The Three G's of Power

A Beautiful Afternoon in the Woods

Today I sing my song with gusto, grace and gratitude. Rev. Dr. David Goldberg - Daily Guide for 7 February 2018 in Science of Mind magazine.

Power doesn’t need anything to support it other than the conviction that the Power is there. Gregge Tiffen - Fanned Fire and Forced Love Never Did Well – February, 2008

… security is silent and insecurity is loud. Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) – 7 February 2018 interview, MSNBC

I love life! Even the ‘dumps’ and whatever events seem to take me there have gifts to share (though, being human, I don’t always recognize them in that moment).  I especially find joy in discovering several ideas which at first seem totally separate then, upon reflection, converge to create yet another gift. And, I’m quite jazzed when I see both a personal and a global application.

So, this morning finds me pumped, inspired by three words in an affirmation yesterday: gusto, grace, gratitude. Upon reflection, I discovered just how powerful those three words are up close and personal in my own life, as well as how relevant (and much needed!) they are in the world.

The three words resonated deeply when I first read them. ‘Gusto, Grace, and Gratitude’ gained more life during a conversation with a colleague/friend across the pond.  Later, I wanted to make an honest evaluation of how I measure up to each (not against any worldly yardstick, just my own self-satisfaction).

• Gratitude – my strongest of the three G’s. I’ve come to live in deep gratitude and express it frequently. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for this day” is the mantra that begins and ends each day. I’m aware of my gratitude when I step out the door or look out the window at the natural beauty that surrounds me and when I get a gentle nudge from Cool Hand Luke reminding me to take a break. The list could go on (and on, and on …). What I’ve come to understand from practicing gratitude, is that she opens the way to all of the good in my life. She even lights the path that helps me see purpose in the ‘monsters’ that lurk in the corners.
• Grace – gaining strength in my life, in part thanks to gratitude. I’ve come to walk through life with a greater sense of ease and patience with myself and others. I aim to have a strong sense of what is right without being self-righteous and to be thoughtful in how I respond to people and ideas that I find repulsive. Remembering that we are each part of a larger whole, each with her/his unique and individual learning to do on this earthly sojourn helps me maintain (and, hopefully, express) grace.
• Gusto – at first glance, not my strong suit. Yet, as I explored its meaning (keen enjoyment, enthusiasm, appreciation, zest, relish; great vigor or liveliness), I realized that gusto doesn’t need to be loud or flashy. Like power and security, gratitude and grace, gusto is very much an inside job that finds reflection in how I walk through the world. What I wrote to begin this post sounds a lot like ‘gusto’ to me.

So, what about ThreeG Power in the world? Military might, chest thumping, and parading the weaponry of coercive force are not signs of strength or power.  Name calling and negative comments keep us mired in the muck, distracted from the business of life, peace, justice, compassion and creating a world where all are honored and valued.  

I see amazing power from putting the Three G’s into practice in our lives. Imagine what’s possible when we add gobs of gratitude, grace and gusto to mass consciousness to counter the destructive forces of fear and negativity in the worlds of politics, commerce, religion, media, et cetera. Imagine the transformation that’s possible in our individual disagreements with one another.

Which of the Three G’s speaks most powerfully to you? What will you do this week to nurture them all?

All Seeing Eye of the Majestic Pine

When The Roast Is Done

Finally, some snow on the peaks!

... consistency establishes a vortex, and that is your responsibility to yourself. Take the information in, and distill it into your own knowledgeable terms because it is your essence that makes the system work for you. You then become strong in your conviction of who you are and what you are doing. No matter what the world says, you stick to it. Gregge Tiffen (Earth and Second Earth, a volume in The Collected Works of Gregge Tiffen)

When the roast is done, take it out of the oven.

I wavered this week. As I moved toward implementing my decision to close my bed and breakfast business (yep, I made that decision since my last post!), I hesitated. ‘Well, maybe it would work if I …’ I thought. ‘That last insurance quote wasn’t too bad, perhaps I should …’ On the surface, each thought was a good idea worthy of consideration. But they didn’t fit with what I know deep inside: I’m done with this.

I recognized the thoughts as doubts sourced in the all too pervasive scarcity consciousness perpetuated to control using fear. Recognizing the source helped.

But what tipped the scales and moved me into action was a keen awareness based in self-observation over the past several months. My enjoyment of hosting was waning, despite the lovely people who visit. When I received a very expensive insurance quote that simply didn’t work financially, my soul cheered. Every cell in my body knew it was time to end this chapter. Yet my gut clinched at declining to accept reservations as I weighed the decision carefully. ‘Maybe I can find a better insurance option’ I thought. One did emerge that made a bit more financial sense. In the end that didn’t shake the knowing that I was done and the soft calling of some new focus.

Remembering the high cost of continuing when something is done helped. Whether it’s a roast in the oven, a job that no longer inspires (or is barely tolerable), a stale relationship, done is done. Keeping a roast in the oven not only burns the roast, it leaves no room for the chocolate cake that you yearn to be bake. And …

Pouring water in a full glass wastes water and makes a mess.

Operating the B&B had become a ‘full glass’. Observing the energy I expended with a guest here recently confirmed that. This roast is done. To continue wouldn’t serve me or future guests. And, I’ve ridden in this ‘rodeo’ before, ending chapters (jobs, partnerships, relationships, housing, etc.) not knowing what the next would bring. Without exception each brought what I needed and, they’ve all turned out just fine.

As with changes past, I discovered that I changed, grew, expanded from the B&B experience. My future growth requires something new, and that’s not yet clearly defined. After a fantastic four year ride, that ‘something’ is calling for my focus, my energy, my interest and attention. I’m closing with much gratitude and the conviction that my decision to do so is as ‘right’ as the decision to dive in four years ago. That time too was one of questioning, not knowing, and being open to what’s next. Guidance and clarity brought the path. I stepped on it and began the walk, step by step. What a journey!

Each step (and the missteps too!) brought learning. With learning, a deepened understanding of who I am continues to emerge.

So, let the next chapter begin! And, let me stick to living life confident in what I know and in learning even more.

What about you? Is there a ‘roast’ in your oven that’s done? A chocolate cake yearning to be baked? This week, I invite you to take a look inside. Discover what may be complete. And, bake a new cake!

End of the Bed & Breakfast Chapter of the Dragonfly House

Deepening Your Conviction

Twists, turns and shadows are a part of nature. We humans didn't invent them.

Understanding that the Universe is forever moving in perfect form, we can suffer the mean and the ugly by reinforcing our own conviction that right and love WILL prevail.  Gregge Tiffen (newsletter re retrograde planets)

Despite so much evidence which seems to contradict Gregge Tiffen’s statement, do you believe that the Universe is unfolding in ‘perfect form’ and that (though perhaps not in your lifetime and maybe not even on our planet) that ‘right and love WILL prevail’?  I do.

More and more I’m appreciating that what I believe about the Universe – the infinitude of which we here on earth are but a tiny part – matters. Although we’re just a dot in the vastness that is the Universe, we are important as are all the other dots. Deeping my conviction about the nature of the Universe has become an important anchor for me in these times. I’ve stopped trying to make sense of current events, remembering that we humans are constantly co-creating learning opportunities for ourselves and that all that I observe on this mundane plane is just that, a vast array of learning in this school called Earth.

That doesn’t mean I accept or condone any individual or collective acts of violence, hatred and the like.  I don’t. It doesn’t mean that I look the other way (as tempting as that may be) or ignore the choices made by elected, so-called ‘leaders’.  And, it doesn’t mean that I don’t stand in admiration and gratitude for those whose role it is to stand strong and vocal for their beliefs.

I’m taking these events as opportunities to explore how to be informed and make informed choices without getting pulled into the world’s dramas.  As I understand more and more about energy, I understand the importance of being mindful of my thoughts, my words, my actions.  I think more and speak and act less. I’m aiming to avoid reactions, especially internal ones, which only serve to fan the flames of these dramas.

Celestial events such as the coming solar eclipse along with several planets being in retrograde offer each of us opportunities to stop (or at least slow down), reflect, inquire and find clarity about our convictions.  Irregardless of the world and what we are witnessing at ground level, it’s helpful to remember that human consciousness is evolving as a part of a Universe that extends far beyond that ground level humanity.  As we individually tap into that, we are nurturing a collective consciousness of greater understanding and helping call forth the true nature of the Universe so that ‘right and love’ DO prevail.

This week take a breath, disconnect from the world’s hype for a bit, and connect with what you believe. Attend to the best in your nature and seek to nurture the best in human nature. Breathe it in. Call forth ‘right and love’. Breathe them in.

The forest floor is alive with new growth. 

Shine Your Light

In The Company of Light Beings ... 

Evil thrives in darkness. We must let our courage and conviction shine, so that not even the smallest shadow shall find a doorway in which to hide. Gregge Tiffen (It’s Springtime: Flow With The Power of Nature – March, 2007)

When I read this passage earlier in the week, I was struck by the fact that reversing the letters of the word ‘evil’ gives us ‘live’. Live is life. Life is light. And, in Universal terms, life is also abundance, beauty, harmony, joy, love, peace, power.

Evil is none of these. Indeed it is their absence. From ancient times to this moment, history is replete with the horrors of evil. Hence, the conviction of faith and strong beliefs along with courage are necessary for us to say ‘no’ to evil and ‘yes!’ to live life in its truest sense.

History is overflowing with examples of this choice as well: the love exuded by the man known as Jesus; the sage wisdom of the Buddha; and in more recent times the sacred, loving activism of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, the elders leading the peaceful  ‘Water is Life’ movement at Standing Rock.

While we know these names, it is wise to remember that throughout history countless others have taken a stand for light as well. You have. I have. Each of us in our unique ways have dared to shine light to break the darkness where evil dwells.

And, each day we have innumerable opportunities to do the same. We do so when we choose kind thoughts and speak words that match them. A patient smile while standing in a slow moving line radiates light as does a sincere, quiet ‘Thank you’ when we are served.

We shine light in the darkness when we receive and return the love of our pets and of all the flora and fauna of nature. And, who among us has not experienced the shift of a good belly laugh (or, even a slight chuckle)? We shine light when we sing, whether alone in the shower or in harmony with others.

These seemingly small acts are, in fact, huge. When taken collectively, they have the power to crack open hearts and shift mass consciousness to a higher vibration. With that attitude, evil gets no support.

Up close and personal to each of us, choosing light is important as well. Each of our seemingly small acts of and for light strengthens our personal capacity for compassion in the face of evil. Each builds our conviction and our courage to be bold in choosing light.

We each have the power to shine the light of life in the darkest shadows where evil dwells. May we make choices each day that build our courage, conviction and capacity to do just that no matter what events we find ourselves in.

And, if you find yourself in need of a little inspiration to shine click here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yUK0S_cEXY

Light Brings Clarity

Practicing Gentleness

Winter Icicles, Shadows, and More

The Universe loves you enough to agree to your request to be here now.  Gregge Tiffen (Fanned Fire and Forced Love Never Did Well – February, 2008)

Sadly, the world is not a gentle place. It seems more extreme, more violent, more ‘in your face’ than ever in my lifetime.  The pace of change in the world’s systems and its rules seems to be at warp speed. We are a nation and a world divided by these rules, who they serve, who they seem to punish. We aren’t gentle with one another or even with ourselves.

And, in the ever abundant, loving, infinite Universe, this world offers us vast opportunities for learning and growth.   I’ve been reflecting on that as I observe events triggered by political ‘leaders’ and how these events land in my experience.

I’ve come to the conclusion (duh!) that it is an important time for personal stability and clarity so that we aren’t caught up in the spin and we don’t become victims of what’s happening ‘out there’.  Yes, we are IN this world. No, we are not OF it unless we allow ourselves to be entrapped in its energy.  And, boy does the world want to entrap us as a means of control? Yes, I think so.  I’m reminding myself of these things frequently, so (spoiler alert), it’s likely to be repeated often in these weekly musings.

This week, my path to that stability is practicing gentleness although, interestingly, I didn’t start with that as my intention.  To the contrary, my plan for the week was to be a disciplined task master and ‘get things done’. 

I discovered gentleness along the way, when something happened on the way to the ‘to do’ list: a question from my coach – “What are your priorities?” Rather than trying to ‘figure that out’, I sharpened my self-observation and noticed what my daily choices were telling me.  I noticed that self-care, Luke-care, and my home environment are what matter most to me right now. 

 From that awareness, I allowed myself to experiment with different choices:

•      longer, slower walks with Luke;
•     taking more time to prepare and savor nourishing food;
•      engaging in household tasks with joy and appreciation for my home;
•      not rushing from one thing on the ‘to do’ list to the next
•     and, more importantly, not feeling guilty about my slower pace;
•       taking time to rest and read during the day;
•       reading news sources rather than listening to them.

Yea Mom!  We haven't been on this trail in a long time. Thanks!!!

That’s when I began to experience gentleness from within. Yes, business matters. Yes, political involvement matters. Heck, even the projects on the ‘to do’ list matter. And, their place is not at the front of the line.  They will have their time there when it’s time. That time is not now.

Now is the time for stability, clarity and gentleness to counter what the world is dishing out.  That is the foundation on which I can stand and a place where I can breathe easily with conviction and courage as the world’s craziness swirls just beyond.

This week I invite you to reflect, explore, experiment, and find your gentleness within. Bring it forth to stand confidently IN the world.  Your gentleness matters, as do you!

A Sky Reminder of LOVE!