Nature Rabbi: A Poem for A New Year

Friday, September 10, 2010

A Poem for A New Year

RENEWAL

We enter a new year, each year
As if we were entering a new home

We pass over a threshold in time,
Through new doors, to a new life

The year that is past casts a shadow,
A shadow of nostalgia and memory

Yet as spirits soar, and optimism
Lights the new rooms of life

The twelve-month house of life
To come seems bright and cheery

We pray for portals of peace,
We ask for windows of serenity

We petition for beams of security
We hope for light and health

May our prayers be answered,
May our New Home, our New Year be
Strong, alive and full of love.

by Rabbi Sylvan D. Kamens

and may we be blessed with clarity, balance, harmony along with our prayers for peace and love, light and laughter. shalom
Reb Ann

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The Garden of Eden Vegan

Follow me in my journey to health and vibrancy. This year I began my journey as a vegan (no animal products) and then subtracted oil, sugar and processed foods, ergo, I have named this my Garden of Eden Vegan lifestyle.

Now I am learning the art of raw food preparation, I know:
take a banana,
remove peel,
eat.

I mean, artistic and creative raw food preparation.

If you have any interest in this type of lifestyle, join me, a former junk food junkie on this journey.

Check in at:

http://gardenofedenvegan.blogspot.com

Changing "I can'ts" to "I bet I can!"

One of my "I can'ts" is that I can't scuba dive. Of course I couldn't -- I was phobic of the water and couldn't swim. But now that I scratched: "I am afraid of water" off my list of self imposed limitations, as well as "I can't swim" -- there was no reason to keep the "I can't scuba dive" on the list. So here I am in Cozumel - awed by the underwater world. Proof of design and a Grand Creator. So what if a fish swam in for a closer look -- probably as shocked as I was; and so what if I was tied to my instructor because I kept floating away - I think we dropped the rope for the Kodak moment.

No need to live life with limitations -- impossible only describes the degree of challenge.

Letting Go of Fear

Sometimes we are the biggest obstacles in our own journeys. I discovered that I was the barrier to living my live fully, vibrantly and joyfully. At age 57, I said "no" too quickly. I decided to recreate my life "as a work of art." (so to speak)
Whenever there was some activity that came my way, instead of saying "no" -- I said, "why not?"

I can tell you that this is making this chapter of my life an incredible experience. One challenge I overcame is my fear of water. I loved being by the water, and have lived by water most of my life. I find its rhythm soothing to my spirit. Yet, I was afraid to venture into the water. One day, with the encouragement of my friend, Jan Small, aquatically known as "Flipper" -- I decided that enough was enough and I would face my fear head on and not only get wet, but learn how to swim. And by golly -- I love it. My aquatic name is "Nemo" -- we are coached by Kim Dinell in a method called Total Immersion. It is an incredible blend of yoga, pilates, and underwater hydrodynamics. As I flow through the water, I feel one with it, in a very fish like way. It is meditative and relaxing. Check out Total Immersion on the internet -- you might find it a peaceful change to the old fashion egg beater type of swimming where one misses the oneness with the water.

Thoughts by Anne Frank on Nature

One of the thoughts we shared at our Nature walk was written by Anne Frank:
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where thy can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be.

Shabbat Services on Saturday Morning - Oscar Scherer Park

The photos do not do the morning justice. As Bruce lead the service, played guitar, and we sang familiar melodies (with percussion of course) -- melodies that were sung by our ancestors on just such mornings -- in similar weather -- gathered in similar fashion. The older and the younger, families, and friends -- under a rising sun, wind through the leaves, the sound of nature all around. L'dor v'dor. From generation to generation. We celebrated the oneness of creation IN creation. We meditated on creation; on God's breath (ruach) as we inhaled, focusing on our interrelationship with the earth, the trees, the sky, the wind. And all was good, as it should be.

Nature Rabbi - Camping Expedition to Myakka Park

Soul-o meditations on a rainy afternoon

This afternoon, I decided to have a Soul-o time in my backyard. The practice of Soul-o meditations is to go outside to a common place -- your porch, your backyard, a place you can go to easily and often. Each day, or time you choose to sit, go to the same place, and watch the minutia of nature. Sit still, quietly, focus first on your breath, closing your eyes at first to still the chatter in your mind. Then, when you feel relaxed, open your eyes to observe the awe and wonder of nature. Watch this small spot of nature -- stir up the dirt and watch the life that thrives, normally unseen by the human eye. Today, the caterpillar photographed below, was my treat -- and then the pups joined me, curious to see what I was doing.

The reason for choosing an ordinary, easily accessible space, is several fold. First -- we can easily find awe, or God-moments, in the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, or at the water's edge. Not so easily in a dirt pile. And second, this should be a space that you can go to when you need a 5 minute nature fix -- just step right out of your door and it awaits you. And as time passes, you will see the transformation of nature in your sacred spot -- on rainy days, in sunshine, by the light of morning, or the glow of a full moon.

Adaptation

Below is a photo of a very special creation -- Helen - a three year old, blind and deaf hound dog. She is remarkable to share space with. I marvel at how adaptable she is. She has no sense of handicap. Within moments of entering a new area, she scouts the perimeter with a brisk and bold romp, and then zig zags around the space, and soon it becomes hers. She can race around, leaping through the air (or if in the house, from sofa to sofa) with the speed and grace of a gazelle.

Sight and sound are such wonderful senses to have -- and yet without them, our other senses become so acute and developed.

In my meditations -- I often choose a sense on which to focus in order to develop it richer.

Helen is an inspirational teacher, each moment she spends with me. She is an Under Dog foster, so she is available for adoption to a loving home.

Nature Rabbi

Friday, September 10, 2010

A Poem for A New Year

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Ann White

The Garden of Eden Vegan

The God Project

Chasing the Naked Chihuahua

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BEWARE OF DOGMA

Rabbi Ann on Canopy walk

Awesome Reads!

Star of David in Nature

Nature Goddess in Training!

A WONDERFUL THOUGHT TO FOCUS UPON EACH MORNING

What a paradise we have around us.

Changing "I can'ts" to "I bet I can!"

Keep on swimmin' Nemo!

And Why Not?

Letting Go of Fear

Letting Go of Fear

In Belize -- just after a 40 foot vertical descent....

Ziplining in the Jungles of Belize

Thoughts by Anne Frank on Nature

Gathering to begin the service.

Havdalah at Service Club Beach

Food for the spirit, followed by food for the body.

Shabbat Services on Saturday Morning - Oscar Scherer Park

Post service......

Nature Shabbat

And of course....food for the soul!

Nature Walk on Erev Tu B'shevat

Blessings

The group gathers....

Barbara Gail from Rhythm Inlet adds the beat for our ceremony

Bruce and Laura with the Havdalah Candle

Nature Rabbi - Camping Expedition to Myakka Park

Reflections on Reflections

Life on a log.

Planning our adventures from the back porch of our cabin.

An interesting chaper in our history..

Breakfast with company

Campers on top of the world...

Nature-mobile

Sharing the earth....

A very adaptable critter...

Let there be fire.........

We weren't really roughin' it.....

Evening at Myakka State Park

Soul-o meditations on a rainy afternoon

A rainy afternoon in my backyard

Some creatures are creatures of comfort.

Adaptation

Adaptation

Rainy day in the backyard...

Turtle Sunning on a Log

Kayaking Backwater - Leona

Meditative Moments - Barry

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