Global Love Day | Gathering Spot

i'm ALL for it. not much to say these days, but LOTS of love to give! i'll be focusing that idea mainly in "my world", but should any intriguing and attractive dialogue chance to happen...

I'm on board.

:-)

Peace and love,

Trish

Eric loves you all....................

Thanks Kathy this is right down my alley !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trying to live every day like it's Global Love day. Came across this link as well and though I may not find time to work with all the info they will be presenting over 30 days, it fits right in with Kathy's post. From Desmond Tutu...

http://forgivenesschallenge.com/your-invitation/

I'm in total agreement with the concept of forgiveness. As part of 'Global Love Day' then...

I love you. I honor you. I respect you. I respect the ideas, thoughts and dreams you bring to this place. I forgive you in any instance where there has been hurt, anger, misunderstanding. Please forgive me as well if you are so guided. I respect you. I honor you. I love you.

I truly believe in one holy instant we change the world. kristyne

Yay!

I love that, Kristyne! I just signed up. I think forgiveness is big for me - it always feels like it's so needed in the world (if "my" world needs it, it's a sure sign that I do, too).

So I'd like to put out this question for everyone... How do you envision the world when you think about the future? How would you want people to interact, to work, to play? How do we share goods and services? I'd love to hear, in your own words, what you want to see in the world. (I'll also think about that, and write my own thoughts / visions later this morning.)

Much love and many blessings,

Kathy

BIG challenge there!

Definitely not envisioning any city life in the dream... Forested area or mountain... A small community of individuals commited to their growth and development separately and together... Simple ways and means for daily living...

I also have no love for tech, so I don't really see that in my future. Even though I love to read science fiction! Maybe some Tesla or Leedskalnin inspired power unit...

Orson Scott Card (has his pros and cons, like everyone) wrote a series based on a character "Alvin Maker" which focused on the fact that everyone has different gifts and what if we lived in a world which actually emphasized that? So, if you need this done, you go to this person, etc. Their surnames also reflected their attributes/abilities. So, the gist of the story is he had a vision about a crystal city where all would live in harmony where the walls would reflect back to you your innermost fears and desires so you could be confronted with them. Gets way more involved than all that...

I think since I was young and being challenged in gifted and talented class in like fifth grade, I realized people weren't doing what they wanted to or were "supposed to" do. And didn't know who they were on top of it. So, I want to live in a world where people are acknowledging and working with the elements that make them "who they really are". Cutting past all the programming and conditioning (which can still be helpful for learning) to the core. Possibly what you would then call the "initial program". Why they are here and what they have to do. And then get about it!

Have enough space and land so the community members can each have their own separate dwellings out of eyesight from one another. And shared community spaces... kitchen, gathering areas, sauna, maybe a pool. oh, I have IDEAS! ;)

Of course I could go on ad nauseum, but...

There would be classes/workshops on movement/body mechanics, there would be light/color/sound therapy and harmonizing, there would be music and dance, there would be creative and imaginative lessons in self-expression and how to tap into that inner creator/destroyer and utilize it for growth, etc...

There would be animals for companionship/therapy/communication, there would be gardens and orchards and bees and birds and flowers...

And there would be a huge and agreed upon deprogramming. One cannot create a new world by basing it upon the old/this one. It would be new and it would be OURS, so it can be WHATEVER we want it to be! Ultimate freedom with 100% personal responsibility... And nothing but LOVE for one another...

Sorry I missed your Global Love Day, Kristyne. It's a great idea.

Someone (Kristyne or Kathy?) recently suggested that we come together regularly to meditate. The issue is how to coordinate it.

Turns out, someone else has already created a space to do that. You can join with other meditators across the globe or use this website as a way of "seeing" other G-spotters that have agreed to meditate at an appointed time together. A way of doing this might be for one or more G-spotters to suggest some times to meditate collectively and then the rest of us can use the website below to join in.

I hope more people keep this going...

http://doasone.com/Default.aspx

Nobody missed anything. It just started today! (officially). join on in. ALL are welcome

lots of great articles/postings/links on those websites as well! http://www.thelovefoundation.com

When I think about the future, I imagine people living peacefully together - trading within communities for necessities, neighbors sharing things that they don't always need (mowers, garden tools, etc...). I think that money in some form is still needed, and used... Haven't really figured that all out.

I don't think debt forgiveness actually works - some people have gone without instead of racking up debt - so it's not very equal, and would not be seen as such. I do think it would be great to see interest rates for loans be taken to 0%, with perhaps a reasonable processing fee for larger loans. Maybe a $5000 processing fee for a home. And maybe consumer debt (like credit cards and short term loans) could turn into term loans, where a person pays them back at 0% interest, but are charged a nominal fee if they don't stay on track to pay it back. (This is maybe not ideal, but I think it's reasonable, and maybe an intermediate step to something else).

Since the current state of the Earth is of dire concern, people spend time working to clean up our mess. Once clean / free energy is introduced and widespread, all oil and gas rigs would need to be disassembled and safely cleaned up. Same with atomic power. It would be an all hands on deck for the cleanup - I'm hopeful that advanced, perhaps hidden technology can help, but if not, it still needs to get done... We'd have to figure it out. This would take a LOT of manpower at every level - all kinds of engineers and planners, logistics staff, and hands-on types - everyone doing the work that they can do toward the greater good. Of course, health and safety of all concerned would be a given. This goes for every corner of the Earth - land and sea. Let's clean up that Pacific Garbage Patch.

There would be creative people whose talents and crafts are valued in such a way that they can support themselves doing their craft. Teachers would be re-educated with the truth, so that they can pass these truths on to others. Kids would spend more time at home, as would parents. Food would be clean and organic, as it would be grown in harmony with nature, instead of against it.

Less people would get sick, due to less stress, and less toxicity in the environment, but when medical intervention was needed, non-invasive, gentle methods would always be the first step. Herbs, including natural psychodelics would be well understood, and ministered if needed, by a knowledgable community member (be they doctor, shaman, witch or elder).

Corruption at all levels would not be tolerated, so there would again be trust within communities, big and small. People would be able to love one another again as the negative media would no longer be constantly telling people that there was something to fear in their neighbor. Slowly, people would forget why they were afraid in the first place. Much healing would take place - perhaps ceremonially cleansing and processing past hurts to assure they didn't return in unhealthy ways.

People would move and travel with ease. There would always be time for a laugh with friends. Life would slow down. You'd see more eyes when you walked down a city street - more people willing to meet you face to face - more people with love in their hearts. More smiles, and more bellies that used to go hungry, now full of fresh, local, living food.

Countries where poverty has been a dire issue for centuries, will see clean water, sanitation, medical attention, food in abundance, and willing bodies to help with whatever needs need to be met - always with deep respect for the culture and the community.

I'm sure there is way more than I could ever write here. My thought in sharing this is that I often find myself thinking about what I DON'T want to see anymore, with a very nebulous idea of what I WANT to see in the world. I think it's helpful to form some ideas - both individually, and collectively.

Lots of love,

Kathy

I wish for everything on your list, Kathy. Where we differ is the notion that we need a debt-based economy*. As long as usury is placed upon money, someone will always get the short end of the stick. A more equitable idea would be to allow the trading partners to determine the relative value of the transaction. In other words, we may agree that piano lessons and dental care are of equal value. In another scenario, there may be a surplus or deficit between parties which is recorded and used accordingly in future transactions with others. (This is how LETS trading works.) In either case, usuary/interest should never be charged on the exchange or use of currency.

Artistic and creative pursuits, as well as those that nurture and enhance life, will have equal value in a world where capitalists no longer define what is valuable to society.

Like it or not, a paradigm shift of great proportions must happen in order for humanity and the planet to survive; we can't continue down this path of unconscienable consumption and destruction. If enough of us can see the necessity of Kathy's vision, maybe we won't need an apocalypse to turn people away from the TV, Facebook, and cellphone texting long enough to take this dream seriously.

* Not all debt is caused by greedy consumption. These days, there's such a disparity between wages and the cost of living that some folks go into debt just to survive week to week.

These are such beautiful ideas and dreams and visions. I suffer a lack of ideas for the future so I'm glad others can fill the gap and maybe help me find a place in that future.

A beautiful story about true love

My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find.

They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring. "Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath.

At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet. There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up. Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows. "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace.

This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture. It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparent's game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love - one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life.

Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience. Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble. My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome an old man he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew "how to pick 'em." Before every meal they bowed heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.

But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared 10 years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that color so she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. Now the cancer was once again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they still went to church every Sunday morning. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore.

For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone. "Shmily." It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet.

As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time. Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby. Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. For I knew then that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty. S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You.

Written by Laura Jeanne Allen

Funny how witnessing enduring love can make you shed tears. Thank you for sharing that story, Eric! It's so lovely.

k

Thank you so much, Eric, for sharing your personal experience. How fortunate you are to have grown up within a family so rich in a tradition of love. I'm awash with tears of emotion.

Appreciating Appreciation

There’s a song called “Thank God for Dirty Dishes” that makes the point that if you’re lucky to have enough food to make dirty dishes, you should be grateful.

So instead of grousing about your property taxes, be thankful you own property. When you have to wait in line at the bank or are stuck in traffic, just be grateful you have money in the bank and a car to drive.

It makes sense, but that doesn’t make it easy.

I have to admit that appreciation has not been a natural attribute for me. In my more ambitious days when I believed that excess was not enough, gratitude seemed like a form of surrender and a very poor life strategy. After all, if you’re satisfied with the way things are, you’ll never make them better.

What a pity I had to reach my 50s before I began to appreciate appreciation. I finally began to see that it was irresponsible and irreverent not to realize how many things I should feel grateful for. I also came to realize how good it feels to acknowledge how good I have it.

Real gratitude is much more than politeness, like saying thank you when someone passes the salt or conveys good wishes; it’s a deeper psychological state of genuine thankfulness.

Whether we believe whatever good fortune we have is the product of our own labor and talents, random luck, or a gift from God, the fact remains that each of us could spend a full day identifying all the things that merit gratitude.

According to an old proverb, “If you never learn the language of gratitude, you’ll never be on speaking terms with happiness.”

I’m still a beginner, but it’s true; the more I appreciate, the happier I am. That’s a lesson I want my children to learn.

Michael Josephson

On love and gratitude, a fine example to me, is Masaru Emoto's work with water crystals-when the words used were loving the crystals where beautiful, when the words used were destructive they were scattered and unformed. When both words-Love and Gratitude-were used the resulting crystals were more symetrical and even more perfectly beautiful than either word alone. After reading that piece of his work, it made such a deep impression on me that incorporating both became part of my 'practices'.

If you haven't tried it before I encourage you to 'charge' your water by holding it in both hands and 'intending' what you want it to be for you and to go a step farther, write on the bottle, container or whatever you keep it in all those things like Peace, Healing, Love, Gratitude, etc. that you would like it to be embued with. Can't hurt, may help, and is a reminder of all those things each time you imbibe as well as a sort of 'prayer' to Source. I know many of you already know this stuff, but there may be folks that haven't heard it yet.

Grateful for the Love in my life, the good clean water we have abundantly in my neck of the woods, and dreaming both for ALL.

Peace out! ...ok so my kids refer to me as 'an old hippie chick' (especially when they are embarrassed with one of the wooohoooo things I do.) ahhh kids (even grown ones) someday we'll all learn!

Have a blessed day filled with Love, gratitude and millions of good vibes. kristyne

Noa , the story was written by Laura Allen . I thought that might happen, the way I posted it probably was not the most clear cut . It is a great story !!!!

Eric loves you all...................

Thank you Eric for sharing Laura Jeanne Allen's story. Like ksaulino and Noa, I too had tears in my eyes when I finished reading it. It will be shared further from my Facebook page.

I recently read two books by Charles Eisenstein: Ascent of Humanity and Sacred Economics.

The first describes how humans have 'ascended' to a state of global disaster and economic inequality and it all stems from an idea that we are separate from nature, the world, the universe, and each other.

The second book presents Eisenstein's ideas about a new economy based on love, trust, and coming back to the oneness with the universe. To bring us back to living the way that nature/God/the universe intends, we must abandon ideas that anyone must 'earn a living', that any resource is scarce, and anything that we lend must be returned with interest. The concept of a currency that accumulates interest immediately casts the transaction out of balance--you give somebody something to use and then tell them that you want it back but more than what you gave them.

Eisenstein shares many ideas about alternative lending and a gifting economy; far too many for me to describe fully here. I highly recommend Sacred Economics. Meanwhile, check out my review of the book which will be posted to the Gathering Spot shortly.

Thanks so much for the SHMILY story!!! I want to buy some of those coins. I feel incredibly blessed to have experienced the kind of love shown in that beautiful story, though not for as long as her grandparents. And I love how much I love all of you, so please imagine that I'm hiding a SHMILY coin under your pillow to find.

With lots of love and gratitude,
Fred