Gifts

Quantum physics reminds us that there really is no such thing as an inanimate object. Our senses tell us when an item has been made with Loving intent and skill and attention.

One of the joys of encouraging ourselves and others to create with more awareness is that we get to live with more objects of beauty.

What makes an item beautiful?
Grace. Usefulness. Intent. Craftsmanship. Appreciation.
Love. Lighthawk - painting with love 72

Of course. Love is often the answer.
Creating is natural. Inspiration flows as we tune in to the Source of creativity. From that place of harmony, we can then use our hands and hearts and tools to bring something new into form.

As we expand in our creative play, it can be helpful to view our play time as a gift of Love that we give ourselves. From that place of Love, we can create beauty.

This week as you play, see  whatever you create as a gift given to you to birth into a form that you can give to another.

Whatever you’re creating today (and you are creating today, aren’t you?)
create it as a gift of Love. kid with homemade heart 72

:-)

 

World Tai Chi Day

Today was World Tai Chi Day or World Wellness Day or Global Tai Chi Wave Day or…
This morning, April 30th, folks all over the world gathered together to practice Tai Chi at 10 a.m. It was a 24-hour wave of peaceful Tai Chi and QiGong with participants across the global community contributing their peace and focus.

Here at JOY, we just happen to have our regular beginner’s Tai Chi scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturdays. How fortuitous!

This morning was warm and sunny, so we had our first outdoor group of 2016. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the ocean was making its own waves, and we had a lovely time sharing with new friends in the warm sunshine of a green spring morning. back lawn at JOY 72

We even had a little bunny watching from the sidelines.

If you’d like to join us for gentle mindful movement, you’re quite welcome. No special knowledge or skill or equipment is necessary. We practice gentle, peaceful Tai Chi, not martial arts. Each class is uniquely tailored to the participants, and modifications are offered for each move.
If you’re visiting Yachats, Waldport or Seal Rock on a Saturday morning, come enjoy the energizing benefits of a gentle Tai Chi class.

Intuition, co-incidence, angel play, blessings & goofing off

   I just finished reading three new-to-me articles about the power of Nature in restoring wholeness to human physical and emotional systems. This is a topic near and dear to my heart – one of the many, many, areas where “science” is finally starting to acknowledge what ancient wisdom has offered all along: Nature heals.
(Can I get a “well, du-uhhh!” someone?) 😉 white christmas 72

More interesting to me, and I hope to you, is how simply and easily all this research just landed in my lap. It all started with a trip to the post office on the way to JOY today.
At the post office, I overheard two conversations – neither of which had anything to do with me… or so it seemed. One conversation was a woman telling a kindly neighbor man how just sitting outside, looking at the ocean was helping her heal from the grief of losing her mother.
The other was something about the library. I didn’t even hear a complete sentence. Only the word library popped out at me.

So… I took a circuitous route back to our little vortex of JOY, driving slow along the ocean road, watching the waves and feeling extreme gratitude for this beautiful location that has welcomed us home. Then, up 7th street toward the highway and, oh look, the library is open. Wonder if they have any free magazines?

I’m doing a collage workshop in a couple of weeks and it would be good to have a few more magazines. Logic, reasoning and scheduling would have saved this errand for another day. Fortunately, I’m much less logical and a bit more mindful of the magic inherent in now than I used to be. I was right there, then. It just so happened that the library had a big stack of old magazines they were releasing. In and out in just a few minutes with an eclectic armload of glossy magazines, and on down the road to JOY.

And what was in that mish-mash of glossy words and photos I had gathered for other people’s vision boards? The aforementioned three, count ’em 3, articles on the scientifically-proven healing power of spending quiet time in nature, complete with footnotes and annotations and additional references providing me with more research data for my own writings.

You may be wondering why I would think this has anything to do with you, or if there is a point to this rambling. It does. There is.
My point is this:

LIFE IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO BLESS US WITH GIFTS, MESSAGES AND BLESSINGS.
We just need to slow down a bit, and pay attention.

   If I had written a plan for the day, I would not have included a trip to the library on this list. Had I rushed through my own mental to do list, I could have spent many hours (or days) searching for the very research, complete with pretty pictures, that was dropped into my lap, so easily and serendipitously today.

How wonderful life can be when we remember to be present!
How fun life can be when we are open to happenstance,
co-incidence, angel play and the easy way. that was easy button

Today I am grateful for grace and for the million little signs along the path.

Thank you Life!

Saturday evening silent meditation

jay chambers art monk valentine72 wm
original artwork by Jay Chambers

Saturday evenings at 6p,
we host a meditation group here in Yachats at JOY.

Our meditations are
non-sectarian, open to all who walk in Love
and know, or want to learn how, to sit in silence.

Often, we start with a guided meditation, to assist people in relaxing into a meditative state,
then we are silent, allowing each individual to have their own peaceful and personal experience.

Meditation lasts about a half an hour.
This is a unique opportunity to sit in sacred silence
with like-hearted people. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the welcoming and peaceful atmosphere here at JOY.
From beginners to long-time meditation teachers, there is space and blessings for all who are willing to sit and breathe and BE and
tune in to Life.