“It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent, when they are not.” (Thich Nhat Han)

Reflection for this coming week:

The time “in between the years” is an invitation for quiet reflection:

“Where am I?” “Who am I?” in the “here and now”?

“Which roles and burdens am I letting go?”

“Which memories will I choose to release?”

“What is essential to my life?”

“How do I move forward while honoring who I truly am?”

Grounding ourselves in what really matters.

Loving ourselves with all where we have been

and embracing all of who we are…

May the New Year come, may we let the Old Year go,

May we let it flow…

Wishing you a restful and peaceful time “in between the years”.

Dorothea

“Bring acceptance into your non-acceptance. Bring surrender into your non-surrender. Then see what happens.” Eckhart Tolle

Acceptance and surrender are spiritual practices that are extremely difficult. I remember as a teenager how my father who was quite a mystic talked about “surrendering the Old Adam” “every morning anew” as he called it. I was 15 at the time and my “Ego” instead wanted to find herself. Surrendering, that was the furthest from my mind. Understandable that a teenager would rebel and not believe in such a thing as surrender.

And even forty years later my “Old Eve”, my “Ego” has a hard time accepting the present moment, if my “Ego” finds it unacceptable. Surrendering my “Ego” roles, my successes, believes, convictions and my wants is a most challenging spiritual practice. However, suffering forces me/us to go there. The year 2020 has been filled with much collective and individual suffering. Eckhart Tolle invites us to see that the Universe provides us with suffering as opportunities to learn this practice of spiritual acceptance and surrender and thus become fully present and free of fear.

And going a little farther, Jesus fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14: 35-36

Dear Readers,

I am considering writing new daily Watchwords in 2021.

However, I am not sure if this is a need “within the universe”, or if this would be an “ego” thing to do. I am getting away from “ego” filled thinking, doing, planning…

And maybe 2021 is holding other/new creative opportunities for me.

Thus my question: Would you read new Watchwords in 2021 and would they add to your life?

Please, do not try to be polite or intentionally supportive of me, as that could easily just be an “ego feeding another ego”.

Please, do not respond if you are not sure if reading new watchwords would be something that would be helpful to you.

Yet, if it would be something you would truly enjoy every day, let me know.

Peace to you and to yours, Dorothea

Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that create huge inequalities. Pope Francis

Meditation: Some human rights violations are so horrific and “in your face” that we have a hard time breathing when we learn about them. We feel pain in our soul seeing those images. We also feel connected with people all around the world who are praying for comfort and healing for the victims of terror and for it to stop. Other injustices and oppressions are more inconspicuous, hardly noticeable and yet painfully real. We do not necessarily see photos of the hundreds and thousands of victims of the new budget cuts, of unfair immigration law enforcement and of complete eliminations or reductions of social programs all around our country and the exploitation of front line workers during Covid who often have to work without proper protection arrangements made for them. However, if we pay careful attention, we will feel the pain in our soul. We will also experience a shortness of breath. What can we do? We can stay awake and stay connected. We can keep breathing and carry the pain. We can also wake up the masses in protest, and we can pray so terrorists and our current government will stop their oppressive ways.

Prayer: God of mercy, we pray for all terror victims around the worlds and their families. Be comfort and refuge! We also pray for the many undocumented immigrants who currently find themselves in prison cells, locked up randomly by ICE. We pray for persons with pre-existing health conditions who will lose or not be able to afford their health insurance any longer. We pray for all families whose food stamps were eliminated before the pandemic started. We pray for children who go hungry to bed. We pray for those young adults who no longer can afford college or whose student loans have become huge burdens. God, have mercy. We pray that you will put an end to all acts of oppression and to all violations of basic human rights and of basic human needs as committed both by terrorists and by our current government. Amen

Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. Ezekiel 18: 31-32

Walk away from ‘friendships’ that make you feel small and insecure, and seek out people who inspire you and support you. Michelle Obama

Meditation: Let’s walk away from relationships that make us feel insecure and insignificant! Walk away from a work place that makes you feel exploited and taken advantage of. Walk away from a group that is toxic in their way of relating or talking. Walk away from family members who infect you with negativity or addictive behavior. Walk away from media that is toxic and that spreads lies! Walk away! Seek out relationships that inspire and support you. Seek out a work place that makes you feel appreciated and respected. Seek out a group that treats you fairly and that does not gossip. Seek out family members who have your best at heart and who give you freedom to be yourself. Seek out news and information that are based in facts and that help you understand the complexity of our world. Seek! In this movement of walking away from the first and seeking the second, you will walk away from death, and you will find life.

Prayer: God, we feel surrounded by wicked behavior and evil intentions. We experience politics as no longer intentioned to prevent wrong but to condone it. We are sick of relationships, work places, groups, and the media that make us taste the wine of violence and the bread of wickedness. God, have mercy. Give us courage to walk away, and give us new hope, so we don’t stop seeking. Let us taste Your bread and Your wine of forgiveness and peace.  Amen                                                                                                                                         Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. Proverbs 4: 14-17

Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote. William E. Simon

Meditation: The past days I have felt paralyzed. How in the world can a democratic system sell out to an oligarch and align itself with an oppressive regime? How can an elected Western president betray his country’s legal system and surrender to the person who invaded and manipulated it’s social media and voting system? As a German the history of the Soviet Union and its successorship represented in Putin are very present to me. Many Americans don’t seem to experience the devastating urgency of the recent events. Many seem unaware how Russia is out to undermine all and any democracies, how it wants to conquer the parts of Europe back that had belonged to the Soviet Union, and how it positions itself to become the ultimate ruling power in the world. The urgency of our times could not be greater. A narcissistic, greedy, incompetent, compromised and dependent American president is selling the American people and its democracy out to the Russians. An urgent political development the Americans have never seen before. The November 2020 election is the most important election in America’s history.

Prayer: God, awake in this country the awareness that the life and death of democracy itself is currently at stake. Awake in us the awareness that our voting is the only power we have to choose life and oppose death, so that we and our children may live. God, have mercy on us. Amen

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19