Spiritual Thoughts

[cwohio]

beautiful to read before turning in! thanks ann - may you have many moonbeams shining on you tonight!

[CAPTAINZING2000]

Ann,

always nice to read this thread

hugs



chris

[Ann]

Awakening...
By John McLeod

Awakening, dawn's chorus
Welcoming,
The day new, untouched
Waiting to be filled....

And will we paint a rainbow
With all its promise
Or dull the canvas
Sadly seen?

Each day brings its own colours
To be chosen, mixed,
Pigments of joy,
Happy moments,
Smiles and laughter....

And which will you choose?
For 'Life' is choice,
We are all painters
In our own way,
All needing to create
Something of worth,
Of lasting beauty,
Marking our journey....

Footprints in the sand....

The sky today is azure,
The sun warm and golden
A filigree of light and shadow-play
Through the gently swaying trees.

I clean my brushes,
Choose my palette
Of vibrant, living colours,
And begin to fill
Today's blank canvas

[Ann]

May the stars carry your sadness away,

May the flowers fill your heart with beauty,

May hope forever wipe away your tears,

And, above all, may silence make you strong.

--Chief Dan George

[cwohio]

lovely ann!

ps - love your "bunny slipper" sig line!

[Ann]

I love these too, CW. There are so many lovely writings that just touch my soul and I love finding them and sharing them here. Glad you enjoy them too.

Hugs
Ann

[Ann]

I heard this for the first time the other day, and thought I'd bring it here. It really is a beautiful song...

"Answer In The Sky"

Well they say that it's a fact
If you watch the sky at night
And if you stare into the darkness
You might see celestial light

And if your heart is empty
And there's no hope inside
There's a chance you'll find an answer in the sky

Well they say that it's a shame
If you have nothing to believe
And if you can't hold on to something
You might as well die where you sleep

You don't need a prayer
And there's no price to ask why
Sometimes you'll find an answer in the sky

And it's all so much bigger than it seems
And it all overwhelms us now and then
And I'm banking on a chance we believe
That good can still control the hearts of men

Sometimes you'll find an answer in the sky

This life's a long old road
We shouldn't have to walk alone
But if you find the right companion
You won't feel so worn out when you've grown

All life is precious
And every day's a prize
And sometimes you'll find an answer in the sky

~Elton John~

[cwohio]

beautiful words - i have not heard this song yet but now i'll be listening for it!

[Ann]

Native American Code of Ethics!

1. Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit
will listen, if you only speak.

2. Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit,
anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will
find guidance.

3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your
path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with
you, but no one can walk it for you.

4. Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve
them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with
respect and honor.

5. Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community,
the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not
yours.

6. Respect all things that are placed upon this earth - whether it be
people or plant.

7. Honor other people's thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt
another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to
personal expression.

8. Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you
put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

9. All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.

10. Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice
optimism.

11. Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your
worldly family.

12. Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and
water them with wisdom and life's lessons. When they are grown,
give them space to grow.

13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will
return to you.

14. Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this
universe.

15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self,
Emotional self, and Physical self - all need to be strong, pure and
healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in
spirit to cure emotional ails.

16. Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you
will react. Be responsible for your own actions.

17. Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not
touch the personal property of others - especially sacred and
religious objects. This is forbidden.

18. Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if
you cannot nurture and help yourself first.

19. Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on
others.

20. Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.

Author unknown

[Ann]

The Song of The Wolves

The moon peeks out as the wolf pack waits,
It's silvery beam shining.
Snouts lifted to the moon, the wolves sing of their fates,
The light of the silvery dime blinding.
Their voices raise high with their soulful melody,
Stars dotting the skies above.
Dancing with the stars in a sweet, healing remedy, Their song sings of peace and love.
Pouring their hearts out to the understanding moon,
Their spirits raised up and lifted.
Howling out their rhythmic tune,
Realizing their peace with the earth has drifted.
Their voices will drop as the wind shifts and pulls,
And the souls of the wolves will mend.
For there's nothing more peaceful than the song of the wolves,
And their song of hope shall never end.

by Elicia Liddle

[Ann]

Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.

Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there one day. ~Winnie-the-Pooh

[Ann]

Birds Of Passage
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Black shadows fall
From the lindens tall,
That lift aloft their massive wall
Against the southern sky;

And from the realms
Of the shadowy elms
A tide-like darkness overwhelm
The fields that round us lie.

But the night is fair,
And everywhere
A warm, soft vapor fills the air,
And distant sounds seem near;

And above, in the light
Of the star-lit night,
Swift birds of passage wing their flight
Through the dewy atmosphere.

I hear the beat
Of their pinions fleet,
As from the land of snow and sleet
They seek a southern lea.

I hear the cry
Of their voices high
Falling dreamily through the sky,
But their forms I cannot see.

Oh, say not so!
Those sounds that flow
In murmurs of delight and woe
Come not from wings of birds.

They are the throngs
Of the poet's songs,
Murmurs of pleasures, and pains, and wrongs,
The sound of winged words.

This is the cry
Of souls, that high
On toiling, beating pinions, fly,
Seeking a warmer clime.

From their distant flight
Through realms of light
It falls into our world of night,
With the murmuring sound of rhyme.

[Ann]

Beauty Walk

Let light enfold me
That my inside eye may see clearly
The path that lies ahead.
Let my mind be opened up
That I may recognize
The signposts along the way.

Grant me the wisdom
That comes from understanding
The true from the false.
And Guide my steps
So that should I falter or stumble,
Tripped by former beliefs
That bring me still
I may go forward with Courage
And with the determination
Which persistence Bears.

Let me be embraced
With the Love by which
The whole Creation is moved.
The very Essence with which
All things are held together
Dependent yet independent,
Whole yet individuated.
In which all are my relatives

Let me know the way
That is the beauty way
Where all who will
May walk in Beauty
and where the end of the path
is but a new beginning
To my infinity.
And every new beginning
Another ever-present moment
In Eternity

H. "Migwunke" Mattson

[cwohio]

Let me be embraced
Witht the Love by which
The whole Creation is moved.

ann - somehow when i need something to clase my day before bed you always post! thank you!

[Ann]

Thank you CW, sleep well. I get a lot of peace just finding these and posting the ones that touch my heart. I particularly liked this one, for some reason it just seemed to have a lot of "recovery" in it.

...where the end of the path
is but a new beginning
To my infinity.
And every new beginning
Another ever-present moment
In Eternity

That says to me that change is simply the flow of life, each path takes us to the next path and the beauty will continue to unfold as we continue our journey.

Hugs
Ann

[Ann]

Wonder...

People travel to wonder at the height of mountains,
at the huge waves of the sea,
at the long courses of rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars;
And they pass by themselves without wondering.

~St. Augustine

[Steve.clarke1-]

Hi I'm Steve an alkie from England,
today is my 4360th day without alcohol thanks to AA.
It says in the Literature something like " a spiritual experience, means to me seeing a group of people all there for the purpose of helping each other.
And I agree with that whole heartedly.
Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Coming Back
Steve4360

[Ann]

Welcome, Steve. If you take a peek at the AA forum here, you'll meet a lot of people who would love to welcome you also. Congratutions on your sobriety.

I'm glad you found us.

Hugs
Ann

[Ann]

Free Will
by Michael Levy

The ocean; she pays no mind...no heed to herself,
She allows herself to wonder freely,
To evaporate from sight, then;
to appear in the sky as free forming,
towering clouds any shape - stratospheric ...any size
- translucent black, white and all shades in-between,

To wonder where she may, night or day,
Wonder freely across mountains,
across valleys...across dales,
And ; The ocean...she cares not,
For she has no worries, no woes,
Because; the ocean knows that all........
All that evaporates and travels far....far away,
will one day return home and be content,

To tell of sublime tales......of noble adventures,
that blew them off course,
thrust by hurricanes and mighty winds,
unleashing such monumental power,
gargantuan bolts of sound,
and awesome streaking light,

The magnificent view they had,
of all natures scenery,
as the metamorphism,
reversed itself once again,
and transpired as lucid rain-drops,
into streams, ponds, lakes,
seeping into earths crust,
flowing into raging rivers, then finally
Back home flowing;
In the rhythm of time.

[Steve.clarke1-]

Hi I'm Steve an alkie from England, Today's my 4361st day without alcohol thanks to AA.
I love this...

The Great Remover

Alcohol is a product of amazing versatility,

It will remove the stains from designer clothes,

It will also remove the clothes off your back,

If by chance it is used in sufficient quantity,

Alcohol will remove furniture from the home,

Rugs from the floor, food from the table,

Lining from the stomach, vision from the eyes,

And judgment from the mind,

Alcohol will also remove good reputations,

Good jobs, good friends, happiness from children's

hearts,

Sanity, freedom, spouses, relationships,

And mans ability to adjust and live with his fellow man,

And even life itself.

As a remover, alcohol has no equal!


Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Coming Back
Steve4361

[indigo]

Welcomre Steve. Glad you found us.

[Ann]

The Apparitions

Quietly sitting before a small fire,
A lone Indian begins a ceremonial respect.
Reaching into a pouch,
He brings out a matter of medicine.
Which he offers to the four winds,
To Mother Earth and all his relations.
And from his heart, soul and mind,
He speaks to the medicine,
Using a language taught to him,
A language carried through time,
By the apparitions before him,
His ancestors.

With words flowing from his heart,
Of the fire he speaks.
He ask the medicine for guidance,
To protect his people,
So that they will live a good life
And that their hearts, souls and minds,
Will be filled with the
Wisdom, knowledge and understanding
Of life and truth,
The traditional ways given to them,
As told through the medicine
By the apparitions before him,
His ancestors.

Gently he sprinkles the medicine upon the fire.
He has spoken words to the medicine
Using the old language of his people,
Words that the medicine knows.
For such words are of a language
That have been used for centuries
In such a sacred manner.
Words that the medicine recognizes,
Words of life that come from no book,
Words that in fact allow the medicine to work.
This the lone Indian knows,
For he is given a nod of approval
By the apparitions before him,
His ancestors.

And as the smoke heads upward,
Carrying the medicine and words,
An Eagle hover's above accepting the message,
Which will be delivered in a sacred manner.
And the apparitions of time gone by know
The Indian world will live on.
Such are the ways of a people,
Guided by apparitions of time gone by.
For here, there is no circus, no money,
No English words, no books, no mockery,
Just the reality of something very sacred,
Passed on to a people
By the apparitions who guide us,
The ancestors of yesterday...
Who guide only their people...

by Larry Kibby
Elko Indian Colony, Elko, Nevada"

[Ann]

Storms
By Margie DeMerell

There will be storms, child
There will be storms
And with each tempest
You will seem to stand alone
Against cruel winds
But with time, the rage and fury
Shall subside And when the sky clears
You will find yourself
Clinging to someone
You would have never known
But for storms.

[cwohio]

the picture didn't come out but the words were beautiful. thank the Lord for storms!

[Ann]

Can you see it now? It's a rainbow.