“JUST THREE STRAWBERRIES”

“JUST THREE STRAWBERRIES”

There they were: cuddled together in the strawberry patch in the back yard.
One, ripe and ready to eat; two, on their way to ripehood.

Thinking about it all, I realize why I was so struck by seeing the three strawberries together like that.

They were a gentle reminder of the Creator and Mother Nature’s beauty and bounty … all happening in my back yard!

Miracle.

Some days, the yuck and pain of our lives and the world can seem to be so overwhelming that we forget to look – down … up … sideways … beside us … behind us … in front of us – expect to see a sign of the Creator – expect to see and experience a miracle.

When we forget to do that looking, we can miss seeing and experiencing three strawberries as much more than three little pieces of fruit.

Just three strawberries.
Three, simple, easily-missed-seeing, expressions of beauty and bounty and blessing.

Ahhh, I can hear my brain beginning to make links to ‘other *three’s* … links to the Trinity … links to …

But I’m going to restrain myself and instead, go outside and look around, up, down, beside me, in front of me, behind me and expect to see a sign of the Creator … expect to see and experience a miracle.

I know I won’t be disappointed.

While the definition of ‘miracle’ is subjective (and perhaps the catalyst for another Soulistry blog posting), this night I’m simply going to enjoy these three beauties from Nature’s bounty and be grateful for the beauty and bounty and blessing – and miracle – that is in my garden.

Three strawberries – beauty, bounty, blessing.

Just three strawberries.

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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com
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www.soulistry.com/blog

“words.Words.WORDS!”

“words.Words.WORDS!”

“Words, words, I’m so sick of words” sang Julie Andrews in ‘My Fair Lady’.

There are times when I’m sick of words too … words that people use to explain their lies … words used to defend indefensible positions … words that belittle – abuse – mock – harass – demean – bully – disrespect.

Author, theologian and priest, Matthew Fox, noted that “silence gives way for Spirit to arrive.” I like that – a lot.

International calligrapher, Alice Young, beautifully rendered Fox’s words and I was led to ponder a possibility – a challenge – a hope – a prayer: that each of us would turn off our tv, computer, radio, iphone, ipad, etc. for one hour each day, for the next three days and, in that one hour, we would not be involved in any conversation by … text … email … social media … phone … or in person.

What would we do?

We would “do” nothing.
We would simply “be”
… be present to the still, small Voice within
… be present to the sounds of Nature’s joy
… be present to the silence

In so doing, we would give space for Spirit to arrive and maybe, just maybe, … truth would emerge … reason would surface … healing might begin.


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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
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www.soulistry.com
#soulistry

Calligraphic Art:
Alice Young www.calligraphy.ca
used with permission

“TOO MUCH TO DO!”

“TOO MUCH TO DO!”

So much stress!  Too many distractions!  Much too much to do each day!  Traffic!  No parking spaces!  Noise, noise, noise.  Busy, busy, busy.   Does any of this sound familiar??

For many people these days, it does.  Their lives seem filled with things to do, people to visit, work to complete, shopping to finish, meals to make, chores to accomplish, errands to run.   People speak quickly. Eat their meals quickly.  Walk quickly.  Breathe quickly.

How often each day are the flowers that are poking their heads into view, noticed?  the laughter of the children at play, delighted in?  the spider weaving its intricate web, admired?  

Or does rushing through each moment of each day, until bedtime arrives, and you find yourself exhausted, better describe your day?

“I want some peace” some whisper (or shout!).  And yet they seldom pause long enough to experience that peace … seldom relax so that their shoulders aren’t scrunched up in tension … seldom listen to the breath they breathe … seldom experience the peace that comes when they open themselves to be “still” and receive the Holy One’s precious peace … seldom receive that inner strength that helps them cope with the busyness of life and be humbled by the gift of life given by the great Giver of All Life.

If you are willing to receive a glimpse of that “peace that passes all understanding”, a suggestion … take a moment – right now – to close your eyes.  And here’s how:

Take a deep, deep breath.  Slowly breathe in and out, in and out, inviting the Giver of Peace into your life.  As you breathe in, you might say smoething like “Giver of Peace, I receive your peace.”  As you exhale, you might say something like “I release all that causes my body, mind, spirit to be uneasy, distressed, anxious etc.

As you do this, receive that gift of peace within your body, mind and spirit – easing the tensions, relieving the pain, quietening the dis-ease within your soul.  

When you find yourself more at peace, give thanks, for you have been in the presence of the Holy. 

And, when the daily stressors of life next affect your ability to function, to laugh, to enjoy life, to ‘be with’ others, to notice the miracles of life around you … remember to take a deep breath, invite the Giver of All Peace into your body, mind and spirit and receive that precious “peace that passes all understanding” – as gift.

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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.soulistry.com
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry

Que Sera, Sera

Que Sera, Sera

Born Doris Mary Ann Von Kappelhoff, she became Hollywood legend Doris Day. Her movies (like Pillow Talk), her singing “Que Sera, Sera” and her love of, and involvement with, animal rights endeared her to millions who this day, mourn her passing.

In spite of a life which was very difficult, you brightened this world with your singing, dancing & sweet smile. Thank you. Rest in peace, Doris. Rest in peace.

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<Pastel drawing of our dog, Shandy, by Hans van der Werff (www.soulistry.com/hans)>

“WHAT CAN’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”

“WHAT CAN’T YOU UNDERSTAND?”


Today is the last day of Passover. Today is the first day of Easter for Christians in the East, and day six of the Season of Easter in the West. Pesach (Passover) for Jewish adherents is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. Easter for Christians is about new life.

Today, there is cause for neither liberation nor new life. Instead, a crime was committed at Congregation Chabad Synagogue in the town of Poway, California. Deemed to be a ‘hate’ crime, one person died and three were injured. And the question continues to be asked … when will laws happen which will make possession of assault weapons by civilians illegal?

Grief overwhelms the people of Congregation Chabad Synagogue, the people of Poway and the families affected by this senseless violence. Thoughts and prayers? Yes, I am thinking of them and all for whom this situation raises a bitter and painful personal memory of their own.

Yes, I will offer prayers … prayers of consolation and support for the victims and their families as they grieve … and prayers for the politicians who can change laws so that no other hate crimes, terrorist crimes, mass shootings, individual drive-by shootings using assault weapons will happen.

Politicians – you can change the laws so such murders don’t ever happen again. Why aren’t you? What can’t you understand, politicians?


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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/what-can’t-you-understand?
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry

“WHEN CREATIVITY and SPIRITUALITY INTERSECT”

“WHEN CREATIVITY and SPIRITUALITY INTERSECT”

Australian calligraphy artist Gemma Black was recently in western Canada teaching a variety of workshops, including one named Art Deco. I first learned about it a couple of years ago and wanted to take it soooo much. I talked about it with the local calligraphy guild’s workshop co-ordinator and wonder of wonders, she and Gemma chatted, the workshop was booked and I registered. I was a very happy puppy! And then, one of those health “blips on the screen of life” happened and I had to withdraw. I was no longer a happy puppy.

One afternoon, feeling very sorry for myself <silly me!>, I decided to surf the net and see what I could find about art deco. I didn’t find very much but decided to play around with some watercolours with what I did find, only to realize that my fingers weren’t very steady with a brush any more. I was going to stop and then had a good talk with myself and continued on.

The result – in carrying on with the project, I learned some things I’d learned a long time ago, but somehow had forgotten. Simple lesson, really – never stop playing!

As the watercolour went on the Arches Text Wove paper and then the card was mounted on red, then white, then red cardstock and a birthday card for a special friend evolved. If you are dealing with physical pain, let me be the first one to encourage you to find something creative to do within your range of physical abilities and dexterity … make a card, bake a cake, make paper beads, write a letter to someone, play with watercolour … whatever! And oh yes, while I was creating, I not only experienced the pain less intense for a bit, but a peace, deep within.

Ahhhh, Soulistry’s combination of creativity + spirituality rises to the surface. Again. 🙂

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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog

“Holy Week MIRRORING GOD”

“Holy Week MIRRORING GOD”

As Holy Week continues for Christians around the world
we pray to you, Mirroring God.  As we look at the face of another
at work, at the bank, crossing a border, panhandling, in Hospice care, passed out on a street, at a meeting, in traffic, in the Emergency room
on tv, in a political rally, in the shops, in a line-up, awaiting/recovering from surgery with  different coloured skin, different political beliefs, a foreign name, an accent , wanting to be in relationship with someone of the same gender, not speaking our language, wearing unfamiliar (to us) clothing, may we see You, reflected, as in a mirror.

Mirroring God, may we mirror your compassion and unconditional love this holy day, in this Holy Week.  And may we mirror your compassion and unconditional love, every day, in every week.  Amen  (which simply means “So be it.”)

 

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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry

 

“PATIENCE AND PLAY”

“PATIENCE AND PLAY”

“Soulistry – Artistry of the Soul” is about making the connection between creativity and spirituality and last evening, trying to find a youtube video that would show me how to make cotton/silk flower broaches (creativity), I re-discovered the importance of patience (spirituality).

No matter what I put into the search line, while I found some delightful broach-making, hat-pin, etc. videos, I didn’t find what I was looking for. And then, after making a cup of Crystal Tea (aka “boiling water served in a china cup/mug” <g>), slowly sipping it and “letting go”, I came across a little video that gave me the basic instructions and I was able to make these broaches.

While I didn’t save the youtube video or its link and can’t go back and review the process, I learned a new word – Kanzashi, the Japanese art of folding delicate squares of silk into three-dimensional flower petals. Once I learned about that and viewed the video, I was on my way to demystifying the Japanese art form into something I could do with supplies-on-hand.

So why share all of this here? It’s a reminder to myself (and might be of help to others) to continue making connections between spirituality and creativity.

a) welcome the gift of patience with self when learning something new
… spirituality

b) “let go” of rules, regulations, “steps in a process” when in a creative mode
… creativity

Who says Kanzashi has to be made only of silk? Or that fabric flowers only have to be made out of cotton? Or that all such flowers have to have five or seven petals; or only single layers; or can’t have both cotton and felt in one broach; or must all be the same ‘petal design;’ or …

aka … “play”!

Hope you make time this week to play in some way — perhaps with fabric … or paint … or paper … or yarn … or wood … or a new recipe … or a new garden design … or calligraphy pen and ink … or sketching pencil … or a new blog post.


© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.soulistry.com
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
#soulistry

“SEVEN LIFE-TRAITS”

“SEVEN LIFE-TRAITS”

A story … some realizations … a tender ‘memory … and some conclusions.

Faith: One day, in a town troubled by drought for many months, villagers decided to gather and pray for rain. On the appointed day, the people gathered. One little boy came with an umbrella. Faith. That’s faith.

Trust:
Have you ever noticed that when you toss babies up in the air, they laugh? That’s because they know you’ll catch them. Trust. That’s trust.

Attitude: When my husband turned 85, he delighted in wearing a shirt that read “I am not 85 years old. I am sweet 16 with 69 years of experience!” Attitude. That’s attitude.

Humour: When we were children, naptime was often regarded as punishment. Now an afternoon nap is like a mini-vacation. Humour. That’s humour.

Hope: Each night, we go to bed without any assurance that we’ll be alive the next day. And yet how often do we still set the alarm to wake up in the morning? Hope. That’s hope.

Confidence:
In spite of zero-knowledge that there will be a tomorrow,
we still plan events, meetings, appointments in our agendas / daytimers / phones. Confidence. That’s confidence.

Love: The world is suffering and many consider the future to be bleak.
Yet people still marry and have children. Love. That’s love.

May we live each day with Faith, Trust, Hope, Confidence, Love, Attitude
and Humour. 🙂


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© June Maffin
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.soulistry.com


 

“TIKKUN OLAM & A SUNSET”

“TIKKUN OLAM & A SUNSET”

A sunset – yes, a sunset! And no, it’s not a black and white photo. That’s just how it looked that particular night at Yellow Point on Vancouver Island – expansive, beautiful, and breath-taking. The beauty of the sunset with its stark sky, water and land reminded me of a phrase our Jewish brothers and sisters use: Tikkun Olam.

Tikkun Olam describes how humanity is called to respond to a world by participating in repairing the world and mending what is broken. More than that, Tikkun Olam incorporates a call to make the world better than it was before it was damaged.

As I stood at the water’s edge that night, watching the sun set, images of our broken world because of climate change, pollution, environmental damage, anger, shattered relationships, abusive leaders, injustice, and more, flashed before my eyes. I wondered about the hope that is in the concept of Tikkun Olam. I remembered how collective actions can bring about repairing the earth through restoration, through reconciliation, through small acts (of love, kindness, solidarity with other people, animals, plant life, oceans, skies and other places on earth), and through larger acts (of social justice and environmental awareness). And I remembered that every person’s life provides an opportunity for tikkun olam … and that each tikkun has the potential to bring about change.

I thought of people like Malala Yousafzai… Martin Luther King Jr … Rosa Parks … Jesus of Nazareth … Joan of Ark … Jonas Salk … Florence Nightingale … Isaac Newton … Eleanor Roosevelt … Beethoven … Rachel Carson … Wangari Maathi … and the question arose within me: “Where would the world be today without each of them?” They and others, made an impact on this world. Each of us can, too. No matter how intellectually gifted, spiritually inclined, physically able-bodied each of us is or is not, we can contribute to the common good and to the creation of a world where justice, integrity, caring, compassion and peace are present in some way each day.

It was just a sunset that night, but it had me thinking – thinking about Tikkun Olam and how I can be more responsive to such a call in my daily living.

How can Tikkun Olam enter your thoughts and action?

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© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
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