Love Poem

If you love to read some love poems for Valentine Day, here is my favorite.

It’s by Anne Bradstreet.

The Only Love Joadoor

If two were ever one, then surely we.
If ever man was loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare me with ye women if you can.

I prize thy love more than whole Miles of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.

My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompence.

Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.

Then while we live, in love
lets so persevere,

That when we live no more,
we may live ever.

Anna Bradstreet (1616-1672) was the first great American poet (and the first American woman poet). She has been reported that she was happily married. She was a mother of eight children!! Anne Bradstreet wrote most movingly on domestic themes.

Source: An Awakening Spirit: Meditations by Women for Women .

The Inspiration of The Rose

Yes, we are all preparing for Valentine’s Day, in some way to celebrate it.

How can we not at least contemplate this day as the shops and the media all around us talks about so little else.

However, rather than taking the programmed view of what love is all about, here is a song full of right perspective that could inspire us all to dare to lovingly give to others, and to dare to love, to share and be alive.

Rose Meditative, c.1958 Salvador Dali

The Rose

If the heart is afraid of breaking
it will never learn to dance

If the dream is afraid of waking
it will never take the chance

It is the one who can’t be taken
who never learns to give

and the soul afraid of dying
that never learns to live.

By Bette Midler

© Copyright 2008

About the Author

Astrid Lee is Reiki Master Teacher. To learn how Reiki heals and book your own Reiki session, visit http://www.TherapeuticReiki.com

Random Acts of Kindness for A New World Order

Do you believe in magic?

I do and I’m glad that I do, as I see evidence of ‘magic’ (read ‘synchronicity by Divine intervention’) everywhere I go and look.

Today, I am completely rewriting my Reiki Empowerment Manual and it has taken up most of my day. Meanwhile, it is my intend to write more often (daily?) on this blog, so I need a quick and easy story to write for this evening. Then, ‘by pure chance’, I came across the perfect topic for an article today: random acts of kindness.

I was reminded of a situation in my business consulting years. Around the corner from the office, was the Hermes shop. Anybody who has heard of that brand, knows that whatever they have in there is both gorgeous and outrageously expensive. One Saturday, after having worked yet again an entire day overtime in the office, I decided it was time for a treat. When you work that hard, you deserve some pleasure, right?!

So, I went in the (ah-wow) Hermes store and asked the young lady behind the counter which ones were her favorite earrings. I figured this would be a good start looking for my personal extravaganza.

Well, the question changed her entire face and demeanor. She knew the answer. Walking straight to a particular drawer, she picked out a particular pair. Then she went on to tell me why these were the most gorgeous earrings in the shop. I was struck by the purity of her enthusiasm. She meant it, she absolutely adored these earrings, and could not stop talking about them.

She was right! They were beautiful, so I bought the earrings, these little over-the-top luxury indulgences. This was a huge treat!! To top it all of, I asked her to wrap them the best that she could as they were a present. She did and the present looked immaculate as she handed it to me. I smiled, said ‘Thank you’.

Then, gave it back to her.

I can’t remember the earrings, but I can remember her astonished and delighted reaction. Years later, when I had my own consulting practice, a client relayed me the story, now from the other side. When he confirmed that indeed it had been me in that Hermes store, he shared that the young girl in the shop had been his niece. I can’t recall all details, but her ‘lucky Saturday’ event seemed to have impacted her enough to decipher my name from my credit card bill and inspire her entire family with the story.

All I hoped for was her happy heart, but am thankful for her sharing. Because this is how random acts of kindness multiply.

What’s Your Story

I know this was no big deal compared to the random act of kindness that you either experienced or generously conducted in your life. Tell me your stories. What happened and how did it impact you? By sharing all our stories, we multiply generosity. Thank you for sharing, in advance.

btw

What sparked this article is

“Peace Begins with One Person” by Ivory Harlow, in This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women.
This book opens with a formidable challenge: ‘What would you say in 500 words to capture a core principle that guides your life?’ Before you try to answer that question, you might want to read some of the 75 beautiful essays collected in the book.

‘Peace begins with one person’ for sure was thought-provoking, and let me to share a very personal story with you that I haven’t really talked much about until today. I am sharing it because I realize now that stories like this remind us that there is both a delightful, innocent child and a good-hearted person residing in every soul on the planet.

How God Tells You It’s Time For a Change (Wayne Dyer)

In this 2 minute video, internationally acclaimed author and lecturer Wayne Dyer brings a fresh perspective to unforeseen circumstances and uncontrollable change. It’s about living your life in peace at times of change …

A Warning or a Message

A week ago I heard on the radio: ‘Over 2.6 million people lots their job in the US in 2008.’

If you are one of the people who were let go off, Wayne Dyer would congratulate you, and explain to you that God just told you to start walking on another street.

It’s time for a change.

It’s time to more closely align yourself with your soul essence.

What is your dream?
What do you really like to do?
What did you always wanted to do that you never had time for?
Wanna write a book?

Start to crystalize what it is,
and meanwhile, have patience.

Infinite patience produces immediate results: peace!
And that’s what it is about:
living your life
at peace.

How God Tells You It’s Time For a Change

Wayne Dyer video

A Spiritual Solution

If you liked the above clip, this inspirational DVD by Wayne Dyer might help you even further to make your next phase in life a greater success.

In this DVD Dyer shows you how you can find a “spiritual solution to every problem.” He breaks down the phrase into its three key words: problem, spiritual, and solution. Personally, I don’t think it matter how he breaks it down: his words are always full of ‘food for thought’ and ‘tips for change’.

Of course, his lectures are laced with great examples ranging from the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa to finding wisdom in a “simple” nursery rhyme.

In sum, Wayne illustrates that by changing your perceptions, you can truly find a spiritual way to deal with any problem you encounter!

I was told by the editor that there’s a bonus segment on the DVD whereby Wayne demonstrates the positive and negative energies of our thoughts. I did not get to review this, but that sounds interesting.

True To Myself

Truth

“Yes, and I long for one thing more:
to learn how to listen
to the delicate vibrations of my soul,
to be incorruptibly true to myself
and fair to others,
to find in this way
the right measure
of my own worth”

Poem by
Karen Horney

Truth: Misty Mountain

Karen Horney (1885-1952) was a German-born American psychotherapist, who founded the American Institute of Psychoanalysis.