Expansion Encounters - with Dusty
Create & Appreciate… in 2008!

A special thank you to all of you who continue to support Life Now and our ventures!

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You can read archive issues of "Expansion Encounters" at Archives

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Stepping Stones
By Dusty Reed

Landing on a decision
When the path is vague,
Asking for awareness
and wisdom,
Searching for a star,
Letting the Lord
Take me there.

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Path of Sound Judgment By Dusty Reed

Sometimes we have tendency to judge one another by works and accomplishments. Neither the perception nor the interpretation are showing when someone says, “She could make something of herself if...” As a special friend reminded me, “she is already something,” and has attained many endeavors of which we are not aware.

The language I am using in my descriptions of others is even providing a touch of judgment here. I am still learning how to express non-judgment. I have discovered that I am not judgmental in many areas now, as a Senior, that used to affect me.

When others offer opinions with which I disagree, I can shrug my shoulders, send a thought of Divine Love to the speaker and add no comments. By adding comments, I would be showing judgment on one side of the fence or the other. This gives me opportunity to release any interpretation I might otherwise congeal from the observation.

I continue to deal with areas that I feel are not my concern by doing a shoulder shrug. Others felt I was dismissing more than appropriate. Still others asked how I could do that about such a sensitive or personal happening.

When there were conflicts in our family, my mother had a talent for changing the subject and it worked for us. Until I had a child of my own, I didn’t realize what she had been doing. Mom would very quietly and gently ask a question about an entirely different subject. Tony Robbins, in his cassette tape series, "Personal Power," suggests doing this to break the pattern. The subject can be re-addressed later, if necessary, without the strong emotional backing.

Another friend shares that, rather than the shoulder shrug, she says, “so what?" We are both reminding ourselves that it is God's business, not ours.

We are born with an array of natural, nonverbal abilities we use to communicate with others. As babies, we learn implications many months before we learn how to talk. The earlier forms such as gazing or gesturing do not get lost as we get older; they merely become conditional and optional.

As we progress through life, we teach what we learn and learn what we teach. This provides a formidable task for others to offer help if they have never walked in our shoes, no matter how much training or how many degrees hang on their walls. It is not healthy to wholly depend on the information of others; we must use the enlightenment we see, blend it and follow what we then know is good.

My pondering concern is about any of our youth who may not be receiving healthy guidance. Are they picking up on the shoulder shrug “so what?” attitude? I am concerned for the interpretation by the media about our youth who are full of anger and expressing it through violence. “So what if I kill someone?” “So what if I die?”

There is discussion today of our youth not being considerate of others. We, in our youth, may have shown signs of this, as well. Young people do their thing, whatever that might be, with the attitude toward others as, “so what?” It may be happening through a partial and unfavorable interpretation of our attitudes reaching out and touching others.

How can I communicate and awaken humanity to the possibility that this is happening? Shall I discontinue my shoulder shrugs? Could that indeed begin clearing the ethers?

Does communication with children depend on what kind of day we are having? Maybe it also depends on what kind of day they are having. Would I have any concerns of fear if I did not hear all of the fearful things happening with other children? Do we put on the side-blinders and make excuses?

A friend comments that it has been a healthy reminder in recent years to do what is best for her and, as a result, it has to be the best for those around her. This does not mean she requires instant gratification because that is not necessarily lasting. It does mean having an overall attitude of goodness toward others. This attitude is communicated both verbally and nonverbally.

I continue learning as I travel this path. Another friend shared that “It’ll be alright,” works for her in place of the shoulder shrug or, “so what?” “It’ll be alright,” is an excellent way of interpreting the same feeling into a healthier expression. It is released favorably and can be perceived by others in a favorable way.

We would like to see all others living spiritual, balanced lives. To walk that balance ourselves, we can walk like we talk in sending out healthy vibrations by what we do and by how we take care of ourselves. We can stop for a drink from the divine spring but we cannot make others drink. We can tell them the water is there. It is up to them to lift the cup.

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Vitality
By Dusty Reed

Vitality comes only
from peace within.
Being full of vim and vigor
can bring content
If they are channeled
with God's direction,
Allowing Him to input
my path for today,
Giving me an inner
burning desire
to approach life
with vitality.

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Some sites I recommend:

Angel Valley Retreat Center

World Wide Online Meditation Center

Namaste Retreat Center

Church Within

Access New Age

Wild Rose Net

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It is my joy to share with you that I continue to add new rose drawings and some photographs available at art.com! You can view them at Dusty's Roses I now have some of my rose drawings at an auction site, Art By Us
And, I have a page with note cards (for sale) with some of my rose drawings. You can check it out by going to Rose Descriptions.
I have been posting nearly all of my drawings that are not displayed elsewhere at Rose Garden I have two galleries there. The other is at Reed's Loft. It has various photographs, other drawings, and notecards available.

My sister-in-spirit, Sunny, has several of her drawings and has added new photos at art.com, too, at Sunny's Art Work

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And, for anyone who enjoys playing at ebay, lots of goodies (records, books & post cards - occasionally some nic nacs) are available at Dusty's eBay

You are welcome to forward this newsletter to friends who might be interested! If they would like to subscribe (at no cost), they can write to me at cascade@mahaska.org (with Expansion Encounters as subject). Thanx muchly!

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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