Roxanne

by Roxanne - August 17, 2011August 17, 2011

Introducing InnerPeace

InnerPacific – the name of this blog – refers to our own interior depths. We may get caught in the waves of drama or anxiety on the surface, but we are more than this. We have great inner depth and wisdom that we can trust and tap into at any time.

It’s interesting that as a society we care that we and our children learn knowledge along with physical education and body health. But why aren’t we as concerned about education with regard to inner health and interior life? This is why InnerPacific is launching a series called InnerPeace.

Having good boundaries, healthy self-talk, meditation skills, knowing what values are important to maintaining personal integrity, having the resources to deal with a variety of people, being one’s own authority and trusting that – these skills bring inner peace.

Too many of us have grown up without these skills. Life becomes very difficult without good personal boundaries, being clear about which values are important or knowing how to communicate directly, but kindly with others. Drama saps our energy. Worry causes anxiety. This does not create a fabulous life – quite the opposite!

The InnerPeace series will focus on those topics that contribute to our inner peace and equanimity. When you are clear about who you are on the inside and what is important to you on the outside, inner peace results. This frees our energy and attention to focus on what is truly important in our lives.

This doesn’t mean life will be free of challenges or struggles. It won’t. Life is risky, by definition. But it does mean that we will be able to tap into the wisdom inside in order to discern more readily the best options available to us to meet those challenges. We can live in the depths of the ocean rather than be tossed by the waves.

Being able to live the life we have been given – as richly as possible – this is something we can learn to do.

Let your mind be like the clear water that washes over the stones.

You and I deserve this. Our children deserve this. Our world deserves this.

InnerPeace posts can be found in the InnerPeace title on the black bar above or in the InnerPeace category to the right. There are already some posts to read in this category.

For example, you may like Difficult People, Don’t Worry Be Happy, The Story of the Wolf and What Do You Do With Your Suffering?

by Roxanne - August 16, 2011July 1, 2011

Fruit Slump

Here’s a rustic, autumn dessert from colonial times. It was created because it can make use of any fruit left in your fruit bowl at the end of the week. It’s similar to a cobbler.

I have made fruit slump for more than 20 years. My children (and their friends) grew up with this dessert. It takes a little time, but can be made on the stove top while the kids take care of the dinner dishes.

Here’s the recipe I have used all these years (Better Homes and Gardens, July 1988):

In a 10-inch skillet combine 3-4 cups of sliced fruits. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tbsp. water. bring to boiling and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a mixing bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp baking soda. Cut in 1/4 cup butter or shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center. Add 1/4 cup milk all at once. Stir until dough just clings.

On a lightly floured surface knead dough just 10 times. Roll or pat dough to 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes or use a knife to cut diagonal lines creating diamonds. Drop cutouts onto hot fruit. Sprinkle with a mixture of 1 tbsp sugar and cinnamon.

Cover and cook 10-15 minutes until dumplings are done. To serve, spoon warm fruit and dumplings into serving bowls. Serve with light cream, whipping cream or a dollop of yogurt.

Consider using cherries, figs, plums, peaches, apples, pears, berries and especially a combination of fruits.

by Roxanne - August 15, 2011June 13, 2011

Golden Temple Guests

My last post asked the question, “Who is a guest?” At the Golden Temple this question is answered every day. The least among us are treated like royalty. DH writes,

“I ate lunches there, and washed dishes and even helped cook some of the stuff, about 5 times… Quite an experience, very much like the pics show. The one thing about Golden Temple: It is CROWDED beyond anything Americans or Westerners EVER feel comfy with. You get about 15 cubic inches of space <G>… The picture of the kid sleeping is quite peaceful, but when I was there, there would have been another 15 folks sitting, sleeping and otherwise occupying the space in the picture… And yeah, the kid would have been asleep unbothered right in the middle of that :)))”

This is the vision. See for yourself. Take a virtual visit to the The Golden Temple.

by Roxanne - August 13, 2011August 13, 2011

August Evening Picnic

This evening we gathered with some friends for a last minute picnic. It was a serendipitous, spontaneous idea. We decided to meet at Lebanon Park. The weather was warm, but not too warm. We didn’t cook, but enjoyed salads – including a tomato and sweet onion salad with ripe, Minnesota tomatoes from this week’s Farmers’ Market. Buttered corn on the cob was the first of the season as well.

We chatted, laughed, shared and enjoyed each other’s company. J noticed a snowy, white egret in the distance as we wandered up the hill to head home at sunset.

These pictures will give you a sense of the park. There is a swimming beach nearby, hiking trails and snow-shoeing trails in winter. A nature center has fun activities for kids and adults. Consider Lebanon Park, next time you are out and about.

You may also like Prairie Walk, Picnic in a Jar and Great Lakes Revisited.

by Roxanne - August 13, 2011August 3, 2011

The Guest

Reframe. Who is a guest? This intriguing film clip provides yet one more way to understand the core of Christian theology – in order for any of us to be saved, healed or made truly whole, ALL of us must be healed.

As St. Paul wrote long ago, “All of creation is groaning, laboring toward salvation, toward becoming a new creation” (Romans 8:19). In other words, we are saved together.

Similarly, in this short film which you can click and watch: The Guest, Henrik Malmgren writes, “In a society where we take care of each other with bullets, the old widow Elsa is trapped in old habits. When her lonely dinner gets brutally interrupted, Elsa makes a decision that changes more than her own life, understanding that Paradise is lost without others.” (Emphasis mine)

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