Practices for Sustaining Lives of Meaning, Joy, and Beauty
Practices for sustaining lives of Meaning, Joy, and Beauty
Dear Friends,
This month, we dive deep into how to bring True Wealth in our lives. Curl up with a favorite beverage and an open mind while you ponder what thoughts the mind is attached to and how that is helping or hindering your happiness.
Thank you for reading and sharing this essay. I welcome your comments below. You may also write me using my Contact page.
Dear Friends,
This month we look deeply at the nature of Spiritual Partnership, its qualities, benefits and challenges. I see Spiritual Partnership as a subset of Friendship which was the topic of my February essay. https://www.martibeddoe.com/blog/2018/2/15/friendship
While writing you, I was reminded of how the thoughts I think and who I associate with have such a powerful influence on my happiness and success as a human being. Consequently, every essay is meant to honor my many Teachers and to pay forward the blessings of their wisdom and lovingkindness.
I hope each of my readers finds my reflections and practices to be useful and meaningful in your daily life. When you share this essay with your friends, please ask them to subscribe here. Thank you for joining the conversation by adding your comments below.
Dear Friends,
This month’s Designs for Peace essay looks deeply at the nature of Service. What does it mean to serve or help or give in a healthy balanced manner? What is Servant Leadership? Who are the servants in our lives and how do we regard them? I hope you find my stories and suggested practices meaningful and useful in your daily life.
Dear Friends,
When I hear someone deny they are creative, I can relate to the sadness they’re expressing. And I cringe at how inaccurate this statement is! Artistic and Creative are terms often confused. They do not mean the same thing! I know without a doubt that each one of us is Creative. Observe any toddler for an hour and you will realize that to be human is to be creative. Being creative does not depend on whether you have an atom of artistic ability. Conversely, observe any artist and you will realize they have mastered the creative process.
Each one of us is capable of being the creator of our own life. Creating is simply an orientation. It takes practice like anything else. No artistic skill needed!
“There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” Dorothy Gale, Wizard of Oz, 1939 movie Dear Friends, This month’s topic is one very Continue Reading →
Dear Friends, This month we’ll reflect on acting as Wise Elders for the Seventh Generation to come. The philosophy of the Iroquois Seventh Generation Principle stated that decisions made in the present must create a sustainable future for seven generations to come (175 years). Implicit in this principle is the UNITY of ALL OF LIFE…
Dear Friends,
Happy month of May, when Mother’s Day is celebrated in America. This post is meant to recognize, include and honor all the elders of any gender who have made it possible for us to be here in this moment.
Here I am defining “Elder” as a senior figure, guide or leader in a tribe or group. I think of our Elders as a kind of Human Google App, full of stories most of us can no longer access except through these living History Lessons. An Elder is one who has lived longer than I have; one who has strived to grow wiser as they mature. They rejoice in their own unique life story and voice. Often Elders have taken many divergent paths, and are able to offer insights on the vast range of experiences they’ve had.
Dear Friends,
Last month’s blog post, Contemplating the Beauty of Truthfulness, celebrated those who are capable of discerning their truth and then standing up for it despite the disapproval of cherished others, peer pressure and cultural norms, and/or opposition by formidable authority figures, a.k.a., the Powers That Be.
This month I would like to share some useful practices I’ve learned that reveal HOW best to wisely express and act upon my truth.
Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy? Why? What are the costs and benefits revealed by your answer? What are the values revealed by your answer?
Do you remember the first time you knew in your deepest soul that something the authority figures in your life were saying was ringing false? What did it feel like? When did you know you had to stand for something, even if these valued “powers that be” would worry about you or strongly disapprove of you, or worse, punish you painfully?
Dear Friends,
The invitation of these blog posts from Designs for Peace is to join me in reflecting on various aspects of Beauty. I believe there is great healing available, personally and communally, in contemplating Beauty. Today, more than ever, it feels important not to add my energy or attention to the many conversations that promote anger, despair and hopelessness.
Instead, these blog posts are meant to offer you (and me!) an alternative focus–empowering thoughts and practices that will sustain more joy, meaning and hope for the future. Please share your thoughts and these posts with your friends!
Since February is traditionally the month of Love, I invite you to celebrate the aspect of Beauty that is Friendship. Further down, you will find a special gift I created for you to share with your friends. So go ahead and love on your friends! Delight in sharing your friendship stories together! When did you first meet? What have been some good times? Hard times? What do you value most in your friendship? What do you bring each other? How has your life been enriched because of your friendship?
You could say that I have made a lifelong study of friendship.