Awesome Stories 329

/ July 22, 2017

This week Awesome Stories brings you peaceful communication, compassionate nursing, feasting on flowers, and happiness.

Feasting on Flowersfeasting on flowers

I love this idea of feasting on flowers. Lucia Ferrara Bettler talks about feasting on flowers with our senses to absorb their beauty on a deep level. This feasting can nourish our mind, body, and spirit. I know that flowers feed me on many levels and the most fulfilling project I ever did was to create, nurture, and appreciate flower gardens in my yard. Flowers teach us to love and live in the present moment, accepting the beauty that comes into our lives, but not holding too tight. Bon appetite!

Peaceful Communication

The work of Marshall Rosenburg and Non-Violent Communication (NVC) continues to grow and touch lives through its many volunteers and centers around the country. Their mission is to help transform the world with more peaceful communication. This article explores the story of Thom Bond and how meeting Marshall Rosenburg changed his life. One essential tool in NVC is more intentional listening to bring real dialog and understanding that can help change the conversation from who is right to how do we both meet our needs. The goal is to understand people’s needs and feelings to then find creative ways to meet their needs. NVC’s mission is to spread peace through better communication.

Compassionate Nursing

natal care, Awesome Stories

Adu 26 yrs; Kelsang Drolkar 5yrs (daughter} Husband Tadro 31yrs

Arlene Samens has been saving lives her whole career. After a productive career as a nurse practitioner for 37 years, Arlene met the Dali Lama and was encouraged to go help the people of Tibet. She found a passion for teaching better natal care in remote areas. She was in Tibet during the uprisings and eventually relocated to Nepal to start another clinic. Read the article to hear the touching story of how Arlene and One Heart World-Wide are teaching and empowering better natal care around the world, from Nepal to Mexico and Ecuador. What I find refreshing is their focus on learning the local customs to adapt and work within the cultural framework. They’ve had amazing success in reducing both maternal and infant mortality.

Happiness

The measure of your life is the amount of beauty and happiness of which you are aware.. ~ Agnes Martin

Agnes Martin, Awesome StoriesWhen I read this quote, something inside me opened up as if a block had been removed. I instantly relaxed and felt happy, whereas the previous moment I was stewing about something my mind considered a problem. As Maria wrote in the opening paragraph to this article, happiness is elusive and more we try to attain it, the more it eludes us. I wrote a similar post called Chasing Happiness. Agnes Martin’s approach to art and life was simply to become aware of the beauty and happiness around us. Read this insightful and inspiring post called Our Greatest Obstacle to Happiness. Agnes became an artist late in life after many odd jobs and went on to teach young artists. Her best advice was to ask “How can I best step into this state of mind (exalting life) and devote myself to the expression of life?” She also believed that great art was created by putting our mind aside to become aware of life and allowing inspiration to move us.

May you notice the beauty around and let inspiration move you. Blessings, Brad

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34 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 329”

  3. Another round of beautiful and inspiring stories, Brad. Thank you! I loved Agnes Martin’s question about moving into a state where we can become aware of life and express its wonder and joy through us. The world benefits each time we allow ourselves to come into this condition I think. Imagine if we approached all our dealings with this mindfulness… How could we come into this moment, this relationship, in a way that best expresses life itself!? A lovely thought.

    Peace
    Michael

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  6. Now you knew I would LOVE that first awesome story .. Love the Echinacea flower.. 🙂 And what a wonderful woman is Arlene such dedication.. 😀
    As are your posts to Positivism 🙂
    Love and Blessings my good friend..
    Flapping my wings lol 🙂 😉

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  7. A few thoughts – as these always inspire me to go down a creative whorl…hehe. First, I have noticed that you take MANY flower photos and you’re good at it. Just sayin’. You rock at it. 🙂
    Second, that nurse who met the Dalai Lama!? WOW! Such a cool story and the photo of Adu up there…reminds me of how I’ve been living in a tent the better part of three weeks. It definitely makes you appreciate the indoors in a new way, but also makes you appreciate nature in new ways, too. 🙂 Hope you’ve had a great week!

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    • How wonderful that you’ve been on a creative spurt Cynthia. Yes, I do love flowers, photographing, appreciating, and sharing them. They bring me much joy. Arlene’s story is very inspiring. Kudos on taking the time to slow down, connecting to nature and your best self. Hugs,

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  10. So many encouraging and uplifting stories here, Brad. Flowers are truly a feast, for the eyes and soul (and sometimes even for the mouth and stomach); I love the woman who committed to improving life and prospects for the women of Tibet and her approach (teaching people to fish, so to speak). As far as the pursuit of happiness is concerned – Eric Maisel talks about an alternative, in the form of defining and creating meaning opportunities. In other words, instead of chasing happiness, he asks that we define what creates meaning in our lives and then include meaning making opportunities in our to-do list. Very practical and deeply nourishing.

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    • Thanks Indah. It’s hard to believe this series has been going that long and I’m almost to my 6 year anniversary. I’m glad the stories inspire you. You inspire me with your travels and following your passion for travel and diving! 🙂

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  12. I love the article on feasting on flowers…my grandfather had a massive flower garden and when it was in full bloom…just remembering it brings me a sense of peace. The article on peaceful communication is so true. Seems we have lost that ability as we have become to focused on our own needs and thoughts instead of a collective “we” that has a variety of needs…as always all of the article are great! Thanks Brad!

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  14. Some really uplifting stories here Brad. The flower link was so beautiful. The concept of ‘eating’ our flowers, a teapot or any beautiful thing is such a special concept. Flowers also give us their healing oils and essences…
    Gifts for us all to enjoy, heal from and appreciate.
    Thank you, a great post.
    Have a lovely rest of the week 🙋🏻💐💐

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