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In Memory of Jo, Metta Blast ~ 3

May 21, 2007

Zen Dove ~ Canon 30d

I have sad news today. Joan's mother, Jo, passed on this morning. Joan is a dear Soul Sister of mine, and I've been deeply touched by both her and Jo's courage as they walked this last chapter of a life together. Cancer is such a heart-wrenching disease, but I was touched while talking to her just a few minutes ago ~ touched by the peacefulness in her voice, mingled with sadness and relief. Metta Blasting came into being up here after Joan left a comment on April 25th. I posted a portrait of one of my sweet wood doves, mentioning the illness of the mother of another close friend of mine and soliciting prayers for both of them. Joan's comment read like this ~

Blessings of peace and healing to Tim and his mother. May they both be held in the light of the great mystery.

Here was my friend, whose own mother was dying from cancer, offering someone else's misfortune and pain up to the light. That's METTA in it's truest form ~ waking up to the reality that we are all tied together in this web of life, opening our eyes to the truth of All is One, and if one person suffers, we all suffer. If one person finds peace, we all do.

And so began the Metta Blast series. It's one of the best ideas I've ever been given, and for the record, just because Jo's journey here has come to a close doesn't mean our metta journey is ending. Far from it. Part of Jo's legacy will be this invitation toward healing. A rippling blanket of peace and kindness we have sent and continue to send across the world.

If you've ever wondered if embarking on this mission of sending thoughts of lovingkindness to people you don't even know actually works, please continue reading ~

Joan had been at the hospice all day yesterday and all through the night last night, so the doctors encouraged her to get some needed rest and head home for a spell early this morning. While driving home, a remarkable thing happened, which only serves to convince me this Metta Blasting thing works in a measurable way.

A wood dove swooped in front of the car, and when Joan hit it, the bird shot up into the air and continued to fly straight up into the sky. "Straight up!" Joan said. "I knew at that very instant mom was gone." When she arrived home, the hospice had called with the news. "Something like this really makes you sit back and think," she said.

I should say so. I posted a picture of a wood dove at the very beginning of this Metta Journey in late April. Too coincidental not to send vibrations of awakening throughout my Metta Blaster tribe of light givers.

The small things we do out of kindness and love really do make a difference. There is a magical and timeless place where divinity resides deep inside every one of us, and dipping one's awareness into this sacred place is where The true living of enchanted existence begins. Like the sweet cooing of a wood dove whispering to her beloved, send your repetitive whispers of lovingkindness to your beloved ~ the world. To walk the charmed and mystical path of awakening is to fall in love with LOVE ~ whose presence is everywhere. Emerge from the slumber of unawakened isolation and help lift the veil of misunderstanding so prevalent in the universe.

We are a powerful, magical tribe of awakening beings, me and you. Hold on to this vision. Don't waste a minute of your precious time here holding your light to yourself, share it joyfully and eagerly with a suffering world.

Much sending of love and light to Joan and her family. May you all be safe, may you all be peaceful, may you all be healthy, may this difficult time be filled with ease.
~ from the heart of each one of us here at Visual-Voice

PS.. and if you still aren't convinced, go hit Joan's blog entry from last week where she so eloquently and beautifully expressed her sense of gratitude in the midst of suffering and sorrow. Bless youself... head on over right now.

Posted by vincent at May 21, 2007 04:17 PM

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