Remembering Wangari Maathai, First African Woman to Win Nobel Prize
Wangari Maathai was an amazing woman who did amazing things just following her heart, doing what she knew in her heart was the right thing to do. She empowered women and fought for the environment. I highly recommend that you learn more about her and her work, the Green Belt Movement!
love, mom
This quote speaks to SO many choices and actions that we make in a day that can drain the our energy and undermine who we are. It is so important to be mindful of the way we act and the choices we make and how they reflect who we are.
One way that we can help be more true to ourselves is by being aware of how, when and why we apologize. An apology is important if it is warranted, but too many times we, especially women, will apologize when it is not necessary or even appropriate. Many times the apology undermines our ideas, our contributions and ourselves.
Watch the below video by Pantene, it is quite eye-opening and demonstrates ways of communicating without using the undermining 5 letter word, sorry.
THE PARADOX OF OUR TIMES Is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints We spend more, but we have less.
We have bigger houses, but smaller families More conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense More knowledge, but less judgement More experts, but more problems More medicines, but less wellness.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often We have learnt how to make a living, but not a life. We have added years to life, but not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We have conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted our soul. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We've higher incomes, but lower morals. We've become long on quantity but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men, and short character; Steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare, More leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorces; Of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window, and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you,
And a time when you can choose,
Either to make a difference .... or just hit, delete.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves."
mary oliver
today while scruffy & i took our morning constitutional we came upon two geese just chatting it up. i have always loved that distinctive sound that geese make, but now, thanks to the most amazing Mary Oliver, this unique call brings to mind so much more with this wonderful poem . . .
“You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
“You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world, and as you walk through those doors today, you will only have two choices: love or fear.
Choose love, and don’t ever let fear
turn you against your playful heart."
Jim Carrey
This May Jim Carrey gave quite an inspirational commencement speech, peppered of course with classic Carrey humor, at the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa.
This week I stumbled upon this video montage (below) using sections of the speech and I was exhilarated by Carrey's thoughts and declarations.
I didn't know that Jim Carrey practiced Transcendental Meditation, but he does, as well as all the students of MUM. I am buoyed to hear of an educational institution which has embraced and practices a form of meditation.
In this day and age I believe this centering and quieting practice is extremely important, and one that I am weaving into my daily life.
in case the above video is not working, below is a direct link:
