3-23-21 The energy of spring and the Vernal Equinox is all about renewal and hope. Anybody need some of that? So Happy Equinox. I am a big believer in ceremonies. They have a power to help us harness not only the cosmic energy which is occurring in that specific time, but all the energy of the peoples who came before us and who created their own ceremonies. In this case, the ancient peoples were celebrating having survived the hardships of the long, dark winter and the “return of the light” that brought hope for another year. Spring, itself, is also celebrating new beginnings and renewal, giving birth everywhere all around us. Seems pretty apropos for right now, doesn’t it?!
If the actual moment or day slipped by you, the opportunity is still available to pay it notice and create your own ceremony right now. Yes, I know it passed 3 days ago, but for me most things aren’t a fixed moment in time, but more like seasons of consciousness.
Stew and I created a ceremony to plant seeds of positive thought in our consciousness. We played as kids do (also part of the Spring energy worth cultivating), using our imaginations to play with various colorful materials, draw with crayons, and cut with scissors to create flowerpots and trees that represent our intentions. Sitting in the silence we brought forth words of Power that resonated with our souls and will continue to remind us of how we want to show up in the world. So, my flowerpot is illustrated with words like “connection, harmony, respect”.
Just like anything that is planted, ideas and intentions need our attention each day until they take a firm hold in the ground of our Being and are stronger. Spring reminds us to pay attention to and nurture what we started if we want to harvest the fruit a few seasons down the road. Our pots are in a place where we will see them throughout the day. We have been nurturing our seeds these past few days with our openness to Love, Magic and Mystery. What would you like to give birth to and bring forward? Today is a good day...and I make it so!
3-11-21 “It was the best of times it was the worst of times”. Hmmm. Where have I heard that before? Brilliant! (In case you don’t know, it is a line from Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities). The issue of the Covid situation seems to continue forever and no matter what side of the fence you’re on, I’m betting that Dicken’s quote is an apt one for everybody. And it rings true for me no matter what issue I am going through in life. Some days are better than others, where I can bring hope and positivity to the forefront. Where I can see the beauty all around me, and therefore in me and everyone else. Where I can remember Love as what is true and everlasting and unchanging. Other days are filled with hopelessness, when my head is filled with divisiveness, differences and despair.
Another quote that resonates in my heart right now is from Julian of Norwich, “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” It doesn’t matter how many times this has proven true for me specifically, and the world in general, it still feels so elusive right now. And yet still my heart lights on it, like the bird that sings in the dawn while it is still dark.
Oh my gosh this human experience, that has me looking out at the world and crying out in rage, while at the same time I am living my (unbelievably good) life and crying in response to the preciousness of the journey.
I can’t fix the world (I say with all humbleness and a nod in acknowledgment that I believe I have the answer if only “they” will listen, and that “they” believe exactly the same thing about me), I can only walk forward in each moment in integrity. So that means I will continue to examine my thoughts and root out any “them vs. me” unconsciousness, to examine my ways of speaking that exclude others (especially those I don’t agree with), examine my actions that are really based on fear rather than Love and therefore contrary to my stated principles. Most of all, I will continue to focus on that which brings me Joy, and helps me to fulfill my personal mission to heal myself and inspire others to find their own joy. Today is a good day…and I make it so!
2-25-21 I love to sing. Unfortunately, more often than not I sing off key. However, a few years ago I joined a chorus and I became a better singer. I believe I got so much better because I was spending more time and energy practicing. But even more than that, I was actually being more mindful to how I was singing. In other words, I was more mindful to how I was sounding, how I produced my sound, and how I sounded alongside everyone else. All that seems kind of “well yea, duh,” yet the same rules apply to life. Even having the intention to live from my best self, I often live unmindfully. Therefore, the old grooved habits of thought, speech and behavior seem to take over and run me more than I would like. I often feel frustrated and confused when it seems as if nothing ever changes, that I’m still working on the same issues, and that feels frustrating.
A few sharings ago I talked about doing a Season for Nonviolence 64-day program. I’m a little more than a third through now and there have been many perks. The main one has been to help me create more mindfulness in my day. The precepts I am working with are “more in my face” and that’s good – it’s shining the spotlight on my unconscious habits that keep from being more peaceful, both internally and externally.
And, hallelujah, I’ve also discovered that although it might seem I’m still working on the same issues, I’m not the same person that I was decades ago when I first started doing this kind of work. Yes, I still have many of my annoying, and often detrimental, personality traits, but there is also so much more to me now that is good, beautiful and true! I love me, I’m proud of me, I am unashamed to admit my mistakes, I freely celebrate my gifts, I am wide open to Life and all its possibilities…I howlingly celebrate that realization!
This is why I continue to create these kind of self-inquiry opportunities for myself. I am in constant need of learning and unlearning. We all are. We are all so much more capable and bigger than we tend to think we are. I implore you to continue your own self-work and inquiry. We all deserve to shine, from our more-than-enoughness, just as we are, and we all deserve to become even better. We don’t want to ever give up on ourselves, especially if life feels overwhelming and/or static.
It’s also always nice to have someone in our corner, someone who can see our greatness in our everyday wholeness when we can’t, or just to inspire us to be more of it. And since I’ve howled about sharing my gifts I will add, everything I do is on a love offering donation basis and I’d love to help serve you in that way. Today is a good day…and I make it so!
2-17-21 My heart yearns to know Love more. To accomplish this, I meditate, affirm, practice loving myself more, practice loving others more, etc, etc. Sometimes this self-work goes flowingly, gently, successfully; sometimes not. It’s amazing how strong a voice my ego still has. It’s amazing how often and continuously I have to re-learn and unlearn lessons. Sometimes I come across an old tool that I used to love but forgot about it maybe because I thought I was done with that particular lesson. I could say, “Oh you again? Why are you back?” but instead I feels delighted to rediscover an old friend and we do a happy dance together. Another amazing thing – I still have so many layers to get through in order to keep returning to my heart. I’m just curious – exactly how many layers are there?! Won’t I ever be done?!
Well, suffice it to say, apparently I’m not done peeling the layers. And, I’m the woman for the job. I am exactly who I need to be, with all my faults, weaknesses, weird thoughts…because I am also the woman with all my strengths, awesomeness and passions. What a wonderful dance of everyday wholeness is going on within me all the time.
I used to blame myself for all my ego-related goings on. Then, as I learned to lighten up and love myself more, I laughed at myself. Nowadays, it feels gentler to laugh WITH myself…have a private joke between old friends. How about you? How are you doing making friends with all your pieces and residing in your own everyday wholeness? Today is a good day…and I make it so!