Day 67: A Lovely Evening Spent with Stars and Flame

Fire pit last night. Fire and flame, wood and smoke... a great meditation on impermanence, the natural progression of energy and matter... on transitions... on truly understanding and working with the patterns and rhythms that are continuously unfolding around me, and within me... a lovely evening spent with stars and flame.

Day 66: My Life, Right Now, Is In Retrograde

Does it sometimes seem to you that life isn't going in the direction that you are pedaling? Like the further ahead you go the more behind you get?  

Someone pointed out to me, this week, that some planet or other was in retrograde, so I looked it up...because you can Google anything! Right? So here's the skinny: June 26th to July 20th Mercury is in retrograde. Now, you might ask, "and?" Here's what my Google search revealed about Mercury in retrograde: "no planet actually moves backwards while orbiting around the sun. But, a few times a year, Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky for approximately three weeks." According to Susan Miller: "What happens when Mercury retrogrades? You miss appointments, your computer equipment crashes, checks get lost, you find the car you just purchased during Mercury retrograde is a lemon. (Or, you hate your haircut, the lamp you bought shorts out, your sister hates her birthday gift.) There will be countless delays, cancellations and postponements—but know these will benefit you in the long run. Don't fight them, although your frustration level and feeling of restlessness will be hard to cope with at times." Here's the good news, "This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting. We look at the world a little differently—through different filters—and can come up with some very important inner revelations. It may be difficult to communicate them under this influence, but not everything needs to be rationalized. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened inner awareness, when meditation, benefiting from keeping a journal, reworking old plans, and reviewing past work are favored. Minor breaks in the mechanical aspects of communication can actually re-connect us to other means of communication, such as when there is an unexpected power outage and we're forced off the computer and television, finding different and often satisfying ways to entertain ourselves."

For myself, I really like the idea of finding "different and often satisfying ways to entertain myself." So instead of focusing on the things that aren't working, which, believe it or not, is what brought me to this exploration of planets in retrograde in the first place, I am going to focus on finding different and satisfying ways to entertain myself...hmmmm... creating some watercolor paintings comes to mind... I haven't picked up a paint brush in years, though I used to be quite good at one time... motherhood seems to have displaced the brushes, paints, and paper with baby bottles, wipes, monitors, and child raising initiatives. But, the kid's all grown up, hands are empty... voila... pick up the paints, brushes, and paper once again and see what happens.  

In the end it's not about astrology or planets in retrograde, or Astrological signs. In the end it's about what you can do when your life APPEARS to be headed in the wrong direction, and redirect your attention to behaviors and thoughts that will, first, ride out the pull of the riptides and currents of life that you may be caught up in, and second, as you get to the other side of them, be left in a state of mind and relaxed readiness to pick up where you left off and continue on your path.

Yes, right now I'm in one of those retrograde riptides: it seems like things are moving backwards and disintegrating, even though I'm pedaling forward. So, today, I'm about accepting the truth of the situation, and choosing to put myself into a mindful space and place, with water colors, brushes, and paper, that will allow me to be well prepared to pick up and move forward once I get to the other side of this rip tide... and if this post doesn't make sense or resonate with you... hey, Mercury is in retrograde... it's to be expected.

Day 65: Find a Journey Worthy of Your Heart and Soul

Why do you get up in the morning? I mean really, why do you get up in the morning?

[1] "The challenge of our time is to find a journey worthy of your heart and your soul." 

There are so many people stuck in their lives, stuck supporting habits that they could easily live without, or even ones they don't really want, stuck dampening creativity for the greater good, stuck, stuck, stuck, and yet we continue to raise our children to leap into that system, both feet and try to make it work for them. Is it working for you? Really? You can say that you are using all of your gifts and talents and that your life is all that it can be? If you say yes, I say GOOD FOR YOU! But if you say no, you need to read on. In order to know where it is your gifts and talents can be best utilized, it's certainly helpful to understand your gifts and talents. Put simply, you need to fully understand YOU. Understanding your WHY is key to getting down to what you are capable of, and understanding the boundaries it makes sense to push at, to expand, to take risks with. At your core lies the key to your happiness and it centers on your WHY. So let's take a look at your WHY.

In order to connect with your WHY, think about what you are passionate about. What do you love to do? What things do you do that you can get lost in because they feel so right? It doesn't have to be anything earth shattering. 

 Here's an example: I LOVE hand thrown pottery: the rich texture of glazes and clay, the hand thrown marks of tactile creativity - I just LOVE it! I'm enthralled when I'm able to go to a potter's shop and watch pottery being made, and I love to throw pottery, to work with the clay, to kneed it and work it, to shape it and mold it. It's a wonderful process and so very hands-on - a creative union of body and mind. I love the rich textures of the glazes - the earthiness of it. It's delightful! 

Something else that rocks my world? People:

I am fascinated with humanity: how we communicate, how we relate to each other, what bonds we form, how we think and feel... the diversity of man's capability to connect in meaningful ways - the breadth, depth, and scope of this connectivity AMAZES me! 

The next step in discovering the core of your WHY is to take apart the things you love to do to see what makes them tick, for you. As I mull over why I am so enthralled with pottery, some concepts come to mind: shaping something - taking a material and turning it into a thing of beauty; the somewhat solitary nature of the actual process - me time is important in my world; creating something that has a purpose and that serves myself and others, whether as an object of beauty or as a useful container. The final act that I "get" about myself is the act of letting go of what I have created and sending it out into the world to serve its purpose and to benefit others. 

So the key elements here are creativity, applying my skills and talents to shape something, and then benefiting the world in some way. Mixed in with this are the concepts of beauty and usefulness of what I create. 

Then I look at my passion for communication and I see many of the same concepts at play: the intricacies of the medium - language and connecting with others in meaningful ways, creativity as we work our medium to be truly heard and understood, and the ultimate sharing of what lies within each of us as we reach out to each other. There is beauty in the human soul and there the creation of new connections and new meanings as we explore each other's worlds. Each of us, even those living side by side, have unique perspectives on life and the world and we each have the opportunity to enrich the experience by sharing who we are, what we believe, and how we see the world. Humanity is a rich tapestry and each of us is a thread in the warp and weave of what we collectively create.

[2] "We need you to provide the things that are unexpected, scarce, and valuable."

[3] "What’s scarce is trust, connection, and surprise."

__________________________________________________________________

[1] [2] [3] Godin, Seth (2012-12-31). The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly? 

 

Day 64: Connecting in Profound Ways

A child's footprints in the sand...I follow along the same path, and the tiny footprints make me smile as I think about how that little person must have been in awe at the beauty and wonder of St. Andrews Park, in Panama Beach, Florida.  The sun is warm on my shoulders as I walk along the boardwalk that crosses the dunes to the beach.  The cry of seabirds is mixed with the sound of beach goers laughing and playing in the deep blue green water of the Gulf.  This jewel of a preserve, where beauty and wonder abound, invites the tired soul to soak in the Florida sun, on pristine white sand beaches; to wander the park, marveling at the wild life; and to connect with nature and the rhythms of life unfettered my man's dictates and imperatives.  There is something truly liberating about lying down in the sand, at the base of a dune, pressed against the warm sand, sun drenched azure sky overhead, and the ocean's inviting rhythm slowly rocking my mind to a place of relaxation.  There is peace to be found in the natural balance of sea, sand, and sky.  As complex as the human condition can be, nature provides a delightful counterpoint.  Spending time immersed in the rhythms of St. Andrews sparks in me a sense of understanding of Thoreau's need for and connection to Walden Pond.  Human complexities can oftentimes be seen as resonating with the principles found in nature. This park is a moving orchestration of natures best and offers the traveler a myriad of opportunities to connect in more profound ways with self and with the world at large.

Day 63: Sea and Sand, Body and Spirit: This Day is a Gift Like No Other

I am walking along the beach, my feet grounded deep in the sand, my head in the azure, sun-drenched sky, and my body and spirit are connecting each to the other - a prism of joy, happiness and gratitude.  I walk balanced between sand and sky - between earth and heaven, and the ocean sings to me.  Its voice rising and falling, its waves flashing as it forms its language, unintelligible to the human ear but so enchanting. My heart dances with the waves, my rhythms become one with those of the wind and sea.  I turn to see my footprints in the sand of where I have been, soon swept clean and erased by the water's ebb and flow. They are forgotten as I  I look ahead, down the beach, at the stretch of bright white sand that teases me to continue my walk.  This is the landing strip for my soul.  I follow the sea birds as they dive and sweep, dart and call.  I sit for awhile on the top of a dune, watching the wind move through the sea grass, stirring it into motion, rustling as it passes through the grass and trails off down the beach in small spirals of sand.  This world of sea, and sand, and sun, is intoxicating, and I drink until I can't possibly take in any more. This day is a gift like no other, and I look forward to saying the same thing...tomorrow...and the next day...and the next...

Day 62: Making Room for Opportunity

When is a good time to let go?  What a great question!  As I look at what I am holding on to, I look back to the day that I had to clean out my Mom's closets and drawers, after she passed away.  She had two VERY OLD raccoon coats in a mothballed garment bag along with her wedding dress.  The dress was so old that it fell apart as we were trying to take it out of the bag - the thread had rotted.  There was jewelry that she had accumulated over time, but I only remember her wearing a handful of pieces that were her favorites.  We threw out, recycled, or gave away so many things, and even then I packed a large shipping box with the things I thought I wanted and paid to ship them home.  So I recently sat down and went through the box, and you know, there really wasn't anything there I truly couldn't live without.  I took some pictures of some things I didn't want to forget.  I took some jewelry that I wouldn't wear, as it was, to a jeweler and had it made into something I would wear, and that would remind me of my Mom, and the rest?  I threw it out, recycled it, or gave it away.  This year is a fairly cathartic one for me, as I am in the process of preparing to "retire" from what I am doing right now (though not stop working), and move to Florida, by the ocean - and thus I realize the TOP item in my bucket list.  YEAH FOR ME!!!  And Yeah for the world as I move closer to living my dream and executing to my WHY.  It feels soooooooooooooo good!!!  Transitions like this are not without there moments of doubt (usually brought on by someone else's sharing their lack of faith) and moments of panic (as I realize how much I am letting go of).  But oh those times of delight!  Excited anticipation!  Wondering openness!  And freedom!  I am having the time of my life!  And I see it getting better...and better...and better...
\
Opportunity continues to open up as I move towards my future and it FEELS SO RIGHT!  I am leaving behind a good life that allowed me to raise an amazing daughter and provide for her as a single Mom.  I am going towards a brilliant future, FILLED TO OVERFLOWING with blessings beyond measure, beyond what I hoped, or planned and I am, first and foremost grateful.  I am so deeply grateful for these blessing, for the people in my life, for the bright future that lies ahead, and I AM COMMITTED to working with others to help them realize their dreams and understand how their highest good is right around the corner.  Giving back is truly a part of how I roll!

Day 61: Listening is a Magnetic and Strange Thing, a Creative Force

“Every person in this life has something to teach me--and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening.” Catherine Doucette

Isn't it interesting how much time we spend on gift giving - birthdays, special occasions, holidays.  What if?  What if instead of searching for that perfect gift we dedicated that time and energy to listening to that person?  What if we invited them give us a tour of their life?  What if we embraced their world, exactly as it is, without criticism, without judgement, without expectations - with the soul purpose of simply accepting them, as they are?

“Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand.”Dr. Karl Augustus Menninger

What amazing creations lie dormant in each of us...waiting...for someone to care...to ask...to share...to invite.  How much richness is still waiting to be discovered?  Listening to others, to their dreams, their hopes, their desires, their brilliance, their darkness...look inside yourself to discover the truth that lies in each of us.  Sometimes changing the world is simply about making time to listen, to care,and to connect.