BEE A READER!

BALANCING HEAVEN AND EARTH
by Robert A. Johnson

I’m adding another four letter word to the list your mother gave you: B-U-S-Y
Why are so many people declaring, insisting, and defending their busy-ness? What are the rewards of being busy? Busy people will defend their lifestyle because they believe they are benefiting from it, but what is the emotional and spiritual cost of this behavior? Does being busy really make you happy?

In the 80’s we watched television shows like “Dallas” which focused on having luxury and leisure time, then in the 90’s the popular series “ER” demonstrated that the characters had to sacrifice their personal lives in order to have successful careers. I think society reflected this change. Suddenly, it was not cool to have time on your hands, it was a race to who could be the busiest - as if busy had become a status symbol. You’re a loser if you are laying around watching clouds and listening to the birds sing.

I was raised by a Father who didn’t mind letting his supper go cold if someone called or stopped by during the dinner hour. He always had time for people, friends or strangers. It was his way, and he was loved by many because he invested in relationships. Yet, he also had a full and very productive life.

Many of my friends preface conversations these days with, “I’ve got 2 minutes…” At times, I’ve wondered if I am too chatty, needy, or worse, that our relationship is merely another obligation, another detail to check of their ever expanding list.

Robert A. Johnson’s book, “Balancing Heaven and Earth” contends because we are both a soul and a physical body we have to do the practical things like clean our house and shop for groceries, however, we must also balance these physical deeds with a spiritual connection to our existence. Its called being. In balancing heaven and earth, we must balance being and doing. Busy people are overly focused on doing.

Being is “attentive solitude with our thought and feelings,” a “meditative time to open up to your inner self.” He says that loneliness comes not from being alone, but from being cut off from your deep inner self, and isolation can actually cure loneliness.

We think, if we keep running, our thoughts will never catch up, yet they will not stop chasing us either. “Soul work, or inner work, takes place when something moves from the unconscious, where it began, into conscious awareness. The path is never straight and neat inside oneself, as if you could go to a library and do all you inner work there. Instead, when something is ready to move from the unconscious to the conscious, it needs a host or intermediary. Generally this intermediary is some person or some thing.”

“Think for a moment of the horizontal beam of a cross as representing doing, or the earthly realm. We have all kinds of daily activities—going to work, raising our family, paying our bills: these are the necessary and proper business of the earthly realm. Often all this doing just fills up our lives. But when we become focused exclusively on doing, our lives start to feel empty and meaningless; we start to wonder why we work so hard. We may secretly ask: Is it worth it? What’s the point? What is the meaning of my life?

This is a sign that we have neglected the opposite of doing, which is being. Now think of a vertical beam of a cross as representing being, or the heavenly realm. We also must have time and place in our lives in which we connect to something that is larger and more enduring. We need at least a taste of the Golden World to make our lives bearable, and this requires time for reflection, for meditation, for inner work and attentive solitude. In short, we need a balance of doing and being.” (excerpts from "Balancing Heaven and Earth" -R.A.Johnson)

My friend and fellow blogger, Michael, recently wrote a piece called, “Have You Never Been Mellow.” He discovered a way to quiet his mind and de-stress his life by being. The title comes from an Olivia Newton-John song:

“Have you never been mellow,
have you never tried,
to find a comfort from inside you?”

I highly recommend reading Robert A. Johnson’s book, “Balancing Heaven and Earth,” and Michael’s thoughtfully written article, “Have you Never Been Mellow.” Be sure to manage equilibrium between being and doing, stop separating yourself from your life and friends with the walls of busy, and do your inner work. It has been said; treat others as you would want to be treated. So to create a happy fulfilling life, begin with the relationship you have with yourself.

Homeopathic Remedies

There is no greater time in history to learn how to use homeopathic remedies. Treatment is easier than you think - it involves driving to your local Outpost, Health Hut, or Whole Foods and picking up the homeopathic that cures what’s ailing you. No waiting to see a doctor, no co-pays, and the best part – NO PRESCRIPTION!

Hippocrates is regarded as the first doctor to treat his patients with homeopathic remedies, circa 460 BC. Therefore, if homeopathy is new to you, be assured these methods have proven themselves effective for many years. Why don’t physicians utilize them now? Perhaps it’s the lack of profit. The homeopathic remedies are inexpensive, have no potential side effects, and patients with acute (rapid onset, short duration) conditions can find their own cure at the local market or drug store. Chronic conditions (long duration, gradual onset) like irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, depression, or chronic fatigue syndrome, might require some trial and error. To expedite the process when chronic conditions exist, consider the advice of a homeopathic doctor or practioner.

Here’s how homeopathic remedies work:

“Homeopathy uses dilute substances to stimulate the body’s healing power. Its basic principle is treat “like with like.” This involves treating patient’s symptoms with minute amounts of a substance that would cause similar symptoms in a healthy person. This practice contrasts with conventional allopathic medicine, where treating “like with opposite” prevails; that is, a disease is treated with a substance that opposes it.”

“Remedies can be made from many different substances. The most common sources are flower, plants, roots, trees, poisons, minerals, and metals. German doctor Samuel Hahnemann used the smallest possible amount of a substance to trigger a healing effect. This was to minimize side effects. He realized that the more a substance was diluted, the better the result.” –The Guide to Remedies: homeopathy, essential oils, crystals, home remedies (Barnes and Noble Books)

My favorite homeopathic is called Nerve Tonic. It calms the nervous system when upset, nervous, or hyper. Because life can cause stress in many different ways, it’s an excellent tonic to calm you down no matter what comes along. I carry it with me in my purse.

After growing up with cats, and living with Miss Mabel kitty for 12 years, I started having allergies. I sought a homeopathic remedy that contained animal dander and histamine. After 3 doses, I was no longer allergic to my beloved companion. Would you prefer years of shots from an allergist? How about the time and cost of that course of action?
Are you glad you are reading this yet?
Special note: there are homeopathic remedies for pets who suffer from environmental allergies, and nervous conditions too.


When taking a remedy, if you notice no improvement, then you need to try another one, and as soon as the condition improves, stop the course of treatment. There is information to help you choose the right remedy based on your constitution on the label. Some of the constitutional determinants are your physical appearance, mental and emotional aspects, physical weaknesses, and mainly the current ailment. Since I know more about myself than my doctor ever could, I prefer to find my own cure. I like being in tune to my body, having the power to care for it in my head. There is a time and place for allopathic medicine, but running to the doctor for minor issues can be replaced by simple self treating methods. This is why I am such an advocate for educating and empowering yourself about the body you live in, and preventing illness thru the knowledge of homeopathic remedies.

GOD SAVE THE GALLERY

In this waning economy, if your product is not essential, or your business capable, it could be curtains for you. Even before the tide turned last year, I became aware of how ineffective the gallery system was for the artist and consumer. Galleries take 20-60%commission in return for wall space, clientele, and the promise of representation. Historically, these are not high traffic places, except on opening night, so if the gallery is not proactive, the art is not seen or sold. Are most people just apathetic toward art? Are galleries intimidating? Or just uninviting spaces?

One out of seven galleries that featured me, sold a print. I’ve sold over 20 pieces, marketing myself with proof books, business cards, and CD's. At the salon where I work, I traded exposure for decoration services in lieu of commission. I also look for ways to create visibility thru competitions and museums. I’d hoped the galleries would sell my work, but in the end, keeping all the profit helped me reclaim heavy business costs.

Unless you are an artist, you might not be aware of the expense and time that goes into production. A painter needs tubes of color, brushes, easel, and canvas. A photographer requires a camera, lenses, tripod, computer, memory cards or film, software, printer, and marketing materials. The profit must also include an hourly wage to sustain living as a professional artist. It's difficult to balance the costs of creating art, and its return. But, without the product of art, galleries would have nothing to profit from. In order to survive, galleries must market and preserve the professional artist. The standard gallery business model of “being chosen”, held hostage by exclusivity, and gouged by commissions, is a problematic plan for the business of selling and producing art.

Are galleries an institution worth saving? Can they survive extinction by reinventing themselves? Will artists choose only the galleries with astute marketing skills to represent them? If gallerists approached the business as an equal partnership (rather than entry into an exclusive club) and marketed the product effectively, or created an enticing shopping experience that was intellectually accessible to everyone, I think the system could survive. As it exists, neither party benefits and the future looks grim.

Artists will not stop producing and distributing art, rather, they will find a way to eliminate the ineffective middle man, and share their gifts with the world in a more attainable way.

God saves those who save themselves.

The Killer Bees joined forces with neighbors and friends to celebrate the 4th of July and my birthday.
A backyard cookout - now that's summer!! bubblesink.blogspot.com