The Boothby Institute http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org Sun, 13 May 2012 14:40:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Sharing a moment of mindfulness … http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/05/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-80/ http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/05/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-80/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 14:40:59 +0000 Bill Cumming http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/?p=2489 Blessings from Bill ….

If we are ultimately connected to each other through direct biological evolution, either from the seed of Adam and Eve or the amoeba, then we share the wisdom of the ages.

Perhaps our access to wisdom, loving-kindness and choice is impacted most by the realization that “it’s in there,” and secondarily the encouragement of those around us that it is true? 

With all my love and every blessing!

 

 

 

Bill

 

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You and I are sharing air molecules right at this second. I am breathing in air that is, cell by cell, connected to air you recently exhaled. Without the miracles of trees, grass, water, wind and sun (photosynthesis), that might not be the world’s most wonderful experience.

I wonder how in some moments I can forget to be grateful?


With all my love and every blessing!

Bill

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Blessings from Bill ….


Joel Spingarn, a Trustee of the NAACP (National Association of Colored People), served that organization from 1913 until 1939. He built a summer home with five major beams holding up the second floor of the house. He said they represented the major races of humankind, red, black, brown yellow and (in the vast minority), the white. Four of the beams we visible, the fifth representing the white race was covered because he believed the others had been held hostage by the white race. He left strict instructions that the last beam was to remain covered until the oppression had ended.


Would it surprise you to know that the beam is still covered?

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

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Blessings from Bill ….

 

The gifts of God/Allah/Mother Nature are bestowed on every person, rich, poor, white, black, brown, red and yellow.

 

I wonder what gives us the notion that the rules are any different for us?

 

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

]]> http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-77/feed/ 0 Conundrum http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/conundrum/ http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/conundrum/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:08:11 +0000 Bill Cumming http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/?p=2458 Conundrum
(A seemingly confusing and difficult problem or question.)

There are actually two conditions in the world existing in a parallel way. One is miraculous, the other disastrous.

  • It is miraculous to be alive, breathing in and out, seeing and experiencing the wonders of life.

People don’t anymore believe that war is inevitable;
they just don’t see how to end it.

We don’t drain people of blood to cure them as we
have in the past.

We are curing diseases, though not at a rapid pace.

Generally, people believe everyone deserves an
education.

  • Simultaneously, there are those who are:

- starving, dealing with persistent hunger.

- victims of war, especially children.

- there are people enslaved, used against their will for
sex or servitude.

- women are brutalized and scarred for life in sexist
rituals experiencin pain and death.

It is the existence of these parallel conditions and the lies we tell about them that defines the condition of the world at this moment.

I have never read the biography of a highly successful person that says, “I screwed the world, killed people, stepped over others, watched some suffer and die, had a great time and wonderful life.”

The advancement of technology in every area from telephones to television, radio and social media allows us to know when things are going wrong. And we do seem much more interested in what is not working than what is.

We are terrible at lying about the actual conditions.

Let’s look at a few of those huge misrepresentations (lies) and misunderstandings from the past and the present.

America has been called for many years, The New World. Someplace in grade school we had a text by that name.

This is not the New World. It has been occupied by Native Americans for centuries. Because Native Americans were wise enough to know that ownership of the land was a foolish concept, we stole what was “theirs.”

We have changed the laws regarding segregation and there has been no wholesale healing. Some still act arrogantly and others refuse to take responsibility for themselves.

Security is an illusion. No matter how sophisticated the system, if a person wants to do damage to people or things, they will find a way.

All damage comes from damage. People in touch with their innate value and worth don’t damage others.

Every time there is a school shooting in the United States, there is a cry from journalists, “how could this happen?”

It happens because some people are so damaged that they believe that shooting others and/or themselves will make an impact in their world. John Hinckley writes to Jodie Foster when she was at Yale, “When I shoot the President (Reagan), you’ll know who I am.”

Prisons are run by Departments of Correction. You cannot correct people into wellness. They are already “well.” They simply have no experience of it.

In the Sudan a religious war is being waged between those who claim to be Christian and Muslims. I wonder how many of the children who have died would think God/Allah was on their side?

In order for workability to arise on planet Earth, we must acknowledge the Ground of Being that is shared by all of us.

  • We must recognize that there are many ways to serve and reach God/Allah. No one way is the only way and anyone who claims that theirs is the only way wants to be right more than to serve God/Allah.
  • We must acknowledge that each of us is loving-kindness, wisdom and the ability to choose.
  • We must come to a place where all people are treated with dignity respect and loving-kindness.
  • We must stop speaking ill of any other person and learn to love them as people and disagree with their thoughts or ideas. (U.S. and U.K. politicians and public figures could lead the way.)
  • We must recognize that the planet is fragile and do no more harm to it intentionally.
  • We must find challenges that are worthy of us and pursue them vigorously.
  • Why is it so hard to see that allowing the third world to emerge from poverty would be in every person’s  enlightened self interest?
  • The purpose of school must be to create inspired environments where children come to know that they are love, value and can master the tools necessary to create meaningful, productive, contributory, joyous lives.
  • Adults and young people must take very seriously the responsibility for bringing children into the world and raising them so that they are love, wisdom and cared for in every way. How about no more unintended children?
  • We must come to see that loving-kindness is the pragmatic solution to every problem facing the planet today.
  • Enlightened capitalism recognizes the value and divinity of each person and makes opportunities to serve and grow available to all. It does not do things that intentionally harm others for any reason.

How about this biography?

In my lifetime, the world grew up and began to take responsibility for itself, one person at a time. We created inspired schools, ended wars, starvation and persistent hunger, cured all the major and most of the minor diseases and dramatically improved the environment. We made a great deal of money building energy efficient structures and had a wonderful, joyous time doing it.

(Your signature here.)

There is only one person standing in the way of that biography being yours. In order to achieve it, you will have to make it your choice.

In order to actually experience the core essence of what this outcome would feel like, please play the video at the following link. Notice the relationships in this family. Notice what your mind and heart do. See the space of what the audience really wants:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W86jlvrG54o

With all my love and every blessing!
Namaste!
Bill

]]> http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/conundrum/feed/ 0 Sharing a moment of mindfulness … http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-76/ http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-76/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:03:50 +0000 Bill Cumming http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/?p=2455  

Blessings from Bill ….

Rush Limbaugh has never been a favorite of mine. I’ve seen racism and sexism couched in hundreds of different environments before and feel no need to applaud it now. There are those who are calling for Rush to be banned from radio.

Isn’t it interesting how quickly we forget the principles of Democracy when the object of our scorn has a different view than ours?

To give your life for free speech is not to be agreed with.

Is it possible for us to regain the ability to disagree and still demonstrate dignity, grace and loving kindness to all?

If not, I doubt it will matter who is “right.”

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

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Blessings from Bill ….

There have been recent violent tornados in the central part of the United States in the past two months. Among many stories of true courage, one caught my attention in particular. A young woman, knowing her home was in the path of the storm took her children to the basement of the home and shielded them from any harm as her own legs were severed at the knee and ankle respectively.

How you ask?

With the courage you would use in a similar situation. If you see a capacity or strength in another, be sure you would not be able to perceive it if you did not possess it.

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

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Blessings from Bill ….

It is my understanding that certain Olympic athletes are being told not to shake hands during the upcoming Olympics for fear of contracting diseases and therefore lowering the possible medal count.

I wonder whether winning or human understanding should be the goal of such events?


 

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

]]> http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/04/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-74/feed/ 0 Sharing a moment of mindfulness … http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/03/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-73/ http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/03/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-73/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 13:56:58 +0000 Bill Cumming http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/?p=2443 Blessings from Bill ….

Recently I used the expression “pushing up the daisies” in a mixed-age group of people. No one under the age of 25 knew what it meant.

While at death of this body, I intend to donate any usable parts as organ transplants, leaving the rest to medical science (for studies on the prolonged use of aspartame, if nothing else), toasting the remains to be used perhaps to fertilize the daisies rather than push them up as a casket might, it brought clearly to mind the need for us to be sure that what we say is understood by those with whom we are speaking.

I wonder when young people become aware of the fact that they are not immortal? 

With all my love and every blessing!

 

Bill

 

]]> http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/03/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-73/feed/ 0 Sharing a moment of mindfulness … http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/03/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-68/ http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/2012/03/sharing-a-moment-of-mindfulness-68/#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:12:32 +0000 Bill Cumming http://www.theboothbyinstitute.org/?p=2374 Blessings from Bill ….

If you want to experience a wild ride, sit in good light and look at your wrist. Don’t think about looking at your wrist, look at it.

What do you see?

Skin?

Tiny hair follicles?

Veins?

Blood moving?

Your heart beating?

Are you seing the life in you?

Nice gift.

With all my love and every blessing!

Bill

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