been hallmarks of genius. Yet these qualities cannot be manipulated by man's intellect.

~*~

By building a bridge from the conscious to the unconscious and collaborating with whatever is seeking expression, fostering an attitude of real understanding and acceptance of all of our inner experience, and relativising all the different aspects of ourselves, the parts we like and the parts we don’t like, we create more harmony. Problems in the personality are dissolved rather than solved. And the energy that we usually expend in keeping these inner conflicts psychically numb can be used in a pursuit of excellence, as opposed to fear driven perfectionism.

Today there is now an overwhelming need for a psychological education rather than an education in psychology. This means realising the inner world of emotions, connecting to a sense of values and deepening a search for meaning. By integrating this way of learning, as a way of living, we open to a level and dimension of mind beyond the intellectual where humanity is gradually awakening to its greater potential.

Wonderfully Put Elrick

I have come to an understanding as study can be good to strengthen the mind, that wisdom comes from Experience. Our Experiences are the building blocks to new Discoveries.

Many Blessings

I like circles of color with feathery wisps....LOL

Look within yourself –



Becoming self-referencing is one of the most important skills we can ever develop in life and it is a key aspect of developing personal power. It is perfectly fine to have friends, spouses, partners and the like, but at the end of the day we have to look within ourselves and become the authority of our own experience. As the saying goes, “we came into this world alone and we will leave alone.” Only we can determine our values and priorities; and this task is too important to be delayed or delegated. This “baseline” foundation of inner knowledge moves us along in the process of developing our personal power and serves as the springboard for the next step in this process.


~*~

The world of dreams…..




The exquisite abilities of consciousness that reside in the interior world of the psyche are apparent to some extent within the world of dreams. Even a somewhat superficial study of dreams familiarizes the ego with a minute glimpse of the capabilities and vast creativity of the psyche. To further knowledge of the contents of the psyche it is necessary that the individual forego the officially accepted version of physical experience and slightly alter conscious focus. Closely held beliefs about experience must be relinquished so that the potentials available to the self can be viewed anew, with the fresh eyes and magical anticipation of a newborn.


~*~

Creative Imagination…






One would conclude that we sometime feel impelled to write to develop our imaginative capacities as a compensation for the absence or severance of intimate relationships. I want to pursue the idea that imagination is able to do more than create compensatory castles in the air, or retreats from unhappiness
.
Creative imagination is a form of therapy, can exercise a healing function. By creating a new unity in a poem or other work of art, we are attempting to restore a lost unity, or to find a new unity, within the inner world of the psyche, as well as producing work which has a real existence in the external world.

When we realize our creative potential we are constantly bridging the gap between the world of external reality and the inner world of the psyche. Creative apperception is what makes individuals feel that life is worth living, and those who are gifted are perhaps more able than most to repair loss in symbolic fashion.

The human mind seems so constructed that a new balance or restoration within the subjective, imaginative world is felt as if it were a change for the better in the external world, and vice versa. In thus linking objective and subjective, we are approaching the limits of human understanding; but I believe that the secrets of human creative adaptation are to be found at just those limits.

The hunger of imagination which drives us to seek new understanding and new connections in the external world is, at the same time, a hunger for integration and unity within.


~*~

I like your posts
thank you ...LOL

Thank you d-knots, I am glad you like them. I also look for yours in the forum and find them overflowingly witty!!.

(Hope this thread does not get overspammed!!)

THE RIVER GRASSES




Have you ever sat by a river and watched the mesmerizingly graceful movement of the river grasses, which surrender themselves completely to the flow of the river?

At their base they are firmly attached to a rock on the riverbed. If they were not securely attached in this way, they would be carried away by the current and would perish.

The upper part of these grasses has absolutely no resistance and is thus free to flow in an infinite variety of movements caused by the river's ever-changing flow pattern.

A similar type of event may be seen while observing various sea grasses, which are attached to the bottom of the sea and move with the gentle currents and tides.

We have something to learn from these grasses. We can learn the delicate balance between discipline and freedom, between routine and diversity, between control and surrender, between tradition and change. Obviously, too much of any of these opposite qualities will create problems.

On the one hand we need to have discipline, routine, control and tradition to give us a security base, a moral base, a sense of inner strength and stability in facing the ever-changing circumstances of life.

Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, concentration, meditation, proper diet, self-analysis, exercises and breathing techniques help to create that centered feeling of an inner stability and inner security.

Then we can feel free to allow ourselves to flow with life, trusting the Divine, life, others and our own selves; free from the fear of being harmed, overcome or swept off our feet.

The greater our connection with our inner security base, the more spontaneous and free we can allow ourselves to be.

We all need to find our own way of connecting ourselves to the spiritual rock within us, so that we may adjust and cope in a more relaxed way with the ever-changing situations and tests of life. Be disciplined and flow. Be Well.

~*~

Happiness………..




The mind is a very powerful organ. Albert Einstein stated that we only use 10% of the brain. I was a young child when I read that. I thought it was a typo or just me dealing with my learning disorder. But I never forgot it and now years later, I understand. Most people don't want to think.

Thomas Edison wrote: "Five percent of the people think, 10 percent of the people think they think, and the other 85 percent would rather die than think."

We are conditioned in ways from media/society not to think. We are banged and banged over the head from ads and media to be this and that and not to think. Mother Teresa once said: "One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody."

We need to stop and take ownership of our lives. To realize and accept that happiness isn't in possessions. In us lies the happiness. When we realize this one has another type of life. A calm, a peace, a joy. A life that we never thought was possible.

~*~

thanks E

awesome doors....

Reconnection



To reconnect with the spiritual ground of our being is no easy task and one which we may be less prepared for than we realise. This as a tremendous undertaking, long and arduous, and one that not everyone is ready for. The process is a journey from the low lands of ego to the highlands of self-realisation.

But between the starting point in the low lands of ordinary consciousness and the shining peak of Self-realisation there are many intermediate phases, plateaus at various altitudes on which a man may rest or even make his abode, if his lack of strength precludes or his will does not choose a further ascent.

In essence our whole notion of spiritual path need to be better understood, challenged, and developed if they are to play a role in the person’s search for meaning. We seem to feel better maps and myths are required to guide on this journey from the lowlands of ego consciousness to the mountains and peaks of greater meaning and self-realisation. Many of these current forms of guiding have lost their soul.

~*~