I have a few more pictures to share, so I'll start with that:
My Shiva pumpkin with a strange top (I couldn't tell you a specific reason I cut it that way, it just seemed like a cool idea. I can confirm, it was quite satisfying to fit the three prongs into place, kind of like a giant key fitting into a lock.) In any case, I think it came out quite well.
Next up, our cats are getting cuddly due to the cold weather. This morning Reiko just wanted to curl up in my lap and periodically look up into my eyes while I pet her, purring like a gentle motor. It's easy practice for loving the God present in another. No words to distract, no emotional baggage, just simple affection.
I like to take these moments to practice gratitude, and think about how the Creator is present in each of his(/her) creations, and to love and cherish and treat them with kindness, is to treat God with kindness. I think when we consciously remember to see the God in others, it uplifts them as well. It's like the Pygmalion effect, which I was introduced to and had illustrated to me in my teaching. If a teacher thinks a student is especially bright, they perform especially well. Same is true, unfortunately, if the teacher thinks they are not bright, or a trouble-maker. We all contain multitudes, and whichever facit we put our attention on, in others, is what we tend to enhance and strengthen, in those others.
And, perhaps an even deeper lesson, is we enhance those qualities we see, in ourselves as well. Thus it behooves us to see the best we can, in all those around us. (while avoiding being pollyanna and gullible, of course.)
And even further, others see us, and if they see us talking and thinking poorly about others, they assume we are doing that about them as well. To criticise is to throw mud on yourself. Or perhaps you could think of it as getting mud on yourself, when you attempt to throw it at someone else.
I could probably say something about this current election (or most elections, really) but I will refrain. My prayer is for peace and understanding among all of us, and a reaching of hands across the alienating and darkness filled divides that separate people from each other. We are all trying to do our best, we all have reasons for our feelings, our choices, and if we could only find each other in a meeting of minds and hearts, our unity could bring about positive change, even if we continued to hold differing views. The division and hatred weakens us, diminishes us, makes us more vulnerable to manipulation by bad actors.
I know it's terribly hard, but the way out is through love, understanding, and peace, while holding to what our conscious tells us is right (not convenient or easy, but right.) And that is different than what hatred or fear tells us we should do. An example of one man doing this sucessfully, here.
In my recent readings, I came across a cool question, for guiding one's actions, it's something like this, "does this diminish or expand me?"
All the best, and I hope you find peace and love and good people to support you in this stressful time.
-Isaac
