Harmony Hill…Where Mountains Meet Magic!

I have a hollow self and a Holy Self.

My hollow self isn’t really there but I fill it up with lots of stuff:

fears and doubts, beliefs that do not serve me, obtaining and doing busyness.

My Holy Self gets put on hold until I remember that there is a truth

deep inside of me, a truth that says I am holy, I am part of All That Is,

I AM LOVE

Family and friends have gone back to their routines.  And so have I.  Winter has settled in.  The beauty and silence of fresh fallen snow still elicits a slow sigh from my body, no matter how many snow falls.

From the deck of the mountain chalet you can view the two acre meadow in its blanket of white.  You can tell where the fire ring is.  Can’t tell where the fieldstone labyrinth is.  Can tell where the deer slept last night.  It’s that time of year when the sun sets more south than west, behind the mountain that’s behind the field that’s behind the meadow.

More than once, I’ve put aside chores to get a sled out of the shed or put on my snowshoes.  A couple staying at the chalet for a few days took their skis to cross-country on our trails.  My trusty truck and I are getting pretty good at plowing the Hill’s private road.  Full moons cause dark shadows of silhouetted trees to stretch out across a white canvaas.  And my friends in Florida wonder why I stay here all through the winter.  Silly question, I think.

Wishing you a wonderful new year as I Sit by the fire…..

Chris

..are all over The Hill and countryside.  The maple buds are discarding their little red jackets.  The white blossoms of the choke cherry are stunningly present.  The colt’s feet are popping up right where they were last year.  The wild leeks are showing up right on time and so delicious when I sauteed them in a little olive oil and garlic to augment an evening meal.  On my way back from the chalet to my house yesterday afternoon, I picked a few trout lilies in the path, added them to the asparagus at the last minute, and oh, yum!

The labyrinth meadow is a bold green carpet.  The dandelion leaves are sprouting, preparing for the coming out of their stem and flower.  We are going to be making dandelion wine at our spring weed walk in May.  The woodpeckers and robins and chickadees are boisterously calling for mates.  Benches were resurrected from their storage place under the chalet and put in their place around the labyrinth.

Before the week is over the snow plow will be taken off the truck and the snow blower will be off the tractor, both tucked away for their (hopefully) long summer’s nap.  We’re taking our chances, I know, to remove them before the end of April, but I figure the odds are in our favor that snow has forgotten where we live for awhile.  We can’t remember such a spring as this!

I want Jana to hurry up and get back up to The Hill so we can put out the chimes for Whimsical Meditation Corner.  Last Sunday Jim took the chain saw and we walked the lower trail, cutting the fallen branches and replacing some of the logs lining the trail, so it’s all ready for the hiking!  And I’d like to get a new trail down to the spring before the end of Spring.  The mountain chalet has had its spring cleaning and I’ve washed most all the blankets and slip covers and curtains for the treehouse yurts.  We’ll be cleaning the yurts next week, so they’ll be ready to open by May 1.

Come enjoy Spring with us.

Chris

March is usually a hefty snow month for us.  You know, one of those winter months where, when you schedule something, it always has an asterisk.  All plans have an added…..*unless there is a storm.  But this March has been different.  By the 4th day, the temperatures rose above freezing and the couple of feet of snow from the last storm in February, as well as the snow beneath that had been compacting during the winter months, all began a slow methodical melting.

By the 3rd week, everything that had been hidden for the season was visible.  Last fall’s leaves nestled in the ground showed their shades of brown.  The greening of the umber grasses began.  We heard song birds.  The buds began to swell on the maple trees.  Even the blackberry bushes are showing life.  Days are sunny, sweather weather.

Spring Interrupted

Then this morning we awakened to a winter wonderland.  Tree branches were covered an inch thick with that familiar glistening white powder.

The deer were easy to spot against the encompassing whiteness.  Rabbit tracks are easy to discern.  Its only 2 inches so no need to plow.  Besides the sun is out now and weather underground says it will get to 40 degrees tomorrow.

I’m going to relax and enjoy this brief interruption of Spring.

Chris

Our wish for all of us for 2010:

May you know how loved you are

May you reach to touch the highest in you

May your limitations know no boundaries

Seeing with your own inner vision

May all your dreams come true.

Chris

Just to let you know, I am looking out on snow covered hills and mountains and everything in between.  There are two big round ‘holes’ in the snow right outside my window…evidence of the sleeping spot for the nite chosen by two deer.   The trees all have a thin coat of ice…our own littler Narnia.  Today, I’ll put on my boots and trek thru the snow-laden trails…don’t need snow shoes yet, cause the snow is so light.  And if it’s anything like the past few days , I won’t have to plow our road till just before the sun sets.  We’ve been getting a couple of inches or so each day….easy to plow with the old rusty GMC.  Every year I think …..this will be the last year for this old truck, but it just keeps on plowing.

The snow is so quiet.  it invites you to touch and taste and explore for awhile…..and then go inside to a cozy fire and cuddle up with a novel you got for Christmas.  Although The Hill is always a great place to do nothing, this is my favorite time to slow down, reflect, envision, listen to my inner self.  If you come for a spell at the Chalet, I’ll invite you up for tea if you like.  We might even share our musings!

Chris

Once upon awhile ago there was a soul in heaven who was happily enjoying all of his soulful friends.  Then one day the soul, whose name was Solstice, asked all of his friends to gather around.  He had an announcement.  When they were all present he told them he had made a decision.  He has chosen to have the experience of forgiveness.  Immediately there was a murmur heard from the gathering.

One spoke up “Forgiveness is an illusion.  There is only truth here.  You can’t experience forgiveness here.” “I know, replied Solstice, but it is time for me to expand my Self by exploring forgiveness.”  Another said, “Then you’ll have to go to the land of guilt, the planet earth.  They provide the most opportunity for the experience you seek.” “Yes,” said another, “I understand they do lots of judging there.  They condemn others and themselves all day long.” “Then that is where I shall go,” Solstice decided.  “Who of you will go with me?”

Many of the souls shook their heads.  They were probably remembering their experience on planet earth.  Solstice pleaded, “oh, come on guys.  I can’t do this without you.”  There was silence throughout.  Then slowly one raised her hand. “I will go with you.”  All of the souls looked at the one who was speaking.  It was Soulmate.

One soul queried, “you are willing to go to planet earth with Solstice to help him experience forgiveness?  Do you know you will have to experience fear and judgment and guilt?  Your vibrations will lower and your energy will become dense and you will not remember who you are.”

“I know”, spoke Soulmate.  “To experience forgiveness, we both will see only each other’s faults.  We will not seek to understand, but only to blame.  We will believe that guilt is real.  We will attack each other without sensitivity.” Solstice spoke, “Then surely I will forget you are Soulmate.  You would do all of this so that I might experience forgiveness?” “Of course”, replied Soulmate. “I love you.”

One of the wisest of souls stood tall.  “We will remember for you who you are.  We will be with you every moment in your exploration that you might remember the illusion of your experience and come to know that you are two gentle spirits choosing an opportunity to expand your soul.”

Solstice and Soulmate, standing together hand in hand, bowed to their friends and expanded their light to touch all present.  As they turned to leave on their journey, one voice in the distance could be heard exclaiming, “have fun!”

Chris Rosenthal

Peace

My occasional visitor
My intermittent friend
How may I beckon you
to move in?

Listen, You say
To my Inner Soul
And allow my True self
To unfold.

Then I can have it?
Is that all I do?
My being me will
Lead to You?

I am Peace, You say
And we are One
The journey is complete
That has begun.

Chris Rosenthal

Authenticity…
Is it me?
Or am I hiding
In whom I please?

Is it worth
The price I pay
Just to be
A cast of clay,

For both of us
Not to know
The essence, the wonder
The being in my Soul?

Isn’t it lamentable
That we would rather see
My many masks
In lieu of me?

Shh..I hear a Voice beckoning
Be still.  I hear
a Voice beckoning
be real, be real, be real

Chris Rosenthal

Let’s talk about non-resistance.  Actually I want to talk about resistance but I guess there must be so much resistance to talking about resistance that I automatically wrote non-resistance instead.  None-the-less, I am amazed at how much I resist….whether it’s a cold damp day when I wanted to work the garden or whether it’s a larger repair bill on the jeep than I anticipated.

You may argue that resistance is natural.  I will agree that it is human nature; it’s just that I believe we are much more than mere humans.  Or you may ask “why so important?”

Because we cannot resist one thing without resisting everything! For example: if you resist doing the work to heal a relationship with a co-worker, you will also resist receiving a promotion.  Not consciously of course.  When we value ‘resistance’ and de-value ‘allowing’ we send out the vibration of resistance to what we want as well as to what we don’t want.

Not resisting IS allowing and allowing IS receiving.  this gives me the motivation I need to loose interest in resistance and practice non-resistance in everything in my life.  I want to receive the change I want to see.

Chris