Thanks for guiding us in today’s #spiritchat Kumud. And thanks to my fellow travellers. Wishing you a great week ahead.

A7: I started out in organized religion but the hypocrisy in some of the teachings led me to pursue purer teachings based on compassion, kindness and community. This simpler “faith” is more natural for me. #spiritchat

A6: Walking helps me sort through the chaos of info that I am bombarded with daily. There is so much unnecessary suffering in the world right now at the hands of a few powerful people. #spiritchat

A5: I am juggling snuggling our foster cat with participating in #spiritchat so am doing more listening than chatting. Fostering cats has tested my heart. So many sad beginnings for these cats. Meet Lupe. He suffered a brain injury as a kitten & needs lots of reassurance.

A3: The people I know who have strong EQ, are great listeners. They are present and have patience to let others speak and be heard. This grounding of self in the moment is their superpower. #spiritchat

A1: I’m slowly reading a Jack Kornfield book and have been muttering this to myself for a couple of weeks. It softens my energy. “May I be filled with loving kindness. May I be well. May I be at peace and ease. May I be happy.” The practice is remarkably calming. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat. Waking up to a crisp, clear morning after a long stretch of rain and grey skies. The city smells clean and fresh in the newness of the day. Grateful to be here with you this morning.

“If we understood how the energy state of the emotional or vibratory heart impacts the physical heart, would we perhaps pay more attention to what creates emotional turbulence in our consciousness?” #spiritchat

Thank you #spiritchat friends for this pleasant hour of listening and sharing. Thank you Kumud for creating this space for us all these years. Stay warm and safe my friends.

A8: When I worked in a spa, one of my fellow spa therapists had a beautiful cadence to her voice and no matter how harried we were, would answer questions with deliberate patience and calm. I always felt more grounded after talking with her. #spiritchat

A7: Our minds can get us into a lot of trouble running roughshod over our heart’s knowing. Our world labels stillness and pausing as laziness when in fact, it is essential to our spiritual development. #spiritchat

Since we are talking about listening today in #spiritchat. Here is a lovely waterfall for your listening pleasure.

A6: I’m thinking about this question in the context of a difficult conversation. If I am present, I take time to consider all that I know about that person in order to contextualize their words. That framing is helpful in preparing my reply. If I am overtired, this is harder to do. #spiritchat

A5: I have found that talking slowly and softening my tone can be effective during conversations and it invites thoughtful pauses into the conversation. #spiritchat

The heart knows what words and tone and intent of speech are harmful to it... listening to the heart’s advice matters to the soul 🙏🏽 💙 #Spiritchat

A4: We want to be listened to because it makes us feel connected to the other person. We live in a world where people are disconnected from each other. #spiritchat

A3: I think people who listen very well are patient and are not ego-centric so they don’t have to spend all their focus preparing their reply when they should be listening. #spiritchat

A2: I think listening comes from presence but also respect for the other person. The notion of respect becomes challenging if you are listening to someone saying something that you don’t agree with. That situation takes a lot more effort. #spiritchat

A1: The essence of listening to me being grounded in presence and respecting the other person to really listen. When I am busy at work, I constantly have to remind myself to pause to listen. #spiritchat

Thank you all for this heart-centred hour. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season. #spiritchat

A6: I’ve been reflecting on how I live my life and have to confess that I don’t appreciate the pace that I am currently living at. In response, I’ve purposely started to simplify my days. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat friends. I am just listening right now b:c our latest foster cat, Lupe needed a hug so I’m going him snuggles while following the chat.

Forced relaxation - sorting through a collection of buttons I have collected over the past 40 years of knitting and sewing. What to make next? …

Lovely words to start your day. ay open.substack.com/pub/ramdass/...

Thank you Kumud and #spiritchat friends for this enjoyable chat. With gratitude for you all.

A8: When you tune into gratitude, you start seeing and feeling joy in small little bursts throughout your day - the sun peaking through the trees on your bus ride to work; a dog wagging it’s tail on its morning walk. Consumerism teaches us to chase things when joyful moments surround us. #spiritchat

A7: That’s an important reminder Kumud - thank you. To let others know when you are grateful for them. #spiritchat

A6: Gratitude doesn’t mean that you whitewash the uncomfortable feelings with platitudes. Life is messy with pain and joy. A gratitude practice helps us tune into the whispers of joy when suffering is yelling at us, trying to get our full attention. #spiritchat

A5: I think we need to practice gratitude. When things are going poorly, it’s easy to wallow in the stress of it all and miss the little glimmers of joy that visit us during the day. #spiritchat

#ImageAndVerse It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful. - Brother David Steindl-Rast #SpiritChat #Gratitude #Thanksgiving

A3: I think the practice of thinking of 3 things that you are grateful for at the end of your day, helps you reset your mind before falling asleep. Perhaps it is the practice, moreso than the content, that is important. #spiritchat

A2: It’s difficult to be grateful when your basic human needs are not being met. There is so much suffering in the world - much of it manmade. #spiritchat

A1: It’s a conscious act isn’t ? A daily practice to reflect on the moments of your day that you are grateful for - a sunny day, a hug from a friend. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat

I am seriously considering my social media choices. I’ve already bailed on two platforms. As an early adopter, I initially enjoyed exposure to info and people I could never meet in my day-to-day life. Although there is some of this still, it is often drowned out by hate. Goodbye hate. Hello Gander.

“Don’t die with the music within you” “Sing the song that was given to you” It could be through poetry, dance, music, painting, writing... or even math, science, accounting 🙏🏽 💙 #Spiritchat A9

Have a great week everyone. It’s been lovely sharing this time with you. Thank you Kumud for creating this space for us to connect and reflect. #spiritchat

A9: Music brings us closer to the divine. You hear singer-songwriters talk about how the inspiration for some of their most popular songs comes to them like a gift. When we sing, play or listen to music, we are lifting the energetic cadence. #spiritchat

A8: I went to my first community sing-in called, All Together Now. The organizer teaches a bunch of strangers to sing a song during the 2 hours. This was the result. #spiritchat soundcloud.com/user-3692891...

A7: As a Tenor in a choir, when you are learning your part, it sounds very discordant, but the moment when you put the 4 parts together and your voices blend in a human chord - is magical. Singing in community is energizing and uplifting. #spiritchat

Have you heard of the French singer, PlumesOfficial who sings to animals? Animals love music too. #spiritchat www.instagram.com/reel/DMTHoXa...

A4: I learned how to play guitar in my teens and the music of Carole King, Jimmy Buffet, America, Bread, the Eagles - too many to list - was my backdrop. My part-time job earnings were spent on buying 45s, sheet music and going to concerts. #spiritchat

A3: I never turn my back on music. It is a constant in my life especially when walking. I also sing in a rock choir so need to practice every week to learn the harmonies. #spiritchat

Someone on the bus has Voltaren on and it is very calming. In addition to creating a cooling sensation on the skin, it is also soothing to the nervous system - a welcome addition in a chaotic world.

A9: I think taking a moment to recognize how and where feminine energy shows up in your life and becoming aware of it in others would be an interesting practice. #spiritchat

A7: We’re responsible for our own personal growth. I think some of us have become lazy in this regard and are not doing the work required to be decent citizens in the service to others. #spiritchat

A6: When exercise creative energy daily when they decide what to feed their families that day. Cooking is a creative endeavour that starts long before the pan bottom hits the stove top. #spiritchat

A4: I equate wealth with health. Without good health everything else sours a bit. The divine feminine helps us reconnect with the essentials of love, family, friends and home. #spiritchat

A3: When the power goes out, I have to rebuild my energy through self care. As someone who likes to operate with the pedal pushed to the floorboards, I have learned how to balance my “doing” tendencies with “being”. It’s a work in progress. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat Joining from Vancouver Island.