Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Contribution

Shape up the life you already have, 
and by doing so, your unique contribution 
will usually reveal itself.  
 - Cheryl Richardson
 

Monday, 28 April 2014

Together

The very responsibility of having to hold it 

all together is itself a form of suffering. 

You notice this most when 

things start to fall apart outside….

you have to struggle to hold 

your inner world together. 

But what exactly are you trying to hold onto? 

The only things in there are your thoughts,

 emotions, and movements of energy, 

none of which are solid. 

– Michael Singer

Friday, 25 April 2014

Done

One never notices what has been done; 

one can only see what remains to be done.
 - Marie Curie

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Exercise

I like to exercise, 

but it's not always possible 

with my hectic sleep schedule.
 - unknown

Monday, 21 April 2014

Walk

Walk like an elephant…move at a comfortable pace. 
No rushing toward a goal. 
No push to make it all meaningful.
 – Thomas Moore

Friday, 18 April 2014

April 18, 2014 Chautauqua



From The Editor's Computer
   “Do not grieve over the inevitable.” - Author Unknown

   What is the most inevitable thing in our world?

   Death. 

   Grief is a part of all endings, even good ones, however society seems to have gone to the extreme by making death something unwanted or unusual, instead of the completely natural transition that it is.

   There is no rhyme or reason, in human terms, when or why or how anyone dies.  I can say this with certainty though, when it is your time to leave your body…it is your time and nothing will stop or prevent that transition from happening.

   An oft repeated phrase is that it isn’t fair the person died.  Really?
   Death is the only truly fair thing in this entire world.  It doesn’t matter who you are, what you own, what you do, or even what you believe, death happens to everyone.

   By saying, and acting, like death shouldn’t happen, society has actually devalued life.  Just as a frame gives value to a painting by defining its borders, birth and death define the borders of our lives.

   Life is a journey, and like any journey we undertake, we get into a vehicle at Point A (birth) and then travel (life) to Point B (death) where we get out of the vehicle.  Some journeys are quick treks around the block, while others are long, epic ones.  Some start out with the idea it will be a long journey but the unexpected occurs cutting it short.  Others seem as if they will barely start and end up lasting a long time. 

   By focussing so intently on a person’s death (especially if it has been considered a traumatic one), we also devalue the individual who died and their impact on the world and people around them.

   So, I personally refuse to attend funerals, memorials, or even “celebration of life” gatherings.  Instead, in my own private and personal way, I thank the person for what they brought to my life and wish them all the best as their soul transitions to the next stage. 

   While they no longer have skin on, they are still as close as our hearts and our dreams, and those memories never die.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EN2KMyHCFBVAmwogsC3eUKDKlXOEgJaE/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Good

Do your little bit of good where you are; 
it’s those little bits of good put together 
that overwhelm the world. 
– Desmond Tutu

Monday, 14 April 2014

Change

In spite of conflict, confrontation and crisis, 
people often don’t, can’t or won’t change.   
– Diane Lefer

Friday, 11 April 2014

Simple

[S]chools reward difficult complex behaviour 
more than simple behaviour, 
but simple behaviour is more effective.  
 – Warren Buffett

Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Life

Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips 
is a sign that the person down deep
 has a pretty good grasp of life.  
 – Hugh Sidey

Monday, 7 April 2014

Contradicted

Let me never fall in to the vulgar mistake 
of dreaming that I am persecuted 
whenever I am contradicted. 
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday, 4 April 2014

April 4, 2014 Chautauqua


From the Editor's Computer


   Spring, a very tempestuous time of year as the seasons change, and   traditionally a time of cleaning and sorting - getting rid of the old and stale to make room for the new and fresh.

   To accomplish this, many people create a to-do list, or at the very least, add their spring cleaning items to their ongoing to-do list.

   I’ve mentioned before how I personally have difficulty with to-dos lists.  Not because I have nothing to do, but because the process of listing the items just doesn’t work for me.

   The other day, I read of a slightly different approach to the whole concept of the to-do list.

   Instead of listing the items, colour-coding them, prioritizing them, crossing off what is done before transferring the unfinished items to a new list, or whatever your preferred process is, you schedule the items into your calendar (paper or electronic) in 15 or 30 minute chunks of time - even if the scheduled date is six months or up to a year away.

   The theory is that if you aren’t willing to set aside a dedicated block of time to do or start, the task, then there is no point it being on your list of things to do.  Schedule it and do it, or delegate it or dump it.

   I know in the past when I’ve discussed with different people about to-dos and unfinished tasks a frequent comment I’ve heard is that the items have to be on the list because they have to be completed.

   Really???  How long have some of those items been on your list?  I bet it is more than a handful of days and weeks.

   If an item or task has to be done, guess what, it will get done whether it is on a list or not.

   Truthfully, how long have you really been putting off those tasks that you just transfer from one to-do list to another to another to another...? 

   This spring, why not clean out your to-do list by dumping those tasks that you know will never get done because you really don’t want to do them - otherwise you’d have done them already.

   This will lighten your life, and ultimately your overall schedule, as it lightens your mind, body and spirit and gives you more energy.

Beth   

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FwLvSwzET7t3u4PPAZcmaNagHQIBIT7C/view?usp=sharing

To contact The Chautauqua, email: thechautauqua@gmail.com.

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Change

We don’t change.   
We simply accept our talents 
and refocus our lives around them.   
– Marcus Buckingham

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