Beauty of Balance

INSIGHT_2011 continues today with meditative guidepost No. 4 – and as many of you know, this is a 5-month summer journey focusing on “less is more.”  While many of us believe in this principle, it is all too easy to forget in the rush of daily schedules.  But by meditating on this theme throughout the summer … we have an opportunity to get more comfortable with this idea.  And even may discover creative ways to work this concept into our decision-making.

• To find previous posts that are part of this series, just go to the sidebar, find the area called “categories” and click on INSIGHT_2011.

For background, we are drawing on this theme because it was a significant concept in my book on prairie wisdom.

Where the Heart Resides: Timeless Wisdom of the American Prairie

One of my favorite passages from chapter 4, Create Rituals and Sayings with Heart –

The unassuming lands, poetic and sometimes wishful in bearing, gently encourage us to notice all of nature: its rich display of color, its contentment, its triumphs and its sorrows.  Too often discounted as trivial or trite, the absolute genius of nature is all too evident in the middle of nowhere.

• The key here, for purposes of meditation, is the juxtaposition of triumphs and sorrows.

Nature isn’t always joyful.  Our world experiences “natural disasters” all the time.  Weather can be life-threatening.  Yet, through all of it, nature is our teacher.  Suggesting the need for “balance” despite our desire for “all good things.”

The esteemed Zen Master, poet, & Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, wrote in his book Being Peace, “Life is both dreadful and wonderful.”  (Special note — Hanh will be in Vancouver in 2011.  Click on his name above for details.)

Of course, there are spiritual leaders who recommend avoiding judgment and labels more completely, suggesting greater acceptance of “what is.”  I will leave those distinctions up to you.  Personally, I know it can be difficult to accept that which seems “negative” or “contrary to expectation and desire,” yet, peace is found in the delicate balance of ying and yang.  Dreadful and wonderful.

Here are a few poetic lines to ponder …

Sun in hand
Moon in hand
Ah, sweet perfection.

As my hometown battles flood waters from heavy snowmelt & rain in Wyoming & Montana (the Oahe Damn releasing record amounts of water into the Missouri River), I must also try to accept the many roles of nature on our planet.  The beauty of the Missouri River in Dakota can be breathtaking, but a difficult situation has developed — one that is testing the ability and willingness of many to define the “bigger picture” in peaceful, constructive terms.  Could this situation have been prevented, for instance, or was enough warning provided?  Yet, in the end, for whatever reason, serious flooding that Oahe was built (1950′s) to prevent is happening.

• Here are a few pictures taken on the same day.

Sandbags protecting a home on the river v. lovely spring spirea in bloom.

What is the lesson here … in spiritual terms?

How can we begin to find the “beauty of balance” during times of challenge?

How does nature tell the story of our existence?

And does “less is more,” as a theme, meld into this 4th meditative guidepost?  How so?

Thanks so much for stopping by SunnyRoomStudio to consider the beauty of balance — even when it’s extremely difficult to think in those terms.  I hope your weekly meditation goes well — let me know what kind of insights come to mind this week.

◊◊◊ Some Very Important Notes

And now, as promised last week, it’s my honor to pass along the 4 blog awards I’ve received for this sunny, creative space since launching SunnyRoomStudio early February 2010.  All of these individuals inspire me each day to keep writing, keep promoting the peace of awareness, and to realize the absolute importance of supporting the important work of creative, kindred spirits.  I encourage you to drop by these blogs — get to know these talented and dedicated women.  Many of them have been guests in SunnyRoomStudio, so please check out my Studio Guests page to find a link to their guest posts.  It has been my pleasure to work with so many talented and peaceful individuals.  I could have passed some of these awards on some time ago, but wanted to get to know people and blogs before jumping in.  But now, after 1.5 years in SunnyRoomStudio, I think of these women as friends and colleagues and hope this small token of my admiration brightens their day!

• The Versatile Blogger Award (received from author C. Lee McKenzie in 2010) to Cathryn Wellner.  A wonderful guest here in SunnyRoomStudio in February, Cathryn actually writes 3 blogs, but I’m giving this award to her blog, Catching Courage. She finds so many unique and memorable examples of courage in today’s world.
  

Also receiving this award –

• Maxine Cook of Jolico Farm (this is where I first met her magnificent white German Shepard, Moses).  Max writes with great warmth about life on their organic/solar farm in PA with wonderful photography as a bonus.
  
• Roz Morris of Nail Your Novel blog (London) is a wonderful person with great advice about writing fiction.  Her topics are varied and if you ask a really good question … she may just write an entire blog post in response.  Happened to me anyway!  Roz was also a guest here in SRS.
  
• Juliet Wilson of CraftyGreenPoet blog (Creative Thinking — Greener Living) is a poet from Scotland who writes articles and poetry about matters of the environment and the wonders of nature.  She is forever inspiring with her many creative endeavors.
  

I also received the Versatile Blogger Award in 2011 from Trish Nicholson, New Zealand author and photographer.  I am passing my 2011 award to Shirley Showalter. Her blog 100 memoirs is exceptional in many respects.  Shirley reviews memoirs, blogs about related topics, and even includes blog posts about significant events in her life.

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The One Lovely Blog Award was received in 2010 from author Mary “Monti” Montague Sikes.  It’s my pleasure to pass this on to author Dani Shapiro. Her recent memoir is called Devotion – also a novelist, Dani writes an author blog called Moments of Being.  I follow Dani on twitter, also on facebook, and hope you’ll have a chance to connect with her.

Also receiving this award –

• Maureen Doallas is a fine poet.  Her blog is called Writing Without Paper and Maureen covers art, dance, poetry, music, and musings.  I always find wonderful creativity and inspiration when I drop by her blog and thank her for sharing her impressive work.
  
• Susan Pohlman writes Moments that Matter and truly, Susan, has found a way to capture the importance of creative change.  Her book “Halfway to Each Other” is a wonderful memoir about her family’s journey to Italy and how it saved their family.  Susan was a recent guest here in SunnyRoomStudio.
• C. Lee McKenzie has published two books for young adults.  Lee’s blog is called TheWriteGame and once there, you’ll enjoy her photography, writing tips, and life lessons.  I admire her work and greatly appreciate her spirit of friendship.  Look for Lee’s guest post here in SRS!
  

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The Stylish Blogger Award was received in 2011 from C. Lee McKenzie.  (Thank you, Lee, for your generous recognition of this sunny space for kindred spirits!)  I’m happy to pass this award on to Terrill Welch — an artist and joyful friend from Canada. Her blog, Creative Potager, tracks her artistic journey, shares notes about her family and home, and is definitely “stylish.”  You’ll see Terrill’s art in progress … finished works … and lovely musings along the way.  Some of Terrill’s work can be found here in SRS via her guest post.

Also receiving this award –

• Mary “Monti” Montague Sikes is an author and artist with a “stylish” blog called Notes Along the Way.  Also a guest here in SRS, Monti writes about her many creative projects on her blog and also shares wonderful pictures and/or paintings.  Please drop by and say hello!
• Laurie Buchanan writes Speaking from the Heart – another very stylish blog.  Laurie writes: “Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”  Her area of expertise is holistic health and her company in the Chicago area is called HolEssence.  Immediately, you’ll love her warm sense of humor and wise words.
• Mary Tabor writes a stylish blog called Sex After Sixty that covers a great many subjects: literary, relationships, life experience.  Mary and her memoir about a major life transition were also featured here in SunnyRoomStudio — in fact Mary was my very first guest.  Thank you again for jumping in and sharing your story here.
• Lynne Spreen writes a blog called Any Shiny Thing — a forum for smart women of every age.  I got to know Lynne via our shared appreciation for the prairie of Dakota.  And have never looked back!  I enjoy her stylish blog (family, writing, current events, life transitions) a great deal.
• Kathy Loh considers herself a “life artist at play in the mystery” via her stylish blog Full Moon Path. Kathy is a wonderful free spirit, a certified coach, and enjoys stargazing and dancing by the light of a full moon.  I always enjoy connecting with this upbeat, inspiring, and fun California blogger.

I also want to give Special Mention to Laura Munson and Rebecca Rasmussen.  I enjoy their blogs a great deal, as well!  Both women are authors you’ll want to read.  Their books are included on my Books & Authors page.

AND … to everyone else who has crossed my path since Feb. 1, 2010 … namaste!  It has been a joyful journey & I’m grateful to all of you.  Thank you for everything.

Blog posts by DazyDayWriter @ work in SunnyRoomStudio: all rights reserved.