TEA TIME OF THE SOUL

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TEA TIME OF THE SOUL

I live in a flimsy house of whimsy

Perched on the edge of the cliff of existence

While ominous clouds gather on the horizon

The hungry wolves howling in the distance

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Yonder the volcano belches black smoke

The wild river is near overflowing its banks

Lightning zigzags across the sky

Everything in the hands of chance

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I can't control the wilding weather

Nor the quaking land and turbulent sea

I can't slow the relentless march of time

So I'll just have a nice cup of tea

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SANS MOI

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SANS MOI

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Before I was born dinosaurs roamed the Earth

Nations rose and fell

Many lives blinked into existence and went on to the Great Beyond

All without my help, input, influence or assistance

While I am here I will do what I can

With what I have and what I am willing to do

But the vast majority of events, situations and calamities

Are going to have to do whatever is needed, make their own way

Figure it out, find their path

With me cheering the good on with hopes and prayers

Doing my mite, my pittance, my tiny efforts

Towards evolving further towards a life we all can live

In peace and health for all

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W

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W

We needn't use the "W" word

We all know what it means

Wherever you go, whoever you know

There is a W behind the scenes

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JUSTICE FOR ALL

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JUSTICE FOR ALL

Assigning blame is usually a pointless exercise in futility

A waste of time because all things are connected to a myriad of events

Stretching back until they are lost in the mists of memory

The one exception is the one humans created

Perhaps based on the biological imperative that all young must get a fair share

Of whatever resources are available to insure their life until they too

Can reproduce and share assets with their young

The exception is the Court of Law

We have a unique need for fairness and morality, social order

That goes beyond "might makes right"

Because brawn is not the only thing society needs

In a court of law powerful enforcers protect our rights

These laws, whether handed down from a divine source

Or invented by clear thinkers, bit by bit through trial and error

In multiple cultures and societies

Preventing unruly humans from running amok

Taking what they want, doing as they please

In a human society there are necessary limits on behavior

That can be insisted upon by the non-mighty, the least of these

We can all have our day in court

Our legal system isn't perfect but it is a step up from

Nature red in tooth and claw

Every nation is a nation of laws

This is doing something nature does not do

A civilized society imposes fairness and bestows safety 

In a world that can be very unfair and unsafe

Law is not a religion but might have its roots in scriptures

Both giving guidance on how to live righteously and abundantly

The difference being that the law has clout to intervene with force, if necessary

To enforce Justice for All

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DRIFTING ALONG

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DRIFTING ALONG

Cumulonimbus is a wonderful word

It flies from the tongue like a white puffy bird

It's a word I don't often get to say

So have a cumulonimbus kind of day

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GONE ONE ON O ...

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GONE ONE ON O ...

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I can feel you

Slip sliding away

Receding into the shadows

Further every day

You are missing

Gone who knows where

I still speak to you

But only in my prayers

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OUR NINE LIVES

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OUR NINE LIVES

We have our physical lives

The life of the body

Based on function and movement

Nutrition and exercise, sleep and immunity

The House our other lives dwell in

We have our emotional life

A living river of feelings

Subject to droughts, floods, and changing course

Suddenly

We have our intellectual lives

The knowledge we gathered by hook or by crook

Grazing on human interactions and media

A stockpile of wisdom that is constantly growing 

As we try the neti neti method

Of not this and not that, trial and error

To pan for the treasure of knowing, speck by speck

We have our philosophical lives

Our standards, morals, theories and credo

We use to guide us towards righteousness and freedom

We have our imaginary lives

The life we dream of in the future

The life we describe to ourselves about the past

The life where fear and glory hold hands and skip down the Path

Towards the good

We have our subconscious lives in the sub-basement of our thoughts

A bizarro world of sex, fear, mangled conditioning

Symptoms, blind spots and hidden motives

All the things we keep hidden, even from ourselves

We have our financial lives because like it or not

Our money is like our air, the assets we need to survive

Implement plans, move up in the world

Feel as secure as a naked ape can feel these days

We have our social lives, the face we present to the world

A mask, a magic act, a stage play

Where we meet and greet others for mutual benefit and companionship

We have our spiritual lives

Where we connect with the divine, nature, meaning and cosmic joy

We sense the bigger reality behind the ordinary aspects

Of even the simplest things around us

The life of the Magical Child within us

And fills our hearts with wonder.

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HOLODAY

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HOLODAY

We have many special days

Holidays of every sort

Special dates we observe, honor

Or show remembrance to

But individually we have

The Day Everything Changed

This can be everything from good news 

To an unmitigated disaster

We might not keep track of the exact date

Yet our subconscious minds keep track 

In that mental sub-basement we all have

If you are having an unusually hard day but don't know why

It might be the anniversary of something from our past

Something unhealed

Like a mystery bruise or a mysteriously missing item

We might never know what is deep underground in our minds

But obviously there are aftershocks of important events

Unhealed rifts in our progress

Since we might never know the exact cause of an off-kilter day

We might just think we woke up on the wrong side of the bed

It might be a sign healing is needed, we needn't know for what

On those days be extra gentle with yourself

Give yourself adequate sleep, good nutrition

Hydration. uplifting thoughts and goals

We can heal the past when we are ready

It just takes tender loving care in the present

And a ton of kindly tenderness

Towards the brave, struggling, wounded person

We were once upon a time

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STRANGE AND WONDERFUL

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STRANGE AND WONDERFUL

Don't let repetition dull your joy

Celebrate your successes no matter how small

Focus on your enjoyments and interests

Just because the Sun rises every day

Does not diminish its power and glory

Just because you do the same things every day

They can always fill you with joy, purpose, accomplishment and wonder

Look at what you are doing as if this was the first time

Appreciate the function of your body

Be glad of all your skills and talents

This is the beginners mind

The mind of one walking through a wonderland

Of hidden history, quantum physics, paranormal abilities

This is your personal path through Wonderland

We might all be a little eccentric

But that just makes us better playmates

As we imagine our lives into existence

Moment by moment

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THE TREASURE IN YOUR CHEST

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THE TREASURE IN YOUR CHEST

Right now, in the heart of this very moment

Is a precious jewel

Something of value you can see

If you focus

A thing of goodness and beauty

It could be how we are feeling

A beautiful day, the sweet song of a bird

An interesting thought, a deep breath

We are Fixers and Planners

Fixing and planning everything including ourselves

But we are also Noticers and Enjoyers

The roots of motivation hiding deep inside, unseen

So notice what is working really well, some improvement in your health

An idea for an art project, a nice piece of fruit

These moments are the beautiful flowers of our existence

On this earthly plane

Look in the heart of this flower to find the jewel

Pluck it and place it in your heart's treasure chest

Where rust can't corrode it, nor thieves steal it

As your treasure grows your life will be gilded

With appreciation, your inventory of all the things that went right

A dazzling hoard of happy moments you will want to share

From your abundance.

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CELEBRATEON

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CELEBRATEON

The Universe exerted a mighty effort to make you

First it had to make a Something

Then it had to organize the Something into Forms

Which changed and morphed over eons

To finally produce me and you

We were meant to be here, we belong here

You and I are natural phenomenons

As natural as clouds and grass, a mountain or a star

Our being is as important to the proper order of things

As the sunshine or the wind

Out of all the uncountable possibilities

You and I exist here and now, at the same time

This is the greatest reason to celebrate

As we move down our paths of discovery

Towards the answers to the mysteries of who we are

And why we are here 

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30 DAY NOTICE

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30 DAY NOTICE

There is no happiness insurance

If we are rolling along and suddenly collide into unhappiness

There is no agency to settle this for us, to make it right

Nor is there a number to call to install new happiness

If the old one stopped working

We can learn how to navigate our lives better

Recognize certain situations for what they are

Draining and troubling, a bottleneck of stagnation

A hamster wheel of futility 

Watch what you see coming, if it is unhappiness

Take a different path, even if it is unfamiliar

Unhappiness is easy to spot, to diagnose

Even if we don't know all the underlying causes

We know when we are unhappy

When unhappiness has slithered into our inner sanctum

Try to head it off before it gets dug in like a Georgia tick

Because unhappiness is very hard to evict once it establishes residency

Purpose, productivity and positive philosophy

Must grab the unhappiness by the collar

Heave it outside to live in the wild where it belongs

You don't have to house unhappiness or even let it in the door

It is the worst houseguest ever.

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INCOGNITO

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INCOGNITO

If someone sees you as a failure

You don't need their eyes on you

If they think of you as a black sheep

You don't need to hear their thoughts about you

If they criticize you 

You don't need their opinion

If they try to control or restrain you

You don't need their proximity

If everything they are about

Is everything you don't need or want

You can move on with a light heart

Dodging the stones of scorn and judgement

That were hurled at you

We can't jump through hoops to win favor

Of one whose opinion of you is poor, at best

You deserve encouragement and recognition

As the person you know yourself to be

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PROPHETABLE

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PROPHETABLE

The only one who can decide if your time was wasted

Is you

If you learned about Emperor Penguins, was that time wasted?

You will probably never have to deal with an Emperor Penguin

In the normal course of things

It was not a waste of time because they are interesting to learn about

How much more important is it to find out about matters

That directly affect our hearts, minds, resources

To determine if someone's character is what they are showing us

Or is only one side of a person whose other sides might be

Incompatible with who we are

Is that investment of time, thought, energy and emotion

Going to be rewarding, or impoverishing?

We absolutely need to find out if we are headed for a bad situation

Even though we have hope for a good outcome we will remain observant

Look for signs, portents that this is getting too something 

When we might need to back off, step away

From a deteriotating situation that threatens our sense of self

Peace of mind, necessary resources

So we meet and greet, give it a try, all the while learning

Nothing is so valuable as information, especially hard won information

Put those coins of wisdom in your bag of tricks

You have invested in your self, your future, and your peace of mind

You have bought the ability to predict where this is headed

And knowing what you are doing, where you are going

And why

Is a jewel beyond value, one to place in your crown 

As you build your kingdom of experiences into a mighty fortress

Guarded by Experience and Self Realization

Where only the worthy can pass into the inner courtyard

Of Peace, Prosperity and Health

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YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER

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YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER

Animals don't have winners and losers

They have survivors and alphas

The alpha of a relatively small group

Survival can be a matter of skill, luck

Being in the right place at the right time

Winning and losing are human concepts

Perhaps based on ego needs

Which renders it an almost worthless concept

For the most part, yet humans place value on winning

We have sports, gaming, races, contests

Meant to showcase and reward winners

Unless one is a gambler

Sports wins and loses are purely entertainment

We can't switch our egos off, but we can redirect it

From competing with others

To competing with our performance yesterday

This is a healthy encouraging competion 

You are already a winner because you survived

We live in both the human world and the natural world

While our animal selves struggle to survive 

Our human selves can choose who we compete with 

And why.

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TODAY IS "DOING MY VERY BEST" DAY

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TODAY IS "DOING MY VERY BEST" DAY

The shiniest thing I own

Is "My Very Best"

When I do my very best it acts as a shield

From criticism and self doubt

My very best is a lamp onto my feet

So I can look for the good orderly direction

With a spring in my step that comes from

Knowing what I'm doing just for today

Whenever I end up at the crossroads

Of Confused and Confounded

I only need to check my inner compass

To figure out which direction the golden chariot 

Of "My Very Best" should go

Pulled by the mighty steeds of Patience and Persistence

Because "My Very Best" will get me where I want to go

In spectacular style.

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TO KNOW NO

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TO KNOW NO

"No" is such a big word

It can mean outright denial

Letting go of what isn't worth our time

After much error and trial

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"No" can be a harsh word

A command to stop right there

"No" can be a soft word

Whispered like a prayer

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"No!" can indicate wonder

Our astonished disbelief

"No ...." can be a thoughtful answer

Or a lie given by a thief

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"NO" can be the despairing cry

From the bottom of a well of sorrow

"No" can mean curt dimissal

For something you can't buy or borrow

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"No" can be what you laughingly say

To a silly funny goose

An answer on a document

The barrier of a recluse

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"No" can be the final word

Or only mean "not at this time"

When we have to tell ourselves no

We must be gentle and very kind

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"No" is a mighty good tool to have

To build a protective boundary

It can turn down the unhealthy risky things

It can mean "No, that's just not for me."

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WHERE THEY BELONG

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WHERE THEY BELONG

I don't know when or where I lost my sneer

My contempt, my moral superiority

I don't know when I dropped my angry judgements

Or my "rightness" about everything

I don't have them but I am glad they're gone

Perhaps they fell out of my bag of tricks

When I added lovingkindness and "live and let live"

If you find any of them laying around

Radiating negativity and division

I don't want them back

Just toss them in the trash

Where they belong

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WHAT'S THE POINT

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WHAT'S THE POINT?

There is a tipping point when things are so out of balance

They collapse and keel over

There is a boiling point when the temperature heats up

To a roiling crisis

There is a vanishing point when, looking far into the distance

We imagine we can see things coming together

There is the point of no return in any journey

Where our resources are all in

When we do something, anything, we have a point to doing it

If we can stay centered, keep our cool

Not project too far ahead

We will get to a new place, a better place

When we don't wish to return to the past

To relive or repair it we reach the point of no return

We just let it go so we can move on

Which is really the point of life, to evolve

Our focal point becomes the next right step

Our next breath the only point of contact

With precious glorious life

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PREDICTION

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PREDICTION

Is this a good idea or a bad idea?

That is the question we must ask

Before we embark on a plan of action

Before we commit to any task

If it's possibly a bad idea

One that might bring ruin or sorrow

Then on the back burner it goes

We will check on it tomorrow

We can transmute our hindsight to foresight

See the glitch or fatal flaw

Dodge the bullet before the gun is loaded

Bail out before the last straw

We cannot avoid every misstep

Every pebble that lays in our path

But "Is this a good idea or a bad idea?"

Is the first question we will ask.

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THE DAY EMPATHY DIED

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THE DAY EMPATHY DIED

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When we responded to people's concerns with "whatever"

Or blocked them with "talk to the hand"

We effectively ended conversation 

With no attempt to understand

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It became futile to open up to another

We began to "confront" them instead

Anger became our voices

Instead of harmony we saw red

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Fight for your rights was our battle cry

The voice of reason was drowned out

Everyone walking around bristling

Instead of conversation we had clout

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A meeting of minds was less possible

This in turn eroded our trust

We must relearn the art of discourse

Angry chaos helps none of us

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We will eventually look for common ground

Greeting each other with good will

Polite respect all around

The Furies calmed down and still

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If we can tone down our egos

Empathy might make a return

Our hearts blooming with lovingkindness

The Garden for which we all yearn

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HOORAY DAY

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HOORAY DAY

Today is a special day

Because I made a small step forward

Nothing big and flashy but still, a sign of progress

I have learned to celebrate these small gains

That take me in a good orderly direction

Towards achieving my goals

I don't take progress for granted

In the past I have lost my way, or worse, ended up backsliding

At an alarming rate while clawing the air for a hand hold

Even if I am not retrogressing 

It usually takes all the running I can do

To merely stay in the same place

If I try to go too fast I end up in a tangent or tantrum

Riccocheting off everything until I can get back to my path

Only patience and persistence has the ability to advance my progress

So Hooray for our small wins, hopeful signs, noticeable improvements

We go forth into the future with our banners of courage

Snapping smartly in the winds of change

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