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Meditative March 2002, Virtual Tulips

Issue 50 - 2004-02-26 =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Whatever Happens, It'll Be Okay SARK's E Letter (e stands for energy) =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. Harold Whitman =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Dear Human Beans, I have emerged from the depths of my "grieving cave" after my mother's death in October. I thought I would cry forever. Thank you for all your kind words. I feel immensely supported in my grieving time. I am still sometimes counting the days and trying to hurry up and feel better, as though feeling better is some kind of destination to reach. Someone wrote to me and said, "How much more do we have to read about you and your stupid mother?" These words linked up immediately with my own inside critics - these are the voices that tell me I'm grieving too long, crying too much. The critics only try to protect us in these misguided ways. Please know that I now find forgiveness and humor for the person who wrote those words. There are always mean people who say unkind things. I believe it is the ultimate practice to become transparent to energy of this nature. Becoming transparent reminds me of this quote: "In our total vulnerability, lies perfect safety." As a general practice, I ignore people who write things like this. In this instance, I decided to share it so that we can all practice transparency. I believe that it is our reaction to evil that causes such suffering in our world, and that each of us practicing non-reaction will have enormous positive effect. This non-reaction does not mean not fighting back with words or actions when appropriate. It means the cultivation of our own peaceful heart. "Until you have become that which you are demonstrating against, you will have made no progress." Thich Nhat Hahn Of course, I am still learning and practicing living this way. I still get stuck, hurt, or fixated. These states are all part of the practicing. Part of my emerging from the "grief cave" is a greater interest in connecting with other people. So we planned a party at the building where I live. My younger brother, Andrew, is temporarily living with me, and I admire his ability to do things at the last minute. We named the planning B.M.L.M. which stands for "Bare Minimum, Last Minute." Our other theme was "Whatever happens, it'll be okay." We sent out an e-mail on Friday for the party the following day, and had no discussions about food or drinks. By Saturday evening, we had people of all ages filling the house, live music, and delicious food and drinks. My friend Joe described it like this: "It was like a cartoon party house from the outside. The windows were all illuminated and people silhouetted in the windows. Jazz music floated out to the street." Ten minutes before the party started, I discovered that I had overflowed my bathtub and the hot water heater started hissing, so we had to turn it off. Of course, we all kept saying, "Whatever happens, it'll be okay." And this is, of course, ultimately true. I realize how much energy I use trying to "do it right" and how much fear I entertain in case I don't do it right. Letting go has always been a mystery to me. It seems that I am either hovering, controlling or managing something, or I am absent from the whole thing. I am going to practice thinking in this way: whatever happens, it'll be okay. I invite you to share your insights with me on my guestbook at www.campsark.com/vmt/guestbook/guestbook.php To visit the creative community on the Marvelous Message Board, go to www.campsark.com/pages/lounge.php One Billion thank you's to all who pre-ordered my new book, "Make Your Creative Dreams REAL A Plan For Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, Avoiders, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day" which will be out on Mother's Day this year. The pre-orders were an enormous support to me and a gift to my publisher who was thrilled by how many people pre-ordered it. As I explained previously, we all worked so long and intently to birth this Big Beautiful Baby of a book, which is almost 300 pages and packed full of creative dream-making help, art, resources, games, gifts and positive challenges for your particular dream journey. I am ecstatic with how it turned out and know that you will be too. If you wish to pre-order, you can do so at www.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php or your favorite bookstore. Also, I'll be doing a special advance reading in MP3 format of the book for my subscribers - that's you! You can take a look at the book cover at www.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php The new websight will be born in May also. I can tell you that it is everything I've dreamed of having on my websight. There will be animation, photographs, art and creative dream-making tools. There is also so much more! We'll be doing some previewing in April in my new HTML e letter, so you'll be seeing more very soon. Thank you for visiting me at Camp SARK. I read many of your messages and am so inspired by you. Our creative community continues to grow and expand! I'll be back in March with more juicy living stories, Love, Susan Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy a/k/a SARK =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= RESOURCES =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= BOOKS Mighty Muse Writing Project's "Voices of the Muse" and "98 Things A Woman Should Do In Her Lifetime." www.mightymuse.org "No Enemies Within: A Creative Process for Discovering What's Right About What's Wrong" Dawna Markova "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life" Twyla Tharp with Mark Reiter "QuirkyAlone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics" Sasha Cagen WEBSIGHTS www.quirkyalone.net/qa www.moonlight-chronicles.com www.thenewstory.com If you want to get fired up about this November's presidential race, here's a new documentary that you won't want to miss. "There's Something About W" explores the policies of the Bush administration. The filmmakers, my dear friends Robin Chin and John Grimes of San Francisco, add a healthy dose of humor to a lively, heartfelt discussion of war, taxes, deficits, environment, mass media, civil liberties, and the safety net. Peter Coyote narrates. Visit www.SomethingAboutW.org OTHER SARK PRODUCTS: 2004 CALENDARS: "THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SARK" A few still available through www.campsark.com/pages/new_products.php A wall calendar just bursting with color and support for Creative Living, with lots of my favorite paintings. A daily "Page A Day" calendar. Here's a quote I randomly picked: "We are convinced we are totally alone. We know that we are the ONLY ONES feeling this crazy, sick, lost or broken. Being isolated can be terrifying. often we self-impose this condition. Being alone is full of gifts, and solitude can be a wonder. You can study these different states and learn how you participate or avoid participating." I partnered with Hay House (Louise Hay's company) to make Juicy Living cards. There at 50 thick, luminous, color-soaked cards, which have inspiring art and encouraging words on both sides. Their purpose is to remind you that you are JUICY, no matter how opposite of that you might be feeling. You can pick one for the day, or week, or just randomly. These cards will illuminate your spirit and support your soul. Here's a card I randomly picked: On one side: Relax. You are safe. On the reverse side: The Traveling Dream Chair...Curl up, close your eyes... You and your traveling Dream Chair will Float through Spaces to Brand New Places You can take a look at the Juicy Living cards at www.campsark.com/pages/store.php =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= CAMP SARK INFORMATION LINE =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Call the Camp SARK Information Line to catch up on the latest SARK news, products and upcoming appearances. 415-397-7275 [SARK] 24 hours SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= I am sending you this e letter because you subscribed. Have your friends visit www.campsark.com to subscribe. If you change your e-mail address, please unsubscribe your former e-mail address and subscribe your new one! If you have difficulties, mailto:delicious2003@campsark.com. THANK YOU! Copyright (c) 2004 SARK. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute this e-letter, so long as this copyright notice and full information attributing SARK is attached. Delicious Campsark: http://www.campsark.com