March 1, Looking out the window at what is still an abundance of  snow on the ground, Garden Buddha buried in the drifts, I can remember when my heart would sing at that snow, excited to strap on my skis and  glide through the local woods beneath snowy branches. When did I lose that joy? Now it just feels cold. I do truly love to look out at it but also, something in me just now is saying “eternal winter, eternal winter.” Arthritis is more painful, joints stiff. I’m often cold even, sitting by the fire. The world seems to reflect back to me a winter of hate, cruelty, killing, and separation.

 

But spring is something internal to us, so I sit here this March 1 morning, reflecting on summer sun’s warmth, (and remembering there’s also “too hot”), on flowers, on kindness, on world peace! If I can think it, it is already here, just waiting to express. I just have to more fully invite the manifestation. What would it feel like to live in a world of spring,  life bursting forth free of division, of cruelty and hatred, of fear?

The Buddha’s words in Dhammapada come to me:

“We are what we think. All that we are,  arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world” (1:1) (one of many translations. But this is the translation I first met, over 40 years ago)

After 40 years of immersion in and sharing the dharma, I could write 100 pages about these  lines. But what is the essence? It reminds me that if I’m caught in negativity, contracted in body and mind, then my outflow in thoughts, action, and speech will follow that negativity. If I choose light and warmth, I need to bring the negativity to full awareness and consciously cease to invest myself in it. Is it weariness, just habit? Where are the flowers? The love? I pulled up this photo, April 17,2025, just 6 weeks beyond March 1!  Buddha now free of snow! The flowers are coming! The seeds are in our hearts. The pond is thawed and the waterfall flows!

 

How do we co-create that world of compassion and kindness? This morning, I meditated for a while, after looking at this photo and the one below. I’m reminded of the principles of co-creation we’ve been exploring in the workshop series…not starting with getting rid of anything as fear and anger have no ultimate reality,  but instead  “to imagine, to invite, to intend” with our magnificent open hearts.

After an hour of sitting, I ended up singing this beautiful chant for a long time:

All I ask of you, is forever to remember me as loving you.
All I ask of you, is forever to remember me as loving you
Isk Allah, ma bood leh la.  Isk Allah, ma bood leh la
Isk Allah, ma bood leh la.  Isk Allah, ma bood leh la
Meaning: God is love, the lover and the beloved.

Together we can do it!

 

If you have interest, there is still space in the March 7, half- day workshop.
Click here for information and registration.

Co-Creation – The Next Step: Moving Beyond Limitations

In this series of workshops, we have been learning about the co-creative process of moving through Intention, Imagination, Invitation and Emotions, Embodiment and Energy. One of the challenges is transcending conditioned beliefs that can interfere with this co-creative process.

We cannot co-create if at one level we do not really believe it is possible. Limiting beliefs hold us back from moving into the wonder, spaciousness and freedom of the co-creative process.

We invite you to join us in this conversation with both human and Spirit Friends in learning to release and transcend conditioned limitations and envision and co-create a new world of love, peace and abundance, expressing out of our evolving levels of consciousness.