BACK TO THE GARDEN

Yet another big stack of papers seems to have appeared on my desk while I was in Chicago this past week. As I walk into the office, it looks overwhelming, and my heart sinks a bit. Instead, of sinking further, I decide to go outside and meditate for a little while, and prepare in consciousness for the Day In The Garden event I'll be leading with my friend and long-time yoga instructor, Willie McDaniel, at his lovely Hill Country Sculpture and Meditation Garden this Saturday.

  

GETTING STARTED

     Upon finishing my meditation, I look around the yard and see a bumper crop of weeds growing in our herb garden and flowerbeds. Because of the lingering after effects of our car wreck, I haven't done much yard work since October, so the weeds have gotten a big head start on me. But, now that I am feeling better, part of me thinks I "should" tackle these weeds now, while another part knows that I don't want to "should on myself" anymore, the way I used to do. Besides, the beds are so overgrown that the task looks pretty daunting, so why not hire somebody else to do the work? Yet, I can't help remember how much I actually love weeding the garden, because the results are so useful, visible and satisfying.

 

FEELING SATISFIED

     Instead of letting the sheer volume of weeds feel overwhelming, I remember that it's really no big deal. The weeding doesn't have to get done all at once. Just a few minutes of work can make a significant difference. So I put on my gloves, grab the clippers and start. Fifteen minutes later, almost half of one bed has been cleared, and the wheelbarrow is overflowing with greenery for the compost heap. I'd like to do more, but there's no need to put too much stress on my body and risk yet another trip to the chiropractor. So, for now, that's enough.  

     Heading back into the office, I pledge to take the same approach to that pile of papers on my desk. No need to feel overwhelmed by it all; just deal with it one bit at a time. Work is not a battle to be won or lost; it's simply another invitation from Spirit to be present with whatever is in front of me. No more, no less.

     PS:  Please consider joining us in Kerrville for a day of meditation, movement and music in the Hill Country Sculpture and Meditation Garden, from 10am-3pm tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that you, too, will find some wonderful blessings and lessons -- as well a great chance to relax in nature! (For details, see below).

With joy,

    Rudi Harst

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.

FINDING ANOTHER WAY

Sometimes, when I've let myself get upset about the latest political conundrum, the current cultural clash and/or the horrific news, I find myself wanting to blame someone else for this mess. But then I remember that I am complicit, as most of us are, because I'm not doing much about it, as most of us aren't. We're following along with the flock, like sheep... So I wrote this song and made this video (with my dear friend, Linda Cuellar, doing almost all the work!) as a way of helping myself and others laugh at ourselves while simultaneously issuing a not so subtle call to action: let's fix this mess! Let's find another way to be!

FINDING EACH OTHER 

As a sacred activist, I do my best to keep my eyes and heart open to both the joys and sorrows of the world, and to take compassionate action when possible. While I certainly vote regularly and have political opinions, too, I aspire to move beyond the old, dysfunctional divisions of Us vs. Them, Democrat vs. Republican, liberal vs. conservative, and embrace a more global, universal perspective that honors our deep connection with the Earth and all beings who dwell here alongside me. Not just as a good idea, but as a way of living from the inside out:  walking softly on the Earth, interacting compassionately with others and listening for guidance along the way. I've still got a lot to learn, but I'm committed to the journey, and it's in this spirit that I offer this video. If you enjoy it, feel free to share it with others. In any case, thanks for reading and listening for a few minutes as we travel this path together.

WE THE SHEEPLE

With gratitude and blessings,

Rudi Harst

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.

LIVING FROM THE INSIDE OUT

When faced with the choices and challenges of daily life, we tend to rely solely on our rational minds and readily observable facts to help make decisions, the way most of our cultural training has taught us to do. But I firmly believe that the heart of the spiritual growth process lies in a willingness to watch for clues coming from beyond the physical realm as well. 

 

TUNING IN

      When people ask me what the Celebration Circle is "about," I say that we are an interfaith community exploring a co-creative approach to spirituality and learning to live from the inside out.  For me, this means supporting ourselves and each other in listening for what some would call the still, small voice of God, or the quiet workings of Spirit. Others might prefer to think of it as being true to our Buddha nature, honoring the wisdom of the Tao, or tuning into our intuitive intelligence and paying attention to seeming "coincidences."

 

ARRIVING HERE

     After many years of studying and practicing this process myself, and observing many others as they do their "inner work", I'm convinced that it doesn't seem to matter all that much what you choose to call this guiding force - or how you come to encounter it.  Whether you arrive by way of a joyous, mystical insight or a painful near-death experience, by a guru's initiation, silent meditation, or an addict's desperation, what appears to matter most is a willingness to see beyond the physical plane, to listen with your heart, to attune your consciousness to a Higher Good, to something larger than your MonkeyMind, chattering all the time.

 

LEARNING TOGETHER

     Learning this process is relatively simple, but it's not easy. It takes time, energy and commitment to unlearn old habits and beliefs. To drop our resistance to "what is" and embrace new possibilities of what is to come. To let go of our old story of suffering and separation in order to write a new story of connection and conscious co-creation. That's why Celebration Circle is not in the business of offering any magic bullets, dogma or simple answers; life is already full of magic, messiness, miracles and madness to be reduced in that way. Instead, we're here to companion each other along the spiritual path, creating opportunities and sharing resources to expand our vision, experience our connection to The Whole and explore ways to live from the inside out.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to do this work and for your companionship in the process.

With gratitude and blessings,

     Rudi Harst

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.