Sharing with Your Neighbors: Constructive Connections

Many of our relationships can be fleeting or do not deepen past a superficial level, yet these connections, as trivial as they can seem, often have the potential to grow into something much more essential. When we crave community, we should focus our attention on these casual acquaintances. To forge a bond with neighbors, we need to work together with them so that we have a context from which to begin a more mature relationship. Sharing tasks that are part of living can be a wonderful way to become a part of a larger community, make new friends, and lighten the workloads of everyone involved.

Creating a network of neighbors who agree to pool certain resources and share daily duties can be as easy as taking the initiative. If you are willing to take the first step by reaching out to the individuals and families who share your building or your street, you will likely find that others are receptive to the notion. Starting small, with just a few people, can help you orchestrate a smoothly running system. Together, you will need to decide what chores you want to do communally and what resources can be shared. Ideas for community sharing are child care, errands, housework, keeping a joint garden, cooking for the group, and carpooling. For instance, if you cook large meals for four neighbors once a week, you take off four nights after that. As you grow to trust one another, you can begin adding new members to your evolving network or introducing new tasks to your shared roster of duties.

Actions speak louder than words, so working closely with neighbors to ensure the well-being of the group can be a wonderful way to build a sense of community in your locale. Not everyone you approach will be open to the idea of becoming a part of a network of sharing. As you connect with those who do appreciate the merits of such a system, you will discover that others are just as eager as you are to create interpersonal connections that are defined by substance.

~Reprinted with permission from DailyOM.com

Surround yourself with love

Each day we choose who we surround ourselves with.  By emitting a positive, loving energy we in turn, attract other people who are also positive and loving to be around us.  Being surrounded by loving people gives us comfort and support, through our all of our ups and downs in life.  When we have this loving sense of community it provides us with an overwhelming sense of peace, harmony, and well being.

We can build our communities of love all around us, each day.  Our families are one loving community that we belong to.  Families love, comfort and support us unconditionally.  It is important to foster family bonds, but we often get so busy with our daily routines that we neglect to do this.  Take time out today to call or write a family member that you haven’t spoken to recently and let them know you are thinking of them and that you love them.  It’s guaranteed to bring a  smile to their face!   Plan a family dinner or family reunion to bring everyone together. Read more

Humanity, we are family

When it comes to our families, we sometimes see only our differences. We see the way our parents cling to ideas we don’t believe, or act in ways we try not to act. We see how practical one of our siblings is and wonder how we can be from the same gene pool. Similarly, within the human family we see how different we are from each other, in ways ranging from gender and race to geographical location and religious beliefs. It is almost as if we think we are a different species sometimes. But the truth is, in our personal families as well as the human family, we really are the same. Read more

Join us for Dr. Rob’s Walk & Talk this month!

Dr. Rob will be doing another one of his Walk & Talk events in October.  Autumn in NY is a beautiful time of year, mark your calendars and be sure to join us, it promises to be a great day!

WHEN: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 2:00-4:30PM
WHERE: Claire Affleck Training, 4011 Franklin Street Road, Auburn, NY 13021

WHAT: This month Dr. Rob will hold his Walk & Talk at Claire Affleck Training – a horse farm. We will gather at the farm, take a few moments to introduce one another and then head out for a short walk that will end at the pond. At the pond we will build a bonfire and spend some time sharing stories and philosophies with each other. We will enjoy a warm drink and snack around the fire. After the Walk & Talk there will be an opportunity to ride one of the horses for anyone who is interested. In the case of inclement weather, we will hold the event inside.

*You may wish to bring a blanket or camp chair for comfort while sitting around the fire. All are welcome!

*RSVP is necessary, please call Chris Briel at 315.378.7317 or email events@robertkiltz.com – this event is FREE!

What we need is each other

We have a calling. We are the people who know what we need. What we need surrounds us. What we need is each other. And when we act together, we will find Our Way. –John McKnight

What We Need Is Each Other:
There is a new worldwide movement developing, made up of people with a different vision for their local communities. They know that movements are not organizations, institutions or systems. Movements have no CEO, central office, or plan. Instead, they happen when thousands and thousands of people discover together new possibilities for their lives. They have a calling. They are called. And together they call upon themselves.

In many nations local people have been called to come together to pursue a common calling. It would be a mistake to label that calling ABCD, or Community Building. Those are just names. They are inadequate words for groups of local people who have the courage to discover their own way—to create a culture made by their own vision. It is a handmade, homemade vision. And, wherever we look, it is a culture that starts the same way:

First, we see what we have—individually, as neighbors and in this place of ours.

Second, we know that the power of what we have grows from creating new connections and relationships among and between what we have. Read more

15 ways to love your neighbor

Below are 15 Ways to Love Your Neighbor, by Joanne Brokaw.  Wonderful ideas!

Loving your neighbor doesn’t require a huge bank account or selling your possessions and moving to the desert (unless, of course, God is calling you to do that). Here are practical ways you can love your neighbors:

1. Write a note. In these days of electronic communication, receiving a handwritten note is a rare treat. Today, ask God to bring to mind someone who could use a little encouragement. Then take a few minutes to jot a quick note or postcard and drop it in the mail, just letting that person know you’re thinking about them.

2. Recycle. If we love God, then we love his creation, and taking care of the earth is one way you can be a good neighbor. You don’t have to hug a tree or buy a hybrid, but you should follow your town or city’s recycling rules and be conscious about properly disposing of garbage. It keeps your neighborhood streets looking neat and tidy and makes you a good steward of God’s resources.

3. Give blood. The American Red Cross estimates that “every two seconds someone in America needs blood” and over 4 million Americans donate to the cause. To learn more about donating blood visit your local American Red Cross.

4. Take a prayer walk. With the lovely days of summer upon us, go for a walk around your neighborhood, and pray for your neighbors as you stroll. Ask God to protect and bless your neighborhood, Read more

Links that last, creating community

Since the modern Western lifestyle can isolate us from one another, it is often difficult to forge meaningful connections. Self-protection and mistrust prevent us from reaching out to neighbors and peers, and we consequently feel like we don’t truly belong anywhere. Yet creating community can be as simple as reaching out within our own neighborhoods. To form the bonds that eventually solidify into long-lasting friendships, we must first be willing to rise above the walls of suspicion and doubt dividing us from the individuals who inhabit our neighborhood, block, or our building. We are taught from childhood to fear those we do not know, but community is as much a part of survival as safety. When we take a proactive approach, we can harmoniously unite our neighbors and build a network of support that contributes to the well-being of all involved.

Your overtures of community needn’t be complicated. If you are new to your neighborhood, sending letters of introduction to your closest neighbors can ensure that their curiosity about you is partly satisfied. Read more

A call to action

Each of us, whether we realize it or not, moves through life in the company of beings whose task is to watch over us. These ancestors, spirit guides, angels, guardians, and ascended masters designated to serve as protectors and guides take pleasure in their roles yet cannot assist us without first being asked. Since the origins of our sacred sentinels differ, we may choose whom we call upon for help based on the situation at hand. However, in certain circumstances, particularly those in which time is of the essence or there is the potential for harm, we may feel the need to surround ourselves with our entire complement of benevolent, watchful guardians at a moment’s notice. To do so, a great shortcut is to create and assemble a light team—a group of spirit helpers who will come to our aid when we utter a simple word or phrase.

The creation of a light team begins with the dedication of the words that will serve as a shortcut in your time of distress, signaling to your sentinels that you are requesting their support. Meditation, at an altar or otherwise, can help you attract their attention, affording you an opportunity to articulate your desire that they work in tandem in certain instances. Creating a short ceremony in which you surround yourself with objects you associate with the helpers you wish to assign to your light team can ensure that those beings are in attendance as you designate your shortcut. Creating this shortcut is simply a tool. You can employ “light team” as your rallying cry or any other words you feel comfortable using. The numerous guides and guardians that see to your welfare will accept your choice gladly and respond instantaneously when called.

Your light team will be there to assist you in those dangerous, chaotic, or confounding moments when you don’t have the time, energy, or opportunity to center yourself and meditate on individual sentinels. You can also call upon them when seeking guidance that originates from a variety of perspectives. Whether the support they provide comes in the form of guidance or wisdom, their combined presence will give you a sense of security that strengthens you and reminds you that you are never alone.

~Reprinted with permission by DailyOM.com

Meditation: Love is my nourishment

12 minute meditation:
Love is my nourishment
First thing in the day, I focus on the breath, in through the nose and smile out through the mouth
Hands clasped to the chest and my positive mantra of the day, I repeat, to create my awesome way
Love is my nourishment, each and every day
Walking in the garden, sitting on a comfortable chair, lotus position or Tai Chi
I create the day with this practice, each and every day
A simple thing that I do, I love all and I love you
Thoughts, words, simple movement and the breath
Let the unwanted thoughts flow in, hold them for a moment, then let them go
In through the nose, hold a moment and smile out
Focus on the daily affirmation and the breath
Love is my nourishment
Meditative and spiritual music in the background
Love life, nourish with music, color, texture, movement, touch
Practice this each day and feel each and every cell of the body expand with love
Namaste,
Dr. Rob

Maria (Mom) update:
She is feeling some bumps, yet sensation being felt on the left side, possibly movement.
She slept well and the care of the nurses and staff at Upstate continues to be loving and exceptional.
Thank you to all for the love and support each day as she travels her journey, with God’s love.
Love is her nourishment. Thank you to Lisa and Justin for taking the night shifts.
Love,
Dr. Rob

Importance of ritual

Rituals are found in cultures worldwide.  Our culture, for example, has rituals for holidays, and for big events in life like marriage and having children.  These kinds of rituals are fun and exciting! However, including rituals on a more regular basis in your life can be very relaxing and peaceful.

An obvious example of ritual comes to mind: religion.  Religions worldwide offer rituals in a variety of ways.  For simplicity sake, let’s take a very basic example of how the predictability of religious ritual can be a peaceful and calming factor in life.  Sunday mornings. Across the country people wake up on Sunday mornings to go to church.  Church offers ceremonies, a sense of community, spiritual guidance, and connections with other people, as well as your inner self.  Often, after church, people gather for food, relaxing, and for sharing thoughts, stories and ideas.   A simple ritual of doing something positive and uplifting one morning a week makes a huge difference in people’s lives.  It gives people something to look forward to and the ritual provides structure and meaning.  Read more