by June | Jan 13, 2018 | Blogposts
Political claustrophobia is surging, bringing fear and a growing sense of disbelief, helplessness, inevitability, even hopelessness for some. It’s time.
It’s time to breathe possibilities – possibilities that no matter how bleak and impossible it may seem now, “this too shall pass.” It’s time to “think lovely thoughts” like Peter Pan and reflect with Maria in the Sound of Music about our “favourite things.” It’s time to move our mind and soul into areas of gentleness and beauty … to imagine a time of peace and joy and hope. It’s time … to find a pastoral photo to help focus our eyes away from the tv and phone and tablet and computer … listen to a piece of quiet music that can encourage our rapid beating of the heart to slow down … have a leisurely soak in the tub … walk outdoors … spend a moment in prayer … play with the children, grandkids, pets … share a meal with a loved one … meditate … create something in the Studio, kitchen, garden, workshop, our favourite chair … make time for self.
Political claustrophobia must not be given space in our soul to invade, possess, overwhelm. It’s time.
Text & Photo © June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.soulistry.com
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
Photo taken in Friesland, the Netherlands
by June | Jan 10, 2018 | Blogposts
Ahhhh, love … I love fresh fruit, lemon-anything, Greek food, cooked chocolate pudding, the smell of coffee. I love freedom, justice, flowers, the sound of rain on a tin roof, animals. I love learning and dialogue and travel and writing and being creative and being healthy and being able to see and hear and breathe and eat and walk and … I love, and am grateful, for them all.
But none of these is the same as the love for the special people in our lives that moves us into moments of self-reflection, selflessness, forgiveness. Such a love takes time – and work. It is a love without conditions … unconditional love. How is love-without-conditions … unconditional love … shown? How do families show love? What about people beyond our … families … religious organization … work situation … in the world? Do we show our love by speaking/writing words of love? Do we show our love by our action of the ‘fruit of the spirit’ – patience, kindness, goodness, thoughtfulness, gentleness, self-control, selflessness? Is it just words? just action? combination?
And what about people who say they love us but their actions (only love when the conditions are right for them) deny the words. If only … those who ‘said’ they loved, actually demonstrated that love in action, our world at home, at church/synagogue/temple, community organization, in social media would be places of healing, support, encouragement, nurture … love. If only.
© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
by June | Jan 7, 2018 | Blogposts
Where has the year gone? It’s hard to believe that it was a year ago today that the little “Nourish Gently: The Soulistry Cookbook” e-book was published.
In the past year, emails, cards and letters from families, individuals, family physicians, pediatricians and children’s psychiatrists from various parts of the world have come my way. I love knowing where the cookbook has travelled and am deeply humbled and grateful for the interest and support of the “Nourish Gently” project.
Thank you – and thank you Gumroad and Amazon for providing safe and secure transactions for my books. www.soulistry.com (click “books”).
In celebration of this anniversary, “Nourish Gently” is available at an anniversary price: $4.00 and will be available at www.soulistry.com/books (or see above link) for a week … January 14, 2018 … at that anniversary price.
Here’s to good health and may we “gently nourish” our bodies, minds and spirits this year in new ways. June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/books
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.soulistry.com
by June | Jan 7, 2018 | Blogposts
Hello, unexpected image. You arrived without planning, unexpectedly.
You arrived as I doodled and played with pen and cardstock. Playing can be such fun!
It can be a reminder that we never know how life will turn out be that be
pre-COVID19 … during COVID19 … post-COVID19. And yet, when we ‘let go’ and let the Muse – the Creator “in”, unexpected blessings can arrive.
What ways can we let the Muse – the Creator – into our lives when so many of us are self-isolating, to help flatten the curve? Perhaps we could take an on-line workshop? Or spend time with YouTube videos and explore new crafts, art possibilities? Or join Pinterest and be captivated by artistic eye-candy that stimulates that “I want to do something creative” inner being? Or clean out out cupboards/garage/Studio? Or doodle and see who shows up … like this little sea urchin that simply “appeared” as I doodled. 🙂
The ideas are plentiful. Let’s “let the Muse in!“
© June Maffin www.soulistry.com/blog www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
by June | Dec 31, 2017 | Blogposts
What will happen in 2018?
Babies will be born.
Couples will be married.
Sorrow will be present.
Joy will surround.
People will wonder and ponder and question. Children will play.
Animals will roam and feed. Pets will love. Plants will grow.
Minds will explore.
Busyness will occupy.
Corruption will exist. Loneliness will be present.
Laughter will erupt.
Some will work.
Some will seek work. Some will be unable to find work.
Some will rejoice.
Some will mourn.
Some will pray. Some will curse.
Facebook messages will circulate.
Tweeters will tweet. So will birds.
In other words, what will happen?
Life will continue.So, let us be of good courage and hold fast to that which is good. Let us not be afraid. And let us remember to hope and love and be kind … to others, to animals, to the environment … and to ourselves.
© June Maffin www.soulistry.com www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
by June | Dec 13, 2017 | Blogposts
Thinking about last night’s election results reminded me of the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could.” The little train engine was at the bottom of a big hill and doubted it could climb to the top. But as it kept repeating the words “I think I can. I think I can,” it slowly inched up the hill.
slowly began to believe… and reached the goal!
Believing in ourselves doesn’t necessarily happen all at once. It often happens … step by step … moment by moment … day by day. And before we know it, we reach our goal.
Maybe it’s time to believe. Believe in a future … with possibilities … with leaders of integrity … of hope.
Maybe it’s time to take a cue from Tinker Bell
“I believe! I believe!”
Text & Photo © June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
www.soulistry.com
by June | Dec 9, 2017 | Blogposts
“Is Santa real?” “Does Santa exist? “Is there really a Santa Claus?”
How many times has a child asked such questions? Countless!
Santa is each of us.
When we are able to … encourage … affirm … accept … love others
When we are able to … identify with the marginalized … care for the animals and this planet earth … support the oppressed … advocate for justice and human rights … acknowledge that ‘they’ are ‘us’
That’s when our inner Santa emerges, giving hope and joy to others.
Isn’t that what Santa is about?|
If “yes, “then Santa is real. Santa exists. There really is a Santa.
© June Maffin
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
www.soulistry.com
by June | Nov 10, 2017 | Blogposts
On November 11th each year, communities across Canada gather at local Cenotaphs, people take a moment where they live, work, go to school to remember. Remember the sacrifice of those who have served, suffered, died on lands far away and those who have served, suffered, died here at home that we might live.
We uphold in our remembrances the men and women who serve on our behalf as part of the Canadian operations and peacekeeping forces at home and around the world: … Operation Artemis: Arabian Sea … Operation Attention: Afghanistan … Operation Calumet: Sinai Peninsula of Egypt … Operation Crocodile: Democratic Republic of the Congo … Operation Foundation: Tampa … Operation Gladius: Golan Heights … Operation Hamlet: Haiti … Operation Jade: Middle East … Operation Kobold: Kosovo … Operation Proteus: Jerusalem … Operation Saturn: Darfur … Operation Serval: Mali … Operation Snowgoose: Cyprus … Operation Soprano: Republic of South Sudan.
Thank you all who have served. Thank you all who are now serving. Thank you to those who are about to serve. We remember. We are grateful. We will not forget.
Text & Photo
© june maffin
www.soulistry.com
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
by June | Nov 9, 2017 | Blogposts
What do you do when you’re stressed? Or bored, frustrated, grieving,
angry, sad, lonely, in pain? What do you do for fun, for challenge, etc.?
For me, I play. Well, to be honest I create. Something. Sometimes that creativity happens in the kitchen with food. Sometimes it happens in the garden with earth and bulbs and plants. Sometimes it happens in the Studio with paper and paint and cardstock. Sometimes it happens in my recliner chair with the laptop computer. Sometimes it happens on an airplane or the deck with yarn and fabric. Sometimes it happens on the bus, hospital, dentist’s office with pen & ink. But it happens. And when it does, I discover physical pain diminishing, emotional sadness lessening, spiritual dis-ease becoming transformed
But what if what is created turns out to be a mess? Or not what was intended? The old adage “give it a try” often whispers in my mind. Like this summer when I found some records in a church fall sale and thought I’d see what happened when I poured acrylic paint on them. Didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. I was going to paint over them but then decided to try writing on them instead … like this one. It “sort of” worked … but the rough surface wasn’t easy to write on. But that won’t stop me. I’ll “give it a try”again. Sometime.
And in the meantime I’ll continue to play and create and whatever the “it” is at the time “give it a try.” Hope you do, too.
photo & text © June Maffin
www.soulistry.com
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/facebook
by June | Nov 4, 2017 | Blogposts
Ot’s been snowing most of the day, gently dropping light flakes from the sky
over flowers that seem to be in a petrified state by last night’s frost. Power remains on, fireplace glows with soft light and gentle warmth, soup bubbles on the stove, quiet music plays in the background. What a blessing it is to be safe and warm, fed and relaxed. But many are not.
They are outdoors at night. They are outdoors during the day. They are cold and hungry and fearful. Clothing can be shared. Food and shelter can be provided. But what to do about the emotional and spiritual dis-ease that continues to devastate individual lives, families, countries, this world.
Perhaps hope can be offered by these flowers from our garden. Frozen on the vine this morning, this afternoon they were transformed into an arrangement of unusual beauty by love. Love – the key to open the chamber of fear … to speak to wounded hearts … to address societal wrongs
to set-free creativity and joy … to bring about reconciliation, transformation
… and welcome hope.
Photo and Text © June Maffin
www.soulistry.com
www.soulistry.com/blog
www.facebook.com/groups/soulistry
