SoulTending.com

I read the following paragraph on a bottle of extra virgin organic olive oil and resonated with it. The interconnectedness of everything that exists, is nicely put into these few words. Each sentence could be deliberated upon for a whole chapter. Yet what it all boils down to is, that we, each of us, do matter. The choices we make on a daily and even hourly basis do create ripple effects. We can either choose to work with nature and the planet or against it. We can choose to create a sustainable future or one of extinction. It’s all up to each one of us and the day-to-day choices we make. Here is what that label said:

“When you buy Organic Foods, you help keep the Earth’s air and water free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers. You help preserve a piece of the Earth’s past for future generations. You help support small entrepreneurial farmers who are committed to building the living soils of their farmland and the living souls of their employees. You help lay the groundwork for agricultural diversity that has always been the backbone of cultural individuality. You help make the commitment to renewal that sustains the Earth’s ability to nurture life. And you help others embrace the gratifying taste that can come not only from eating good foods, but also from doing good things. When you buy Organic Foods, you make a conscious choice to eat well and to treat the Earth well. Thank you for making that choice.”

www.napavalleynaturals.com

“The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. In these traditions the soul is thought to incorporate the inner essence of each living being, and to be the true basis for sentience. In distinction to spirit which may or may not be eternal, souls are usually (but not always as explained below) considered to be immortal and to pre-exist their incarnation in flesh.

The concept of the soul has strong links with notions of an afterlife, but opinions may vary wildly, even within a given religion, as to what may happen to the soul after the death of the body. Many within these religions and philosophies see the soul as immaterial, while others consider it to possibly have a material component, and some have even tried to establish the mass (weight) of the soul.

However, atheism and other non-religious philosophies, do not accept the existence of a soul.”
From the encyclopedia at wikipedia.org

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon,
Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope,
Where there is darkness, light,
Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master, grant that I may
Not so much seek.
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

A New Year has begun. 12 months, 52 weeks and 365 days are ahead of us. They are pristine as a brand new white canvas. The possibilities are vast. What will we choose, what will we fill these days, hours and minutes with?

The choice is ours. We are eternally free to choose the directions of our life every moment anew. How truly liberating this can be, if we only remember our free will.

However, we have become accustomed to the illusion that we are bound by our past. Bound by the deals we entered into written or unwritten, spoken or unspoken, fully aware or unaware.

We willingly become slaves to what society expects of us, what other people think of us, because we want to desperately belong, be part of, be normal, be accepted, loved and included.

We happily sell our souls to be hip, cool, revered, in, admired, acknowledged, famous, rich and beautiful. We fit in, revolt, become intellectual, knowledgeable or play dumb. We dress to stand out or to hide. We meekly accept what happens around us or protest out loud.

We perceive ourselves as bound by the identity of who we are, by the image we so carefully created of ourselves, by the patterns, behaviors that we needed to survive and grow up, by the expectations we have of ourselves and that others have of us.

All these creations are but a fleeting moment in the eternity of a soul’s point of view. The beauty of waking up and becoming aware of our souls is that we are no longer exclusively identified with the material world and our short lifetime here on this planet.

Once we have embraced that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, a whole new way of perception takes place. We are no longer able to ignore our part in the divine comedy of life. And if we chose to, we can step out of any given situation by bringing this awareness and presence into it. By calling the enmeshment by what it is, by declaring that we are no longer willing to pretend that we are bound and by choosing a whole new way of relating and being.

In this way we shall begin this New Year of 2007. Aware of our fleeting existence here on earth. Aware of the infinite possibilities that each day holds. Aware that we can change the outcome of any situation in a single moment. Aware of how magnificent we really are. Aware of the responsibilities we hold towards this planet and our fellow humans. Aware that our presence, love, patience and understanding can shift an ordinary moment into a magical one.

May 2007  be filled with many happy new choices that liberate you and the people you touch. May you bring peace, love and light into all your actions and thoughts. May 2007 be a magnificent, magical year for all of us.

The New Year promises new beginnings. It promises an opportunity to start afresh. But is this really so? Our western way of organizing the days into weeks, months and years is man made. Let’s also look at the fact that, with every year on this planet, we as humans tend to get even more set into our ways. It seems like the older we get the harder it is to change.

Yet this is the time of year to do just that. It is a perfect time to confront ourself with the old habits and patterns from which we get our sense of identity. It is the time to not only come up with New Year’s resolutions, that are well intended, but also get to the core of our being. The real questions that this annual ritual of resolution setting holds, are more as follows:

• - What does my heart, my body, my soul yearn for?
• - What baby steps can I take to move into the direction of my yearnings?
• - What new habits and routines did I create in 2006 that I like to keep in the new year because they are in sync with the bigger picture?
• - What is my bigger picture?
• - What projected future puts a smile on my face?
• - What gets me excited?
• - Have I included my passions in life into my daily routines?
• - What am I passionate about?
• - What skills have I always wanted to develop and haven’t prioritized yet?

Out of these questions a whole new list of resolutions arises. One that is focused on the life we would like to live. It focuses on the positive, that what makes us get up in the mornings and puts a hop into our steps, to go beyond our set ways to reach for that, which might just be possible.

Create a life beyond your wildest dreams. Take some time to reflect on your life so far. Give yourself a big pat on the shoulder for what you have overcome. Write down your responses to these questions. Explore, fantasize, project. So much is possible if you just dare to dream. May 2007 be the most soulful year yet for you and yours.

Tending our souls, tending the soul of this planet is, what is desperately needed, if we want to ensure that future generations will not only survive, but also have a beautiful planet to live on. Many of us have recognized that consumerism cannot fill the void inside. There are so many alarming statistics about child suicide, diseases and violence. It is time to wake up, free our heads from drugs, workaholism or whatever else our dulling agent of choice is and start speaking up and more importantly become present for what is going on inside of us. We cannot change the planet into any positive direction as long as we keep abandoning our selves, our needs and our dreams.

That is, where soul tending comes in. I think, that as a whole, in the so-called developed countries, we have lost our innocence. Technology, Industry and the mighty green God “Money” have become this big machinery, which is threatening our very existence as a human species. I am aware that I am using the same technology, industry and money to write this sentence. And this is what this website is all about. How can we use what we got, see the mess we are in, take responsibility and not only make the best of it, but excel?

I believe it comes down to stopping the sensory overload that we are getting bombarded with and consciously creating space to rest, assimilate, breathe and connect with our body, mind and emotions. It is time to dream, visualize, meditate. “What you can conceive and believe you can achieve”. Yet we choose to get so busy to keep up with the “Jones’s” that we are not tending to our quiet time any more. Rest, relax, let go and dare to dream again.

One of my teachers, Anna Halprin, used to say: “Your business is it to take care of your body, your mind and your emotions. The rest will take care of itself.” In other words: “Tend to your body, thoughts and feelings and the soul will be in harmony as well.” Therefore, you will find tips, guidelines and inspirations under the headings of Body, Mind and Emotions.

In addition, I have found in my own life, that it is very helpful to have some kind of image of what a soul is. Settling your body, mind and emotions enables you to listen to the soul. Connecting to your soul can give you a bird’s eye view of your life, a place to rest and to recuperate. Most of all it gives you perspective, shows you what’s really important in life and how to redirect your life in case it’s off course.

I grew up in a European village with strong influence by the Roman Catholic church and therefore have strong rooted traditions engrained in my soul. There are several things that I miss here in America when it comes to Christmas. They have to do with the time before and after December 24th and 25th. This is what is most meaningful to me:

• Advent and the 24 days in December before Christmas
• Advent and the four Sundays before Christmas
• Santa Claus day on December 6th
• Solstice on December 21st
• Christmas Night on December 24th
• Christmas Day on December 25th
• The time between Christmas and New Year
• The last day of the year, a time to look back and reflect
• New Year, resolutions and the promise inherent
• The arrival of the Three Kings on January 6th.
• Tend the soul according to the season
• The longest night and what this means for the soul

Writing and now reading this list makes me realize what a big task it is to share all the details of this important time of year. Since I am committed to have this year’s advent be the most relaxing possible, I might not be able to conquer the writing and deliver it in time. However, blogging is a work in progress by definition. It consists of different entries and there is no boss breathing down my neck. So, I will simply tackle this list in my own rhythm, knowing that I can always add. Meanwhile, I wish you all many breaks, cozy moments and lots of warmth.

“The journey of the soul is a continual cycle, somewhat like the seasons. In spring, things open. In summer, they come to great fruition. In fall, things go out in a blaze of glory. In winter, the seed is in the dark ground and can’t be seen.

At different points of our journey, throughout our whole life, we are in one of these cycles. Winter is often experienced as a period of despair. At the same time, it is a period of creative hybernation and development. When we get sunk down in the dark night of the soul, it helps to remember this is just one phase that will change into something else. We will come out of the darkness with something that will help us and help other people. It is actually a kind of purification phase.” By Linda Leonard, Ph.D.

So instead of running around in the pre-Christmas hectic, take some time to hybernate. Say: “No”, stay home instead, cuddle on the couch, have some hot cacoa and simply be with whatever comes into your mind and touches your emotions. There is nothing to do. Simply watch, become a spectator of your inner reality. It’s like lying on the grass and watching the clouds go by.

Cozy up, give yourself at least an hour. Don’t do a thing. Just watch your thoughts, your impulses to maybe get up and get busy again. Let your emotions run through without holding on to anything. Just be, relax and connect with yourself.

This is winter time. Allow yourself to hybernate. Give yourself the gift of being present with what is. If you can’t stand it, you can always just get up and get back into the X-mas hustle. However, give hybernation another shot. It is a skill that will always enhance your communication with your soul and with God. Try it out several times. Let’s see what happens. If you want, come back and share your experience. Happy hybernation everyone.

Today is Santa Claus day. It is a very, very special day. It’s a day that European children await with both excitement and apprehension. It’s the day when Santa Claus knocks on your door to pay you a visit. It’s the day when you want to hide behind your Mom, yet she is the one to open the door and let Santa and his black fellow in.

The whole family awaits the presence of Santa Claus. The living room is tidy and neat. There is a fire burning in the stove. Hot cider sweetens the air. Candles are lit and the kids are on their best behavior. Because Santa is here for a reason.

He has come a long way through snow and the dark forests where he lives. He brought his big, heavy book with him, where all your misdeeds and hopefully some of your good deeds got recorded. Santa’s black fellow is a spindly guy, with dirty hands and face and a big burlap sack.

You are hiding behind mom’s skirt and peeking out once in a while. Santa opens his big, heavy book, puts on his glasses and starts to read out your name:”Who in this room is ….(fill in your name)?” Your dad nudges you forward. Barely audible you say:”That’s me.”

Santa Claus says: “Come forward child, so I can have a good look at you. - My, my, you have grown since last year. I surely could use a healthy, strong child like you to help me in the forest for a year. Let’s see how many misdeeds you have done. Maybe your parents would be happy to have you live with me in the coming year.” Santa proceeds to share with everybody in the room what you have done, good or bad.

At the end you have a chance to appease him, by sharing a special song or poem you have learned. Santa then says:”My black fellow here has brought his burlap sack to scoop you up and carry you with us into the forests. It looks like you have been doing good this year so you will be spared for now. Take these treats of peanuts, mandarin oranges and a few small chocolate pieces and share them with everybody. Let’s go black fellow and see if we have better luck in the next house.”

There is an ad in front of me that says: “The Gift They’ll Treasure This Holiday.” It has an image of the DVD Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest. Underneath it says:”Grab it on DVD December 5″.

So today is the day. Run out there fellow bloggers and get that DVD.

Or maybe not so fast…Let’s see here, I am a big fan of Johnny Depp. I was absolutely enthralled by his master work performance, where he brought the amazing character of Captain Jack Sparrow to life. The first time I sat in the Theater and saw Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl, I amazed myself, because I had to laugh so many times. I was totally mesmerized whenever Captain Jack Sparrow showed up. He did touch something in my soul and yes I went back to the Theaters for more viewings of The Curse of the Black Pearl.

However, I would not do that for the sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest. Naturally, I could not wait to see more of the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow. Patiently I waited to see him on the big screen again. Johnny Depp as Semi-God for some indigenous people? Well, that certainly works for me. I would say I enjoyed the first quarter of the movie. The rest of it I spent between: “Okay I’ve seen enough. I want to leave now.” and the hope that it will get better and I can be brought to laughter by Johnny Depp’s character again. It did not happen, which wasn’t Johnny’s fault.

The movie makers played a little bit too much in the special effects department for my taste. I believe the huge success of Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl has first and foremost to do with the spirited character of Captain Jack Sparrow and the addition of a romantic love story, beautifully embodied by Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom. This first movie had soul. Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man’s Chest by comparison was disappointing and full of gore. My soul did not appreciate the time I spent sitting through the second Pirates of the Caribbean.

So there you have it. If you want to run out and buy me a gift, make it Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Or better yet, dress up as Captain Black Sparrow or any other pirate of your own making, make a video and send it to me. I would certainly enjoy that and who knows it might even make me laugh. Play and have fun, let your imagination soar.