A time of Awakening! Spring 2024

Vernal Equinox

springtime

rest is over

new beginnings

Just saying the word “spring” warms my heart! It’s still cold here in Meaford,-2C with a strong north wind…brrr! Today, March 19^th and 20^th, 2024 brings us the Vernal/Spring Equinox. It is the time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator, making day and night approximately equal length all over the earth. It means our days will be warming and our earth will soon be ready for planting here in the Northern Hemisphere. And our season of Spring begins!

Today is a good time to give thanks for the past winter season with its season of quiet hibernation, a time of reflection, a time for us to see wonder of snowflakes, each unique and beautiful. Together they provided the earth’s blanket. Thank you for the blessings of winter.

Now, we begin to feel our energies stirring and rising with our hope of warmer days, the return of birds, the birthing of animals, the spring rains, the green shoots pushing through the wet earth…quite a wondrous and magical event is our springtime. A few birds were singing this morning here in Meaford even as it is snowing! They know it’s an exciting time.

We all need this nourishment of spring birthing. I want to soak it up! The world is so upside down with war, separation, grief and fear. But thankfully, nature reveals to us a different picture with each of its seasons. I especially love how spring shows us new life after a cold winter. It lifts our hopes! We can plant new seeds, find new ways of being and evolving in a peaceful way. We need these loving energies of spring to heal through forgiveness and to return to love.

The Spring Equinox reveals to us the balance of night and day. What a reminder to create balance in our lives! When we create an holistic balance of body-mind-spirit, light flows into our heart and it opens to bloom with the energies of springtime. We move into harmony with nature…

Awaken! Lets step into the spring! How can we create more balance and harmony in our lives? What ‘newness’ can you create for yourself and others to lift your energies, to birth a new idea, to enjoy the freshness of spring? This is the time to awaken our creative consciousness!

cluster of blossoms

call to the awakening

new birth peeks out

Spring blessings and Happy Spring Equinox! May your day be full of love and joy!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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Meditation, a refuge, a sacred way

Meditation…a time within my heart…has always been my refuge. As I meditate, I embark on a journey that takes me within to listen to what I call my “soul self” and where I often view a beautiful place, often a garden. In this ‘garden’ I feel safe and protected. As I listen, I begin to feel an intimate relationship. I feel a spiritual presence, a connection, a sacred moment. It is a wondrous experience that is difficult to describe, but it always calms me and gives me a place to release my fears…and fill my heart with hope.

This spiritual practice of meditation gives me a refuge in darken times. It is helping me now. I hold deep gratitude for the ‘Spirit’ that flows through me and all life. In this way, my life becomes sacred and I evolve, create and love more deeply. In this way, I can bring peace to myself and my family.

Yet, each day our news is filled with news of war, destruction with families and children suffering. My heart aches and I try to comfort my friends who have family and friends in the Middle East.

My prayers and love are with those who are suffering through so much loss and devastation. Only love, forgiveness and compassion will heal, but now anger and rage is flowing. Hopefully, there are billions of loving people in the world that will support families as they rebuild and move on to create a better, peaceful life….that is the vision I hold for them in my heart.

The Persian poet Hafiz says “Now is the time to know”.

Now is the time to know
That all that you do is sacred.
Now, why not consider
A lasting truce with yourself and God?

“Now is the time to understand
That all your ideas of right and wrong
Were just a child’s training wheels
To be laid aside
When you can finally live
with veracity and love.

Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.
That this is the time
For you to compute the impossibility
That there is anything
But Grace.

Now is the season to know
That everything you do
Is Sacred”

Hafiz (1325 –1389)  Persian Mystical Poet.

May the presence of ‘sacredness’…a spirit of love…that unites and flows through the hearts of all beings bring hope and comfort today. May we return to love.

Peacefully Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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Riverside and Haiku poetry

Do you love the sound of a rippling river or stream? I live in an area that is blessed by many rivers that wind their way towards Georgian Bay. My husband and I love to spend our mornings sitting on the banks of these rivers sipping a coffee or tea. The riverside is a wonderful place to enjoy rippling waters and changing seasons. We take time to meditate, each in our own sacred space and listen…

A few years ago, I came upon the Japanese style of poetry called Haiku, A Haiku is a short, unrhymed poem that adheres to a specific three-line, seventeen-syllable format. But as I explored Haiku I realized that this was an intriguing form of poetry where there is much to learn about its form and meaning. You can find out lots about Haiku from poet Neena Singh ~ https://thehaikufoundation.org/new-to-haiku-advice-for-beginners-neena-singh/ New to Haiku: Advice for Beginners – Neena Singh

I thought Haiku is about connecting with nature and feelings that arise. But Neena explains in her article..

“.I have learned much from attending Michael Dylan Welch‘s presentation at the Japan Fair. He says that instead of writing about our reactions to stimuli, in a good haiku we should write about those things that cause our reactions. If our haiku take advantage of this technique, our readers can experience the same feelings we felt, without our having to explain them. I find this advice valuable.”

Thank you Neena!

I call these poems my Riverside Haiku....regardless if they are true Haiku or not, writing these small three lined poems expanded my experience by the river…

riverside

morning rhythm ripples

heron in silence

~

stream rushes

sparkles on the water

a way home

~

river bends

homeward bound

front door opens

~

meditation

matters for eternity

unsolved puzzle

~

spirit

ever renewal

river flows

~

By Jane Rosalea Brown, May, 2023

If you like to write poetry, explore Haiku….it is fascinating! My deepest gratitude to Neena Singh for inspiring me to share my poems and for your generous sharing of your knowledge of Haiku. I love your beautiful Haiku poetry.

Have fun with your Haiku!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

Neena can be contacted via:

Twitter – @NeenaSingh7
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/neenas
Instagram – @neenapp

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Moving into aging…a new way of life

Aging and death always seem to be topics that we choose to avoid. In 2016, I took a course called ‘Conscious Aging” and I shared it with others. I realized that to have healthy and happy elder years that my ideas and thoughts about aging and death needed to change. I realized that just as when I was young, I needed to create happy moments in my life and accept what I can and cannot do. I had to look at what had value and meaning to me. I took these thoughts into my meditations and found deeper understanding.

Life is a gift, an experience, and a total wonder! I still have lots of questions about the universe and what’s it all about,, but I have learned one thing…love works. If things are not going well in my relationships, I know I have to love more fully…perhaps that is all I need to know. Love, love and more love…not always easy, but forgiveness and letting go of old baggage, love and compassion for myself and others works. Love shifts the energy around me and gratitude fills my heart.

Love these word from Sister Joan Chittister~

ADVICE FROM SISTER JOAN

“Why does the thought of getting older bother one?  That is the sign that we are ready now for a whole new kind of life.  We know that we have begun to move from one stage of life to another.  The only thing we fail to realize is that it is up to us to create it….  It is the age of coming to understand what kind of person we have become over the years.  It is the period in which we stop blaming others for who we are and decide who we want to be now.  It is the time for determining what we really believe and why.

Now can begin to spend our lives on something beside ourselves… There is a great gift in teaching the generation after us not only how to live but also how to die… First, of course, we must have the courage to strike out, to refuse to quit prematurely, to develop the wisdom and live the values ourselves…”

From Sister Joan Chittister, Welcome to the Wisdom of the World

“I have become older and, cherishing what I have learned,
I have become younger.“
~ Mary Oliver ~

Peacefully Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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The sweetness of surrender…letting go

In these challenging days, we can spend a lot of time trying to understand what is happening within our families, communities and the world. Our fears and anxieties can build. Meditation can bring relief from our daily stresses, but sometimes it can be difficult to meditate and to find a place of stillness within. But I have found with the practice of focusing on my breathing…in and out…and gradually relaxing my mind and body, I begin to allow myself to move my thoughts into my heart. I like to put my hands over my heart. Our heart is a sacred space that invites us into its gentleness and love. Then I am ready to move more deeply into a place of ‘surrender’.

As you begin to relax with your eyes closed, you can visualize a place that you love…like a beach, park, garden, your room. Now gently begin to shift your thoughts away from your outer problems and allow a cozy, warm place to unfold within your heart’s consciousness. As your mind becomes quiet and your body relaxes, it will reflect this inner sanctuary.

This warm, loving feeling will comfort you as you allow yourself to be held and embraced within. Let go of trying to make things work. See yourself stretching out your hands and letting go of your worries…see them dissolving.

Now you can make room for what you truly wants to be created from within you…

Making space…releasing, surrendering our fears, opening our hearts…we begin to lift and see a new space…hope, love, new creations…

Remember we do not have to figure everything out or try to make others change. There is always the unknown in our lives….simply embrace the beauty of your true self…and miracles will begin to unfold…the universe responds, loves you, guides and embraces you!

So how do we surrender while we are meditating?

I like to begin with some mantras…words that I repeat several times.

As you begin to meditate say…

”I am revealed in surrender.” 

Surrender, I awaken to your calling in this moment

I surrender…

I release my old limitations and fears,

I feel them all, see them all, touch them all

I allow them all to be released through my heart

I awaken to the calling of my heart

I surrender,

I surrender to love within my sacred heart

And in the very core of my being

I am ready to act with love and compassion

I trust in the unfolding Universe

I am filled with gratitude,

love and trust…

I listen for guidance within my heart.

Take time in silence and listen within…

Bring those beautiful thoughts back into your daily life…

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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A winter walk with Hafiz

As I walked through the nearby woods on this snowy morning, I reflected on Hafiz’s words, written in the 14^th century about aging.

The impermanence of the body should give us great clarity,
deepening the wonder in our senses and eyes
of this mysterious existence we share
and are surely just traveling through.
~ Hafiz, Persian Poet , translator unknown

Hafiz’s words made me think of where I am on my ‘traveling through”. Soon I will be 77 years old. Yet, the wonder and mystery of life, a presence, still deepens within me. It still calls me to see the beauty of life, to be touched by the natural way, and to live with compassion for all beings. This presence wandered with me through the woods, as it does each day, as I reflected about the wonders of aging and the gifts that this time of life has to offer.

I realized that my “beliefs’ are melting away and like Hafiz, I feel like I am passing through…a story, my story, my creation…and what a journey it has been! Ups and downs…and in between! And I know I can keep creating, sharing and “being” my story in this present moment! I know I am captain of my journey but I am not alone…I am connected to all beings, to everything in the universe. Even as I age, my every thought and action affect everything else. So my life, as long as I am here, is important. And what I leave as a legacy is important too. What an empowering thought. Thank you Hafiz.

A Haiku from my morning walk inspired by Hafiz,

winter stillness

infinite spirit calls

deep within

By Jane Rosalea Brown

May we all move more deeply into our senses with clarity and wonder!

Peacefully,

Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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Now is the time to know ~ Sacredness

Now is the time to move from our outer world of beliefs and views to trusting our inner wisdom and intuition. As we meditate or pray, let us embark on a sacred journey that takes us within to discover and to embrace our truth…our soul self…our inner beauty and personal power…to experience an intimate relationship with all of creation.

Now is the time to begin each day with a heart of gratitude for all the gifts of abundance that we receive each day…the air, the water, the fire and the earth. Everything is presence. All is one with us. Be grateful for the beauty in nature, for all the plants, insects, animals, for visible and invisible beings, for all the people in our world, for the gift of life…that unfolds in beautiful ways when we join together in peace and harmony. Let us practice reciprocity by returning our love and caring for them.

May we hold deep gratitude in our hearts for the ‘Spirit’ that flows through us and all life…

In this way, our life becomes sacred and we evolve, create and love more deeply…

The Persian poet Hafiz says “Now is the time to know”

Now is the time to know
That all that you do is sacred.
Now, why not consider
A lasting truce with yourself and God?

“Now is the time to understand
That all your ideas of right and wrong
Were just a child’s training wheels
To be laid aside
When you can finally live
with veracity and love.

Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.
That this is the time
For you to compute the impossibility
That there is anything
But Grace.

Now is the season to know
That everything you do
Is Sacred”

Hafiz (1325 –1389)  Persian Mystical Poet.

From the heart of sacredness within me, I greet the heart of sacredness within you.

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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How to reduce stress! Create positive energy!

Canadians are experiencing wintry days with less sunshine. I’m taking my Vitamin D and C daily! Still I feel less energetic during this time of the year. I am enjoying going for walks, reading, writing and watching movies! I love that I have time to relax and rest…a gift of retirement. But stressful events can still appear in all our lives, especially if you have a daily job, family, pets and friends who all want your attention. However, we can learn to reduce our stressful feelings. We don’t have to suffer from stress. We can release it and allow our bodies to feel relaxed and filled with positive energy.

Becoming aware of where stress settles in our body is important and learning to use our breath to relax really relieves stress and brings all the cells of our body into harmony. We often don’t think of ourselves as being trillions of cells working together, but as we move through a progressive relaxation practice, each of our cells will benefit by feeling calmer energy moving through us from our head to our toes! Once we feel relaxed, we can spend quiet moments in meditation. You can even practice this at work when you take a break!

Let’s begin!

Find a comfortable position, either lying down or sitting in a straight back chair, whichever feels best to you today. Take a few nice deep breaths, bringing your awareness fully into the present moment. Let go of any busy thoughts preventing you from tapping into your inner essence.

Take your awareness to your breath

Let your breath come and go as it will. Say…breathing in “I am” and breathing out “relaxed” As you do this breathing in and out your body will begin to relax. You will find with practice, your body will relax quickly when you say “I am…relaxed”. Our brain remembers it is time to relax!

Now become aware of the subtle movements in your body as you breathe in and breathe out. Breathing naturally noticing any physical sensations anywhere in your body. Try not to judge them, but just become aware of them as you move your awareness through your body. Simply scan your body…where do you feel tightness or pain?

As you scan your body, if you encounter tension anywhere simply use the power of your mind to melt it away, as easily as warm water melts ice. I like the word ‘dissolving”. Think of your discomfort or illness as ‘dissolving’ or melting away. Say “I allow my pain to dissolve”.

Progressive relaxation allows us to relax all our muscles, joints, organs…all our cells and we breath in and out…letting go of our tensions…

Starting at the top of your head, breath in…breath out…relax your scalp completely. Feel the skin of your forehead and temples relax. Allow your eye muscles to release, your jaw to soften, and let your ears, nose and chin, teeth tongue and gums relax. Now, just let this peaceful feeling flow down your neck. Feel it soothe your throat and dissolve any tension on contact as it glides down to your shoulders, upper arms, forearms, wrists and hands.

Let this peaceful sensation of relaxation begin to fill your torso. Feel it relax your chest, giving your heart more room to grow more expansive; more loving, giving and forgiving. Continue breathing in and out gently…Soften your belly muscles and let this relaxation penetrate even deeper, releasing any tension from your internal organs.

Now let it wrap around you, enveloping you in love and peace as it softens all the back muscles all the way down to the base of the your spine. Continue to breathe in deep, fluid breaths. Breathe in health, happiness and harmony, breathe out any tension, toxins, worries or disease, allowing anything that does not serve you to leave your body…dissolving away.

Send this peaceful feeling into your hips and buttocks. Let it glide down your thighs, relaxing your legs completely as it flows down to your knees, calves, ankles and feet. Allow any remaining tension from anywhere in your body to flow out your toes, leaving your whole body feeling very comfortable, peaceful and relaxed.

Continue to breathe deeply, relaxing breaths, feeling your belly rise on the inhale and fall on the exhale. Notice how the air feels cooler as you breathe in, and warmer as you breathe out.

Meditate…in silence to feel the love within

Now you may enjoy a few minutes in quiet meditation…your thoughts are quiet, your body is relaxed…allow yourself to simply enjoy a few minutes of peace…move your thoughts within to your heart and feel its gentle embrace…

When you are ready, breathing gently, open yours eyes and feeling refreshed, return to your day! Practice progressive relaxation everyday!

May the positive energy and love of the universe surround and flow through you!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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10 Tips for Creating an Harmonious Relationship

Most of us want to have good relationships with others. We want to find a life partner, our soulmate; we want good working relationships; we want a happy family. However, creating harmonious relationships can be difficult at times. Whether we are in a working, volunteer or personal relationship, the challenge of ‘getting along’ with others is always present. Happiness may be our goal, but unfortunately it may seem like conflicts get more of our attention. Our relationships affect our everyday!

Through all my different relationships I experienced the power of love…the hurtful feelings of not being loved and the warm and compassionate feelings of being loved. The most important thing that I learned from difficult relationships was that I needed to get in touch with myself…to figure out who I was. Meditation was my “way” to knowing myself…to loving myself.

Taking time to meditate each day gave me an inner place to let go, to release my anxieties and feel the love within my heart. I just had to be still and feel it. Loving myself was not about being conceited and only thinking about what I wanted and not caring about others. I learned it was about being humble, to take time to delve into my true feelings and to have courage to open my heart to welcome loving relationships.

How are you really feeling…about yourself, your relationships…about your view of life? All our relationships help us to grow and to know ourselves and others better. What can you do today to create a more peaceful relationship with someone you love? How can you assist another to make their day brighter? How are you going to nurture yourself today?

Here are 10 few tips to assist you to create the relationships you desire:

v Focus on what you want in your relationship, rather than on what you do not want.

v Only say good things about your partner or friend.

v You cannot change another person, but you can transform yourself.

v When your heart truly opens to love, your ‘poor me’ feelings leave.

v Respect your partner’s right to choose what he/she wants to do.

v Enjoy time on your own to explore your creative side.

v Love yourself everyday and shine as brightly as you can.

v Embrace your personal power – you are in charge of how you feel and what you do in every moment.

v Forgive yourself and your partner … each day is a new beginning.

v Create a loving relationship where there are ‘spaces’ for each one to create, to love and to flow…

Love is the key in everything we experience…the more love…the more peace and happiness…the better friend you are to yourself and others…the better your relationships!

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation

Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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After Christmas and a little ‘blue’

The week between Christmas and the New Year is a time that I sometimes feel a little down. Most years it’s because of all the rush of Christmas preparations is over and I am tired. This year, we experienced three days of a blizzard that blocked both our front and back doors of our home, some family members were ill and we couldn’t visit family or friends. I am also missing loved ones who have passed in the last year and beyond. I have developed an inner ear problem that is adding to my moodiness. So I am resting and doing ear exercises to correct my balance…they are working! So as I improve, I have time to reflect as the New Year approaches, so I searched my Peaceful Way files for some inspiration.

I found a poem that lifted my spirit…lifted me back into a space where I felt better about myself, back into being grateful for all my blessing! With all the hardships going on in the world, I feel ashamed of my petty complaints. But we each have our own experiences, often big trials and tragedies, and small trials that can sink into our daily lives and sometimes feel bigger than they are. This poem by Nikita Gill put my small trials in their correct place. It reminded me of how I have grown over the years, just like we all do. It made me feel better, took me into my heart and opened it to reveal happy memories. My blues began to fade away.

So if you are I like I was this morning, a little blue, I hope this poem will awaken you to remember how many ‘seeds’ you have planted and how much you have blossomed over the years. Really realize how awesome you are. And remember we always can plant new seeds, have new thoughts, new loves and passions, and most of all accept that life is ever changing. Sometimes, like for me today, we don’t have to do anything special except to shift our thoughts and have a new perspective to feel better.

It is up to me to stay in the rhythm and flow of nature, and create ‘balance’ in my life as changes occur and allow my tree of life to evolve in the forest..that I share with each of you…

“One day when you wake up

you will find that you’ve become a forest.

You’ve grown roots and found strength in them

that no one thought you had.

You have become stronger and more beautiful,

full of life giving qualities.

You have learned to take all the negativity around you,

and turn it into oxygen for easy breathing.

A host of wild creatures live inside you,

and you call them stories.

A variety of beautiful birds nest inside your mind,

and you call them memories.

You have become an incredible self sustaining thing of epic proportions.

And you should be so proud of yourself,

of how far you have come from the seeds of who you used to be.”

~ Nikita Gill ~ author of “Wild Embers” amazon.ca

Peacefully, Jane

Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW

Peaceful Way Meditation Blog

Peaceful Way MeditationAuthor, In Silence, Discovering Self through MeditationAuthor Name: Jane Rosalea Booth

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