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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Flap your wings


See this butterfly? He was flipping and flapping so eratically around the zinnias yesterday, I didn't think the camera would focus on him. See how tattered his wings are? His right one is almost half gone after a season of flapping.

Yesterday I read in Tolle his comparison of humans and ducks.

"When two ducks get into a fight, which never lasts long, they will separate and float off in opposite directions. Then each duck will flap its wings vigorously a few times, thus releasing the surplus energy that built up during the fight. After they flap their wings, they float on peacefully, as if nothing had ever happened."

"If the duck had a human mind . . ." Tolle writes on, and you can fill in the rest. He'd start thinking and analyzing the situation, hold a grudge for next time, maybe for years to come, etc.
So the point is, be more like a duck, flap your wings and let go of the story!

Visit Paris Deconstructed for a new post about my favorite resting place in Paris.

14 comments:

Ginnie Hart said...

Oh Ruth! What a great post!! I love how you have connected the butterflies to Tolle's words. One of the butterflies I have pics of from Saturday also had a torn wing in the same spot. I didn't even notice it till I uploaded the pics because I was so far away. And I wondered how it happened!

Words to live by!

Ruth said...

Ginnie, thank you. I guess it never occurred to me that those fragile wings would be torn away little by little through the season. Duh.

Anonymous said...

Ruth, My computer was down for 2 days. The Computer guys couldn't locate the problem. After 2 days they founf that the motherboard battery had drained out.

second attempt for posting this comment, Now I have to post it as 'other'

Anonymous said...

I tear a paper and stamp on it repeatedly. That makes every one laugh. I don't let the tension mount. Some bad experiences last the whole day. I try to forget when I am traveling. Sometimes being cheated hurts. I get angry being so dumb. sometimes I am happy that I am not intelligent and smart. Only intelligent and smart get into lot of trouble. They come and tell me stories. I am so thankful that I have no brain Ruth. Being cheated occasionally is OK

Butterfly is in sharp focus. Lovely picture, they are very gentle and delicate creatures. their presence tells us that things are still ok on this planet.

Ruth said...

Thank you, Rauf. I hope your computer is well now. Did you replace the mother board?

It's good to let go of anger, but to acknowledge it first is good too, not deny it. Keeps us healthy.

Anonymous said...

Holy Wows, Batman! Did you catch that?: "The possibility of such a transformation [the analogy is to the appearance of the flower millions of years ago] has been the central message of the great wisdom teachings of humankind. The messengers – Buddha, Jesus, and others, not all of them known – were humanity's early flowers. They were precursors, rare and precious beings. A widespread flowering was not yet possible at that time..." The implication of this is so profound! So positively exquisite to think the doomsday prophesies are misinterpretations of the gospels! The Earth will manifest the metaphorphoses occurring within us! I thought it should be so!

Ruth said...

Oh yes, Rachel. I've been going nuts rethinking the teaching I received growing up -- misinterpretations, I believe!

merlinprincesse said...

I love the duck story! And the second photo is wonderful. I will remember to try to flap my wings more often! :)

Ruth said...

Thank you, MP! I love this idea, that there's nothing wrong with expressing the frustration. But holding on to it is no good for anyone!

Anonymous said...

yes it's the worry, guilt, and continued frustration that is the downfall of this society, even the human race. it just makes me wonder why our brains work this way. what's the purpose? why couldn't we be more like the duck, like other animals who live together peacefully?
the world would be much nicer.

but i think rauf is right. having butterflies fluttering around flowers does seem to make it seem that the world isn't so bad.

Anonymous said...

and oh oh!!!

suuuuch amazing photos mammasq!!!

you are mastering this medium. truly.

Ruth said...

Thank you, sweet dawtuh!

If you read A New Earth, you'll be amazed at how Tolle addresses your question! Personal egoic structures turn into national egoic structures, etc, etc, and there you go. I wish everyone would read this book. It is truly very helpful to me.

Anonymous said...

Everything was replaced Ruth including the motherboard and keyboard. Still not out of the woods, the system is restarting by itself, I think I have to send the system to a psychiatrist or a faith healer, we have lots of them in India.

Ruth said...

Rauf, Ha! :) I hope it will work itself out of its problems -- self healing.