I read this story on OUR Voices and I was so sad
I remember the times when love was supposedly free and the consequences seemed ever so unbearable. On the intellectual side of me, the feminist, the woman who understands that for a young girl abortion seems the only answer- that side of me says no one should be forced to go through an unsafe dangerous abortion
But the other side of me who carried children under her heart and mourned the ones who never made it to birth says that abortion could never be my answer
I don't judge the ones who did what they needed to do and I believe the right to the say over their own bodies should never be legislated by any government
Thankfully I never had to face that

I truly believe this next statement and have been critized for saying it many times yet it is my own personal belief....In this or any situation a person might sit quietly and ask themselves. What would Jesus do? This question if asked and answered honestly can help one make the right decision....Too often 'right' is not the consideration, 'convenince' is and that is wrong any way you look at it....But like Pattyann I have never been faced with this particular decision either but I do know the only answer for me.

I'm glad to see women are reading OUR VOiCES and discussing the stories. Thank you. I truly believe they give our generation of women a voice. We may not believe/relate to all of them, but they are real for the women who wrote them and they do allow others to see what it was like to grow up decades ago.

Could someone please put the link to this story? Why can't I find it?

Dianne when you first click onto the Boomer site up in the right hand corner is a box with the logo of the 3 gals in it and the words OUR VOICES. Click it and when it opens scroll down to the list of stories and have a ball reading.

Wow, that was the first of the Our Voices that I've read. That story is so poignant and appropos to the times. Dotsie, the introduction to our voices is great. However, I didn't understand the question: "What's wrong with our minds?" What is that referring to? Do Boomer women think that something is wrong with their minds? Now, my husband has called me psycho on occasion...LLL

Lynn, I'm glad to hear that you read it. That is really the basis for the book.

When I mentioned "our minds" I was referring to depression and all the prescription drugs we are being dealt to manage our issues.

On a personal note, I was referring to my scattered brain that continues to become more scattered with age. Is it overload, or is it menopause?

Ladies

I'd like to mention something Dotsie. Depression and the various states of our mind are based on energies. Energy constantly changes. When one energy touches another, both energies are affected. In the mind, various chemicals are affected by energy. So depression is actually a depressed state of energy. But where did it come from. The mind. We are all made up of various energies and are danced around by the energies of others and what is around us, whether it is circumstances, or drama.

The mind itself is also affected by energy as is every aspect of our bodies, our spirits, our hearts, our souls and our physicality.

What we put in our mind, every single thought, is a piece of energy that either benefits the whole of us or doesn't benefit the whole of us.

Dotsie with regard to being 'scattered' and attributing that to age, it is really just the mind being affected by too many energies at once, and the mind thinking it is in charge when in fact our spirit is in charge.

Alot of the time we listen to what is in the mind, its fears, its worries, its conflict over time(that's a big one) when in fact if we look at time, which is our biggest conflict as we get 'older', not as linear but as vertical the worry stops and the mind calms down because it is in the now. The now is actually the spiritual vibration that we are vibrating in in the moment. The mind has actually ceased to exist because in essence we are not experiencing the energy of the mind.

There is only one moment in time that builds...and that is the now. There is no future except for the now because we are always in the now. In fact, the mind understanding future as we are taught, as a linear line where we have only 80 or so years of our lives to live in, which is also a fallacy, actually promotes the degredation of the human body because we have actually made the decision that this is the truth, therefore the energy within us has to degrade to a lower vibration for different systems in our bodies to degrade. (It is how we think that affects matter). W

When in fact, if we look at vertical time, where the only thing that exists is the now, then we are not causing stress on the body. It is a state where one moves into 'no mind' because in fact the mind is just a receptacle that holds information and is constantly trying to sort it out looking for answers, when in fact the answers we are looking for are actually in the form of inspired consciousness which exists at a higher plain within our spiritual energies and it does not exist in the mind. So, inevitably the mind is in constant conflict.

Thus, real thought, inspired thought which lies outside the mind is the antidote to a happy uncomplicated life.

The mind's job is to listen to the spirit and by listening to the spirit, all of the fear goes, all of the angst goes because the mind itself finally realizes that it doesn't have to come up with all the answers, because inevitably it isn't the mind's job to do that. The only job of the mind is to secure the data from the spirit and follow the spirit's direction.

And when I say spirit, I'm not talking about religion. The spirit within everyone has a greater consciousness than the mind because it vibrates at a greater speed. In other words its particles are moving faster than the particles of the mind.

The spiritual aspect with regard to consciousness is relative to inspired thinking, a place of 'no mind' where you are in the 'zone' as it were, while you are in the 'doing' at the same time.

This is a place of no time. In this place the body does not feel stress. In fact it is experiencing a blissful energy that feeds the QI, or life force within the body.

It is our mind's that deplete our life force and eventually the mind itself because we are not taught any spiritual principles with regard to how the spirit and mind work. We are taught 'religious principles about the spirit' but that is not relative to the truth about how the spirit actually works.

I thought I'd add this...with regard to the word 'sin' because alot of people get hung up on it because they've been lambasted by churches over the sin in the body etc.... which is what causes guilt, more fear, anger, etc.

Our bodies only exist because of energy and the energy we allow into our bodies. Aside from the life force we were given energy comes in in different ways, through the food we eat, through our thoughts, and through our actions, our emotions and feelings. Remember, we are all spiritual beings, which means energy beings, the body in itself is just matter which is affected only by the mind, the spirit, the soul, our thoughts, our feelings and our emotions.

If we can sort out who we are, the energy and quality of energy in our minds, our hearts, our spirits and our emotions and our feelings by being aware of the thoughts that we let into our minds (and by the way, different types of thoughts exist on different planes of energy, all thoughts having different energies.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

If we're tired, or have overdone it, our energy will drop and we are susceptible to a LOWER plane of thought, a lower vibration of thought BECAUSE OUR ENERGY CANNOT REACH THE SPIRITUAL PLANE OF ENERGY, which consists of inpsired thought and those thoughts containing a great deal of QI or life force which actually feeds our bodies.

How to stay in the upper vibrations of clear thought that is brought in through the spirit requires balance, good food, clean water, proper excercise and most importantly proper sleep and rest, otherwise we get danced around by a plane of energy and we don't even recognize that that is happening.

Do not berate yourself if you get 'scattered' etc. Intention and attention come from the 'spirit'.....build your intention and keep your attention focused. IE even if you are just eating an apple keep your attention on the apple, being aware of intention and attention will help you stay out of the mind dancing around, and listen to your body when it is tired, rest and your focus will become stronger.

Overload...that is a word that deals with the mind's fear of not being able to cope. To deal with the word 'overload' go to the moment and erase everything on your days to-do list and feel what you or your body wants to do in the moment. Lists come from the mind, the moment comes from the heart and spirit.

I hope I haven't overdone it here Dotsie...just wanted to help. So many of us are trying to live up to the magazine articles on how to have it all and cope as well. It isn't about 'having it all'(that's the mind's desire) as magazine articles state...it's about living only in the moment for only in the moment do we find peace and God and what we are to do in that given moment.

We may be given goals and our spirits may direct us but it isn't for us to run ourselves into the ground to accomplish our mission, it is for the moment to direct us. The mind thinks otherwise, it wants to take over and plan everything and give us lists so it can feel comfortable. When in fact it just makes us feel miserable. The moment directs us, not the mind. Why, because the mind has no concept of time. It only understands linear time which it has been taught. It doesn't understand the moment because when we are in the moment the mind ceases to exist because we are now in our spiritual bodies energy which is directing us.

You have a lovely heart Dotsie, sometimes its best to just enjoy the moment and let the mind go. The greatest rest comes in not listening to the mind.

Believe me, I've been there. Driven like you wouldn't believe. It took me many years to let go which I had to do to start the healing process.
With love
Leigha

My hand hit the wrong button before I could go over this.

With regard to 'if we can sort out who we are, the energy, the energy and quality of energy in our minds, our heart, our spirits and our emotions
and our feelings by being aware of our thoughts that we let into our minds( and by the way, different types of thoughts exist in different planes of energies,all thoughts having different energies) we would have what the mind considers as more control over our lives.

What in fact we are really doing is letting go of control. By understanding the energies that are dancing us around we just won't play the old game anymore.

Also, with regard to 'The mind's job is to listen to the spirit and by listening to the spirit all of the fear goes, all of the angst goes because the mind itself finally realizes that it doesn't have to come up with all of the answers because inevitably it isn't the mind's job to do that', we have just trained ourselves to do that by excercising what we call 'memory'.

Every moment is new under the sun and every moment has a spiritual answer that does not exist within memory.

So I wouldn't worry too much about memory. The moment is the only thing that exists. When we finally trust the spirit and the moment, short term memory, long term memory isn't really necessary because all answers come in the moment and when in a spiritualized vibration consciousness just exists and is available. (That sounds rather radical doesn't it). When you study energy, it isn't, its just physics that thinks out of the box.

With regard to 'the only job of the mind is to secure the data from the spirit and follow the spirit's direction', that only happens if the mind recognizes the spirit and thus becomes 'spiritualized' which just means that the mind has raised its vibration to match the vibration of the spirit.

The are many vibrations that govern the mind. The mind is a delicate instrument which needs further study for this world to finally come into peace. Because in essence, the world is a product of millions of minds operating at different vibrations.

The world is just the product of the mind and not the product of the spirit and that is the reason why we have war, internally and externally.

For peace to reign we need to understand more fully the nature of vibration.

With love
Leigha

Hi Dotsie, I haven't read Leigha's response yet, but I will later this evening when I get my carton of ice cream for my "read along." For now, I must say that I would think that the scattered mind is more about being overloaded. You see, when I was going through chemo, I experienced a brain fog. Actually, it was called chemo brain. The chemicals affected both my logical thinking and my creativity. Now that it's been 2 years off chemo, I can feel my brain activity returning to clarity. So, based on this brief example, I would say that for me the scattered is not so much about menopause as it is about being unable to focus due to having too much information and too much to do and too much I want to do. I think we expect too much from ourselves, especially when, in your case, you have children, a recent death in the family, the launching of this site and all its various forms and forums. Dotsie, I'm not saying you can't handle it and that's why you feel scattered, I am saying we expect ourselves to handle so much and then we get scattered. My mind is in better shape now then in my twenties, when I was overwhelmed with trauma. Oh, I just remembered, I AM on anti-depressants which bring about clarity and the ability to cope, something I didn't have in my twenties. So, the question, "What's wrong with our minds" really threw me. I've spent a life-time learning that nothing is "wrong" with me and my mind, but now I see where you were coming from. Love and Light, Lynn

Leigha, thank you for the profound explanation of the mind, energies, the spirit, and the moment. Have you read "The Power of Now?" Your philosphy sounds much like Tolle's. Makes sense to me. Love and Light, Lynn

I think we're also overloaded with technical devices. Used to be we could get in the car and take a nice drive but now, we take our cell phone along so we can always be reached. Then we have the fax, email, pager...you name it. We have so much technology coming at us, who wouldn't get scattered? Before email, I actually got a lot of work done in the mornings. Now, I grab a cup of coffee and plop down in front of my computer.

Our minister touched on this in his sermon yesterday. He referred to it as the Age of Anxiety. We are creating monsters within by believing we need to have, do and be it all.

Leigha, your posts are always so deep and thought provoking. Thanks for sharing your philosophy.

Lynn, I ope this did't throw you off guard. I apologize if it did. I'm gald you asked. It was a great question.

Dianne, the days I get the most accomplished are the ones when I do all my writing first. I don't open my email until I'm finished what I set out to do. I turn the volume down on my computer so I can't hear the little chime every time I get a new email. First things first.

Lynne

I am familiar with Eckarte Tolle's 'The Power of Now'. I had a peak at it before I gave it to my brother for Christmas.Thank you for your kind comments.

Dotsie
I enjoy sharing in any way I can. I have found that many different ways of seeing can open the psyche further than it has gone before and am always open to further understanding.

Dianne
I don't have voice mail or an answering machine. I don't get tv, just watch videos. I don't listen to radio. However, I do read 4 newspapers a day to see how the energy is moving politically, economically, geographically and environmentally.

I only check my email 2x a day and I leave the computer off when I'm not using it. I do not have call waiting, which I find terribly rude unless you're running a business and its on a separate line. To cut off a social call for another is terribly rude. It says to the person that their time with you has no value. Kindness seems to be eroding because of technology and conflicts over time. The mind loves to have conflicts over time and technology is providing that very problem.

With love
Leigha

I'm trying to keep my mornings calm with no tv for the first few hours. I watch the news and then, have to watch one segment of The Golden Girls. They start my day with a laugh. I always have Sammie to talk to me. She's a morning jabberer! How pleasant it is to hear her use a sweet tone and tell me good morning!

My husband, who is a restaurant manager, says that people have the patience of a gnat. He says it's getting worse. Say a dinner comes off the line wrong, and the dinner has to be redone. Well, customers expect instantaneous results, like they would get in their own kitchen with a microwave. I think his examples are indicative of the impatience we (the collective we) are developing due to technology. Instant chats, instant info...instant results. Dianne, I just noticed your new signature line about women who behave. It makes me think of the movie Iron Jawed Angels about the womens' suffrage movement. Those women did not behave, and we got the right to vote. LLL

Leigha, boy did I feel zinged by your post. You speak the truth. I must admit I have fallen for so much of the modern day craziness. Yup, been sucked right in.

Dianne, I also noticed your quote. I like to think I behave, but I definitely want to make history in the category of helping other women discover the beauty within and around. Hmmm, maybe a little misbehaving is called for.

Lynn, I can totally relate to your comment. I must admit that I have been in the company of people who act like that. I pray I haven't been one of them. I really try to spread smiles, understanding, and compassion when I am out in public.

That sounds lovely Dianne

With love
Leigha

I am so patient and polite when in public I make myself sick but I was raised that way and old habits die hard...I will never change because its the way I would like to be treated.....this kind of goes with Diannes signature sentence about women....

When I'm good, I'm sooo good but when I'm bad, I'm better. Made famous by Mae West.

[ September 14, 2005, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Hi Dotsie
Zinged...I hope that's good...I find that we've all been sucked in at one time or another. It took me a long time to move away from being sucked in and sometimes I still get suckered...usually by my own fear.

All of our systems are designed to keep us busy, not to think because if we think that might threaten the status quo and the money doesn't like that...policy is geared to separate us from our time and money in all avenues of life. Economics has really become the dean of living, not life itself.

I think it is important that we all realize that the most important thing is just to love ourselves...everything else can wait...now that's a decision most would feel guilt over but we've been conditioned by guilt to fulfill the requests of those or systems outside of us.

Seems like the systems are getting the best of it...but really the systems are all breaking down right now and what is required is a whole consciousness change at the mass level where the heart has precedent over the fear that we've all been taught!

And Dotsie...I do get sucked in to! I had to make a point of being aware...which has been my work for me...staying aware because it feels like crap when you get sucked in! In essence, you're being sucked into a lower vibration where the feelings and essence of crap and drama live! Yuck!

The most important thing is to do that which gives you joy, or see differently that which you do every day, if it doesn't give you joy! That's what I've found. I think you're a great lady Dotsie...just a little too hard on yourself, which I am on myself and am learning to relax now...because being hard on oneself lowers one's energy which causes us to get sucked in again...a merry go round!

This is to all the lovely ladies!

Have a happy spirit and to hell with the consequences...The consequences of what...spreading more joy with happiness. What is greater....your joy...or your worry!

And Dianne, thank God for Mae West. We had to start somewhere as a female race and that came with a little defiance of the status quo! The status quo that wanted to define a woman's role in life and keep her quiet!

Ladies....follow your dream and speak out! But most of all learn from it and grow happier!

With love
Leigha

Hello Eagle
Thank you for your lovely words Eagle...I am heartened that I can share the best of who I am and have it bless others.

With love
Leigha

Leigha, thanks for your thoughtful post.

What is greater...your joy...or your worry?

I know the answer and I try wholeheartedly to live it. I turn my worries into prayer. I hand them over...and often have a habit of taking them back. It's a little dance I do with the Lord. He understands and loves me in spite of it. It is through Him that I gain my joy and strength.

Dotsie,
One of the many blessings I've received here in this site is YOUR wisdom and honesty of faith. You know how lost and confused I was when I first arrived here. Whenever you've shared your faith-wisdoms, like "hunkering down with the Lord" and struggling to hand over to Him the worries and anxiety about people and situations, without taking them back, you have spoken directly into my own life and heart.

I have become so much more content over recent months by taking so many of your wisdoms and applying them to my own faith life. They truly are wisdoms, Dotsie. God has blessed you, and in turn, blesses lost hearts like mine through your struggles and hard-earned wisdom.

Again, thank you!

Dear Dotsie

We're all in the middle of the dance...some of us just recognize the dance for what it is and move toward the good.

To all the ladies

What I have come to understand is that the faster we move toward the joy, the faster our lives change...and the key ingredient is realizing what direction we are heading in with our thoughts and feelings because they will always designate our reality.

We have the choice in how we will think and react to life. And that choice is power! There are many energies in this world trying to affect us all on many levels...it's our job to move forward and see what we want to see...create what we want to create in all that is good!

In reality, the only thing between us and our joy, is us. Sometimes, that's hard to take or accept because we were raised up in a culture of always looking outside of ourselves for answers or acceptance when in fact real power has always lived within us, not outside of us.

When we truly grab onto that understanding everthing in our lives has the potential to change because of the creation power that lives within us. We are the creators ladies....we create what we expect! So all we have to do is expect more...whether its happiness, joy, health, well-being...its really up to us to listen inwardly and move forward.

There is nothing between us and our joy...and what a dance it is, staying aware and not falling back into old ways of thinking.

I commend you Dotsie...your heart and spirit are always moving forward...but remember to accept some of the kudos for your part in moving forward...we are in partnership with Creation...and always remember that you stepped up to the plate which takes enormous courage because we have to face ourselves and we have to face life and be open to change...not many do because they get lost in the troubles of the world.

It takes courage to step up to the plate and keep on batting....the reward....peace! Joy! Wisdom! etc.

Actually all of you lovely ladies should step up to the plate and pat yourselves on the back because you are all beautiful, generous, heart-warming and courageous! I have been very blessed to have met all of you through Dotsie's wonderful site, and am grateful for your caring and dedication to the goodness within all of you, and the heartfelt sharing of your hearts!

With love
Leigha