when night equals day

June 22, 2023 martha collard

Today we celebrate the summer solstice. In Latin it means sol– or “the sun” and sistere “to make stand.” A time when night and day are in perfect balance. The still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year's threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath. Margaret Atwood

Here, all is green and growing, potential coming into being, the miracle of manifestation painted large on the canvas of awareness. Gary Zukav. It is a time of reflection, release, restoration, and renewal. Sarah Ban Breathnach A time of warmth, fertility and harvest.

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows. St. Francis of Assisi

Our shadows at noon are small pools at our feet. We celebrate light and honor the wisdom of the shadows. In connecting with the natural world in a way that honors the sacred immanence in all things, we establish a resonance with the seasons. Dacha Avelin

It is a time to connect with nature and to celebrate the harvest of life. Let every dawn be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close. Jon Ruskin

Mother's Day

May 11, 2023 martha collard

Life doesn't come with a manual. It comes with a mother. Unknown.

One thing we all share is that we have mothers. They are the multitasking, patient, gurus of unconditional love that nurture, protect and support us throughout their entire lives.

Robert Browning said All love begins and ends with motherhood. For some of us our mothers have passed, for others they live far away, Yet we never outgrow the need for someone special to hold us, tuck us in and reassure us that all will be well.

Mother is a verb. It's something you do. Cheryl Lacey Donovan. It is the heartbeat in the home. Leroy Brownlow

Gloria Steinheim only discovered in her 50’s that one’s home was a ‘symbol of the self’. This week I invite you to spend time mothering yourself. To listen to your deepest needs and respond to them as if they were your inner child. Melinda Burns. One way is to create a comfortable home filled with special indulgences such as a flower by your bed, a scented candle, or a reading nook.

These small acts replicate the divine feminine as a 3D manifestation of love, support and serenity. Happy Mother’s Day.

Sounds and Silence

November 4, 2021 Martha Collard

Silence is essential. We all need silence, just as much as we need air, just as much as plants need light. If our minds are crowded with words and thoughts, there is no space for us. Thich Nhat Hanh

The dictionary definition of silence is the complete absence of sound or to prevent one from speaking. In music silence is the opposite of striking a note and is called a rest. Something we could all use more of.

Silence is a metaphor for inner stillness bringing one to connect with one's divine nature, or yoga. Anechoic chambers are rooms designed to completely absorb reflections of sound or electromagnetic waves. Steve Orfield, founder of the quietest place on earth (according to Guinness) explains that within thirty seconds to a minute, you start to hear the sounds that your ears make … within twenty minutes, the sounds of joints….. thirty minutes –your heartbeat and maybe the sound of your lungs. And eventually as John Beaulieu discovered, the sound of his own nervous system. Ironically we enter a noiseless space only to discover we are the noise.

Eckhart Tolle says silence can be seen either as the absence of noise, or as the space in which sound exists, just as inner stillness can be seen as the absence of thought, or the space in which thoughts are perceived. To make the right choices in life you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions. Deepak Chopra

This week park your monkey mind, ignore the FOMO (fear of missing out) and make space to simply be. Be still. Be quiet. Be connected.

Silence heals.

August 26, 2021 Martha Collard

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John Beaulieu, a leader in the field of sound, began his career in an anechoic chamber. After calming his mind he tuned into the sound of his breath, heart and eventually the hum of his nervous system. This revelation was the source of his life’s work.

In sound healing we believe that every moment of our life and every action is in harmony with the Universal Energy Field. Abraham Maslow, called it ‘cognition of being in the peak experiences’, others, being ‘in the flow’.

The starting point is silence. Yet, most people are perfectly afraid of it. EE Cummings

The anagram of silent is ‘listen’. And the first step in meditation is withdrawing the senses and coming to a still point. Here your soul is at peace with your thoughts. Here wisdom awaits. BD Schiers Silence has much to say and is a source of great strength. Rumi and Lao Tsu

Try listening to the sounds around you one at a time until you listen to your own breath and heart to see for yourself that Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom. Francis Bacon

Singing in the Rain

August 6, 2021 Martha Collard

Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun. Randy Pausch

Simple things make life worth living. Confucius The recent rain forced many indoors. However us pluviophiles found joy splashing about.

The secret of happiness, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less. Socrates.
There is perverse pleasure gallivanting in the rain when others cower under their umbrellas. Now science confirms the benefits of doing so.

Rain cleanses the air of pollutants and allergens
The smell of rain calms and soothes
Lightning releases ozone leaving you refreshed
Exercising in the rain lowers body temperature so you can exercise faster and longer
You are free to be alone with your thoughts.
Rain reminds us to let go of control and just deal with it.

This week kick off your shoes, throw caution to the wind, and lift your face to the sky. You will be glad you did.

Everyday People

June 9, 2021 Martha Collard

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” - Einstein

The song Everyday People’s universal themes of compassion and respect is as topical today as it was over half a century ago. Why have we not moved forward? There is only one race, the human race. Rosa Parks

Here is a modern version by a charity called Playing for Change. Musicians collaborating around the world to instil harmony and love. Listen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4UWvcZn5U

The simple lessons from the song can extend your life. According to psychologist Susan Pinker in a 2017 TED talk, the secret to longevity is your connectivity to the community through simple social interactions - talking to the cashier at the grocery store, or the night guard or the FEDEX delivery man. We are all human, so let’s start treating each other like one. Remember your humanity and forget the rest. Bertrand Russell

Listen to Susan here https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_longer_may_be_your_social_life?language=en

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