Here are some interesting human body facts. Approximately 10,000,000 chemical reactions per second take place inside each of our cells. We lose and create replacements for 3 million cells per second. Each human cell contains ~100 trillion atoms. An adult human body contains a total of 50 to 70 billion cells, or 10 octillion atoms (10^28).

Atoms are mostly energy and empty space. If you combined all of the proton particles which scientists say have measurable mass from every atom from every human on earth, it would be about the size of a grain of rice. Even proton particles are not here all of the time. All elementary particles are observed to be switching on and off at Planck speed, 5.39 * 10 to the minus 44th times per second. The particles are assumed to be in another dimension when not occupying our universe, which I personally like to believe is the unity that is beyond space-time, the nothingness out of which all arises.

Our eternal being co-exists with our finite being as a natural part of a unity connection. It is an enjoyable mental exercise within quantum physics theories to envision how things might work on a level that is comprehensible to our limited human understanding. The nonlocality of human consciousness is now an accepted fact (e.g., flatline patients observing themselves in operating rooms and recalling every detail after resuscitation). To identify ourselves most closely with an energy body that is constantly in flux and is constantly arising from eternity makes sense (and is very fun), while we still enjoy the solid feeling of our finite experiences.

©John Greenleaf-Maple 3/6/17

This blog is mostly about what happens when love and genuine human connection drive out fear, and the mysterious things that follow. Many of us have dealt with confidence issues of one sort or another as we grew up, and one of the easiest things to squelch in ourselves as a result is the public expression of our creativity. Amazingly, though, as friends and I have had opportunity within safe groups to discuss such things with one another authentically, a lot of people have just been busting loose lately, doing all kinds of things they’ve never tried before, or had just put on the back burner.

When a fellow writer posted his WordPress link, I realized I had actually created an account of my own some three years or so ago and had never utilized it. Maybe, I thought, I should put my writing out there, and I could certainly use a central place to maintain it, but, that would be like being pretty public, and would anyone really want to read it anyway, etc. The day got busy, that went totally to back of mind, but at a service later that evening, a friend who was a bit under the weather showed up last minute in the last row behind me and immediately tells me that I should start a blog because she would totally follow it, seriously. So yeah, now here it is. I commented that it was very surreal and reminisicient of angels the way the whole thing transpired, because when the service was over this friend was long gone before I could even say goodbye. I guess telling you specifically what to do and #byebyealready are comfortable aspects of a real New Yorker. But it was strange, and very kind. And then today, more angels.

On the drive home last night, I was thinking of calling my Aunt Bonnie, who I’d not had the pleasure of speaking with for eight or nine months, but thought it might be too late for her. One of the things we enjoy talking about is spirituality. Today, I had just sat down after tending to the dogs with the intention of calling her, like right then, when a little thing about angels and karma popped into my Messenger inbox – from her. It was kind of a rambling thing that was hard to follow, but it was important to forward to 14 people right away. Aunt Bonnie is in assisted living care now, and I think has sent me maybe three messages in her entire life. I point this out only because it makes this message and its exact timing very improbable because she just doesn’t post or text in general, especially as her hands have become less nimble. Anyway, it had angels in it and had arrived synchronistically with my thoughts about calling her, plus there was the sudden appearance, disappearance of my friend with a message mentioned above. Who am I to argue? I’ve never forwarded one of those things that says forward to so many people within such and such a time in my entire life, but I just did it today if for no other reason than because of all these recent synchronicities. Yay, throw some confetti and light some fireworks! I am totally convinced on the whole angel matter now. The illogicality of it is a big attention-grabber.

Mom is one of my angels, and the silver hummingbird that I wear is in honor of her. She did point out a time or two that sometimes it was hard to get my attention. OK, alright already, I can see now how that might be true. Regardless, I do enjoy living in this miraculous world of connectedness.

May the angels surrounding you now, angels to the right and left of you, angels in front and behind, angels above and below, bathe you in grace and open before you all possiblities. May their peace suffuse your heart with love.

The biggest threat to our freedom is our inner critic. Let’s be loving and kind to ourselves first and foremost, because that’s who we usually short-change the most, causing a chain reaction of unnecessary suffering both within us and all about us. So here’s to us, good hearts! Peace and love to all! ✌️❤️

I’ve been thinking about suicide prevention, #resist vs #persist, and the law of attraction. The question that arises is, what are we moving toward that fills us with life? What brings us joy? And if we don’t feel it, or feel at all, what story are we telling ourselves that prevents us from moving toward happiness? Is that story actually true, or is it what we have learned to use as a defense against being hurt? Or is it a story about ourselves we have come to believe because we were told we were not enough, not worthy? What if we used a different story? Or do we need any story about who we should be at all? Are we ever able to pause long enough to consider WHAT we are?
So now I may start sounding a little preachy about suicide prevention, but since I’ve dealt with it all of my life and my life is fairly long, I am entitling myself.
Think of what love and effort you would extend to help a friend or relative in need, or a small child or baby. It’s important to love yourself at least that much. To think of it another way, what your heart really wants is worth doing. Don’t keep yourself locked away from your dreams. The critic in your mind is weak because it is only a thought, and thoughts can be changed. You have all the power you need to move into a better neighborhood in your head, the only place where your perceived reality takes place.

For every actual suicide, there are many of what I call walking suicides. I know because I spent a lot of years walking around as one.

Walking suicides have made a commitment not to kill ourselves. We may come from a suicidal family and have experienced the damage suicide leaves behind, thus our commitment not to repeat it. But the world we see is narrow, full of people that reinforce our idea that no good exists, bleak and gray, full of obligations and demands we don’t want to fulfill, an exhausting, irritating, frustrating, stingy, closed off life without purpose or meaning. Numbing seems like a great idea under those circumstances.

The good news is, there’s a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Life really can be hopeful, joyful, beautiful, connected, creative, fulfilling, varied and interesting. And it can be that way even if you’ve gone through decades of living otherwise. I never thought it possible, but it most certainly is. Darkness still comes at times, but I’m at least carrying a good source of light with me now, and if I get too lost, there are friends to call who have even more candlepower. And that’s a beautiful thing.