Max Slevogt – ‘Portrait of the dancer Marietta di Rigardo’ 1903 {{PD}}

Here’s to hoping we’re all being scrupulously honest with ourselves, because those who aren’t will find their own actions, relationships, what they value, blowing up in their faces, and real changes will come to their place in the power structure–read that as, ‘power will be yanked away from them’–but that’s not you, is it, kind reader? We do have quick and original thinking at our disposal; mental inventiveness peaks, but it’s also imperative that we don’t promise more than we can deliver. The silver lining in all this is that what occurs can foster significant healing, most especially between the individual and the Truth, but only if there is willingness to see and accept reality for what it is, and to see ourselves in that same, clear light.

Today’s word image is a Boston terrier that sits for hours at a time, observing himself in a mirror. This is one of those times when the interconnectedness of events should be more obvious to us than ever, and this applies particularly to issues of forgiveness and judgment. Inspect those areas of life that are being held up to you as a reflection, especially in terms of showing you the attitude to take, or how to proceed, in an unrelated area.

Have a great week! Donate at right, read through this link, and breathe deeply, taking in New Moon energy as it builds toward that first August eclipse.

By Eilif Peterssen – nwEXZQtnF4q9xw at Google Cultural Institute, zoom level maximum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29841562

What’s smart is empowering (that’s no surprise), but we seem determined to rebel or shock, to go into the future blindly, to mess with the power balance in relationships and/ or finances, and all of it, yes all of it, springs from misguided beliefs, misunderstandings, and a general spiritual malaise that makes it hard to focus on the good stuff. We find the flaws in our ideals, and then are angry, not realizing that ideals are essentially static, dimensionless ideas of perfection that don’t take into account the messiness of human life and the riotous inclinations of Nature. Forgive everyone and everything, but especially yourself, for not being Perfect–and if possible, try to appreciate the beauty and energy to be found in the mess.

Today’s word image is two children, playing at being monsters, who are sitting down to afternoon tea wearing fancy hats; they are talking in ‘monster’ voices while passing invisible sandwiches and asking, ‘One lump or two?’ This image suggests the normalization of something abnormal–or is it the incursion of one thing into another, that simply doesn’t belong? Once you identify this, you have to ask yourself, does it need to change?

By Jean-Léon Gérôme 1868 {{PD}}

What’s beautiful is also wise, or is the practical choice–how’s that for a guideline?–and we (in some cases literally) see and must deal with in concrete terms what we think, say, and communicate. That last may seem like something of a riddle, until we consider how many possible forms it can have; the one thing about it we can pin down is that our idea of our own empowerment (both reach and options) will be challenged (and so need to be modified) in the process.

By Labs1950 at English Wikipedia -[[PD}}, Photo of the work of José Bernal by his daughter Lucrecia Bernal Schneider, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5908735

Jean-François Millet 1868 {{PD}}

All we have to do is adjust our actions and choices to accommodate our ideals and our creative urge, to recognize any tendency toward destructive or power-gathering impulses (the latter isn’t necessarily bad, though we must be aware of it to make it play positively), to utilize our unique skills and instincts, and to grasp and make the most of some very fortunate circumstances, social situations, relationships, or financial opportunities that come to us. There, that’s not hard at all, is it? Are you still reading, or have you thrown up your hands and walked away in disgust at this seemingly impossible laundry list I’ve presented? There are two saving graces, so to speak, that if followed can bring the rest of the needed behaviors into line, with little effort, in a kind of cascade effect: one, use those instincts–trust yourself; and two, a kind and loving outlook will make the opportunities and ways to benefit obvious, whereas they will be difficult to discern through a clouded, more negative lens. You can get more of what you love; just be careful how you go about it.

Today’s word image is an evocative passage from an 1896 work by Josiah Kelley Alwood, telling of what inspired his musical composition, the gospel song ‘Uncloudy Day’, with its sense of hope and trust in the Universe: “It was a balmy night in August 1879, when returning from a debate in Spring Hill, Ohio, to my home in Morenci, Michigan, about 1:00 a.m. I saw a beautiful rainbow north by northwest against a dense black nimbus cloud. The sky was all perfectly clear except this dark cloud which covered about forty degrees of the horizon and extended about halfway to the zenith. The phenomenon was entirely new to me and my nerves refreshed by the balmy air and the lovely sight. Old Morpheus was playing his sweetest lullaby. Another mile of travel, a few moments of time, a fellow of my size was ensconced in sweet home and wrapped in sweet sleep. A first class know-nothing till rosy-sweet morning was wide over the fields.”

Have a wonderful day!

Quiver Tree Forest near Keetmanshoop, Namibia, in the evening, By Hans Stieglitz – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23314631

Why does exercising our values bring hurt, discomfort, or cultivate the erratic, surprising, or unreliable? You’d think the Universe would reward us for our efforts–and it does. We see after the fact how fortuitously things have evolved, and we come to see how the unexpected was really a gift, broadening our thinking (sometimes by making the facts incontrovertible), and shaking up our usual ways of seeing and doing. The best thing is how this disruption brings us closer to awareness of our instincts and instinctual responses; from there we can access what we know-but-don’t-know, and gain a tremendous amount of insight related to our circumstances.

Today’s word image is a globe so small you can hold it in the palm of your hand. It’s a literal ‘small world’. In what way have you noticed the world is a small place? Handle it with care in this area, and be as aware as possible of the repercussions of your choices–we’re all in this together, after all.

NASA {{PD}}

Louis Léopold Boilly – ‘Conversation Dans un Parc’ 1812 {{PD}}

At least, that should and probably will be our aim, but clear communication won’t be easy; we suffer from our own delusions and fantasies and assumptions, as well as illusions and deceptions perpetrated by others. It may all feel very hurtful and dishonest–but the attention should really be on what things we have ignored or denied, or what matters of temper suppressed, that are now pushing up into the light and driving us to see betrayal or deceit when we would be better served by admitting our own deficits. Condemning ourselves serves no purpose, here, either–rather, being honest about our own feelings and reactions shows us how much of a part we’ve played in creating present circumstances, and emphasizes the cooperative nature of our reality. Be ready to see your part in things, and thereby begin the healing.

Today’s word image is something red, as a prompt for attention to synchronicities, moments of clarity, and reminders to be ‘in the moment.’

‘Red Swan Two’ Photo of a Rainer Lagemann statue taken by Rainer Lagemann RainerLagemann.com Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication