Sacred Medicine Wheel in Arizona

Welcome to The Whole in the Center

Welcome to the Whole in the Center
Joyce Seelig, Co-founder


Life is a dream, and you are the dreamer



Through:

Spiritual practice Ceremony

Creativity

Dream work

Storytelling

May we serve Mother Earth and all Her inhabitants by:

Nurturing seeds of peace, friendship and the power of a strong mind

Manifesting our unique gifts and sharing them with others

Creating circles of goodness to heal the world a little bit more

tree.jpg


















Sunday, August 28, 2011

After the storm

There are many stories about rainbows in cultures around the world. The stories help us to bring meaning to our experience here on our Earth walk. What about our own personal storms and the hope we may have discovered after the crisis had passed? These are powerful human stories that we may tell others in order to bring the gift of the rainbow when they to encounter a difficult experience.
What is your rainbow story?

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Enlightened Goddess

Delve into the Mystery
Uncover deeper Truths
The Dark Goddess
is your Guide
Her name is Wisdom


"The beauty and the horror of the whole of life are held together in Her love." (Quote from Dancing in the Flames by Woodman and Dickson)

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Living Medicine Wheel



There are builders and co-creators all over the Earth. Creating wholeness and beauty. Healing and awakening sacred places.

Here is a "Living Medicine Wheel" in Ridgewood, Queens, NY.



"Everything is painted with the brush of the Invisible One. Let us follow the hidden signs and find the Painter." Rumi


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

reducing worry



The Dalai Lama talks about coping with anxiety and fear in his book The Art of Happiness.

pg. 288. "If the situation or problem is such that it can be remedied, then there is no need to worry about it. The appropriate action is to seek its solution...Alternately if there is no way out, no solution, no possibility of resolution, then there is also no point in being worried about it, because you can't do anything about it anyway."

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Dream boat

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the dream

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

life is but a stream

Or is it the other way around?









Artist: Chahully

Installation at the Desert Botanical Gardens

How can I help?

May you be well
May you be happy
May you be free from
suffering and its causes
May you be free from danger
May you have mental happiness
May you have physical happiness
May you have all that you
want and need
May you have ease of
well being
May you have peace When we are confronted with suffering in the world we ask: How can I help? Whether it is a friend going through a difficult time, seeing a global event such as the famine in Africa, or the awareness of people in the community who don't have enough to eat or a place to live, we may feel overwhelmed and insignificant. What can I (little ole me, one person) do to help alleviate the suffering? You can begin on your meditation cushion and from that place choose the action you wish to take. Meditation on loving-kindness (Metta) opens our hearts to the suffering and then directs our wish for the relief of suffering toward ourselves first then toward others in ever widening circles. The examples above give you an idea of Metta Meditation. We wish these things for ourselves, then we open our hearts to others and wish they may benefit too.
After we do this meditation we are able to take action with a peaceful heart knowing we are doing our best to bring comfort and compassion to whatever circumstances that have touched our hearts. (Check out the book Loving-kindness by Sharon Salzberg)


Saturday, August 20, 2011

Relax



Most of the time when sitting and meditating the mind races here and there. Instead of being hard on yourself for wandering off, allow the mind to "graze" in a large green, open, field like this black and white cow. When the mind gets its' fill of running about, it will relax, contented. Like the crow sitting on the fence watch it all; be a witness to the process.


Artwork by Joyce

Friday, August 19, 2011

Metta (loving kindness) Meditation



May all beings everywhere have happiness and the causes of happiness

May all beings everywhere remain free from suffering and the causes of suffering

May all beings everywhere have true happiness

May all beings everywhere dwell in equanimity

free from discrimination and attachment

And may all beings everywhere dwell in the realm of perfect peace.


Thursday, August 18, 2011

Go with the flow

The Tao moves


in every direction at once


its essence is fluid and yielding


It is the maker of everything under the sun


And everything comes


out of nothing

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bells of Mindfulness

Bringing mindfulness and awareness through the day can be a challenge. We all get caught up in the hustle and bustle; the drama; and all that needs to get done.
When we are relaxed and feeling centered we wonder how can I bring this peace to my everyday life? How did I loose it during may day and get so sucked in?
The great teachers, like Thich Nhat Hanh, suggest "anything can help us to wake up and relax into the present moment."
In temples, churches and retreats the bell is often used to bring people to prayer, to remind us to stop what we are doing and connect with our own happiness.
You may not have a bell chiming in your work place every hour, but you can use other cues. I work in a hospital and there are bells and chimes going off all the time. I use these to stop, breathe a little, and remind myself of the peace that lies within. You may have a bell or beep on your phone when you get a message that you could use as a Bell of Mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh suggests saying silently to yourself while taking a few deep breathes: "Listen, listen, this wonderful sound brings me back to my true self."
Hey, it's worth a try.
(Quotes from The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh)


Sunday, August 14, 2011

Lighten up!


Watch how your day unfolds when you are feeling "light hearted".

I've noticed what a difference it makes when I choose to be light hearted. It seems so simple. But it takes a bit of discipline to remain centered and aware throughout the day. Allowing the Sun to shine on all experiences, pleasant and unpleasant, is a useful exercise.

Wishing you peace throughout your day.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Full Moon

Use the moons' reflective power to help others see what they might miss.
Since ancient times women have followed the cycles of the Moon. Gathering in Moon Lodges to create; to solve everyday problems; and to vision for future generations. Women are fearless when it comes to delving into the depths of the collective unconscious and birthing their dreams for the benefit of All Our Relatives.

Full Moon days and nights are a good time to reflect on our own life spiral, our own cycles. Honoring our inner wisdom as reflected by the Moons' light. We thank Her for continuing to light our path, showing us the beauty of the shadow as well as the light.


Painting: Fire snake. August 2010. Artist: Joyce




Friday, August 12, 2011

Zen Musicians from Mexico




What are these Master's singing?

"We are all going to end up this way.

So sing, dance and enjoy this day."


In Buddhism it is said that taking on a human body is a very rare occurence. Contemplating this motivates us to meditate, do our work with joy, help others, cherish family and friends, and enjoy each day.





Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Take time to stop for ice cream

You know the saying "take time to smell the roses"? Well I prefer: "Take time to stop for ice cream". Pets remind us to live in the present moment, play, and enjoy life each day. Oh and don't forget a good nap!
Thanks four legged friends (Ozzie Bear and Buster)!

Honoring the Tao



Things are the way they are

because we think they're that way

Good or bad,

acceptable or unacceptable,

they conform to the way we see them.

Originally, in themselves,

all things are good and acceptable.


From The Second Book of the Tao by Stephen Mitchell


Monday, August 8, 2011

Guardian Deva

Sprite: Artist Frank Lloyd Wright. Taliesin West, Arizona

Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot
seek the path that demands your whole being
Leave that which is not, but appears to be
see that which is, but is not apparent.
Rumi


Saturday, August 6, 2011

Why are you so happy all the time?

Here is a picture of one of the many forms of Maitreya. The very happy Buddha many of us have seen depicted. It was the first Buddha gift I received (from Taiwan) in 1969. So he has been hanging out with me for awhile and teaching me about happiness.
Why is he so happy all the time? He is expressing the great joy he has in relieving living beings from suffering. Like any representation of a Buddha it is meant to reflect a naural state of being which You already posses.
Yesterday I read a quote from the Spirituality and Practice website (see links) that brought me some understanding. "Most of the harm done in this world is the result of people who are compensating for deep insecurities, who are trying to "prove" something to someone..." (quote from Robin Meyers). Aha, this makes sense. Just reflect on the people in your own life who may be causing problems. The constant striving to prove their own "worthiness" may shed light on the root of their behavior (and our own at times).
Maitreya Buddha reminds us of our own worthiness, own own lovliness and lovability. Nothing to prove. No striving. Accepting our own worthiness can greatly help to relieve suffering and reduce harm.
When you have time click on the Tibetan Sand Mandala. The chanting is the heart of Maitreya.

Friday, August 5, 2011

There is wholeness at the center of You

Thank you for visiting the whole in the center blog.
A friend asked me today: "What do you hope to get out of this?"
Well I'm not really looking to get anything. The endeavor is fulfilling - it provides a space for creative expression. I hope a post or picture may be inspiring or thought provoking to participants. I guess my highest hope is that the whole in the center serves as a mirror that reflects the goodness, creativity, and loveliness that resides at the center of each human being.

At the bottom of the page is the full statement of the whole in the center.
It begins: May we serve all our relatives by remembering our own goodness.
Please be kind to yourself.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Clouds



Watching clouds is not a waste of time. They have a lot to teach us about impermanence.

I was meditating on the clouds as they were born in the southwestern sky over the mountains. As they moved into the dry hot air of the valley the clouds got thin and slowly evaporated. It wasn't sad to watch how they came into existence, nor how they seemed to disappear. In truth the clouds just went back to their source to start another cycle; but I couldn't see them with my earthly eyes. Our thoughts are like that too if you sit and watch them arise and dissipate. So are we.

The Awakened One taught: "Everything arises and passes away. When you see this, you are above sorrow. This is the shining way." The Dhammapada

The clouds were like Buddha's that day teaching me the wisdom of impermanence.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Roadrunner

Roadrunner came to hunt some lizard this morning. She has a beautiful long tail. I got as close as I could to get the picture without disturbing Her.

Honoring our Ancestors and the 2 million year old Healer

Honoring our Ancestors and the 2 million year old Healer

Living by the Moon

Living by the Moon