A few weeks ago during the May Full Moon, our group gathered for monthly meditation with the theme of the flower moon on our mind. The idea being that it is spring, a time of new birth, a time to till the soil, nurture what we plant, and watch it grow. As part of making this ritual more tangible, one member brought several herb plants for each person to take home and care for.
As we considered our plants that night some great questions arose:
What seeds are you currently planting in your life?
How are you nurturing those seeds and yourself as you wait for them to flourish?
Can you be patient as they take root and grow?
Can you still love and accept yourself even if despite all your best efforts they do not grow?
All great questions that can be applied to both the individual little herb plants we took with us that night as well as to the bigger picture within each of our lives. We are always planting seeds and growing. Sometimes it looks like a new career, striking out in your own business, a new business deal, a new relationship, moving to a new home, and so forth. The possibilities are endless as we are constantly in the cycle of getting ideas, planting them, nurturing, harvesting, and letting go as we transition yet again. Yet how often do we consciously notice how we are being – in relationship to ourselves, to the seed we are planting, to each other, and to the world at large? And, how do those relationships shift depending on whether things are going our way/according to plan or not?
A dear friend of mine passed along this video to me the other day. I have to say after watching it that it absolutely blew me away. I have been a friend of the Ted.com videos for a while. They are amazing speeches by the world’s greatest thinkers and doers.
This particular video is called “My Stroke of Insight”. It is about neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor’s experience few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened — as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding — she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story of recovery and awareness — of how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another. I take these words right from her bio on the Ted site because they are so powerful. The video is even more iinspiring.
I have been fascinated by the study of consciousness and how the brain works for years. While I am no scientist, the possibilities for connection and being fully present and creative in one’s life do fall within my passion and profession as a coach. Taylor’s experience drives home an important message at the end for us all.
Sit back and treat yourself for 19 minutes. You’ll be glad you did.
This weekend I had the chance to walk in my first Pride parade as part of New Hope Celebrates. I joined the Bucks County Lesbian Alliance(BCLA) group for the parade route and had a great time. It has been ages since I last attended any specific Pride event and the first time I ever got to be up close and personal in part of the official fun. I can remember years ago when I first came out (say like 16 years ago… as long as my partner and I have been together… it’s a story & a revelation, let’s just say that) — we were a magnet to attend Pride and Women’s Festivals for the first few years. Since then we’ve been out and about doing a variety of things, but never found our way back to the fest.
I’m not a big parade or party person in general. I’m more of a quiet, small group of friends type of social engagement. Or, more likely out and about in nature solo, with my partner, or a small group of like-minded folks gay or straight. Yet I have to say this first experience was very moving! What the heck have I been waiting for?
If someone were to ask me what is the most important question you could ask about your career this would be it: Is it what you want to be doing or what you feel you “should” be doing? The answer to this question is extremely telling and often determines the level of success, enjoyment, and fulfillment you can attain in your professional life. Think about it. Compare it to your personal life. If you have an event to go to that you truly want to attend you are excited, have a positive frame of mind, and get the most out of it. If you have some obligation you need to attend because you “should” or your family will disown you if you don’t, are you nearly as enthusiastic? In the end do you enjoy the experience or simply endure it?
I could certainly take a spiritual angle and assert that your experience is what you make it and that even in situations that stretch you that you could adopt a chop wood, carry water mindset:
What that means is that the tasks are the same, but who you are being as you do the tasks is totally different. While I am certainly not claiming enlightenment, I can say that I am so much better at being clear, open, and present with a task than I ever was before. Even tasks that are exhausting and not quite my cup of tea. Instead I did my best to approach it with the bigger picture in mind - serving families in need of decent housing and with the mindset that anything you do can be a meditation if you choose to allow it to be. And, when you do that a whole new world opens up to you.
I totally believe this mindset is crucial to living fully. Engaging in experiences that stretch you are enriching. However from a day in and day out perspective would you rather spend your time doing something that works for you or suffering like a martyr attemping to fulfill someone else’s expectations of you?
Last week I finally had the chance to watch the Louise Hay DVD “You Can Heal Your Life”. Quite a powerful movie. I’ve been a fan of Hay House for a while and a few years ago read and starting using Louise Hay’s book “You Can Heal Your Life”.
I have to say that it is one of the BEST movies I have seen. It truly incorporates the real meat of the law of attraction and positive thinking in a way that doesn’t add fluff or skim over the inevitable negative feelings we all experience and obstacles we encounter. While I enjoyed the movie The Secret if only because it got the conversation started on a big scale, it was way too materialistic focused for me. And, it didn’t go deep enough. So many people are out their either frustrated because it isn’t working for them or out there playing games simply to acquire more stuff or snag a parking space. They are missing the boat.
In this film you not only learn about Louise Hay’s amazing life including her documentary based on her work with tons of gay men during the AIDS crisis but also hear from a number of my favorite folks and leading experts like Greg Braden, Cheryl Richardson, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Mona Lisa Schultz, Esther Hicks, and more. Real advice from real people who walk their talk.
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