Deb_Inside

June Ohio Sunrise

Ohio Sunrise ~ 5:39 A.M.

 

Ohio Sunrise ~ 5:54 A.M.

 

~ Sliver of Moon ~

 

~ Zoomed in  Sliver of Moon ~

What A Wonderful World ~ Louis Armstrong ~ 'Satchmo'

~ 'Beauty is not in the face - beauty is a light in the heart' ~
(Saks61)

CLICK THESE WORDS...... not the picture.  :)
Link to beautiful youtube video.......

 

Louis Daniel Armstrong  (August 4, 1901– July 6, 1971),

nicknamed Satchmo


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From YouTube ~ Saks61

Name: Nermin Country: Germany
Occupation: peacemaker
Schools: life

http://www.youtube.com/user/saks61

Beyond "Normal" - The Liquid Level Of Consciousness - By Wayne Wirs

Beyond "Normal" - The Liquid Level Of Consciousness

I am not enlightened, and yet, I am no longer "normal." Since you are reading this, I suspect you probably feel the same. Somewhere between the normal, Solid level of consciousness and the transparent, Ethereal level of enlightenment, lies a very fluid, Liquid level of awareness.

Just ahead lies a beautiful glen, a large clearing in the forests of the Soul. This glen is with you wherever you are, it lies just behind your mind, just behind your thoughts, just behind your emotions. This is sacred ground, the source of your true nature. Before proceeding, you must leave your beliefs, your opinions and your Solid ideals behind, for those are the traits of the Ego and the Ego has no business here. In the center of this glen lies a still, mirror lake, a lake where all your thoughts, emotions and dreams arise. Gaze down into this lake, into the image that stares back in fascination. See the reflection of your true face in all its natural brilliance....

Are you a "Liquid?" Do you experience the following symptoms?
   - When you see a tree, do you see living, breathing life, an integral part of something so much more?
   - When you feel the breeze, do you experience it as a lover, caressing your skin in a show of intimacy?
   - Do you see thoughts arise in your mind, glisten for a moment, then splash silently back into nothingness?

And the most important question of all...
   - Always?

Solid people rarely see the subtle. Ethereal people always do. And the Liquids? Liquids constantly flow back and forth between the two extremes. Like the tides of the ocean, they rise and fall according to their own nature. Sometimes experiencing the Solid, sometimes experiencing the Ethereal.

At times we'll see It. At times we won't. Back and forth we go. Sometimes caught up in our minds, our little story. At other times it's almost as if we didn’t exist, a "transparent eyeball" (as Emerson so aptly described), that looks out upon a world where boundaries fade and the words of Man are nothing more than moving air.

See this still and lonely lake. Its waters reflect the sky. Below the surface, nothing can be seen, and yet from its depths the entire Universe arises. Can you see this lake that lies behind your thoughts? Can you see the peaceful glen that lies behind your mind? Where do your emotions begin? What is the source of all your thoughts? Watch them arise and you'll soon find what you have never lost.

Many people, when they first start to experience the Liquid state, think that they are Enlightened. They think that they have achieved the realm of the Ethereals. They tell the world they are Awake - They teach, they write, they get a distant "I see God" look in their eyes. They mislead. It isn't intentional; they just don't understand. There is a simple test though, the test of Constant Consciousness....

Sleep. The night closes in around me. Thoughts arise from the stillness; I watch them, and the simple act of seeing them causes them to fade. Dreams arise, and I watch these. Sometimes I'll play with them, flying through the trees, walking on the rings of Saturn, chatting with the Buddha. Like the thoughts, the dreams gently fade back into the Stillness, the Emptiness. All is silent - no thoughts, no dreams, no ego story - but an aliveness just the same. I watch this Emptiness, too. I am this Emptiness. Without thoughts, there is no time here, only this moment, only this Awareness. Gradually, the world starts to form again, my chest softly rises as my body solidifies out of the Nothingness. I hear the sparrows outside my window and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin....

Constant Consciousness. The sign of the Ethereals. They are aware even in the depths of deep dreamless sleep. They are always aware. They are not fooled by the mind, they do not "forget" their True Face as we Liquids are so apt to do. They don't get caught up in a world of meaning and beliefs and ideals. Awareness during deep, dreamless sleep. I have only experienced it once. But then, I am not enlightened.

The awareness of the Liquid is always in flux, always shifting between two viewpoints, between that of the Solid and that of the Ethereal. Seeing the homeless man approach, his eyes fixed steadily upon you, you feel your body cringe, not wanting to be bothered, not wanting to hear a tale of woe. But suddenly a shift occurs, the compassion arises, and the feeling of oneness envelops you. Though you can't afford it, your hand reaches into your pocket for some change....

There is nothing wrong with being Liquid. Once you become comfortable with its dynamic nature, it can be almost magical. Everything has its normal, solid perspective, and at the same time everything is imbued with a spark of the Divine: Awareness becomes clear and filled with intuition; music takes on a movement and life of its own, and the rain dances happily to the symphony of the Gods.

The Solid "You" melts. The story gradually fades, and the Awareness that sees out your eyes, that sees out everyone's eyes, crystallizes. The drives, goals, and motivations of Man seem at once both silly and necessary. All Life acts in accordance to its nature. All is as it should be. All is well. On the lips of your True Face, a smile radiates.

---

Wayne Wirs is the photographer and author of Fading Toward Enlightenment - Life between the Ego and the Ethereal. A preview to FTE can be found at http://Fade2e.com. Wayne can be contacted at wayne@waynewirs.com or through his website: http://waynewirs.com.

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Also a MUST see by Wayne.............

What if you KNEW You Come Back After Death

Download the free ebook - The Implications of the Soul 

Free Audio Track - Past Life Recall

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I have been a FAN of Wirs since I ordered his book back in 2005.  
His spiritual journey is captivating without the - mumbo -jumbo.   

The outstanding photography invites you to.............
come live in the moment of each picture.  !!!!

XO XO XO

Deb 

Sharing a Get-Away For Your Mind

~ Calm Sanctuary ~

 Just for a moment, take a few deep relaxing breaths  


Picture yourself sitting in one of these chairs.....

toes wiggling in the sand..... the sound of the water.   

Ahhhhh I am so there...Calm Sanctuary indeed.   


This morning, I had the Today show playing in the
background while I was at my computer. 
A segment of the show was talking about travel
destinations.    One that was talked about was Stephanie's Inn
located on the Pacific coast of Oregon.   

http://www.stephanie-inn.com/default.asp

http://www.stephanie-inn.com/images/video/video.asp

*Water* ~ Magical Connectivity

 

Photographs I took yesterday in my yard.

Don't miss the tiny fly having a sip of water
in the second picture.   

 

Yesterday, after an overnight rain, I started thinking about water.

Water is a thing that absolutely connects each and

everyone of us.  :)   

There can be a magic to it if we hold ourselves mindful
each time we come in contact with water. 

Please know that I will say a prayer of blessing for YOU,
when I am in touch with water.   Would you do the same ?  :)



http://tinyurl.com/Shower-Praying 

xo xo
Debs-E

A Masterpiece

This was the sunrise this morning in my town. 



In every sunrise, I always marvel in gratitude

knowing that I will never ever see the same one again.

Everyday it's a 'one of a kind' masterpiece. !

Just like you and just like me....  A masterpiece. !!!

We May Never Pass This Way (Again)

Life, so they say, is but a game and we let it slip away.

Love, like the Autumn sun, should be dyin' but it's only just begun.

Like the twilight in the road up ahead, they don't see just where we're goin'.

And all the secrets in the Universe, whisper in our ears

And all the years will come and go, take us up, always up.

We may never pass this way again. 

We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again.

Dreams, so they say, are for the fools and they let 'em drift away.

Peace, like the silent dove, should be flyin' but it's only just begun.

Like Columbus in the olden days, we must gather all our courage.

Sail our ships out on the open sea. Cast away our fears

And all the years will come and go, and take us up, always up.

We may never pass this way again. 

We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again.

So, I wanna laugh while the laughin' is easy. I wanna cry if it makes it worthwhile.

We may never pass this way again, that's why I want it with you.

'Cause, you make me feel like I'm more than a friend. 

Like I'm the journey and you're the journey's end.

We may never pass this way again, that's why I want it with you, baby.

We may never pass this way again. We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again. We may never pass this way again. 

Albums : Diamond Girl -1973

(Lyrics : James Seals / Music : James Seals, Dash Crofts, 1973)

A Message Today ~ From Nature

Today as I walked out to watch Kevin get on the bus,
I glanced down at my flowerbed.   With our location in
Northern Ohio Spring arrives later than most places.

My hyacinths just popped through the soil not all that long ago.
They have yet to open in full bloom, but this is a picture of one
of them that I snapped this morning.....

As the hyacinth popped up and grew, it uplifted that which
was around it.    It almost looks like it's holding the leaves.

It was just a beautiful lesson that I wanted to share.

Hyacinth's
Check out this link to see some in full bloom.   
I think I'll post another picture after this little one
opens up and blooms. 

The Garden Of Life

'To know someone here or there with
whom you can feel there is understanding
in spite of distances or thoughts expressed,
that can make life a garden.'
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
(1749-1832)


'Just remember, every now and then an ass
might wander into your garden.
That's ok too..... just take it in stride'
(Deb Estep)

Tree In My Yard

From the outside looking towards my neighbors house.....




From the inside...

Taken November 2, 2007

~* My Favorite Things *~

I'm dedicating this post to my very dear friend,
Aileen.   May it be a reminder that you can escape
life's stressful and distracting moments
when you remember to think about.....

~*~ Your Favorite Things ~*~

With *Love*

Deb

My Favorite Things
Performed by - Lorrie Morgan
New World Philharmonic

The Sound of Music - 1965
Music by - Rodgers & Hammerstein

* Note:
I prefer Julie Andrews vocal rendition,
but this video is quite lovely.
Still, it's one of my ALL time *Favorite* songs.

Sacred Places ~ Inside & Out

When you read the words….  Sacred Places what does your mind

conjure up?    Do you see mystical, far off unknown places that you

have never visited?   

~Sacred Places~

Sit with that for a moment…….  close your eyes and envision ~~~~~~

Do you ~know~ that you are sacred?      Smile    

Do you feel the parts of you that are so very sacred?

Your ability to offer friendship to another person…… Do you know

exactly HOW sacred that is?    WELL …… it IS.   BIG TIME.   

There are so many other facets about ourselves that are indeed,

most sacred.   You just have to BE with yourself and internally

keep them in the front to actually KNOW the parts of you

that are sacred.

Parenting is also a very sacred quest.    You have a chance to

send bits and pieces of yourself into a future that you will

never actually live in.    When you think about the scope

of parenting as ~sacred~ endeavor, it brings about a

straightening of the spine and a chance to stand just a bit taller.

My most ~Sacred~ place on Earth is a local park.

~Tinker’s Creek~

Tinker’s creek is a tributary of a major river in the Cleveland Ohio area.
The river is the Cuyahoga River.

The park itself is part of a system of Parks in the Cleveland Ohio area.

The land was set aside in the early 1900’s by a group of very progressive

thinking people who knew that the land it’s self was ~scared~ and

intended to keep it in the natural state.

Tinker’s Creek is located within the Bedford Reservation of the
Cleveland Metroparks. 

I visited there every weekend as a child, and it’s a place that

I have taken my children to many many times over the years.

Perhaps they too have adopted – this place – as ~sacred~.

The most important thing about YOUR scared place is that

it is someplace either you can literally visit, or go to in your mind.

You might now live hundreds, or thousands of miles away

from that place…..  But in your minds eye ~ in a heartbeat you are there.

It is in that ~Sacred Place~ that you re-energize your ~Spirit~.

IF by some chance, you have never created a ~Sacred Place~…

Ohhhhhhhhh it’s not too late….. Do it now, and visit often.

Dedicated to *Our* children:

Kerri ~ Nicole ~ Vinny ~ Kevin

~ When Seeing the Big Picture ~ Don't Miss the Details ~

Water Crystals On My Deck This Morning

 

This shot is a bit out of focus as I am learning

to use my Christmas gift of a Canon Camera.

I think this picture is stunning on it's own....

but when you know the BIGGER picture it even

holds more beauty......

The reason I was able to even see the water cystals was

because I was outside taking pictures of the sunrise.

You can see the colors of the sky reflected

in the cystals.....

AND THAT......... is the BIG PICTURE.  :)

 

~ Crystal Garden ~

        We had about 10 inches of snow this past week.

I had to find SOMETHING FUN to do with the icicles

and  ~~~~~ I created a garden on my patio table on the back deck.

For the night scene, I dropped some candles down in the snow.  :)

                   

      

     

Let Your Light Shine

Know that you are a ray of ~sunshine~ in my life.

Photo courtesy of Jon Sullivan - www.pdphoto.org
public domain

With heartfelt thanks and blessings for sharing. :)

Echo's From The Past...

   

http://pdphoto.org/index.php

Free Public Domain Photo

(Shakespeare Quote from Troilus and Cressida Play Act lll Scene 3)

Something Nice I Did For Me

                                    

I just could not pass up buying this rose for myself last week.   I always glance
at the flowers in the grocery store, and when I saw this beauty, I had to buy it.

Dogwood

 

The blood-red spots on the white blossoms of each are said to represent Christ's blood drops. Dogwood blossoms have four bracts (resembling petals) that represent the cross, and the center of the dogwood flower resembles a crown of thorns.

Legend says the dogwood was used for Christ's cross and was later cursed by God so that it would never be used as a cross again, which is why today's dogwoods are small and spindly.

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This is a picture I took last spring of the dogwood tree in my front yard.
Dogwoods have always been a spring favorite of mine.
When we moved into our house it was Fall, not until that following spring
did I even know it was a dogwood. 

Spring can't get here soon enough in Northern Ohio.

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www.terragalleria.com/parks/np-image.maca6932.html

Dogwoods flower in the early spring.    They can be seen
layered softly through the early green buds of the first tree leaves.