Buddha’s Wisdom

 

 Here is an excerpt from the book, The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist: 

htttp://www.amazon.com/dp/0393050971?tag=wwwintegratio20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0393050971&adid=0BVB1Q9PJG4YPTJRN8X7&

Buddha told his followers that whatever they chose to give their attention, their love, their appreciation, their listening, and their affirmation to would grow in their life and in their world. 

He likened one’s life and the world to a garden ~ a garden that calls for sunlight and nourishment and water to grow.
 

In that garden are the seeds of compassion, forgiveness, love, commitment, courage and all the qualities that affirm and inspire us.

Alongside those seeds and in the same garden are the seeds of hatred, the seeds of prejudice, the seeds of vengeance, the seeds of violence, and all the other hurtful, destructive ways of being.

These seeds and many more like them exist in the same garden.  The seeds that grow are the seeds we tend with our attention.

Our attention is like water and sunshine, and the seeds we cultivate will grow and fill our garden. 

If we choose to invest our attention in the seeds of scarcity ~ acquisition, accumulation, greed, and all that springs from those seeds ~ then scarcity is what will fill the space of our life and the space of our world. 

If we tend the seeds of sufficiency with our attention, and use our money like water to nourish them with soulful purpose, then we will enjoy that bountiful harvest. 

 

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Secrets for Professional Success!

 

The book, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill is an incredible outline of principles that apply to all areas of life – not just the financial arena. 

Originally written in the mid 1950’s this book has the seeds of many modern day thinkers. In fact, according to it’s authors, echoes of Hill’s principles can be found in books by people as diverse as Wally “Famous” Amos, Mary Kay Ash, Ken Blanchard, Chicken Soup for the Soul authors, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, Shakti Gawain, John Gray, Tommy Lasorda, Art Linkletter, Joan Lunden, Brian Tracey, Lillian Vernon, Anthony Robbins, Deepok Chopra, Steven Covey and others.

Hill sites a six stage process to obtain your desires:

1) Fix and hold in your mind exactly what you want. The ancient yogi’s call this “singleness of purpose”.  Today’s language uses the word, focus. 

2) Determine exactly what you intend to give so that you are both in a giving and receiving state. The ability to let go of expectations is part of the releasing aspect.  Coaching can help you manage the balance between keeping your thoughts energized and letting go of overly specific results.

3) Establish a definite date when you intend to manifest your desire.

4) Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put your plan into action.

5) Write out in a clear, concise statement, your desire, what you intend to give in return and clearly describe the plan through which you intend to acquire your desire.

6) Read your written statement aloud, twice daily. Read it just before retiring at night, and read it once after arising in the morning. As you read; see, feel and believe yourself already in the place you are envisioning.

At a time when the notion of our thoughts holding vibrational power was not popular or believed, Swami Sivanada wrote, “Thought Power” in 1887. This book is steeped in yogic tradition reminding us of ancient teachings that have been in our midst throughout history.

Long before yoga became mainstream, many spiritual masters taught that these teachings which have been passed along throughout generations are “a very old wine packaged in a variety of fresh new bottles”.

This week, be conscious of what you let into your environment. The energies of people, programs, gatherings, objects, etc. affect your vibration. 

If you journal, be conscious of the habit of only writing about what you don’t like or want to experience.  Retrain yourself to write ONLY about what you appreciate and value.  What you focus upon expands in direct proportion to the amount of time you spend on it. 

Your focus is your emotional currency.  Spend your currency on thoughts and feelings that enrich your life instead of those that drain your energy and reinforce a negative mind-set.

If you have set specific goals for yourself, make a concerted effort to only surround yourself with those energies that are in alignment with your aspirations.

Take yourself seriously and surround yourself with people that enhance your sense of well being and are like-minded.

If you would like to learn more about the power of your thoughts, please feel free to contact me at ic@integrationcoaching.com.

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Shifting Perspectives ~ at work

Here is an opportunity to be reminded of how situations in our professional life appear depending upon where we are in relationship to the circumstances. 

The CFO’s tasks include minimizing expenditures, the Marketing Director’s job includes maximizing exposure and impact of the company’s brand and the Human Resource Director’s task includes handling the emotional and legal climate of the company. 

How well these individuals relate to one another and their respective roles in the company will have significant impact on the overall success of the organization. 

How do you manage the appearance of a different point of view?  How do you navigate the emotional waters of conflict in new ways?  Will you benefit from learning a new skill set so that you can expand your current capacity to relate and converse? 

Look at this clip and remember what you already know.  Gaining perspective can shift every area of your life. 

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html  

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

A friend of mine sent this to me today – Valentine’s Day – and it’s a lovely reminder of how we hold each other in our “mind’s eye”.   

On a trip to Kiniwata Island in the Pacific I had the most extraordinary experience.  The island was outrageously beautiful and I had an enjoyable time, but the thing I remember most about my trip was the fact “Johnny Lingo gave eight cows for his wife.”   I remember Johnny every time I see a man belittle his wife or a wife demean her husband.  When I see either one treat their partner with scorn, I say to them, “You need to know why Johnny Lingo gave eight cows for his wife!” 

Johnny Lingo is known throughout the islands for his skills, intelligence, and savvy. If you hire him as a guide, he will show you the best fishing spots and the best places to get pearls. Johnny is also one of the sharpest traders in the islands. He can get you the best possible deals. The people of Kiniwata all speak highly of Johnny Lingo. Yet, when they speak of him, they always smile just a little mockingly. 

A couple days after my arrival to Kiniwata, I went to the manager of the guesthouse to see who he thought would be a good fishing guide. “Johnny Lingo,” said the manager. “He’s the best around. When you go shopping, let him do the bargaining.  Johnny knows how to make a deal.” 

“Johnny Lingo!” hooted a nearby boy, “Yea, Johnny can make a deal alright!” 

“What’s going on?” I asked, “Everybody tells me to get in touch with Johnny Lingo and then they start laughing.  What’s going on?” 

“Johnny’s the brightest and strongest young man in the islands,” the manager said.  “He’s also the richest for his age.” “But …” I protested. “… if he’s all you say he is, why does everyone laugh at him behind his back?” 

“Well, there is one thing. Five months ago, at the fall festival, Johnny Lingo came to Kiniwata and found himself a wife. He gave her father eight cows!” I knew enough about the local island customs to be impressed. A dowry of two or three cows would net a fair wife and four or five cows would net a very nice wife. 

“Wow!” I said. “Eight cows! She must have beauty that takes your breath away.” “She’s not ugly, …” he conceded with a little smile, “… but calling her ‘plain’ would definitely be a compliment. Sam Karoo, her father, was afraid she would never marry and instead of being stuck with her, he received eight cows for her hand in marriage!  Isn’t that extraordinary? This price has never ever been paid before!” 

The next afternoon I wanted to fish and find the extraordinary pearls the islands were known to cultivate, so I went to the island of Nurabandi.  As I asked for the directions to Johnny’s house, I noticed Johnny’s neighbors were also amused at the mention of his name.  When I met the slim, serious young man I could see immediately why everyone respected his skills. However, this only reinforced my confusion over him.  

As we sat in his house, he asked me, “You come here from Kiniwata?” 

“Yes.”  My curiosity overrode my concern about being polite and I asked, “People there say you exceeded the normal marriage offering of only two cows.  They say you gave eight cows and you grossly overpaid for your wife.” I paused. “They wonder why.” 

“They ask that?” His eyes lighted with pleasure. “Everyone in Kiniwata knows about the eight cows?” I nodded. 

“And in Nurabandi, everyone knows it too?” His chest expanded with satisfaction. “Always and forever, when they speak of marriage settlements, it will be remembered that Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for Sarita.” 

So that’s the answer, I thought: Vanity. 

Just then Sarita entered the room to place flowers on the table. She stood still for a moment to smile at her husband and then left. She was clearly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The lift of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, and the sparkle in her eyes all spelled self-confidence and pride. Not an arrogant and haughty pride, but a confident inner beauty that radiated in her every movement.  I turned back to Johnny and found him looking at me curiously.  

“You find her beautiful?” he murmured. “She … she’s gorgeous.” I said. “Obviously, this is not the one everyone is talking about. She can’t be the Sarita you married on Kiniwata.” 

“There’s only one Sarita. Perhaps, she doesn’t look the way you expected?” 

“She doesn’t. I heard she was homely. They make fun of you because you let yourself be cheated by Sam Karoo.” 

“You think eight cows were too many?” A smile slid over his lips. 

“No, but how can she be so different from the way they described her?” 

Johnny said, “Think about how it must make a girl feel to know her husband paid a very low dowry for her? It must be insulting to her to know he places such little value on her. Think about how she must feel when the other women boast about the high prices their husbands paid for them. I would not let this happen to my Sarita.” 

“So, you paid eight cows just to make your wife happy?” 

“Well, of course I wanted my Sarita to be happy, but there’s more to it than that. You say she is different from what you expected. This is true. Many things can change a woman. There are things that happen on the inside and things that happen on the outside. However, the thing that matters most is how she views herself. In Kiniwata, Sarita believed she was worth nothing. As a result, that’s the value that she projected. Now, she knows she is worth more than any other woman on the islands.  Because she feels valued, she is happy and very good to me.  We have a good and happy life.”

“Then you wanted …”  “I wanted to marry Sarita. She is the only woman I love.” 

“But …” I was close to understanding. “But,” he finished softly, “I wanted an eight-cow wife.” 

Think about your words and actions (both public and private). Do your words and actions make your mate feel s/he is worth eight cows or just one cow?  You are cheating yourself and your partner when you minimize your partner’s value by projecting that they are worth only one cow.  

If you cause damage in this way, your loved one’s will start acting like a one cow person and your life will be miserable.   

As a general rule people respond according to the value you place on them.  Place a higher value on yourself and others by cherishing those that you love.  Your life will be richer and more joyful living this way. 

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

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Tree Greetings

TREEGREETINGS . . . the eCard that Plants a Tree!

Here’s a really cool idea . . . for someone special AND the earth. Each eCard you send plants trees that give shade, homes for animals and life producing oxygen!

Appreciate a friend, thank a loved one, reward an employee, dazzle a client, wow your family, and celebrate a holiday!

Each personalized eCard includes beautiful music, a tree planting tour of the sites, an instantly printable full color personalized certificate AND an 18″-36″ tree planted in their name in Central America. 

For additional information, please visit:  http://www.integrationcoaching.com/ripples.htm and please tell your friends and colleagues about this fun gift of giving!

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Living From the Neck Up…

One day, Barry went to a lawyer friend for advice.  “I’m in real trouble” he said. “My neighbors across the road are going on vacation for a month; and instead of boarding their dogs they are going to keep them locked up and a woman is coming to feed them, if she doesn’t forget.  

Meanwhile they’ll be lonely and bark all day and howl all night, and I won’t be able to sleep. I’ll either have to call the SPCA to haul them away or I’ll go berserk and go over there and shoot them and then when my neighbors return, they’ll go berserk and come over and shoot me.” 

The lawyer patted back a delicate yawn. “Let me tell you a story,” he said. “And don’t stop me if you’ve heard it before because it will do you good to hear it again.”  

“A fellow was speeding down a country road late at night and BANG! went a tire. He got out and looked but he had no jack.  “Then he said to himself. ‘Well, I’ll just walk to the nearest farmhouse and borrow a jack.” 

“He saw a light in the distance and said, ‘Well, I’m in luck; the farmer’s up. I’ll just knock on the door and say I’m in trouble; would you please lend me a jack? “And he’ll say, why sure, neighbor, help yourself, but please bring it back.” 

“He walked on a little farther and the light in the farmhouse went out, so he said to himself, ‘Now he’s gone to bed, and he’ll be annoyed because I’m bothering him just when he’s trying to get to sleep AND he’ll probably want some money for borrowing his jack.  And I’ll say, “It isn’t very neighborly of you to ask, but I’ll give you a quarter.”

And he’ll say, do you think you can get me out of bed in the middle of the night and then offer me just a quarter? Give me a dollar or you can get yourself a jack somewhere else.’  

“By the time the man got to the farmhouse the fellow had worked himself into a frenzy. He turned into the gate and muttered. ‘A dollar! All right, I’ll give you a dollar. But not a cent more! A poor fellow has an accident and all he needs is a jack. You probably won’t let me have one no matter what I give you. That’s the kind of guy you are.’  

“Which brought him to the door and he knocked angrily, loudly. The farmer stuck his head out the window above the door and hollered down, ‘Who’s there? What do you want?’ The fellow stopped pounding on the door and yelled up, ‘You and your stupid jack! You know what you can do with it?!'”  

When Barry stopped laughing, he started thinking, and he said, “Is that what I’ve been doing?”  “Right,” the lawyer said, “and you’d be surprised how many people come to a lawyer for advice, and instead of calmly stating the facts, they start building up a big imaginary fight; including what he’ll say to his partner, what she’ll say to her husband, or how they’ll tell the old man off about his will. So I tell them the story about the jack and they cool off.  

“The next time I hear from them, one tells me that the partner was glad to meet him halfway; the gal says she can’t understand it, her husband was so reasonable she thought she must have gotten somebody else on the phone; the relatives found out the old man had already been asking a lawyer how he could give everything to them before he died, to save them inheritance tax.”  

Barry thought, “How true! Most of us go through life bumping into obstacles we could easily bypass; inadvertently asking for a fight and lashing out in blind rage at imagined wrongs and duplicitous foes.  

“And we don’t even realize what we are doing until someone startles us one day with a vivid word like a lightning flash on a dark night.”  

Well, the other night Barry was driving home from the city. He was late for dinner and hadn’t phoned his wife. As he crawled along in a line of cars, he became more and more frustrated and angry. He thought to himself: “I’ll tell her I was caught in the heavy weekend traffic and she’ll say, ‘Why didn’t you phone me before you left town?’   

“Then I’ll say, “What difference does it make anyway, I’m here!” And she’ll say, “Yes, and I’m here, too, and I’ve been here all day waiting to hear from you!”

And I’ll say, “I suppose I haven’t anything else to do but call you up every hour on the hour and make like a lovebird!” And she’ll say, “You never are nice when you call, rather you are mean, demanding – like a dictator!”  

By this time Barry was turning into the drive and he is plenty steamed up. As he jumped out and slammed the car door, his wife flung open the window upstairs.  “All right!” Barry shouted up to her, “Say it!”  

“I will,” she cooed softly with a smile on her face. “Wanna borrow a jack?” 

 

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A Large Sphere of Influence

 

A friend of mine sent me this message today and I thought I’d share it with you…

A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our Small Tennessee town.  From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family.  The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a few months later. 

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family.  In my young mind, he had a special niche.  My parents were only complementary instructors:  Mom taught me the word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it.  But the stranger… He was our storyteller.  He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future!   He even took my family to the first major league ball game!

He made me laugh, and he made me cry. 

The stranger never stopped talking, and Dad didn’t seem to mind.  Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to her room and read her books (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them.  Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home… not from us, our friends or any visitors.   Over time, our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush.

My Dad was also a teetotaler who didn’t permit alcohol in the home, not even for cooking.  But the stranger quietly encouraged us to try it on a regular basis.  Sitting in our living room he smoked and through his example made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. 

He talked freely about sex and his comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. Even to this day I don’t know how he got away with it.  Perhaps it was because he did it slowly – over time.  In the beginning he just barley crossed the line so that while it pushed my parents buttons, he somehow was still under their radar.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger.  Through him I learned how to treat the opposite sex and learned through stories and pictures what was “normal behavior”.  Time after time, our live-in visitor opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked… and NEVER asked to leave!

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family.  Through the years, dad stopped exercising and reading in favor of spending time with our friend. 

Even as he ages, our newest family member seamlessly blends in with all of our friends and we have come to depend on him.  He is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first and on some level he knows this so he gets louder and louder as a result – hoping to recapture our attention. 

Everyone complains but our family and friends still feel compelled to sit with him – as if on schedule.  

You know, if you were to walk into my parent’s den today, you would find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and assert his influence.   He’s still there.  His name …. ???

We just call him, “TV.”

He has a younger sister now.

We call her “The Computer.”

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Your Voice Was Heard ~ You Made a Difference!

 

The OJ book and movie was quashed.  You made a difference.  You took a stand and the tides changed as a result.  You are amazing.  Please visit:   www.dontpayOJ.com for more information on how our collective consicousness and the gathering of forces is changing the world.  You are not a victim.  You are a strong voice and you were heard.  Well done!

To your best life,
Stacy

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Twelve Priceless Gifts of Giving that are FREE!

1.  The Gift of a Compliment:  A simple and sincere, “You look happy!”, “You radiate kindness!”, “That meal was delicious!, “I love laughing with you!”, “You make me smile”, “I noticed the amount of effort and care you put into our meal” ~ find a way to give the gift of a compliment, it can make someone’s day.

2.  The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition:  The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word or gesture to someone.  Look for the positive in every situation.  Give someone the benefit of the doubt.

3.  The Gift of a Written  Note:  It can be a simple, “Thanks for the help!” note, a full sonnet or a meaningful remembrance.  A brief, handwritten note from you may be cherished for a lifetime.

4.  The Gift of Seeing Someone in their Highest and Best Light:  Noticing when someone is doing something right, kind, helpful, thoughtful, selfless, or simply seeing them in this way in spite of evidence to the contrary, can add enormous benefit to a person’s well being.

5.  The Gift of Prayer:  Sending loving and healing prayers to the Divine for someone else’s benefit can heal in spite of physical, mental or emotional distance.

6.  The Gift of Laughter:  Clip cartoons. Share funny stories, books and movies to add lightheartedness to the lives of everyone involved.

7.  The Gift of Affection:  Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back, handholding, caressing, stroking and reaching out to another.  These small actions demonstrate your love for family and friends.

8.  The Gift of Listening:  Really listen.  Resist interrupting, don’t daydream, don’t plan a retort or response.  Just listen and be fully present.  When we have this undivided and nurturing attention from another we feel seen.

9.  The Gift of Solitude:  There are times when we want nothing more than to be left alone.  Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude without taking it personally.

10.  The Gift of a Favor:  Either ask what you can for someone to ease their day or simply open the door for the person entering a store and let them go in before you.  Give up your seat on the bus to someone who looks tired.  Decide to cull your closet of the items you don’t use, let go of items that bring up bad memories for you and donate them to charity.  Shovel snow off of your neighbors sidewalk or offer to mow their lawn.

11.  The Gift of Reading Aloud:  Gather your friends and/or family by the fire and take turns reading a story to one another.  Enjoy the give and take of being animated while reading and then sinking into comfort while its your turn to listen.

12.  Do Something Random and Kind for a Stranger:  Decide not to fight about who’s “owns” the lane on the freeway, just let the car next to you pass easily.  Flash your headlights to let them know it is safe.

 I would love to have you add to this list. 
Please contribute your thoughts about other priceless gifts we can give to one another for FREE!

Happy Holidays!

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Saving “Me Time” During the Holiday’s

 

The Bend Bulletin newspaper has premiered it’s new “U Magazine” and in its first publication has quoted several Life and Business Coaches, including me in the article, “Saving Me Time During the Holidays”.

Please enjoy: Bend Bulletin Article

Take care and slow down ~ especially during the holiday’s.

 

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Email Scam

Hi all,

I was just sent this fictitious email by someone impersonating eBay and PayPal. Since I did not make the purchase indicated in the email, the scam artists hoped that I would click on the link they’ve provided and fill in their rebuttal form with my credit card information. If I had filled in their form, this entity would have received all of my financial data.

If you receive email messages like this and you dispute them, please contact either eBay or PayPal directly and NEVER respond to an email asking you for your account information or any type of financial information.

To your well being!

Stacy

Item Name: NEW Xbox 360 with 3 HOT
Sports Games Bundle Pack Quantity: 1 Total: $399.95 USD Cart Subtotal: $399.95 USD Shipping Charge: $20.00 USD Cart Total: $419.95 USD…………………………………………………………………
Shipping Information

Shipping info:	Sam Knecht 202 N Union St. Saco, ME 04072 United States
Address Status:	Unconfirmed

…………………………………………………………………
If you haven’t authorized this charge, click the link
below to cancel the delivery and get a full refound.

Dispute Transaction

 

 

One further note, please also notice that the word refund is misspelled above.

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The Marriage Whisperer and Creating a Federal Department of Peace

By Stacy K. Waltman

In Oprah’s November magazine the following article is published regarding utilizing the same skills we use in our personal relationships to guide us toward world peace.

http://www.mainedop.org/oprah.htm

Please take a moment to read this outstanding message which highlights the importance of using the word “AND” in place of “OR” in our thoughts and vocabulary.

When we allow multiple perspectives to occur simultaneously, we begin to broaden our understanding between people.

Retraining ourselves to look at many alternatives keeps our minds supple, our aggressive tendencies to a minimum and our lives rich. Self-righteous and entrenched positions begin to soften and relating versus controlling communication skills develop.

In conjunction with this article, there is also a movement to create a Federal Department of Peace within our government. This department will advocate non-violence and will also address issues such as child-abuse, gangs and drug addiction.

Non-violence is the governing principle of this organization. Non-violence (Ahimsa) is a broad virtue which encompasses the lack of hurtful thoughts, hurtful words and hurtful deeds directed to ourselves and each other. It begins with each one of us.

When you refrain from gossip you are practicing Ahimsa, when you are gentle to yourself and turn down your inner critic, you are practicing Ahimsa, when you speak about others with compassion instead of judgement, you are practicing Ahimsa. When you chose to cause no harm, you are practicing Ahimsa.

May you be blessed by recognizing when your own internal violence is engaged in making someone pay or in being the only one who is right and may you develop the skills to reverse this tendency and its control of your life.

 

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Mrs. Woo Woo’s World Famous Fortune Cookies

 

 

Please enjoy a fun and frivolous tale:

www.mrswoowoo.com

 

 

Have fun!

 

 

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Emerald and Silver

An Irish Folk Tale

Interpretation by Stacy K. Waltman

Ah, they say ’tis the most beautiful island in the world – this Ireland. The sky, the mountains, the ancient stones themselves bless the land with love and fill the heart with hope.

And of course the most beautiful islands have beautiful places within them, and on the northwest shore of Ireland there’s a lovely bay, where the emerald mountains come down and caress the sea, and the soft silver mists kiss the land.

Now at the heart of the bay is a small village, home for generations of fishermen and their families.

It’s not an easy life. There’s not much land available for farmin’, and the people grow only vegetables in their gardens, but the bounty of the sea keeps the people fed, and mostly happy.

I say mostly, because there’s one chap who isn’t at’ll happy. His name is Danny, and if he’s famous in the village, it’s because he hates fishin’.

Saints Patrick and Brigid as my witnesses, Danny has tried and tried but he can’t stomach fishin’ and anythin’ surroundin’ the sport.

He’s hired on every boat in the village, worked for every captain in the land, but each time Danny tries to call the job his own, he fails miserably.

Some say he’s jinxed, and all the captains believe it ~ save one – Captain Johnny McNeary – the meanest man in town.

When our story begins, Danny’s workin’ for this last man who will have ‘im, and this captain told Danny that he’d be dismissed for a little as his first mistake. There would be no second chances – no barterin’, no bickerin’.

Being famous for hatin’ ta fish, you can understand bein’ posted on the lowest job of the crew. So Danny took his lot and the days passed.

As so it goes, as the nets are drawn in with every catch, the fish are dumped at Danny’s feet, and his job is to chop off the head, chop off the tail, slit the belly, clean the entrails, and throw the tuther parts overboard to bait the tuther fish.

Smelly, back-breakin’ work, and with a suspicious captain and crew, the work is heart-breakin’ too. But what choice has he? His family must eat and there’s no other work.

So here he sits on his bench, bent ov’r in the sweatin’ sun, knife in hand, grabbin’ a fish, choppin’ off its head, choppin’ off the tail, slittin’ the belly and guttin’ the fish.

And as soon as one is cleaned and in the basket, Danny reaches for another, and another, and he works until the hold is full, or the weather makes the capt’in head back for shore.

One day, when the sun was beatin’ down and Danny’s bones cried out for rest, as he passed a clean fish to the basket and grabbed for another, he found in ‘is hands the most beautiful fish he’d ever seen.

It was not like any other fish. This fish was stream-lined, the fins and tail elegant, almost royal in their fullness and delicacy.

Vibrant purple, emerald and jade were the colors illuminatin’ the body, with a band of pure silver at the fish’s belly.

And its eyes – intelligent, large, and searchin’ – they seemed to look at Danny, and look not just at ‘im, but weave deep into ‘is soul.

Danny was awestruck. Transfixed by the beauty of the fish, and know’n for sure, he couldn’t harm this beautiful creature, let alone slit that delicate silver belly.

Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what could he do? The captain had said, “one mistake and that’s it.” But as he was a look’n at the fish, he no more could gut that fish than he could gut himself.

He looked at the stern of the boat, and the captain was looking aft. His other mates were busy do’in their posts. Did he have a chance?

He looked again, and saw that the captain was still distracted, so he quickly leaned over the side of the boat and let the fish go – returned to its home in the sea.

The fish didn’t tarry, for t’was only a second and in a flash of purple, emerald, jade and silver, the regal fish vanished.

When Danny’s mind and heart returned to the boat, his eyes looked once more aft, and, sure enough, there was the captain, staring at him hard and it was clear that he had seen it all – the whole bloody mess.

Fists on his commandin’ hips, eyes poppin’ out a their sockets and, not ta mention, beet red in the face, Captain McNeary exploded, “By God, you’ll be off this boat when we go ashore, and I’ll see to it that you never work again!”

‘Twas the longest voyage back to shore Danny ever knew and only the walk home t’wer longer, for he had to break the news to ‘is family – he was out of work, yet again.

Here’s a gray and broken heart, shoulders saggin’ as he walked, Danny so grieved that he couldn’t even weep. His family would surely starve now. Oh god, why’d he throw the blimey fish back?

Breakin’ into his misery, from somewhere behind, Danny heard the tinkerin’ of a bell, a bell like a cow would wear, and when he summoned his strength at last to turn his head ’round, sure enough there was a small cow, bein’ led by a ol’man in a tattered brown tunic.

When the man  caught up to Danny, he said, “Danny, me boy, I think you’ve seen better days. You walk like a man whose heart is broken and whose world has ended.”

Danny barley heard ‘im, so agrieved was he – so the man grabbed his arm and shook till Danny came back to ‘is senses.

The man continued, “The word has got ’round town and sure enough ‘tis a sad fortune about the boat and the captain,” the stranger continued. “You must be frettn’ about how you’ll care for the wee little ones.”

Danny was in such a state that he couldn’t remember how he knew the bloke but they must have crossed paths before, see’in how he knew ‘is story.

“I can help ya”, the man said. “Here be a fine cow, a lovely young cow, and I can tell you, she gives the sweetest and most abundant milk in the land. Me cow has never let me down, she never runs dry, and from her sweet milk you can make cream and butter and cheese. Danny, your family need’t starve. If you like, she’s yours. I’m an old man and no longer have need a her”.

Now there was somethin’ about the man that made Danny shiver, made his skin crawl just under the surface, but he couldn’t say why, so he shrugged the feeling off and noticed the cow lookin’ healthy. Danny turned to walk away as he mumbled his thanks – he had no money to buy the dream.

The man seemed to read his thoughts, for he said, “I like you, Danny and you’ve had a hard lot, so here’s me offer. The cow’s yours for three years. She’ll keep you supplied in the sweetest milk in all the land for all that time. You’ll prosper, and enjoy your life again.

And, at the end of three years I’ll come and find you, and ask you three questions. If there’s an answer to me three questions, the cow is yours forever. And if there tisn’t, then you’ll come and work for me, till the end a time. Now, what do you say?”

What choice did Danny have ?  He couldn’t let his children starve.

His skin crawled again as he nodded his head and reached for the cow’s tether and took it in hand, and the man only smiled a satisfied smile, turned and went his way.

So Danny went home, and though his sweet wife was uneasy, he told her not to worry.

Would you believe, that first year, the little cow gave the sweetest milk in the land, just like the old man said, and there was an unlimited supply?

As predicted, Danny and his family didn’t starve, for they made cream and butter and cheese, and after a while had even enough to share with neighbors.

By the second year word spread about Danny’s good fortune, and about how delicious was the milk and cream and butter and cheese, and people in the village would come and buy from Danny, and the little cow never let ’em down.

Near the beginnin’ of the third year, Danny opened a small inn aside his home, and was able to share his good fortune with travelers and pilgrims and certainly those in the village who had fallen on hard times themselves.

Life had never been so good, and all the people in the land knew Danny to be a good man, generous of heart, of warm hospitality, and always ready to help a neighbor.

In the second half of the third year though, Danny had a dream about the old man who he hadn’t thought of in all this time and remembered that the man was coming to visit at the end of the year and would ask his three questions.

All his prosperity could disappear if Danny had not the answers, so he began to study and worry in equal measure.

He got an encyclopedia, and began to study section “A”, and set to learnin’ and memorizin’ as much as he could. After a time, Danny finished “A” and turned to learnin’ section “B”.

Do you know how large is the “B” volume of the encyclopedia? – took Danny three months before he could even finish section “B”!

So in four months time Danny had only studied two volumes. He picked up his pace, but knew he would never finish in time for the old man’s visit.

Danny remembered the old man to be kind and prayen’ to the saints that the old man’s questions would be easy or that the old man might just plain forget – if he were alive a t’all.

And wouldn’t you know, at closing time, at the last stroke of midnight on the last day of the third year, there came a poundin’ on the door to Danny’s inn.

Now Danny was workin’ alone that night havin’ just locked up, for it was a blustery and cold evenin’ and the wind was howlin’ somethin’ fierce. Be’n a little nervous, as all the guests had gone home except for one man at the counter finishin’ his supper and ale, Danny paced to and fro.

The poundin’ came again, but this time even louder and when no one answered, the door was burst open to Danny’s worst fears.

This couldn’t be the same man! There wasn’t a hint of the humble old man Danny met on the road years ago.  This was clearly the Devil himself!

Danny’s skin crawled just like it did that day on the path three years ago – as fear as big as the tallest mountain crept over every pore of his tremblin’ body.

Tonight the Devil was not dressed simply in a plain tunic, nor was he leading a friendly cow. Instead his horns were sharpened to saber points, and his hooves polished to a black shine. His wicked tail slither’n on the floor like a serpent and the red of his robes full of rage and ‘is eyes they shot out a blistery fire.

The Devil strode through the doorway with power, pound’n his forked staff on the floor, and filled the room with the odor of sulfur and the magnificence of evil.

What a grand and deadly spectacle he was! Poor Danny was so petrified he couldn’t speak, nor think, nor hardly breathe, but only hold on to the counter so that he didn’t faint dead away.

And the Devil, quite pleased with himself, hissed, “So, Danny me boy, did you remember I was visitin’ ya tonight?”

Well as I said, Danny was so full of terror he couldn’t breathe, much less answer. He was tremblin’ and then just froze – stiff as a blarney stone.

And then, a strange thing’ happen’.

The man at the counter, the one patron still left in the inn, said to the Devil, “Yes, he remembered you were comin’. And what, pray tell, is your second question?”

Well, the Devil roared at his cheekiness, and thought of smitin’ the stranger on the spot, but, he’d come for Danny, and was not to be distracted from his due.

The Devil turned to Danny and spat, “You are clearly outdone boy and are no match for my fearsome powers. Are you ready for me questions or are you ready to concede?”

Looking straight at the Devil, the man at the counter said calmly, “He’s ready. And what might your third question be?”

This was not to be borne! Enraged, the Devil no longer held back his fiery fury, but turned on the man at the counter and with all of his force blazed, “Who in bloddy hell are you?”

And in the sweetest and most powerful of voices the man answered, “I am the King of Fishes. Three years ago Danny gave me back my life, and I’m here tonight to do a deed in kind. And, by the way, that was your third and final question. As you have had your three questions answered Devil, go away with your beastly self. Be gone!”

Well, the Devil knew he’d been beaten, and there was nothin’ to do but leave, his power was diminishin’ rapidly but he wouldn’t leave quietly.

Such fury, such rage, such scorchin’ heat flung about every scale of his wicked self, and when he left, the door slammed behind him so hard that the foundations of the emerald island shook to their very core.

Hours later, the smell of scorched wood and sulfur still bit the air, and menace still buzzed all around, but he was, at least, gone. Danny’s payment had been met.

When Danny was able again to catch his breath and realize he was spared, the man at the counter, the King of the Fishes, got up to leave.

He stopped, though, just at the door, turned round, and smilin’, said to Danny, “Enjoy your life now, Danny, me boy. I’ll be seein’ you ’round. And if you ever need me services, just call.”

As The King of Fishes passed through the doorway and out into the night, the light in the inn was no longer red and scorchin’, but was shimmerin’ in shades of purple, emerald, jade and silver.

THE END

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The Catepillar’s Surrender

Author:  Stacy Kamala Waltman

Before he’s able to dip into a stream of fresh wind gliding into flight, the multi-legged caterpillar first gave up his ability to dance.

Surrendering to complete darkness, his cocoon immobilized all movement. With total isolation he was afraid.

In panic he prayed, “What is happening God? I don’t like this, I feel trapped.” And God whispered, “Patience my friend, you have prayed for transformation and I am answering your prayer.”

And then God asked, “What else can you surrender?”

The caterpillar no longer felt like himself. He was uncomfortable and wanted to reverse this prayer but his body was trapped. Nothing was familiar.

Just yesterday he left his tribe of family and friends and moved to this new tree forte because he thought that’s what God wanted him to do with his life. Now he wondered why he had taken such drastic action. Had he gone mad?

So he prayed, “Haven’t I given up everything for you God? I don’t like this. Am I going to die?” And God said, “Things are not always as they appear. Be patient and trust me.”

And with great effort the caterpillar gave up his need to try to figure everything out and understand why things were the way they were.

He slept deeply and lost count of the days. When he finally awoke, his body felt odd and he cried out, “Why are you making me so uncomfortable? Have I angered you? When will we be done?”

And God answered, “Patience my friend, Soon it will all become clear.”

Feeling deep despair he thought, I really am dying, there is no God. In my delusion I must have imagined talking to him. After all, who am I to talk to God?

“Give up your thoughts, pity and anger and surrender to God completely, ” said a voice.

The first change he noticed was the light. As the days passed, more and more light came into his tiny cavern. The light brought with it a small feeling of hope and he began to feel things he couldn’t identify.

The day came when his movements became more fruitful and he no longer felt so constricted. He noticed that everything had changed.

And after moments of intense struggle, he was free and breathing in God as he flew and danced with the wind.

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Your Favorite Myth, Story, Song or Lore

Do you have a favorite myth, story, song or lore that you love to tell or love to hear? If you would be so kind, would you please email me the one that touches your heart the most?

Storytelling journeys and many thanks,
Stacy

email: ic@integrationcoaching.com

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Mavericks ~ They Were IT

By Stacy K. Waltman

It was 1924 and they shared a love for each other and for a vast, untamed Alaska and her living creatures.

Dedicating their lives to the preservation of what little remote wilderness was left in the world, they taught others how to observe nature quietly and to breathe in the smallest details of majestic horizons.

He was a field naturalist, an enormously talented artist who had an uncanny knack for cooing animals to his side. So close that some called it magic ~ a Dr. Doolittle of sorts.

She was the first female graduate of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks earning a degree in business.

She had no training and little preparation for the life they would embark upon together as man and wife. Their journey as a united soul began at three o’clock in the morning, on August 19, 1924.

In a log chapel along the Yukon River in the small riverside village of Anvik, Alaska they married and became the Murie’s – Olaus and Mardy.

Their honeymoon and life adventures together formed in the arctic wilderness with seven Siberian huskies in a dogsled team which carried the newlyweds through blizzards and tough terrain as they studied the migration patterns of caribou.

At that point in history, it was widely believed by “civilized” people that the harsh wilderness was not a place for women. It was too harsh and women were too frail.

Mardy endured a lot of criticism for her lifestyle. When asked how she managed, she once answered, “When the trail was good at all, I’d stand on the sled handlebars; otherwise, I’d have to run next to the sled. And those Alaska dogs were so eager to get into harness and go, that you could hardly restrain them in the morning,” said Mardy Murie. “They would go so fast that I just had to hang on to this curved handlebar at the back of the sled, and sometimes my arm and my feet would be flying out behind somewhere!”

Averaging approximately 20 miles a day, their honeymoon sleigh ride covered over 550 miles of wilderness Alaskan territory.

Mardy and Olaus raised their family on the open land and when asked by other women, “My goodness, wasn’t it awfully hard raising children in the wilderness?” Mardy would answer,
“Think of all the things I didn’t have to do. I didn’t have to go to a bridge party. I didn’t have to wax the floor. I didn’t have to answer the telephone and I didn’t have to be on a social committee.”

For 39 years they shared a passion and commitment to the preservation of wilderness and worked side by side in wildlife research and conservation.

Both lovers wrote books on their various expeditions together and chronicled the natural flow of long-forgotten creatures and their patterns in life and death.

In 1956, George Schaller was one of three young biologists who assisted the Murie’s on one of their trek’s – this one through the remote northeastern section of the Brooks Range in arctic Alaska.

George Schaller’s 1956 report stated:

“Dr. Olaus Murie, intimately acquainted with the North Country, taught me in his quiet way to observe and appreciate many of the aspects of the wilderness which I had formally overlooked.

Mrs. Olaus Murie, or “Mardy” as she is known to everyone, with her charm and efficiency was largely responsible for the planning of our expedition, and it was through her efforts that we accomplished everything that we set out to do.

As a result of the 1956 trip to the Sheenjek, Mardy and Olaus as well as a lot of people, fought very hard to get the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge established.

We fight for the Refuge and for the last great wilderness in the United States.

I’ve traveled in many parts of the world, in the most remote wilderness, and I don’t think people in the United States realize what a treasure they have, because there is very little remote wilderness left in the world.

It is very hard to find a place that is virtually untouched, so the Refuge is really a treasure not just for the United States but for the world.”

With the help of others, Olaus and Mardy Murie continued their environmental quest for preservation by fostering the growth and development of The Wilderness Society.

For eight years The Wilderness Society championed the government to pass a wilderness bill, protecting some of Alaska ‘s prime and pristine land until eventually, in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act.

He did not taste the fruits of the legislative bill’s passage though because in September 1963, pioneer and conservationist Olaus Murie passed away. Undeterred from their joint vision though, wife Mardy continued their quest for wilderness conservation until the age of 99.

In adventure, her’s was a life less traveled.

On some nights, Mardy’s spirit was fired by the midnight sun. On others, her soul was powered by stars that rained down from a pitch black sky.

And then there were those nights when enchantment would take flight with the aurora’s seductive dance illuminating the sky in flashes of color.

She studied the quiet and small as well as the enormous and vast and found magic through eyes that saw more than most.

The drums of her ears vibrated to a cacophony of wilderness melodies sung by a symphony of creatures that performed for no one but themselves.

She allowed herself to drink in a world of harmony and reverence and sought to share her cup overflowing with a world yet unborn.

Mardy at 88 years old:

“So, what have I said? That we live in a precarious world; that we are threatened by man’s ingenuity; that we need a less consumptive lifestyle in order to preserve the beauty and grace of our world; and that our remaining wild places, our wilderness, have to be a most important element in all our thinking and all our doing.

I think if we saved every bit of designated wilderness it wouldn’t be enough to satisfy what I think should be the normal longings of a person to know what natural country looks like.

And I think just experiencing some fairly untouched country on our planet does something for a person’s mind and soul.”

Mardy at 99 years young:

“I love to lie awake a little while at night – listening to the quietness. Only the faint sound of the river. There it is, out there – a piece of natural world – river and forest and mountains and sky, and all the creatures, safely curled up or wandering about, according to their various natures.

I lie there and listen, and feel the nightness of it all.

There is something smooth, silky, and harmonious about the night, a blessing and a benison – not simply a gap between hurried activities.”

They were mavericks and the world has been blessed with the love and generosity of their vision.

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Integrative Nutrition

 

By Stacy K. Waltman

I wanted to pass this information along to you from Integrative Nutrition.  This group is not affiliated with my company but I am impressed with what they are doing in the nutritional world of food. 

Please take a moment to read their
September newsletter below:

September 2006

Dear Reader,

There’s another thing I want to confess to you: I rarely eat at McDonald’s.

My favorite food these days is organic quinoa with fresh vegetables, which I cook for myself on many mornings.

In fact, almost all my meals are home cooked and lovingly made from organic foods purchased at a great local co-op in my small town.

I love simple, seasonal foods eaten in a calm environment. Preparing them doesn’t really take that long: a few minutes to steam the vegetables; a few minutes to put on some grains.

If I’m eating raw foods, I keep the dish very simple. If I’m eating animal food, I prepare it in a way that takes just a few minutes and is a lot less expensive than eating out.

Home-cooked food gives me an inner compass. I’ve learned to mix and match flavors and listen to my body’s deepest desires.By understanding my cravings, I understand where I’m at, where I want to go and how to get myself there. This makes me happier than any Happy Meal at McDonald’s ever could.

The benefits of preparing my own food really hit home once I became a health counselor.

I jumped off the busy corporate treadmill, slowed down and paid more attention to my body. I had plenty of time to cook organic, high-quality, whole food meals. Eating these foods all day, every day, changed my health, my energy, my thinking — my entire future. And it will change yours too.

Are you ready?

Joshua Rosenthal
Founder and Director, Integrative Nutrition

Please take a moment and visit their website:  http://www.integrativenutrition.com/

To Your Health!

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Wildly Successful and Playful!

By Stacy K. Waltman

I ran across a wonderful article about Richard Branson, the Virgin Airlines founder.  Branson created an empire by putting customer service ahead of immediate financial considerations and creating a business climate that values fun.  He doesn’t just talk about fun – he creates it and his employees live in that work culture.

“A lot of executives consistently do what’s easiest or cheapest for the business rather than the people paying the freight,” says Branson.  “Take a look at your business and ask yourself, ‘Is this how I would want to be treated if I were the customer?’

Branson has always been known for revolutionary business thinking.  On one airline trip, he recalls, “I wanted to talk to the pretty girl in the next aisle, but I was stuck in my seat the entire flight.”

Branson’s frustration inspired him to introduce stand-up bars in Virgin’s cabins.

After his wife’s manicurist suggested offering nail treatments and massages on Vigin’s flights, Branson didn’t bother with market research. “Sounds like a great idea,” he said. “Screw it, let’s do it.”

Now Virgin has 700 nail and massage therapists on staff.

For a more information, please visit:  http://www.fastcompany.com/subscr/108/open_customers-branson.html

Make-create fun today!

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