The Scrumptious Flavors of LOVE

March 8, 2019Leave a comment

Look, friends! And LISTEN to my PechaKucha talk about LOVE! https://www.pechakucha.com/presentations/the-scrumptious-flavors-of-love

Today is International Women’s Day — Nurturers Unite!

Then … remember! And Spread the Word about LOVE … it’s for each of us to choose Love over Fear, Anxiety, Worry, Confusion, etc. etc.

Let’s change our immediate daily vibe with thinking about Love and not any negatives. Then Love will spread … to your tribe, your family, your community, your region, your country, until … our entire world changes and becomes one that operates from Love, not fear.

Thanks for joining me in the Army of Love.

I’m taking recruits! Sign up below.

Love you, each and every One of you, in All Ways, teZa aka LordFlea

The Party (and Religion) of LOVE

January 29, 2018January 29, 2018Leave a comment

Hi there, Friend,

Guardian of the People, mixed media, 27x60

Guardian of the People (mixed media on felt)

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I’m preparing my next book for publication but am spending 1-2 hrs each day learning, doing, marketing/publicity, to help spread the message of … LOVE, the theme of my last book (In the I, available at Amazon). So I thought I’d share a few thoughts about that, my favorite subject.

You and I are two of a kind. Why else would you be here, reading this? Some of our parallels and similar efforts are using the art of word-smithing to spread the Consciousness of Love where it most needs to be nurtured.

I was an ex-pat once. The re-entry process of living Stateside was very difficult for me when I came back, in 1980. I was a Caribbean ex-pat for the entire 70s. When I returned I had to give myself lots of T.L.C., and now that I’m back for decades … I seriously can’t wait to be an ex-pat again! My consort (26 yrs married) however, loves our little town of St. Augustine, FL where we live, so for now we’ll just be traveling. We prefer Latino cultures, and yes, both of us speak Spanish. Carter, my hub, much better than I, a mere beginner. He also speaks Portuguese, both of which he picked up in his twenties. We’re both in love with Peru, often visit Costa Rica, but next plan to explore Ecuador and more of Chile and northern Argentina.

Today the subject I’m posting about is Love and … well, let’s look at its exact opposite (in my opinion) … Politics, I have a few words to offer the discussion. Usually I don’t “talk politics” here on LordFlea AT ALL. But today I happen to have something important to add.

Of course, we all know of the huge schism that is present right now in America. It is my opinion, based on observation, interaction, etc. that people who are adamantly involved in loathing Trump are simply not believers in Love. They refuse to see that someone like T could be part of the “bigger picture.” That his administration is “Us” being taken hostages and not, simply couldn’t be! part of the Divine Plan of Universal Consciousness (aka “Love”). And toward that end, the dissers, dissenters, haters of “45” or other disrespectful name-calling these types seem to delight in, perpetuate separation and negativity. They spread hatred instead of accepting that “what is, IS.”

The man won. Democrats, just get over it! Just accept that your party did not win. Who cares about the popular vote? That’s not what America is about. Popularity has never been the deciding factor of politics. The electoral college (as complicated as it is) is the system that has worked since this country held its first election. The people of the farms have just as much to say about who’s running their political “game” as the people of any city. That’s why the electoral college MUST be more important that the popular vote. It took me a long time to understand this. But now I do.

Let go of Negative Thoughts (mixed media on felt)

Just yesterday, for example, a confrontation happened that I want to share about. It’s typical about what’s going on here these days in contentious, explosive Amerikana. And why we need more folks like YOU who know that LOVE is the only answer. So here, yes, let’s talk politics, this ONCE!

the Body Politic of Amerika, since Nov. 2017

Yesterday, my husband and I were in an elevator going to a celebration of “Living Legends” of nonagenarians in our community. These are 3 women and 2 men who were involved in early Civil Rights, and currently other aspects of social unrest like Black Lives Matter, and the #meToo movements. Wow, what strong African American folks, I’m so proud to be a human like them! Carter and I are good friends with one of the Legends, herself! Anyway, we were all crowding in to get to the 2nd floor where the luncheon was and here comes this man, a big man (let’s call him Len) like my husband, who knows us (we’re all arty types: he’s an actor/playwright, my husband a filmmaker; I’m writer/artist).

This man and his wife rush right in and Len sidles up to Carter and extends his hand. But when Carter firmly shakes Len’s, Len pulls back their handshake as if taking Carter’s hand all for himself, while laughing loudly so everyone (8 of us in the elevator) hears him say, “That’s a Trump handshake!” As if everyone were in agreement with his strong aversion to T. I immediately said, in a normal voice but pointedly polite, “Len, we don’t talk politics.” And he instantly turned and roared at me aggressively, “Well I DO!” So I (no wimp, self-admittedly) shot back, “Well sorry, we practice the religion of Love.” At that, the door opened and Len rushed out, followed by his wife and all of us went our different ways without another word between the four of us. Mind you, Len and his wife previously had always greeted me with smacks on my cheek as we are acquainted through the Arts. Not this time. The others in the elevator along with us — who’d silently watched this awkward scene, unfold instantaneously, combustively before them — scurried off, probably glad to be rid of all four of us.

some people just LOVE to argue and bitch and complain and conspire and …. yap yap yap!

As a side note, just after the election last November. another white friend approached me as I sat next to a black friend, and he, a notorious liberal clergyman, went right up to her and offered his handshake saying, “Allow me to apologize for who was elected President last night.” To which she, kindly taking the assured, collared man’s hand, replied, “What makes you think I didn’t vote for him?” And I witnessed for myself how a black middle-class woman defended herself, in the ensuing conversation, for having voted for Trump. The pastor had (quite incorrectly) assumed she’d voted for H, as he had, because of her skin color. The woman (a stranger to me) said not unkindly to the pastor, “Why are you calling me disenfranchised? I’m no such thing.” The clergyman became paler, aghast and embarassed! I realized in that instance that we can never “judge a book by its cover,” or, in this case, assume that because as person “looks a certain way,” that they are a Democrat or a Republic, a vegetarian or an omnivore, an agnostic or aetheist. A Hater or an ardent Lover of Spirit.

beginning never ends ... the spiral of life

WORDS … show where we come from … how we are … where we end UP!

Last night my husband and I discussed the elevator scene. Carter thought I was “asking for it,” by stating my truth so blatantly. I said, and still maintain, “I’m not going to be bullied by hate-mongers. I’m always going to tell, no, SHOUT!! to the world, that LOVE is the only solution. LOVE is my religion; LOVE is my political party!”

It’s a good discussion, one that goes beyond spirituality, rippling into politics and all aspects of society, for sure. A conversation of compassion and acceptance that we will inevitably be having many chances to refine, and practice in the coming years. Heal this schism in our social fibers, dear friend of Big Hearts — we MUST!

Our home is a mixed one, in more ways than just politically. I don’t “do” politics, and Carter (a former anarchist, today socially a Dem but fiscally, is a Republican) thinks T, even though of course he’s the ultimate buffoon, is doing great things for our country, nonetheless. My beloved consort felt Obama’s efforts were “ruining our country.” (Carter is a Harvard trained economist). But Carter and I are lovers of the Spirit, and … just as we allow each other to have our differences, our friends accept our strange cross-pollinated ways as well. We have a wide variety of wonderful and socially concerned, spiritually, culturally, enlightened friends. From “both sides” of the schism.

Me, I’m not a player. I refuse to play the games people play when they’re involved in such worlds as politics, sports, religion. It’s the same as far as I’m concerned for the Art World, which I laughingly call the “Ahrt” world. Ha! I’d rather just make art than play the games people do around it, buying and selling and turning art into a commodity.

My creation is—a temple of nature—everywhere!

Just thought I’d share this one scene with you. Which, to me, is typical of what our country is going through, en masse. Most of my friends are liberal, but many are surprised to discover that my spouse is a stauch conservative, as both our kids are (aged 31 and 34). The liberals are, in many ways (I’ve seen far too many “elevator scenes”), becoming filled with such acrimony and hateful finger-pointing, that some are calling them the “party of hate.”

I’m now sure that an entirely new political party must be born out of the rubble of our broken two-party system. The system of two-alone to represent ALL in America, the Dems and the Reps, just doesn’t seem feasibly possible to be able to work together anymore. There’s been far too many impasses about urgent crises (the environemnt I’m talking about, folks!) to wait any longer for arguing politicians to be effective. Too few are willing to accept the wide differences separating the two parties. There’s too many implacable personalities clashing. People have forgotten that life-or-death issues are more important than personalities! Name-calling and loving-to-hate has taken over much of America’s collective consciousness, unfortunately. Sadly. But … not we believers of the power of LOVE.

A third major party is the best solution, in my humble opinion. And of course it HAS to be based on environmentalism (meaning, save our World’s resources) FIRST; economics (meaning, save people), second. Yet both considerations merge as ONE when people reflect upon any situation from the perspective of Love: meaning, the “greater Good.” Because, after all, if we have a toxic world, we’ll soon have no world at all. We must protect our planet, numero uno. Then … each of our nations can have their own national prosperity. I’d rather see the future be concerned about the unification of all nations, but I realize that’s not feasible during my lifetime. Maybe our children’s, though. The inevitability of all nations working together as ONE, will happen some day in the future. And that, of course, means worldwide Peace.

When that happens, our human species will be evolving into our next incarnation. Which, by the way, I predict will be named homo spiritus. BELIEVE IN LOVE!!

Meanwhile, I continue my spiritual activism, focusing on helping people realize that by holding positive thoughts, THAT is the best way to ensure a positive future for us all. Thoughts create everything. That’s why I’m hopeful. That’s why I choose LOVE above all else.

One-armed Angel (view 1), mixed meida, 30x15x8

I am LordFlea, a lieutenant in the Army of Love

My religion and my political party is, always has and always will be — LOVE — another word for ONENESS.

I look forward to communicating more with you, my friend. Leave me your thoughts below.

Love and the Light of Conscious-awareness to us ALL!

Your pal, LordFlea, aka teZa Lord

http://www.tezalord.com for more

Little by Little

December 13, 2017Leave a comment

baby steps add up to … a Giant LEAP!

I’ve just completed an exhausting book campaign for my latest publication, “In the I: Easing Through Life-Storms.” The only way I could have achieved the great success this nonfiction narrative garnered (a Kindle BESTSELLER the very first day, wow!) was by focusing on my goal of sharing my message of LOVE with the world. And then taking tiny baby steps toward that goal, everyday. Not getting overwhelmed. Never letting setbacks get me down. And certainly, never ever giving up!

All three of these things once stopped me dead in my tracks from achieving my goal in the past. Now I’ve learned. These are what it takes to achieve a sense of satisfaction:

focus ONLY on the goal (setbacks come with the territory of being alive)
never allow the feeling of being overwhelmed, no matter what
take baby steps everyday; feel each breath is yet another true success!

"It is not your time, go back," the Voice said.

never ever feel overwhelmed!

Sure, there were lots of hurdles to jump over, challenges to meet, difficulties to overcome, to write, publish, distribute this book. But here’s the thing: if we focus on our positive goal, we achieve it, little by little.

Here’s its cover, and click here to “IN THE I” link on Amazon for those interested.

We can apply these 3-ways to succeed to anything in life. It just so happens I’m talking here about publishing, marketing, and spreading the word about a true-life inspiring literary book. But we could just as easily be talking about how to turn the tide with social injustices, or how to change our world to a much better, safe place. The same principles to successfully reaching a goal apply. Remember these 3 things, and you will succeed in making any change you wish.

Take heart! You can, if you want to achieve something, even the most seemingly difficult! Whether it’s a personal goal like losing ten pounds, or finding a new job, or looking for a satisfying love-partner. Or changing the political climate of your country’s government, every choice you make adds up.

If you are displeased about anything, take a moment right now and … sit down and write yourself a goal how to change those feelings into something better. Create a positive goal. As you write your feelings, don’t use any negative words. Try to keep your goal as lofty, as high-minded, as filled with love and inspiration as you can. Why not? This is YOUR life! Make it as extraordinary as you can.

And then, once you’ve written down your goal and have gotten absolutely clear about what it is you want to achieve … just know in your heart and soul that everything you do from now on, every little decision, every tiny step you take, will head you in the right direction, toward succeeding with that specific goal you’ve set for yourself.

Now — your only job is to let go of any expectations. Do not focus on “what ifs” or “why nots.” Let go of thinking you have any answer at all. Your part was the making of the positive goal. The rest, the baby steps, the whispers, the heading-you-on direction is all NOW up to the Universal Consciousness that we all partake of. Every single one of us. This energy, this consciousness, directs the “show” we’re all participating in — life on planet Earth.

I’m sending each and every one of you many blessings for a gracious and love-filled season of Light.

Each of is a (metaphorical) Guardian Angel of Earthly Life

Help spread the LIGHT!!

My goal right now is to get back to my writing. After recent months of nothing but focusing on learning the publishing and marketing end of books, I’m ready to get back to the final-edit part of my already-written, next book. You’ll be hearing more about it in my next post.

My birthday is right now! In a few days. I celebrate being alive as much as anyone ever could. Truly, life is a gift. My gift is my love for each and every one of you. The more I love YOU, the more I love my life. Indeed, life is a blessed gift.

Sending blessings to us all! in the Light of Love, teZa aka LordFlea

here’s a contact form if you’d like to be in touch with me! I love hearing from you.

BE Love

July 11, 2017Leave a comment

The 4th chakra, the heart region

If this invitation sounds like a command, so be it. I can’t stress how important it is to let your heart chakra open. When you have done the preparatory work (review chakras 1-3 in previous posts) you will have, by now, embarked upon the “Purification Process.”

This only happens for those who WANT to know Oneness. Oneness is another name for Love, the unattached, un-objectified variety. Love is also known as God, and for those who call themselves seekers, spiritual, or children of God, Love is like the air we breathe. Love IS Spirit. The other types of people, those not interested in knowing Spirit say, quite frankly, “I don’t give a damn, Scarlett!”

And that’s okay. If this world were filled with everyone open-hearted, open-minded, what an ever so dull world this would be. In fact, it wouldn’t be Earth. Because, from time immemorial, we humans have known nothing but strife, hardship, and challenges to hurdle over on our quests to know Spirit. Some say that Earth is like a spiritual school that souls are sent to, before they can become truly set free from the physical bond, i.e., the body, in which their spirit dwells.

I don’t know about that precisely. But hey, why not! Stranger things have been found to be true. Like the “Light” that all people who are revived from having experienced death actually say they went to, usually through a tunnel. They arrive at “the other side” and “see” the similarly described Light. Thousands of these experiences are recorded. They see the Light and then are yanked back into their bodies, usually with the message, “It’s not your time yet, Rhett.”

Allow your your frozen heart to melt

The greatest thing that’s ever happened to me has been to experience my heart opening. After that happened, all things became possible. I fell in love for the first time in my life; I married the man of my heart, we are a family, and we are living happily ever after. When my heart-opening happened, believe me, I knew it. Life forever afterwards has taken on a different perspective.

A person who has survived death (returned from being “dead”) is called an NDE (Near Death Experience). Their lives are usually forever changed, also. This sort of person, whether they talk openly about it or not, has a strong belief in Spirit, because, well, they’ve experienced “It” first hand. After experiencing what awaits for all of us at the end of our physical life here on earth, once an NDE gets “yanked back” from the Light, they all have a drastically altered outlook on life.

The same holds true for heart-opened folks. So make up your mind. You certainly don’t have to wait for something as radical as approaching death to happen for you to embrace what’s inevitably going to be part of your life, at the very end if not sooner. Embrace the experience of your once closed, or half-closed heart, fully opening.

Carry the banner of your Big OPEN Heart!

My meditation teacher tells us, “The reason we meditate is to experience a ‘mini-death.’ Because in the state of non-thought, when we visit the state of pure awareness without the associated mental gymnastics attached to our usual understanding, meditation is the reverse of this … when you sit to meditate it’s like agreeing to die a little bit, right then. Our ego dies a little more. Until eventually we are left with full awareness, pure clear consciousness, unobstructed Oneness. And the more we practice our mini-deaths by meditating, the more we’re prepared to live full and happy lives! And of course, the easier it will be to make the last transformation that happens at the end of our physical life. Our actual deaths.”

What I’ve written above is a paraphrase of what the meditation teacher taught us, her students. So my friends, I advise you to meditate as much as you can if you wish to experience the opening of your heart chakra. And chant as much as you can, also. Chanting, singing the sacred Names of the Divine in whatever discipline or culture to which you adhere, is one a powerful tool, a spiritual discipline that stills the mind and opens the heart. Vibrating with sound prepares us for a deep experience in meditation. The vibration of the heart chakra, set off by making sound within ourselves — is so beneficial. I can’t begin to describe how wonderful it is, to chant in a group especially! I regularly chant with our sangham, a group of seekers, and have hosted such gatherings for many years, both in my home and in a local yoga studio.

Make the sound of Ommmmm

A simple chant of Ommmmm (the “seed” mantra) is a lovely place to start. You can pronounce it A-u-m if you want to be more Sanskrit-correct, but Om works. The mantra associated with the heart chakra is Yam. The affirmation is “I am love.” The color associated with this chakra is brilliantly sparkling, emerald green. Yam is a splendid sound to make. I like to think of it as Yummy Yam (the way I remember Yam associated with the heart, which feels so warm and expansive when we eat something yummy, or spend time with someone who feels yummy delicious to be with).

Let me know how your Big Heart is feeling right now. This is the part of you that’s connected to ALL. I’m not talking about your actually thump-thumping muscle-organ called “heart” here. The heart chakra is the “psychic organ” called by spiritual teachers throughout the world, our Big Heart.

I love painting and drawing it. Here’s my version once again. Envision this gigantic burst of love within your chest in your heart region. Let its fullness fill your entire chest cavity. This chakra is also called the “cave of the heart.” Open your dark cave. Let pure Love shine its Light within you. Open to this magnificent, all-encompassing Beingness.

Be LOVE

Be LOVE … let your Big Heart OPEN

Please leave me a note here and tell me how your heart region feels today. Open, or stuck? I’d like to hear from you. Thanks.

And don’t forget to visit tezalord.com for the whole picture … of who LordFlea really is.

Lovingly, with my Big Heart bridged to yours,

I am LordFlea, aka teZa Lord

The Bridge, our Opened Heart

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017Leave a comment

Now we’ve raised our awareness up from what every person (with the exception of those in comas, or mentally challenged) is conscious of. A quick review of what “ordinary” people experience:

We ARE — 1st chakra, if we breathe we’re aware

We FEEL — 2nd chakra is knowing that our emotions are “signs” of consciousness, Watch Your Self!

We DO — the 3rd chakra, where our “gut” tells us what’s right, what’s wrong, doesn’t it?

And now … our consciousness has been elevated, and we’ve arrived at the Heart region, where …

We LOVE —

fill yourSelf with LOVE

Love

Ahhh, the Mystery Itself.

This “Love” we’re talking about regarding “consciousness” isn’t romantic love, or love of nation, or loving your favorite sport or car or food. Or even what you love to do when you’re free from obligations. I’m capitalizing “Love” here because, what we’re discussing here in the purest, highest sense of what love means,. Our pure essence, like a newborn child’s, is what we’re referring to as “Love.” This is when our consciousness has risen up to the 4th chakra. “Love” is also what some call “God.” “The Mystery.” The Unknowable. The Ineffable. But, we are talking about it here, so I call it capital-L “Love.”

So … what does it mean, this word, love?

Our Hearts Connected—energized, in Love and Light

The dictionary says love is about passion. Strong affection. Attachment. Enthusiasm. Devotion. Concern for the good of another. To hold dear. Cherish.

These are good words. But words are, unfortunately in many cases, fickle little blobs of ink on the page (or screen) that don’t quite hit the mark. So let me share my experience of when I first became aware of my Heart chakra opening instead. I’ll help explain “Love” by sharing. This is show not tell, by the way. Takes a few words, so be patient.

Before this experience, I thought I knew what “Love” was. But I didn’t. After this happened, I forever afterwards had a different relationship with “Love.” In ALL its many aspects (romantic, humankind-wise, Divine-wise, loving family, pet, ice cream, etc.)

I had just begun my journey on Planet Sober. Meaning, I was finally sober after decades of abusing substances. Coinciding with my swearing off the self-abuse that negative addiction really is, I had become a serious student of a wonderful spiritual teacher. “The teacher arrives when the student Is ready.” This is SO TRUE!

This teacher of mine believed in the ancient method of meditation for the principal way to connect to the highest state available to humankind. For me, I had to agree. If you want to know why, check out my earlier blog posts. After seeking “Highs” everywhere I could, drugs, alcohol, experiences, adventures galore — the highest high I discovered was … right within me, when I was in meditation. I experienced this early in life … but couldn’t stop partying till I was in my mid-thirties. I wasn’t ready yet. Having an opened heart … is a responsibility.

This teacher demonstrated how chanting the ancient names (mantras) of the Divine was the best way to still one’s busy mind, so deep meditation could more easily be achieved. I was just learning how to chant. And how I enjoyed it! Being in a hall surrounded by the forceful, moving power of hundreds, thousands of voices! It was ecstasy like I’d never experienced. And these names of God were …. new to me. Unintelligible, really. Because this was in the ancient language of Sanskrit that we chanted, and my mind had no pre-associations with the sounds, other than their vibrations of sound, going deeper deeper, so deeply into my heart.

Because … if you make a sound (try it) this is where you feel the resonance in your body. The chest cavity. Hold your hands over your heart, and make a long Ahhhhh sound. You’ll feel a reverberation there, as if your sternum was a long-vibrating drum you can feel by touching the outer skin. The heart region is where we vibrate when we sing, or make sustained, low-pitch sounds. Like a cat’s purring, our heart creates a all-consuming vibration through the sound we make with our vocal chords.

In the disciple (very ancient and in many cultures) of chanting, the heart gets stimulated like nothing else can. It feels like a prolonged warm massage, with each long breath-out sustaining a note, and each breath-in (to refill the lungs) allowing another resounding, making the chest cavity vibrate continuously, uninterruptedly. And when you’re surrounded by the sound of so many others, chanting all around you, a person can’t tell where your own sound ends and theirs begins, and visa versa.

spreading the Light...one person at a time

spreading the sound of LOVE, one person at a time

And so I found myself transported, out of usual “self” with the practice of chanting. I felt my very soul vibrating, in unison with countless others. I felt combined with the multitudes of voices all around me. We were separated; women with women; men with men. The reason for that wasn’t obvious at first; but later, I came to understand. Men and women’s voices have completely different vibrations. Men’s are lower, women’s are higher. When, at a later date, I happened to sit among men while doing this sustained chanting, I was affected by the masculine sound. It definitely put me in a different “mood.” I felt agitated. I felt … not balanced (and I’m a very “masculine” type of woman, or as Mick Jagger says, a “girl-boy-girl.”) The sound of voices affects us very strongly, I’m sure you all remember a tear or two that arises when a particular “sound” moves you emotionally.

The event of my heart-opening happened weeks after I’d given myself over to the practice of meditative chanting. No longer was I self-conscious. And because I sat among all women, I never thought about “how do I look, sound, feel about … him?” I was in my element. Safe. Secure. Surrounded with … others very similar to me. Same sex, that is. We also shared the same purpose, in our vocalizing activity. A thousand voices all combined. I could hear the men, too, but they were in a different part of the large hall. And their energy wasn’t challenging me, wasn’t … disrupting my ability to melt among those like me that surrounded me. I truly was part of a mass consciousness. We were merged and become, truly — ONE VOICE.

And then — it happened!

Without realizing what it was, I suddenly found myself stop making a sound,because the energy coming from my heart was so … so …. Overpowering. So Strong! It felt exactly like there was a rusty old iron gate that had been shut tightly over my heart-cavity, for maybe a thousands years. It had been frozen shut, just like oxidized iron does. And now … it was being forced and pried …. OPEN … by invisible hands. Slowly, sweetly but yes, painfully because my heart had been stuck SHUT for eons. It felt as if the hands of God were reaching into my deep inner self and taking His/Her/Its two hands to pry open that rusty gate-heart of mine, ever so slowly. First, with jerking motions, this force; then more, more, more forcefullyl — then — my Heart chakra POPPED wide open! Suddenly. Painlessly. Wide wide wide open. Like floodgates suddenly thrown wide.

Forevermore.

close-hearted folks, i call "rock people"

before, my closed-heart felt like I was a “rock person”

then — I joined the open-minded, open-hearted ones

I was stunned. Love consumed me. I became Love. I was … no longer “me.” Instantly I felt enveloped with the purest sensation I’d ever felt. This Love had no name or personality, or motive, or object or “any thing” attached to it. This Love I was …. is All there is. From that moment, until Now.

Love filled my mind with white diamond light. My body melted and I watched myself becoming this ever-expanding love. The warmth and fullness of my chest spread everywhere. I was one ball of a wholesome, loving heart. Was I chanting anymore? Probably not. Was I pure Love itself, me? Yes. Without a doubt. I can attest that I had become Love itself.

join me, in the Army of Love!

Now this may seem dramatic and surreal. But this is what happened to me. Maybe it’s because the situation was perfect, and the teacher was perfect, and the sounds of chanting set off a vibration, a trigger within me. Who knows? Who cares? An ephiphany aha-thing happened. One I’d been waiting my entire life for this event to happen.

So, my friends, this is what I mean by the Love that emanates from our 4th chakra. We get glimpses of it, here and there. When we’re doing something that raises our energies. When we’re with people that promote our higher understanding. And in innumerable other ways. We always know when we’re in our heart-chakra energy. We feel … indescribably wonderful.

This object-less Love is all-consuming. It might be call unconditional love. It might be called pure compassion. But whatever it is, believe me, you want it! And you can develop it by … chanting, yes. But also by meditating. And … most importantly. Not letting negative thoughts (people, places, things, etc.) exist in your consciousness.

When you are aware of the negative thoughts, then you are also able to say, “I choose not to let those negative things exist within me.” This starts when you become aware of your feelings (the 2nd chakra). But it really kicks in, big time, when your consciousness has risen up to the 4th chakra, and you choose to allow the heart-vibrating energy to … STAY there.

Our CHOICES determine us being happy or unhapppy

For our consciousness to rise up, expand, we have to do self-inquiry. This is work, I won’t lie. The seeker must be aware of our thoughts, and guard the precious gift of awareness— with our life if we have to! You have to say “good bye” to all your negative friends, habits, tendencies if you wish to know the heights of life’s greatest opportunities.

This is the tough part. Violence. Once your heart has been opened, you’ll be so happy you’ll never want to go back the the “old you.” You’ll want to cultivate that open-heart you. Believe me. It will be so obvious when you sink back into your old ways, habits, customs. It’s only human, so don’t beat yourself up. Just be patient with yourself. When you suddenly “feel” bad, choose to stop doing whatever it is that causes it. Just stop. It’s that easy. You’ve just “spotted” that you’ve gone backwards. What to do? Not beat yourself up, that’s for sure. Just shake your shoulders, stand up tall, and take one tiny step forward again. Now you’re back on the path to enlightenment. Yaza Yaza. Easy!

Again, choose to realign your awareness with that open-heart of yours. And choose to not allow yourself to “go back” if you can help it. And when you do, again (you will!) take another deep breath, and re-commit to living in Love. It’s that simple. Just shake your head and tell the “bad demons” that live within us all, to BEHAVE. And be still. Watch your breath. Those inner demons will leave you alone. Because now you are focusing on your breath. You’re on the bridge from lower to higher, better you. Or use your mantra to still those demons. Or … read some inspiring words. Or … hang out with more positive people. Or … read more Lord Flea. Yaza yaza.

I hope this helps. Enjoy our journey together, discovering how consciousness is raised, elevated, cultured. Please tell me your experience with the opening of your heart. Leave a comment here, or write me: dearLordFlea@gmail.com

And remember, I love you!

your pal, lordFlea, aka teZa Lord

The Magical Dream of Three Bulls

July 30, 2013July 30, 2013Leave a comment

the marvel of Nature

We were walking along the edge of his Florida pasture one day, Bill, my father-in-law and I, taking advantage of another opportunity to talk about life and share each other’s company. I surprised myself that day when, after a young and rambunctious bull hopped the fence right in front of us, I instinctively approached it, not so much from bravery as an automatic reflex. Bill was already in his eighties and I, a mere forty-year-old then, wanted to protect the enfeebled old man, whom I was uncommonly fond of, and would have taken a bullet for, if truth were known.

“Watch out,” Bill said in his droll manner, cautioning me, alert to the unpredictable ways of livestock, especially a young upstart like this rowdy yearling-bull. “He’ll butt you hard if you don’t watch out.”

Wouldn’t you know just as Bill said this, the young bull charged me. But I, propelled by guardian mode, met the chest-high head of cowhide over steel with a double whammy fist right in the middle of the young animal’s eyes. Dazed almost as much as I, the bull shook his head and jumped right back over the fence, joining his four-legged family who stood bedazzled by the young daredevil’s adventure.

From the moment we met I loved Bill. I knew I wanted to marry his son the instant I heard Bill say to his elegant wife, “I must be in heaven, I thought I saw an angel,” when my future mother-in-law waltzed into the room to greet me that day. And it wasn’t he who objected to my bare feet, like she did, nor the fact that I was an artist and an adventurer of sorts. He wasn’t dubious about my mothering skills either, when it came down to whether I had what it takes to raise Carter’s two youngsters he had full custody of after a vicious divorce. This was a blended family we were a-brewing, creating a new dream of different backgrounds and faiths, cultural influences, even politics.

Grampa Bill, after his angel passed on, wasn’t one to let dust settle. Within nine months, at eighty-seven he married an acquaintance, a woman everybody hoped would be a great companion for his golden years. Sadly, she turned out to be an alcoholic and within five years the old man was not only divorced, but taken closer to the poor house by her shiftiness. Instead of finding another angel, Bill had been cornered by a succubus.

I sat with him as he sorted that one out. The trauma sent his mind to the farthest regions of awareness as he dove into the haze of senility.

In the numb twilight of Bill’s recovering from spousal abuse, he awoke one day to feel terribly sad, upset about our son’s debilitating football accident that would leave the seventeen year-old permanently handicapped.

“The worse thing that’s ever happened to our family,” the old man moaned loudly.

He wept that day I sat beside him, quietly talking of our son’s recent injury. Bill then reached into his pocket to grab what he thought was his linen handkerchief, always there. He didn’t realize it, and I said nothing to upset him further, but instead of the hanky he dabbed his flowing tears with a soft, used one-dollar bill.

I remembered hearing one of his daughters insist to the caretaker that he always had to have one in his pocket. “So daddy has some money and still feels he has some control over his life; just a token to help his self esteem,” she’d instructed.

Now, nearing ninety-nine, Bill was waiting for me as I caught the next plane from out west where Carter and I had gone camping. Bill knew – somehow, even at that final stage of the bumpy ride, filled with both joys and ravages that life brings us all – exactly who he wanted at his bedside. Of his four grown children and their spouses, I was the only in-law requested to be present. That’s because Bill was always more to me than just my husband’s dad.

Carter and I had driven out west on a month’s-long celebratory camping jaunt in honor of having successfully raised our kids. The minute the youngest joined his sister, safe and secure in college, we took off cross-country, driving to a new campsite every night, bicycling everywhere we could, cooking delicious food on wood campfires right outside our roomy tent. We were in Montana riding our bikes on the golden hills of the plains where the buffalo used to roam so abundantly, with the endless and eponymous Big Sky above, when we received word that our own old buffalo chief, Bill was on his death bed.

Three days before, Carter and I had ridden our bikes around southwestern South Dakota at Wounded Knee, close to the Lakota Indian Reservation. We were infatuated by the landscape, as foreign to us as if we’d landed on Mars. I leaned my bike against a rock and wandered away on foot from where Carter was intently observing a small animal or chasing some reptile between the hilly mounds and scrubby brush of that arid place.

A few quick strides and I came upon a jaw-dropping sight: an old grey buffalo, lying peacefully in a patch of sunlight. He must have gone off by himself, too, and was enjoying the last of the day’s fading sun. He paid me no attention as I came within ten yards of him and stayed that distance, half hidden by a hilly outcrop. I stood watching, fascinated to get so close to so magnificent a wild beast. He blinked and gazed toward me. I froze and met his eyes. He lifted his massive head back to catch the sun’s warmth, and serenely closed his lids, accepting my closeness.

He was at total rest, as if waiting, willing to embrace the inevitable shadow of the day’s end that was quickly approaching. I couldn’t help but think he might be getting close to pulling his last breath, by how resigned yet expectant he appeared. Immediately I thought of Bill, back home, and how he too, might be savoring his last moments in the gentle sun of life. The buffalo’s strong neck held his proud head high, feeling every morsel of warmth, absorbing it, yet at the same time he seemed to be honoring the disappearance of the bright disk above.

At my respectful distance I stood stick still, fascinated by such regality and noble strength that even in old age, was evidence of this huge animal having been a great leader in his day. As I watched the old buffalo I sensed he was preparing to die. What else could explain how this giant old rogue, now so feeble, so incapable, couldn’t keep up with the rest of his herd? Or why he had found this sunny, isolated spot to nestle in, between craggy rocks, so well hidden that Carter and I hadn’t noticed him when we approached the area earlier on our bikes.

While watching the old bull, his wet and flaring snout held high, his eyes occasionally roaming the horizon – totally aware of me – I saw how solemnly, how bravely he faced the last strong rays of the resting sun. Again, I thought of Bill, our family’s Grampa, and wondered if this ancient bison – not in distress but oblivious, and ready to leave behind that which no longer served his noble pursuits – was a sign that our own family’s chief, back home, was soon to leave his earthly body.

A few days later, in Montana then, we received the call.

Bill waited for Carter to arrive first, and then for me to come the next day, because there was only one seat out of Missoula the day we got the expected news. When Bill saw I had made it, he right away sat up in bed, agile as a trapeze artist, and said, “Oh, you’re here!” and immediately fell back down. Within an hour he lapsed into the in-between shadows of not-here, not-there of his approaching, last sunset.

Our kids were away in college as their Grampa rested in these waning hours of his life’s shine, while Carter, his brother and sisters and I gathered around our family’s old bull, being present for the head of our family’s comfort and ease in this, his glorious and final passage.

I wouldn’t have missed this most important event in Bill’s life, his last rite of passage, just as momentous as his earlier ones must have been. His four children and I stood around his bed, we who loved him so, witnessing Bill’s last breath as we joined hands around our favorite old bull, saying prayers, whispering comforts, saying our good-byes, offering heart-quaking thank yous.

Moments after, there was only stillness from Bill’s suddenly empty form, lying nobly and chief-like, surrounded by his tribe.

Later, alone with the love of my life, the man who shared his father’s great capacity to nurture, to love, I asked Carter in a small voice, “Why do you think Bill wanted me here?”

My own father, with whom I’d had a strained relationship, died twenty years before with me by his side also. Since marrying Carter, Bill had become my surrogate father, my pal, a role model for parenting: an unmatched spiritual mentor. He filled in the chinks of my broken faith in paternal strength, making up for all the misunderstandings and shortcomings of my own father, a troubled man. I could talk to Bill in private about my dreams, and he’d help me understand myself better. His wisdom affirmed how the subconscious affects us all so deeply. Dreams, you see, were Bill’s passion, and while he was a successful businessman, he was also an expert dream interpreter. He encouraged everyone he met to follow their dreams.

Now Carter looked at me and said simply, “Because dad loves you, teZa.”

My heart grew like a balloon pushing against my chest, realizing I was included in this inner circle not by chance, but by life’s many choices that had led us all together.

Today is the Beginning of the Rest of Our Lives

July 11, 2011July 11, 20111 Comment

You probably have noticed there’s been a change to Lord Flea! I have changed the “look” of the blog, after nearly three years with the same “theme.” Thank you very much, WordPress, for making available so many interesting ways for us to express ourselves. If anyone doesn’t like the new look, please let me know.

putting new Light on a familiar subject

Besides the new face I’ve also decided to start something new with the ideas I’ll be sharing here. Instead of random thoughts that come into my mind, usually just when I’m sitting down at the keyboard, knowing it’s time to write a post before people think I’ve gone off sailing again, or visiting the moon in my private rocket ship … I will be writing on a very definite, and to me, a very special subject. I won’t tell you what it is until my next post. A surprise! So be sure to tune into what we’re going to be singing about here on Lord Flea … where we sing as ONE.

Meanwhile, here’s some more inspiring art for you to mull over, and thank you one and all for coming to visit here on my blog. check out my NEW links to my Facebook page and my Tweets, on the left-hand sidebar.