METTA CENTER

This afternoon, as I was about to start on my next task on my to-do list, I felt a nudge, an invitation to play, from Spirit. I went outside to my garden and took a deep breath, feeling the cool wintry air on my face. I turned westward and saw the tree tops drenched orange in the late afternoon sun, and my heart skipped a beat. The scene was so glorious! So magnificent! In that split second, I felt so deeply nourished. My soul was fed! And, interestingly, I felt so rich, like I owned the world. 'Tis a wonderful feeling! Yes, life is full of riches for us to enjoy, even if they come in small slices of time and in unexpected packages. I invite you to allow yourself to take a moment out of your life and witness moments of life's magic. It is worth your while! You are worth your while!

the sun, gentle and warm on my skin the soft wind that dances with the leaves and caresses my hair the brilliant, sparkling colors I see the blue skies of the morning, the white clouds, the turquoise sky with pink clouds at sunsets, the red trees and orange vines the vibrant green grass in November, glistening under the sun the beautiful and gentle woods with smells so sweet the songs of birds reminding me to celebrate life a life so filled with wonders and amazing gifts... Thank You.

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself" ~ Zen Proverb "Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke As I started my day this morning, I was spell-bound by the brilliant display of flowers all around my home. In the Bay Area, spring has definitely sprung! Everywhere I looked, blossoms have burst in a profusion of colors: white, magenta, blue, purple, yellow, orange, red, and pink. Young grasses of verdant green dance in the soft breeze. Delicate new leaves are poking out of bare branches where they have slept through winter. I am witnessing life in its full splendor and spring regalia. So glorious, indeed! I invite you to allow yourself to get away from your desk, from the unfinished busy-ness in your day, and go out and greet spingtime with open arms and delighted eyes. Abandon your worries and obligations, and replace them with a sense of joy and ease, even for just a short...

(This article was first published in April 2007 Metta Center email Newsletter.) Yesterday, I walked past sunlit blades of grass. They smelled so fresh and wholesome as my legs brushed against their blades. I watched the wind run on top of the grass, swaying the tips so gently. The verdant green blades touched me deeply, awakening a sense of wonder and awe. It felt like I was drinking from a fountain of light. I felt filled and full. I felt connected. It felt wonderful. How amazing it is to be in Spirit. In his book "Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling," Dr. Wayne Dyer said, "Think of the word inspiration as meaning 'being in-Spirit.' When we're in-Spirit, we're inspired and when we're inspired, it's because we're back in-Spirit, fully awake to Spirit within us. Being inspired is an experience of joy: we feel completely connected to our Source and totally on purpose; our creative juices flow, and we bring exceptionally high energy to our d...

(This article was first published in March 2007 Metta Center email newsletter.) Nature has always inspired the feelings of peace and joy in me. However, I haven't always understood the value of spending time in it and accessing the magic it offers. There were times where beautiful days, rain or shine, were presented to me and I didn't even notice because my focus was elsewhere (to past, present and future problems). That was my old habit. One day, it dawned on me that I have this programming to fix all of my problems before I allow myself to be at peace. I realized that this programming had been in place because it was useful at some level. It had kept me from being too lackadaisical and complacent, and from running away from my issues and not dealing with them. So, it served me a great and holy purpose. Since this programming no longer served me, I decided to clear it by first thanking it for its loyal service and send it to the Light for release. Next, I claim my new pro...

What a beautiful day it is today! The sky is blue, the blades of grass dancing in the gentle wind, the sun light bouncing off the leaves creating such an ethereal scene in front of me. The birds are singing happily. The rain had nourished the Earth with its liquid joy and blessings of growth. I think flowers are Heaven's messengers on earth reminding us of the delights in life. Just looking at them, I feel all tickled inside, happy and light. Spring is so filled with life renewed and remembered. It is a celebration of Life itself. Ah, life is so beautifully, intensely, gloriously, and magnificently alive! What a delicious feeling that is! Wishing you blessed and light-filled days in your world!

May you easily find yourself surrounded by and recall the feeling of fresh beginnings, a sense of new and wonderful possibilities coming your way, the spirit of joy, and the expectations of hopes fulfilled all year round! A dear friend has forwarded this beautiful music to me as a New Year's gift. Listening to Eric Whitacre's angelic Virtual Choir, "Lux Arumque," transported me to a heavenly realm. May this beautiful and magnificent expression of the spirit of humanity be a gift to you as well. To find out more about this amazing story of how people from all over the world has come together and made this sublime choir: http://ericwhitacre.com/the-virtual-choir . With love and blessings now and throughout the year, Christine

I was walking in the meadow up the hills from my house, communing with Nature, when I found myself singing a ditty I made up at the spot. "It's getting greener every day," was what I sang to the grass. Then, as I was basking in the feeling of pure joy, celebrating the grass, the song morphed into, "There is more love every day..." When I first noticed that the words had changed by themselves, I stopped singing. But, in the next breath, I found myself smiling even bigger and so I decided to sing it all the way home, "There is more love every day..." It was so much fun! I felt brilliantly alive and grand like a majestic oak tree. I was deliriously happy! I don't think it's because the song I was singing was going to be a hit song by any means. Interestingly, later on the same day, I read Tapas Fleming's wise words in her newsletter: "When we're actually luxuriating in who we really are, we're not having problems and there a...

You suppose you are the trouble But you are the cure You suppose that you are the lock on the door But you are the key that opens it It's too bad that you want to be someone else You don't see your own face, your own beauty Yet, no face is more beautiful than yours. - Rumi Here's to your blossoming and growing in bliss, peace, joy, abundance and light! Namaste, Christine

I feel so very blessed indeed. Today, I saw the harvest moon rise over the hills on my right side as the sun set over the San Francisco Bay on my left side! I was witnessing a perfectly balanced moment in life. Later, my husband told me that on his flight out to Denver early this morning, he saw the moon set and the sun rose. What an amazing synchronicity! He, too, witnessed a perfectly balanced cosmos in motion. Wow. Yin and Yang, the sun and the moon, night and day, dancing in perfect harmony. I sighed in great awe and love for this great gift of an amazingly balanced universe. My heart is still singing with pure gladness! It feels so brilliant and expansive with joy! I simply LOVE this feeling!

Nature is very healing. I have found that observing the wonders of nature can bring us into contact with our own spiritual qualities of love, peace, joy, creativity, abundance, wisdom and beauty. Wherever you go in nature, be mindful and acknowledge the spirits of the land. Sit or walk quietly and tune into the quality of the place. Breathe deeply, be fully present and notice the colors, smells, shapes, sounds, air temperature, wind directions, and sun warmth or lack of it. Allow yourself to become one with the land, the sky, the grass, the trees, the birds. Communicate gently, reverently, appreciatively and joyously with nature. Notice and feel your Spirit stir as it recognizes its own beauty and wonder. Allow yourself to feel the warmth of gentle love and the true joy of appreciation in your heart. You will feel renewed and replenished. Before you leave, take some time to express your gratitude. Bless nature with your joy and love. "I frequently tramped eight or ten miles throug...