Welcome to a World of Spiritual Harmony

The U S Open tennis this year just keeps getting better and better - bigger crowds breaking attendance records, hurricane rain disrupting the schedule, making the stories even more dramatic, matches as good as finals from the quarters on. This has been a terrific year!

So Serena beat Venus in the quarters. Roger beat Djokovic in the semis - and looks like the Roger he used to be. For the first time this year. Our Andy - Roddick - got knocked out by Djokovic in a heartbreaker. Andy Murray, over two days, beats Rafael Nadal. Who thought that would ever happen? Rafa must be exhausted - and Andy is on a tremendous learning curve. He’s improved noticeably since playing here in July in the Masters.

And tonite - in a 2-1/2 hour women’s match ending at 11:30 p m - Serena Williams came through against Jelena Jankovich. A real thriller. But if I were Serena, I wouldn’t count on doing it again next year. Jelena is clearly on a big learning curve herself, and got tougher and smarter throughout the match. What a Treat!

Can’t wait for the Monday! 5 p m Men’s Singles Final: Roger Federer against Andy Murray, the young Scot who is one of the few players to have a winning record against Roger. We were all looking forward to a Roger - Rafa match. But I think this one will be great.

You know I’ll keep you posted!

So I thought August would be a quiet month for magazines with Barack on the cover. Not so. And I wonder why so few have McCain - and most of the ones that do also have Barack.

Most of them haven’t excited me enough to even read them! There was a Time Special Report on August 13, with Barack and McCain on the cover. The pictures looked airbrushed - John’s to make him look smoother / younger, and Barack’s to make him look blacker. Very weird. Then Time’s convention issue on September 1 - The Five Faces of Barack Obama. I might read it sometime - but the article titles just seemed to me to miss the whole point, and to focus on problems, not promise.

The Atlantic’s special election issue, September 2008, was about The Orator vs. The Warrior: Who Will Win? Who’s the Real Unifier? - The Debate Preview. It just made me tired. The last one I found during my magazine racks cruise was The American Interest, September / October issue. A magazine where the point of view is hard to tell, but seems progressive and global.

Somehow it seems to be just talk! talk! talk! Doesn’t anyone get the real issues here? And the global shift we’re experiencing? Evidently not, since all we’re talking about are the details, the differences, the negativity, the frivolous.

Luckily, I trust us Obama supporters. We get it. And we’re just going about our business of electing our partner to the presidency.

Had a great time recently at a Past Life Party two friends of mine gave. What a treat and a trip to see so many folk dressed up so creatively. I think I reported in a previous blog that I went as Genghis Khan - had to figure out what Genghis would have worn in the summer, ’cause I was for sure not going in boots and a heavy coat.

As a party game, they assembled an assortment of mostly tiny objects, printed out a numbered list for us to fill in, and turned us loose to use our psychometry skills to figure out what each object was. Traditionally, psychometry is about holding something in your hand - a piece of jewelry, an old coat, almost anything - and getting impressions about the object’s previous owner(s). There are folk who can do this almost down to the color of the fingernail polish of the original wearer of the ring or brooch.

I have never been particularly gifted at that, but gave it a go. As usual, I did not get any visions or pictures. But I found I was getting energy. So I just started making notes about that beside each of the numbers.

One piece was puzzling. The energy was very neutral and mechanical. Turned out it was a piece of type. I wasn’t sure what it was until its owner picked it up - then ‘type’ leaped into my mind. With another item, I felt sadness, a very withdrawn energy - a recluse as it turned out. Anger and grief came from an item found at a house that had been subject to an Indian attack many, many years ago.

So it was a lot of fun. And, as is normally the case, my gifts do not go along the normal route, but take their own independent way. Surprised?

Here are tips from my friend Gini, the EMail Therapist, on how to get through the day with good energy!

* Respect your natural inclinations, anticipating highs and lows during the day, week and month

* Schedule your time in a way that helps you take advantage of the “high energy” times such as doing the hardest tasks when you feel more alert

* Plan the “no brainer” tasks when you are at your lowest energy level, such as filing

* Follow your coffee or tea with water; digesting water creates a molecule of energy!

* Avoid sugar-snacks–the energy drop after the initial boost is not worth the effort and calories

* Take a brisk walk to wake up

* Tap your head with your fingertips to stimulate brain function

* Think “quality” not “quantity”: how well you perform is more important than how hard you push

* Avoid saying to yourself “I’m so tired!” Instead say, “I feel better when I pay attention to my body’s needs.”

* Take “5″ to revive: Allow your self 5 minutes to sit still with eyes closed as you invite your body to regroup and recoup.

* Breathe consciously and deeply for 5 breaths, sending the signal for energy throughout your body

* Laugh about something

* Imagine how you’d feel if you knew you were going shopping or going to a sports event –it’s like magic!

These tips really work! You will feel better!

For regular emails from Gini, contact her at UpLifts@mac.com, and check out her website www.holisticmatters.com. She is just terrific in person and on line!

Don’t expect me to return phone calls or answer many emails before Sunday evening. I am deep into the U S Open tennis tournament. Watched Roger Federer win a nail-biting 5-setter last night. It was great to watch him dig deep and pull it out. He’s likely to do the same thing tomorrow night - hopefully not a 5-setter.

Tonite it’s Rafa Nadal’s turn, up against Mardy Fish, who is playing better than he has ever played in his life. Mardy is part of the crew that came up all at the same time - Andy Roddick, James Blake, and a couple more who have already faded. All moving into their later twenties now. So I think Rafa will win, and Mardy may fade back into the woodwork. But he will have had one heckuva run, just prior to his wedding later this month.

These are the quarterfinals, with the semis looming. If Andy Roddick comes through tomorrow, he and Roger will play on Saturday. Right now, Andy Murray is leading Juan Del Potro, so the other semi is likely to be Rafa versus the British Andy.

Like I said - I’ll get back to you Sunday evening!

I bought this spring 2 small books, edited by Mirabai Starr, one on St. Francis of Assisi and one on St. Teresa of Avila - 2 of the greatest saints in the Catholic pantheon, and both of them excellent writers. I already knew a lot of Teresa’s writing, not so much of Francis, but settled in for enjoyment.

And didn’t get it. I was obviously in a different place last time I read their words than I am now. These books subtitled Devotions, Prayers & Living Wisdom just didn’t provide that. Lots of focus on negativity, pain and suffering. And the constant references to God as He and Him grated as well.

To me, God is a living, pulsating, co-creating Presence in the Universe. We are co-creators in that process, and are always bringing the world closer to what it can be. We are God’s Hands in creation, and can trust that what we are drawn toward is the right step forward for us.

Both Francis and Teresa punished their bodies in many ways, Francis perhaps pushing himself toward his beloved Death, Teresa to prepare herself for her Bridegroom. What Bridegroom wants a half-starved, much scarred bride? What kind of sense does any of this make? And they gather praise for that continuous self-abuse.

Much of Francis’ writing is focused on death, though the best is focused on life, especially in nature. Teresa clearly was a mystic, was united with her Higher Self often. And yet still destroyed her health, treated her body often as her enemy, sought control over what was really her best Partner in reaching what she was searching for.

None of this makes sense to me, spiritually or logically. And I am not persuaded or consoled by statements that it was just that period in history. Their actions supported those malignant beliefs, and have allowed those beliefs to maintain power to this day in our culture.

What if they had truly dared to love all of creation, including their own physicality? We’d be living in a very different world - joy, health, ease, partnership.

As you can see, rather than just arguing with Teresa, I’m now also arguing with Francis. And I’m not giving up just to smooth things over.

A friend of mine sent an urgent email yesterday afternoon (8/31/08), when she began receiving reports from dissenters in town for the Republican Convention in St. Paul / Minneapolis about police brutality and unconstitutional actions toward those planning to protest. Like breaking into houses without warrants, and arresting folk who are just watching movies. Putting 14-year-olds face down on the floor, then talking about ‘termination’.

“I’m totally freaking out about this. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do? Thanks.”

Knowing that the political situation in our country does deeply disturb her, I sat quietly for a few minutes, allowing the words to come, and then emailed her that I had:

“3 ideas….
- write out what you’re feeling, hearing and seeing on TV
- visualize peace, green light, calmness
- also visualize bright glaring TV lights on the cops at all times…. and them surrounded by journalists / bloggers”

She is a talented writer, and it felt to me that writing would be good for her - and very good for the rest of us, who could benefit from her perspective and from understanding her fear about the brutality. Visualizing itself calms us down, and sending peace, green light and calmness to Minnesota makes a lot of sense. And yet, it isn’t enough to calm ourselves, or even the situation. We need to make clear these old paradigm fear-based authoritarian moves no longer work. Shining glaring TV lights in corners those in authority want dark is just the right thing to do.

She emailed back some hours later: “Excellent ideas. Thanks!” Which I took to mean, in its brevity, that she was now writing and working out exactly why these reports were causing her such pain. Doing this work so that others, perhaps reluctant to work so hard, or confused by their feelings, could have a window into their own beliefs and emotions.

Well, summer is officially over in Cincinnati! The WEBN fireworks are just finished, so it must be time for autumn to begin.

I’m always ready to watch the fireworks from a new place, a new location, a new direction. This year was the easiest ever. I walked across the street to my neighbor’s home in the Kingston House, and watched the fireworks, which are down river from her balcony. She does a fundraiser every year for a political candidate supported by the Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus. This year it was Caucus stalwart Connie Pillich. It was easy and fun for Nancy to do. And a breeze for me - making my contribution, and not being stuck in a two hour traffic jam as I was last year.

These were not the very best, but quite good. There were some new groupings - waves of color coming up over the Taylor-Southgate bridge, and then fireworks in the sky above that. The waterfall was excellent as usual. And then, to Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, a cascade of fire and red rings of fire above.

The ending was a little strange. Instead of five minutes of total madness in the sky, there were elegant and distinctive fireworks at a leisurely pace, then 2 loud bangs of what used to nearly a hundred lighting up the sky like strobe lights. And then - that was it!

The flotilla of boats began their slow turnings, heading back up the river at a leisurely pace, reluctanly letting summer go. It will be hours before all of them return home - as it will be for those many who walk down to the river on either side. Walking is always faster than driving, though, on this season-ending day.

A friend of mine had a bad case of poison ivy on her leg the other day. After I used Reiki to calm it down, take care of the itch, and reduce the redness, I looked it up in Louise Hay’s Heal Your Body. This little book contains tables of information extracted from Louise’s 300-pager called You Can Heal Your Life. She wrote that after she cured herself of cancer some 30 years ago. Readers kept asking to have the tables in their own separate book, which became Heal Your Body.

The subtitle is The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. Under Poison Ivy, the Probable Cause listing is ‘Feeling defenseless and open to attack’. The suggested affirmation to create the New Thought Pattern is ‘I am powerful, safe and secure. All is well’.

This certainly does sound very simple, and our culture teaches us to mistrust anything that is not scientifically proven - especially if it doesn’t cost anything.

But it does work.

One good way to use these affirmations is to repeat them everytime the thought in your mind is negative. Or in this case, every time you want to scratch. At the very least, you will learn how much time and energy you spend on the negative. And you have the opportunity each time to turn your mind in a positive direction.

Try it. You might just like it!

My friend Carolyn invented It’s Commonly Jazz at what was then Swifton Commons shopping center over 20 years ago. She was manager of the center, and wanted a promotion that would pick up the summer and get the attention of her customers. It did, and so the every-Thursday-in August jazz continued on after the shopping center closed, and than became Jordan Crossing, and the home of one of the biggest churches in Cincinnati, as well as the Community Action Agency.

At the end of last season, Carolyn felt the need for change. Her primary sponsor, Fifth Third Bank, agreed and thus was born It’s Commonly Jazz at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park. Wow! What a difference a few miles makes.

Everything works so much better in gorgeous Eden Park. Much more room, all those lovely trees, a a lot of grassy area for the kids to play safely. Lots more younger people in the crowd, more diversity, chances to win more different kinds of prizes, just plain more fun. Parking is also just as easy - the entire Art Museum parking lot is available, as well as your favorite parking spot in the Park, wherever that is (I know we all have them).

Good choices for food: the Pit to Plate barbecue stand behind the stage, and Aunt Flora’s peach cobbler (from Findlay Market). Or you could do what I did a couple of times, and pick up my favorite eggplant sandwiches from What’s for Dinner in O’Bryonville.

The real bonus is the new more open and resonate sound in the bowl of the amphitheater. The line-up was wonderful as always. My favorite was the Tia Fuller Quartet, a group of women from New York City playing jazz with an ambient quality, with lyrics and ideas that were often spiritually-based. They played lots of hard driving jazz as well. The other three groups were great, too: Randy Villars, featuring Thelma Massey; Ron Jones Organ Quartet (the only one I missed) and the Mike Wade Quintet, featuring Ralph Peterson, rowdy and fun. I think all the groups when from Eden Park downtown to the Blue Wisp for the rest of the evening.

It’s Commonly Jazz also went green this year, using fans without wooden sticks, recycling the paper various groups handed out, and the water bottles consumed by all of us.

I know how hard Carolyn works on the Jazz - and I appreciate the way she makes it look effortless. So mark off the August Thursdays in your calendar for 2009 - the 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th. You’ll be glad you did!