April 25, 2021

This week, amid the world acknowledgment of Earth Day and the urgent call for countries to enact new policies in the face of climate change and ecological shifts, the Pandemic has taken a grave turn in India as well as Brazil. Here I offer poems from both countries, as a reminder that we are, as one world, in this Pandemic together. (Susan Nettleton)

"Eternal Life" by Contemporary Brazilian poet (1935 - ) Adelia Prado, translated by Ellen Dore Watson, from Ex-Voto, Tupelo Press, 2013

Half a century.

The weight of that word used to send me straight to bed.

No more. I’m gathering wisdom. Alchemists aren’t law breakers — sure, they’re naïve sometimes like the saints,

believing in stones, fish seen in dreams,

signs written on the sky. Where is God?

April is reborn out in the cosmos,

in the most perfect silence.

Inside and outside of me. +++++++++++++

Excerpt from "Harmony" # 22, pg.189-190, "The Garland of Guru's Sayings, the Guru Vachaka Kovai by Sri Muruganar, tr. by Prof. K. Swaminathan (poetic rendition of the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)

...Whatever creed you may believe in, Turn inward with true faith, live up To it, instead of setting out To hate and attack the faith of others. Giving up sundry controversies...choose the best, Self-knowledge. Make your tapas (spiritual disciplines) ripe, Meditate on God and win His grace. While mind exists, creeds too exist. When mind turns inward in Self-quest And gets caught up in the heart, no creed Can in that peace serene survive.

April 22, 2021

Today is Earth Day. This year Earth Day includes America's Global Climate Summit, with 40 world leaders assembling online to discuss the urgency and economics of climate change, as well as Earth Day's 51st annual program and events, initiated by earthday.org. (Streaming programs this year). The thematic focus of this year's program is Restore Our Earth. It's a fitting theme as the Pandemic continues it's global spread, with new crises erupting in some countries, while others enter the path of recovery, and we all race to vaccinate the worlds' population. In this 50 year tradition, Earth Day has been a time to appreciate humanity's connection to the Earth as well as promoting awareness of our environmental changes and threats.

The idea of "Restore Our Earth" encourages the application of natural processes in restoring ecosystems, along with emerging green technology and innovating thinking. With over a billion people in 192 countries participating, this is a day of creative, affirmative energy and a call to personal as well as collective action. Take a little time today to reflect that you too have some part to play in this Restoration. Even small actions bring you into a new kind of communion with the earth and with those who work with global projects on a much larger scale. Spiritually though, a greater discovery awaits--as we are in the world, so too, the world lies within us. We are more than of the earth; the earth resides in us. Restoring our Earth requires action in the physical world, but the deeper spiritual mystery is restoring Earth's home in our hearts. (Susan Nettleton)

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in."

-John Muir (Scottish-American environmentalist, 1838-1914)

April 18, 2021

For this Sunday I am posting a link to a portion of the poem "Vacillation" by 20th century Irish poet William Butler Yeats. This is a reminder that a spiritual door can open suddenly, wherever you are and often when least expected. Even though that awakened state may be brief, the impact is life changing. In such a moment, we realize the underlying reality that our lives are "blessed" and in turn, with this discovery the way opens for us to "bless" the world around us. We are an aspect of the ongoing creation of Good. As the Pandemic continues to bring devastation to large parts of the world, this is a time to consider your own capacity to bless and be blessed. That may seem to be unrealistic fantasy, but as another poet, Alfred Tennyson wrote in the 19th century:

"More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice Rise like a fountain for me night and day. For what are men better than sheep or goats That nourish a blind life within the brain, If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer Both for themselves and those who call them friend? (Morte D' Arthur)

Why not share your blessings and prayers as much as you can this Sunday? Don't wait until an extraordinary moment. Sometimes it is the best way to find yourself lifted beyond preoccupation with your own situation and entering the door to a new awakening. (Susan Nettleton)

follow the link: https://www.poetryireland.ie/.../view/from-vacillation

April 16, 2021

Today, I hesitated as I approached this Facebook post. The news is a confusing, mixed, mish-mosh of description, interpretations and opinions. Are we moving forward beyond the Pandemic, or are we at a standstill, or are we regressing into new and dark surges? It seems to depend right now on location, the prevalence of variants, politics and of course, unknown/undiscovered factors. So I decided to randomly pickup a book for another source of inspiration. (In a world of synchronicity, is there such a thing as randomness?) I opened a text, published in 1980, "A Buddhist Spectrum: Contributions to Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, by Marco Pallis. My eye landed on this passage, pg. 89) "...Buddhas are normally shown as seated upon a lotus, that serene flower resting on the waters of possibility and thereby evocative of the nature of things...". That one phrase was enough, "resting on the waters of possibility and thereby evocative of the nature of things..." The world, life itself is a continual creative process. Every situation, every event is the flowing water of possibility. Can we "rest" on the waters of the creative, cultivate the serenity latent within ourselves, wait until the nature of the thing, the way, the highest and best possibility reveals itself? The waters of positive possibilities are everywhere. Begin just where you are right now, the parameters of your day, your "world". It's the perfect time to affirm the Good, arising now. (Susan Nettleton)

April 11, 2021

For this Sunday's post, I am offer a link to a short poem by contemporary American poet Danna Faulds. As we move through this divided corridor of Covid-19 vaccination hope and resurgent/mutations fear, this poem is a reminder that we grow from the Earth but the Earth extends from the Cosmos and therefore, so do we. How can we know and hold to that knowledge, how do we draw our strength from that? All of nature shouts the way, including our own voice. (Susan Nettleton)

April 9, 2021

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." T.S. Eliot

Yesterday, I had my first post-vaccine lunch with friends, who have also completed their vaccination process. We live in different cities and have several years of history of meeting up half-way, whenever I am in the Los Angeles area. It has been a long time, well over a year, since I have driven the one and a half hour route to the mid-point city. I have only rarely driven outside the immediate neighborhood during the strict stay-at-home orders in LA County. Now I had to think in the way of "travel" that once was second nature to me, but had become a shadowy memory in the daily pressures of a Pandemic household. I rummaged through boxes and found a small travel bag for my spare mask, hand sanitizer, paper towels, phone charger, etc. I slowly reviewed the route on the computer, which involved shifting exits for I-210, Hwy. 57, Hwy. 71, Hwy. 91 to I-15. (Southern California commutes simply can't be compared to New Mexico. ) I watched with wonder my clouded process of organizing what I needed. Then there was the challenging chore of finding something appropriate to wear...my daily crocs and jeans did not seem "special" enough for this journey...

I write all this just to make the point that as restrictions lift, the transition zone is not automatic. We have all been jolted into new routines and demands. Vaccination, as the public health officials frequently remind us, means some recovered freedom, but also the continued responsibility of self-protection and community protection of the unvaccinated.

The drive itself was strange, alternating between surreal and familiar. There was plenty of California traffic, but still, less than previous years. Our favorite comfortable restaurant was gone, but we found a perfect outdoor dining, mask promoting spot. These are friends whose spiritual journeys intertwine with mine. Reconnecting was immediate, giving a solid spiritual perspective to our Pandemic experiences. We laughed a lot, even as we exchanged the deeper issues of our lives. It was so natural. Yet, I watched my own uncertainty flare as we tried to keep the health protocols in place while exploring new places. Constant vigilance seems the new natural too. In the late afternoon, we discovered the perfect bakery--all protocols in place and heavenly treats as well! I drove those winding freeways home, renewed in spirit, ready to begin again. (Susan Nettleton)

April 4, 2021

Easter Greetings--This morning I looked at a variety of poems that would be appropriate for anyone and everyone on Easter Sunday, regardless of religious background. The essence of Easter is deliverance and the experience of renewed life and beyond that, eternal life. Those phrases can be interpreted in vast ways; in Christianity those ideas are held in the sacred story of the resurrection. Yet life also offers us the moments of resurrection that are held in each day as this poem by Mary Oliver illuminates. (Susan Nettleton)

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/.../Oliver_Why-I-Wake...

April 2, 2021

Today is Good Friday, a holy day in Christianity, marking the crucifixion of Jesus in the unfolding story of Easter and Resurrection. There are many ways to touch the spiritual significance of Easter and our focus at Hillside has often been on one of the last recorded phrases of Jesus as he suffered on the cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." In the various ways of interpreting His final seven phrases that are included in the Bible (recorded by different disciples), this phrase is listed first. These words mark a powerful place to begin to heal when we have reached the limits of our own personal suffering and seek spiritual sustenance, understanding, guidance, and new/renewed life. Throughout the Pandemic, I have been led back to this powerful spiritual principle and practice. Good Friday forgiveness, led by the guidance of your own heart, clears your emotional/mental fields, leaving fertile ground for the seeds of new life. Open wide and forgive. "Just for today." (Susan Nettleton)

March 26, 2021

Here is your reminder for this Sunday's Zoom Service!

Susan Nettleton is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: A Path of Movement and Rest

Time: Mar 28, 2021 11:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82148686432...

Meeting ID: 821 4868 6432

Passcode: Hillside

One tap mobile

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Dial by your location

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+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 821 4868 6432

Passcode: 57693274

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcS26EQFbz

March 19, 2021

This week I entered a nearby, local grocery market for the first time in a year. I have been ordering online groceries for pickup during the L.A. County Safer at Home Orders. Now, I am past the 2 week wait after my 2nd vaccine dose and this was the action I chose to mark that turning point. The market requires masks, of course, and follows the limit of 25% capacity, and I really missed picking out my own fresh local produce--that's why I chose this particular venture out. I had planned to only grab a few things aa a first experiment in new "freedom" but when I entered I was overwhelmed by what used to seem like a few options (compared to chain groceries) and now seemed to be the land of plenty! So I lingered a bit, digesting this reality and noting my responses to those well-stocked shelves.

My fellow customers were all solitary older shoppers who mostly observed social distancing. The atmosphere was quiet and focussed but not tense. Still I found myself watchful. I over-bought, later realizing that part of me still expects another lock-down. I considered walking across the street to a nearby coffee shop that does not offer drive through but has online ordering and relatively easy pick up. But after loading the groceries in the car and briefly meditating in the parking lot a bit, I realized this one step back into the community was enough for the day. I was flooded with the awareness of the silent impact of the Pandemic beyond the unfathomable death count and the hospital crises, the violent protests, the closed schools, and social isolation, there is this accumulation of small disruptions in daily rhythms, rituals, and routine.

I write this as a snap shot of re-opening. I believe no one in this culture has escaped some degree of trauma during this Pandemic. Whether we deny it or not, re-entry and reopening is tricky. Take your time. Complete the vaccination process. Observe your own responses--not in judgement but in self-discovery. Trust you inner directive. Let Life lead your way. Then walk through the open door. (Susan Nettleton)

March 14, 2021

Over the last few days, there have been many commentaries and articles on the 1 year anniversary of the Pandemic in America. While the review process is an important aspect of healing and recovery, it is still very difficult after this year of uncertainty and turmoil to digest and assimilate all that has happened. We need time. We see a light toward the end, but the Pandemic is not over. One way to affirm a positive movement to our lives now is adding the element of gratitude to our review. This doesn't mean ignoring or suppressing the memories of fear, sadness, and anger. Rather it means adding balance by considering the aspects of the last year that have brought us meaning, depth, a new perception of ourselves and others, and our spiritual life. I am sure each of us has had our own personal 'gifts' of the Pandemic. These grow stronger through our gratitude.

This Sunday, I am leading you to a prose-poem from Contemporary American poet Maya Stein who offers a gentle future vision of such gratitude. Follow the link below. (Susan Nettleton)

https://gratefulness.org/resource/when-we-get-through-this/

March 11, 2021

Today, is Maha Shivratri, which literally translates to "great night of Shiva", a Hindu festival in India celebrating Lord Shiva, one of the principle deities of Hinduism. It is also personally memorable to me because of a spiritual breakthrough that I experienced, years ago, on Maha Shivratri. In "The Garland of Guru's Sayings" a collection of poetic stanzas from the sayings of Ramana Maharshi by Guru Vachaka Kovai, there is this notation "S(h)iva, the Lord who dances in darkest midnight, stands for the Awareness which sees both light and its absence."

As we watch areas of the country where Covid-19 cases are dropping and yet grapple with the potential for resurgence at any time, it seems to me fitting to share one of these stanzas on Maha Shivratri, 2021. (Susan Nettleton)

28. The Jiva's Unreality Not at all by one's own effort, But by the light of Grace alone, Pure gift of God supreme, can one Behold the light that shines in darkness, The bliss of being Awareness true. Even mid the darkness of the world.

March 9, 2021

Hope you can attend attend our online Sunday Service for Hillside Church--

Susan Nettleton is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting

Topic: A Path of Movement and Rest

Time: Mar 28, 2021 11:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82148686432...

Meeting ID: 821 4868 6432

Passcode: Hillside

One tap mobile

+16699009128,,82148686432#,,,,*57693274# US (San Jose)

+12532158782,,82148686432#,,,,*57693274# US (Tacoma)

Dial by your location

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 821 4868 6432

Passcode: 57693274

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcS26EQFbz

(For helpful instructions on using Zoom from our Hillside Source website click here: hillsidesource.com/zoom)

March 5, 2021

Yesterday, my household celebrated Butterfly Day--a made-up household event that has come about through the Pandemic. I wrote about our first Butterfly Day in a June 5, 2020 post where I explained the process of ordering caterpillars from an area monarch butterfly farm and carefully caring for them until they form their cocoons and undergo their transformative process, bursting forth with wings and flashes of color. We were able to hatch 2 'families' of the Monarchs until the late summer fires further devastated the butterfly population that spends fall and winter along the coast of California.

Western monarchs fly long miles from the Pacific Northwest to central and southern California each November and the entire cycle of migration from north to south and returning again, can take up to five generations to complete, since new butterflies are hatched from eggs that are laid on the return trip north. In the 1980's the estimate of these migrating beauties along the coast was 4.5 million. But by 2017, the numbers plummeted to 200,000, then 30,000 in 2018. Last November-December the count totaled only 2,000. While the numbers are staggering, data from other areas of the country show positive shifts in migration eastward, possibly due to changing climate features. There is much for science to learn. The monarch butterfly has become a “flagship” species, representing the need to do more for the conservation of all pollinators nationwide. The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) that include Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada have now put in place a regional monarch butterfly plan that includes goals and actions for those that winter along the California coast and breed throughout the west.

Yesterday, we celebrated our new monarchs as symbols of the beauty and richness of life and our mutual dependence. We released them with great fan fare, music, and delight. They are one of the gifts of the Pandemic. In the restrictions of this Pandemic, we added only another 5 monarchs, but we all, even the youngest toddlers, grew in our capacity to care for life. Yes, there is grave responsibility facing humanity and our changing planet, but there is also great joy in a newfound relationship with the cycles of life in all of it's forms. (Susan Nettleton)

February 24, 2021

Yesterday, the weather here was so spring-like that I decided to venture around the block for fresh air and a fresh viewpoint. Even though the latest article in Atlantic Monthly on "The Most Likely Timeline for Life to Return to Normal" predicts very little change in the Covid-19 lifestyle this coming spring (but is hopeful for the summer), we are far more adapted to basic restrictions than we were a year ago. That, in addition to the continuing vaccinations and accumulated medical experience in treatment, will be a significant difference from last year's shocks. The prediction of 500,000 deaths from Covid-19 in American did not seem possible. And yet, now here we are. Yet, as we try to absorb this phenomenal level of loss, the case loads are falling. It is a time to mourn as well as look toward the future. There is no easy way, no perfect way. As I wandered down the street, birdsongs filled the air, the light on new garden growth in the yards was amazing, ) a mid-school age girls' athletic team ran past--all wearing masks with their coach behind shouting, "6 feet apart, 6 feet apart!" It seemed to me there actually were more people out with masks, another observation to fuel my cautious optimism.

Spiritual explorer and writer Alexandra David-Néel (1868-1969) wrote: “The wise expect nothing, hope for nothing, thus avoiding all disappointment and anxiety.” And American spiritual teacher/writer Ram Das advised, “It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.” We all vary in our capacity to handle disappointment or wavering faith. Some wisely give up having any expectations whatsoever. While I certainly agree it is better not to expect life to conform to our demands, and not to judge events as they unfold, it seems to me that faith in ultimate Goodness gives us resilience in the face of hardship and devastation and the strength to act in service of that Good, again and again. The Good is already at hand. (Susan Nettleton)

February 21, 2021

For this Sunday morning post I am offering a link to a poem by 20th century American poet Anne Sexton (1928-1974). This is for all of us who have likely spent far more time in our homes than we ever imagined possible. I personally am awaiting my second dose of vaccine and even though masks and social distancing (and yes, frequent hand washing) will still apply, I hope to soon have more adventures out in the larger community. This is something we can all aim for, for each other. We really don't know the future adventures that await us. We know the problems facing us, collectively and individually. If we remember to take the time for stillness, we find that space inside us which is sustaining us through winter, through the time of Covid-19, through the mistakes that are also a part of life and in their own way, often painful way, point us back to Truth. Today I invite you to welcome this Sunday to find peace and beauty and even the transcendent in what is right in front of you. (Susan Nettleton)

https://sites.google.com/.../-welcome-morning-anne-sexton

The Hillside Source is an online resource project of Hillside Community Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.