PHDinMeBlog- I miss my blog! LEAP DAY 2016

©Photography by Shona

 

Hey Scholars!

Man, I have missed my blog!  I think about you guys everyday!  I think about my faithful Commenters;)  AND Likers;) and even the new members who have joined our community obviously based on past blog post!  

I know, I know- if I have missed you all so much how come I haven’t been around as much! Lol!  I always imagine people saying what I would say!  LOL!  The answer is because I have really been taking the time to think about me and my message!  It’s odd because we change each day, at least those of us who are doing the work to become the best versions of ourselves.  We don’t always notice it in the day to day but it is happening.

For example, I remember years ago reading The Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle.  When I read this book, It was truly pivotal for me.  As an introvert I had always appreciated quiet and being by myself but it had never been put into words for me the way this author had done it.  I had never heard of him before but as soon as I finished that book I immediately to see if he had anymore titles and I came upon his book, The Power of Now.  This book opened my eyes to a new reality and with each truth I could feel my mind expanding.  In the religious tradition I had been a part of, I should not have even been reading those books supposedly, I could tell that by the vocabulary the authors would use and the references they would make to non Christian sources, but somehow, I could sense the truth in what I was reading and so I kept on but I most certainly didn’t tell anyone.  Many of the books I read in my closet!  LOL!  But it’s true!

©Photography By Shona

 

I REALLY turned a corner when I began to read books by the Buddist Monk Thich Nhat Han.  I had seen him on an interview and he and I shared a deep admiration of Dr. Martin Luther Kind Jr.  He had known Dr. King and was devastated by his murder.  When I heard him speak of his dismay, although I was not even born at the time he spoke of, my heart and Spirit was in total alignment with this adorable little old man and I nearly wept at the grief he expressed which was still palpable.  

BUT, I wasn’t supposed to be listening to a Buddhist Monk.  I was a Christian with Conservative values who most assuredly my religion, salvation and most likely end up back sliding and going to hell if I did such a thing.  This is what I was taught and this is what I believed and this is just a sampling of Authors and books but it grew and so did my mind.  I began to be stunned at the miseducation and the power of the mind or rather the lack of power of the mind when it’s growth is stunted.  Even more, I began to be stunned at how this arrested mental development actually affected the MAJORITY of the human population as opposed to the minority and I knew it full well because I was one of them!

Today, I sit here a product of those and so many more books, authors, mentors and just plain positive people of all walks of life.  Today I sit here completely and utterly heterosexual but OUT OF THE CLOSET!  LOL!!  Today, I sit (because after all I am literally sitting as I type- haha!) More FREE than I have ever been in my life in Mind and Spirit!  And in spite of my fears I pushed through and I find that the path I chose in following Jesus has just gotten STRONGER and more illuminated!  Certainly  not the wrath I thought would come upon me if I was ever “found out”.  Today I realize I am TRULY experiencing the Liberty (Freedom) that Christ came for me to have more so than I ever did before and quite frankly more than MOST well meaning folks I know who are faithful servants of the institutional church.  Bless there hearts for real, but I am SO glad I have been redeemed from that bondage- WHEW!!!  And to that THE CHURCH said- AMEN!

©Photography by Shona

So, what I have been doing is trying to be still enough to hear the Holy Spirit within and listen.  I have been trying to show my Love and Appreciation to God for His Love for me as shown in so many different ways but specifically by how blessed I am to be one of the ones whose eyes (spiritual) have been opened.  People DIE without having that happen and that I know full well because I have been to the funerals of lifetime FOOLS!  I know that’s not what we are supposed to say about the so called dead but as I said, I walk in Freedom today. So as long as it’s in love, I now say what I want to say when necessary and always with dignity!   Right now I am pressing in to develop my voice and see how I am to be used to share the lessons and messages that come to me with whomever else they are for and I know although the message has one central theme- LOVE-the illustrations I am to share and the people are who are affected will be many.  I am trying hard to move in obedience to Holy Spirit and to do so swiftly.  In the past hesitation gave doubt the time to rise and before I knew it the Spirit was quenched, which means the light was turned off.

BUT thankfully, the electricity was always still circulating behind the walls and although it was off it was not out! YES!  Right now, I intend to keep the fire burning and currently it’s been going steady and I am so grateful and happy about that.  It has NOT been easy but there is a steady heat from the flames!  Gotta throw wood and oil on from time to time- haha!  But she’s still a crackling!  HAHAHA!  

So that what this blog post is about today!  I wanted to be obedient and take the time to tell you all that I am here and ON FIRE!!!!!  Like me, the blog may not look exactly like it looked before in terms of content but no matter what it will be the true me.  I hear a lot of people make money from their blogs and people have even mentioned that I should do that but I like my blog being and my blog community being the “granola crunchy” way that it is.  I will mention my businesses because that is a part of my pursuit, but I wanna keep my blog about the ART of being! I hope you are excited about that because I am!  Yay for ART in a highly Tech glorified world!  But really isn’t everything ART even Tech?  But I digress- ha!  That also means that if any ads come up on this blog it’s because currently I am using the free wordpress NOT because I am using ads for revenue.  NO.  And why are those ads the weirdest and grossest looking pictures whenever we do see them!  They are just bizarre and don’t even look like they are representing anything real!?!?  OK, another digression!  LOL!

SO (raise your glasses or hands!) here’s to a lifetime of GROWTH, FREEDOM and the Pursuit of a Higher Degree in Me– And YOU!

©Photography by Shona

So it’s been a while!  Talk to me!  What’s new?  How are you spending YOUR LEAP Day?  Are you getting out of the box and making any BIG LEAPS???  I hope so!  Let me know!!

Light and Love,

SHONA (the SKYWATCHER;)

Be Sure to FOLLOW PHDinMeBlog NOW- because when else should it be?!?!  :)))