Conversation with my Guru

And my guru sat down beside me. 

“Oh, where have you? been," I ask. “We all cry for peace. 

We all cry for peace.”

 “Stop for a moment and I will dry your tears. I have come to you today . Your bodies are temporary but your spirit and soul lives on. I speak to you now while you are still young and contemplative. Gone is the joy following in my footsteps.” 

"What can I/we do?"

“Quiet, calm, peace and love. Quiet calm, peace and love is my tiding. 

“It’s 4:44am and I am tired but I can hear you calling. I must say this holiday is almost over but you still linger on. It is early morning. The only present I want is sleep. Pure unadulterated quiet, calm sleep so I can only hear my heartbeat. It beats for thou. My weary eyes are heavy.”

“Let it go. Let it go, for silence is precious and the music in my heart unyielding. You do not dance today, but sing songs of pious joy. Live on even though I suffer seeing your anguish in a weary body. Stewardship should prevail and the toil be yours. The mud you leave on the coffin  has seeped into the ground. How many must perish? Joy forsaken. Love lost. Thee land is forsaken peace. Your quest is forsaken. Give me a restful sleep so the doves can fly overhead as the oceans crests to the heartbeat of our mother earth. Do not bury your head in the sand. Cry you must. The music will stop and your feet be bound for tomorrow may become just a dream if you do not take care of mother earth now.”

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Our Time Together

I come to you old friend 

and see how our seeds have flourished into this beautiful forest 

Oh I say to thee

Where have you been 

I have been banished by the ticks and bitten with fear.

Why must I be forsaken 

In you I can see my source of love, beauty and support 

My tears have been dried  

My voice
your voice 
together 
join in harmony 

My heart longs for your gentle touch 

Your warm breezes kiss my cheek. 

Here is where I belong  

Oh thousand year old tree 

Today you may die 

but I am thankful that you have been able to shelter and inspired many 

Together we have bloomed in springtime and
celebrated in summer  

Breathe Joan breathe
continue living moment by moment 

One never knows when you shall fall my dear tree 

but for now that ancient seed has left us with your grace 

and no one can take away the past

I mayn’t remember all 

but you are etched in my memory and may I never forget our treasured time together 

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It's Nutts on the Canal Restaurant, Lambertville

How often do you have some stranger dressed in a crazy Christmas sweater come up to you, hold your hand and recite Lord Byron to you?

Well, my best friend, Elaine and I went to see the unbelievable Christmas light display in Peddlers Village this past Saturday night and afterwards we decided to head to Lambertville for a bite to  eat. One of my favorite towns to get a special meal.

We decided to be adventuress and stop at a new restaurant, It's Nutts on the Canal.  It was delightful. Elaine ordered a half rack of baby back ribs and I ordered some wings with chili sauce and of course a half bottle of wine.

It was a big mistake. We should have ordered a whole rack of baby back ribs and a full bottle of wine. They were absolutely delicious and the meat just slipped off the bone and the bbq sauce was so good that we pack that up to for another dinner at home. It was one of the largest half rack of ribs I'd ever seen. We couldn't imagine what a whole rack would look like.

How does all of this lead to the Lord Byron recital?

Well, we ordered another half bottle of wine to go with our meal. It was so full bodied,
crisp and refreshing. I highly recommend the house white wine.

As we were eating another party came to the table next to us and one of the guys was wearing this ugly sweater he bought from Macy's, of all places.

As we drank the second half-bottle of wine we decided to share the wealth and order a bottle of wine for "crazy sweater".  You only live once.  Why not share the joy"?
Then "Crazy Sweater" came to us, bent down on one knee, held both of our hands and started reciting Lord Byron to us as his thank you.

We were overjoyed! As I looked around for our waitress, Mariah, a funny, beautiful and pleasant waitress, I looked around and noticed some hooks on the wall but no pictures. I said to Mariah that every hook deserves picture and I'd like to donate four photos with my meditations on them for the hooks. I am a photographer and writer. I do very unique exhibits combining my photography with quotes from  my gratitude meditation journal blog: joanseashell.blogspot.com.

I've been meditating since the late 70's and have been teaching and journaling for numerous years. As a meditation teacher,  people often ask what that is. I say that I teach a one-of- kind guided,  gratitude meditation for group classes as well as having on site corporate and private clients.

Back to the restaurant, needless to say we had the time of our lives! Before we left I spoke to the manager and mentioned my donation to the restaurant and to take a look at my blog,

joanseashell.blogspot.com

for samples of my work. In it I have meditations, an occasional yoga studio review or just spiritual experiences I'd like to share with others.

"My favorite place is where the waters meet the sun." is the most recent entry.

And I must admit the waters met the sun this past Saturday night. and for that I give thanks.

This Moment

Whatever it is, is going to be okay 

The way I’ve done things in the past even though I’m not completely happy with it 

I’ve already done it 

Find acceptance    

It’s okay 

In my meditation on this brisk autumn day 

the birds are sharing their songs of joy 

as the breezes on the treetops whisper “Peeeeeace”  

The entrance way into this moment of deep relaxation and gratitude 

is a gift that I am driven to share with others 

I have my challenges but in this moment all I can hear is my music

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New Love of Tomorrow

Today I turn around 

and gaze skyward upon the blue skies of my past

As long as the love within my heart and body is still here 

deep within my soul

There is always space for the new loves of tomorrow 

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Dry Tears*

Oh my heart cries 

but dry tears cannot comfort me 

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Montana in Monmouth Junction

When I feast my eyes 

upon autumn leaves

trees are budding a second bloom 

in crimson 

gold

and emerald green

I fix my eyes upon this sacred moment

You have come to me 

while I greet our new day 

I stand within you and 

you within me

We are one

Oh what a joyous morning

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Love the Moment

Love the moment 

you are in

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The Healing Service at Temple B'nai Shalom

Rabbi Eric Eisenkramer of Temple B'nai Shalom.

In love, hope, and faith 
I am grateful for my ability to make a change for a better tomorrow

Celebrate today 

Treasure today  

Rejoice today

Love today

For in this moment of peace after our Healing Service at Temple B'nai Shalom  

all the world is calm and I am its nucleus 

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Political Climate

Now is the moment 

I stand here amongst the autumn leaves 

Is this our autumn or our winter 

As I watch each tree lose it leaves 

nothing seems right 

The darkness has come while the sun still shines strong

Our country is divided

My spirit longs for 

a moment of clarity 

a moment of light 

Political Climate
joanseashell.blogspot.com

Global Warming, 11 Years to Change Our Ways, Stewardship starts here and now

Stewardship starts here and now 

When I look into your eyes I see happiness and pain 

I see  joy and sadness

Oh my little one 

as you get older and older your depth of devotion flows deeper 

Who are you to laugh and cry when the earth reaches out to hold your hand 

sooth your heart 

Oh little one 

I can dry your tears but cannot stop your crying 

You may have lost your way 

but when the end is near

I can only watch 

You were so much more powerful then you thought 

being in the belly of the beast

I can hear your pleas 

You are so lost and the only path is the one of pain  

With your relentless heart 

may you hold the hands of your brothers and sisters 

and toil in uncharted territory  

The sun has come out 

as I stroke your chest and only wish that there is hope 

memories of frolicking in the fields

laughing with loved ones 

I beseech you even though you mayn’t know its meaning

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Numbness

I want to write something beautiful 

but numbness 

has stolen 

my pen

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Life is a Series of Moments

Life is a series of moments

some easy 

some hard 

some happy 

some depressing 

some anxious…oh so anxious 

This moment is trying 

oh so trying 

Oh the dark side

is so frightening 

Yet I sit amongst soothing waters 

while your soft breezes gently stroke my cheek and your wild birds serenade me from afar  

Your firm, steady  ground perpetually supports me  

This morning I breathe in your crisp clean air 

You are here 
by my side 

I honor each inhalation 

for tomorrow 

is a gift  

never to be taken for granted 

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In Honor of Yom Kipper at Temple B'nai Shalom

We are here to celebrate life

Be grateful 

for every moment 

You make the choice how to live 

and G-d makes the choice 

to let you

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In Honor of Rosh Hashana

I am grateful 

for all yesterdays 

Only with them 

do I have today

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Chose Joy

How can life be so harsh yet so beautiful 

The bells toll for me

awakening the joy in my heart 

yet they may also be a funeral march 

Oh one step after another 

Let the dancer in my heart surface 

Let the mourning of my past go

Chose joy 

yet 

one must know the struggles 

to truly appreciate the joys

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It's You

It’s you 

It’s always been you

My confidant 

my lover

my guide

my meditation

I come to you each morning 

with outstretched arms and an open mind

You lead me through my struggles 

You rejoice in my happiness

I may be temporary 

but you are my infinity

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An Inspiration From my Visit to Princeton United Methodist Church

Oh meditation I honor you

Together you remind me of my inner spirit and how loved I am 

You bring a song to my heart

Joy and peace to my soul 

Oh how the grass turns green even though there may be turmoil  

The cold white snow still glistens in the morning light

Oh broken branch you prune my tree with natural beauty 

the fierce winds have broken you 

but today the lights shine over our tree 

and the sunshines even brighter through you then before

I smile 

yet I still cast a shadow 

I am beautiful through and through

You speak to me in each step I take 

I am here 

I exist

I may sink deep at times 

but rise up tomorrow 

I may feel low but today there is no denying the sky 

The same heavy snow which breaks the branch 

brings it beauty

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