Sunday, December 26, 2010

A Few of My Favorite Things - Easy Holidays

Fortunately I had an easy Christmas with just the right amount to do. I was out of town until around Dec 14, then went on a 3 day retreat, so I decided not put up a tree.–but I wanted to hang my favorite tree ornaments; Ho, Ho, I hung them on the pulls to my secretary and other furniture. I hung my stockings on the stairs

I only gave two gifts - one to a friend who lives on a fixed income; I knew she would really appreciate the presents. She appreciated the earth friendly detergent I gave her – enough to wash her clothes for months (I knew she was out of detergent!) and a ceramic knife she was longing for. The other present was to my best friend who had already bought presents for me (too late for the no gifts speech) and I easily found something for her.

My daughter prefers me not give her anything and not having to buy a gift for me, makes her life easier too. If I want her to have something, I can buy/make it for her without having a holiday as the reason. I love being a mother, a friend, a wife, a person, rather than being a harried consumer vying for the next bargain.

Making holidays difficult and rushing through life, are not on my to do list. Savoring the moments, the holiday songs, cooking a few luscious dishes – these are the things I love. Seeing friends, drinking in the beauty of each moment – these are my things. Recently a New York Times article said that the people who are happiest are those who don’t think a lot – those who keep their minds still. I laughed when I heard that – the mystics have known for eons, but when the truth hits the Wall Street Journal, my insides tingle. Holidays bring a certain delight and yet life in its fullness is so amazing. Life itself is a permanent gift. Kirtana’s song, “Deathbed Song,” states, “If I had the chance to do it over – I would open each day like a present. Tender toward what ever came my way, every texture, joy or pain, searing sun or healing rain… for I have seen the mask of my beloved.”

I love you and appreciate the role you play in my life – that makes us playmates; life is our playground and it’s time for recess. Happy New Year.

http:www.ezosophy.com
anne@annegillis.com

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Silly Holiday Songs

Joy to the World


Joy to the world the time has come to have a little fun.
We frowned and frowned, our smiles are upside down, we’ve been too serious, we’ve been too serious, we’ve been, we’ve been too serious.

We came to earth to have some fun and laugh and sing and dance.
We brought our light to bring delight and not be serious, and not be serious, and not and not be serious.

We lost our way forgot to play, and acted like adults, we worked and worked
Forgot life's perks
We been too serious, we've been too serious, we been, we've been too serious.
We choose today to come alive and joke and laugh and play
We pledge our light to shine so bright
And not be serious, and not be serious and not, and not be serious.


Happy Mind Tune “Jingle Bells”

A day or two ago
I thought I’d lost my way
But then my ego disappeared
And I began to play
I heard my happy thoughts
and felt a great big smile
And then my ego jumped back out
and acted sort of wild.

Oh, ego thoughts, ego thoughts,
ego ain’t the way
to have fun in a safe healed mind
that does not want delay
Oh ego thoughts, ego thoughts,
ego ain’t the way
to have fun in a safe healed
mind that does not want delay.

Playing with my friends
on this most important day
I feel my courage jump right in
and I just want to say
I like you very much and
hope you always know
that I’ll love you no matter what
through wind and rain and snow.
Just happy thoughts, happy thoughts,
happy every day
I make choices with my mind
in a very helpful way
Just happy thoughts, happy thoughts,
happy every day.
I make choices with my mind
in a very helpful way.

Hark the Harried Angel Sings Codependent Version

Hark the harried angel sings
Two more days and I’ll have wings.
If I’m good and help you out.
I’ll get wings without a doubt.
If I’m nice and do not fuss
If I help clean up the dust
If I make my presence bright
I’ll be one of God’s true lights.
Hark the Harried angel sings.
Two more days and I’ll have wings.

Hark the harried angel sings
I’m so tired of doing things
I’m so tired of being good
I am tired of all those shoulds
I just want to take a rest
I just want to be the guest.
I am tired of all this stuff.
I am feeling mighty rough.

Hark the harried angel sings.
Two more days and I’ll have wings
I gave up my heavenly chores
It won’t be hard any more.
I gave up being nice.
I gave up the heavy price.
No more sacrifice for me.
I am feeling very free.
Hark the Happy Angel sings
Now I have my holy wings

Silent Minds (tune of Silent Night)

Silent Minds
Holy Minds
Thoughts of Light
Give us peace.
Heavenly states of consciousness
Innocent states of love and bliss
Christ is born in our hearts
Christ is born in our hearts.

Abundant states of consciousness
God our source Gives us all
Life and health and peace of mind
Joy and fun and plenty of time.
We are blessed by our source.
We are blessed by our source.

We are love. We are peace.
We are light. We are joy.
We are gifts of love itself.
Bearing light and sharing wealth.
Christ is present within.
Christ is present within.

It Came Upon My Mind to Clear

Tune: “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

It Came Upon My Mind to Clear
Those pesky thoughts of doom
to cancel all the shame and guilt
and give God’s love more room.
A good thought here
and good thought there
an affirmation or two
and I can join with my Holy mind
and keep love shining through.

Let joy ring out in all my thoughts
and then my mind will sing
and peace within will come at last
and I can have my wings.
I thought my mind was doing fine.
I loved my inner child.
I loved my neighbor as myself
and had stopped acting wild.
But then the bottom fell out.
I acted like a jerk
projected fear and blame on friends
and focused on their quirks.
The ego thoughts were rampant
the holy thoughts were gone
And I forgot my sacred self,
felt lost and all alone.

I wanted to find a way
to restore love and light
to sing with angels heavenly choir
and sleep real good at night. I prayed, affirmed, and asked for peace
in every way I could,
then love came down and pulled me back
and transformed ego’s shoulds.
A flash of light, the sound of joy
came flooding into my mind
and love’s pure innocence took my thoughts
and I was no longer blind.

The love of God had pulled me out
and taught me how to sing.
It kept me safe and far from harm
clutched tightly in angels wings.
A sane thought here a sane thought there
the holy mind marched on.
Now I can rest and feel God’s love
‘Cause I have found my home.

There’s peace inside where stillness lies
there’s joy deep within and I am blessed many ways
with abundance, health and friends.


Tune We Three Kings

Change your thoughts, yes turn on the light
Keep the faith and things will be right
Inner knowing gets you going
Toward the truth that sets you free.
Ego’s world can get you down
Kick your butt and make you frown
Keeping you waiting eradicating
All the good that you have known.
Take your mind and let it be
Filled with great prosperity
Christ’s love shinning
No denying life is full of mystery,

© 1998 excerpts from Offbeat Prayers for the Modern Mystic by Anne Sermons Gillis