Tag: grief

The Artist Within: Part II

Sharing my remembrance of Jon with “The Artist Within” I want to add these thoughts,

I am so grateful to know so little and have it count so much.

Here are my keys to being the Artist I AM.

Remember: Love is my origin.

This I know: When I remain in my personal spiritual practice and what I have gained through the years –God/Spirit/Universal Energy is for me there is naught against me and there are 100,000 angels watching over me. Life is not an easy do – but it is a priceless gift of opportunity to live from the awareness – Love is my Source of well-being for myself and others.

Everything comes to pass … I can hold on to nothing.

This I know: Ongoing pain and struggle in life is not letting go and moving on. The streams and rivers only flow forward and let me honor where the currency is moving me and trust the Love in my midst to carry me on and sustain me.

There is no “there” to reach … only “here and NOW to be and the more I seek is ever present here and NOW.

This I know: Everything I need as I need it where I need it. I have it …. The more is here in this present moment … claim it, trust it, live it. I move on in Trust – and angels prepare the way before me.

No person, place, nor thing stands in the way of my personal Victory. I am the author of my life.

This I know:  As all of you, I have moved through immense changes in my life and had my losses, deep grief and at times felt betrayed and wounded. There is always a time to address our wounds, and it is vital to heal and bring new understanding to them. However, I am not the walking wounded … I am the walking Victor!

Forgiveness is essential to my body, mind, and spirit.

This I know: I cannot afford to hold animosity, judgments and unforgiveness against anyone. As with my wounds … I must feel what is the reality of the moment and work my way through to where I can let go and move on. Unforgiveness keeps me bound to the past and I give my power away to that person, event, or circumstance. It is not true that I cannot change the past … every time I see it from new light and understanding I change its impact upon myself, and I contribute not only to my own healing but enrich the world consciousness as well.

And finally …

Love carries me onward and home.

This I know:  From birth to birth (death is my birthing on another plane) … Love is my origin … love has carried me through, and love will carry me home. My life and artistry are shining through that Love. The impact I have upon others is solely through that Love.

My canvas is my faith, my courage, my trust to rise through the adversities and challenges I come upon. I am always at choice as to how I respond to what is before me.

Let’s all commit to open to the Artist Within.

Here is my prayer –

Let us express the artist within, free of judgment and imagined sin. Encourage the artist in one another, our gifts here to be seen, expressing heart and soul without judgment or blame, see the light we each bring through the soul’s eternal spring, where condemnation has never been, where it only gives life to the Artist Within.

Love, Charles

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

The Artist Within

Art Supplies: Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

This blog is to honor an eternal friend named Jon. We are witnessing a return to validating prejudice that denies the wonder of our diversity, which is a quest from birth that we are here to express our unique being. I offer this affirmation to celebrate your Being whatever age you are. Beloved, Jon, your heart-print is upon me.

“I celebrate the Artist within me that has created the beauty of my authenticity!”

Jon made his transition by suicide in April of 2009 after intense struggles, emotionally, physically, and coming to terms with his own identity and self-acceptance. I had the privilege of counseling him for a period and I honor the gift of his soul that he imprinted upon me. His health deteriorated, his addictions, and his despair overwhelmed him. He was a gifted artist, and I wrote this in his honor.

The Artist Within

There is an artist within each of us.
Through pain, love, joy, loss, and gain,
The artist emerges, the soul to express.
Yet the harshness of the world can so repress,
the sacred gifts we each possess.

Only when the false judgments we free
do we begin to realize and see,
The wonder that is you and me.
As in nature, there is a purpose for each to be,
a pure essence within, forever true,
an unconditioned love in which to view,
Everyone is here, as a vessel to share,
the artist within, with tender, loving care.

What beauty we shall reveal,
when the artist we no longer conceal.
when we see one another purely and real,
each with unique gifts, our passion to feel,
no longer fearing how others see our living,
but singularly defined by what is ours to be giving.
The artist … opening the soul for all to know,
We are here as a species to evolve and grow.

It is through the artist we find our humanity,
as each piece in a mosaic creates a work of beauty,
we each add onto the other … our artistry.
Let us express the artist within,
free of judgment and imagined sin.
Encourage the artist in one another, our gifts here to be seen,
expressing heart and soul without judgment or blame,
see the light we each bring through the soul’s eternal spring,
where condemnation has never been,
where it is only giving life to the artist within.

There is an artist within each of us, and I create the colors, the content, and the subject of my life canvas through my personal story and journey. We each bring to the canvas of humanity our personal struggles and triumphs and how we have dealt with them contributes to the world we all experience.

Each dawn I awaken to the opportunity to express my heart and soul, and the question: “What can I bring to this soul journey to add to the collective heart and consciousness of humankind?” I may not pose those questions daily; however, they are vital as to what I am creating in my life experience.

There is no magic pill for happiness. At the heart of what all the great Masters and Mystics have taught – that we are always living what we are believing about ourselves and others. May my journey contribute to the world the remembrance we all have value and make the heart-print upon others that Jon made upon me!

A note about artistry, not everyone is an artist in the usually defined sense. We are not all writers, nor do we create sculptures or art on canvas, write music or are on stage and film. The reality for all of us – our lives are a gift and we each have artistry to bring to what we do!

We live in a world that does not always encourage our authentic expression as a soul. We are told early on there are what the world wants us to be and the roles we are to play. Roles defining men/women, and religions that define who we “should be.” instead of celebrating the unique creativity within each of us and encouraging us to enjoy the adventure of self-discovery as to what is our song to sing.

Being the artist means that you have an intention to create your life in the most meaningful, expressive, and loving way you can. It’s not about great accomplishments. In fact, it may be the smallest of things. It’s all about our intention to bring purpose and meaning to our lives.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk.

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

Better or Bitter?

I Rise - Charles Geddes

Be aware of your 2 choices in life – better with gratitude or bitter with complaints.

This Principle is the ultimate key to all the others. Better shines through Gratitude and bitter shows through resentments and unforgiveness. Bitter is a poison to my body. Key remembrance – Be in Gratitude – Pre-Pray your way every day. My ancestors are in Truth heralding me on for my soul evolution. The inquiry: What stories am I carrying forward for world healing?

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”
– Nelson Mandela

I have changed the word “bitter shows through “complaints” as the principle originally stated, to resentments and unforgiveness. Those two factors do keep us bound to past pain that blocks our personal freedom and well-being.

No matter what we face at any age – it’s how we choose to rise from our experiences that define our character and what we carry forward!

I believe with every decade of our lives – we live lifetimes. When I view my life from decades – from birth to 10 – 10 to 20 – 20 to 30, and ongoing, my life had quantum changes – dark nights and extraordinary joy, grief and profound love, disappointments and loss and coming to value my growth as the observer and not the judge!

I have done deep work through my years of study and ministry. I honor that have touched lives. I have also carried deep grief, anger and pain that remained in my tissues – literally! (See Angel Howard’s book – Issues in the Tissues – available now.)

The decision to do deeper personal therapy in my 80’s has brought that to the forefront of my awareness.

Though every session of my current therapy is not an intense one, I have experienced profound breakthroughs in releasing resentments, judgments and unforgiveness within myself that I did not know were as deep as they were.

I see Charles in his 80’s more compassionately and I am observing the judgments I made that I see with new clarity and healing insight – about myself and others.

I send forth my prayers for forgiveness to all that I have hurt or injured not only in this lifetime, but through all my soul’s journey. Where I can make amends in this lifetime, I do. Most importantly of all I can genuinely see I made decisions based on what I believed at the time. My beliefs have evolved and changed! Love and forgiveness of myself has been the liberating factor,

I do know depression and a sense of hopelessness – (my suicide attempt in my 20’s) and being in a psyche ward. I do know grief and sadness and an overwhelming sense of loss. (My AIDS support work with the group Together to Grow in the late 80’s – mid 90’s). I do know great disappointments throughout my life, and I also honor how I have risen – no matter what it may have required. My angel guides conveying to me – “Charles, breathe through this time, we have your back and are preparing the way forward for you – we are always with you!”

My capacity to love Charles now is authentic, for I no longer have the need to prove myself. I simply want to share what is in my heart to be and give. My capacity of forgiveness – deeper than ever because I want to cross over into my eternity with a sense of no judgment against anyone or anything in my past.

Two choices – yes, it’s that simple – better or bitter. I choose to look in the mirror and be able to exclaim – Charles, you are getting better!

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.

Grief Rooted in the Depth of Love

I want to share a personal reflection that has given me countless “moments” of recalling Transcendental Love.

The ongoing reality of our earth journey encompasses overwhelming grief and loss.

My 50+ years as a Minister in New Thought and founding in the late 80’s into the mid 90’s a non-profit HIV Support Group called “Together to Grow” (TTG) I have encompassed immense grief, personally and collectively.

I’m placing this sharing under “Transcendental Love” because at the root of our deepest grief is the reality of that love.

Deep grief never leaves us; however, it can be the way we move on to meaningful purpose to honor that love.

A TIMELESS MOMENT

I’ve had the JOY of being a founder of a spiritual retreat – now called the Big Sky Retreat in Montana, formerly Grand Teton Retreat – now in its 48th year.

During the late 80’s to mid-90’s of the AIDS epidemic, I was able to bring beloved friends from my TTG group to Wyoming and the Grand Tetons. It was miraculous that this was able to happen. We had rented a van, and we were driving through Yellowstone, laughing, and feeling the depth of our love being together. We were absorbing the wonder of the buffalo and the beauty around us. Suddenly, my soul brother and co-founder of TTG, David, began to weep uncontrollably. We were all silenced as he was in the front seat and those of us in the back put our hands upon his shoulders.

“David, what’s wrong, what’s going on?” as we sought to calm him. After he gained control he said simply, “We’re together and this is so beautiful, I’m so grateful.” I’ll never forget that moment. I said farewell to cherished friends through those years, including David. TTG dissolved after the depth of losses we experienced, and there was no way to continue.

My grief throughout that time was in seeing so many younger than myself leaving this plane and that I was still here! What I have come to know is that their love and that “Transcendental Moment” has been integral to what has carried me on throughout my life.

From Kahili Gibran on Joy and Sorrow

“Then a woman said, Speak to us of joy and sorrow.

And he answered:
“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked,
And the self-same joy from which your laughter rises, was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper the sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”

Our grief and loss do contain joy and sorrow – and the remembrance of love is what moves us on. Find good purpose in our own moving on!

Monthly Theme and Weekly Speakers.

Every month, we take the Key Principles of MYOB and put them into practice in our lives. Looking at the deeper call before us — What are we each to “Be” to bring about societal change through our soul evolution in ways that establish justice, love, and care for all – without exception. Please join us weekly on Thursdays at 7 p.m. EDT for our virtual program.