RECEIVING THE GIFT

           In the spirit of the Holiday Season, I'd like to offer you a special gift. If you've been around the Celebration Circle for a while, you probably won't be surprised that it's very similar to the one I gave you last year, and the year before, and the year before that, too.

            The format changes over time, but the essence remains the same, because it's the Precious Present. Which is to say that once again, I am inviting you to take a break from the hectic pace of the Holidaze for a few minutes, and fully inhabit the moment at hand. To feel and experience the free flow of Divine Light moving to you, through you and as you, right now, in this Precious Present moment.

RECEIVING IT

            And, no, it's not really mine to give, because only you can give it to yourself. In truth, my gift to you is simply the process of reminding you of your own gift. But this time it's arriving in the form of the following guided meditation, focused on the Divine Light, and designed to support us in taking a few minutes to relax from the hustle and bustle of daily life, especially during this busy Holiday Season. To open to the fullness of who we truly are:  Beings of Infinite Light, Limitless Life and Unconditional Love.

            You may have heard this meditation as part of last week's Around the Circle, but we revised it as a video, since a number of folks had trouble accessing that audio file. Whether or not you've heard it before, I promise only good will come of your willingness to focus inward and meditate on the Light within in the form of a ten-minute video clip, available by clicking on the image of the candle above. 

RE-GIFTING IT

            Of course, you are free to do whatever you want with it. Savor it alone in silence, or share it with a group of fellow meditators; forward it as an e-mail to a friend via the Internet, or use your InnerNet to send it out around the whole world via your Divine Imagination. There are no limits to the number of times and ways this gift can be re-gifted. It truly is "the gift that keeps on giving."

            In any case, I invite you to take this time to breathe calmly and sink into the Precious Present. Watch the flickering flame of the candle on the screen before you, and experience the Light alive in you and All Creation as you send silent affirmations of inner peace, strength and joy to every cell and fiber of your Being, and all beings everywhere. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Holiday Season and a Happy, Healthy New Year,

           Rudi

PS:  Many thanks to Joe Reyes for creating the audio, Ray Palmer for the enlivening keyboard music, and my son, Mateo, for producing this video. What a team! 

AND... We have a great article to share with you here, too, featuring Circle Band Director, Ray Palmer. It's from UTHSC where he's as researcher, know as Raymond Palmer, Ph.D. Check it out by clicking HERE!

  You'll get a glimpse into the man behind the music in the video above, and of the guy in the driver's seat of the band each Sunday morning. We Love You, Ray!

THE GIFT OF LIGHT

          What follows is a guided meditation focused on the Divine Light, designed to support you (and myself) in taking a few minutes to relax from the hustle and bustle of daily life, especially during this busy Holiday Season. To help us open to the fullness of who we truly are:  Beings of Infinite Light, Limitless Life and Unconditional Love.

            Thanks to the generous assistance of Joe Reyes, who produced this session in his recording studio, along with Ray Palmer, the multi-talented keyboard player and musical director of the Circle Band, you can float in a rich, warm sea of music as you hear my voice guide you through this meditation on the Divine Light for the next ten minutes, simply by clicking here.

MORE LIGHT

          Of course, we'll have additional opportunities to share deep experiences of this One Light together during the Winter Solstice Concert in the Cave Without a Name this Saturday night, December 20th at 7:00pm, as well as the particularly upbeat Sunday Circle we've got planned for the following morning at the Garden Center, beginning at 11:00am. But... why wait till then? As noted spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, likes to point out, the only time you can ever meditate is right now.

            However, if you feel like you can't really spare the ten minutes to receive this gift at this moment, please consider setting aside the time to do it sometime soon. Whenever it happens, I trust you will enjoy this time of guided meditation as we reflect together on the nature of the Divine Light moving to you, through you and as you.

            Or perhaps, you've reconsidered and decided that you can do it now after all. In which case, I invite you to get as comfortable as possible, take a few deep, quiet breaths and begin by clicking here

            In any case, whenever or wherever you choose to do so, may you and All Beings be blessed by your willingness to bear witness to the One Light that shines in, on and through us all.

With love and best wishes for a peaceful, healthful Holiday Season,

          Rudi

HURRY UP AND WAIT AGAIN

     
             It's about 9:15am on Sunday morning, and I'm zooming down the freeway, en route to Celebration Circle. I wanted to be at the SA Garden Center by 9:00, when the load-in and set-up always begins. But once again, I got caught up in some last-minute details at home, and I'm running late, despite the fact that I was up at 5:30.
            Fortunately, traffic is light, as it often is on Sunday mornings. Unfortunately, that has given the Steering Committee in my head the chance to hold another one of those raucous meetings, with various voices coming in from different corners of my brain, while the car speeds down the freeway.

CHIMING IN
            One voice is clearly upset that I'm late again; another one sounds grateful for how little traffic there is. A couple of voices are hacking away at the new song I wrote last night, busily re-drafting the lyrics, which I'd already revised earlier this morning (part of why I'm late). One thinks the third verse is fine the way it is, while the other thinks it contains one of the worst endings ever. Meanwhile, another voice is worrying about the fact that this is an extra-bad day to be late, because Monty is in Oklahoma and won't be there to handle the load-in today in his usual, ultra-competent way. And then there's the character that keeps looking hungrily across the passenger seat to where my half-eaten breakfast sits waiting for everything else to get unpacked at the Garden Center first.

TIMING IT
            The Committee calms down a bit as I pull onto the Mulberry/St. Mary's Street exit ramp, take a quick glance into the rearview mirror, then at the dashboard clock, which reads 9:20. Not too bad, all things considered, says the Timekeeper's voice, rejoicing at the green traffic light just ahead. But just as I get there, the light turns red and the voices in my head start clamoring once again.
            I know this particular intersection fairly well, through frequent usage. I'm fully aware that the light-changing interval here is quite long, because it's such a dangerous intersection, due to the high speeds at which cars tend to zoom through it, as well as reduced visibility due to the odd angles involved.  That's why there's a big "No Right Turn on Red" sign hanging directly in front of me.

WEIGHING IN
            I'm really tempted to ignore that sign, which is much needed during rush hour, but seems pointless right now, because there's almost no one in sight, except for one car way off in the distance, heading in the other direction. But I hesitate, knowing that occasionally there's a traffic cop parked just around the corner, hidden from sight and waiting to pounce on any law-breakers who might do exactly what I'm contemplating.
            In that moment of hesitation, I remember a higher law that clearly applies to this situation: the metaphysical principle of Focus, i.e. "What you focus on expands." In other words, if I go through this light illegally because I'm focused on being in a big hurry, I will just heighten the feelings of being rushed, stressed and strained again. But, if instead, I choose to focus on feeling at peace with where I am, I'll create more ease and peace. Taking one slow, soft breath, and then another, the energy shifts as my mind drifts back to Thich Nhat Hahn's insightful invitation to see a stoplight like this one as a gift, rather than a nuisance. As an opportunity to enjoy a mini-meditation, a time for contemplation of the blessings at hand.

SETTLING IN
            So I take another breath and smile at the sacred silliness of being in such a big rush to get to the Circle, where we gather to sing/speak about the importance of slowing down to "align with the Divine" and be more present in our lives.  Hee-hee...
            What a good time to relax and remember that all is well, just the way it is, right here and right now.  That I won't get to where I'm going any faster by worrying about it; and I certainly won't reduce my stress by making an illegal turn. I might as well learn to enjoy this opportunity to simply sit here and bathe in the stillness for a moment.
            It's so peaceful that I swear it feels like I've been sitting here for at least five minutes, though logic tells me it's probably been much less. When the light finally turns green and I start driving again, it's with a big, wide grin in my heart, eager to start preparations for this morning's celebration from a sweet place of ease and joy. Something tells me that it's going to be a particularly upbeat morning in the Circle.

With blessings and gratitude for life's many lessons,
                  Rudi



 

TURNING WITHIN

            

              Ahhhhhhh. So much is happening all the time that it feels really important to pause periodically throughout the day; to take a few breaths and slow down long enough to give body, mind and spirit a brief respite from the suddenly-quickened pace of life. To take the time to turn within to embrace the many gifts of the season, and do my best to learn from them.

            The first thing in the morning, plus at least once or twice during the day, I push myself away from the desk and/or computer long enough to go outside and experience the world beyond these familiar walls; to watch the migratory birds make their way across the sky; to walk on the grasses and leaves underfoot; to sit on a rock and feel connected to the soil, reminding me that all too soon my body, too, will turn into ashes and return to the earth.

RETURNING

            It doesn't have to take long; just a few minutes will generally do the trick. Less time than it usually takes to follow down the cyber-trail generated by clicking on any one of the hyper-links embedded in the many e-mails that will arrive in the inbox on any given day.

            As a matter of fact, as soon as I finish this paragraph, I'm heading back outside for another glimpse at the sky, another reminder of how time flies, another chance to feel grateful to be alive. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing right now, perhaps you'd care to join me in returning to our roots outside and resting in a state of gratitude inside? If not now, perhaps sometime soon...

With blessings,
           Rudi