Bloom Where You Are Planted
by Michelle Maynard-Koenig
This poem is dedicated to all of the “dandelions” in the world. Keep facing the sun of your truth and grace our universe with your beauty!
Not everyone appreciates dandelions,
like they do pristine roses,
mowed down as unwanted weeds
and simply disposed of.
But I see each of us as flowers
in the garden of life,
with diverse stems and petals
contrasted in width and height.
Roses, Poppies, Daisies,
Ivy, Lilies, and Orchids so blue,
Sunflowers, Carnations, Cattails
Peonies and Dandelions, too.
Each having unique existence of
personality, beauty and purpose,
with nectar of love and kindness
that radiates into the universe.
So wherever you are planted
among people, places, and things,
fear not being mowed down
as an unappreciated weed.
Bloom where you are planted
at home, work or school,
allow the light of your being
grace the universe with your truth.
Once Upon A Time …
by Michelle Maynard Koenig
Once upon a time there was a girl
who feared happiness
. . . now she laughs
who feared to speak
. . . now releases her voice
who feared imperfection
. . . now dances with truth
who feared death
. . . now trusts life
who feared love
. . . now introduces her soul to everyone
who feared tomorrow
. . . now welcomes today
who feared yesterday
. . . now recognizes its lessons
who feared the burden of doubt
. . . now soars on the wings of courage
Once upon a time there was a girl
who journeyed into her own;
nothing is ever as bad as it seems
nor is it as good as it can only be.
She finds the possible in the impossible
and life is like a dream.
Who Do I Have To Hate To Be Your Friend?
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
When are we gonna see us is them?
Unforgiveness is the prison we are living in.
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
Hello Mother, alone, we regret to inform you
That someone you love is not coming home.
Charles and Maggie, Thomas and Stephen,
Body for body, we call it “getting even.”
Ahmed, Mohammed, David and Abdul,
Along with Jameela, won’t make it to school.
Boaz and Leah, Jonas and Chavez are carried away.
Tell me which ones to grieve and which ones to celebrate.
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
When are we gonna see us is them?
Unforgiveness is the prison we are living in
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
Rage, like poison, we swallow the pill,
Making us sicker each day,
When it’s them we are trying to kill
We build a wall that’s unbending with shame.
Lands and languages differ but our pain is the same.
Haasad is wailing and mourning Ameer,
Joseph’s son Joseph is supposed to be here,
The blast – it happened so fast, Johnny could not get clear,
And the cry of his newborn son he’ll never hear.
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
When are we gonna see us is them?
Unforgiveness is the prison we are living in.
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
Who do I have to hate to be your friend?
(These introspective words were written by Bret Martin, aka “The Cancer Crooner,” from Santa Rosa; Tommy Smothers performed “Who Do I Have To Hate To Be Your Friend?” during a 2007 Live Vegas Stage Show at the Orleans Hotel, the video can be viewed HERE.)
Perspective
Through eyes of peace,
I see all life a gift.
Through eyes of fear,
I see myself captive.
Through eyes of forgiveness,
I see humanity soar.
Through eyes of anger,
I see darkness roar.
Through eyes of serenity,
I see the power of stillness.
Through eyes of intolerance,
I see with blindness.
Through eyes of shame,
I see not my purpose.
Through eyes of clarity,
I see honesty courageous.
Through eyes of hate,
I see the soul bleed.
Through eyes of love,
I find everything I need.
Shifting Thoughts
It has been estimated that the average human being has around 50,000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot of thoughts. Some of those thoughts are going to be positive and productive. However, many of them are also going to be negative—angry, fearful, pesimistic, worrisome. Indeed, the important question in terms of becoming more peaceful isn’t whether or not you’re going to have negative thoughts—you are—it’s what you choose to do with the ones that you have. ~Richard Carlson, Ph.D.
I am as every human being in this world: perfectly imperfect. As such, even employing meditation in my daily life, negative thoughts still occur. What I have learned is that I have a choice as to the thoughts I latch onto and the ones I will release. I certainly have the capacity to over-analyze them endlessly, wasting a lot of energy, becoming non-productive; or I can acknowledge them and release them. How? Meditation and yoga are definitely wonderful tools I have found helpful.
When looking at what a “thought” is when the mind is neutral, at ease, calm, it’s quite ironic that something so non-substance can cause so much havoc and chaos in our lives. I have read many things from wise, insightful people that remind me thoughts cannot hurt me. A thought has no factual substance, no form. It’s inanimate. However, from my experience, if I chain myself to a negative thought, quickly it can snowball into something so chaotic that the stress from same causes harm to the physical body. It’s not the thought that harms me directly, it’s MY CHOICE to latch onto the negativity that causes turmoil in my life and physical illness.
Having said that, every human being has a life story. Not all life stories are pleasant and hunky-dory. And the memories of such are the same. The past is gone; it doesn’t exist. Tomorrow has not arrived, it doesn’t exist. So what it comes down to is the CHOICE I make this very moment. Am I going to be present in this moment, being aware of all that around me, above me, below me, beside me, or am I going to spend the precious moment jumping on the negative train of thought where it is easy to get on and difficult to get off; continuous cycles of over-examining something inanimate – consisting of the what-if’s, how-come’s, why me’s.
When I dismiss negative, unproductive thoughts from my mind, it opens up space for positive ones. It opens up space for creativity, for focus, for being present (in mind, body and spirit) in the here and now. Peace quickly replaces the empty space in the mind that chaos once inhabited.
Just as one bathes or showers daily to clean the body to remove dirt and grime; so should the mind be cleaned regularly. The body is fed three times a day- breakfast, lunch and dinner; so should the mind be nourished. Just taking a few minutes to meditate (or pray) a few times each day will keep the mind balanced. It takes practice, but its worth the effort. The reward is a mind that functions better, clearer thought process; kind of like a well-maintained machine absent clutter and debris. It’s a matter of making the conscious choice to shift my thoughts via a negative-gear to a positive-gear.
Change your thoughts, and in the twinkling of an eye, all your conditions change. Your world is a world of crystallized ideas, crystallized words. Sooner or later, you reap the fruits of your words and thoughts. ~Florence Scovel Shinn
**********
The beautiful artwork contained in this article is courtesy of Carmelina Mosher, MA, Expressive Arts Therapist Educator ~ Visionary Artist.
Light From Within
by Michelle Maynard Koenig
For years and years
hidden beneath
fear
anger
shame
and expectations of others
was a beautiful soul
yearning for its beams of essence
to break though the barriers
that attempted to extinguish
its loving light
fortunately love proved to be
more powerful than hate
The Breath of Truth
by Michelle Maynard Koenig
Being true
Being “real”
Gives me a
Surreal feeling
Of freedom
Freedom to expand
My soul’s lungs
Breathe it all in
And exhale in love
My gratitude is indescribable
My life is a sacred gift
It is well with my Soul
(Artwork, “It Is Well With My Soul,” by Janelle Bradshaw.)
Masterpiece Continuum
by Michelle Maynard Koenig
As Everlast sings
♫ … I’ve been up
And I’ve been down
And I’ve been fast
And I’ve been slow
And I’ve been square
And I’ve been round
And I’ve been high
And I’ve been low
And I’ve been cool
And I’ve been calm
And I’ve been kind
And I’ve been crass … ♫
I sing,
♫… My life changes,
My life evolves,
My life,
A masterpiece continuum …♫
Art Image courtesy of Dreamstime.com.)
Present Moment, Wonderful Moment
Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.
Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know
as the in-breath goes deep,
the out-breath grows slow.
Breathing in makes me calm.
Breathing out brings me ease.
With the in-breath, I smile.
With the out-breath, I release.
Breathing in, there is only the present moment.
Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.
In, Out.
Deep, Slow
Calm, Ease
Smile, Release
Present moment, Wonderful moment.
(from The Plum Village Chanting & Recitation Book, compiled by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Monks and Nuns of Plum Village; Art collage, “The Present Moment”, courtesy of Martha Marshall.)
INSPIRATIONZ: MOTIVATIONAL ART
Modeling the human face is not the duplication of the obvious, but finding and bringing forth the intangible; however, it is by the reality of subtle volumes that the illusion of a soul is created.~Philippe Faraut
We all need a source of daily inspiration to help us overcome life’s challenges and unlock our potential for greatness.
Art collecting should be fun.~Bill Mack
The inspirationz concept, conceived in August 2009 by Inspirationz Inc managing director Terry Verhoeven, is simple: integrate the world’s most profound and inspiring words with their aesthetic equivalent in art. The mission: to inspire the world through art. Affordably.
With designs conceived in New Zealand (hence the ‘nz’ suffix in our name), the art and quotes are sourced from all over the world and throughout the ages.
The inspirationz product is exceptional, not only in terms of its quality but also for its value. For less than the price of re-fueling your car you can own an authentic printed copy of an original masterpiece that will fuel your enthusiasm for life, uplift the décor in your home or office, and provide you with a personalized gift for that special occasion.
Here are just a few of the features which makes purchasing an inspirationz fine art motivational print such a unique and uplifting experience:
The Art. Art is the perfect medium to convey what we can all aspire to; art speaks to us personally, directly, profoundly. The common element in all artwork used in inspirationz designs is the depiction of man’s essential nature – his and her proper state – as embodying strength, beauty, intelligence and self confidence. inspirationz engages the work of some of the world’s truly great artists, all of whom are represented in museums and/or some of the world’s finest art galleries;
Authenticity. inspirationz only uses imagery of original masterpieces. When you are looking at an inspirationz fine art print you are safe in the knowledge that you are looking at a print of the real thing – a reproduction of an original creation, not some imitation;
The Quotes. Our selection of quotes has been carefully sifted and chosen for their profundity and universality and then creatively integrated with the art. Many of the quotes are from inspiring figures of historical importance, including some of the greatest authors, poets, prophets and sages who have ever lived;
Educational. inspirationz.com provides meaningful background information on the content of its designs. Here on this website you can read bios on the artists, learn about the authors, confirm the provenance of the quotes, and, if the art is mythological, even glean some trivia. In other words, inspirationz products are not only motivational, they are educational too;
Quality. Our imagery typically incorporates exceptional photographic detail and is 
printed at photo resolution (300 dpi) using a 200 line screen printing process. Our prints are made of 85 pound/200 gsm paper with a satin matt finish for a high quality look and feel. Light fast inks are used for color longevity;
Service. Purchasing via inspirationz.com means that your order will be processed promptly and reliably. We ship worldwide. In fact, we are so convinced that you will be happy with your purchase that we give you a 60 day 100% satisfaction money back guarantee*.
It is our sincere desire that you take a moment now to browse our full catalogue and confirm all of the above for yourself. There is something here for everyone. So enjoy, make some inspired selections, and stoke your passion for life (or that of someone you know) by hanging some inspirationz™ on your walls today!
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