A Flurry of Family Events and Some Sad News...

Just wanted to touch base with everyone....my blogging has slowed down this month...at least due to last week and this week preparing a week stay in California...  We have ten family birthdays this month, plus have family in town this weekend, leaving tomorrow... I have a ton of preparations to do, car stuff, errands, etc....I leave the 14th and return home on the 21st...

I will be popping in and out when time allows...

Just found out this morning, my friend Barbs, one of the gal pals in our creative group, lost one of their two dogs, Sadie, last night. She had difficulty breathing and had to be put down. Sadie was her husband's dog...big love affair between them.  She would knock everything off the table with her tail when he came home.  They would be up in his "man cave" watching sports together.  She was his shadow... Their other dog, Shaq is having a very difficult time.  I am so sad I cannot even write another word....

Dogs LOVE People Food...

 My sister sent this to me ....

Miracles, Energy and a Stroke Of Insight...

Yesterday I read a story in the newspaper which started a process of thought which ended up consuming my entire day and into the night...


It was about the Ava Maria Grotto, or "Jerusalem in Miniature" in Cullman, Alabama, which is an artistic refuge built on a hillside at a Benedictine monastery called St. Bernard Abby. The grotto is a collection of over 125 miniature replicas of historic religious buildings and shrines, created over a period of 70 years by Brother Joseph Zoetl.  


During the April tornadoes, one of the monks was horrified to see the approaching tornado headed directly for the Abby. Sounding the alarm, they all ran to the basement as the tornado roared above them.  When the storm subsided, they emerged from the basement to find nothing had been destroyed!


The tornado ripped through this religious town, blasting and shattering homes, churches and businesses.  Miraculously, the Abby, the Grotto and the Catholic church nearby were untouched.  People who came to offer help, were amazed it was still standing. It has been and continues to be a peaceful place of great spiritual renewal, relaxation and prayer.  Click on the video and link below to see for yourself...

Ave Maria Grotto

1600 St. Bernard Drive SE

Cullman, AL 35055

256- 734-4110

Open 9am to 6pm daily

It made me think of energy.  The kind of energy Oprah talked about on her last show.  How we all have it.  Every person, every rock, every tree and every flower. How we are each responsible for our happiness and our lives. How we are responsible for the energy we bring to the people around us...


Could the creative energy of Brother Zoetl, sharing his energy through his work, surrounded by a place of collective contemplative energy for good and selfishness...possibly generate enough energy to redirect a tornado?  I wonder...


According to David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D., in his book POWER VS FORCE, he tests and measures the energy fields in the various levels of consciousness... I bought this book in 2004 after listening to a program by Dr. Wayne Dyer on The Power of Intention.  I have been attempting to read, understand and implement Dr. Hawkins theories in my life for the past seven years.


He has calibrated the levels of consciousness with explanations and examples on each level. The levels from lowest to highest are:  Shame 20, Guilt 30, Apathy 50, Grief 75,  Fear 100, Desire 125, Anger 150, Pride 175,  Courage 200, Neutrality 250, Willingness 310, Acceptance 350, Reason 400, Love 500, Joy 540, Peace 600 and Enlightenment 700-1,000.


Not all levels are achieved one then another, more often we go up and down the ladder so to speak, gaining insight, knowledge, and learning lessons. As we grow and learn we gravitate more toward the higher levels of consciousness and lead more meaningful lives.


Which brings us back to why I was thinking of  Oprah.  She gets it.. on many of these levels.  If you did not see her show, she spoke of the one common thread which runs through each one of us.  We want to know (like in the movie Avatar) Do you see me?  Do you hear me?  Does what I say, mean anything to you?  We want to know we matter.  We want to know we are enough...We want to be validated.


She spoke of shame and how it destroys lives...if we allow it.  We each have the power to change our lives. She is a prime example, coming from poverty and the shame of sexual abuse, to the higher levels of consciousness. Those who are in pain and suffering through these lower levels have one thing in common... unworthiness.  "We block our blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough, worthy enough, smart enough, or pretty enough".


Oprah showed a clip of an episode about Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, and as a 37 year old brain scientist, alone in her apartment, had a sudden stroke on the left side of her brain. She could not speak or remember her mother. Dr. Taylor had only the use of the right side of the brain, which  feels energy and perception, to assist her in getting help for herself. I remember seeing that particular show in 2008 and was mesmerized by her story...


Dr. Taylor gave Oprah a quote, which Oprah keeps in her dressing room, but practices daily in her home and business.  It reads:

"Please take responsibility

for the energy

you bring into this space."

Think about that for a second...

Wanting to explore this deeper, I Googled Dr. Taylor on the Internet.  I found this video which is one of the best explanations I have ever seen or read, between the difference of the right and left sides of the brain.  She tells her story of "experiencing her stroke from the inside out."...which became the title of her book, MY STROKE OF INSIGHT...watch this and you will see why...

It is 20 minutes long...may I suggest you stay with it, because it is really amazing and inspirational...

How many of you watched Oprah's last show?  I was both captivated and validated. I appreciate what she shared and look forward to her next venture... 


Oprah understands positive energy. She spoke of Newton's 3rd Law of Motion: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction".  She quoted the Golden Rule, "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you"... and showed us how LOVE is the energy of best intentions...


The part I liked best was her giving all the credit and glory to Jesus and her staff.   She said "God is closer than your breath...be still and know it."


So much is still in my thoughts...but it is almost 4am and my husband and I are going to Lake Las Vegas tomorrow... Almost a year ago, I did a post about the Casino and the Ritz Carlton Hotel closing.  A company bought the old Carlton, redecorating and re-opened it as Ravella this past February.  The MonteLago Casino was bought, completely redone and opened this weekend.  I love it there...it is like a quaint Italian village with cobblestone streets which lead down to a man made lake...


I better get some shut eye so I can stay awake and enjoy it...I will take pictures....



Six Word Saturday...

Brain full: whirlwind tornado of  thoughts

What Is Happening With Blogger????

I am not sure if Blogger is having problems again...if it is from the Tornadoes in the mid west, or if it has anything to do with my upgrading to Internet Explorer 9, but my followers are not showing on either of my blogs. When I scroll down my blog, it sticks and jerks...

Is anyone else having problems?  I think I have had one comment.  I heard we needed to change our comment section to pop up and to removed the word verification, which I did...and still no comments...

Posting is acting up too...putting the letters in funky places.  Is it just me?  I have also tried Mozilla (which I am using now) and also had trouble with Chrome....

Magpie #67 Disconnected Twins...

Nicolas Tournier's Banquet Scene with lute player

Photograph prompt by Tess Kincaid

Writing/Poetry challenge hostessed by Magpie Tales

Interesting alternate painting I found below...same painting

with different lighting for contrast

making the women look different...

Nicolas Tournier's Merry Company

Twins

separated at birth

each emotionally

intellectually

connected

 individually

 living

separate lives

moments in time

shared instantly

hypnotised by

the experience

of the other

unaware

of what

she

herself

is

living...

disconnected

by a cruel fate....

~dkb~

Devastation and Renewal...

Photograph taken by Mari from 365 Days

The tragedy of
devastation
uproots lives,
topples trees,
scatters
personal
and material possessions
under water or blown
in all directions
from tornadoes
and storms...

The destiny
and reality
in living where we do
creates
 what happens
on our journey
through life...

Forces of nature
compel
regrowth...
ready or not,
a different path
forged in
 ruins
with
 green shoots
of new life...
sprouting, striving through
the chaos...

A thunderously challenge...

of renewal,
connecting powerful
resolve,
pulling from
unknown

inner strength,
to seek
 fresh insight,

for re-discovery
in remembering

the importance

of the most  basic
necessities 
 in life...

precious gifts

money cannot buy...
like knowing
 family and friends
are OK
and finding
 lost pets...
the
contrast
and
dawning
to rebuild lives...


~dkb~