Karen Baldwin

As a result of the recent shooting at Fort Hood Army Base the topic of Islam is frequently heard in the coffee shops and meeting places around town. And often I find myself holding the unpopular opinion that Islam is not the cause of the tragedy.

It’s important for us to remember that we fear most what we understand least. With that in mind, I encourage those who are tempted to direct their anger at Islam, to consider undertaking a bit of investigation into the spiritual principles of this amazing religion.  I recommend The World’s Religions by Huston Smith.

On my visits to local Mosques during my seminary studies, I was always welcomed by warm and caring women and men, eager to demonstrate the vast tenderness of their beliefs, something that is not often seen on the evening news.

It is good for our humanity to remember to hold each other as individuals sharing a common experience here in this lifetime … vulnerability, desire for love & acceptance, seeking meaning in situations that make us feel insecure and fragile.

The Charter for Compassion below was born as the wish of Karen Armstrong when she won the TED Prize in 2008. The Charter was officially launched into the world on November 12, 2009 and is being enthusiastically adopted by Interfaith Councils around the world.

Please, read it and consider adopting it as your personal Charter for meeting others in life. If you are fortunate, they will be looking at you through the same compassionate eyes.

CHARTER for COMPASSION

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and emphatically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others – even our enemies – is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings-even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

For more information, or to affirm the charter, go to http://charterforcompassion.org/share/about

We seem to expect chaos when we are facing a sudden crisis that wasn’t of our own making. But even when we make the choice ourselves to initiate change, and we know in the end it’s for our own good … well, it still feels like riding an emotional roller coaster.

Usually, somewhere in the midst of coping with our up and down feelings, we wonder if we’ve done the right thing. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and natural to want to abandon the process and either “get back to normal” or “just get on with it.”

Fortunately, neither is possible. There is no such thing as going backwards; that’s not really what we want anyway.  And rushing the outcome, even if we could, would only result in having to repeat our efforts later on. This transitional phase – the liminality of change – is where the richest personal growth takes place.

It’s this uncertain territory between the old and the new that feels unbearable at times. Thankfully, there are some simple things we can do to help ourselves cope with the chaos of the middle ground:

• Spend time with someone who is willing to be supportive.
• Practice gratitude.
• Open your heart to someone who needs your support.
• Turn down the drama level.
• Meditate or pray.
• Exercise and get plenty of rest.
• Be easy on yourself.

These suggestions may sound either too simple to be effective … or too hard to be possible. But give it a try. You might be surprised to discover that you feel healthier and more able to keep your cool.

Here is an excellent “De-Stress Kit for the Changing Times” from Doc Childre, Founder of the HeartMath Institute.

Check it out … and surf the waves of change like a pro!

I originally wrote this poem about a month after my mastectomy.  The cancer was out of my body, and I began to notice the multitude of emotional changes that were taking root in it’s place.

Not only was I different, I was also experiencing others in a radically new way.  And, I was behaving like a woman I didn’t recognize.  I felt like I had no control over who I was becoming.

It was overwhelming to have such deep changes roll through me faster than I could process them.  Fear ran rampant; it was a fast and scary emotional roller coaster.  I finally had to give in and admit that change had a grip on me.  I was just along for the ride.

That was nearly two years ago.  I’ve been fortunate to have lots of time to explore and adapt to the new me … physically, emotionally and spiritually.  And as usual, hindsight is a beautiful thing.  I’m now grateful that the changes were out of my control.  Had I been solely in charge, I never would have designed a future as fantastic as the one I’m living now.

I’m off to Africa in January to live my dream of empowering needy children:  improving their reading skills, giving them a future of brighter possibilities.  I sense more change approaching me on this journey, and once again this poem feels appropriate.  Only this time, I’m riding the river willingly, screaming gleefully around every curve.

RIVER of CHANGE

The river has me.
Hook, line and …
No, wait.  I’m a floater.
Breathe, Karen.  Breathe.

I didn’t agree to ride the rapids this way.
Caught up in the torrents.
Without a raft.
No protection.
Breath, Karen.  Breathe.

The rocks are huge.
More like boulders.
I could get hurt.
I might even break.
Breath, Karen.  Breathe.

I can feel the bubbles between me and the rocks.
They cushion me.
The water has worn the surface smooth.
There’s time to breathe, Karen.
Just breathe.

My belly is full of clean mountain runoff.
At least I’m not thirsty.
I can close my mouth now and take in air through my nose.
You’re breathing, Karen.
Just breathe.

The view is actually quite spectacular from here.
On my back, watching the tree tops fly by.
I’ve never seen them like this before.
I wonder how many miles I’ve traveled.
I don’t know how to measure this way.
Remember to breathe, Karen.
Just breathe.

The canyon walls make escape impossible.
What am I thinking?
It’s ridiculous to even try to reach the edge right now.
I’ll just rest my arms on my chest, and wait for the river to let me go.
Your breathing is strong now, Karen.
Just breathe.

Where will the river let me loose?
Perhaps a deep, still pond?
Maybe it will spit me into the ocean.
I won’t know until I arrive.
Breathe deeply, Karen.
Just breathe.

There will be some good tales to tell at the end of this ride.
It’s an adventure unlike any other I’ve known.
Perhaps I should just take in what I can, and let the rest be.
After all, the river has me.
Just breathe, Karen.
Just Breathe.

your access to Abundance is blocked

constant Bouncing from job to job, relationship to relationship …

always needing to be in Control

Desires feel like they are out of reach

you feel Empty

Fear runs your decision making process

Gratitude feels hard to imagine

Health concerns

practicing Insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results

Judging yourself harshly

you have a hard time being Kind … to yourself

feels like Love keeps passing you by

your Motivations are in conflict

feeling Needy all the time

being Overwhelmed by life

Pleasing everyone except yourself

always Questioning yourself

Running away from your problems

being too Stubborn for your own good

Tears feel like a sign of weakness

you are unable to appreciate your own Uniqueness

feeling like a Victim of life

you have it all, and still you Wonder what’s missing

you feel like you never have eXtra to share

wanting to say Yes to life

Zoos keep showing up in your dreams (just kidding!)

Based on the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life’,’ this system of astrological exploration addresses every aspect of human development.  It is a powerful tool enriched with deep archetypal wisdom.

The Tree of Life presents a blueprint of your entire SELF:  body, mind and spirit.  It will quickly reveal where you are “stuck” in life and offers guidance for moving forward in creative ways.  It will also show you how to use the messages of your physical body to restore balance to your whole being.

For centuries the Tree of Life has been recognized by the three major western religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) as a mystical path to the Divine.  It maps the flow of divine consciousness into manifestation as well as the development of human consciousness into divine connection.

Even if you have had your astrological chart prepared before, it will look fresh and insightful when placed on the Tree of Life.  Each of the Tree’s sephirots represents a quality of divine energy and is directly connected with a specific planet.  And each planet is uniquely placed in the sky at the time of your birth.  No one else, not even a twin sibling, has exactly the same chart as yours.

An astrological reading on the Tree of Life is extraordinarily helpful in relationships.  You will immediately see how you those you relate to are gifted in complimentary ways.  And, what used to look like unresolvable conflict will be seen in a transformative new light.  It has proved to be useful in both personal and business settings.

All that is necessary on your part is the date, time and place of your birth.  This information can usually be found on your birth certificate or hospital birth records.

If you would like more information, or wish to schedule a consultation, contact karen@ChangeHealGrow.me

I look forward to helping you connect with your truth from an entirely new perspective.

Here is what some say about exploring holistic astrology on the Tree of Life:

“Working with Karen has enabled me to create solutions for diverse company needs.”

Branwyn F., HR Consultant