A couple of weeks ago, I read that recovery and healing is not just about me adopting new ways of thinking, feeling, behaving, and coping in the world--it's equally about "shedding all that which is not me." This may sound pretty obvious to some, but I believe this statement to be extremely profound. In a society where many of us have tried to fit in, we have cloaked our true nature, our real selves. We have behaved in ways that have not been real versions of ourselves--we either puff up and become MORE THAN, or we have acted in ways that keep us SMALL for a variety of reasons. I would argue that most of these reasons are rooted in fear:
Click on this link to read about amazing Duckweed, a plant that grows on the face of--you guessed it--CRAP! It not only grows there--it absolutely thrives! If you've ever heard of the phrase, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" Duckweed surely takes the idea of making the best of things to the next level.
In the past years, I've been reading the work of Guru Singh, a yogi, teacher, writer, composer-musician, shaman, ordained minister, and healer. I eventually was led to some of his really amazing podcasts--about some Kundalini yoga classes he led.
One of his stories goes like this:
A group of grownups were around a kid who was amazingly positive about EVERYTHING. They couldn't believe it (those silly grownups!), and so they locked the kid in a room 8-inches deep with manure to see how he would react. After an hour, they opened up the room, only to see the boy digging around in the poo on all fours. He looked up to the grownups and said, "There must be a pony here, 'cuz this shit's fresh."
This story reminds me that whatever meaning we assign to a situation becomes our reality. This boy, in the midst of pile of crap, is awaiting the prize pony. Can you imagine holding space for the "best of all possible worlds" (from Voltaire's, Candide) - - even when the package isn't pretty? Even when it looks like total SHIT?
We can all intentionally decide to look for the pony, after all.
It's hard sometimes when we are stuck in the shadows to realize that wherever we put our focus becomes out reality. If we realized that we simply need to turn our face to the sunshine we maybe wouldn't be so attached to the shadow--
Sure, we would still know it's there, but our attention would be elsewhere, basking in the light.
Sometimes, the light can be blinding if we aren't used to looking at it--and if we look at it straight on, it can bee too intense, and burn. But we have to take baby steps . . . and protect ourselves along the way.
It takes intention and presence to look toward the light. And the irony is, that we also must appreciate, acknowledge, and honor the shadow in order to move to the light . . . without shadow the sunshine cannot exist.
In our human existence, we simply cannot experience joy with out its shadow, which can come to us in broken relationships, sadness, major life changes--the things in life that can bring us to our knees.
But that's the point; it's how we grow. And we can be grateful for all of it, because the sun cannot exist without the moon, and we cannot see the moon without the darkness.
If we can get large enough and get out of the particulars, the weeds of our existence, we can begin to imagine the grand scheme of the Universe with gratitude and humility. But the weeds are part of it, and they can be part of the beauty of our existence.
I never knew a dandelion was a weed until the grownups told me to pull them from the garden.
When I was a kid, I thought dandelions were beautiful pockets of sunshine on Earth; I used to watch their yellow faces follow the sun moving through the sky, and I collected them into the most delicate, ribboned bouquets.
The balance between light and dark, sun and shadow, can by a tricky navigation. Pure momentary presence honors both, and our challenge is to accept wherever we find ourselves with full attention. It's not an easy task, but it's often the resistance to shadow that keeps us from moving and breaking through into the sunlight. But don't underestimate the function of the shadow; after all, the shadow proves the sunshine.
I've noticed that my sweet pup Teddy is constantly looking for that small slice of sunshine beaming through the windows of our house. When he finds one, he lays himself down with his face smack in the light and closes his eyes to rest.
As the sunlight moves, I see him nudging closer to the light, following the beams as he takes his many naps during the day.
He keeps his face toward the sunshine. It's only natural for dogs.
We grownups have a lot to learn from nature. Thing is, it's often hard to intentionally keep our faces toward the sunshine; kids do it naturally--live in the moment with their intense presence--but as we grow up, things change.
Some of us learn to focus on the shadows of our past, or project our fears into the future--and we rob ourselves of moment after moment as a result. The experiences and people the Universe has placed uniquely in front of us become invisible as we live in our heads and overthink.
We lose the sunshine.
But it's okay.
After all, shadows cannot exist without sunshine.
One of life's challenges is continually bringing ourselves back to facing the sunshine and living in the moment--it's a continuous conversation.
So we've dropped a big story in the past couple of days, and now it's time to rock it to the present and the future! This is your year of creating and celebrating the life you desire-- welcome to 2017! You are aLIVE and yoUr fabulous existence began as a strand of DNA . . . amazing . . . huh? How do you live your life on purpose, with purpose?
I am doing a lot of stuff right now to figure out them meaning of my LIFE('s) juiciest purpose, and when I get in touch with me, I can check in to what gives me a feeling of passion and what brings me to LIFE!
When I used to live from the OUTSIDE:IN, I worried a lot about what other people thought of me--I found myself reacting to life rather than responding to it. And while responding is a more powerful place than reacting, I still wasn't living life & loving (myself and others) as a powerful coCreator!
I beLIeVE it is my destiny (& yours, too) to be the most powerful and fabulous expression of me I can be! That is each of our highest calling.
So, are you living life small? Or, are you living LARGE and in CHARGE--bursting forward with pursuing the amazing creative aCtS that give you energy and passion?
Have you every thought that the world will be a better place if you sHaRe your amazing gifts with the You-niverse, with your fellow travelers--otherwise, why would you be here? What presence do you wish to leave as your personal signature to your delicious and amazing existence?
That doesn't mean that life is easy, and there won't be challenges--as a matter of fact, the hard stuff is designed especially for us so we can learn and become even more amazing (I know it's hard to believe when your in the emotional and experiental crapper). Check out this Dr. Seuss vid called "Oh, The Places You'll Go" as a reminder of the awesome texture of LIFE!
Today, the first day of the NEW YEAR--I challenge you to do a bit of writing.
Make a list of at least 10 things, people, experiences, or opportunities that you are incredibly grateful for--be as specific and detailed as you can. Read the list out loud and at the end of each item, graciously feel the gratitude and say Thank you in your mind's eye.
Create another list of 5 things you desire to call in for this New Year--again, be very specific and write in the present tense. For example, I am earning an extra $1,000 each month, or, I run painlessly and freely each day. When this list is complete, read the list out loud, envision each desire fully with all of your senses-- and at the end of each item, graciously feel the gratitude and say Thank you, and so it is in your mind's eye. If you're really into it, you can create a vision board with the 5 things you's like to manifest--collect images, magazine snippets, drawings, whatever you like, and make a visual representation of each of your 5 desires that you can hang somewhere you'll see it every day.
Revisit your lists daily, and do the gratitude piece to close each process.
This is just on step to living your life as your BeSt sElF--remember that every juicy moment and hOLy interaction is created jUsT for you to reaCh youR hIghEsT poTentIaL! What are some of your desires in the new year? Leave a comment on the blog--we appreciate you sharing your experience!
