The Appreciation Game (Join in!)

[Paradise-on-Earth]

So a side appreciation for:
Parathas:

Next letter S

When I felt for a good "S", immediately, the song "Staying alive" from the BeeGees came to my mind, and I felt the powerful appreciation for it, and everything that is connected for me with it, streaming through me. I was 14 when it came out (1977), a time where I felt all balled up in a knot of feeling so much, wanting so much, fearing so much... and it seemed to have been a hymn for just yelling- and dancing it all out, feeling for a few minutes on top of life, in the time of disco-mania! And that felt sooooooo good!!



And that's how the BeeGees, that wrote and performed the song for the blockbuster "Saturday Night Fever" with John Travolta (in his first iconic dance-role) felt the lyrics, as well. "Staying Alive" in the hustle and bustle of New York City, protecting your dreams, not dying your soul. STAYING ALIVE in all forms... The song appears 2 times very prominently in the movie- in the starting scene where the city seems to awaken, and you see Tony Manero (Travolta) strut through the streets, obviously almost dancing, feeling the uplifting, high energy of promising life. And of course, then in the famous dance-scene in the disco. And I feel the urge to admit that I was no fan of Travolta, in this days! It was just too much drama!



...but my then-crush in "real life" was all about performing to this song, too. Our clique was having a party at my place, and I will never forget, it moved me so much, to see this boy dancing so confidently... I wanted THAT. I wanted that energy, that standing in the light and shining and sparkling, reaching far and spreading wide, not shying away from anything- LIVING WHO I REALLY AM!!



Each time I listened to the song again, if then, or still now 44 years later, I feel carried and assured and strengthened by the music, the irresistable beat and the loud, long lasting, uplifting screems within the singing, and the voice and even face of Barry Gibb, who feels in hundreds of arcane ways like a re-assuring soulmate (and one of my husband as well) to me, since ever I laid eyes on him!



Besides that, this song is not only an energetic "life-saver" in my own life, but it helped thousands of first aiders to save literally lives in this way (copied from Wikipedia):

(...) the theme, that pulsating beat. It's no coincidence, by the way, that the disco beat of 120 [sic] beats per minute coincides the heartbeat of your heart when you're excited. This was a key thing which underlined the whole tune, and when the vocals came in, the vocals were so designed that they pushed that beat further".

"Stayin' Alive" was used in a study to train medical professionals to provide the correct number of chest compressions per minute while performing CPR. The song has around 103 beats per minute, and 100–120 chest compressions per minute are recommended by the British Heart Foundation[17][18] and endorsed by the Resuscitation Council (UK).[19] A study on medical professionals found that the quality of CPR is better when thinking of the song "Stayin' Alive".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5hP4DI ... ssociation
(youtube clip "Ken Jeong AHA Hands-Only CPR video", with the advice for dealing with heart-attacks: "Call 911, and push hard in the middle of the chest, to the beat of "Staying Alive")


(And: Better don't use "another one bites the dust" from Queen- even it has the same beat!)

[Tara]

I guess I will interrupted the “letter”. I have a task to think of a state “wonder”. I was not thinking much but this teacher I met yesterday, reminded me to think of this state… so this morning I was contemplating the state of wonder a bit… and some momentum started picking up…

- First memory was easy to find. I felt wonder as a kid and I still feel wonder as an adult in snow… I recall I was driving in my country once and then I stopped to park my car.. it was early days of Abraham. And the snowflakes were falling so soft, pure and beautiful and I was thinking “aw” and how much I forgot to notice this miracle.
- Forest in a deep snow has always evoked in me a state of wonder. It’s always looks like a fairytale.
- Or a frost… I recall walking as a kid I took this leave covered in frost and the sun was shining and all the colours, sparkles this frost on a leave was radiating made me feel wonder.
- Snow and sparkles and early morning frost gives me a state of wonder
… I was laying in bed allowing LOA to bring me more…
- Then I recalled the states I used to have as a kid when I would see a puppy. I love puppies now, but as a kid seeing a puppy was some sort of magnified experience, love and wonder.
- Also, Xmas time was full of wonder when I was a kid.. waiting for a Santa Klaus.. or we used to change cards and put a mini chocolate in the envelope with my friends… to open that envelope with card had this feeling of wonder for me.
- Back forward to adulthood. I thought of travels.. New York made me feel something I did not expect. The weather, the grandness of the city, the energy there made me feel in aw… or Santorini and beautiful sunsets..
- Then I recalled that a few years ago I was fascinated by sunsets… I took a lot of photos and was matching so many beauty sunrises and sunsets.. that feeling of newness… that feeling of beauty.. the colours.. it was a state of wonder.
- This brought me another memory. When I just clicked with Abraham, I recall seeing butterflies. What was amazing as an adult I almost never noticed them… until that summer when I start clicking with Abraham. I was laying near the lake in my country and two butterflies were playing and I felt this wellbeing. Then I saw more and more butterflies.. to the point when I was going to London with car at it was end of summer I saw so many so many butterflies it started gently raining and I was amazed how many butterflies are still in the rain… I told my dad do you see butterflies and he said what butterflies focus on the road. I thought maybe his eyes was focused on rain and road and he did not see… but they were clearly visible for me. Someone in old Abe forum said that I must have tunned in another dimension… hmm.. it happened long time ago so not sure now. But even when I arrived in London there were so many butterflies… like I would go to Stratford close to the mall and a butterfly would fly near my nose (these ones were seen by others when I pointed them out so definitely not another dimension ) but they give me a feeling of wellbeing and I guess wonder
- Also rainbows… they still evoke this feeling

What puts you in a state of wonder?

[spiritualcookie]

Wonder:

That's a great word to explore! Thank you Tara!
I enjoyed reading your memories as you tuned into it .
I loved reading about all your experiences! Your butterfly story was so cool too!

What puts you in a state of wonder?

Your memory of the sense of wonder seeing the sparkles in the frost reminded me of a similar experience:

It had just rained, and the window was covered in water droplets. The sun had come out and was shining through the window. The angle the light that was hitting the raindrops made them sparkle and shine like hundreds of little diamonds, shimmering with all the colours of the rainbow,; shining brightly as they reflected the strong sun's light. It was so beautiful I had to call my housemate over to see it!

What did this wonder and awe feel like?
- It felt like appreciation for nature; for the wonders of the world; for how beauty can arise in unexpected places - the unexpectedness and surprise of finding this beauty on a normal, everyday window, from normal rain, amplified the wonder even more!
- It felt like a moment of no-thought; just soaking it in
- It felt like "how lucky I am to experience this!"
- It felt like a positive feeling in my heart
- It felt like smiling eyes and a relaxed body

Other times when I felt Wonder:

- Finding out I'd won in a competition:
The surprise and amazement of winning made me feel a sense of wonder, and a sense of "wow! how lucky am I!"
It was wonder mixed in with happiness!
I remember finding out and just pausing - everything stopped - because of the moment of surprise and wonder! I just stared at the words on the computer screen that told me I'd won, mouth slightly agape in surprise.

Then came the huge grin across the face and wanting to jump up and down in excitement!

- Ravello:

When I was on holiday in the Amalfi Coast, we drove up to the high-up village of Ravello. When we came out of the car park, it opened up onto a view-point where you could see the view of the Amalfi Coast from up high. You could see the dramatic, steep, lush mountainous view, speckled with stone pine trees, bright orange roof-tops, Mediterranean style houses, little stepped terrace farms growing olives, lemons, walnuts and grapes, and an azure blue sea, shimmering in the sunlight. It was pretty much my ideal idea of beauty as far as views go; feeling abundant; rich in life and fertility; and it filled me with an overwhelmingly strong sense of wonder and appreciation as I took it in. It made me take in my breath and hold it. I couldn't stop saying "wow..." I couldn't stop wanting to take photos! The photos I took didn't quite capture the magical element that gave the sense of wonder - it seems it was something that was in the air when experienced first hand

- Monte San Costanzo

On the same trip, I had a similar experience of wonder taking in the views from Monte San Costanzo, near Sorrento. It was Spring, and there were wildflowers everywhere. We walked through the flowers, taking in the views of Capri island and the view of the surrounding countryside, including seeing Mount Vesuvius. With the foreground of the red, yellow, white, pink and purple flowers, framing the mountaineous view, it was so beautiful! It filled me with a sense of wonder.
(I made a video of this experience which you can view here if you like )

- Dramatic Lightning Storm:

When I was little, I went on holiday with my family to the USA to an area that gets a lot of lightning storms. The night we were there, they had one, and all of us gathered at the hotel window in our pyjamas standing, with the curtain around us like a cape, staring in wonder at the flashing sky. The sky seemed to light up every few seconds with a different shaped zig-zag of bright light. It was amazing! And absolutely filled me with a sense of amazement and wonder.

- Beams of Light as if from Heaven

The few times I've seen this kind of thing - it always filled me with a feeling of awe and wonder. It's just so beuatiful!

- Seeing animals at the zoo as a young child:
I remember this filled me with a sense of wonder. The animals seemed so strange! These living things, moving, warm-bodies, behaving so strangely and unlike humans - and yet they're so full of life! So powerful often. They feel so wild and unpredictable. Somehow this combination gave me a big sense of wonder, interest and curiosity.

- Firework Display set to Music in perfect synchrony
One year, I was on holiday in the French countryside, and unexpectedly they had a firework festival there in a tiny river-village in the middle of no-where - and it was an amazing, impressive display, set to music. They chose the dramatic, moving classical music piece, "Smetana: Má vlast (My Fatherland)" as the beautiful fireworks erupted into the sky, punctuating the music in perfect synchrony. The colourful lights in the sky reflected in the calm river water beneath. It was an amazing, artistic display of perfect timing; perfect music; and it absolutely filled me with a sense of wonder

[Tara]

Loved reading your wonder rampage, cookie

You are so blessed to have seen those thunders. I would love to see them in real. So powerful.

And Ravelo… thank you for bringing this memory to me. I know the feeling! I’ve been there. Where there just a couple times in my life where I felt so fulfilled and thoughts (strange thoughts to myself) if I had to die now I would so fulfilled

Ravello has energy of beauty and you picture is truly wonderful

The below is my favourite photo I took in Ravello (we went to one of the villas and there was a hotel and they had a restaurant )

I felt like I was living some sort of vision board (if I ever had one…)

[Tara]

P.s. not sure if it’s my appreciation of New York or my work, but looks like I might go to Singapore this month! How wonderful is that ?

[spiritualcookie]

The below is my favourite photo I took in Ravello

So pretty! And the tasty-looking two cappuccinos and the little heart on the fencing somehow makes it even more romantic

P.s. not sure if it’s my appreciation of New York or my work, but looks like I might go to Singapore this month! How wonderful is that ?

oooh! that sounds like fun! I've never been but it looks like a really nice place to visit. And I hear it's always warm there! It'll be like going back to summer!

[Tara]

So pretty! And the tasty-looking two cappuccinos and the little heart on the fencing somehow makes it even more romantic

Of course, hearts! Didn’t spot that one

This was with my mum… but indeed I felt very romantic and I saw some couple and I felt their love.. and I bought this candle holder with a couple which evoked romantic feelings in me… few years past and I am with my partner and the first trip we went was Amalfi (where were lots of weddings happening when we visited.. he was a bit uncomfortable )

we were sitting together in the same place enjoying hot chocolate

[spiritualcookie]

few years past and I am with my partner and the first trip we went was Amalfi (where were lots of weddings happening when we visited.. he was a bit uncomfortable )

[Tara]

I guess I am breaking the rules again.
Word - Purity.
I was given a task to contemplate this state…
Initially I have realised it’s hard to grasp purity… but then some thoughts start flowing.
- Purity is that frequency that has no contradiction.
- Like in the last Abraham Now workshop Abraham said: if your desire was alone, that would be enough. But it’s not alone, it’s covered in doubt, etc. or when you meet a friend if you focused only on how much you love to spend time with them, it would be pure… but when you complain, you loose the purity…
- when we forgive someone from the heart, we purify ourselves. Yesterday we meditated on the state of forgiveness ( not mental forgiveness, not reasoning one but a state in the heart) and one girl said she felt as if an energy of purity washed over her. I recalled a dream where I hugged a girl with love (she did some stuff to me in teen years and through intelligence and understanding her insecurities I thought I have forgiven her; but then many years past I was doing simple meditation and in my dream she appeared and I hugged her with love (I felt I was pure, I completely let go, and then a dream showed me upcoming positive manifestations which happened in the next following months)
- purity: is also lack of focus on the unwanted.

Where else I feel purity?
- Nature
- Babies
- Pets, especially puppies
- Tidy places
- Efficient meditative state
- When I connect with the heart
- In beautiful heart touching harmonious melodies
- Pure water

What purity is for you? Have you ever thought of this state?

[spiritualcookie]

I guess I am breaking the rules again.

It's ok - feel free to
The rules of the game are there to help if someone doesn't have a clear idea of what to rampage about, so the starting-letter can help them choose a subject. But if you have a clear subject you want to appreciate - that's great too

What purity is for you? Have you ever thought of this state?

I've never thought about this state before - but I look forward to thinking about it now

Purity:

What does purity feel like?

When I think about purity, (unconnected to people / humans) it feels:
- clean (untainted)
- clear
- fresh
- light
- high vibration
- specific
- focused, concentrated (undiluted)
- distilled
- the concentrated essence of something
- simple (uncluttered)
- singular (it's just one thing, without other things contributing to it)




When I think of purity in relation to people or animals it feels like:
- innocence (uncluttered by worries, negative beliefs or experiences)

- pure love - an unconditional love that does not waver no matter what contrast is there.
- Pure feelings = unwavering feelings eg of faith, trust, belief, love: - Nothing can shake them. They are strong, steady, stable and don't change when tested or when stressed.

- A pure feeling of joy - when you just feel joy and nothing else and it is in full, pure expression, unobstructed by anything else (zero resistance)



Things that feel pure:

A pure colour:
I work a lot of digital paint programs, and when choosing a colour on HSV settings, there is a V (value) slider where on one end a colour is black and on the other end it is the pure version of the colour. When I think of purity, I think of the clean, fresh colour, without any grey or black in it - just bright and vibrant and vivid.

There is the simile: as pure as snow: The idea being that the colour of snow is one colour that is completely untouched by any other colour at all - no murkiness - just clean, clear, untouched and pure.

A pure sound:
This is like a very clean sound, like Tingsha Temple Bells,

or a single note on a glockenspiel or harp. It sounds sharp, non-murky, clear and bright. For some reason, to me it's a high pitched note, not lower pitched. I guess high pitch literally is a higher vibration, and purity is a higher vibration concept, so that would make sense!

Purity of thought:
When I meditate and clear my mind completely to a state of no thought, it feels a bit like "purity of thought". The mind feels empty, clean and pure.

Purity of focus:
When I do a visualization exercise, for example focusing on sending the energy of love from me to the universe, this intent focus on this frequency and on this specific task feels very pure.

Pure silence: no sound. This is a bit like purity of thought in meditation.

Purity of nature:
This is when you're somewhere that feels untouched by man; untainted. 100% natural.
Like a blanket of freshly fallen snow, untrodden, before anything has stepped on it or touched it. It's fresh from heaven, untouched by any living thing.