http://picasaweb.google.com/antara1111/NewMexicoTripMay2007?authkey=tnSL38RxDUk

If you are into photography and/or enjoy New Mexico and sacred spaces, then you will enjoy this link to my photo gallery above. Enjoy, Antara

Here is an affirmation style poem that i wrote to keep reminding my self that happiness is nothing more than an ongoing choice moment to moment. May it help others to read these words.   
 

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE
By Antara Davis  December 13, 2006

 

ALL is well, no matter how it looks.

Judging anyone or anything as good or bad is ignorant.

The only person I can change is myself.

What I have power over is my mind.

What matters most is this moment right now.

All I can really do I is my best in this moment.

If all I can do is be loving, then all is well.

From the depths of my being, I really do know

 That everything has a way of working itself out,

There are outcomes, purposes and timings far beyond my knowing.

If I am suffering any angst or despair because of what I witness

And experience in my inner or outer life,

Let it be a sign that I need to let go of wanting things to be different.

I clear my mind of fears and judgements

And get in touch with the larger truth .

It's never really been up to me to change the world,

Yet it has always been up to me to change my mind. This is how I serve.

Yes, it actually is my job to create the mental state of happiness within.

 Only then is it effortless to act with kindness and compassion and generosity.

I Change my self, I change the world. This is how I serve others.

Right now I remember again that its all ok. 

I exhale and release all attachments to problems &

I hand over all troubles to a higher power

I relax and rejoice and let out a great big lama-laugh.

I am happy with this remembering, this emptying into emptiness.

This is how I serve, heal and change the world.

I direct my mind back into its natural state of clarity and happiness.

May all beings be so happy.

As all the energy is intensifying on earth and in our lives, my intention is to stay calm centered and in the moment. This is quite a job sometimes.

I'm on a quest of moving beyond mental suffering which can be so prevelant in this realm, and in fact, is the nature of this realm. Being sensitive in a suffering world has meant that often I return from the dreamtime feeling soothed and reassured that yes, suffering IS the nature of this reality, and yes, it is difficult to experience and witness it, and yes, there is a way out (mastering the mind/self). A very cosmic Buddhist "hang in there". i can energetically feel the encouraging pat on the back while i slip back into this denser level of consciousness as i awaken.

(continued from my home page)_

In my belief system, WHAT we perceive as our everyday experience is a direct result of our previous thoughts and actions (karma).  What fascinates me most therefore is the realization of how much power we have in each moment to plant seeds of great happiness for our future. To me, this means being as aware and conscious as i can be of what thoughts i am generating. It means watchguarding my awareness, my actions and my words to stay as kind and positive as possible. This means keeping my focus on that which is good and positive in order to amplify that energy.  An ongoing process to be sure - something I work on with my friends everyday - we attempt to keep each other as conscious as possible in our earthwalks.

So in this moment, i guess you could say I am interested in the powers that are. The powers within me. The powers seeming to exist outiside me.  Sometimes I feel those teachings have come to me in the form of deep reverence and years of practicing both in the Buddhist & Shamanic lineages. Sometimes I think these are generally the Mother Teachings and Father Teachings. Sometimes I go deep and serious into teachings, other times i let completely go of it all and laugh and play take none of it seriously. This is when i feel most free and fluid of course. The holy point of it all - a fine balance of not taking it all so seriously in a very serious seeming world.

In my parallel universe (see string theories) I have no concerns at all, i live in nature, commune with it in a myriad of ways, and create as much beauty as the world can stand - a fabulous milkyway path of stars and rainbows to delight the wind and those with eyes to see. I drum and sing and dance with kindred spirits under  the moon. i make mandalas of pebbles and blossoms to honor the river, leave altars to all that is holy. In this parallel universe i create lovepoems to the eternal ones  I play in the sand and draw down all the radiant beauty that i can catch with my open heart and beam it through me.  Heaven on Earth. And so it is.