Bringing ourselves back to the voice of God–OUR voice
the stillness and certainty within
that parts and reveals its path when we are willing…

the practice
the kindness
of bringing ourselves back–
of coming home…
a reminder of where we have always been…
of the light within that always glows…
that is always on to greet us at the front door–
the door to our souls.

~Madeleine Landaeta St.Jacques

I intend to live in a world where all earth inhabitants are safe, well-fed, loved, nourished, supported, educated, celebrated and cherished.

I intend to live on a planet where there is ample food, water, shelter, clothing and being healthy is a natural and normal state. 

I intend to live in a world where people honor diversity and love each other because each one of us is a vital piece of the puzzle of  humanity. 

~Adapted from Karen Curry’s article “What are You FOR?” | Visit http://www.theprosperityrevolution.blogspot.com/ to read this post in its entirety.

The world of art has often dabbled in the realm of charitable fundraising. A fresh round-up of modern, visually-creative minds have embraced the power of the internet to make a conscious difference.

Seeking to promote “art and social responsibility”, Working Proof was established by Anna Corpron and Sean Auyeun, also known as Sub-Studio. The concept is simple: a new artist and print their artwork is introduced on Tuesdays at 1:30pm EST. From the sale of each print, 15% is donated to a charity of the artists’ choice, “creating what we believe to be a product with not just aesthetic, but social value,” says the website. Each print is a limited-edition creation, adding a collector-desiring element.

Along with each new print, an interview with the artist is featured on the Working Proof blog. From screenprint and letterpress to photography, all types of visual artists are welcome to submit their work for possible inclusion in the Working Proof project. To date, this innovative undertaking has raised money for nearly 35 charities, including Dave Eggers’ 826 National and Architecture for Humanity, which both have been featured in Ode.

Photo: Working Proof

Now Coming to Earth An Introduction. (Please click the link on the left to read this amazing post.)

As soon as this post arrived in my inbox, I knew immediately that it needed to be shared. The bulletin is called, “Now Coming to Earth” and is delivered weekly by my dear friend and teacher, Ilona Hress, founder of Growing Consciousness: The Center for Evolutionary Creativity.

I particularly loved the following excerpt — it really resonated with me in a very visceral kind of way…

“Now is the time to choose the power to heal yourself by honoring the unique experience of existence you are having on Earth.  What is life force currently offering you?  How are you intentionally manifesting or
mastering your own life force?  This is your experience of being and it belongs to no one else. . .Trust your power to choose what is the best for you in every moment. Your power to heal comes from your power to choose your own life and affirm your existence.  You cannot choose life and destroy it simultaneously.  You can choose to change the way you experience the gift of your life and release what is unnecessary, hurtful, and destructive.”

If you’d like to learn more about Ilona Hress and Growing Consciousness, please visit: http://growingconsciousness.com/

Enjoy! If you like what you’ve read, be sure to subscribe and stay in the loop : )

The monthly ‘Book Group Buzz’ e-newsletter [from Watchung Booksellers here in Montclair] is a treasured simple pleasure of mine and I was excited to see the latest installment in my inbox this morning! Below are a couple of new titles and 2 others I’m currently reading. I hope you’ll enjoy their deeply inspiring narratives as much as I am. 

Now, I’m off…the necessities of life are calling (and my cat is warbling like mad!). But, before I go, what books are on your bedside table these days?

“Eve explores the very essence of love, womanhood, faith, and humanity. In this mesmerizing debut novel, Elissa Elliott blends biblical tradition with recorded history to put a powerful new twist on the story of creation’s first family. Here is Eve brought to life in a way religion and myth have never allowed–as a wife, a mother, and a woman. With stunning intimacy, Elliott boldly reimagines Eve’s journey before and after the banishment from Eden, her complex marriage to Adam, her troubled relationship with her daughters, and the tragedy that would overcome her sons, Cain and Abel.”

*I normally tear through my books at breakneck speed — this one, I am savoring, slowly : ) This book fuels my fantasies of one day getting off the grid, living off the land, and being part of a community of people that feed and sustain each other with more than just food : )
If you read THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA by Michael Pollan, you’ll certainly appreciate this one.

“Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they’d only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an enthralling narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.”

“A “heartbreakingly delicious” national bestseller about a chef, her students, and the evocative lessons that food teaches about life. “Lillian, a restaurant owner, teaches Monday night cooking classes as much for herself as for the students. With magical language, first-time novelist Bauermeister weaves the lives of the students in Lillian’s class with the meals prepared and life lessons learned. Strong, sensuous writing leaves the reader hungry for more.” –Holly Smith, Wide World Books & Maps, Seattle, WA. Paperback

*A follow-up to Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love” that does not disappoint.
“Gilbert tackles her fears of marriage by delving into this topic completely, trying with all her might to discover through historical research, interviews, and much personal reflection what this stubbornly enduring old institution actually is. Told with Gilbert’s trademark wit, intelligence and compassion, “Committed” attempts to “turn on all the lights” when it comes to matrimony, frankly examining questions of compatibility, infatuation, fidelity, family tradition, social expectations, divorce risks and humbling responsibilities. Gilbert’s memoir is ultimately a clear-eyed celebration of love with all the complexity and consequence that real love, in the real world, actually entails.”

What is the most challenging thing you have ever had to overcome in your life, and what steps did you take along the way?

Lobelia

 *Sigh* Isn’t she just gorgeous? The picture does not do her justice, I have to say. Never have I seen flower petals this shade of blue. Actually, in person, it really looks more like a vibrant bluish-purple — a hue that I didn’t believe existed in the color spectrum…*Sigh*

This was such a delicious find, I have to tell you. I was at a local garden center on Sunday, hoping to find a replacement for a small section of creeping phlox that recently perished. I decided to remain open, believing that I would know which plant (or plants : ) needed to come home with me. And there, next to the usual geraniums and begonias, was my Lobelia!!!

Everything about it screamed, “take me home!” And this plant has presence, people!! Stop by my garden and you’ll experience it for yourself : ) The vibrant color that radiates so fluidly, the shape of its petals, its lovely energy.

Yes, I’m in love with Lobelia — and am so grateful for the joy it brings me : )