Steps to Joyful Living

Spiral Staircase in the Iowa State Capitol Building

We are spiritual beings having a human experience in this life. Walking up a staircase can be viewed as analogous to our journey in this world. As we go up each set of stairs, our perspective of reality changes in much the same way as a lens on a camera can alter what we see. The beauty in living is that we choose how high up on the steps we want to go by the amount of willingness to connect to our spiritual selves to gain access to our authentic selves.

There are times we may descend a few steps as well. We are never so perfect as to only go one way-that is up. Challenges are presented to us that may cause us to step down or step up. Sometimes we lend a hand of support to those who cross our path. Sometimes they return the favor. Challenges are always opportunities for growth. That is a good thing!

Hence, we are always choosing our direction and that makes us all unique and very special.  

Head vs Heart

What exists below the surface is way more than above the surface

Head vs Heart

“Fear is the opposite of love, simply because fear contracts and love expands. The only way to be truly open is to silence the mind and open the heart. If humanity is to survive, this is the change that needs to happen!

When the heart is open, there are no fixed ideas, just peace, love, expansion and unlimited possibilities. Choosing to live in terror, fear, lack and limitations always means that you are living in mind, and mind only exists in two places – past and future. It simply cannot exist in the present. This is why every enlightened being agree on one thing – you have to bring your energy to the NOW, this moment, here and now. Why? Because when you are in the present, the mind is silenced and your heart is expanded, and this is the only state where you have the ability to hear your inner guidance and re-connect with the source within.

Living in the future instead of here and now, means living in “ifs,” and in doing so, you are not only limiting yourself, you are also attracting the future that you fear! If you want a positive future for humanity, this is not the way. We have to learn to silence the mind and live in the now before we can become co-creators of a future with a positive outcome.” excerpt from www.akashicsoulreading.com

DH Lawrence, poet & author, wrote on loneliness.

" I never know what people mean when they complain of loneliness. To be alone is one of life's greatest delights, thinking one's own thoughts, doing one's own little jobs, seeing the world beyond and feeling oneself uninterrupted in the rooted connection within the centre of all things."

As I reflect upon Lawrence's words, it occurs to me that he was talking about two different states of energy. The energy of loneliness is felt as a result of feeling isolated. Isolation can be a result of being disconnected from your higher self, your spiritual self which then leads to a disconnect involving other people. I have read that we humans are wired for needing connection. Just like a plant that wilts from lack of water, we humans feel a void when we lack connection.

I can remember times in my past when I felt unbearable loneliness. To feel lonely is a hard place to live. It felt somewhat like a disease, one I would not wish on anyone. Back then I did not have an understanding of what was behind this feeling of loneliness. I did not know it was a symptom of a larger issue.

In my opinion, to feel lonely is what happens as a result of a disconnect from within. We are mind, body, and spirit and all three need attention. When we neglect any part of the trio we are headed for a disconnect. Often of the three, it is our spirit that is starved. We live in such a material world where we look to externals for happiness. We need to return to knowing that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and not the other way around. I honor my spirit by lending an ear to my higher self.

To be alone (to enjoy solitude) is a state in which we allow an energy of connection to occur. I cherish the benefits of solitude. I know how important it is to have a balance of solitude and the company of others. It is often in my solitude I get inspiration. It is in my solitude I sit still and connect with the divine within. Just as I would lend an ear to a friend who needed to be heard, I lend an ear to my higher self during quiet moments when I choose to be still without distraction. To pray is to talk to God and to meditate is to listen. We need to do both.

When we choose to switch from the head to the heart, we expand and raise our vibration so that we see life from another perspective.

I am never lonely now. I choose at times to be alone. With so many distractions in life, I have to go out of my way to create stillness. It is a choice we all make.

If someone were to tell me they felt lonely, I would suggest they find someone or something to be of service to. When you shift the focus off yourself and onto helping another, you are giving yourself a gift. I love being of service and I know the joy that comes from that. We all have a choice to choose joy & gratitude over fear & loneliness. It starts with an intention. 

Living in the Now

Terrarium in a botttle

The following post is taken from my journal “Living in the Now" covering a one month period.

I was 20 y.o. living in Rhode Island in my senior year of college when I wrote this.

Monday, November 25.

I bought a wandering jew plant today. A typical day for me involves meeting new people, finding interesting displays, sales, exhibits, lectures, and films.

Talking to young, old, middle-aged, Black, White, Asian, Jewish, Catholic, males, females, rich and poor. I don't waste a minute. I'm learning things all the time. I love life. Living is a pleasure. Good things happen to me all the time.

Poetry is just one of my interests.

DH Lawrence wrote on loneliness.

" I never know what people mean when they complain of loneliness.

To be alone is one of life's greatest delights, thinking one's own thoughts, doing one's own little jobs, seeing the world beyond and feeling oneself uninterrupted in the rooted connection within the centre of all things."

Tuesday, November 26.

When the light of day first appears, I know it is time to awaken. My body and my mind work together.

To my new and young wandering jew- a long & healthy life. May your branches stem out and flow forever.

Shells seem to brighten my day. I bought a shell necklace and shell bag at a crafts fair yesterday.

My thoughts are pushing through new barriers, what was always there, yet kept from me.

I see the light in my mind's eye. 

Yes, I see oppression in the form of racism and sexism.

USA. Land of opportunity.

DH Lawrence wrote on friendship.

"He said to me: you don't trust me!

I said: Oh yes, I do! I know you won't pick my pocket, I know you'll be very kind to me.

But it was not enough, he looked at me almost with hate.

And I failed entirely to see what he meant.

Since there was no circumstance requiring trust between us.

Tuesday, December 3.

I am going to learn photography with a 35 mm camera. Meanwhile taking mental notes of what I want to photograph. Rhode Island is a good place, so many scenes I want to remember in years to come. When I am long gone and on my way.

I must get a book on terrariums so I can make one to give away.

Words to define me:

detective, romantic, lover of beauty, writer, poet, painter, seeker of knowledge, collector, reader, speaker, contemplator, dreamer,

idealist, artist, creator, dancer, optimist, organizer, planner.

Saturday, December 7.

Spent some time in the morning browsing through the pottery sales. Bought a hanging planter, in aqua, which brings me to colors. I tend toward aquas and light greens. Cool colors. Water, grass.

Would like to learn how to make pottery, jewelry: earrings, bracelets, chokers, and other necklaces; candles in sand, macrame, rugs.

Sunday, December 8.

Accomplished a 9 page paper for Black Literature. That's how I spent most of the day, a sense of accomplishment is a good feeling.

Music is a feeling. Horns, I like horns.

Xylophones, piano.

Wrote a few letters this weekend. Spent Friday night with Chuck.

Tuesday, December 10.

The more I learn & experience, the more I realize how much there is left unlearnt & unexperienced. It's overwhelming. My thoughts want so badly to push through new barriers. It's in connection to what DH Lawrence was after. There's a potential to the mind that's in the darkness, yet I'm striving to get in touch with it. I want to. I feel a need to.

DH Lawrence wrote on non-existence.

“ We don't exist unless we are deeply and sensually in touch with that which can be touched but not known”.

He wrote on belief.

“Forever nameless.

Forever unknown.

Forever unconceived.

Forever unrepresented

yet forever felt in the Soul”.

Monday, December 16.

It's a bit after 7 a.m. As I sit & eat my breakfast my ears bring me the voice of Jackson Browne and my eyes bring me the sight of waves breaking out at sea and the sun making it's grand entrance upon the horizon. The sky is a host of colors and I can watch the changes.

A sight to behold and I experience it every morning.

When I looked out the window my eyes caught sight of a seagull soaring through the air.

Saturday, December 21.

Christmas time is in the air. Packing done. My mind is neatly packed too with thoughts of friends-time spent worthwhile. Joan DelVecchio in Cambridge Friday.

Chuck in Wakefield Saturday, and Gregg in Manhattan Sunday.

Monday, December 23.

I am in Bayside. Home for the holiday.

DH Lawrence wrote on Optimism.

“ The optimist builds himself safe inside a cell and paints the inside walls sky blue and blocks up the door and says he's in heaven”.

Random Thoughts

Renoir's  Still Life : Flowers

I started keeping a journal at the age of 19. Back then we didn't have the technology for blogging. Either we typed or we hand wrote to document life. I chose to write in a blank book and in that choice, I chose to add a bit of my own art. Handwriting is in itself an art form. Now we have hundreds of fonts to choose from when we want to add our artistry. This font is Nanum Brush Script.

It was August of that year when at the age of 26, I entitled my new journal “Random Thoughts”. I gave each new blank book a title. I did not know it at the time but journaling would become a very special part of my life. When we can fill up a blank page with our thoughts, we can capture ourselves in that fleeting moment, much like a photograph does. Then time passes and one day we have a way to view where we were at, what we were thinking, and embrace ourselves for the person we were and who we have become.

I share a piece of that past now from “Random Thoughts”.

It covers one month, the month of August, in my 26^th year of life.

Saturday, August 9 9:34 p.m.

I miss someone I don't even know yet.

Saturday, August 16 7:24 p.m.

Walking up University Place I thought about its been long enough since I've felt the energy for fully living.It's within my power to make a change

Wednesday, August 2o 9:46 a.m.
You have to practice health, to be healthy.
Reading “I'm Dancing AS Fast As I Can” by Barbara Gordon.“We were intimate strangers”.
Today is Mom's birthday.
Thursday august 21 9:42 p.m.

Ten years ago today 42 people were killed by storm “Dorothy” in Martinique.

Finished book by Barbara G. “ Every time you took a valium you opted for deadness, and now you must allow yourself to feel, feel everything- anger,love, sadness”.

GROWTH IS ALWAYS PAINFUL.

“it's not a question of good friends, of bad friends. It's a question of cleaning up your relationships”.

Met a guy on the bus home who works as a copy writer in the Time Life building.

Friday August 22 11:48 p.m.

Went to the outdoor restaurant at the Citicorp building by myself for lunch. Ended up talking to 2 h.s. Students from Brooklyn, interested in journalism & Columbia University. Good day overall.

Signed up for a course in calligraphy.

Saturday August 23 2:35 p.m.

Off to the Guggenheim Museum via Madison Uptown bus. 89^th street & Fifth Ave. Standing in line met a girl named Marilyn, an artist of sorts. Standing in front of a Renoir painting:A Still Life called Flowers. 1885. Began thinking that before me is a work of art that a person took the time to paint, to pay attention to details. That every stroke of his brush represents his effort, to create something out of a blank canvas. As these words written fill up this blank space.

Sunday August 24^th 10:58 p.m.

Every so often I become still. Time moves on but its irrelevant to the moment. to the stillness. And what do I feel in the stillness? Is it a good calming feeling or is it one of pain & loneliness? A void... an unfulfilled sense of being & having a special person. The artist often creates out of this pain. Whatever feeling I may have is nothing others haven't experienced. My pain is not unique to the human condition. Life never remains at a constant. One must cope with whatever plight befalls them. I am not alone in this feeling that there is more to life. I lean on no one.

Monday August 25^th 8:58 p.m.

Found this quote amongst my things. “unless it grows out of yourself, no knowledge is really of value to you, a borrowed plumage never grows.”

Began reading a novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford “A Woman of Substance”.

Wednesday August 27 11:35 a.m.

Standing in the middle of the Picasso exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art on this day- inspired this thought.. what amongst your possessions do you most value? Answer: my journals, my photographs, camera, letters &cards from others, all art, things created out of nothing. Art is the ultimate escape.

Met a girl from Toronto & then a woman from Detroit who especially came to NY for the Picasso exhibit.The museum holds a capacity of 10,000. I think today more than that will pass through. Its Member's ONLY day, & Marilyn got me a ticket. From the museum on 53^rd St & Fifth, I walked to The Comic Strip on 81^st & 2^nd. It was a private party promoting a new book called Spare Ribs by 2 ladies, interviewing women in all walks of life.I had a good time. From there I crosstowned by bus to Lincoln Center area. Saw Neal's apartment at 2 Lincoln Square. Ate dinner at The Saloon &then down to Media Sound Recording Studios to see Emily working on her single. I enjoyed that. It was one of those days one is happy to live in New York City. Needless to say- calling in to work sick was a great idea. I needed such a day.

Friday August 29^th

As the end of the month draws close, the end of the summer, the end of long days-been noticing it gets dark around 8 in the evening. Still hot & humid weather though. I like the Fall. It represents change-newness, vitality.

Sunday August 31 3:22 p.m.

Emily called.Said the sun was out-why not go up to the roof... so it was our farewell goodbye to the summer season and the roof til next year.

In closing out this blog post, I just want to say that for me writing has always been cathartic, “ providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; causing catharsis.( Late Latin: kathartikos, & from Greek: katharsis ‘cleansing’   ....and so it goes.

I have posted only the month of August from Random Thoughts. The journal covers 6 months ending in January of my 27^th year. Perhaps more later.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Love to you!

Are you offended?

Smiling sky

The dictionary defines offended as “to be

resentful or annoyed, typically, as a result of a perceived insult”.

I would add to that understanding of “being offended”.

To be offended is to be in your ego versus in your spirit. In an earlier blog post of mine from April 4^th, 2013, entitled  "Spirit versus Ego" I addressed the difference between being in your spirit vs. ego. All drama, which includes being offended by another's comments, occurs when we are in our ego. That is because ego based thoughts are generally fear based. When we shift into spirit, we come from love, which includes understanding, acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and many other high energy states.

I generally like to write about what comes into my field of awareness. Recently this topic of being offended came in several times, nudging me to take a look at it. For me, as a writer, I go through a process of first observing and then writing it down as a way to make sense of it.

I was at a gathering of lady friends one night. When you put 10 females in a room, add liquor, and a lot of talking going on, there's bound to be a bit of drama. We represented 4 decades of ages..including 20 somethings, 30 somethings, 40 somethings, and 50 somethings.

Maybe an hour into the night, when we gals were all standing around chatting away, one of the gals said very loudly, “shut the f**k up Lynne”. This got everyone's attention & now it was focused on the gal who said it. I was not offended. I know that this gal is a friend of mine. I know that her utterance had very little to do with me. Everyone was chatting away having a good time, me included. I could see how someone in their ego might be offended by this utterance but that night, and at that moment, my spirit was in attendance. 

Could she have gotten everyone's attention a better way? I suppose.  But, I do know, that at the time of this utterance, it was no big deal to me. It could even be viewed as a bit humorous. Who talks to their friends that way, I mean really? It was forgotten by me as quickly as it was said. 

When only 4 of us were left, the host, me and 2 others, one of them brought it up. She delivered her opinion of that utterance directed towards me. Basically she thought I should be offended. After all, she said, it was rude. I know that what she meant was that if it were her on the receiving end of that utterance, she'd be offended. Then the other two chimed in by this time, agreeing with her that this was rude behavior and agreeing I should be offended. They all agreed that they care about me & this was why they were offering their opinion.

I let them know I was not offended. I cannot control other people's behavior. I can however be empowered in my response. I do know that being offended is a waste of my time. I don't think I successfully explained to them that night why I was not in the least offended. In writing this post, I went to my collection of books & found the following:

In Wayne Dyer's book, Ten Secrets for Success & Inner Peace, he has a chapter entitled “There Are No justified Resentments”. “I have a right to be angry, hurt, depressed, sad, or resentful”. This can be heard any day from anyone. “Anytime you're filled with resentment, you're turning the controls of your emotional life over to others to manipulate. When you live at or below ordinary levels of awareness, you spend a great deal of time and energy finding opportunities to be offended. Not being offended is a way of saying, I have control over how I'm going to feel, and I choose to feel peaceful regardless of what I observe going on. When you feel offended, you're practicing judgement”.

(I found out days later that this was a line from a movie called The Big Lebowski, the original line being "Shut the f**K up Donny"). 

Thank you Wayne Dyer.

I recommend checking out his book “Ten Secrets for Success & Inner Peace” if this topic resonated with you.

And once again, many thanks to you the reader, for visiting SpiralHappy. Love & Light!

What is Kindness?

Waves of Kindness.org

What is kindness?

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. Lao Tzu

I was recently having a conversation with a friend when the subject turned to kindness. I asked him what the difference was between LOVE and KINDNESS. “Love is present in all of us, whether we choose to open our hearts or not. Kindness is love expressed”. Jim Reyes, creator of Waves Of Kindness. http://wavesofkindness.org

I would agree. We all are born with a heart and a chakra energy center for that love to come in and go out. It is up to us to allow that energy to flow freely. Sometimes we have an early life experience we do not understand and that heart chakra gets stuck or closed up and the energy cannot flow freely. Our spirit wants to express the love yet sometimes our minds are in control and we do not share our love, and we are not kind. Love expressed, aka kindness, is what we need to give ourselves first. It is after that we can share our love with others and be kind. When we are kind we are raising our own vibration. It is then when we are in a position to attract much greater good into our lives. This makes me think of the old adage, “when we give, we receive”. Anonymous

I am grateful when I witness the kindness from others to those they do not know. When we are kind without any thought of what we get back, we are truly generous.

To be kind to ourselves, and to others, feels good. When we feel good, we can experience joy. Joy comes from Old French joie, based on Latin gaudium, from gaudere ‘rejoice.’

Let us rejoice daily and renew our spirit. Be kind.

I am kind.

I am.

Love, Light, & Kindness!

What is LUCK?

From engineer to artist : LOVE

What is Luck?

“Those who have succeeded at anything and don't mention luck are kidding themselves”. Larry King

The dictionary defines luck “as success or failure apparently brought by chance (something by accident or without design) rather than through one's own actions”.

Could it be that good luck is really the manifestation of the presence of God in our life? Could it be that a belief in God's presence in our lives is actually the part in the above definition that correlates to “through one's own actions". I can choose to believe that God has a presence in my life and every so often reminds me of that in not so subtle ways or I can choose to not believe in God's presence and take what happens as mere chance.

Take for example when I was working in live radio broadcasting as an engineer several decades ago. I was at the drinking fountain late one night when an older gentleman stopped to chat with me. He was from the film department. Once I mentioned I worked in Radio he offered up his opinion. Television is where it's at. IT's the future. His film department was being closed down due to advances in technology. The idea of a move was planted in my mind in that conversation. Was that part of God's plan for me?

A short time after, a vacation relief request went out internally to find people who would want to cover those TV broadcast engineering employees on vacation. The job would last just six months. Though I had no direct experience as a TV engineer I knew my radio background could translate into audio engineering in TV. I did come equipped with a First Class FCC Broadcast License credential. Back in those days they were willing to train on their dime. I went for it. Apparently so did a lot of other people too. Many of us were hired to be vacation relief and knew this was a 6 month gig at best. I said Goodbye Radio. Hello Television.

I met the Boss, a woman, and she was one tough bit*h. At least that's how she came across to me. I was scared of her.

I worked hard to be a good engineer. As the time drew nearer to the six months coming to an end, I thought to myself, I like Television. I did not want to go back to Radio. The coffee was better in TV than in Radio but seriously I wanted to stay. It was around this time that it occurred to me that I would approach the Boss and tell her I did not want to go back to Radio. I took the attitude that she's not a mind reader and I should let her know what I wanted. I wondered if anyone else thought to march into her office and declare what I did. I had the sense that no one did. Why state the obvious some might think. Who would want to go back to Radio after being in Television?

It was also around this time that my father owned a women's clothing store in the downtown area of our big city. He loved to chat it up with his customers. One day a woman walked in to his store. She was looking for a new wardrobe at discount prices. He carried designer brands at a lower price than department stores. He asked her where she worked. She answered. My daughter works there, he replies. You don't say, what's her name? He tells her. She replies, I know who she is, she works in my department. I am her boss. As a matter of fact, she just came to see me the other day. So I ask, what are the chances that of all the clothing stores in this huge mega city, she'd walk into my Dad's store?

My father, wanting to be of help, took the opportunity to give her some extra discounts. She appreciated the savings. He thought she was very nice.

When it came time to find out who was being retained past the six months, word got out that due to budgeting, many could not be asked to stay on. There were 20 of us doing the vacation relief. Those who were not retained would go back to their old positions. I found out that only 2 of us would make the cut. I was one of them.

Luck or God's presence (from Latin: praesentia 'being at hand')  in my life?