The “dog days” continue now into spring and early summer. Not the “dog days of summer,” as the expression usually goes, but the dog days of recession. Recession relentlessly drags on in our spirits, even when reports of economic renewa...
Beyond blame to united action to save the Gulf from spreading BP oil. ...
How many times have you pushed yourself to exhaustion toward an elusive goal, tried to speed things up, took one step further than you planned, and thus reached beyond a point the little voice inside said was wise? For myself, I can count all too many times!...
So now I’m counseling myself that whatever I’m feeling is OK. I’m saying that I don’t have to worry to be in the highest vibration all the time so long as I don’t become stuck in the lowest. I’m counseling myself that these ...
There is a real change going on at DBR LifeWorks. It’s all about improving focus and content, while helping DBR LifeWorks to be more relivent and useful for our readers.
Content posted on DBR LifeWorks will focus on social involvement, tying into our slogan “life works when we work together. Under this heading we will investigate interpersonal involvement in terms of societal and political interaction, spanning family, community, national and global involvement.
We will continue our concern for personal development through community relationship – encouraging community inclusion of all members, through recognizing the value of all to the collective whole. The collective whole thus becomes greater than the totality of individual contribution.
Within this context, we will review ideas and tools that may enhance individual and community productivity, but we will not market products to our members and readers.
Our goal is to make DBR LifeWorks purely informational and inspirational to our readers.
Related sites are ANIVRA – where readers will find articles exploring our personal relationships to the universe beyond our conscious perception, and DBR Life – for articles focused on individual experience in the physical and emotional worlds we presently inhabit.
We hope you visit often to enjoy reading and sharing with our larger community.
amaste!
DBR
The “dog days” continue now into spring and early summer. Not the “dog days of summer,” as the expression usually goes, but the dog days of recession. Recession relentlessly drags on in our spirits, even when reports of economic renewal bring fleeting promise. Fears of “double-dip” recession effectively counter any too bold assertion that the worst is now over.
Recession is here for real, even though the stock market rises and consumer spending grows slightly. Unemployment figures remain stagnant, and unemployment reality is worse than indicated, especially within certain communities.
Most of us manage to trudge on regardless. Most still have jobs, most still have houses, most still have retirement accounts and most of us can drive wherever we want to go. But this fragile security is no longer present forever growing number of people.
Is it now time – even past time – for the more fortunate among us to become more mindful of those in need?
You may respond that no one is forgetting them. You may say, like the little pig who built on a stone foundation: “Misfortune is their own fault.” But even stone foundations have crumbled this time.
When Congress adjourned last autumn for a week’s recess without extending unemployment benefits, it raised the question of how deeply pressing the need of those dispossessed of work and housing is to those still secure. Of course, every lawmaker knew the measure would pass when they returned, and those politically opposed could still cast negative votes in conscience that the measure would not fail.
Who takes account of the added distress felt by those now out of work and virtually penniless? Their pain only grows more acute while lawmakers cut government assistance programs, threaten citizens with termination of Medicare and Medicaid support – dampening what fragile recovery now exists by delaying approval of our national debt extension.
Most states lack resources to aid a flood of new applicants to welfare rolls, especially applicants without children. Still, pressing need continues to mount. “For Sale” signs dot neighborhood lawns like unwelcome litter. A woman stands at the Wal-Mart parking lot exit, holding a “family in need” sign in front of her and looking despondently from side to side hoping someone will pay attention and stop. Somehow you just know this is no scam, not this time.
Unemployment benefits, even when extended, will not last forever. Despite the smug advice of some fiscal conservatives, our only solution now is economic stimulus. Our future depends on improved — not gutted — public education, clean — not polluting — energy, productive and well-employed — not chronically unemployed — citizenry. A renewed economy is now our only road to immediate recovery and long-term prosperity.
If economic imperatives were not enough, the moral imperative in this economic crisis, as in recent weather flood and tornado disasters, demands that we care first for those harmed and worry about balancing budgets later. Reduced spending can no more bring help to those suddenly without employment than it could cover the mounting costs of wildlife care and coastal cleanup and restoration.
Thrift is certainly our best long-term fiscal value, but this value must include enough flexibility to address critical needs when they arise. Failure to address present economic and environmental needs strikes at the very heart of our moral conscience as a nation. We can hardly excuse lack of action now by a decade of profligate spending sponsored by those who would not advocate
restraint.
Now is the time to act, and we must act to support improved employment opportunity, improved education, environmental restoration and clean energy production if we are to preserve our integrity as a nation.
Only then will these dog days end.
We survive only so long as our communities survive. We are prosperous in the long term only when we all share prosperity.
This is what we mean when we say: “life works when we work together.”
Fear alone rides behind our violence.
Peace comes when our hearts are no longer ruled by fear.
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Fear causes us to feel estranged from those we perceive as different from ourselves.
Love can quiet fear to show us our togetherness as we join in compassion for each other.
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Fear feeds upon and encourages ignorance.
Knowledge fosters understanding – or as a friend says “circle-standing.”
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Would you choose Peace, Love and Knowledge?
If so, then you must begin by planting and neutering them in your heart.
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Only when we allow fear and its anger child to leave,
encouraging peace and love to flourish,
and when we allow fear’s ignorance child to be replaced by knowledge,
can we share in a new community of compassionate understanding.
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It is my hope that more and more of us learn to cherish peace, love and knowledge in our hearts increasingly each day.
Love flows through me to all when I share it.
Love is boundless. -
It is like water flowing from an endless source. -
It is endless so long as I draw from that source,
so long as the stream of love flows through me.
The moment I share all the love in my heart it is then full again.
It is not something sparing that I have to measure out: so much here so much there.
I don’t have to draw up a budget for wise spending: -
But, I do have to be wise in how I share.
This love is not from me – it is from beyond:
It passes through me onward.
I feel it as it passes.
I feel it as I send it toward someone particular,
or as I share with all the world when I go deep within myself.
But it is not only mine to give!
I am a channel for eternal love if I open myself to be.
Now this love flows through me to others.
Then, I love especially my partner.
From this love I commit to share life together, -
each moment together in a special way.
I love others deeply as well, -
each for who they are in themselves and as they are special to me.
Do I remember then to channel eternal love and kindness? -
Or do I become so caught up in personal feeling that I forget?
I forget sometimes I admit.
Now I am remembering: the love is not all mine: –
it comes from the source.
Perhaps it has a special character as water from a chosen spring,
but it all comes from the source and is ours to share more than to give.
Do I restrict my love to someone because of their role?
Do I love my mother because she is my mother -
and forget she is also human?
She needs my love now in her humanness.
If I miss her humanness, I fail to send the love she needs.
We are all more than our roles to each other.
We are all human together –
souls sharing a journey.
Our love for each other embraces us fully when we share from the source.
Do I forget to replenish my own thirst when I share from the source?
There’s a thought!
Can the source pass through me and I drink not? –
finding all my reward in giving to others?
Yes, oh yes, I can! -
But the source is here for my soul as well as all others.
My soul is no less worthy of life giving love.
I stand beside the flowing water;
I feel it flow through me;
it invites me to drink.
Now when I channel this love I will remember to drink my fill as well –
I will no longer find myself starved for love –
giving to others in hopes of receiving love back.
Drink first and then share!
Then and finally then I share from plenty
to now give plenty with no thought of return.
This in itself it love.
Find a place in life for spirit –
- A place for love and the expression of love,
- A place for beauty.
Have the courage to say: “I love you!”
Treasure that place of love even in contention.
Keep that place of love free of passing anger, no matter how deep the offense.
Find all the small, wonderful ways to show love.
Accept responsibility only from love and not from obligation.
Appreciate beauty and take it in with every breath.
Treasure each breath is the greatest beauty we know, as each breath brings life in which to treasure beauty.
Let your soul be free to feel and to share beauty and love as it longs to do.
Find a space to see or hear only beauty and to feel only love each day.
Keep this space quiet and pure.
Center yourself here and find renewal here.
Experience yourself as loved, cherished and valued by you and know that the universe marvels at your wondrous creation.
Remember: The universe admires all that is: why should we take exception?
Now let love, beauty, peace and appreciation for all things fill your heart, and invite your fears, resentments and angers to feel and appreciate them too.
A New Spring for our DBR LifeWorks Site!
A New Spring for our DBR LifeWorks Site!
The BP Oil Spill Blame Game and a Call For United Action
