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Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
"Dreams come true in 2002!"

Thank you to all of you who continue to support Life Now and our ventures!

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If you prefer to read this online, you will find it as "December, 2002"

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

or, if that one doesn’t appear:

SEASON'S GREETINGS!

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Yep, It's still Contest Time!


We're at that time of year again! We need a healthy phrase for 2003. We have received several since the last issue of Expansion Encounters! Send your phrases (as many as you'd like) to Life Now and our judges will decide which phrase will appear in each issue of Expansion Encounters through next year. We will even create a Winner's Page at the Life Now site that will offer a referral to your site if you have one. Contest ends December 31, 2002.

Winner will be showcased in the January 2003 issue of Expansion Encounters.

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SHORT CUTS TO AWARENESS – Communication


As the year progresses, we continue to include a series of personal reminders and suggestions for relaxation exercises and methods for uniting in communication with others.

Discovery is everywhere.

May these personal reminders give you the joy of discovery and enlightenment.

Each Short Cut best finds its enchantment if the exercises are performed in a quiet, relaxing space.

There are no "short cuts" if the path of awareness has not already been traveled. Each person's path is unique.

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Do this while talking on the telephone to anyone.

Hold your free hand, palm up, as a gesture of giving and receiving. See Omnipotent Love in the person with whom you are speaking.

PURPOSE: To enrich communication with others.

HINT: Set a reminding note to yourself by the telephone.

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Facets of Light - Moonlight Sparkle


With our winter snow in Midwest United States, there are opportunities "everywhere" to see the dazzling sparkle.

Stillness calls.

The invigorating and refreshing crispness in the air awakens us to the moment.

Diamonds sparkling on the snow with a moonlit sky offer a sense of peace. All is well.

A quiet, pristine snow-covered slope offers a promise of life's beauty.

The Goodness is there. We only have to align our view to see the sparkle and shards of light reflected for our joy and awe.

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Music is Everywhere


Talking or just reading about music does not communicate the feeling in the moment. May I suggest listening to something soft and instrumental as you read this article?

Does someone in your family show an interest or talent in music but you feel unqualified to offer encouragement? Music can be an exciting concept. There are many books available that offer simple tools to provide fun and worthwhile communication. This can create encouragement for would-be musicians.

What if we didn't have any music? We would have no birds singing, no melodies in our hearts, no sweet sound to our ears, no lilt to our voices. What would remain?

Music is our health food. It nourishes our soul. It gives us strength and a reason to function.

"You asked me where I get my ideas. That I cannot tell you with certainty. They come unsummoned, directly, indirectly - I could seize them with my hands - out in the open air, in the woods, while walking, in the silence of the nights, at dawn, excited by moods which are translated by the poet into words, by me into tones that sound and roar and storm about me till I have set them down in notes." - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Nature forms music. Trees turn wind into music through the rustling of leaves. The wind swishes and roars. Gurgling water is music. We hear up to twelve perfect notes as a clock chimes. Whales and dolphins have a song. Silence, amidst a snowfall, is music. A crackling fire. The tap, tap, tap of rain on the roof offers musical enchantment. Children frolicking and laughing is music.

The gathering of birds in our back yard can offer a veritable symphony. Bird songs and calls inspire tribal religious chants as well as symphonic compositions.

The hum of voices in a in a large restaurant, in a telemarketing firm, or in a busy mall create music.

A brood of chickens laying eggs creates a lovely chorus with the rooster's solo adding a special touch. When other farm animals, cattle and hogs, are ready to be fed, they cry out their songs. A cat purring is offering its song.

Music surrounds us when we are willing to take time to hear it. Music plays on the stage of life for each of us.

There are natural rhythms within each geographical region of the world. Each race or tribe forms musical rhythms with nature that form philosophical and religious attitudes of that region.

There is a Oneness with Nature throughout the world, if we take time to listen. Music provides the feelings. It allows us to express our feelings, whether they are of a religious nature or of the common bond we have with our surroundings.

"...It's oh, so sad to see the summer end. And though the changing colors are a lovely thing to see, if it were mine to make the change, I think I'd let it be. But I don't remember hearing anybody asking me." - John Denver, "Season Suite"

With our Western World busyness, are we losing this connection with nature? Does music continue to reflect this bond?

Each of us may have a different definition for music, depending upon how it affects us.. Music is simply sound arranged into pleasant and fascinating formations. It plays an important part in our lives.

- from Dusty’s book, "Music Is Everywhere," available for only $8.95 as an ebook.

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Our guest author for this month provides us with:

My Childhood Christmas

by Sunny J. Patten

When I was a child, Christmas was such a magical time of the year for our family. The holiday was filled with excitement, surprise and wonder. The memories are golden, in the year of 2002, when I look around me. We are in a different era, we buy so much more than we make. Back the our house was filled with the air of magic, nuts, fruit of all kinds, homemade cookies and homemade candy. Special fun was when we got to pull molasses taffy, made from my Dad’s homemade sorghum molasses.

We were encouraged to make gifts for each other and our parents did the same. There were lots of whispers and secrets. The mystery of the secrets heighten our anticipation.

However, being the youngest of seven, no one whispered to me. They hid things when I surprised them. I felt a little left out at these times. I looked forward to being old enough to participate in the secrets. But I had my own secret presents I would make for everyone and wrap by myself.

Then the day came when someone asked my opinion on a gift. Others were actually sharing secrets with me about presents. Oh I felt about ten feet tall! I was finally a part of and it was a great accomplishment. However, I had no idea what I did to earn it but I was very trustworthy. I would not tell anyone, anything. I didn’t want others to stop sharing secrets with me.

Dad always encouraged my creative talents and swore that drawings and writing was his favorite presents. Mom encouraged us to bake, sew and together they allowed us to use anything that was available to us. These things were true all year but especially at Christmas time. Dad would give us a little money and we liked to buy Mom broaches, and perfume. Things she wouldn’t spend money on for herself. We always had enough to by each other something. Mom, Dad, My Uncle JW, and five children were at home when my memories kicked in.

There were lots of clothing for presents, because of the practical side of spending the small amounts of money. With the new clothes we always were told how lucky we were, as the two oldest sisters had only two dresses each and had to rinse them out each day for school the next. A lesson in gratitude. The older I get the more I know how lucky I was to have these lessons from childhood.

Everyone made a big fuss over the gifts they received and were genuinely enjoying the festive atmosphere of the holiday season. We made popcorn stings for the Christmas tree, paper chains, along with many older decorations my family had saved over the years. Usually we got homemade wooden presents too. One of my grandfathers was an avid whittler.

My sisters would stay up past midnight and sew presents for us smaller ones. Sometimes I would wake up and see the lights and think it was morning. They quickly hide the present in progress and sent me back to bed. The fellows made us toys from thread spools, also.

We sat around the big black potbelly wood or coal stove, listen to the fire pop and eat popcorn and the other treats that had been prepared for the holidays. Our distant relatives, friends and neighbors would come and visit. As an adult this absolutely amazes me that anyone ever visited us at that house. They had to park their cars and walk about a half a mile up a steep hill through the woods, unless they rode their horses. When we didn’t have company, my parents played checkers till way into the night.

Dad had a jam session many Saturday nights in the summer time with this one family of brothers. They had children about our ages so they usually came and sang carols at Christmas time and played music. Dad played the five-string banjo, and harmonica. The Marlow brothers played guitars. The holiday galas were such a joy!

We used to take the candy outside in the cold to beat it, so it would set faster. I can’t remember ever being cold when we did this. We’d hear the visiting and laughter coming from the house with the small glow of light streaming out the window from our kerosene lamps. We did have one Aladdin lamp, which we put in the middle of the kitchen table for all the children to gather around and do homework. The light was so much brighter than from the kerosene lamps. The wind would be howling and blowing through the trees, it seemed as if all the forest around us knew it was a time to celebrate.

The joy of the holidays lasted so long in those days before, during and after. The real secret was in our attitudes, of love and graciousness. When you are contemplating maxing out a credit card or stressing your bank account for family holidays this year, remember that love is the greatest give of all. Love is that is freely given is freely received.
***
- copyright Sunny J Patten, 2000 You can read other articles by Sunny

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Here are a few sites I find very worthwhile. I will be including those of subscribers so, if you have a site and think I might not be aware of it, let me know!

Tarot Corner

Ethnic Fusion Sound - Rik Hambra
'Alchemy of modern and ancient ethnic music styles'

Fishkill Music

Mag Music Recording
Instrumental New Age music

Occupy Til I Come

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Enjoy every moment to the fullest! - Dusty

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Working toward consideration and to better humanity, we want to encourage free enterprise, free speech. We are Life Now, a spiritual happening on and off the Internet.

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