Recently my last post raised quite the controversy as to how I was currently living my life. Accused of opting out because I spoke of the release of tired goods and succumbing to high fashion, things that were considered nonspiritual in nature by particular individuals. I relish in what people have to bring to the table, their individualistic perception of "what is" in said matters. This particular diatribe however, had me thinking about a life event currently occurring in another category of my life. That which was forming right next store at my neighbors house. For some who know me well know that I live in a historic district. A beautiful little well kept neighborhood of beings ranging in the average age of 50+. Retired, vacation homes in Europe and pleasantly quaint to converse with. But with that perfect setup comes also the unexpected. As they say, "there is always that house" and yes I happen to live next to it. You know the one. The black sheep of the neighborhood with the dying grass and the peeling paint. Not being much for conflict or confrontation I have always been more then cordial. As the other neighbors called the city to have this house cited for trash cans left out pass their time allowance, overgrown vegetation and parked cars left on the street; I carried on minding my matters.
Recently they inherited some family members of theirs experiencing hard times. These financial hard times has made for the family members to take to living out of their car. As these neighbors slept tucked in peaceful slumber in their warm house their offspring slept cramped in the confines of their car. Finally pushed beyond my own set limits I became irate. Mostly because I was embarrassed to have this unsightly display demonstrated before me. Losing all compassion of what these individuals must be experiencing I ranted and raved over what I had to experience. But what did I have to experience? Truly nothing. It was I who was having the problem with this demonstration of truth before me. It was I who's eyes looked at this situation as something that was being done to me. It was I who felt that I had been wronged in some way as I watched these individuals wake up each morning pulling articles out of their suitcase in order to prepare for the day. It was also I who could not understand what it would feel like to experience such set circumstances. Or to have family who wouldn't take me in if I was in a bind. No I couldn't understand because I have never been without. Nor in such a dire situation where I didn't have emotional, financial or physical help standing behind me. I fortunately have been blessed beyond belief. Even when hard times were trying, I always had the support of family, community and friends.
This recent week I finally made the conscious decision to call the police after giving this couple 2 weeks to improve their circumstances. As I planned for this past Wednesday to be the deadline, I woke up to see that not only was this couple living in the confines of their car but so were their two small children. Children who ran around the yard with glorious smiles on their faces everyday. Children who were clean, fed and hair perfectly maintained. I paused as I watched them in their pj's dragging their baby blankets up to the neighbors house this particular morning. In that exact moment I broke down and cried. I cried for them. I cried for the selfishness that I was feeling within my heart. I cried that it took me wanting to help others to go outside of my own neighborhood in order to build a foundation only to have those in need living beside me. I cried that here I was worried about what people thought of me, when these individuals were just focusing on surviving. I cried more then anything that I never looked to see before this particular day that there were children living in the car.
So rather it be right, wrong or indifferent I decided not to call. Not to have this families circumstance become hindered more then it already was by my complicated hands. I chose that although the site is unfavorable to watch, I would rather see them all together then pulled apart. I have changed my perception and now instead of waking up each morning annoyed, I bask in the glow of the youth who greet me by my car before I leave for my morning run. I may not have children but to experience the wonders through child eyes is a remarkable blessing. Their innocence and youth of spirit is overwhelming. Their gentleness and sharing nature is pure perfection. It is us who become jaded by the social norms of what is, should be's and worldly pressures. It is us who make the simple complicated and the gentle rigid.
Spiritualism isn't about being perfect in every set situation and circumstance. Its about seeing and embracing when you are perfectly flawed. Its about seeing the balance of the light as well as the dark and making allowances for it. It is about understanding yourself better for who you are, where you are and where you want to be. It is about allowing and accepting. Most importantly allowing and accepting those judgements you caste against yourself.
~M
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Everything I Now Know, I Have Learned While Hoodwilling
Last year my best friend introduced me to a life I never knew existed previously. A life full of surplus, excitement and profound knowledge. Now where on earth has all this wealth of information come from, you might ask? No where other then the Goodwill. Or according to my IPhone's crafty auto-correct....The Hoodwill. Pretentious I am not, expressive I most certainly am. Upon donating a large extent of my wardrobe in order to "start fresh" I was left in a space to recreate what I wanted in my life. Having a love for my own style and flair which has taken me years to cultivate I was far from embracing the latest trends in the mainstream popular stores. Thanks to R.B not only did I get to spend girl time with my friend but I also got turned onto a world vastly different then that which I was living. So you may be asking, how does this apply to Spiritualism? Each book ever written on Spiritualism is written with life principles in mind. To simply read said principles does nothing. Its the course of applying them where the magic occurs.
Principle One...Surplus.
I have come to realize that the world is made up of an endless supply of surplus. There is never a need that can not be filled or a willing participnat not looking to fill a need. With this in mind there is NEVER a reason to think that one will not get what one needs. Many times I hear clients comment on how they will die if their job ends, if there relationship fails, if the home they want doesn't come through, if the coveted material tangible is not within their possession. I can assure time and time again that....death will not occur due to some exterior belief. However, believing that happiness is based entirely on one said person, event or item is a very limited way of thinking. Hasn't enough words of wisdom been produced for society to know that as one door closes another one opens.
Well the same thing applies to shopping. Just because the person before you bought the most stellar pair of Louis Vuitton heels in your precise size is not to say that a more spectacular pair will not be found later on. Ones meant just for you and your deformed middle toe. There is always a better relationship to replace the one which you had. A home with a layout better fitted to your current lifestyle. A vehicle at a cheaper price, with more options than the one that recently "Got Away". Remember it all comes down to belief. To believe there is always more will bring more. To believe there is lack will produce just that. It's the Law of Effect. So be conscious the next time you find yourself choosing to be disappointed.
Principle Two...The writing is ALWAYS on the wall.
Take things for face value first. If it has a smudge, stain, tear, etc acknowledge it and then decide.
Is it worth dealing with even though the image is not perfect? How much work will it take to get it just so? I found a gorgeous dress that was in a chiffon silk with overlayed black lace. Very classic late 30's elegance. It was also sizes too large for me. Although I loved it and envisioned myself prancing around in it, I needed to be honest first. The alterations would cost a fortune and what I loved about the dress may not be the same things that I would love after it was altered. I choose to let it go and surprisingly enough I found one similar months later in the correct size.
These same principles apply to life when associating with others. People will ALWAYS show you who they are if you care to listen. Its not people persay who lie but rather our own individual egos that do. Pay attention! To what is said, not said and gestured your way. You can save yourself time, money and emotions when evaluating the circumstances in an open, honesty way. In the end if a conscious choice is made to take on a project by all means remember to put your best foot forward.
Principle Three....HONESTY
Being honesty starts with YOU. One needs to know themselves before they can begin to know another.
This applies to shopping as well. Each individual person has their own individual style. A way of expressing their inner being. What will look truly stunning on one person does not always look the same on another. Know this and be true to it. The more you do so the more that truth spills out into all areas of your life, not just clothes. I know that I am a person for vintage, elegance, feminine and material. If it sparkles, gleams, sways and evokes some sort of passion within me I swoon. I also have to LOVE it in order to buy it. I have also learned that borrowing upon someone elses style tends to wind up with me donating it back.
Be true to you and you will always be true. Look to the world to lend inspiration to you but be realistic in your wants, dreams, hopes, desires and how you curate them into your space. Living a life of integrity is your own sole choice and only you know what a life like that looks like. Get clear, precise and be mindful when executing all which does not define you or your lifestyle. In the beginning it might take a little elbow grease on your part but soon you will be coasting with a fresher more authentic vision for yourself. Happy Sailing!!
Principle Four...Traits YOU define to live by
What is it that you are seeking? What traits do you choose to live by? To apply to your life?
When I started out shopping I knew that I was looking for pieces that were timeless, feminine, tailored and organic. Organic to me is silk. I love the way it fits, contours and lays against my skin. Nothing else suffice for me. I know what I want and I believe that I am worthy of my wants. Even if they take years to transpire. R.B however has been very clear that she wants comfortable. Above all else if a garment isn't comfortable to wear or needs an assembly to put on then its gone. We have paired up to hold each other to these defined truths when we find ourselves straying.
These traits have also come to play in other areas as well. My feelings are what I borrow from many a times to navigate with clients, friendships and over all decisions regarding life. Rather it be intuition that does the leading or enough experiences lived to see the red flags i'm unsure. I am sure that if it doesn't feel right then 95% of the time it is not. That gut feeling has saved myself time and time again from countless detriments and I listen to it when a garment fits too tightly around it as well. I personally am unwilling to suffer for fashion or for anything that places my "gut" at a dis-ease.
Principle Five...When in DOUBT sit back and RELAX
When I first started shopping the Hoodwill I found things that I was unsure of but would buy anyways. Only to get them home, decide that I really did not like them and end up donating them back. After more then a few times of doing this I started listening to my inner voice. If I found myself pausing on a said item then I would simply walk away from it. I made a new agreement with myself that I HAD to LOVE it in order for it to find a home with me. Otherwise it was just simply stuff. Filler in my life which later translated into clutter.
We are all aware of clutter. Clutter of possessions, leads to clutter of the mind, which later can transmute into clutter of emotions. I have received the clean out clutter card from my counseling deck enough times to know that it is frivolous to hold on to stuff just for the sake of. Now take old ways of thinking and you are left with a outdated, outlived, outlook on life. Just like closets...Each of us need a Life Review every now and then. A quick or in depth glance over to see if all that is kept inside is truly ours. Now and then you may find a shirt given as a gift by a friend that you have never worn, or a belief that was never yours to begin with. Toss it, release from it, work through it and then move on. There are things out there that will fit your life better I guarantee it.
~M
Principle One...Surplus.
I have come to realize that the world is made up of an endless supply of surplus. There is never a need that can not be filled or a willing participnat not looking to fill a need. With this in mind there is NEVER a reason to think that one will not get what one needs. Many times I hear clients comment on how they will die if their job ends, if there relationship fails, if the home they want doesn't come through, if the coveted material tangible is not within their possession. I can assure time and time again that....death will not occur due to some exterior belief. However, believing that happiness is based entirely on one said person, event or item is a very limited way of thinking. Hasn't enough words of wisdom been produced for society to know that as one door closes another one opens.
Well the same thing applies to shopping. Just because the person before you bought the most stellar pair of Louis Vuitton heels in your precise size is not to say that a more spectacular pair will not be found later on. Ones meant just for you and your deformed middle toe. There is always a better relationship to replace the one which you had. A home with a layout better fitted to your current lifestyle. A vehicle at a cheaper price, with more options than the one that recently "Got Away". Remember it all comes down to belief. To believe there is always more will bring more. To believe there is lack will produce just that. It's the Law of Effect. So be conscious the next time you find yourself choosing to be disappointed.
Principle Two...The writing is ALWAYS on the wall.
Take things for face value first. If it has a smudge, stain, tear, etc acknowledge it and then decide.
Is it worth dealing with even though the image is not perfect? How much work will it take to get it just so? I found a gorgeous dress that was in a chiffon silk with overlayed black lace. Very classic late 30's elegance. It was also sizes too large for me. Although I loved it and envisioned myself prancing around in it, I needed to be honest first. The alterations would cost a fortune and what I loved about the dress may not be the same things that I would love after it was altered. I choose to let it go and surprisingly enough I found one similar months later in the correct size.
These same principles apply to life when associating with others. People will ALWAYS show you who they are if you care to listen. Its not people persay who lie but rather our own individual egos that do. Pay attention! To what is said, not said and gestured your way. You can save yourself time, money and emotions when evaluating the circumstances in an open, honesty way. In the end if a conscious choice is made to take on a project by all means remember to put your best foot forward.
Principle Three....HONESTY
Being honesty starts with YOU. One needs to know themselves before they can begin to know another.
This applies to shopping as well. Each individual person has their own individual style. A way of expressing their inner being. What will look truly stunning on one person does not always look the same on another. Know this and be true to it. The more you do so the more that truth spills out into all areas of your life, not just clothes. I know that I am a person for vintage, elegance, feminine and material. If it sparkles, gleams, sways and evokes some sort of passion within me I swoon. I also have to LOVE it in order to buy it. I have also learned that borrowing upon someone elses style tends to wind up with me donating it back.
Be true to you and you will always be true. Look to the world to lend inspiration to you but be realistic in your wants, dreams, hopes, desires and how you curate them into your space. Living a life of integrity is your own sole choice and only you know what a life like that looks like. Get clear, precise and be mindful when executing all which does not define you or your lifestyle. In the beginning it might take a little elbow grease on your part but soon you will be coasting with a fresher more authentic vision for yourself. Happy Sailing!!
Principle Four...Traits YOU define to live by
What is it that you are seeking? What traits do you choose to live by? To apply to your life?
When I started out shopping I knew that I was looking for pieces that were timeless, feminine, tailored and organic. Organic to me is silk. I love the way it fits, contours and lays against my skin. Nothing else suffice for me. I know what I want and I believe that I am worthy of my wants. Even if they take years to transpire. R.B however has been very clear that she wants comfortable. Above all else if a garment isn't comfortable to wear or needs an assembly to put on then its gone. We have paired up to hold each other to these defined truths when we find ourselves straying.
These traits have also come to play in other areas as well. My feelings are what I borrow from many a times to navigate with clients, friendships and over all decisions regarding life. Rather it be intuition that does the leading or enough experiences lived to see the red flags i'm unsure. I am sure that if it doesn't feel right then 95% of the time it is not. That gut feeling has saved myself time and time again from countless detriments and I listen to it when a garment fits too tightly around it as well. I personally am unwilling to suffer for fashion or for anything that places my "gut" at a dis-ease.
Principle Five...When in DOUBT sit back and RELAX
When I first started shopping the Hoodwill I found things that I was unsure of but would buy anyways. Only to get them home, decide that I really did not like them and end up donating them back. After more then a few times of doing this I started listening to my inner voice. If I found myself pausing on a said item then I would simply walk away from it. I made a new agreement with myself that I HAD to LOVE it in order for it to find a home with me. Otherwise it was just simply stuff. Filler in my life which later translated into clutter.
We are all aware of clutter. Clutter of possessions, leads to clutter of the mind, which later can transmute into clutter of emotions. I have received the clean out clutter card from my counseling deck enough times to know that it is frivolous to hold on to stuff just for the sake of. Now take old ways of thinking and you are left with a outdated, outlived, outlook on life. Just like closets...Each of us need a Life Review every now and then. A quick or in depth glance over to see if all that is kept inside is truly ours. Now and then you may find a shirt given as a gift by a friend that you have never worn, or a belief that was never yours to begin with. Toss it, release from it, work through it and then move on. There are things out there that will fit your life better I guarantee it.
~M
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Indulging Ones Inner Self
In this modern expulse called life, many of us find ourselves limited on time and energy in order to create the desired tasks that swell within ones head. Visions of childhood fantasies and laughter can bring much joy to ones soul. Those few precarious minutes of time alone from the wars of life is all many of us ask for. A peaceful moment to allow our minds to drift to far away places where our imagination knows no bonds. Of course many of us are adults altering our lifestyle to that which we feel is appropriate for our given circumstantial age and removing the lustrous sheen off of the fairytale dreams. Remembering back to a childhood full of innocence and adventure, we sigh with hope that one day we will get the imagination as well as the courage to fulfill those fantasies again. Rather it be to create a work of art that will make people swoon with inspiration or to travel to distant lands and surrender to the romance of castles and gold threading.
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