I Am NOT Learning That

In 2004 I sent a daily email to a list of friends which lead to this website. In 2014 I averaged two Enlightenmeant blogs per month. In 2019 I wrote 8 but only posted 3. From 2020 to 2023 I wrote 5 and posted none... until this morning when I woke up thinking about someone I dearly love and came to write a post. When I found those five drafts and read them, I was calmed by the lesson I have learned so many times. How is it possible to learn a lesson many times? Is a lesson learned at all if we have to learn it again? Absolutely, because life is not absolute. It is a constantly changing cacophony of one lesson, a living mess of unexpected opportunities to practice what we know and hone it like a sculpture of twisted wire, carved wood, clay drawn through our hands on the wheel of life -- you get the picture.

Sometimes I forget the picture, at least the whole picture. Like the lens on a digital camera, I focus through a particular part of the sensor and get my unique rendition of what's going on, from which I have opportunity to see what I'm missing. I guess that's the thing I came to write about today, what is missing in the world that I see. I used to be much quicker to land on the sensor in a place that afforded me an holistic view, ever reminding myself that how things appear is how I choose to see them. Since the beginning of the Pandemic, the "unprecedented" nature of events in our world, has become the norm in the way things play out. A few years ago I stopped writing. I think it was because I was always writing about the same thing: NOT Knowing. That may sound the same as Unprecedented, and it has a foot in that as nothing is ever the same, But NOT Knowing is, in my world, That which we are here to learn over and over again: That there is a sensor and it sees itself (yes, takes a selfie) through itself. It's not that we can't or don't know. But that We are the sensor -- NOT -- Knowing (seeing). In my imagination, NOT -- No Other Thing, is the basis, the stratum of our existence seeking to know itself through each and every one of us. And so when we see All That Is as NOT seperate from itself, and we understand there is NODifference, and NOHunger, and NOWar we can cease to see ourselves as seperate and unyielding of the litle bit we have, choosing instead to see a world where we are NOT alone, and undivided. All of these Unprecedented times are about learning this one lesson over and over again. We can stand up, stand together, stand for, but in these unprecedented times, I choose NOT to stand against focusing on the divisive. Yes, it is also NOT, but I choose to invest my viewpoint on being Lucid, to refrain from giving in to limited thoughts, choosing to believe in the power of NOT, and manifest this reality with love and dignity. NOThing Changes, as us. Pic;) . . . Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Choose Your Nets Wisely

An old painting came up in my fb memories this morning.  Sometimes I don’t like that “memories” features very much.  Other times it reminds me of something important.  

What came up with this painting was a modification I made to the old saying, Leap and the net will appear.  (John Burroughs). Because I believed there is nothing really separate from the Self that needs a net, I reshaped the phrase to reflect that: Leap and the need for the net will disappear.  While that may be true, I nevertheless still find nets whenever I leap into something.

The net that appears with every leap is woven from our stories about it.  Whenever we leap, we will fashion a story to orient ourselves to what is happening.  Here’s the thing I have learned is most important when leaping: the nets go up after the leap is made, not before. That’s what makes a leap. 

If I put up nets before I leap, I will only go where there is a net which is planning and making a decision, but not a leap.  The leap takes place when an experience introduces possibilities we couldn’t have known.  Sometimes leaps are intentional, others get started when we trip over what we didn’t see.   The painting in my fb memories this morning, depicts a wild trip that eventually turned into a leap.

I have made quite a few successful leaps and failed many more times when I used my nets to prevent falling.  The difference between a leap and failure is casting the net, as we go, to capture the benefits.  That is, telling ourselves whatever happens will be beneficial no matter what.  All nets fashioned of optimism and willingness to sift through ambiguity, will yield positive results, even if we don’t get what was planned.  

Experience is different from wisdom in that the former brings the past forward to affect the future, while the latter can see the difference between the past and future and chooses to stay in the present.  When we choose our nets wisely, faith and hope appears over doubt and fear as we go, knowing that whatever happens, having taken the leap, we will not have failed.

Happy Enough

A few years ago, someone asked in passing, “How are you?”

“Happy enough!” I replied, and the querent seemed surprised...not because I was usually unhappy, though I probably was, but because they had never considered such an answer.


“I’m going to start using that!” They said.

This experience was a connection to things I knew for decades, a blessing that brought me back to remembering what makes me happy.  Nothing.

If you know me, or have read my other blog, you might also know that I liken the word “Nothing” to the Void, Source, Brahman, out of which all that can be imagined comes to be...including ourselves and our happiness.

In the context of this quick conversation with a passerby, I saw that I had fallen into the imagining that If/When certain things happened, I would be happy.  There are a lot of things that fall into that imagining, and it is the basis for all addictions, frustration and disappointment.

The truth is, whatever that thing is, is not what makes us happy.  It is the idea that makes it seem so.  When we are clueless to the way we are creating this kind of happiness, we will need to experience something outside ourselves to cause it...over and over again.

We don’t need a reason to be happy.  When we are aware that we are conditioning our happiness on circumstances, we can change our minds and simply choose to be happy without a cause.

If we are able to set conditions on it, happiness already exists. Remove the conditions and happiness naturally shines through.

Everyday I notice the conditioning set upon the experience of happiness.  When I see this in my own imaginings, I let it go, if not in the moment, then by reminding myself regularly, I am happy enough.

True happiness is unconditional.  Breathe it in and smile it out!

Nothing changes, ‘cept us!

ps...its nice to be back. ;)

Start Praying

I received a call at midnight from a friend deeply affected by the seizure of children at the border.  “This is insane! Is this what our world has come to? Why can’t we stop this? What is wrong with us?!!!!”  We stayed on the phone for an hour.

We talked about getting involved in politics to prevent things from getting to this point.  We talked about how this behavior appeals to some who worry about their limited resources being “given away” to others, and how the current administration has fed the idea that we must take things away from others to regain our greatness.  

We talked about how this kind of energy is very slow.  It is the energy of ego, and it is limited by the beliefs in which it is invested. Like anything else, the Source of life will completely fulfill even the ideas of limited and not enough. Which brought us to the one place every one of us can make a profound impact...at the Source of the problem. 

Rather than send the life that flows through us down the slope of hopelessness and despair, we can redirect it to bring about healing and channel limitless, pure, loving kindness into the fray.  What will happen is certain, we will uplift our little piece of reality.  As more and more of us assert healthy, workable expressions of life into this mess, it will begin to soften. 

As we refuse to get caught up in the tangle of deception, we can affirm Truth and send it out through every strand of our being.  That tangle of deception is the story that we must negotiate on the physical plane to get what we need.

Of course, taking positions which further goodness on the physical plane is a positive thing, but there is no need to limit ourselves to that.  When we are faithful to our ability to choose emotionally, spiritually, and mentally to take the higher road, that is not just about politics, but our ability to express light into the darkness.  No one can stop that.  Spirit fuels the physical, its up to us to make sure the fire burns brightly and not destructively.

The best way I know how to burn brightly is through prayer and meditation.  As the mind starts to grasp on the images and stories of suffering and fear, we can choose to redirect our perceptions to the Spirit beneath those deceptions, and to the heart which can change them.  We can hold space for the smiles and comfort of these children.  We can imagine and sustain their ability to smile and trust and love. We can reach out and hold the untouchables at the deepest, most essence-all level. 

We can send comfort and loving kindness through thoughts and affirmations which also raises our energy as we do and we become a channel for peace.  This is what is needed as the slower energy goes through its system-addict way of bartering its perceived limited resources.  If ever their was a time to pray and meditate on peace and love, it is now.  Send love!  Do it every chance you get.  

Here are two affirmative prayers from Silent Unity.  For additional prayers, meditations, and other spiritual resources, visit silent unity.org. Call 1-800-NOW-PRAY any time, day or night for loving, confidential prayer support.

Envision yourself finding a child to comfort and wrap the little one in this energy.  Send some to the parents too!

peacefully, pic;)

Embracing Ambiguity

"I wanted the perfect ending.  Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity." ~ Gilda Radner 

When I started on this painting it was about not knowing...the naive girl in a handstand, moving forward without seeing anything else...the lioness (courage) laying asleep, not seeing the innocent about to trip into her...the iconic piano, falling from the sky amidst a background of storm and peace.  It wasn't until I added the two snails, carrying the weight of the past on their backs, that I thoroughly understood the meaning of the painting. 

For a long while I pondered how this piece related to relationships.  But in the end it is not relationship with another but oneself that the snails are observing. They are surprisingly symbolic of the yin and yang of us. They anchor what makes life full of anticipation, adventurous, rewarding, potentially awful, but full nonetheless...the electricity, the need to trust, to awaken courage. and take action.  There is an adventure that is taking shape... that risks the falling piano, weathers the storms, and assumes there is gold at the end of the rainbow.  What are the chances that the girl will fall off the cliff, the lioness will bite her, a piano might crush them both, or the golden rewards will not be found?  All these and more are possibilities which makes for the ambiguous nature of life.  But as noted above, it is delicious when we embrace it for all its worth.

Enjoy the day,
every day!
Pic;)

Living Life Dangerously

When things change a strange thing happens, we have a tendency to rise to the occasion and grow more than we would have if we had maintained stasis.  In business that's called a challenging assignment, in life it can be called shit happens but it can also be a conscious decision.

When circumstances make challenging things happen it's not unusual to attempt to prevent such circumstances from happening again.  The problem is, that can be boring as hell. To me life is best when unpredictable, probably because it calls out my creativity and gets me dreaming.  The thing is, I want to be in that creative space, but I no longer want it to be caused by adversity.  Simultaneously, its apparent to me that being safe sucks even and especially because it seems like the right thing to do.

I have spent the last 30 months working hard to get secure just to be overwhelmed by the desire to get risky.  It doesn't matter what...I could quit my job and take off, cut or color my hair, the bottom-line is that I need change. It's not the kind of change that happens to me, but through and as me.

Life is change and that's risky.  Gandhi admonished us to be the change we wish to see in the world. And while I'm pretty sure he meant, be the peace, be the love, be the hope...I want to be the crazy dreamer, silly fool, wild woman whom I almost forgot.

What is crazy and wild these days looks much different than in my past.  It's not necessarily to throw caution to the wind, but to whole-heartedly enjoy living life to the fullest, and that is dangerous only when we're worried about the consequences.  I've lived long enough to know these too will change. If that resonates for you, Dream On!

Redefining the Comfort Zone

Oftentimes my cartoons for the Whole Living Journal are based on the season, so drawing a summer camp cartoon made sense for this issue. But as with anything I do, my cartoons are usually plastered with symbolism that I love to scry through to find more and more meaning.

The symbols in this cartoon took me to a lot of places I had already traveled. Apparently I needed a few reminders. So I started with the obvious, that the comfort zone is just another name for what we think we know, which isn't always comfortable, accurate, or fun. It is pitched like a tent in the lessons of childhood.

"Okay, cute." I thought of the tent symbol, but I was certain there were more symbols in the cartoon, so I kept looking. Quickly the tent became the mind, and the two children inside represented the right and left thinking. I took a moment to add a little more to my drawing just to see it better. 

The result confused me: 

The drawing showed the reverse of what I expected.  I typically associate the right brain with imaginings outside the comfort zone, while I usually think of the left brain as the fortress of rules built to protect us from the unknown.  The right side was worrying and the left side was accepting.

When I allowed for different interpretations of "right" and "left", I could see that it often seems "right" to exercise caution, even doubt, in order to make sure I am being safe about what I do.  Then I could see what was "left":  No matter how well I plan and wait to take action until I'm sure, change from beyond the comfort zone is inevitable. Even so, comfort zones are fairly indestructible.

So instead of being about getting out of the comfort zone or trying to dismantle it, this cartoon seems to be all about flipping its negative bent and using its imaginative ability toward something more positive.  We can change the assumption that unforeseen circumstances can cause difficulties if we are not prepared, and practice using our comfort zones to invent rather than prevent.  When we imagine in this way the comfort zone takes on a whole new meaning. 

A final look at the cartoon symbols affirms that even in the dark of night, surrounded by the unknown, there is a light within which will help us see, and a reflection of the day to come.  It is not change we need to challenge, but the challenge of change that is ours to accept and fully appreciate each the moment.  Imagine that!

Nothing changes, 'cept us!
Be peace-full.
Pic;)

Rainbow Bridge Prayer of St Francis

I never really thought much about how a friar in the Middle Ages got the idea that we could, at our best, be instruments of peace. Meditating on his prayer I understand how the patron saint of animals may have been inspired. I found inspiration in these words for how to let go. Having been tended to and consoled so long by my pet, it is upon me to be an instrument of peace for him. This is the toughest, most selfless decision pet lovers ever make. For the pets and all those who have also loved and learned, I put this together using images from Pixabay and my own collection, set to the prayer as sung by Sarah McLauchlin.  https://flipagram.com/f/pdu350T20Z

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Recently, I received some unexpected news that was going to have a significant impact on my quality of life.  My first reaction felt strange.   
There was a big gap in place of the expectation of how things were supposed to be which I didn't quite understand. 

A friend gave me a tiny piece of paper with this inscription: I forgive you for not being the way I wanted you to be.  I forgive you and I set you free.  She thought it might help me understand what was going on.

What really caught my attention was the last sentence, 'I forgive you and I set you free'. For while my friend was encouraging me to forgive, she also was encouraging me to not give up and make sure I stood up for myself.

So what did it mean to set this other person free?  I could acknowledge the expectations I had of what was the right thing to do had rarely been the same as the way this other person saw it.  Still I hadn't allowed myself to think too much about how my expectations of how to deal with those differences were limiting her and myself. I kept trying to make things work, she did not.  We were at a stale mate.

Forgiveness is Acceptance

Over time I've learned that forgiveness (aka acceptance) is the way to be free of grieving the disappointment of having expectations.  The most important part of any expectation is to include the possibility of things being different.  

It's not that we should expect to be disappointed, but to allow for change, because resistance to those inevitable differences comes with its fair share of grief.  It's not that we should forget but learn from our mistakes as well as successes, and develop new goals for ensuring our well-being. It's not that we then become subject to the expectations of others, but free to change the game plan by and for ourselves. 

Remembering to allow for change helps expectations be goals rather than disappointments; and each turn of event another step toward personal growth and development rather than a set-back. Sometimes things do feel permanent and irreversible, that's probably the most important time to allow for change...but also not expect it.   

When in Doubt, Look Within

There's really nothing we can do outside the sphere of own experience to change or affect the exterior world.  In truth, the world we see is just that.  So when it doesn't appear to be working right, it's time to change how we see and imagine things to be.

The Circle of Fire Prayer written by Miguel Ruiz, is a beautiful intention to live in harmony with others and all of creation, and it specifically states: with no expectations.  Apparently despite your best intentions, things don't always turn out as planned...who knew!?

I knew expectations were just stories we create to express why things should happen in a certain way. I also knew expectations could become disappointments due to differences with the story of another. Knowing that, I should have known better, but I still had plenty of both expectations and disappointments.

All things being as they are, I know what my next steps will be, and that is to always do my best, be impeccable with my word, don't take anything personally, and not make assumptions (expectations without the possibility of change).  

If living the Four Agreements is my goal, I will never be disappointed because as don Miguel is quick to point out in explaining these four little phrases, you need to accept that your best will be different from day to day and that's where forgiveness comes in again!  If I read that little paper to myself, rather than someone else, it takes on new meaning and I have all the freedom in the world!

Peacefully, 

Pic;)

When Dreams Change, Dream On

When we spend a lot of time on creating something special it can be hard to let it go, but so we must if we are to experience the full potential of whatever it is that we created.  Sometimes it is not obvious that we are doing this.  Oftentimes things change when we least expect it.

Just as the process to bring forth new life is called "labor" and is often filled with painful contractions, other things in life can feel as if they're being broken or destroyed in order to be more fully realized.

 If we are attached to the beauty and care that made things the way they are, we may feel the destruction thereof is unfair, an undoing of the work invested to this point.  But just as a mold is broken upon delivering the gold that is cast in it, so too must we release our attachments as a new life arises from everything we have done thus far. 


The changes in the way our dreams are from one day to the next can bring sadness or surprise...it's totally up to us and how we choose to see it.  That's the story behind this Enlightenmeant Cartoon.  The bird could see her eggs broken and destroyed but instead she sees new life coming into her experience.  No longer needing to sit still, she will soon be very busy gathering food for her little brood. 

Dreams are not static things we must maintain indefinitely, they are the Love of Life constantly growing and changing to, in turn, grow and change us.  When your dreams change, dream on.  

Dream Big!
Pic;)

In the Space Between

Look around today and see the many reminders that there is something working with us to unconditionally fulfill our potential, however we may establish it for the day.  You may notice the silence between the chirps of singing birds, that invisible something that stirs the leaves up off the the ground and soon will gently usher snowflakes down.  

 This is Life - not what we make of it - but what unconditionally fulfills that.  In between the banter of our everyday life, Life listens and unconditionally moves through our observances and intentions into creation, just like the breath moves through and supports our bodies.  

 Set an intention to take time to notice the wonder of Life as the source of all that Is rather than a limited identity or situation. Be mindful that your thoughts are in line with the highest good for yourself and others. Leave criticism, worry and impatience alone.  Life and you are bigger than that. It's taking notice of and being lucid to the little things that helps all of us see, and embody Life in all it's splendor.

tulitia,
Pic;)

Surrender That

Of all the ego exacerbating words in our language, surrender by far elicits the strongest response in the form of resistance.  From our earliest learnings the ones who wave the white flag are the losers.  Those who surrender must submit to the will of the winners.  But that is just a childhood understanding based on the history of those who would engage in war.  

Life is not a war. It is not even a struggle.  The idea that we must try hard is lost on the concept of trying to win. The true winner has confidence that s/he will not - cannot - fail.  By remembering that there is nothing to be won or lost (except for our perspective on the way things are) we can surrender the win/lose perception of surrender, and surrender in a whole new way.

 

"There is a fine line between letting go and giving up."

Right beside the surrender that gives up is the surrender that lets go.  In either of these two ways of looking at surrender there is a sense of loss.  But there is a third way that gains and multiplies instead of producing loss.  

This is the surrender which opens hands not to let go but to receive.  This surrender knows there is always more to learn and experience and enjoy in life, and refuses to settle for what is already known. This surrender is effortless. The only hard work about surrendering is not thinking there must be difficult. 

This surrendering is part of the flow. Whether or not we willingly let go of what we have known, earned, or expected, things will change. When things change and we are not resistant, this surrender is able to receive countless gifts in the form of fresh insight, wisdom gained, new skills, and the freedom that is born of such wonder.  

"There is everything to gain and nothing to lose."

 

So, the next time life gets tough, and you've tried so hard...and you feel so close you don't want to give up...surrender that, and with complete abandon open your heart to receive more than you already know.  In this way the way is made clear.

Peacefully,

Pic;)

Grandmother Moon Print

Grandmother Moon, digital enhancement over original watercolor, 2015  

 As she receives life from the east Grandmother Moon, grounded in the wisdom of the north with the childlike playfulness of the south, out-pictures to the west with no attachment to outcomes.

Digitally signed archival prints start shipping October 19th

The Importance of Life's (not always) Little Hiccups

If you set a goal, there's a chance you might attain it. If you have a dream, it's possible it might be fulfilled. With each accomplishment there comes the additional responsibility of maintaining the ground you have gained so you don't lose it. Really!? Hmph!

The painting in this month's Enlightenmeant cartoon is mixed media consisting of déjà vu, karma, and hiccups. My unqualified definition of déjà vu is what we think we already know, karma is the actions we have taken and will make, and hiccups are.... necessary

If we only work with what we think we know and are used to doing, the best part of life can seem like it's finished too soon. We might not think about it as much. It might seem like a well-known painting hanging in a museum that needs to be carefully maintained. Unless it becomes necessary, changing it could alter its value, seem disrespectful, or risky.

But Life truly well-lived, like the real practice of art, hangs not on the wall but in the moment of creation, and each moment appreciated, is a masterpiece. That's where hiccups come in and why they're so important.

As media on the canvas of Life, hiccups contrast with the status quo created via what we think we know and do. Hiccups remind us Life is for living by creating a situation in which attempts to take it in are sharply blocked.

All manner of crazy things are tried to stop hiccups: hold the breath and swallow until our ears pop, drink water upside down, and last but not least, face unknown fears. All these "solutions" represent doing things differently that expected. At first we might see Life's (not so) little hiccups as something that needs to be "fixed".

When we appreciate Life as something that's okay get messy while creating it, and see what doesn't seem to be working as an opportunity to explore, experience and love change into expression, the hiccups soften and we become more masterful at shaping the canvas of our lives.
Remembering this from moment to moment is one of my greatest challenges (but that's also a masterpiece) and why I am so grateful I have the practice of art to re-mind me. If you would like to get messy in the studio, try some cool new ways of doing things, or explore my art for your home or office, just let me know!

Nothing changes,
'cept us!
Pic;)

With No Expectations

Expectations are intricate to the adage, "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade."  It seems smart to think positively when things don't turn out as expected. But we can be free of the work of making lemonade out of something that can sour the smile when we give up having expectations.
 

"With no expectations" is the caveat found in the middle of The Circle of fire Prayer written by don Miguel Ruiz.  Simply put it is the key to living the Four Agreements: be impeccable with your word, don't make assumptions, don't take anything personally, and always do your best.  

Expectations are sure fire guarantees we will be disappointed.  Expectations involve people and things outside the sphere of our influence, expecting them to behave, deliver, and make us feel as we think they should.  

Though the domesticated world might insist otherwise, expectations are not the key to accomplishment and happiness.  Goals will not get you anything you truly need, but on that same note, goals and expectations are not the same thing, so go ahead and set goals, just don't limit your joy to the expectation things will turn out in a particular way.  

When we let go of expectations we can live in peace, lemonade free, without need to imagine the supposed blessings in adversity.  Without expectations there is no adversity.  Everything, even the unexpected just is, and with that attitude we can have the gifts don Miguel describes when we choose to live and move and have our being in the Consciousness of the Universal Operating System:

"We will live our lives with Gratitude, Love, Loyalty and Justice,

Beginning with Ourselves,

And continuing with our Brothers and Sisters."

Being peaceful, hope you are too!

Pic;)

Discuss this and more enlightening topics (topics designed to lighten up living) in the UoS Wisdom Group

Life is a Flawless Work of Art

Unconditional Being

Just for today remember that whatever is happening, 

no matter how beautiful or terrible feeling, 

Nothing is perfect and there are no flaws 

only opportunities to breathe and take pause.

For there is nothing to fix, because nothing is broken.  

We are ever whole and healing, and we are always open. 

Though some things are more desirable than others, 

nothing is ever wrong. 

Only different, unexpected, seemingly unbearably long.  

Nothing is ever right, just according to plan, 

what you've been waiting for in sight.  

The important thing is "No-thing", 

The unconditional base of delicious goo 

out of which every thing grows, 

and into which ultimately every thing goes.  

There is no loss, there is no gain, 

only a chance to remember our wholeness not then

but in this moment, now, just a little longer and yet 

always another chance should we happen to forget

each one of us is a gift, a challenge, a dream,

a perfect manifestation of the Unconditional being.

Peacefully,

Pic;)

The Koan of Now You See It, Now You Don't

There's always more than one way to "see" things, but lately I have been "looking at" two extremes.  This "looking at" qualifier is important as it defines the position from which we can "see" things that is not as the typical "seer", "seeing" or "seen", but from the viewpoint of the unconditional which makes all variations possible.  The Conditional OS  invokes us to be one of the three without a "second thought".  By observing this automatic we can consciously enjoy life in the flow of the unconditional or Universal OS. Confused? You won't be in a moment, however it might be by way of being so confused that the Conditional OS simply fails to process.  

So, back to the two extremes.

Ever have so many things going on at once you can't see clearly what path to take and think things will never get better? Or, ever see a path before you and know in your heart all the good things that will happen if you take it?  Either way, it isn't true.  At least not for for "certain".  

Life is change and unconditional.  If we are looking for things to settle down, or be in order before we proceed, or of a "certain condition" as we proceed or when we arrive at our "destination", we will miss what can be.  Ready for the brain scrambler: Because like the "seer" the "seeing" and the "seen" "here" only exists by way of imagining someplace "else" and "now" only seems to be by holding thoughts of "then", if you get "there" you will find it has "now" become a "here". There is no "moment" to be "in" because there is no "past" or "future" to get "out" of or "reach", no "destination" other than the "journey" of transcending these paradoxes and fully enjoying the flow of life. 

It's that simple. Notice the automatic conditional qualifiers for what they are, limiting conditions that seem to hold back and resist. That being said, the journey of course includes seeing and not seeing all this.  Like turning blind corners, slowing down a little is often helpful. Now you see it, now you don't.  Feel your breath and smile knowing you are "all ways" in the flow of life no matter what conditions you think you see. 

Loving it,
Pic;) 

Budgeting for a New Year

So, I have just finished my first month at a new job for the first time in 15 years.  It's a big change from the contract work I did for so long. I find myself budgeting time for "shifts" and spending differently.  Recently I realized I was "budgeting" according to my perceived limits.  How sad.  I sat down and wrote my budget for 2015.

The first thing I needed to do was identify what I had and how to spend it through the coming year, rather than focusing on cutting back. The list that quickly materialized reminded me of what I have that makes life something to look forward to rather than learn how to do without. 

Though it doesn't seem to have a lot to do with actual cash currency, I think the way I'm planning on spending my time and energy will make everything a little more affordable. When I look at my new budget I just want to spend, spend, spend!  

Seize the day! 

Pic;)

The Artiste

This year I am drawing and writing a deck of cards.  By doing so I look at the Fool's path and contemplate how the interpretations flow through the process of life.  By posting as I go, I invite you to also enjoy the process.
Peacefully, Pic

The Fool happened into town one day
and on a terrace along the way
she met an artiste with tools upon a table spread
he promised if she listened to him she could avoid a life of dread.
"You are the artist of the world you see
through thought, emotions, breath, and deeds,
but know before you attempt to control these
that using them is extremely messy."
He motioned to a clean canvas, behind him on the walk,
To demonstrate his methods he continued with his talk.
"Hold the brush dumb." he advised,
"What you think you know is a complex series of lies.
There is nothing to be kept safe from.
Nothing you can do that can't be undone.
Remember the options and choices are infinite and so
there's no reason to hold on and nothing to let go.
What doesn't work is just not finished - yet." His experience qualified,
Appreciate the messy process of life, and you will be satisfied."

What's Your Gravity?

I recently checked "repeat " in the itunes app on my phone for a song from the musical Wicked. It is about the witch of the west breaking free of the limits that were placed upon her. As happens with just about everything I do, interesting symbols came through - some of them new - and I just needed to keep repeating the message I heard.

Maybe it's always been this way, but this time when I heard the song, the Wizard and the "gravity" about which Elphaba sings, were of the nature of what the Toltec call the parasite, which is the negative ego. In the musical, Glinda, the good witch, is an expert in doing what is necessary to secure a place of popularity in the world. She is like the ego which is supposed to be supportive, but eventually becomes protective and too often suppressive of us (parasitic) as we move through life.

When I listen to the lyrics from this point of view, I feel the determination and intent of the character rise up. The force she is defying is not without, it is within. It is an operating system that does not deliver as promised. She sees this and it is too late for her to double back and feign ignorance. She must defy it in order to live by her instincts, close her eyes and leap. To do that is to live by the Universal Operating System, rather than the fear of loss, lack and limitation.

Take four minutes to see and listen to this video and enjoy Defying Gravity. If you did, play it again and listen deeply. Breathe it in.  For as manifold as are the messages to the contrary, listening once is just a start.  If you don't see the video in this post, watch it on youtube.

Everyone deserves a chance to fly, think about what tethers you and how you can let it go, because you may not be tied down, you just might be hanging on. Imagine life if you let go and trusted your instincts! When we defy the gravity of our fears we are unlimited! I recently got a taste of that and I want more, more... oh - that's another musical, also very symbolic, but I'll let that go for now.

"The Gravity of the Situation" will be part of the topic at the next UoS Wisdom Group!  Consider taking the leap and bringing your wisdom to light!

Be!