Poem by Kahlil Gibran ~ The Prophet ~ on Marriage

Kahlil Gibran - The Prophet ~ Marriage

This excerpt from the beautiful book, “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran, is I think a very accurate and wise observation of marriage.  I have become aware since following the Cura Romana protocol that the changes in me are also affecting aspects of my relationship/marriage.  It is, to be honest, quite a challenge because the realisation I have of being more ‘in tune’ with myself, is perhaps not very easy to understand for my husband and family.

In some respects, some of what is happening to me could be perceived as selfish?  I don’t know … all I know is that I feel that I do have to devote time to myself, having spent years putting everyone else first.

That does require some ‘space’ to breathe, as it were.  Don’t know how many of my fellow Cura Romana followers will agree with this?  It’ll be interesting to hear your comments.

On Marriage

Kahlil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

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Quote for the Day … Worth

Audrey Hepburn

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

~ Audrey Hepburn

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Desiderata ….

Lavender Field, Vence, Provence ~ Paolo Bigazzi

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

~ Max Ehrmann (1927)

About the Poet/Author

From Wikipedia

Max Ehrmann (September 26, 1872 – September 9, 1945) was an attorney and businessman of Terre Haute, Indiana, best known for his 1927 prose poem “Desiderata” (Latin: “things desired”).

Ehrmann received a degree in English from DePauw University (1894) where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta’s Beta Beta chapter.  Later he studied philosophy and law at Harvard.

He returned to his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana in 1898 to practice law; he was a deputy state’s attorney in Vigo County, Indiana for two years. Eventually this led him to work in his family’s meatpacking business and in the overalls manufacturing industry. At age 40, Ehrmann left the business to write. At age 54, he wrote Desiderata, which achieved fame only after his death.

Ehrmann was of German descent; both his parents emigrated from Bavaria in the 1840s. Young Ehrmann was educated at the Terre Haute Fourth District School and the German Methodist Church. While at De Pauw (Greencastle, Indiana 1890—1894), he was editor of the school newspaper, Depauw Weekly.   At Harvard about 1896, he was editor of Delta Tau Delta’s national magazine Rainbow. DePauw awarded him a Doctor of Letters honorary degree in about 1937.  Delta Tau Delta elected him to Distinguished Service Chapter, its highest alumni award.

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Quote for the Day … Love

Sometimes you find something in “the good book” that just sums everything up!  I have dedicated this to a friend who is going through a great deal of hardship, in the hope that it will lift the spirits 🙂

Lindisfarne Castle - Holy Island

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
~ The Bible – I Corinthians 13:4-8

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Apologies for the ‘postal strike’

I imagine that some of you may have thought …. “Where is Karen” ? ….”Is she secretly munching biscuits and putting on weight, unable to face us?”  “Has she found herself and gone off on a world trip”?  “Has she got writer’s block”? …… what is going on?????

Well, let me explain … Cura Romana has done something that no-one and nothing else on this earth could have achieved.  It has, I believe, completely cured me of a cycle of depressive illness that started in 1993 and thereby prevented me from engaging with life fully.

I am still following the protocol and am in the first three weeks phase of consolidation.  It’s going fine.  There have been a few hiccups, but nothing I couldn’t correct.  I have to confess that it has seemed a little odd not being in contact with Leslie Kenton on a daily basis and also to be eating a wider variety of foods.

My weight has remained constant, although I have actually lost a further kilo in weight.

I can report though that my lack of entries on the blog have been because I have been so, so busy …. LIVING!!!  Yippeeeeeee!!!  I am in the middle of completely re-structuring and planning a new business.  I am organising to have jobs that have been put off and put off finally completed.

I am thoroughly content, living fully in my body, fully connected as a mind/body/spirit and have total confidence that life can only continue to keep on getting better and better.  I am mentally stronger than I can remember being in my life.  Also, without going into too much detail I can also reveal that I am no longer taking any prescription medication for anxiety or depression.  INCREDIBLE!

Cura Romana is, in my view, a priceless gift.  How on earth can you put a price on giving someone their life back?

Leslie and Aaron Kenton are working on something so precious and I have been privileged to be one of the people in the UK to have been mentored by Leslie.  It is something that I will never forget and be forever grateful for.

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Day One!!!!

This is both daunting and exciting.  I’ve had my HCG this morning and waited 15 minutes until I had a cup of tea.  Now I’m contemplating what to have for breakfast … I think it will be something like muesli, greek yoghurt and honey, or something like that.

Later on, I’m going to do the dreaded measurements (massive groan).  I have to admit that I’m not particularly looking forward to that bit, BUT at least it means that as progress is made I’ll then be able to be very pleased with myself 🙂

My wonderful friend, Jackie, has posted some beautiful pastels by Odilon Redon and identified what inspires her creatively.  I think that all of us are moved and inspired by art, whether it be music, art, dance.  Also nature is something that moves the soul.

Something that moved me to the point of tears, for sheer beauty a year ago was watching a production of “La Bayadere” at the Royal Opera House.  I hadn’t been there for years and I couldn’t say that I’m a ‘ballet buff’.  I just love to watch and soak up the music.  The little clip I have posted here is a scene called “Kingdom of the Shades” and the corps du ballet dance in perfect unison to create something that is visually stunning.

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Lots more to read and motivate ….

I’ve received more emails from Leslie, and it was really exciting to receive something saying “Day One”.  The preparation from Leslie is great, so my printer will be busy today.

I’ve also told a handful of other friends what I’m going to be doing over the next few weeks and they were, without exception, very encouraging.  Whatever the motivation, whether weight loss or simply improving one’s health, the opportunity to correct a flawed metabolism and improve wellbeing in the whole sense is what I’m really looking forward to.

I found this little quote today and it struck me as being very true!  So much of our youth is spent rushing around trying to earn enough to purchase and equip a home and have all the ‘things’ we need.  Often health suffers as a result and then we realise that our joints ache, the midriff is expanding, headaches are the norm etc.  Voltaire was so right!!!!

“In the first half of our lives we sacrifice our health, to earn money, in the second half of our lives we sacrifice our money, to recover the health.”

_{Voltaire (1694 – 1778)
^{French Author}}

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