Ruminations from the Temple

J-Term finished for junior year - check. And, what did I learn from 4 weeks of immersion-style study of the Tudor period of England's history? Well, that Henry VII is by far my favorite monarch of that period, and that Elizabeth I had many similarities to her great-grandfather. I actually enjoyed learning about England in that most pivotal time that bridges the medieval ages and the early modern period leading into the industrial age. Fascinating. Oh, and reading Hamlet (again) wasn't too shabby, either. So now I am on break - a week to relax at the beach house - prior to crankin' it up again for spring term. Unfortunately, I have never fully figured out how to do that relax-thing. I guess what I need most is solitude and a time to reflect on what I have learned and try to sort out what I see happening around me. And good music. I always need good music. This year I have learned that there are natural hazards that are eventually gonna happen, like earthquakes, ts...

Indulge in a deep breath in. Then, let it out. Think before you speak. Breathe in the wisdom of the ages, the life-giving compassion from the deep well of oneness.   Breathe out your pride, anger and selfishness. Breathe. Breathe in beauty and peace. Breathe in the relationships of love and care. Breathe out gossip and malicious judgement. Breathe in all that is good, right and lovely – that which protects and provides. Breathe out greed, jealousy and hatred. Breathe in the rich heritage of life and history. Breathe out violence, hurt and fear. Yes, you can do it...just breathe. Breathe in contentedness. Let go of the desire for things and unhealthy attachment. Breathe it away in a sigh. Breathe in the calm presence of the moment, and let go of meaningless agendas, expectations, and motives. Breathe in the life energy that flows in and around you – fill every cell with gratitude, awareness, and acceptance. Just breathe.

All my life I have struggled with my appearance. When I was a child, my mother dressed me the best she knew how, however, it was not me. She was in charge of my hair, oftentimes sitting me on the stool in front of her chair and winding my hair up in those over-used pink sponge rollers that were not comfortable to sleep on (by the way). With my hair back-combed and sprayed, and in a sweet dress she sewed herself, off I would go to elementary school picture day. I felt awful. I was told not to smile 'too big' for the picture, Elizabeth. I tried. The gawky stage didn't improve, and I was in an economic class that didn't allow for special clothing or styles some of the others could have. I wasn't in the popular group, although with my quick wit and loud mouth, you'd think so. I still felt awful about my appearance, as I just couldn't meet the perceived standard I saw in the magazines. I did manage to learn how to smile less, however. As I progressed towa...