Thanks so much for this, MZ. I have been doing both to a great degree lately. It [they] will do me well over the course of the next two months.

Prayer AND meditation are actually the same, to me, once I wrap my head around the concept that it is *through* G-d, or my concept of the higher power, that I get *to* the G-d within. If we were all properly enlightened from the get-go instead of having to suffer through a multitude of indoctrinations we would know this from the onset.

Thanks so much for this, John. If it were any more timely [for me] it would be spooky. Or serendipitous. Or any "s" word other than the four-letter variety. I am sharing it on Facebook for my "minions". Heh heh...

My favorite is the statement that "the fire burns not you, but what you are not." As I related in our conversation a bit ago, a favorite quote of mine from "Dead Like Me" is [paraphrased] "I tried to hold on for so long there was nothing left to hold on to."

May we all have this in mind as we attempt to bargain or negotiate rather than surrender to the fire and emerge like the Phoenix. Reborn from the ashes, as it were. There is a Norwegian tale of Ashkeladen, the boy who is the youngest, smallest and weakest of the family, made to sit in the ashes. There he receives the minimum of everything until he comes forth revealing his true identity. Such is the same fate of Cinderella (note the ash metaphor again). Some may opt for this type of existence forever. Fortunately, many do not. I love Joseph Campbell and his many works on this myth. We can learn all we need to know about ourselves from our myths...and those of others. They all have the same significance. This of fire is of rebirth, of removing the dross from the metal and tempering it, honing it to a keen edge. In the ashes are embers, sparks that we take, when we are ready, and blow into flame creating our own fire. Setting our self free and lighting the way for others with our brilliance.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Shabbat Shalom.

Thanks so much, Carmela. My only regret is not being able to finish the SMC with y'all. I fully expect to see a form of future collaboration with us all moving forward together. What the platform looks like, I do not know. I am going into the final fire (well, if not final perhaps the most recent) that will purge me of a few demons that have stuck to me like remoras to a shark. And they used to call me "Mark the Shark" in the nightclubs that I managed. LOL! In some form or another persistence and perseverance have always made themselves manifest throughout my life. I really DO miss hands-on interaction with people but, as you say, I fully believe it would be a distraction right now.

I feel I haven't even scratched the surface of what I have and want to share. I just must attend to me for now...given no choice in the matter as it were. As long as my cat is safe and secure I have little to worry about.

Thanks again.

Very profound and meditative lesson today. Can't say much more than "Amen" to that.

I've posted elsewhere on love...as recently as today. Must keep working with that palette.

I remember (and bought the first release of) "The Power of Love,' a power ballad co-written and originally recorded by Jennifer Rush in 1984. It has been covered by several artists, most notably by Air Supply, Laura Branigan and Céline Dion. It is/was a song that touched me very deeply. Just now, listening to it, I get those chills and emotions flow capable of energizing a soul to crush mountains and toss them into the sea. Well, I get the feeling. Maybe skip a stone across the Daisy Pond for now. =)

Celine Dion does a powerful cover of the song, but I like the original...sung by the co-lyricist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr0xJBsVbZY In the opening scenes a Black 1984 Lincoln Continental is shown. I had a silver and gray one. Just a side note. A man and his car...like a man and his horse in the old Western days. Hey, I loved that car!

An additional "share" from me:
August 11, 2011
Changing Patterns
Libra Daily Horoscope
"You may gain greater insights about your life today by reflecting upon your childhood patterns, which could lead you to a deeper understanding of the effects of your experiences. It might seem that because of these experiences you are stuck in a similar pattern of behavior. Should this be the case, you may want to think today about the ways in which you have grown. You can think back to a difficult situation when you were a child and remember your immediate reactions to the event. Now place yourself in the same situation as an adult and reflect upon the actions you would take given all the experiences you have had. You may notice that you would do things differently using the tools that you now possess. You might find that while some of your patterns were established when you were young, your inner growth has helped you change them for the better.

Reflecting upon our experiences of childhood helps us realize that these patterns do not define who we are at present. It is easy to identify with the mistakes we made or the immature coping mechanisms we had when we were young. However, when we see that we were only children and used the best tools we had at the time, we acknowledge the extent of our current development. We see that these patterns do not define us but instead are catalysts for change. By understanding that your patterns alter with your experiences today, you will recognize the true extent of your life’s progress."

On a further note, I just lost my aunt last Sunday (1200 miles away) and will check into the local lockup a week from Friday for a two-month stay. Lost my appeal. [Not a criminal, I was driving under a license suspension and this state has mandatory sentencing...justice is irrelevant] So...if I have no access to Internet there (I had heard there is) I will be absent from here from 19 August henceforth.

The lessons we've both mentioned here are what assure us that we have come far from the "Divine Child" as defined by Jung. Things don't always go "our way" and we thus conspire with the Universe to create a favorable outcome.

Thanks for the repeat, Gabi. I'm actually starting to "spread the insight" more on Facebook. I have a small following from over the years through my 15 years as system administrator for numerous servers (as well as other venues). The first was MSN back in the mid-nineties. I am presently closing my personal newsgroups in order to move forward with more comprehensive means of social circle integration. I'm hoping to see what Ken had mentioned Mind Valley is conjuring up for the Silva Master's Circle. If that doesn't transpire I'll do something of my own device. I don't care to "reinvent the wheel", though, so hope we all stay in touch until this next phase. In the interim I like to disseminate good stuff, like this song, and related happiness and mindfulness.

Much appreciated, JC. I never like to think of myself in limbo. I know I am changing and adapting with life. Every day. Life itself is dynamic and I just can't fathom watching it go by without me, like an old dog on the porch.

What has gotten me lately is the continuing turn of events that continues to challenge me as I replace medication with meditation. I have been drug-free for about two years (SSRIs). Anything else of an altering nature is pretty much a stranger as well. What is lacking is what one would call a "support group". No partner, no family, no social circle to speak of. I am in my hometown but have become a Stranger in a Strange Land. I returned two years ago for my Mom's sake. Culture here flatlined long, long ago. I went out and grew. I may as well call myself V. Michael Smith here in the tiny town that time passed by.

My primary objective is to again get out of Dodge and get back to the worldly ways and people that, for years, enriched my life. They also impoverished me. Yet I will go out this time in a different vehicle travelling at the speed of thought. Call it the Silvamobile, a custom coupe capable of transformation into transportation on land, sea and air. Perhaps I can also call it the Gander...after Joseph Campbell's acknowledgment of the gander as being at home in all three milieus (in his books and lectures).

It's a long and drawn out process, JC. I'd said before I have been taking one hit after another for seven years straight. My aunt (in FL) died yesterday afternoon. I must appeal a two-month mandatory sentence for driving under suspension or go into 60 days lockup a week from Friday. All kinds of good stuff. Yet, I know, I have weathered worse and there truly is light ahead, shining from above my crown to deep in the recesses of my root chakra. The thing is to get those parts of my body back into the practice of recognizing and embracing the light, not instinctively turning away knowing that with it comes more punishment for accomplishment.

And...another convergent thought from dailyom.com:

August 8, 2011
Quiet Please!
Taming Monkey Mind in Meditation

We all have the endless chattering and noise in our head often referred to as the monkey mind.

It’s been called the monkey mind – the endless chattering in your head as you jump in your mind from thought to thought while you daydream, analyze your relationships, or worry over the future. Eventually, you start to feel like your thoughts are spinning in circles and you’re left totally confused.

One way to tame this wild creature in your head is through meditation – although the paradox is that when you clear your mind for meditation you actually invite the monkey in your mind to play. This is when you are given the opportunity to tame this mental beast by moving beyond thought – to become aware of a thought rather than thinking a thought. The difference is subtle, but significant. When you are aware of your thoughts, you can let your thoughts rise and float away without letting them pull you in different directions. Being able to concentrate is one of the tools that allows you to slow down your thought process and focus on observing your thoughts.

To develop your concentration, you may want to start by focusing on the breath while you meditate. Whenever your monkey mind starts acting up, observe your thoughts and then return your focus to your breath. Some breathing meditations call on you to focus on the rise and fall of the breath through the abdomen, while others have you concentrate on the sound of the breath. Fire can also be mesmerizing, and focusing on a candle flame is another useful tool for harnessing the mind. Keep the gaze soft and unfocused while observing the color, shape, and movement of the flame, and try not to blink. Close your eyes when you feel the need and continue watching the flame in your head. Chanting, devotional singing, and mantras also still the mind. However you choose to tame the monkey mind, do so with firm kindness. The next time the chattering arises, notice it and then allow it to go away. With practice, your monkey mind will become quiet and so will you.

Hiya JC, and, yeah...you're correct. I know all (or many of) the adages applied to this very conundrum. I cite them all the time for others. I am working on walking my talk. It is almost like a cellular memory that transforms me now should I get anywhere near what I plan to do. I am a virtual repository of sage advice and keen bits of wisdom for others, but it just hasn't yet kicked in for me. As Ken stressed last month, it's been intellectual and very little experiential. I have a lot of cellular memory to engage in neuroplasticity. Which is somewhat challenging considering I am still encountering inescapable consequences.

"These are the best of times, the worst of times." But damned sure they shall be the last of times that I'm down in the totem hole looking up at the totem pole. I have my strength and my health. I fall seven times and get up eight. Enough lessons already...I'm ready to rock!

Here's a bonus for today!
http://www.thedashmovie.com/linda