You Do Have To Begin!

"It's impossible" said pride.

"It's risky" said experience.

"It's pointless" said reason.

"Give it a try" whispered the heart!

Anonymous

We invest time and money into education, careers, homes, cars,

children and families, but how much do we invest in our own personal enhancement?  We race to meet the needs of others and yet stumble on our own road towards self-worth.

It's impossible:  I don't have time; the family have to come first; my schedule doesn't allow space; I don't know where to go; I don't know how to do it.

It's Risky:  I might fail; I am embarrassed in front of others; someone might find out; it might change me.

It's Pointless:  I have been this way for so long;  It is too late to begin; I have tried before and cannot do it;  No one will understand;  My family will just make fun of me!

Give it a try:  If this were for a loved one, you would make the time;  Pinpoint your heart's desire and let 'google' do the rest; Allow your self to be a beginner again; If it doesn't work out, you can explore another option; Don't let what others think be more important than what you think;  Change can be enormously positive;  It is never too late to change;  Keep your choice a private adventure until you feel comfortable with disclosure.

Anytime is a perfect time to begin.  How much money do you have to have before you invest in your self?  You are worthy of enhancing even the smallest part of your life.  You don't have to be a professional musician to take lessons.  You don't have to be a ballerina to take ballet or even tap dance.  You don't have to be an established artist to take a class.  You don't have to be a florist to arrange flowers.  You don't have to be published in order to write.  You don't have to be an Olympian to swim.  You don't have to be a yogi to learn yoga. 





But you do have to begin!





Angels in a Basket

Write out the names of your angelic teachers and guides whom you feel or know are with you, or the names of friends, relatives, or teachers who have passed into spirit. Now place each of these small slips of paper in a basket, and each morning choose one name to accept love from and to send your love to.



Meredith L. Young-Sowers

Angelic Messenger Cards





There have been times in my life when I kept an empty jar close by. When ever I would find my self worrying, I would write the worry down on paper and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, I would take all of those worries out of the jar. When I would read them, I would be amazed that generally, not one of those worries had come true.



When I read the suggestion about putting the names of angels or deceased loved ones on paper and then into a basket, I immediately loved the idea. How encouraging to draw a name every day to rekindle the sense of love once shared. What a great way to face the day accompanied by a strong sense of love, acceptance, and courage.



If you don't have a basket, try a candy dish, antique box, or mason jar. With pen in hand, jot down teachers, mentors, or extended family members who had special meaning for you. Angels can take on many forms as well, so don't forget favorite pets, or sacred places like churches, gardens, or porch swings where you once felt the presence of guidance.



This is just another way to begin a new day in a positive way!

Rekindling a connection will surely brighten your way!

Angels in a Basket

Write out the names of your angelic teachers and guides whom you feel or know are with you, or the names of friends, relatives, or teachers who have passed into spirit.  Now place each of these small slips of paper in a basket, and each morning choose one name to accept love from and to send your love to.

Meredith L. Young-Sowers
Angelic Messenger Cards


There have been times in my life when I kept an empty jar close by.  When ever I would find my self worrying, I would write the worry down on paper and place it in the jar.  At the end of the week, I would take all of those worries out of the jar.  When I would read them, I would be amazed that generally, not one of those worries had come true. 

When I read the suggestion about putting the names of angels or deceased loved ones on paper and then into a basket, I immediately loved the idea.  How encouraging to draw a name every day to rekindle the sense of love once shared.  What a great way to face your day accompanied by a strong sense of love, acceptance, and courage.

If you don't have a basket, try a candy dish, antique box, or mason jar.  With pen in hand, jot down teachers, mentors, or extended family members who had special meaning for you.  Angels can take on many forms as well, so don't forget favorite pets, or sacred places like churches, gardens, or porch swings where you once felt the presence of guidance. 

This is just another way to begin a new day in a positive way! 
Rekindling a connection will surely brighten your way!

Multiple Choices

No one else can ever make your choices for you.

Your choices are yours alone.

They are as much a part of you

as every breath your will take,

every moment of your life.

 CHOICES

"100 Most Important Life Choices"

Dr. Shad Helmstetter

Life is constant change and with each change choice is made.  It is imperative that we make our choices and not allow some one else to do so.  Well meaning family or friends or bosses have important and valid input, but we get to make the choice, not them.  Remember there is lesson in every choice as this is how we learn.

We may think we have no choice in the matter which translates into we cannot make a different choice ... we are pressured or frightened or not yet prepared to take the educated risk.  If we make a personal choice, perhaps we will be cut out of the family will ... is that the lesson, to do without dependence on someone else's fortune?  The family may say when we follow our desire, we will be disowned ... is this a lesson in love?  A lover may tell you that no one else will ever love you as much as they do, but the little voice inside of you is screaming to leave ... is this about allowing people to have power over us?

There are so many parts to making a choice.  We educate ourselves by listening to others or observing life or taking note of history, but ultimately, the truth of a decision resides within. What other choices people make are simply alternatives to be considered.  It is frequently the build up to the moment of decision that stresses us out. The actual choice can feel liberating, right or wrong after the agony of deciding.  

Some choices are very easily made, while others are so much more challenging.  If the right choice is not obvious, then take more time to sort through what would be best for you.  When my children were younger, they used to rush in and interrupt whatever I was doing, wanting an immediate answer to their request.  Here is what I learned to say:

      

     "If you need an answer right now, it is no.

       If you give me some time to think, it still may be no,

       but there is a better chance for it to be yes."

In careers we are frequently backed into a wall where we feel like there really isn't much choice at all, but there is always choice.  The choices might not be the ones we want, but they are there.  Some choices are made simply to please others. Eventually we realize by saying yes, we may be making the other person's life easier, but ours much more difficult.  Once we start having better boundaries and making better decisions, we feel better and more capable.

Choices can be very impulsive and fun.  Others may be heart wrenching and nearly impossible.  Still others may be accidental.  Throughout the day, we make endless decisions ... when to get up, what to wear, what to eat, which road to take, who to call, how to prioritize or organize, and when to stop or go. The choices are endless.

Multiple choices, however, are all exercises in using your voice, empowering your spirit, and aligning your mind, body, and spirit.  Take a few moments and review your life and you will see the impact of your choices or lack thereof.  

Get Over Your Self ...

Walk toward the door that is opening,

rather than clawing at the one

that is closing.

I HAD IT ALL THE TIME

Alan Cohen

Frequently, I have pondered the disconnect between being born with an incredible sense of my spiritual self, and then forgetting it all while becoming focused only on my physical self.  A child has wonderment, insight, and wisdom with deep appreciation for nature, only to be trapped in a materialistic world.

Alan Cohen is one of my most favorite authors.  He has written numerous books and they all seem to speak to me.   In his writing of I HAD IT ALL THE TIME, he discussed the shift from the spiritual self to the physical self in childhood.  It was all so obvious once I read his reflections and blended them with other insights.

Prior to this incarnation, we are spiritual beings with the Divine, the Universe, Spirit or whatever deity is foremost in your belief system. This spiritual being is the 'self' and a portion of this self takes form in this material existence on earth. While on earth, self plays many roles and wears a variety of masks, but behind it all, it is still the 'self'.  We are not our personalities nor are we the images projected on to others.  The self is still part of the spiritual being.

Once we have taken physical form, our language begins to reprogram who we really are, causing us to forget our spiritual identity.  Our caretakers frequently phrase comments in terms of the physical.  They might say, "What have you done to your self? Did you burn your self? Don't touch your self!"  What would have been more accurate is "What have you done to your arm or leg or body? Did you burn your hand? Don't touch your body!"  Can you sense the difference? Slowly we shift away from being a spiritual self into identifying with our physical body as self. Splitting hairs you may think, but I disagree.

"Get over your self," is a popular phrase, but it is impossible to do so.  You will always be self in the spiritual sense.  It is the ego that you need to get over. Your ego is not the self, but the many masks and projections that have been created in the physical.  It is all of the parts causing you to feel fraudulent.

Our physical bodies need to be nourished, nurtured, and cared for as they are our vehicles on this earth.  Our bodies host our spiritual self while experiencing a physical experience.   Our true self is love, energy, and light.  This is the story of old passed down through centuries and revered by many cultures. 

It may be time for you to close the door on what no longer reflects your true nature.  Turn to the opening door offering new beginnings.  Move towards the light or the sacredness that can be found in this life.  

Your true nature or your true self resides behind the life we create. Your true spiritual self is sacred loving kindness and so much more.

Integrity Intertwined with Inner Courage

Sometimes a glance,
a few casual words,
fragments of a melody floating 
through the quiet air of a summer evening,
a book accidentally comes into our hands,
a poem or a memory-laden fragrance,
may bring about the impulse 
which changes and determines
our whole life.


Llama Gouinda

A simple impulse can change our lives, but we need courage to step through any fear or hesitation.  It is courage that allows us to feel, to act, or to be still.  Inner courage, however, is equally important.  

In his book, FINDING INNER COURAGE, author Mark Nepo states: "The word courage means to stand by one's core."  He also shares:"By inner courage, I mean the ground of quiet braveries from which the more visible braveries sprout."  

This is the layer of courage we need to recognize within ourselves.  It is what allows us to say, "No, I will not agree to a divorce," or "Yes, I feel qualified for this position," or "I no longer desire to hold this belief for my self."  It is the same courage allowing us to remain still when we are tempted by judgment or depriving someone else of their time in the light.  Decisions made throughout our day requires this inner courage.  The more we honor this courage inside, the stronger our spirit grows and we become more courageous on the outside as well.

The word integrity, to me, has always meant who you are when no one is looking. So it would seem that integrity is intertwined with inner courage.   It takes this inner strength to over ride human weakness and temptations that others never see.  It is at the core of our being.

It is definitely a challenge to stand by core beliefs, but it is what we are called to do with an open mind and forgiving heart.  We must not expect others to view life exactly as we do, but we can expect others to honor us as we honor them.

  

The Door of This Home

May the door of this home be wide enough

to receive all who hunger for love,

all who are lonely for friendship.

May it welcome all who have cares to unburden,

thanks to express, hopes to nurture.

May the door of this house be narrow enough

to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.

May this threshold be no stumbling block

to young and strained feet.

May it be too high to admit to complacency,

selfishness and harshness.

May this home be for all who enter,

the doorway to richness and a more meaningful life.

The Siddur of Shir Chadash

This writing is offered to encourage you to experience nature with an open mind.  Being out in nature, in a sense for some, is like being welcomed home.  It is a place where all burdens can be temporarily set down upon the ground or blown away in the wind.  The distractions of animals ease your mind into calm.  Other aspects of nature such as snow, flowers, little buds on bushes or leafing trees stir a sense of rebirth within your spirit.  Breathing in the crisp air, you can feel refurbished while your body physically stretches itself with rekindled energy.

Nature nurtures ...

New Years Eve ... Worry versus Wonder

In the landscape of time,

there are few locations less comfortable

than that of one who waits

for some person or event to arrive

at some unknown moment in the future.

Robert Grudin

New Years Eve and we find ourselves assessing what we achieved and what we allowed to fall by the way side.  We count our blessings, but being humans we linger over our losses a little longer than necessary.

Many of us have counted the days throughout the year, waiting for that special person to arrive and change our life forever.  Be it a doctor to cure us, an employer to hire us, or a soul mate to love us, we may be facing the end of the year alone.

With all of the fear being propagated about 2012, I recently searched material reflecting attitudes back in 1699 and 1899 finding the same fearful statements of what 1700 or 1900 might bring ... destruction, diseases, and unknown catastrophes.  To me, it seemed as though there were no differences between then and now except for the dates.  The great "not knowing" or uncertainties drenched in the depths of fear.

In one of my readings, I found a suggestion to replace the word worry with the word wonder. This simplistic suggestion has altered my thinking process.  It is a wonderful reframe!

Test it right now ... say the word worry and notice the heaviness and fear of it.  Now say the word wonder and feel the lightness and curiosity. 

Who is it that says, "Be the change you want to see."  If you want peace, be peaceful to your self and others.  If you want to extinguish hunger, feed your self and your neighbors.  If you desire respect, respect your self and others.  Well, you get the idea.

The year 2011 has been filled with death and rebirth of thoughts, expectations, and situations I no longer needed. The year has been painful, but equally rewarding.  As 2012 begins, I have the sense that it will be a time for things to fall into place or come together for me.  

As this year comes to a close, we can let go of what no longer serves us and make room for new positive experiences awaiting us. Replace the gripping fingers of fear with the face of magical wonderment. 

"I shall fear no evil." 

Carry Your Holiday Light ...



               When Christmas bells are swinging

                above the fields of snow,

              We hear sweet voices ringing

                from lands of long ago,

               And etched on vacant places

                 are half-forgotten faces

                Of friends we used to cherish,

                    and loves we used to know.

"Christmas Fancies" - Poems of Power 

               - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Christmas songs, candles, and merriment frequently carry us down memory lane.  We recall friends who may be challenged by health issues or who may have transitioned through death.  Old childhood or neighborhood friends may come to mind.  Co-workers we promised to stay in touch with may have gently drifted away or life long friends may have discontinued contact.

Holidays can be filled with laughter as well as longing.  We miss what once was familiar and wonder if life will ever be the same.  No matter how satisfying our current relationships may be, remnants of lost love may still hang like cobwebs in the darkened hallways of our minds.

This year, when we raise our glass with a toast for the new year, will our glass be half-full or half-empty?  Will we be looking through the distorted lenses of illusion or through the colorful spectrum of creativity and imagination? 

Our lives become the product of our focus.  Embrace the possibility of dreams and untangle the fingers of fear.  Anticipate all that is positive and wise.  Carry your holiday light into your darkness, so there will be light forever more.



Dance in the Rain

Life is not about waiting

for the storm to pass ...

It's about learning

how to dance in the rain.

Vivian Greene

Rain in the spring seems purely prepared to enrich the soil, to gently touch the lovingly planted seeds, and to awaken the sprouts or buds.  As the rain falls down upon us, it is like a cleansing for the earth and all of its residents.

I have good memories of rainy days.  As a child, I played dolls with little friends in a screened in wrap around porch.  In high school, I walked in the rain eating ice cream cones with my most trusted girl friend.  In college I walked in the rain alone, feeling the rain drops as soft caresses upon my face.  As a mother, I sat in my own screened in porch watching my children play. 

Now, however, I impatiently await the return of the sun.  I feel like a wilting plant, reaching upwards anticipating the bright rays of the sun while my normally content mood seems to slide down the well watered slope.

The black clouds roll in, the deep vibration of thunder begins and the rain pelts against the windows.  Poor Hannah, my dog, clings to my side as her body shakes with fear.  What memories she must have from surviving the on slaught of tornadoes that separated her from her family. 

Metaphorically, we do need to know how to dance in the rain instead of waiting for the darkness to pass.  If we can live in each moment, receiving the gift of the present, all of life will

unfold.  We must trust the process, have faith in the powers that be, and hope for the day when the sun will shine again.

It's All A Ride by Terri St. Cloud

“ alone and shaking,
she wondered how she'd get thru.

the doubts surrounding her, keeping
her awake.
and then she remembered.

it's all a ride, a journey, a dream.
the twists and turns of which she
couldn't even fathom.

she closed her eyes and rested.
she'd travel where she must.
never knowing where she was going...
but knowing it was a ride worth taking."

                                                                      ~terri st. cloud

www.BoneSighArts.com

                      



Inventory of Relationships

The kaleidoscope of colour

which is my life ,

Shows the interesting choices

I've made along the way.

Antie Koekie

This morning I read "Our relationships were meant to bring us joy and empowerment." (A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE by Alan Cohen).  I began to explore the truth in this statement within my relationships.

As a "people person"  I have a variety of relationships and as I evaluate them, I find that some weigh me down or stress me out whereas others nurture and stimulate me.  I realize that some need to be gently wrapped up, given closure, and safely stored away.  Others need to be reopened, restored and appreciated while still others just need forgiveness and release.  My inventory of relationships feels heavy and in need of attention.

This exploration of relationships makes me realize how inconsistently I give of myself.  It seems I have it in reverse ... giving more or trying harder in areas that perhaps deserve less and not having as much time for those that deserve my full attention.

I realize the need to bring integrity into my exchanges rather than anxiety with a 'lesser than' attitude.  I need to speak up and express myself honestly rather than hiding or feeling too vulnerable.  All disingenuous conversations drain me whereas

speaking my truth with respect towards others empowers me.

There is no need for manipulation or power plays.  I just need to let interactions unfold in a natural way as long as I honor myself in the process.  I must look deeply into the heart of the other to see how I can best serve without giving myself away. 

Dismantle Our Illusions

The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid,

but he who conquers that fear.

NELSON MANDELA

We all experience fear, but we do not necessarily experience the same fear.  One person may fear flying in an airplane while another fears dogs, so there is not a constant in the fear ... meaning it is not factual or we would all have the same reaction.

In A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE, author Alan Cohen states "One of our missions in life is to discover what holds us back from being ourselves and dismantle our illusions."

This author suggests they we bring to mind someone who does not share our fear and visualize them handling the same situation with ease and peace.  The

next time you are feeling fearful, duplicate similar behavior of confidence and calm. 

Alan Cohen suggests that we ask our self this question:

"If I were not afraid, I would ....

• ________________
• ________________
• ________________
• ________________

Go ahead!  Make a list and see just how much fear limits us from experiencing life fully.  Take the risk and face each situation with peace discovering the illusion of fear.

Honor The Change ...

A man never stands as tall

as when he kneels

to help a child.

Knights of Pythagoras

Watching little children, determination and resilience are very prevalent.  They toddle a few steps before they fall down, or they swiftly run until they tumble and fall. Each time they push themselves up and begin again. 

We, as adults, do not seem to bounce back up quite as quickly as children. Our falls can be more intensively challenging.  We get knocked down.  We get up.  We get knocked down again, but we some how find the strength to stand once again.

Children frequently accept the extended hand of an adult to guide and help them carry on, but sometimes refuse it all together responding with, "Me do it!"  Their sense of ego can be huge and strong willed.

In adulthood, we are sometimes too embarrassed to accept a helping hand.  Our ego may prohibit us from seeing the benefits of falling and starting again.  We may have a tendency to hide our 'falls from grace' from those we love and from those who oppose us.

It is during these many falls while we move up and down that our character is formed.  We learn through the many lessons that create a strength to keep moving on. 

The importance, perhaps, is not to focus on the fall or on the climb out of the ashes, but to be mindful of how the experience changed you.  Honor and celebrate that change!

Bring forth ...

Woman must come of age by herself ...

She must find her true center alone.

GIFT FROM THE SEA

Anne Morrow Lindbergh



This morning, as usual, I was reading THE BOOK OF AWAKENING by Mark Nepo.  He was discussing unconditional love and he brought up a view point that I had never connected with this subject prior to his reading.  "Unconditional love is not so much about how we receive and endure each other, as it is about the deep vow to never, under any condition, stop bringing the flawed truth of who we are to each other." 

Unconditional love has always been, for me, the desire to embrace and accept someone else just as they were, not so much about being seen just as I was.  I mean, really, who is going to totally embrace me if I stand before them with all my flaws ... flaws hanging out of my hat, pockets, socks and shoes!  Apparently I am much more comfortable focusing unconditional love on someone else, taking the pressure off me.  

Mark Nepo mentions that unconditional love does not mean "turning the other cheek."  I agree with this as well as forgiveness not meaning acceptance or tolerance of any form of abuse.  He proceeds however by saying, "In the real spaces of our daily relationships, it means maintaining  a commitment that no condition will keep us from bringing all of who we are to each other honestly."  This does not leave much area to hide.  Amazing, this level of honesty he calls us to.

It seems that I acquired an emotional barometer when I was born.  It runs up and down my spine indicating when I am being 'too much' or need to 'be smaller than am I' in order to blend into a particular emotional environment.  It really has been quite an interesting tool to assist me in navigating through my life and adjusting to expected behaviors. 

Mark Nepo's suggestion to consider "being unconditional as a bringing forth from within." This prompts me to wonder if I have been working only one part of this equation of unconditional love.  He goes on to say, "Enter your day and consider 'bringing forth who you are' in the name of love."   

My first reaction is to bundle up in armor prepared to face the world; but I quickly realize that this reaction is the very base of my misunderstanding.  Armor would not only protect me from the world at large, but it would also hide me from the world. 

The real question is whether or not I can bring forth who I am ... at all times ... in all places. 

I really must find the courage!