Monthly Archives: December 2012

Foolishness? No, It’s Not

I am a little rushed, but found some time to sit and work with the blog. I was unable to spend the time answering all the comments, but hope to find some time late after we do a bit more visiting. As well, I apologize for not attending to the awards that we so generously bestowed on me. I will attend to them when we get home after the New Year.

I think, as I enter 2013, there will be considerable change upcoming for me professionally. I look forward to some times of transition and building relationships like I have over the past few months with this blog. Mary Oliver always seems to find the words I seek as I look ahead.

Sometimes I spend all my day trying to count the leaves on a single tree. To do this I have to climb branch by branch and write down the numbers in a little book. So I suppose, from this point of view, it’s reasonable that my friends say: what foolishness! [He’s] got [his] heads in the clouds again.

But it’s not. Of course I have to give up, but by then I’m half crazy with the wonder of it–the abundance of the leaves, the quietness of the branches, the hopelessness of my effort. And I am in that delicious and important place, roaring with laughter, full of earth-praise.

Take care friends, ring in the New Year, and be safe my friends.

As I enter a New Year, I wonder whether I can live up to the wonderful quote taken from the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh? Awareness of my words, thoughts, and actions is important as I move forward into 2013 which will be a year of substantial change.

Gurly's collection of quotes, notes & video's made by great people who have been sharing their enlightenment through their words and actions.

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You Shall Above All Things

When I teach poetry, I always include ee cummings. I include him for several reasons. First, he was a pretty good poet. Second. junior high students worry too much about style and conventions. Third, he was a rebel and junior high students like rebels. Fourth, and I doubt it is last, he had something important to say like all good rebels.

I am not sure our schedule. We leave within the hour and will be on the road most of tomorrow. If I do not find my way back to the Internet, I wish you all a good New Year.

you shall above all things be glad and young.

For if you`re young, whatever life you wear

it will become you;and if you are glad

whatever`s living will yourself become.

Girlboys may nothing more than boygirls need;

i can entirely her only love

whose any mystery makes every man`s

flesh put space;and his mind take off time

that you should every think, may god forbid

and(in his mercy)your true lover spare:

for that way knowledge lies,the foetal grave

called progress,and negation`s dead undoom.

I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing

then teach ten thousand stars how not to dance.

Reminded me of the way poetry is written. The words find the poet. It is interesting how, if done well, we do not even really search for ourselves when we are lost. We only need to stop, be quiet, and our self will come to us.

Expressions of my life - An evolution of art.

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**Lost and found**
Eyes of almond, be still my heart for your voice
has returned to this world.
How not a day has passed that I craved not your tender
voices echoing these halls, of shaky ghost and broken muses of the past.
Such rich tender words drip from your hand
Linger languid long on my heart
does pitter patter like that of a child in your world.
My first of this plane, o crush of words, of northern chill, and lips stained of wine.
I will stand quiet on afar mount range and speak not your name
but hold you softly above this madness,
oh my first..welcome..

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**the art on this post is not mine, pulled from tumblr artist unknown but worthy of note

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Two Kinds of Intelligence

We enjoyed a restful Christmas. We head out tomorrow night for a trip to British Columbia where my 88-year old mother lives. Over the past few days, I thought about what I hold true and came across this Rumi poem. I will be working more on the literature review for my dissertation and I need to assure myself that I distinguish between two types of intelligences: one that grounds me and one that is simply the currency of the day.

There are two kinds of intelligence: one acquired,

as a child in school memorizes facts and concepts

from books and from what the teacher says,

collecting information from the traditional sciences

as well as from the new sciences.

With such intelligence you rise in the world.

You get ranked ahead or behind others

in regard to your competence in retaining

information. You stroll with this intelligence

in and out of fields of knowledge, getting always more

marks on your preserving tablets.

There is another kind of tablet, one

already completed and preserved inside you.

A spring overflowing its springbox, A freshness

in the center of the chest. This other intelligence

does not turn yellow or stagnate. It’s fluid,

and it doesn’t move from outside to inside

through the conduits of plumbing-learning.

This second knowledge is a fountainhead

from within you, moving out.

I found this in my reader today and felt it was a great way to restart. The quote reminded me I am part of the world and not separate. The picture draws me with its beauty and what I am united with; the world.

We Prepare for the Messiah

I leave you with this and hope, whatever your faith and beliefs are, you enjoy your holiday at or close to this time of the year. Take care, enjoy those closest to you, and together we make the world a better place.

O Wisdom,
O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come.

 O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
you showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush
and you gave the holy law on Mount Sinai:
Come.

 O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up as a sign for all people;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you:
Come.

 O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
you [not the systems of this world] control

at your will the gate of heaven:
Come break down the prison walls of death.

 O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

 O, King of all the nations,
the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of humankind:
Come and save these creatures you fashioned from the dust.

 O, Emmanuel,
God-With-Us, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free. d
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”

 Amen.

Father Richard Rohr is a leading ecumenical teacher who transcends religious and spiritual boundaries.

Stay human my friends.

I will post once more in a few minutes, but Gary says it best what I feel. It is time to take a break and rejuvenate. I thank each of you for following and sharing along the way.

garyschollmeier

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Spacious Sanctuary

I will break for Christmas tomorrow (Saturday) and return December 27, 2012. It is an extended Sabbath. I find a few days away from the digital world creates a quieter space. I began to think about this even though I will post one more time before the break. I looked in a bit today and realized there is a need to replenish the spiritual and creative elements.

I step away–

Ease into a low-tech space;

Sense stillness–

Eyes unsquare,

Fewer fidgets

A mindful practice

Just be.

I rest–

Embrace wakefulness

Emerge from frenetic hibernation,

I run yet stand still–

Deplete the spirit

Rediscover lightness,

A spacious sanctuary.

My experience is a little different and pales in comparison, but the message is simple. What can I change and not change? This is fundamental. This morning I was vibrating after I read a post by a person who has never taught and is blogging about what we should or should not do in classrooms and schools. Superficially, it all sounds good and, if I did not know him, I would say what a wonderful educator. As I read the Serenity Prayer, I realized I can only change what I can change and it starts with me.