As the longest day of the year comes to an end, an opportunity for a new way of being begins . . .

This is a crossroad moment for us, should we choose to take it this way.  The Summer Solstice graces us by providing a portal of opportunity through which we can walk with unusual grace and ease, moving with the flow of Nature’s own rhythm.  No wonder it has been celebrated for countless centuries.

The key to opening wide this portal of potential– this Portal of Possibility–is a deep feeling of gratitude for all the bounty in our life.  (not a bad idea any day!)  This feeling is nothing short of a communion.  It is a quantum communication with the Infinite Universal Field which seems only too willing to provide our heart’s desires when beckoned forth through this medium.  This is my experience, anyway.

Watching the sun setting on this day, I cannot help but be filled with awe at the natural beauty that surrounds me here on this beautiful Island of Maui.    As I photograph, an owl glides silently by.  She is a symbol to me of death and rebirth—another portal, underlining the importance to consider what might be hampering me and needs to be let go of right now, in order to have more space to enjoy what comes next.

To my visitors and companions moving through this passageway, I bid you a very good journey.

One whole interconnected community of wo/man

Miracles and Grace  reveals–through story–the abundance of ordinary/everyday miracles presenting themselves to our consciousness every single day.

Raising  consciousness expands the mind to perceive more of a truth  that we are not an insignificant dot on the globe, but  are constantly reflecting and affecting each other.

Long before modern physics came up with the hologram as an essential model of the Universe, an ancient Indian teaching story, the Avatamsaka sutra, spoke to the unity, interconnectedness and interdependence of all creation.

“Indra’s Net” ~ In the heavenly realm, the god Indra cast a net that extends infinitely throughout space. A multifaceted crystal is attached at each of its nodes. Every single crystal reflects, and is being reflected in, all of the other crystals, endlessly. The slightest change in one crystal is reflected as change in each of the others.

This alignment of modern science with ancient philosophy allows us to imagine each of ourselves as a single crystal on that net, affected by and affecting each other in infinite ways. Simply considering the impact our every thought, feeling, word, or deed has on everyone and everything brings a profound awakening. . .and a sense of responsibility for not only ourselves, but the whole organism we call our world, of which we are an integral part.

There have been civilizations who understood our  interconnectedness, and lived in ways that supported it. The ancient/tribal way was to band together in Community. All was organized around the principle of WE (not me vs.you).

Every thought, word and deed accompanied by heart-feeling  strengthens our conversation with the entire Universe.  Together WE have the power–with just one action–to manifest a change for the whole of  our planet Earth.  WE are essentially that crystal.

Today, I am projecting a visualization and an intention for a world where we live in peaceful balance and harmony, sharing our best with our neighbor and demonstrating caring for the quality of life of future generations.

What we intend, we create.   WE  are All One;  WE are the WHOLE.

Painting on canvas:: “WE“  (18″ x18″ x 1 1/4″)  created by Sherry Remez

]]> http://www.miraclesandgrace.com/we-the-whole/feed/ 0 http://www.miraclesandgrace.com/the-shift-from-me-to-we/ http://www.miraclesandgrace.com/the-shift-from-me-to-we/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:44:57 +0000 sherry http://www.miraclesandgrace.com/?p=1055 Have you noticed?   It is being spoken of everywhere!   It has become topic of interest for everyone; not just scientists and philosophers, but our neighbors, our friends, business associates, family, etc.: 

A HUGE CHANGE ON OUR PLANET IS IMMANENT!

That statement is the source of a range of emotions–Fear being the greatest of these. How many times have you heard someone say:  “Look at how the world is deteriorating, and how rapidly”, “a huge upheaval, an apocalypse, is approaching and not many will survive”?

Truly, if we could hover above the surface of the Earth and examine it from a distance and consider the condition of the civilization populating its surface, things don’t look all that promising.   The situation in the Middle East, the so-called Holy Land is a perpetual un-holy war zone.  Mayhem by the strong upon the weak is being perpetuated throughout the planet.  We consider ourselves an advanced society, but from this aerial perspective we can see that we are still like primitive bands of warrior states, clustered into opposing groups and forces.   With advances in technology, mankind’s immaturity as evidenced by avarice and greed, have managed to negatively affect the financial health of every single country, not to mention the overall ecology of our planet.  A recent television documentary indicated that if we continue to fish commercially in the ways we have done in the past, within 40 years fish will be extinct and the oceans will die.

I recently looked up the definition of the word apocalypse and found:  “lifting of the veil”, “revelation”,  “a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception”.  I do believe that our civilization’s eyes have been covered by a veil of ignorance, preventing us from seeing the bigger picture as it relates to our very survival and enjoyment of balanced life of health and happiness.

However, not everyone is consumed by a “me me me” attitude.  Far from it!  Every day, new information and more stories surface that reveal a wide-spread awakening is occurring.  It represents a shift in the consciousness of man and womankind.  I believe that we are ready to see through lies we have too easily believed and followed (throughout history) and whose effect is the condition of the world we see today.  I believe we are ready to transcend the falsehoods about each other that have created mistrust and have divided us from our fellow passengers on our planet.

Most importantly, I believe that we are ready to think in terms of “WE”, rather than “me”.  We are ready to open ourselves to ways of living our lives that consider the world as a whole, as a community.  I believe that we are recognizing (on numerous levels at once) that this is ALL ONE interconnected organism in which we are an integral element.

Change is imminent.  But, then, perpetual change is the very nature of action in/of time-space.  It doesn’t have to be a “bad” thing.  To this mind and heart the process to bring about a more positive outcome, a better future—or, to actually HAVE a future at all!—has already begun.  It has begun in your mind and heart and is expanding throughout our shared existence.  If you have chosen to read these words, you know what I am talking about.

A few years ago a friend sent me a copy of something called The Hopi Elders’ Statement.  I don’t know its author nor the date it was written, but it is a beautiful contemplation of the situation at hand and offers pertinent questions for us to search within to answer:

“You have been telling the people that this is the eleventh hour.
Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the hour.

And there are things to be considered:

Where are you living?  What are you doing?  What are your relationships?  Are you in right relation?                                                                                                                          Where is your water?  Know your garden.  It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.  Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!

There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid,
They will try to hold onto the shore.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      They will feel they are being torn apart And they will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore,
Push off into the river, Keep our eyes open, And our heads above water.
Look around, see who is in there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.  Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!”

The emergence of these kinds of documents, the healing presence of a Braco, or the marvelous enlightening presentations of physicist Nassim Haramein support us in our conscious awakening and in taking the right actions on each others’ behalves.

This could very well be a good time, a time we will look back at and say: “WE pulled together, and saved our world”.

WE ARE THE MIRACLE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!

Painting “ALL ONE” 8″ x 24″ on canvas  :  by Sherry Remez

We, as well as our dear friend Lisa, put up rain-protected flyers all over the area with his description (extra digits on his paws!), we went door to door all over the neighborhood, put up flyers at vet offices, went to both animal shelters 1-2 times a week looking for him, put ads in the papers, and said lots of prayers that where ever he was, he was happy and at peace (we weren’t sure about the coyote factor).

A day or so later, while on the internet, looking for suggestions on how to find your lost pet, I stumbled upon a professional tracking service.  I called him, almost on a whim, but he said he could drive right up with his two dogs who work all over the world and who have found buried earthquake victims, murder victims (these dogs were on a Discovery channel show about what they do) as well as many lost pets.  How could I say no?  We wanted our beloved pet back.  His tracking dogs traced Buddy’s steps down to the lake (Buddy is attracted to water….coming from Hawaii he’s got instinctive “fishing” genes), along the lake, then across the lawn to the driveway of a just completed new house right on the lake, where the scent abruptly “disappeared”.  But the dogs gave the signal that there was no smell of trauma or death.  The tracker said it could mean the Buddy went into a vehicle that drove off (construction worker’s truck bed that had a lunch in it?? who knows).  That was that.

Meanwhile, Lisa knew of an animal intuitive (very “under the radar-not advertised”) whom I did call and who tuned into Buddy and conveyed many messages from him to me, of a soul level nature.  Buddy “told” me things through Mandy (who didn’t know me previously) that were perfectly attuned to what was going on for Buddy, me, as well as Jenna and regarding other things besides this physical separation.   There was a deep meditative quality to the messages, beyond the animal instinctive-physical plane.  I would consider sharing them with any who are truly interested.  That was an amazing piece.

A month ago I had a call from a young college man, home on a break from Berkeley, staying with his parents just a few houses down from where we formerly lived, saying he thought he saw a cat that looked just like Buddy’s photo on the flyer, twice. He likes cats a lot and he wanted us to get our cat back, his dad said.  I spent time going back and forth, different times of the day, talking with my former neighbors as well as the lovely family who bought my house.  No Buddy.

After that I just kept checking the shelters weekly, checking the “founds” in the paper and Craig’s list, and, even though Jenna or I would just start crying at times, in grief, and profoundly missed his presence in our family,  I was working in an inner way, to “let go”, surrender and accept what was, our cat was gone physically—maybe to coyotes, maybe adopted to a new family, maybe still “out there”—but he was still a strong presence energetically, with us.   Through working with Mandy, the messages were to just Trust.  Trust that whatever and however it played out, the Love, the connection was still there, and that how it unfolded, to have him back physically or not, was ok, had purpose, and that this whole process had meaning and was part of an unfolding.

Then, four days ago or so, I had a call from a lady who lives on a small lane in a house right on Lake Whatcom, about halfway between our old house (where Buddy was sighted) and the house he was lost at.  She had just noticed our flyer TWO days earlier (after two months out, I was even surprised the flyers were still up).  So I drove down there and walked up and down the lane, calling his name, putting out cat food, but no sign, stayed about two hours, then left, after speaking with two other neighbors on the lane who also had seen a cat similar to the photo I carried with me.  I couldn’t get right down by the lake shore where the cat was really seen because it was on private property and at that point I hadn’t been invited.

Also, I’m sure an animal on it’s own, especially a cat, must travel a good range to find adequate food and safe shelter.  The cat could have been half a mile away when I was calling out and offering food.  And a cat on it’s own would wisely be in an extreme state of survival and not come running easily when in that state.
In the next few days I went back and forth, the ten miles between our house and the area, as well as “talking” to Buddy, asking him if he was ready to rejoin us.  Then, two days ago, I was at the Humane Society, doing another “lost cat check”, finished and went out to my car, feeling defeated.  As I just sat there a thought came into my mind, like someone whispered an idea to me, to go back in and ask them how they catch the many cats at the shelter.  I did, and besides the cats that people just bring in, they told me they use live animal traps, and that they were for rent!  So I got one.    Then, awhile later, another idea like a whisper in my ear…… I remembered that Buddy LOVES watermelon and mangoes….what can I say, he’s from Hawaii.

I called the neighbors at the sighting and one of them, Nilah, was so kind and helpful, saying I was welcome to come set up the trap on her deck and she would also help me, having had cats before, and having caught feral cats as well.  We set it up with the mango and fragrant watermelon I brought, then I sat outside, around the corner from the deck.  My goal was just to see the cat, just to determine that it probably wasn’t Buddy, as had happened before.  No sign of an animal for over an hour.  Nilah brought me some delicious homemade tomato soup, to warm me.  The sun set, it became very chill, and I left, driving up the lane, then pulled over to take a call from Jenna.  Right after, my phone rang again, it was Nilah!!   She said, “We have a cat!”.  I went right back to her house, flew out of the car as she was saying, “And he’s got extra toes!!”.  Then I lost it, crying, ran around the corner, and there was Buddy in the cage, totally freaked out by being trapped, all his survival instincts exploding out….but safe and whole and just THERE!

I hugged Nilah over and over, then drove Buddy home, phoning Jenna on the way, and she couldn’t stop crying for joy, and kept phoning me back, then I phoned my son Nate who was waiting to hear— he was so happy and had been so sad that Buddy was missing too…. Then Buddy and I were home.   I sat down on the floor with him until Jenna got home. Talking with him, he calmed down so quickly….he couldn’t get enough cuddling and energy (me too!), the purring was nonstop, and then he would go eat more food (the vet said he lost over 3 pounds, a lot for someone who only weighed 13!), then more cuddles, then another snack, then more and more cuddling.   Jenna came home and held him and held him and Buddy stuck to her like glue.   He follows us everywhere and slept peacefullly on Jenna’s bed, and only woke me at 6:30 this morning. Buddy and I speak to one another from a whole other place.  I call him Sir Buddy Binky, the Lion-Hearted, a brave and true cat.      We are a happy family.

Marlena–Vancouver, B.C.

In 1999 we were in an upward spiral to infinite financial independence due to our investing in a foreign bank which yielded enormous returns. My beloved and I watched this growing abundant horizon with excitement and humble gratitude for the blessing of this fortune.

We embarked upon many life-style changes including a full year of traveling and moving to Maui to create our home. We greeted these opportunities with tremendous  gratefulness, while practicing generosity toward others less fortunate.  Our spending was conscientious and we never over purchased for the sake of material gain.  Rather, we pursued the opportunities of bringing art and beauty into our lives and to others.  We were new at this concept of being millionaires, so approached the territory with restraint.

The tide turned when we were not able to withdraw money.

The explanations from the offshore bank officials were sporadic and perplexing.  However, we placed our trust in the continuity of that financial institution, and did not, in our naivety, heed to any whispering inner voices that might be telling us to pay attention.  We continued to focus our energies upon creating our home, and placed a large sum of money into purchasing a house that we loved.  The foreign bank promised that they were resolving the disruption.

During the next month, we sat on pins and needles until the unthinkable news came our way: the bank has failed, we had incurred serious debt, and we lost the house and a large sum of money involved in that transaction. We had just arrived on Maui, we knew no one, we were in our 60’s, with $5,000.00 left to our name.

Until this financial disaster, I had never known lack in any form.  I always had plenty of money for my needs and desires, and didn’t know the meaning of “survival”.  In the Fall of 2000, in shock, I wrote of my experience.  It was important for me to fully feel the impermanence of life, and I wasn’t very good at accepting it then. The miracles and grace DO happen however.    .  .  Stay with me

Journal Entries–beginning October 2000
Oh God, why me—why us?  Is it because I must learn the abject dismal plight that millions of humans must endure?  Cannot I compassionately embody their condition without having to live through it?
Tonight I am only posing questions and writing about my nightmares. I feel no gratitude for anything in this moment.  I am in the dungeon where trust eludes me.  I am terrified.
Ram Das speaks of karma yoga as the path of knowledge inherent in what’s here now, in my face, as life itself.  It is not about the escape, but rather the full embrace.  Resistance is what creates suffering for me—-the holding back from full participation because I want the circumstances to change.  So many beliefs are being tested and I am wondering who I really am.
I do feel a shift in my energy and perceptions today and am less in the doldrums of despair.  In allowing myself to really feel all the emotions that I skillfully avoided all my life, I have shut myself off from seeing a larger horizon. I cannot stay in this dimension of scarcity, lack, fear, anger, and victimhood to which I have succumbed.
Where is trust now? I have no other choice but to accept grace and love since love is all that really exists.  In this moment, am I grateful?  Do I have love in and around me?  Do I have food, clothing, shelter, friends, family, a car, some money, good health?  Yes, of course I do, and I am far more fortunate than 99% of the world’s people.  My path right now must be devoted to gratitude, knowing that all is well and always will be even through the times of pain and discomfort.

Having our very survival at stake, we met wonderfully generous friends who offered places to live, opportunities for work, and true friendship as we began to draw in our community of like-minded and hearted souls.  The more we were thankful, the more generosity we were offered. We are cared for, supported, held, and nourished. When I touch into fear around lack of money, I know it’s big medicine to really accept that there is no security, and security most certainly doesn’t revolve around money.  I watch when anxiety seizes, how awful it feels, and how it has become  a huge collective, and certainly familiar, wound that is working its way through our global humanity.

Now nine years later we live abundantly and peacefully and dynamically in a world of great upheaval and terror which I do not consider to be my own reality. What I think and believe is my reality, so I try to make choices to experience what is beautiful, sublime, loving, and in integrity.  I am always learning to choose harmony over despair.  Emotional housecleaning is a necessity to my ongoing sense of balance, and attunement to a larger landscape allows more acceptance than simply seeing what’s at the tip of my own nose.

Present time–March 2009

We are in a comfortable, elegant life of simplicity and grace where we want for nothing.  We live on combined social security and the little work that continues to come our way. Our determination has been to afford plenty of spacious time to nurture our relationship, our friendships, to enjoy this lovely island, and to create satisfying projects.  I am seldom anxious about our financial future because life has taught me that I am always provided for. What’s best for me always appears if I don’t try to manipulate the direction I am shown. Nothing is too wonderful to happen and I invite in the magic of unexpected  blessings.  God is my true source of abundance.

Above all, I know the peace inherent in surrender—-a surrender that comes out of acceptance of what life is presenting in this moment and knowing that it is mine to respond to—a constant choice of fear or peace. One is not wrong or right, but I am free in one and imprisoned in the other.

Lotus—Maui, Hawaii

Miracle Workers are angels of compassion, functioning as an inspirational presence on our extremely challenged planet right now.  Here, their activity is the sharing of stories of their personal miracles, marvels, wonders, grace and graciousness experienced so many ways and times.

Awareness and acknowledgement of all the everyday miracles brings about deep feelings of gratefulness and gratitude which act as an energy magnet to attract even more.  This is the momentum of grace.

Together, we are changing the vibration of the world.  Every time a story is posted on this site, it radiates a positive change throughout the Universe. (Actually, the moment we begin to think about writing our story, that positive effect is already taking place!)  Every time someone reads a story their personal world is filled with more light and they acquire a wider and wiser view. Worry and fear can be transformed or transcended this way.

Science supports this proposition.  Quantum physics has concluded what ancient and indigenous cultures have said all along:  everyone–everything, actually–in the Universe is composed of, and connected by an interpenetrating Field of energy (a matrix) which has intelligence.  We communicate to, and through, It via our feelings, thoughts, words and deeds.

Whatever we send into the Universe is mirrored back to us. Whatever we place our attention upon, increases in strength.  Focus on “miracles” and Miracle Consciousness is raised and the whole Universe responds accordingly. What Power we have with our positive intention.  Our feelings, turned into action, centered on helping support others, is a beautiful service.

It doesn’t take much time to write down a story or to simply list your observations and experiences of the innumerable unexpected occurrences and insights that are bringing deeper peace, joy, and understanding to your lives.

Join the roll of Miracle Workers who have posted on this site. They are positively changing the world–one story at a time.  Now that’s a miracle!!

ENJOY THE STORIES POSTED BELOW

My maternal grandmother, Mariam, died when my mother was a child. She was from Lebanon and moved to the U.S. before my mother was born. Although we knew quite a bit about my grandfather’s side of the family, we knew almost nothing about hers. We found one small photo of her and for some reason, I felt instantly connected to her, always wishing I knew some of her history, her family.

Fast forward to Maui, 2008. I was painting a commission for a wealthy couple here on the island. The wife happened to be from Lebanon and wanted to know about my Lebanese family, the village they came from etc. I told her the name of the village, though I didn’t know where it was located or even if I had the name right. She had heard of the village, a very small mountain town, because her best friend was originally from there. I told her my grandparents’ family names. It turned out that her best friend had the same surname as my grandmother. She said there was no doubt we were related.I was so excited when she said she would mention it to her friend when they spoke again (the friend lives in Paris).

One day, out of the blue, I get a call from the mainland, from an unfamiliar number but an area code in my home state. The voice on the other end is foreign. The woman tells me she is the cousin of my client’s best friend in Paris. She heard the story of my grandmother and our desire to know more about her. I asked her where she was as I noticed the area code was from my home state. It turns out that she lives in my hometown and coincidentally, my siblings and I would soon be visiting home. Upon our arrival we went to meet this woman whose mother happened to be visiting from Lebanon. Once we starting talking, we discovered that her visiting mother was named after my grandmother’s sister!

They filled us in on so many details of our Lebanese family that we had never known. We laughed and cried and felt a sense of completion that is hard to put into words. To top it off, we discovered that her mother’s grandfather and my grandmother were brother and sister! Here we were reunited with our family through a seemingly random meeting and conversation with a client on Maui.

Now we are planning a trip with our new found relatives to meet the rest of the family in our home village in Lebanon. What a blessing!

Beth–Maui, Hawaii

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY, LEAVE US A COMMENT

Part 2:  Same best friend and this time I was feeling stressed about seeing her.  I was not wanting to.   I was visiting New York for the weekend to attend a Graphic Artist’s Guild convention.  I said to my husband Fred, “I don’t want to call Mary, it was very stressful last time and I’d just like to go to the convention and fly home.”  ”Fine”, he said as we entered a taxi.  We told the cabby to go to SoHo to a special shop Mary had showed us when we were visiting a few years before.  No sooner had I gotten out of the cab when I heard Mary’s voice calling out to me, “You were in New York and you weren’t going to call me!”

What were the chances, percentages, or probability that we could be in the most over populated city in the world and bump into each other that way and that day?!

Part 3:  Mary died of anorexria and complications from pneumonia.  A year went by and I was sitting in my living room realizing it was Mary’s birthday.  I spoke out into the empty room “Mary, I almost forgot to wish you a happy birthday…So Happy Birthday!   If you can move something to let me know you heard me, move something.”

Just then, at that exact moment, a horrible crash sounded from the back of the house…I rushed into the bathroom where a huge sea shell filled with soaps had fallen into the bathtub.  It had been there for years and had never moved nor been moved.  I looked all around for my cat, but he was upstairs.

Mary and I had, and probably still have, a very special relationship.

Stephanie–Maui, Hawaii

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