Beauty Archives - Page 9 of 11 -

The Conscious Act of Letting Go

By Simone Lipscomb | March 5, 2013

Attachment: “A feeling that binds one to a person, thing, cause, ideal, or the like; devotion; regard: a fond attachment to his cousin; a profound attachment to the cause of peace” (dictionary.com).

One of the most difficult lessons I have learned is to let go of expectations. It started with my work as a state park naturalist many years ago. With deep love and passion for nature, it was difficult to watch as politics won over nature so many times. Environmental education was barely funded while other programs–the money-makers–were funded. I struggled with the question: How can you place a monetary value on environmental stewardship?

Then as a practicing psychotherapist I struggled with my attachment to clients understanding their issues and working to resolve them instead of expecting me to use a magic wand to make them feel better. (Draw circle on wall, bang head….).

Armondo, an artist in Akumal, Mexico, creates beauty on his property

And again, as a massage therapist and energy work practitioner, my attachment to clients taking responsibility for their health–physical, mental, emotional and spiritual–caused such turmoil that I invented a new kind of therapy. I called it Slap Therapy. And of course it was a joke that I shared with students and colleagues but in reality I was trying to work out my frustration through humor.

But it doesn’t stop there…no, this pattern continued. I want people to love the planet. I want them to feel their own value and worth. I want them to treasure themselves and the planet and place self-care and planetary care at the top of their to-do list. And so forth…until finally I realized that the only way to find peace within myself (and therefore model that which I am wanting to help create) was to end my attachment to anyone ever gaining understanding or waking up to their own beauty. If I base personal joy and contentment on other’s actions I’ve got some long, frustrating years ahead of me.

Mantee interacting with woman at Three Sister's Springs — Mantee interacting with woman at Three Sister’s Springs

Can I be detached and still have passion, feel love and continue on the path? Can I let go of ego and surrender to simply loving for the sake of loving?

Can I continue the work, the love, the expression of beauty I experience without knowing if it is received?

I recently discovered that all I have ever wanted (since childhood) was for the love I feel for others, animals and the planet to be received. And truly, the only way I know to experience that wish coming true is simply to keep loving, regardless. I will always love but I am no longer attached to knowing this love is received. (deep breath….heavy sigh). Perhaps the biggest magical transformation in life is to let go of all attachments to what we want the most and simply keep practicing, keep loving.

Orchid...their faces amaze me — Orchid…their faces amaze me

It is the flow of love itself that is my focus. It is not conditional. It is not a faucet that can be turned on and off. It is a state of being that I choose each day, every moment. No matter what. That’s all I’ve really ever wanted.

Show the Way

By Simone Lipscomb | March 3, 2013

I sat with tears rolling down my face as the words and music wound through the atmosphere of the open air pavilion. I arrived early to secure a good seat was was rewarded with a front-row seat less than ten feet from David and his magical guitar….and voice.

Having followed his music for years I was surprised I had missed this song and yet I fully believe that music and other tools of healing come to us when we are ready.

Auburn University Oak Tree Poisoned by a Deranged Man — Auburn University Oak Tree poisoned by a very sick man

Lyrics from Show the Way: “You say you see no hope, you say you see no reason we should dream that the world would ever change. You’re saying love is foolish to believe. ‘Cause there’ll always be some crazy with an army or a knife, To wake you from your day dream, put the fear back in your life.”

Gulf State Park during 2013 BP Deepwater Horizon Oilspill — Gulf State Park during 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon Oilspill

“Look, if someone wrote a play just to glorify what’s stronger than hate, would they not arrange the stage to look as if the hero came too late, he’s almost in defeat. It’s looking like the evil side will win, so on the edge of every seat, from the moment that the whole thing begins….”

“It is Love who makes the mortar and it’s love who stacked these stones. And it’s love who made the stage here, although it looks like we’re alone. In this scene set in shadow like the night is here to stay, There is evil cast around us, but it’s love that wrote the play. For in this darkness love can show the way.”

Sometimes I feel such grief about the state of humanity–the polarization of friends and families, of communities. The taking of sides against what we perceive is ‘the bad people’ but in reality we are fighting among ourselves when the evil goes unchecked….or so it seems.

Joanna Macy and Work That Reconnects group, Rowe, MA

I have come to believe that Love is the cosmic glue that holds us all together. Not romantic love or possessive love but the love that passes all understanding. We try to name it and it illudes us so I’ll simply say as I open my heart I find more love around me and within me. If I focus on being a channel for this love and constantly let it flow through me to others, the supply is endless and I always stay filled with it. The moment I try to stop it or hold on to it, I feel empty.

Our hearts are like blossoms, waiting to bloom

What a Great Mystery this Love is and yet I truly believe the key to our own and the planet’s healing is simply to open our hearts to love without judgment. Clearing away anger, judgment, opinions–even if for 15 minutes a day–can create vast change within our own lives. Once we see how good those 15 minutes felt, we will want to live in that space of open heartedness as much as possible. For that is our natural state of being.

To watch the video and listen to David Wilcox’s song please click on this sentence…. and enJOY!

No Disappointing Days

By Simone Lipscomb | February 26, 2013

You never know what will happen when you set your intention for a morning of manatee interaction. An impromptu trip with a gal pal to snorkel with our sea cow friends and spend some time SUP boarding gave us more than we’d hoped for but not what we expected.

We took off this morning just before sunrise with the outfitter and our favorite captain. When we walked into the dive shop I saw a cave diving icon (sorry Harry) that actually taught my cave instructor. He and his group were on the same boat we were on so we had a chance to visit which made the trip even more fun.

But the manatees were not in Three Sister’s Springs today. It was warm so they were out feeding and this, of course, is wonderful for them. So we swam around the springs and headed back out to the boat and then spent the next couple of hours going on a manatee search. Since I was dressed in a dry suit, I got to be the scout and swim out and check places to see if there were any nearby.

At one point I slipped into the murky, green water of King’s Bay and floated, still and silent, after we saw the ‘footprint’ or ripples of water that were left behind by a swimming manatee. I never saw them but heard a mom and baby communicating through their high-pitched whistles. When I got back on the boat my mates told me that they had seen the manatees swim right beside me…due to the green water I never saw them but definitely felt their presence.

After easing around the bay and different springs we happened to come upon a group of four manatees….two of which were VERY large. They were mating. Huge, round tails danced in the air, heavy bodies rolled in the water, and the intensity of manatee love was so strong that smart snorkelers stayed far away from the nuptials and observed with cautious excitement.

So no babies played with my camera housing, none wanted to interact. But how amazing to know that next year when I visit there will be new babies that add to the beauty of our planet and the specialness of these beautiful, warm springs.

My YOLO teak cruiser is a true friend. We have been in some amazing places.

I spent three hours after lunch SUP boarding in serious wind. I’d duck into quite canals or springs and float with anhingas and mullet. I spent time visiting with manatee volunteers, and had a heck of a work out paddling against the wind and then riding it back across King’s Bay…a downwinder that made me push myself with physical effort and laugh at the outrageous speed gained over open water with such a big wind.

You never know what you’ll get when the day begins but it’s guaranteed that if you keep the heart and mind open, there are no disappointing days.

Anhinga and Mullet–Unlikely Partners

By Simone Lipscomb | February 25, 2013

Beautiful Three Sister's Springs — Beautiful Three Sister’s Springs

After traveling to Crystal River, Florida today my friend Sherry and I SUP boarded to Three Sisters Springs in search of our manatee friends. The warm weather had enticed them out to feed so the springs were just bubbling away with a quiet serenity that was appealing given the usual crowd of people floating, splashing and screeching.

We paddled around for a while and I played with my underwater camera and video from atop the board. It was nice to be outside on water connecting with the palm trees, cypress trees, clear water, and wildlife.

The anhinga's perch — The anhinga’s perch

An anhinga was perched in a wildly arching palm tree for a bit then decided to go on a hunt. I paddled around the edge of the spring watching it weave in and out of tree roots and rocks searching for dinner. A large mullet was shadowing the bird probably waiting for it to stir up some plant litter for its dinner or a bug or something else it might eat. It was weird though as anhinga’s eat fish.

Of course, it was a large mullet…but still. Aren’t they suppose to be ‘enemies?’ Are we really supposed to hang out with those who might destroy us? Haven’t they been taught that they are NOT supposed to be friends? Or even help each other? (smile)

They seemed very comfortable with each other so I’m guessing they had their negotiations and settled on a way to be together peacefully. It appeared that they were utterly comfortable with each other and were even friends. It was quite awesome to observe.

Perhaps we humans could learn from their behavior.

Seeing with Different Eyes

By Simone Lipscomb | February 22, 2013

I was playing at the end of a dive in about six feet of water in Bonaire, N.A. The colors....the patterns....ahhhh — I was playing at the end of a dive in about six feet of water in Bonaire, N.A. The colors….the patterns….ahhhh

My artist cousin invited me to an art opening in Pensacola….an underwater photographer had an exhibition opening at Pensacola State College Visual Arts Center. Sure….of course! With no idea of what to expect I arrived at the gallery and met Donna.

We started walking through the gallery and I told Donna the images looked just like the places in Florida where I cave dive. Sure enough, the walls were filled with images of freshwater springs in Florida that are very familiar to me. Karen Glaser had captured the visuals most people never notice when entering the underwater caves of Florida. Most photographers want to capture the arches and tunnels that make the underwater passages so spectacular but Karen doesn’t photograph the caves, she focuses on the somewhat abstract images of duckweed, algae, patterns of light and shadow and the geometries of water rings from a place at the surface, just beneath it in fact.

Sometimes it seems we overlook beauty that is right in front of us. We set our internal compass to the destination with little regard for the amazing beauty we pass along the way. All it really takes is for us to let go of that hell-bent dash toward our goals and allow each step along the way to gift us with a treat, a treasure.

While underwater, divers can become seduced with the idea that the faster they go, the more they will see. To the contrary, the faster you go the LESS you see. No matter how many times I told this to scuba students, I would see their frustration when I would slowly frog kick along, observing minute creatures of amazing beauty as they tried to hover and stirred up billowing clouds of silt or sand. (…..sigh……)

Photo by Ed Jackson in underwater cave, Akumal, Mexico

The brain can only process a finite quantity of information that the eyes gather. My theory is if I go really slow, I’ll actually see more.

When I first visited the caves of Akumal, Mexico, I remember trying to sleep at night and my brain processed the entire day spent in the amazing formations of these underwater cathedrals. My eyes took in so much beauty and my brain was hungry to review and process it, even while I tried to rest.

Entrance to underwater cave in Akumal, Mexico

When we choose to see with different eyes, to take time to slow down, to look at life differently, we might find the treasure we really want lies in front of us, in the present moment, not at some far-away destination.

Sometimes I just pray the beauty I see is somehow translated via the photograph. I took this one in the Nohoch system in Akumal, Mexico

After a while away from underwater caves, I’m headed back into their inky, spectacular beauty….and I can hardly wait! I will make some dives in Florida with buddies and then on to Mexico in autumn with my good friend Connie LoRe. Excitement builds and I can’t wait to get there but I enjoy the entire journey with each dive before then, whether in a cave or open ocean.

I treasure each moment underwater for these precious times teach me to see with different eyes.