Rest

Like most other people, I use my computer all the time. Email, my blog, my website, different sites that I am on, like Facebook, some smaller listings and sites that I check into once in a while. Using all these things to try and promote my business, research information, connect with people, look for leads. These are things I do for my self, to develop my own business, my reading and healing business.

Then at my day job, I am always on the computer doing the company's work. Plus in various assignments over the years, on the phone at the same time.

This past weekend, I decided to rest. Unplug as much as possible and rest.

Checked the email a couple times, checked my lottery tickets, went to the farmers market, cooked, walked. Read a book. And slept.

By the time it was Monday morning again, I was more rested than I had been in a while. It felt really good.

There is so much we need to do, especially if we are growing our own business. That feeling that we always need to be on top of things, doing this that and the other or else we might miss something.

Some people have recommended that I start Twittering and doing a few other things online, but I just have not got around to it yet.

Being unplugged was really restful. I keep a pretty strong pace most of the time, working the day job Monday through Friday and working fairs and festivals on weekends.

Right now I am making my schedule more simple, more efficient. I am pruning the less productive events from my schedule and instead concentrating on booking more private appointments.

Unplugging and resting are very rejuvenating. My plan includes having more of that in my schedule too. It feels very good. Well rested helps a person be ready for what has to be done next.

Sometimes we fall into that trap of thinking that if we are not always busy, we will miss something. But it all comes back to love and fear. If we love what we do and stay focused on our vision, taking some quiet time becomes a plus, not a minus. Being constantly busy may be rooted in fear. It always comes down to love or fear doesn't it? Choose love.

Acceptance

Today I was just noticing how adapting a mood of perception helps s person slide right into the phase of livelier partner. Feel the whole process taking shape.

Acceptance is the final grace note of Elizabeth Kubler Ross' five stages of grief.

We can experience it in that concert flowing with the musicians, but also simpler experiences as well. Once we come to accept that this person who did something made a conscious choice and we are supporting it. Then agreement sets things into motion, acceptance opening doors.

We are happy when they played some of our favorite songs and we are happy when they come up with an unusual expressions of what we created,

We accept the gift o those who died and at the same time celebrate the adventures of those who survive. We need to plan clearly now and launch into the waves.

Once we have acceptance we can open up to the coming experiences and see what happens, and we sense the flow is much smoother. Same happens when a career path dies. Open up and accept opportunities and let love shape what comes next. Something totally unexpected might be perfect.

Now that we have reached acceptance some things just seem to fall into place and the execution is sweet. Acceptance lets us accept the gifts presented to us effortlessly and use then efficiently. No regrets, no anger, no disappointment. Just doing.

Then comes the realization. Why didn't we do it this way from the beginning? We might have too much philosophy, too much thinking, and not enough doing. In the doing we shine. Yes, it is simple, elegant and powerful. Accept, and do.

The Magic of Weekends

Since it is common for people to work Monday through Friday schedules, Friday is frequently our entry into the place where we choose. Friday, named for the Norse goddess Freya initiates a time of magic.

That is why it is so frequently an evening for play. Freya was definitely a sexy, magical goddess. Various tales say it she was the one who taught Odin the art of divination. She could also mediate between the different worlds. In the old stories, she had power in the realm of her origin, with her people, the Vanir, and also with her adapted people, the Aesir.

So it is that we launch adventures on her day each week. We plan to do something fun, or perhaps we dedicate some time to learning or practicing those things which we have chosen, various hobbies or avocations.

Yes, weekends are magical, whether we use them to get much needed rest or do other things we do not have time for on the weekdays. This is our time to deepen our progress on our path. If we work a second job, perhaps it is one that we love. If we take the time to spend with friends, that is magical too. Think how fitting it is that tomorrow is dedicated to Saturn, the bringer of change, and the next day is the day of the Sun, a day to bask in radiance.

So make good use of your magical time, your weekend. No matter what you do, make it magical.

I Want My Heaven Now

I find it interesting that so many people care whether there is an afterlife and speculate about what it is like. My view is that I will find out when I get there. Meanwhile, I just want to enjoy this life.

These thoughts are not directed at any one religion, but rather all religions that concern themselves with the afterlife.

I can see how for some people it would be a real letdown to find out that after all these years of working and keeping up a house, looking after a family, spending 60 plus hours a week cultivating a career path that you drop dead and find out that there is no next life.

Of course some people adapt the point of view that it's OK if everything is out of whack here, because after we die, it will be better there. Some people are so certain of that that they will hurry their own death along to get there faster.

Not me.

There are certain moments here on earth, in this body, when we can get a taste of pure bliss. I don't know that any afterlife can top an orgasm. Maybe some people will try and argue that there is, but I still say that we won't know until we get there.

Are there other sublime experiences to be had in this lifetime? Yes, I can think of a bunch. Can you? If we can repeat those a bunch more times, we get to have heaven on earth.

Let the other people debate what heaven might be like. I am too busy looking for all the joy that is possible here. For some reason, I just got a vision of some BBQ ribs, corn on the cob, a summer salad, a cold micro brewed beer, and yes, that is another heavenly experience. I would make a longer list, but I need some sleep.

Yes, I want my heaven now.

You Just Never Know

True to form on the Fool's Journey is the simple fact that he just moves on with his journey, experiencing life and the only thing he knows for sure is that he does not know everything.

I have been maintaining my focus on my career path, and even though I have taken steps that some might think foolish, such as dropping out of some events and deciding not to do others, I have opened up space in my schedule.

Interestingly, into that space have come other appointments and opportunities, sometimes from past customers, some from referrals, and just some from "out there" who initiated contact through my blog or a website I am on.

You just never know.

I have learned by doing that some of my advertising dollars are well spent and some are totally wasted. A long time ago, someone said "I know that half of my advertising budget is wasted. I just don't know which half."

You just never know.

Of course, we can all our own common sense to look at the track records of certain events or the logistics of the deal and make decisions accordingly. Still, there will be things we just don't know.

And as we continue on our path there are not only adventures, but surprises. Those "out there" responses are still the result of energies we put in motion. Strangers contact us because we put ourselves out there where they could find us.

Even setbacks are opportunities to put fresh energy into our efforts as we decide what to cut, what to strengthen and what to rebuild.

I am focused on my goal and proceeding toward it. That draws energy into the path. Have you noticed the same thing with yours?

Small Food, Big Food

Half a billion eggs from just two farms have been recalled because of the recent salmonella outbreak. Although they are packaged under a variety of brand names, the recent problem has been traced back to just two farms that produce half a billion eggs.

What kind of farm is that? Interesting how egg cartons frequently picture a barn and chickens running around in the yard. That's the kind of places our chickens and eggs used to come from, but nothing that looks like that picture will produce a half a billion eggs. That's similar to the images of cows in grassy open fields with a barn and a farmhouse in the background, where much of our diary and meat comes from cattle that actually live much more confined lives than that.

Those of us who can remember as far back as the 1960s and 1970s know that massive recalls of contaminated food because of illness and death were a very rare event.

However, since the 1980s, it has become almost commonplace. Beef, chicken, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, peanuts. Lots of foods have been recalled for contamination.

How did this happen? Two main reasons. One, larger farms and processing plants kept getting larger while many small family farms, slaughterhouses and processing plants went out of business.

Two, politicians let lobbyists persuade them that industry could do a good job of inspecting itself, even though the FDA was created and government food inspectors were hired about 100 years ago because of public concern over the quality of food processing facilities and slaughterhouses. These recent outbreaks of food borne illnesses certainly indicate that need more food inspectors, not less.

All the modern problems and controversies in agriculture revolve around one thing. In making farms into factories, shortcuts are necessary in order for fewer people to produce more food. In the worst case scenario, that pressure produces people like the guy who ran the peanut warehouse and shipped moldy peanuts even though he knew they were moldy. In the best case scenario you can have someone working very hard who simply does not take the time to wash up between chores.

Perhaps we should consider whether smaller might be better in farming. How can two farms produces a half a billion eggs?

Supporting small family farms, organic farms, and producers of heirloom foods through CSAs (community supported agriculture is buying a subscription for a farmer's produce) and farmers markets is increasingly popular. Sometimes, smaller can be better than larger. Even taking small steps in that direction as consumers will make a difference, both to us and the farmers.

Tastes Good Too!

My sisters have long made a habit out of shopping for their produce at the farmers market as a way of both getting high quality, interesting foods while at the same time supporting local farmers.

I do buy locally grown fruits and vegetables too, but I am not eager to get out of bed early on a Saturday when I don't have to.

You will notice that even the chain grocery stores will have signs up when produce is local. Personally, I am not so concerned about organic. For some items, I will go for it, but for some, I am not willing to pay a lot extra. To be certified organic a farm must be doing everything organically for several years, and I would see more sense in spending the money on organic leafy greens than say, potatoes or bananas. Just my opinion, of course.

I think that if you consider that some of these farmers who are taking the time to cultivate heirloom vegetables and different varieties are doing so on a smaller scale on a family farm, they are paying a lot more attention to what they grow and how they grow, even if it is not certified organic, and I think that is a good thing.

Most important I think is when you buy produce at the farmers market, the income goes directly to the farmer, and that helps them to make more profit.

One of the added bonuses is that at the farmers market you will find heirloom varieties, and vegetables and fruits that have surprising tastes, colors and textures.

That's a great added bonus for supporting local farmers and helping to keep jobs in the American economy. Every little bit helps, and it tastes good too!