Do You Know How Your Thoughts Create Your World?

From Denny:  Perception.  It comes from the feelings in our hearts and the culture taught notions in our heads.  We can acquire Stinkin' Thinkin' from our families or national culture too in the form of long held prejudices that create strife and wars.

But "What If?" we decided to sit down and spend time reflecting upon who we are at our core being?  When we release ourselves from the Should Have, Could Have, Would Have expectations of society and family what would we discover about ourselves on the deepest level?

How Does Solitude Clear Our Perception?

From Denny:  Meditation and deep prayer is all about first quieting the monkeys of the mind - those daily "To Do" lists that crowd out deeper consideration of the thornier issues in life.  We all know how imperative it is to go to a relaxing place in Nature to quiet our emotions from stress.

The same is true for prayer and meditation.  We go to quiet places inside ourselves to relieve stress and solve problems.

Attitude Quote in Poem

From Denny:  Check out this clever direct poem about how our daily attitude shapes our lives.

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 17 Nov 2011

Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food: Posts Roundup at Dennys Blogs - 17 Nov 2011: From Denny: Check out blog posts on photography, arts, food, news, politics, a huge amount of humor - especially the political pundits, poetry, astronomy, quotes, music, spiritual and just about anything else that catches my eclectic interest. Can you tell that 140 characters just doesn't work for me? :)

The last posts roundup I did was back in June and we sure are overdue like a long pregnancy. Be sure to bookmark this post as you will enjoy endless hours of laughing while you absorb some good information.

Most of the blog posts are at my flagship blog that spun off into the other 20, The Social Poets, where the news crashes into humor. I even manage to write a few in-depth news posts, slicing and dicing the BS that passes for truth these days on the airwaves.

And to think I do all this in my spare time... Hope you enjoy!

Poems From A Spiritual Heart: Primordial Dragon

Poems From A Spiritual Heart: Primordial Dragon: From Denny: What is it with humanity's fascination with winged beings, be they angel or dragon? In an online writing group there was a challenge to write about dragons. What fun! Everyone wrote about dragons as evil vicious beasts as from the Western mythology.

Well, I spent most of my high school in Asia where the mythology is far different, Chinese mythology, that is. Come on; it seemed every time I turned around there was a street festival with the lion and dragon dances performed for good luck and prosperity!

Funny Attitude Quote

From Denny: Check out the latest interesting quote to make you smile while you think.

Do You Really Believe Your Principles?

From Denny:  How many of us scrutinize ourselves as much as a presidential candidate?  Do we hide from the truth?  Do we rationalize we are one thing but suspect we might not measure up?

A case in point is the recent Penn State pedophile scandal.  Head coach Joe Paterno had to step down.  Why?  For decades he taught good character.  Yet, when his moment came he did not step up to the high principles he taught.

12 Funny Quotes About Prayer

From Denny:  Prayer is a wonderful thing.  It can bring us comfort, calm our fears and inspire us.  It's also quite amusing to view it in terms of the human condition called "whining."  There is also "bargaining."  Once you grow past those two obvious pitfalls you discover "peaceful communion."

How Close Is God In Prayer?

From Denny:  This quote is really about All That Is larger than ourselves.  Just when we think one power is so huge we discover there is a much larger Power living right inside us, ready for the asking.

The Social Poets: A Protesters Poem: For Love Of Country

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe Social Poets: A Protesters Poem: For Love Of Country: From Denny: Recognizing all those who display the courage to raise their voices against tyranny and greed. Dedicated to the global Occupy Wall Street protesters and the Middle East Arab Spring protests.

What Exchange Happens During Prayer?

From Denny:  When you pray and meditate do you ever spend a few minutes just concentrating upon your breathing in and breathing out?  Tell the mental monkeys to hush and sit in the corner playing quietly while you do so.

The beauty of what you will discover after many sessions is what happens between the inhale and the exhale, that small beat of Time where a window opens up to reveal the awesome.  It's an awareness you receive like when you read the Book of Genesis, the first chapter.  Now pay close attention to the space between verses one and two.  Why read the rest of the Bible when you have that much to contemplate for the rest of your life?

How Does Prayer Change Your Life?

From Denny:  How often do we enter into a study not realizing how much it will change us?  We often think we will learn astonishing things of which we can marvel and retell.  But do we really contemplate how the practice of that study can prepare us to receive far more than a string of interesting facts?

There is knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  We begin by pursuing the knowledge.  Then we place the context of that new knowledge into relationship with past knowledge gained.  Then we begin to practice that knowledge and gain a greater understanding of the whole.  Then we apply that knowledge and understanding in a timely fashion and with great care and consideration:  wisdom.

The Social Poets: The Heart Remembers: Veterans Day poem Libations Thursday 11 Nov 2010

The Social Poets: The Heart Remembers: Veterans Day poem: Honoring the life of others as well as our own.

Dennys Guest Bloggers: Travels to India: Experience of The Walking Meditation

Dennys Guest Bloggers: Travels to India: Experience of The Walking Meditation: From Denny: Check out this post of a woman's travel back to her ancestors' homeland in India. She and her husband decided to practice the meditation known as Vipassana. The concept is that by focusing upon every action in the moment you end up clearing your mind of clutter and worries.

It also can be quite tiring as you learn to focus that deeply for long periods of time. Trust me; you do get better at it. It's like exercising a muscle; the more you exercise the stronger you get.

This writer, Chaya Parmessur, recounts her new experience with good humor as she travels on her spiritual path.

Dennys Funny Quotes: Too Funny: Watch Bird on Car Windshield Wiper

Image by ~Sage~ via Flickr

and yet another odd bird...

Dennys Funny Quotes: Too Funny: Watch Bird on Car Windshield Wiper: From Denny: Watch carefully and focus upon the tiny bird perched on the windshield wiper blade just above the steering wheel of the car. This crazy bird just - literally - rolls with it!

Like that old 1988 song by Steve Winwood called "Roll With It." Make sure to start the song before you watch the bird.