tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:47:51 +0000appreciationacceptanceEnlightenMeant Cartoonsworry-freeeffortlessenjoy lifeexpectationsletting goLet it Becreative energybook of daysthinkingToltexabundanceunconditional lovehopeself enquirylet gozencouragenext new thingLaw of AttractionperfectionMindfulnessmastery mysteryFine ArtMeditationUniversal OS Wisdom GroupchaosPatiencekoansserenitytrustviewpointsOrganic AlternativesVision QuestGemshappy holidaysFacebookHeartStudiosInspiragemsSpiritual mediumelectionfaithhappinessArtist DeckDrummingGas pricesHamburgerHighly sensitive peopleObamaartborder childrennumerologypeacerainbow bridgeuntouchableschange is the only real thing. expectations the source of all suffering. letting go, a relief and a responsibility... but what does it mean and how does it work?http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger112125en-usnoCopyright C. Pic Michel 2008 All Rights Reservedchange is the only real thing. expectations the source of all suffering. letting go, a relief and a responsibility... but what does it mean and how does it work?Pic Michelnoreply@blogger.comPic Micheltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-7211741186719726382Tue, 05 Dec 2023 02:23:00 +00002023-12-04T21:23:03.154-05:00I have been picking over the Enlightenmeant blog. It has been so many years since I last wrote regularly I wondered why I would start again. But it is because things seem to be changing. There is something in the air that is bridging gaps years in the making, just to find a moment in time that, like the butterfly's wings, can make a difference halfway 'round the world. Recently so many signs http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2023/12/now-and-then-antidote-for-harmful.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-6190517920855678464Wed, 15 Nov 2023 11:45:00 +00002023-11-17T06:52:07.460-05:00acceptancebook of dayscreative energyexpectationsfaithMindfulnessserenityToltexunconditional loveIn 2004 I sent a daily email to a list of friends which lead to this website. In 2014 I averaged two Enlightenmeant blogs per month. In 2019 I wrote 8 but only posted 3. From 2020 to 2023 I wrote 5 and posted none... until this morning when I woke up thinking about someone I dearly love and came to write a post. When I found those five drafts and read them, I was calmed by the lesson I have http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2023/11/i-am-not-learning-that.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-2351974461210288450Mon, 14 Oct 2019 15:23:00 +00002019-10-14T11:53:32.913-04:00acceptanceappreciationexpectationshappinesslet goMindfulnessviewpointsworry-free An old painting came up in my fb memories this morning. &nbsp;Sometimes I don’t like that “memories” features very much. &nbsp;Other times it reminds me of something important. &nbsp; What came up with this painting was a modification I made to the old saying, Leap and the net will appear. &nbsp;(John Burroughs).&nbsp;Because I believed there is nothing really separate from the Self that http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2019/10/choose-your-nets-wisely.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-652769743778639366Tue, 08 Oct 2019 16:03:00 +00002019-10-08T12:07:34.101-04:00abundanceacceptancecreative energyeffortlesshappiness A few years ago, someone asked in passing, “How are you?” “Happy enough!” I replied, and the querent seemed surprised...not because I was usually unhappy, though I probably was, but because they had never considered such an answer. “I’m going to start using that!” They said. This experience was a connection to things I knew for decades, a blessing that brought me back to remembering what http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2019/10/happy-enough.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-7795896184130093880Sat, 05 Oct 2019 13:30:00 +00002019-10-05T09:30:03.589-04:00Perfect days are coming when I can see color for miles if I just go a little bit outside the city limits. Millions of leaves preparing a splendid celebration of color and sound calling me to remember Saturday afternoons, diving in and rolling through piles of leaves gathered in the yard. How did I not hurt myself then, I did not know any better. There isn't anything better. Listen to the http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2019/10/leaves-are-rustling.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-4201749767274013973Thu, 15 Aug 2019 04:06:00 +00002019-08-15T00:06:34.136-04:00abundancecourageeffortlessLaw of AttractionLet it Beworry-free Really.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not just a little. I am&nbsp;really&nbsp;excited. Right now. This very moment. After years of being “happy enough”, I am taking a turn for&nbsp;even better.&nbsp;&nbsp;And despite there apparently being no reason in particular as to why I&nbsp;should&nbsp;be really excited,&nbsp;I am&nbsp;really excited. &nbsp; I am really excited because I don’t know what is going to http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2019/08/i-am-really-excited.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-5280925020116310085Tue, 19 Jun 2018 20:52:00 +00002018-06-19T16:52:04.225-04:00acceptanceborder childrencouragecreative energyexpectationsHighly sensitive peopleMeditationMindfulnessPatiencepeaceuntouchables I received a call at midnight from a friend deeply affected by the seizure of children at the border.&nbsp; “This is insane! Is this what our world has come to? Why can’t we stop this? What is wrong with us?!!!!”&nbsp; We stayed on the phone for an hour. We talked about getting involved in politics to prevent things from getting to this point.&nbsp; We talked about how this behavior appeals tohttp://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2018/06/start-praying.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-4074510410494841594Wed, 19 Jul 2017 18:32:00 +00002017-07-19T14:32:44.081-04:00acceptanceappreciationbook of dayseffortlessFine Arthopeletting goself enquiryworry-free"I wanted the perfect ending. &nbsp;Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity." ~ Gilda Radner&nbsp; When I started on this painting it was about not knowing...the http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2017/07/embracing-ambiguity.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-6829160372881073571Thu, 23 Mar 2017 02:24:00 +00002017-03-22T23:36:44.363-04:00acceptanceappreciationcouragecreative energyenjoy lifehopeletting goMindfulness When things change a strange thing happens, we have a tendency to rise to the occasion and grow more than we would have if we had maintained stasis. &nbsp;In business that's called a challenging assignment, in life it can be called shit happens but it can also be a conscious decision. When circumstances make challenging things happen it's not unusual to attempt to prevent such circumstanceshttp://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2017/03/living-life-dangerously.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-1526399486605690049Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:00:00 +00002016-06-28T13:00:46.589-04:00acceptanceappreciationbook of dayscouragecreative energyeffortlessEnlightenMeant CartoonsexpectationsLaw of Attractionletting goMindfulnessself enquirythinkingToltexworry-free Oftentimes my cartoons for the Whole Living Journal are based on the season, so drawing a summer camp cartoon made sense for this issue. But as with anything I do, my cartoons are usually plastered with symbolism that I love to scry through to find more and more meaning. The symbols in this cartoon took me to a lot of places I had already traveled. Apparently I needed a few reminders. http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2016/06/redefining-comfort-zone.html1noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-5583234105574729892Sun, 22 May 2016 14:59:00 +00002016-05-22T10:59:57.914-04:00acceptanceappreciationcouragehopeletting gorainbow bridgeserenityunconditional love I never really thought much about how a friar in the Middle Ages got the idea that we could, at our best, be instruments of peace. Meditating on his prayer I understand how the patron saint of animals may have been inspired. I found inspiration in these words for how to let go. Having been tended to and consoled so long by my pet, it is upon me to be an instrument of peace for him. This is http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2016/05/rainbow-bridge-prayer-of-st-francis.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-1183400417358590731Tue, 26 Apr 2016 16:35:00 +00002016-04-28T18:39:23.113-04:00acceptancebook of dayscouragecreative energyexpectationsperfectionToltexunconditional love Recently, I received some unexpected news that was going to have a significant impact on my quality of life.&nbsp; My first reaction felt strange. &nbsp;&nbsp; There was a big gap in place of the expectation of how things were supposed to be which I didn't quite understand.&nbsp; A friend gave me a tiny piece of paper with this inscription: I forgive you for not being the way I wanted you http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-freedom-of-forgiveness.html1noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-4815074910614416862Fri, 15 Apr 2016 03:12:00 +00002016-04-14T23:15:19.770-04:00appreciationartenjoy lifeIt has been a very interesting month so far with the opening of my new show last weekend and the closing of my studio today. &nbsp;An artist's studio, whether it is where she writes or plays music, dances or paints, is where she dreams. It is sacred space when it is free of the encumbrances of the world. A place where such foolishness can be called into question, laughed at, struggled with and http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2016/04/opening-and-closing.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-6749772375332330444Tue, 08 Mar 2016 01:05:00 +00002016-03-07T20:05:49.036-05:00abundanceacceptanceappreciationcouragecreative energyenjoy lifeEnlightenMeant Cartoonslet goLet it Beletting gonext new thingworry-freezen When we spend a lot of time on creating something special it can be hard to let it go, but so we must if we are to experience the full potential of whatever it is that we created.&nbsp; Sometimes it is not obvious that we are doing this.&nbsp; Oftentimes things change when we least expect it. Just as the process to bring forth new life is called "labor" and is often filled with painful http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2016/03/when-dreams-change-dream-on.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-4657649422868491138Thu, 05 Nov 2015 12:34:00 +00002015-11-05T07:34:10.995-05:00acceptanceappreciationbook of dayscreative energyenjoy lifeEnlightenMeant CartoonsMindfulnessthinkingunconditional loveworry-free Look around today and see the many reminders that there is something working with us to unconditionally fulfill our potential, however we may establish it for the day.&nbsp; You may notice the silence between the chirps of singing birds, that invisible something that stirs the leaves up off the the ground and soon will gently usher snowflakes down.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;This is Life - not what http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/11/in-space-between.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-7598223476384769837Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:58:00 +00002015-10-11T07:48:08.461-04:00abundanceacceptancebook of dayscouragecreative energyeffortlessexpectations<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/10/surrender-that.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-158782635200229336Wed, 07 Oct 2015 15:34:00 +00002015-10-07T11:34:23.363-04:00abundanceappreciationbook of dayseffortlessenjoy lifeexpectationsLet it BeToltexviewpoints Every morning my dog Max takes me for a walk and I am usually moved to take a few photos of the things that stand out along the way.&nbsp; Today it was the little things.&nbsp; By the time I finished writing this blog I was connected to the story of Genesis and what is often referred to as "original sin".&nbsp; I've written about this before, because beyond the religious overtones it is so http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-re-genesis-of-our-true-nature.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-4156162414792383164Sun, 04 Oct 2015 18:43:00 +00002015-10-04T14:43:32.363-04:00appreciationbook of dayscreative energyeffortlessexpectationshopeLaw of Attractionletting goPatienceToltexunconditional loveworry-free There are times in our lives when we need to let go of our attachments.&nbsp; That can bring on a whole lot of fear.&nbsp; So much so that the word fear has been popularized in some circles as an acronym for what fear feels like.&nbsp; Very often the first letter of FEAR has been assigned a 4-letter word that expresses frustration, but not necessarily the cause of the frustration.&nbsp; http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/10/lightening-up-acronym-of-fear.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-5635847286217166501Sun, 27 Sep 2015 16:54:00 +00002015-10-17T15:08:35.293-04:00abundanceacceptanceappreciationcourageenjoy lifeexpectationshopelet goLet it BePatiencetrustworry-free Grandmother Moon, digital enhancement over original watercolor, 2015&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;As she receives life from the east Grandmother Moon, grounded in the wisdom of the north with the childlike playfulness of the south, out-pictures to the west with no attachment to outcomes. Digitally signed archival prints start shipping October 19th http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/09/grandmother-moon.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-3086978099003498786Sun, 30 Aug 2015 14:10:00 +00002015-08-30T10:10:45.998-04:00courageeffortlessexpectationstrust When the sun comes out after a storm I always look around the sky hoping I am in right relation to the rain and light to see a rainbow.&nbsp;&nbsp; I take pictures and post them on facebook.&nbsp; Last time I saw a rainbow here in Ohio, friends also posted rainbows in Texas and Florida.&nbsp; I thought, That was a really big rainbow! &nbsp; One of the Four Agreements is Always do your best http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-four-agreements-of-seeing-rainbows.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-518556599487215632Sun, 30 Aug 2015 03:25:00 +00002015-08-29T23:29:22.321-04:00let goMeditationMindfulness Rest your eyes on the empty thought bubble Enjoy as long as you please. ;) http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/08/thought-bubble-mindfulness-meditation.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-7007005161715372563Thu, 27 Aug 2015 23:34:00 +00002015-08-29T22:19:15.194-04:00acceptanceappreciationcreative energyenjoy lifehopelet goToltexunconditional love If you set a goal, there's a chance you might attain it. If you have a dream, it's possible it might be fulfilled. With each accomplishment there comes the additional responsibility of maintaining the ground you have gained so you don't lose it. Really!? Hmph! The painting in this month's Enlightenmeant cartoon is mixed media consisting of déjà vu, karma, and hiccups. My unqualifiedhttp://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-importance-of-lifes-not-always.html1noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-7825302153716454247Fri, 03 Jul 2015 23:33:00 +00002015-07-21T09:08:11.013-04:00book of daysEnlightenMeant Cartoonsfaithlet goMindfulnessToltex The caption to this cartoon is one of those statements that push us to think about the things we hold onto and what we have not yet reached. The "leap" can be about making big changes which seem so due to the implications of the unknown. In responsible, obligation-based culture leaps should be calculated and not undertaken without knowing everything we can about where we might land in order to http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/07/give-me-one-reason-to-stay-here-and-ill.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-1575741277880691871Fri, 13 Mar 2015 12:44:00 +00002015-03-13T08:44:55.246-04:00abundanceappreciationcreative energyenjoy lifeFacebooklet goOrganic AlternativesToltexUniversal OS Wisdom Groupviewpointsworry-free While the calendar sets a date on the arrival of "Spring" on March 20, those in the Flow, simple know a time of new growth is upon us.&nbsp; We are leaving what indigenous people refer to as the time of Rest and Cleansing Moon, ( obviously so named before there were cars and streets to dig out of the snow. ;) s On March 21, we are moving into what is known as the Budding Trees http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/03/in-sync-with-shifting-seasons.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4432928045618548781.post-6835806473756367946Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:23:00 +00002015-02-28T11:39:44.391-05:00acceptanceappreciationbook of dayseffortlessenjoy lifeEnlightenMeant CartoonsexpectationsUniversal OS Wisdom Group Expectations are intricate to the adage, "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade." &nbsp;It seems smart to think positively when things don't turn out as expected. But we can be free of the work of making lemonade out of something that can sour the smile when we give up having expectations. &nbsp; "With no expectations" is the caveat found in the middle of The Circle of fire Prayer http://cpicmichel.blogspot.com/2015/02/with-no-expectations.html0noreply@blogger.com (Pic Michel)