Reflections of the Beginning by Bodhi Smith

Mar 20, 2020

"reflections of the beginning" a new impression from bodhi smith...

on this first day of spring 2020, i truly hope you enjoy this blog about my newest impression, and today's deeper message/meaning, plus enjoy all the quotes, and the musical tunes found within here...

"i hope beyond hope, that hope itself blossoms in your soul like a growing spring flower full of new life, becoming reflections of the beginning of a greater hope, one that is as contagious as any virus" ― bodhinku, reflections

as an inspirational writer, and visionary author, and founder of "the goddess circle" website, c. ara campbell really strikes words to print that are now so very profoundly poignant and meaningful...her following quote here just fills me with reflective thoughts:

"as humans, things are always changing around us. new chapters open and new beginnings sprawl promisingly in front of us. possibility shines brightly as we move towards some long held dream. desires inspire us and fuel our imagination. hope springs eternal, as the old saying goes...but, as there are always beginnings, invariably there will be endings. chapters close in our lives with the passing of time, situations and relationships transforming. some of them don’t work out the way we want, and we are forced to reconcile the loss of that which never was or will never be...we may not always be able to control the world around us, but we can control our actions...we have always had a choice, whether it’s how to act or react. we choose our intentions and our words. we can choose when these endings occur or our actions in the aftermath of that which is beyond our control. it’s not always easy, but our path on this planet is one of evolution and growth. we are here to expand as we experience. nothing stays the same and neither do we. we choose whether we grow through our wounds and fears, or whether we let them define our path on the planet....being a human isn’t always easy...in an ever changing world, how can we ever hope to stay afloat, let alone navigate the rough seas on the way to our dreams? how do we move towards the unknown in uncertainty and in some cases disbelief? the only thing i can offer is to root yourself in your own truth, deeper than you ever have before. put your energy and effort into your dreams and desires. focus your energy on what you want to grow...because at the end of the day, our medicine is what we are here to bring into being. relationships fall apart. life changes. but what you are here to bring to the world is something only you can. and that is something to instill us with hope, even in the face of the unknown" ― c. ara campbell, in an ever changing world

and here is a peaceful tune to listen to as you continue to read my new blog, this is one of my favorite tunes in its message, one that i believe everyone should be heeding, beautiful tune, and perfect in its message to the world... drift away by uncle kracker...or the original track, drift away by dobie grey...(just click on either or both of the blue links to listen to the song)

"day after day i'm more confused, yet i look for the light in the pouring rain. you know that's a game that i hate to lose. i'm feelin' the strain, ain't it a shame....oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul, i wanna get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away. oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul, i wanna get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away (won't you take me away?)....beginning to think that i'm wastin' time. i don't understand the things i do. the world outside looks so unkind. i'm countin' on you to carry me through. and when my mind is free, you know a melody can move me. and when i'm feelin' blue, the guitar's comin' through to soothe me...thanks for the joy that you've given me, i want you to know i believe in your song. rhythm and rhyme and harmony, you help me along makin' me strong....oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul, i wanna get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away. oh, give me the beat, boys, and free my soul, i wanna get lost in your rock and roll, and drift away (won't you take me away?)...." ― dobie gray, drift away

"thank you for this new day, its beauty and its light. thank you for my chance to begin again. free me from the limitations of yesterday. today may i be reborn. may i become more fully a reflection of radiance, with strength and compassion and courage and wisdom. let me see the light in myself and others. may i recognize the good that is available everywhere" ― marianne williamson, illuminata

"i'm afraid. the evening is gray and the sadness

of the sky opens like the mouth of a corpse.
my heart has a weeping of princess
forgotten at the bottom of a deserted palace.

i'm afraid. and i feel so tired and small
that i reflect the evening without meditating on her.
(in my sick head a dream may not fit
just as a star has not fit in the sky.)

even so a question exists in my eyes
and there is a shout in my mouth that my mouth doesn't shout.
there's no ear on earth that hears my sad bemoaning
abandoned in the middle of the infinite earth!

the universe dies from a calm agony
without the feast of the sun or the green twilight.
saturn agonizes like a sorrow of mine,
earth is a black fruit that the sky bites.

and through the vastness of the emptiness go
blindly the evening clouds like lost boats
that would hide broken stars in their holds.

and the death of the world falls over my life.” ― pablo neruda, book of twilight

"do not look down in despair, but instead look up for hope, look into the skies and reflect...all darkness is full of twinkling stars and followed by sunshine there after" ― bodhinku, real hope

"where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi

"i can see the stars clearly reflecting in the calm water of her face...but if i look away for too long, i lose my clarity" ― jalaluddin rumi, love: the joy that wounds

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MEANING

"as i reflect on the past, i see new reflections of a beginning of something which my past could never foresee, like a spring of new flowers opening up the world's eyes to a blossoming beauty, bigger than ever expected, that makes all life so much more beautiful" ― bodhinku, reflections of a beginning

the meaning behind this impression has two takes...first is the idea that the stars are actually a reflection back in time of the beginning of everything here on earth...a blossoming new galaxy, a new solar system, a new world, new life, and love, and hope...

and secondly, within that reflection back into time, there is another reflection. one of the stars in a pool of salt water within a shell that has split open (as this moeraki boulder seems to have done), like an egg, releasing its new birth, new beginning, a new reflection of the future...

i see this impression as an unwavering hope of the unchanging past, seen in the never-ending stars in the sky keeping an eye upon our own little world, opening our eyes to the beauty of the universe as we look up, and keep our heads up, keep our chins up, stay positive and optimistic in the hopes that life is going to be beautiful no matter what happen, let it all just be, simply because we are we, we are alive and can see...

and sorry, but i feel compelled to add a little more commentary, some social discourse on all that is happening right now...but there is no need to listen to me, listen to yourself, listen to the voice inside that knows what is right and wrong, and the good from the bad...

even in the light of all this craziness, full of stupidity and overreaction and panic, and new terms and practices of "social distancing" and "shelter in place"...regardless if you agree with the government's decisions to lock down society to limit the spread of an unknown virus, it is reality, it is happening, and there is nothing you can do about it, except just do not panic, stay positive and find the beauty around you wherever your live, rediscover that universe of beauty within your self...no matter how difficult it is, start with yourself and make peace with this new day of the unknown...this first day of spring when things grow new, and sprout hope and spring life eternal...

do your own part for the sake of your own self, and all of society will benefit...do not be that person that is stupid and overreacts and panics...

"don't panic (and carry a towel)" ― douglas adams, the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

"a person is smart. people are dumb panicky dangerous animals, and you know that" ― tommy lee jones, men in black

i know it is difficult, as i am seriously struggling and conflicted in my own heart over all this...but, do not dwell on the fact that currently everything fun has been stripped from our lives...the entertainment industry has been all but shut down...sports leagues are delaying their seasons with their arenas, stadiums staying empty. no sports on television (just re-runs and talk). major tournaments have been cancelled. theaters are closed. new movie releases are suspended. extra curricular school activities are gone (proms, soccer games, clubs). churches are closed. gyms are shut down. concerts are cancelled. fairs are over before they even started. theme parks like disneyland have locked their gates. art, craft and food festivals are cancelled. parks and recreation fields are locking their gates. resorts are cancelling services. cruise lines are staying in dock. travel is restricted. las vegas and casinos are all closed. night clubs and brew pubs are closed. restaurants have had to shut their doors. private parties are illegal...seems all vices and fun things are gone...

want to take a trip? nope, cannot do it even if you are on that long awaited vacation...all destinations are pretty much closed, parks, resorts, along with most international borders are all closed indefinitely...and driving anywhere that is considered non-essential is now considered illegal due to all the "shelter in place" orders...

want to go out on a date with your lover? nope cannot do that, nothing is open, no restaurants, no movies, cannot go dancing in a nightclub, or go to a concert...and holding hands in public is illegal because it is not "social distancing"...

want to be alive? yes you can do that! feel alive with your loved ones, your family, your furry friends who love you unconditionally...live in the positive, illuminate the darkness inside your mind...find fun within your new environment...and instead of going out and about, take this time to romance yourself and fall in love with yourself unconditionally again. treat yourself to a book, write down your thoughts and feelings into a journal, make reflections of the beginning that is now, right now...

want to be even more alive? again, yes, you can do that! instead of taking a trip somewhere, instead take a journey inside your self, find yourself again, find the strength you have inside deep down. remember, all is going to be okay, really. that is not an empty comment, if you make peace with yourself. meditate, or pray, or just enjoy the silence...turn off the news. do not listen to all the panic. shut off all the noise around you, and turn down the noise inside...embrace the world inside yourself...make useful all this time you now have. your have total control over your own mental health...

“every day i stand at turning points. my thoughts and actions can propel me toward growth, or turn me down the road to old habits. sometimes turning points are beginnings, as when i decide to start praising, instead of condemning someone. or when i begin to ask for help instead of going it alone. at other times turning points are endings, such as when i see clearly the need to stop festering resentments or crippling self-seeking. many shortcomings tempt me daily; therefore, i also have daily opportunities to become aware of them. in one form or another, many of my character defects appear daily: self-condemnation, anger, running away, being prideful, wanting to get even, or acting out of grandiosity. attempting half measures to eliminate these defects merely paralyzes my efforts to change. it is only when i ask my beloved for help, with complete abandon, that i become willing, and able, to change" ― alcoholics anonymous, daily reflections

"when you look back on a new beginning, you must understand where you are headed, and respect where you have been. and see the perspective of your own reflection as it is right now" ― bodhinku, your own reflection

“happiness begins where selfishness ends” ― coach john wooden, a lifetime of reflections on and off the court

"the beauty you see in me, is a reflection of you." ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi

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STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE

"a solitary boulder seems to be all alone at the ocean's edge on a beach...he is there by choice, he is an old soul, his shell is weathered and cracked, he spends his days alone, but he is not lonely for he has the sun to warm him all day, and the stars to accompany him all night, and the waves are forever wrapping around him, blanketing him and caressing him with their endless motion....the boulder has his faith that they will always be there for him, with him, so he is truly never alone" ― bodhinku, his choice

pictured here is one of the largest of all the famous moeraki boulders, and somehow over time it has become split open...i have no idea how, nor have i been able to find any theory or research hypothesizing how this one giant boulder came to find itself in its current state, cracked open like an egg almost, but instead of yolk, its inner core is filled with salt water (which is reflecting the colorful milky way above)...

the moeraki boulders are scattered along koekohe beach on eastern shore on the south island of new zealand,..there are more than fifty strangely spherical boulders of different sizes, some in clusters, others lying separate. the biggest ones are over six feet in diameter, and weigh seven tons...so, although they look like bowling balls, there's no shifting them. even the sea does not move them anymore. many of them are perfectly spherical with large cracks in them called “septaria”, which radiate from the hollow core and are filled with yellow or brown calcite, dolomite, and quartz...

whether half concealed by the sand, or almost fully exposed, it's clear from their scaly surface that they're all formed the same way. the moeraki boulders have large cracks they are concretions, which as the name suggests are made of sedimentary particles stuck together, hard and compact, formed layer by layer like a pearl over the course of four million years. they formed on the seabed around 60 million years ago, and since the land has risen from the sea, the waves have eroded the soft mudstone surrounding the bounders in the cliffs above the beach, exposing and releasing the boulders onto the beach. you can see more still up there, partially exposed, that will eventually fall to join the others. don't hold your breath waiting, though.

and unfortunately for the boulders, ever since there have been tourists, people have been coming here to marvel at the stones, jump from one to another, and drape themselves photogenically across them. unwittingly and carelessly damaging them at times...and of course today the combination of a camera and social media makes the lure irresistible of getting a picture the world will love from here...with the back drop of the sea, these geological oddities have become a majorly popular photo stop on the south Island of new zealand.

when the moeraki boulders were first discovered in the 19th century by europeans, many more boulders existed on the beach until people used to take them home as souvenirs...it is illegal to take a moeraki boulder today (although, i’d like to see you try and lift one) and some of the boulders that used to be on the beach are now in the otago museum in dunedin...

legend has it through the maori (aborigines of new zealand), that the boulders represented the remains of eel, kumara, and food baskets that washed up on the shores after the legendary waka araiteuru (canoe), wrecked off the nearby shores of shag point (matakaea) after bringing ngai tahu's ancestors from hawaii.

some theorize that the moeraki boulders are alien eggs and the cracked boulders are eggs that have already hatched (and now of course they walk among us)...

btw, more boulders around new zealand like this exist, such as the katiki boulders about 20km south of moeraki and the koutu boulders in hokianga on the north island...

"let it all just,
be...
simply because we are,
we...
we're alive and can,
see... " ― bodhinku, we are

"real loneliness never happens to me when i am alone in a secluded place, it always seems to happen when i am in a crowded place with too many other people around" ― bodhinku, real loneliness

“never lose hope, my heart, miracles dwell in the invisible. if the whole world turns against you, keep your eyes on your faith” ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi

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MORE MEANINGFUL QUOTES
here is another song to listen, and just like last week, i really wish people would truly listen to this song, truly hear its lyrics, and heed in its message to the world... beautiful song that is full of hope and love (just click on the artist name or title of song for the music)... let it be by the beatles ...

"when i find myself in times of trouble, mother mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom, let it be. and in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, whisper words of wisdom, let it be...and when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. for though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see there will be an answer, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be...there will be an answer, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be...whisper words of wisdom, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, whisper words of wisdom, let it be...and when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be. i wake up to the sound of music, mother mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom, let it be...let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be...there will be an answer, let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be...whisper words of wisdom, let it be" ― the beatles, let it be

"life, like photography, is a series of moments which capture our attention. these moments seduce us out of our normal routine, tantalizing our senses. for a brief pause in time, the stars align perfectly and a once in a million shot presents itself to our eyes, to our experience alone. we become a privileged private audience, beholding the magic and the mystery of the universe unfolding before us...finding the shot is as important to photography as it is to our everyday experience. when a camera is in our hands, the eye becomes sharp, tracking across people and places for the perfect way to portray the beauty that we behold. we are charged with finding the best way to translate what we see, opening to the new ways that we can decipher the language that surrounds us...life is much the same way, offering us the opportunity to look past the mundane and into the beauty that the world has to offer. it whispers to find the shot, find what is calling to our soul and move towards the expression of it. though sometimes harder than others, we are tasked with opening our eyes in order to see the best way towards this that we desire...look for the shot and take it....go after what you want. take the risk. in life, love, and photography" ― c. ara campbell, look for the shot

“human beings

are made of water–-

we were not designed
to hold ourselves together

rather run freely
like oceans
like rivers" ― beau taplin, hunting season

"i think the beating in our hearts was put there to remind us that even when we are alone in the world, we march on. that even in the enormous dark and quiet, we always have someone to lean on, to embrace and turn to. that even when we have no one else, we always have ourselves" ― beau taplin, buried light

“the most important thing you will ever do in your life is learn to embrace your unique, honest self. a boundless, infinitely populated universe, and there is nothing else here quite like you. this is your power. all those things that make you strange and different are what make you irreplaceable" ― beau taplin, the wild heart

"by three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest" ― confucius, the analects

"when you see a good person, think of becoming like them. when you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points" ― confucius, the analects

"reflect on why your life is precious. ask yourself: “what inspires me to live?”....reflect on the fact that death is unavoidable, and on how you want to live your life. ask yourself: “how am i being in this life? what am i doing with my life?”....reflect that actions have consequences, and on some of the consequences of your actions. ask yourself: “what actions have been a gain to my life? what actions have been a cost in my life?”....reflect on the ocean of inevitable suffering, the waves of sickness, aging, and death that one day will come even to you. ask yourself: “what am i feeling right now?" ― siddhartha gautama buddha, the dhammapada

"be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. when you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you" ― lao tzu, tao te ching

"when life becomes too complicated and we feel overwhelmed, it’s often useful just to stand back and remind ourselves of our overall purpose, our overall goal. when faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and then reset our priorities on the basis of that. this can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take" ― dalai lama xiv, the art of happiness

"so let us reflect on what is truly of value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set our priorities on the basis of that. the purpose of our life needs to be positive. we weren't born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others. for our life to be of value, i think we must develop basic good human qualities: warmth, kindness, compassion. then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful-happier" ― dalai lama xiv, the art of happiness

"we should reflect on the idea that since the beginning of time sentient beings have been mentally unstable because they have been slaves of delusion, they lack the eye of wisdom to see the path leading to nirvana and enlightenment, and they lack the necessary guidance of a spiritual teacher. moment by moment they are indulging in negative actions, which will eventually bring about their downfall" ― dalai lama xiv, the way to freedom

"in time the glowing, cratered moon began its seeming rise from the sea, casting a prism of light across the slowly darkening water, splitting itself into a thousand different parts, each more beautiful than the last. at exactly the same moment, the sun was meeting the horizon in the opposite direction, turning the sky red and orange and yellow, as if heaven above had suddenly opened its gates and let all its beauty escape its holy confines. the ocean turned golden silver as the shifting colors reflected off it, waters rippling and sparkling with the changing light, the vision glorious, almost like the beginning of time. the sun continued to lower itself, casting its glow as far as the eye could see, before finally, slowly, vanishing beneath the waves. the moon continued its slow drift upward, shimmering as it turned a thousand different shades of yellow, each paler than the last, before finally becoming the color of the stars" ― nicholas sparks, a walk to remember

"the alchemist knew the legend of narcissus, a youth who knelt daily beside a lake to contemplate his own beauty. he was so fascinated and in love with himself that, one morning, he fell into the lake and drowned. at the spot where he fell, a flower was born, which was called the narcissus. but this was not how the author of the book ended the story...he said that when narcissus died, the goddesses of the forest appeared and found the lake, which had been fresh water, transformed into a lake of salty tears...so, why do you weep? the goddesses asked...i weep for narcissus, the lake replied...ah, it is no surprise that you weep for narcissus, for though we always pursued him in the forest, you alone could contemplate his beauty close at hand...said the goddess...but, was narcissus beautiful?...the lake asked...who better than you to know that?...the goddesses asked in wonder....after all, it was by your banks that he knelt each day to contemplate himself...the lake was silent for some time. finally, it said: i weep for narcissus, but i never noticed that narcissus was beautiful. i weep because, each time he knelt beside my banks, i could see, in the depths of his eyes, my own beauty reflected" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist

"beauty is present in all creation, but the danger lies in the fact that we allow ourselves to be influenced by what people think. we deny our own beauty because others can't recognize it. we try to imitate what we see around us. we try to be what other people think of as perfect, and little by little, our soul fades. we forget the world is what we imagine it to be. we stop being the stars and become, instead, the pool of water reflecting them" ― paulo coelho, manuscript found in accra

"the eyes are the mirror of the soul and reflect everything that seems to be hidden; and like a mirror, they also reflect the person looking into them" ― paulo coelho, manuscript found in accra

"the warrior of the light concentrates on the small miracles of daily life. he is capable of seeing what is beautiful because he carries beauty within himself, for the world is a mirror and gives back to each man the reflection of his own face" ― paulo coelho, warrior of the light

“a mystic is one who has dropped all dreams, who has thrown away this mirror of the mind and who looks directly into life, without any medium interfering. then he sees the eternal progression, then in a single moment he sees all eternity, and in a single atom he can see the whole reflected" ― osho, the secret of secrets

"the reflection that you will find in the other of your own self may be ugly—that is the anxiety; avoid the mirror! but by avoiding the mirror you are not going to become beautiful. by avoiding the situation you are not going to grow, either. so just look at the reflections, the challenge has to be taken" ― osho, love, freedom, aloneness

"i wonder whether you have noticed that a human is the only animal who draws his picture, his own picture. no other animal has ever done that. not only does he draw pictures of himself, he stands before a mirror, looks at himself mirrored, reflected. not only that, he stands before the mirror, looks at his reflection, and looks at himself looking at his reflection, and so on and so forth. because of this, self-consciousness arises. because of this, ego is born" ― osho, intimacy: trusting oneself and the other

"to leave the thread of all time

and let it make a dark line

in hopes that i can still find

the way back to the moment

i took the turn and turned to

begin a new beginning

still looking for the answer

i cannot find the finish

it's either this or that way

it's one way or the other

it should be one direction

it could be on reflection

the turn i have just taken

the turn that i was making

i might be just beginning

i might be near the end" ― enya, the memory of trees

"the delight we inspire in others has this enchanting peculiarity that, far from being diminished like every other reflection, it returns to us more radiant than ever" ― victor hugo, les miserables

"nature at times adds her own commentary to our actions with a kind of somber and considered eloquence, as though she were bidding us to reflect" ― victor hugo, les miserables

"we are in misery because we are creatures of self...the self that is unyielding and narrow, that reflects no light, that is blind to the infinite. our self is loud with its own discordant clamour...it is not the tuned harp whose chords vibrate with the music of the eternal. sighs of discontent and weariness of failure, idle regrets for the past and anxieties for the future are troubling our shallow hearts because we have not found our souls, and the self-revealing spirit has not been manifest within us. hence our cry" ― rabindranath tagore, sadhana

"the beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you

"the first thing you do at the end is reflect on the beginning. maybe it's some form of reverse closure, or just the basic human impulse toward sentimentality, or masochism, but as you stand there shell-shocked in the charred ruins of your life, your mind will invariably go back to the time when it all started" ― jonathan tropper, this is where i leave you

"i myself, from the very beginning,
seemed to myself like someone's dream or delirium
or a reflection in someone else's mirror,
without flesh, without meaning, without a name.
already i knew the list of crimes
that i was destined to commit."― anna akhmatova

"silence is the strength of our interior life...if we fill our lives with silence, then we will live in hope" ― thomas merton, contemplative prayer

"those who love their own noise are impatient of everything else. they constantly defile the silence of the forests and the mountains and the sea. they bore through silent nature in every direction with their machines, for fear that the calm world might accuse them of their own emptiness" ― thomas merton, contemplative prayer

"perhaps the best cure for the fear of death is to reflect that life has a beginning as well as an end. there was a time when we were not: this gives us no concern. why, then, should it trouble us that a time will come when we shall cease to be?” ― william hazlitt

"after all, is it not the way we humans shape the universe, shape time itself? do we not take the raw stuff of chaos and impose a beginning, middle, and end on it, like the simplest and most profound of folktales, to reflect the shapes of our own tiny lives? and if the physicists are right, that the physical world changes as it is observed, and we are its only known observers, then might we not be bending the entire chaotic universe, the eternal, ever-active now, to fit that familiar form?" ― tad williams, sea of silver light

"time? time freezes
as they gaze
into each other's eyes.
no beginning, no end,
in sight, a deep vast ocean,
a universe is reflected.

like a key to a lock,
they are.

all the days that have been,
all the days to come;
they stand in a place
beyond
and within it all" ― nancy navene

"you brought me your darkness, and i loved you with the radiant tears of a thousand stars" ― curtis tyrone jones, mirrors of the sun

“higher purpose: i am here to serve. i am here to inspire. i am here to love. i am here to live my truth. communion: i will appreciate someone who doesn’t know that i feel that way. i will overlook the tension and be friendly to someone who has ignored me. i will express at least one feeling that has made me feel guilty or embarrassed. awareness: i will spend ten minutes observing instead of speaking. i will sit quietly by myself just to sense how my body feels. if someone irritates me, i will ask myself what i really feel beneath the anger—and i won’t stop paying attention until the anger is gone. acceptance: i will spend five minutes thinking about the best qualities of someone i really dislike. i will read about a group that i consider totally intolerant and try to see the world as they do. i will look in the mirror and describe myself exactly as if i were the perfect mother or father i wish i had had (beginning with the sentence “how beautiful you are in my eyes”). creativity: i will imagine five things i could do that my family would never expect—and then i will do at least one of them. i will outline a novel based on my life (every incident will be true, but no one would ever guess that i am the hero). i will invent something in my mind that the world desperately needs. being: i will spend half an hour in a peaceful place doing nothing except feeling what it is like to exist. i will lie outstretched on the grass and feel the earth languidly revolving under me. i will take in three breaths and let them out as gently as possible. efficiency: i will let at least two things out of my control and see what happens. i will gaze at a rose and reflect on whether i could make it open faster or more beautifully than it already does—then i will ask if my life has blossomed this efficiently. i will lie in a quiet place by the ocean, or with a tape of the sea, and breathe in its rhythms. bonding: when i catch myself looking away from someone, i will remember to look into the person’s eyes. i will bestow a loving gaze on someone i have taken for granted. i will express sympathy to someone who needs it, preferably a stranger. giving: i will buy lunch and give it to someone in need on the street. i will compliment someone for a quality that i know the individual values in him-or herself. i will give my children as much of my undivided time today as they want. immortality: i will read a scripture about the soul and the promise of life after death. i will write down five things i want my life to be remembered for. i will sit and silently experience the gap between breathing in and breathing out, feeling the eternal in the present moment" ― deepak chopra, the book of secrets

"pastels reflect in my opening eyes and draw my gaze to a horizon where the waters both begin and end. this early in the day, i can easily stare without blinking. the pale sea appears calm, but it is stormy just as often. i am in awe at the grandeur, how it expands beyond my sight to immeasurable depths. in every direction that i twist my neck, a beauteous blue is there to console me. flowing, floating ribbons of mist form on these pale waters. in harmony they pirouette, creating a stretch of attractive, soft swirls. swoosh...the wind, its strength in eddies and twisters, smears the art of dancing clouds, and the white disperses like startled fairies fleeing into the forest. suddenly all is brilliant blue. the waters calm and clear. it warms me. pleases me. forces my eyes to close at such vast radiance. my day is spent surrounded by this ethereal sea, but soon enough the light in its belly subsides. rich colors draw my gaze to the opposite horizon where the waters both begin and end. i watch the colors bleed and deepen. they fade into black...yawning, i cast my eyes at tiny gleams of life that drift within the darkened waters. i extend my reach as if i could will my arm to stretch the expanse between me and eons. how i would love to brush a finger over a ray of living light, but i know i cannot...distance deceives me...these little breathing lights floating in blackness would truly reduce me to the tiniest size, like a mountain stands majestic over a single wild flower. i am overwhelmed by it all and stare up, in love with the floating sea above my head" ― richelle goodrich, making wishes

“be honest with yourself. you were at your lowest and broken down. you were unsure and lost hope. you were hiding your fears until you showed them on your sleeve. you felt like everything and everyone was the hammer and you were the nail as they were beating down on you, and it was never-ending. their empty threats had you scared and you were always running because your weakness was exposed. you were their prey. you didn’t know who to believe because of their mixed signals...you might not see it now, but you are stronger than you can ever imagine. you know now that all is not lost. now that you’ve cut the cord it is time to give your heart a second chance at loving yourself. silence your mind. take a deep breath and close your eyes. as you open your eyes, look at your reflection in the mirror. aren’t you beautiful? embrace who you are. smile, laugh, welcome the new you and say, "my world is just now beginning" ― charlena jackson, a woman's love

"sometimes what seems to be the ending of something is really the beginning of everything" ― katie mcgahan, reflections on life

"in the darkness of despair, hope is the only light. but in the garden of your life, my dear, never hope that a weeping willow will give you dates" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi

"you are the drop, and the ocean
you are kindness, you are anger,
you are sweetness, you are poison.
do not make me more disheartened.

you are the chamber of the sun,
you are the abode of venus,
you are the garden of all hope.
oh, beloved, let me enter" ― jalaluddin rumi, love: the joy that wounds

"hardship may dishearten at first, but every hardship passes away. all despair is followed by hope, always"― jalaluddin rumi, poems of ecstasy and longing

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ABOUT THE IMPRESSION

"in this time of crisis, he was amazed he really did not need to buy any extra supplies...he had everything he needed, only thing he was missing was her..." ― bodhinku, the missing supply

“an ending and a beginning now knotted up forever. he expected the hues of the world to change to reflect that, but the earth and heavens remained the same muted shades, and there was no tremble of anger from the trees. no weeping whisper of wind. no siren wailed in the distance. the woods were just the woods, and the dirt was just the dirt" ― sarah pinborough, behind her eyes

this is a two-frame long exposure composition of a split open moeraki boulder under the stars in the wee hours of the night and then later for sunrise morning of the 22 february, 2020 (22-02-2020)...a stable and sturdy tripod was an absolute necessity in order to keep the images in sharp focus in the places i wanted sharpness (i use selective focus on most of my images, similar to the way our eyes see things)...for this i used a dolica 70" carbon fiber tripod because it is sturdy, tall, and perfectly compact for hiking to remote places, or travel to locations where amounts of permitted luggage and equipment you can travel with is limited, such as new zealand...for me, this shot would never have been possible without my friends daniel and april at dolica tripods.

in my photography i always use filters to create longer exposure effects and to balance the light in my composition in camera...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter...no filters were used in the exposure of the stars and reflection of the stars in the sea water in the boulder core, but for the exposure of the boulder itself and the surrounding sands and beach and ocean, to get the effects and balance i was looking for, i used two filters...for this, i chose to use the magnetic 3.0nd progrey antarctica filter (and progrey g-120z holder) to allow for a much longer exposure (10 stops) and help saturate all the predawn violets and blues of the sands and waves, plus in combination with the 0.9gnd progrey g120 aurora filter to help balance in-camera overall the image the way i envisioned it, as the pre-dawn glowing sky was much more brighter, about 3 stops brighter than the rest of the darker parts and shadows of the foreground of the image composition...

i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this semi-long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my trusty dolica tripods in combination with the progreyusa filters which i use with every photo i take...

"since there are as many stars in the night sky as there are people on the planet, what if we could unite as human beings and just be like a deep still pond silently reflecting the stars of the night sky...be a reflection of the cosmos' silence and connections. be calm, not busy. be still and silent. keep our reflection and connection pure and clear...because, like ripples across the surface, cell phones are making noisy waves that are only muddling our reflection, making things all fuzzy and uncertain, breaking apart the peaceful silence we desperately need today..." ― bodhinku, don't ripple up a reflection

"contemplate without thinking. stop the world. slow down everything. shut off the noise. relax. seize this moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colors of light that envelope you. see the melody and harmony that floats about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken!" ― bodhinku, my world

above all else as always, i hope this message and impression find you well.

namaste,
bodhi

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please visit me at:
http://www.bodhismith.com
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