Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Only One in the World

I am remembering the story of “The Little Prince” by Antoine de St. Exupery. 

When The Little Prince describes his rose, she is the only one he has ever seen.

I am realizing that I am the only one in the world who is like me, and that the things I like to do are fine, that the way I like to spend my time is fine, that my choices and preferences are all fine.

They are not like other people’s and of course, that is what makes me unique.

Although I have given much thought to the uniqueness of each of us, I am appreciating my own, today.

It is nice to discover that it is OK to do things simply for the enjoyment of doing them.

Some of them have practical results, but some of them do not, unless you count being happy a practical result.

Since I now have the choice to invest my time in things that make me happy, I do count that as a good result.

I like being the only one in the world like me.

I love what I do.

I adore the things that I make.

I love making them.

I love spending my time in such pleasing ways.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Monday, December 29, 2014

Living in Inspiring Times

I keep listening for ideas and am happy to find there is no limit.

Ideas continually flow to me and I write them down, and then I create them.

When I run into an obstacle, I have learned how to listen for direction to find a solution.

When I persist in this, I am led to the understanding and action that I need to take.

It is inspiring to have the results of obstacles so clearly visible, so that they serve as a warning that all is not well.

It then becomes possible to discover the process of identifying the obstacle itself and finding the solution.

This step is an important one, because as we progress, we are dealing with situations, materials, relationships that are new to us, and we need to know how to find solutions as we progress and grow.

The fact that so much is going wrong in our society and government is inspiring because it shows us that we are ready for something different.

We are ready for more awareness and more participation.

What we do not use, we lose, and we are seeing this now.

By becoming aware and taking up our responsibility to stay informed,  we will gain a new appreciation of our rights and be able to shape them in a direction which includes all of us.

This, truly, will demonstrate the inspiration of our times.

© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Sunday, December 28, 2014

A Quiet Holiday

We checked into a local motel for our quiet holiday.

We stayed up late reading and working on projects.  

I now have an almost finished printed denim skirt and jacket.  

Five of my hand-embroidered pillow tops have progressed to their first border.

We brought some home canned MRE’s and home made yogurt with us and ate out once each day.

We went to a couple of movie theatres for a couple of movies.

We read some more.

I finished two books.

It was relaxing.

We are not stressed out.

After I dropped my husband off for a full day of pinewood derby workshops, I checked out of the motel and went to the library.

I read.

I finished knitting a set of wristies.

I finished the third row on an extremely long crocheted scarf.  It is approximately sixteen feet long!  What was I thinking?!  I finished it off.  I will just add a very wide lace border to finish it sometime next year.

I checked out a new book.

I look forward to more of this in the future.

Such a great experience.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Getting Ready

I got completely ready for an event and then that morning, my body crashed and burned.

I got better during the day, but I thought it was interesting enough to take a look at it.

I discovered that there was an essential part that I wanted to include, that I hadn’t been aware of.

So I began the process of setting it up.

I am also observing the new day-to-day things that I do, and am discovering how much I enjoy doing them.

It is no effort, no push.

I am thinking that all life can become that, now that I am aware of it.

I don’t know where the tipping point is yet.

I do know that everything I do for myself feels better now that I am looking at it from the level of deep comfort within myself.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Monday, December 15, 2014

Two Tracks

Which track will I take?

The old familiar one or the new one I have been been training for?

For a while, I went down the old track and then I realized it was not taking me anywhere I wanted to be.

That, after all, was why I had started training for a different track.

I immediately switched tracks and found myself on the one that was taking me where I wanted to go.

So I kept going down the one I chose.

I temporarily defaulted to the old one, but, fortunately, I rescued myself after only a couple of hours or so.

Then I remembered where I wanted to be.

I just switched out of the old track.

Pretty easy, once I remembered to do it.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Restoring Eden

A new earth, quantum physics, mystical thought, social justice.

All are different views of various aspects of life that have come to people at different times and in different circumstances and from different cultural and economic backgrounds.

As these and other long-held views change from eon to eon, century to century, decade to decade and now, with instantaneous communication, moment to moment, there is a lot of turmoil as we adjust to the new meaning in our lives.

To some, the accelerating changes mean faster exploitation of natural and social resources.

To others, the accelerating changes mean faster responses to serve health, social, political and economic needs.

Which one is the lasting road?

Which one is restoring Eden?


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Monday, December 8, 2014

The Essential Core

Driving around to various grocery stores to get special ingredients, I felt somewhat removed from the holiday frenzy.

I kept myself relaxed intentionally.

What I then had time to notice, was that no one else was smiling or relaxed.

Everyone had a definite purpose, and they were all tense and in a hurry.

I am making a conscious practice of meditating and studying about deep values every day.

I want those to be uppermost in my thought whatever I am doing, even simple day-to-day things.

When I am listening for a creative idea, or an idea to fulfill a particular purpose, I get quiet and consult my deep inner peace.

Now, I am doing this on and off during the day, and especially when I need to go out and run errands.

I want to be sure that I am contributing consciously to the atmosphere around me, and that what I am contributing is uplifting.

Otherwise, I am part of the increasing miasma produced by media influences.

So, I enjoy getting a deep quiet look at the essential core of my being, and then keeping that feeling with me as much as possible.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Thursday, December 4, 2014

How Do I Say "Thank You"?

How do I say thank you for all the little things?

I love to run errands with my husband.

I love getting help at the plant nursery.

I love making a fresh meal from fresh ingredients with a new recipe each day.

I love receiving a new idea for a song.

I love picking up the empty five gallon pickle buckets from the deli to turn into container gardens.

I love knitting a tiny doll scarf while I am standing in line at the deli, and being admired by a member of the girl’s soccer team.

I love that the heavy spices turned out great when I doubled the amount of pumpkin in the turkey chili.

I love that we got ice cream on our way home from the errands.

I love starting my new Missouri plants embroidery on my new green and brown quilt.

I love designing more journal covers.

I love finding the right doll pattern and fabric.

I love discovering more and more to celebrate on my life-journey.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Alerted to Healing

As I listened to my thoughts,  I realized I was holding onto a tragic emotional scenario.

I decided to write out the scene so that I could look at it and see what it was saying.

I wrote up several events that were contributing.

As I read them back to myself, they lost some of their significance.

I could see how, over time many aspects had been able to resolve themselves in entirely different ways from the way I was looking at them.

I gave myself permission to quit holding onto them so tightly and so painfully.

I wrote a poem celebrating my uncertainty and my release.

I observed a spider in a corner of my porch who weaves a new web every time hers is destroyed.

I continue to cross my new threshold into healing.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Where We Really Are

In consciousness, what are we thinking and feeling?

That is where we are.

Are we looking to the outside?

Or are we trusting what is coming from inside?

The outside is subject to all kinds of noisy manipulation.

Do you wonder why you are all caught with excitement or dread?

There is a lot of influence coming from media harassment.

Going quietly within, or reading inspirational literature until you can attain that quietness within will give you the peaceful guidance you seek.

You may have to take a break and step aside in order to restore it foremost in your thought.

It is worth developing that habit.

A return to consciousness is always highly desirable.

You can get everything done that you need to in that state.

So check out where you really are.

And make the effort to make it your best and favorite place to be.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The Role of Discipline

I grew up thinking that what one had to do was discipline oneself to do the things one had to do.

There was no concept of being “allowed” to have fun or self-discovery at that time.

So I translated everything into the satisfaction of doing things very, very well.

And of course, there are lots of rewards for that.

But it only works up to the time that you discover that you have a right to your own individuality.

Now that I have learned about that right, it is a wonderful exploration to discover what I love.

The only discipline required now is the delight of doing whatever I need to to get it done.

It is a total joy.

Naturally I work at it until it is the best that I can produce.

The role of discipline has become the role of discovery, invention, persistence, and success.

The rewards are both intrinsic and extrinsic.

There is lots and lots of happiness as well as satisfaction.

There is no strain or anxiety about having to please an outside source.

The inward Source and I have a warm and rewarding conversation every step of the way.

The new discipline is the discipline of inward listening, and responding to that.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Monday, December 1, 2014

Linking

I have noticed that when I make myself open to the Universe by quietly going “within” to my own thoughts, after a while, as I quiet my thoughts, I can hear the deep underlying connection and feel Its guidance.

I attended a workshop called “Rewriting Our Future - The Science of Heart-Connected Living” by Howard Martin, co-founder of HeartMath.

We learned about the research, both by the HeartMath folks and thousands of other organizations, which are showing the relation of the heart’s systems - neurological, bio-chemical, hormonal and electrical - to our mental, physical and emotional well-being.

We learned a technique for managing our “pitch” or reactions to events around us, including simply thinking about things which are disturbing or which are good in our lives.

As I understand it, the technique of managing our pitch is called moving from “incoherence to coherence”.

The HeartMath folks have devices for measuring this level of coherence or incoherence.

It was a fascinating workshop, with volunteers from our workshop group plus examples and studies including Random Number Generator computers.  

I especially appreciated learning how we can all contribute more to the planet’s harmony by contributing to our own.

I love the idea of being able to move myself into “coherence”.

I also love the idea that the actions we originate and maintain have an effect.

As part of my music teaching of very young children, I opened with a step I called “taking three deep breaths”.

Our first breath was a breath of inspiration for ourselves, the second, a breath of inspiration for everyone we know, and the third, a breath of inspiration for everyone we don’t even know, all over the planet.

I find that this supports the idea that we can make ourselves aware of the rest of the world in an uplifting way.

I feel that we are linked by our desire to be uplifting influences and that we draw others of like-mind into our experience as we share our desires.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Friday, November 28, 2014

Becoming More Light

Every day I create more light in my life.

I focus on the light that I am and the light I bring into the world.

I choose light over and over again, and after a while, some of the darkness loses its power.

Because I am learning to constantly turn to the light, I am absorbing more and more of it.

When the darkness sometimes reasserts itself, I am so full of light, it has less and less to attach itself to.

Perhaps one day, all I will be is pure light, and the darkness will be left far behind, and like a cloud blown across the sky, I, too, will have moved on.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Four Holiday Meditations - Starting the New Year

I start this new year with expectation.

Since You, the Universe inspired me and provide for me, I will listen for Your guidance.

I will see progress in my relationships through Your guidance.

I will be led to fulfillment in my work through Your direction.

I will feel increased peace in my home through acknowledgement of Your presence.

I will take inspired action by first listening within.

In all that I do, I will feel Your inspiration and tender, constant care.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage


Four Holiday Meditations - Gifts From the Universe

When I bring my gifts, I know that You, the Universe, are blessing me with Your Generosity.

I am able to share generously from my heart.

It does not mater how it is received.  I have no control over that.

It only matters how it is given.

I know that what I bring is acceptable as an offering to Your Spirit within the recipient.

I give with gratitude for Your Provision.

I give with humble acknowledgement that You are my complete Source.

I give to bless.

I give to uplift.

And all that I receive comes with Your blessing.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Four Holiday Meditations - What to Bring to the Table

When I prepare the food, let it be with patience, calm and gratitude.

Let me bring uplifting conversation to share, free from family gossip or politics.

Let me share funny stories, and uplifting moments.

Let me share poetry I have read or written for the occasion.

Let me share a holiday book for signatures and comments.

Let me add photos and send it to each person.

Let me provide games and tables for smaller conversational groups.

Let all who walk through my door be blessed and uplifted by this occasion.

As I walk through the door, let me be prepared with an uplifting and forgiving thought for each person.

Let us all be blessed by this occasion.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Four Holiday Meditations - Being With Others

I live in a Beneficent Universe and therefore I am always in Its Presence.

I am here to bless and be blessed by every occasion.

Let me feel only Your Presence when I am with others.

Let me see Your Form, Your Love, Your Conversation when I am with others.

Let us share our good wishes for each other when we get together.

Despite any pains of the past or any misunderstandings, let us respect the paths of each other.

We are all learning Your Way, discovering for ourselves Your constant Presence.

On this journey, let us be generous with each other.

We will grow in Your Grace and learn to see each other as You see us.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

Monday, November 24, 2014

My New Bio

Walking

In the light

As light

To the light.


Walking as

Ever-expanding light

Sharing light

Overflowing with light.


Seeing only

Light within

Light without

All-encompassing light.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Cycle of Fear

Little nudges, little doubts

Little feelings of inevitability

Create the vicious cycle

Of little fears.


Redefine

Throw back into the air

The opposites

Courageously.


What would I see?

What would I feel?

If my choice made a difference?

Which it does.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Sunday, November 23, 2014

A New Sense of Family

I am grateful for a new view of family.

There is family without judgement.

There is family without criticism.

There is family without reaction, just a sense of understanding and room for mistakes.

There is family who appreciates.

There is family who accepts.

There is family who goes about their business and lets you go about yours.

There is family who shares and lets you share, too.

There is family who takes care of what is on their mind and lets you do the same.

There are shared meals, shared chores, and shared conversations.

This is a new sense of family for me.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com

Saturday, November 22, 2014

What Life Is Not

Over and over again through examples and stories of past generations, I was shown what life is not.

I have chosen a better life.

It has taken study and observation to build something from scratch.

I did discover that all the past was not lies.

As I was able to lift my head and free myself from the lies,  I was able to recognize the good and extract it and use it as well.

But carefully, oh so carefully, because the past rushes up to envelop me.

So I draw on my good form the Infinite within.

It is good.  It is a pure Source.

It is a constant Source.

It does not disappoint.

Patiently, oh so patiently, It waits on me to discover my new life, my true life.

And for every step I take, I feel the closeness, the consciousness of a particular love.

It is worth the work.

I am succeeding.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage
www.InspiredPractices.com


Friday, November 21, 2014

Letting the Project Evolve

On extremely rare occasions, I will follow a pattern, but what I most love to do is to let the project evolve.

I get excited about the materials, or in the middle, I decide I want to use them a different way.

I have many methodical friends who create wonderful works.

But I enjoy acting on the inspiration of the moment.

This applies to fiber art, knitting, quilting, and my new venture, drawing.

Since I like to try so many different approaches, I usually have what most people comment on as too many different projects and directions.

I have learned that I will work on one for a while and then go to another, and eventually, I will come back to the first project.

Over long periods of time, lots of projects get done, sometimes with several finishing close together.

My mind and eye mature along the way.

I can’t see everything about what I am creating while I am involved at whatever stage I am in.

But with the perspective of time and working with other materials, I can come back with a fresh eye, and maybe even some new techniques to play with, and then I can get a more complete sense of what I want to see.

Since I am no longer pressured by deadlines, I can give myself the time to play.

This kind of discovery is very fulfilling for me.

When it feels finished, it is.

The work lets me know when it is complete.


© 2014 Kathryn Hardage

www.InspiredPractices.com