Where Can You Do Less?

Autumnal Sunrise Over the Sangres

Notice where you can do less. Jill Van Note

You don’t have and ‘Aha!’ moment. An ‘Aha!’ moment has you. Woody Tasch

Happy Autumn! After greeting the Autumnal sunrise in the labyrinth, the muse niggles that perhaps a better title this first day of a new season might be ‘Falling Into Doing Less’. Cute. I smile at the idea and decide that I like the title as a question. ‘Where can you do less?’ is one of my favorite elements in the Feldenkrais method. I appreciate that it’s posed frequently in most every lesson.

The question gently calls forth awareness. Last week it did so in a profound, expansive, and most unexpected way, when, calling attention to a limb that wasn’t involved in the movement we were doing, Jill, my Feldenkrais instructor, said the phrase I’ve heard countless times: “notice where you can do less …”.

Suddenly, I was aware of holding tension in the ‘uninvolved’ leg. I hadn’t fully relaxed my leg muscles to allow the floor’s full support. I was doing ‘work’ that was already taken care of. Expending energy that I had no need to expend. Wasting energy. My precious energy.

Aha! The question isn’t just about doing less with the parts that are moving! Aha! It’s about the whole body and the support available to be received. Aha! Wow, it’s about all of life: body, mind, and spirit. Aha! The moment ‘had’ me. It’s had my focus and curiosity since.

Wondering ‘where can I do less?’ became a personal ‘energy audit’, discovering where body, mind, and spirit habitually engage where they need not engage, leaking energy like worn out weatherstripping around a door or window. I’m discovering more deeply my habitual tendency to do more than what’s needed. Yes, Cindy, the floor will support you. Indeed, it does.

I discovered (yet again) mental energy wasted thinking of things that I’m not engaged in at that moment (and may not need to engage in at all, at least in the near term). I noticed the monkey-mind of worry creeping in, thinking about how, for example, to word an email when I was far from the computer and not ready to respond, or whether to participate in an event not occurring for quite some time.

I’m reminded of a metaphysical teacher who has on occasion asked me, “are you giving this more energy than it needs or deserves?” Busted! Gratefully busted! I notice the inefficiency, the waste of taking awareness away from the present moment how doing so not only requires more time and energy to complete the task, but likewise reduces the joy and satisfaction that full presence and attention bring.

I’m reminded too of the support provided by the Universe, requiring only that I have the courage to trust and the willingness to receive.

Aha! No wonder the subtitle/subtext of the Feldenkrais Method (and others) is ‘awareness through movement’.

Labyrinth Bell Greets the Morning Sun

Living in YOUR Rhythm

Home Sweet (Away from) Home

Conditions become chaotic when you are not in a position to manage the harmonics of your core energy to create. Gregge Tiffen (The Journey Continues: Time Travels – July 2010)

I’m reminded of this Gregge Tiffen wisdom as I look out at the multi-faceted chaos in our world. And, as I walk through current events in my life.

Maintaining order is an inside job. Peace within creates peace and order as we walk through the events presented to us on our path. Managing personal energy by living in your unique rhythm is key.

While others can support us on our walk and may even help discover our rhythm, the responsibility is ours alone to manage our energy whatever the conditions, whatever the event. When we move through life in our unique rhythm – our pace, our style, our ways of being – we can experience life in its glorious flow.

Your rhythm is unique to you. It is the beat of the drum to which you naturally and easily respond. It knows no stress, no overwhelm. There is no right or wrong. Simply there is your rhythm, your tempo – YOUR way of life. When we operate in our unique rhythm we experience harmony in body, mind, and spirit. Life flows.

We find our individual rhythm by experimentation and discovery, listening for our beat, noticing when life flows easily even in challenging times. When that is our experience, we are living in our rhythm. Notice it. Nurture it. Allow it to speak and inform. Notice times when you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or that conditions are in control. These are clues that you are not living in your rhythm.

I’m particularly aware of this as I handle the estate of my dear cousin who died unexpectedly three weeks ago. Her passing necessitated a road trip across five states and 1200 miles. It finds Zadie Byrd and me away from home for an extended time, finding our rhythm in a new environment with new challenges, new opportunities, and more interaction than in our quiet Crestone life. Adjusting, while not allowing events and conditions to overwhelm.

As I began preparing for the journey, I promised myself that I would stay in my rhythm and practice extreme self-care throughout. ‘No rush.’ ‘Everything in its time.’ ‘Allow – don’t push (and don’t be pushed).’ These are my daily mantras. They help me live in my rhythm in this new territory with its rich opportunities for learning. They remind to adjust when stress or chaos creep in.

More than ever, I’m reminded that I/we are not the chaos in the world.  Rather, I am/we are each here to walk through, to navigate, to learn to live in our rhythm, whatever that is, in ways that maintain our peace within. No matter what.

Nourished by Art and Nature

Lifting the Fog of Indecision

A foggy spring day in the Sangres

Weariness can occur as a result of thinking we know but not knowing that causes all sorts of indecision. Patrece on behalf of P Systems (PS 52 Series 11 If So, What Now? Week 31) www.p-systemsinc.com

Earlier this week, the words above landed on me like a bright ray of sunshine breaking through fog. This week’s PS 52 landed in my inbox right on time, adding clarity to my morning journaling and connecting the dots of energy and indecision.

My early morning observation started with awareness that when I speak of ‘my energy’ (as in ‘my energy has been really low’) I separate myself from the pure, raw energy that we all create with/from. Yep, I know, that’s not possible to actually do, but I had one heck of a mental construct supporting my illusion.

I was the victim of my ‘low energy’. I’d been experiencing a sense of feeling scattered, unfocused, and unable (or perhaps unwilling) to exert my will. I felt tired. I remembered hearing Gregge Tiffen share his practice of speaking the words ‘let the energy flow through me’ to energize action. THAT felt like an invitation to life and living fully. I felt an internal energetic shift (it’s truly challenging not to write ‘my energy shifted’ here, but I’m clear that I hold no ownership of energy) head to heart to toes.

I felt gratitude for the awareness of what seemed to be deepening into my bones. I was ready to bring on the list of projects and to-do’s so I could focus and take action. I had new clarity about energy and a reminder that it’s my job to direct it. Onward!

But before I dove in, this week’s PS 52 landed in my box, offering even greater clarity. What I’d labeled as ‘my low energy’, weariness if you will, was (at least in part) the effect of not making clear, intentional decisions to take action.  Indecision was leading me to meander wearily through many days, scattering my attention, and, if I was ‘lucky’, accomplishing a few tasks in the process.

I (re)discovered that when I do make clear, intentional decisions, the action (mostly) comes easily. The energy flows through me from one action to the next.  One decision paves the way for another. A course of action becomes clearer. My sense of ‘low energy’ dissipates. My will is strengthened.

I’m feeling deeply grateful and blessed for being shown this connection. And, I’m under no illusion that my new awareness is a ‘magic pill’ or ‘silver bullet’. I’m betting I’ll have days where I simply want to pull the covers over my head to rest. I’m sure to experience days where the path doesn’t seem so clear and choices seem hard. I aim to allow such foggy days to be and to bring to them my curiosity about what they have to offer, for surely they too have purpose. The energy flowing through me is here for me. And, it’s here for you. Let it flow! Let us flow!

And, as she always does, the sun breaks through!

Let's Do This!

Robin signaling the spread of new growth ... a sign to me that YES! We Can!

In effect, negative levels of earth consciousness will contribute to defeating the positive levels of non-physical consciousness. … when we have someone who is nasty, or when we get depressed, we are in league with the devil. … The battle between good and evil can increase to enormous proportions commensurate with the mass attitude of humans at any given point in history. Gregge Tiffen (Do The Angels Take a Vacation? – August, 2007)

Amidst a week of ‘more than usual’ activity, the message flow that came through yesterday seemed right on target. That was affirmed on our morning walk when a car speeded by, kicking up dust on our dirt road. I was trying to signal ‘please slow down’ but I was thinking and feeling ‘slow down ____’. My signal evoked an angry sign back.

That’s not the way I want to start my day. And, it’s now how I aim to feel about and interact with the world any time of day. So, today’s message is for me. Possibly it will resonate for you as well – as always that’s my wish.

Yesterday’s ‘download’ started with “Having the right, doesn’t make it (or you) right.” Hmm, I thought, not a new idea; it resonated. And then it continued something like this:

Since everything we do is magnified by the Universe; and

Since we are each one cell in the whole that is the Universe; and

Since we humans inhabit and depend upon this planet for our physical survival …

We need to exercise our ‘rights’ with care.

We need to know and understand that this body, this life is but one little dot in the infinite journey of our spirit. THIS is NOT ‘all there is’!

We need to live and make our choices knowing understanding the law of karma.

This is true for EVERY thought we think, EVERY word we utter, EVERY action we take.

EVERY thing is subject to the law of cause and effect.

Because we don’t always witness or experience immediate effects from our thoughts, words and deeds, I wonder if we’ve forgotten that everything we think, say and do contributes to the quality (or lack thereof) of life on this planet, both the incarnate and discarnate sides of the planet (and beyond into the entirety of this infinite Universe).  Yes! WE are THAT powerful!

Think about the power that YOU (yes YOU!) hold. Then take a moment to acknowledge the world, its chaos, cruelty, harshness, unkind words, poverty, climate extremes … any and all of those things that worry you, break your heart or cause anger to rise from the core of your being.

Now – with NO blame, shame, or judgement – ask yourself: how am I contributing to ‘this’? Consider others. Consider yourself, your life. Take some private, personal, quiet time to examine the thoughts you feed about each.

Ask yourself, what comments do I make about others? Yep, the words I uttered about the speeding driver this morning count and, sorry, so do the snarky comments that most of us have made on social media at one time or another.

Identify and consider the comments you make about yourself, your body, your life? Do your thoughts and comments contribute to creating the life, the health, the environment in which you can be healthy and thrive? Consider how you begin and embrace (or reject) each day – each moment for that matter. Do you worry about what ‘shoe will fall’ next? Do you wish that you weren’t on the planet? Those thoughts matter. The words you utter matter.

There is no thought, word or deed that isn’t energy, and this energy counts when it comes to cause and effect. Indeed all energy (and everything is energy) ‘counts’.  In this system, there is no shame, no blame, no judgement – only the Universe, perfect in its design, responding to the energy that issues forth from each of us 24/7.

What a beautiful thing that we are contributing to, creating the quality of life on our planet! Remember this truth when you feel powerless to impact the world: YOU ARE CREATING IT EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. There is no time in which you are not impacting the world with your very being. 

Today, in this moment and each one thereafter, each of us individually, all of us collectively, our planet and, indeed, the Universe need for us to come to this awareness, to understand our power, and to think, speak and act accordingly. Let’s open our hearts. Let’s open our minds. Let’s open our arms. Let’s do this people!

'Come On People!' We'll show you the way!

React!!! Or Not?

A Fishy Surprise in Cottonwood Creek Nearby

You’re always in a position to decide if you want to have any reaction to what’s going on. Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: An Air of Optimism – May, 2011)

I fell asleep last night with this quote on my mind, sensing that it would guide the muse this week, a week of choices about reacting to events – right here at home and events in the world.  In the midst of having a crew here working on the house (cracks repaired, a new coat of stucco she’s receiving), I’ve been observant of my sense of being surrounded and of the sounds (voices, sanding, scraping, hammering, etc.) and of how I respond, both internally and externally.

I’ve been challenged to keep my cool and react with care in trying to have the crew understand that they can’t smoke outside due to a fire ban in our county (not because I’m a b____ who doesn’t like cigarettes).  I created a place for them to smoke and ditch the butts, so they wouldn’t inadvertently drop one in the dry grass.  They aren’t smoking on the property, but I don’t think they get the danger or understand the ban. So, I’ve practiced letting go. That’s challenging given that fire is a fear I’ve experienced for much of my life.

This week I also experienced a small set back in my breathing practices. I was bummed and, upon a bit of reflection, realized that I was pushing too hard (in total contradiction to the point of the work, which is to breathe less) and making up a story about what my daily ‘pause times’ should be.

And, then there are events in the world:  breaking trust and agreements, seemingly endless armed conflict and inhumane treatment of life on many fronts and in many forms, threats to the future of the internet that I depend upon … and so much more.

As if to confirm today’s topic, first thing this morning, I cut my finger while slicing a lemon for my first of the day cup of warm lemon water. There was a time in my life when such an event would have triggered an angry outburst (directed at nobody but me, of course), huffing, puffing, and wasting loads of energy. How could I be so careless …? While I’m sure that I haven’t lost the ability to react in that way, this morning I smiled.  With thoughts about today’s post swimming in my head, I felt no emotional outburst – inside or out. I grabbed a towel to stop the bleeding and squeezed lemon in the cup before pouring on peroxide on my finger and applying a bandage.  As I sat down to let my thoughts flow onto paper, warm lemon water at my side, I had a sense of knowing, of gratitude, and of peace.

Little events like my cut finger show us where we are in relation to life, if we dare look. Seemingly insignificant, they offer clues to our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the world we’re navigating.  With each event there is the possibility for awareness and learning.  Willingness is the ingredient that each of us must add.

That awareness and learning can take us to recognizing points of choice.  I and only I choose my reaction to a cut finger, noisy construction, setbacks in projects, and the decisions of our elected officials.

I’m discovering more and more that the foundation for these choices is squarely placed in my relationship to myself.  The bedrock of that relationship is my growing understanding and sense of peace about how the universe really works. When I embrace the concept that every event is here for me, there is no room for being the victim or at the effect of these events – even though I have no control over them.  My challenge is to be at choice.  Sometimes that’s ‘easy, breezy’ and seems to happen quite naturally.  When fear and anger creep in, choice can seem limited.

Three questions I find especially helpful in getting to a place of choice when my ability to choose seems illusive are these:

• What is the meaning I am making of this?
• What am I afraid of?
• What is the outcome I desire?

What about you? How are you maintaining your sense of choice about reacting (or not) to events in your world?

Sunday Visitor - First Western Tanager of the Season

Buoy Your Buoyancy

Stormy Weather - A Bit of Blessed Snow

If you realize that your strength is in knowledge, which is your experience and the resiliency of your consciousness, no one can affect you. Not even the Universe can diminish that one whit.  Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: Mystical Longings)

Let us strengthen our resolve to bring the natural resilience of consciousness into our lives – moment to moment, step by step, each and every day.

In a world that seems hell bent on destruction, some days it seems hard to stay afloat. We need to buoy our spirits to operate above the fray of negativity that encompasses the world.  We need buoys to mark our way in the chaos that constantly tries to pull us off course – our individual path of learning, experimentation, and personal development.  Let us strengthen our resolve to bring the natural resilience of consciousness into our lives – moment to moment, step by step, each and every day.

As a result of experiencing a lingering ‘bug’ that zapped my energy for a couple weeks and prompted by a discussion about resiliency in a weekly publication I receive, I’ve been reflecting on the foundations of resilience and how to strengthen it – physically and energetically.

In that exploration I discovered three interconnected keys: health, habits, and beliefs.  When one key is shaky, calling forth another stabilizes and strengthens. Failure to use one key to buoy the others weakens my capacity to bounce back and navigate life with at least a modicum of grace and ease (translation: I’m neither tolerant nor tolerable, so best I snuggle under the covers until I recoup and can regroup).  I don’t know about you, but sometimes that’s simply the best I can do.

Being resilient after all doesn’t mean perfection or even unreasonable self-expectation. We are human. We are navigating a world swimming in chaos and negativity. Most of us have a ‘bad’ day now and then. When we’re resilient, ‘bad’ days are rare. We don’t get stuck in the energies of apathy, anger, fear or conflict.  We take responsibility. We don’t blame.

Being resilient requires health, the energy and commitment to engage in habits that increase our capacity to bounce back. Habits or practices of self-care strengthen health. Habits of thought strengthen our beliefs. Each action we take and every thought we entertain either builds our resilience or contributes to its (and our) destruction.

Resilience requires resolve, a clear purpose to stand firm on our convictions as we encounter life’s challenges. Our capacity to recover quickly asks that we be mindful of what we are receptive to, to close the gates to sources that feed despair, and to seek out those that uplift our spirits. This doesn’t mean being ignorant of what’s happening in the world, for we do live in it. Resilience invites us to learn to be ‘in’ the world without being ‘of’ it.

The universe has given us the opportunity to tap into the natural resiliency of consciousness.  Maintaining our physical health, along with the health of our habits and beliefs supports that resiliency and strengthens our capacity to navigate life with clarity, awareness and choice. 

And, Beyond the Stormy Weather ...

Fifty-Six Cents

Two Washingtons, One Jefferson, One Lincoln = 56 Cents

You give energy direction. When you focus on something, you magnetize raw energy. Pay attention! (Gregge Tiffen, The Language of a Mystic: Originality – January, 2009)

I found 56 cents on our walk this morning. Two quarters, a nickel and a penny glistening in the road caught my eye as I called Luke and changed our route to avoid walking in the dust of an on-coming road grader. I picked them up with a smile. My next thought was that this morning’s find was in stark contrast to an unpleasant encounter on a morning walk earlier in the week.

Today, I felt a sense of being reminded: be open to the flow, trust, and know that flow is always present.

And, I knew that this reminder showed up right on time, (Duh! That IS how the Universe works!) as I’m in the midst of considering letting go of what’s been a significant source of income for several years so I can honor a yearning I’ve had for quite some time (more about that as the year unfolds!).

As we continued our walk, I reflected on how the week has brought me numerous confirmations that where I put my attention and focus determines what shows up next: former clients reaching out to explore coaching with me again, a friend inquiring if I’d be interested in exploring a partnership around an idea that I’d thought about before but discarded because I didn’t know how to pursue it (Ah, yes – divine timing!). I also could see that my ‘unpleasant’ encounter was simply an opportunity to keep my focus and not be triggered to go down the rabbit hole of negativity that I could have easily done.

That’s what managing our personal energy is about: maintaining awareness so that we are consciously choosing where to focus.  For me, that means that rather than worry about all the ‘bad’ things that might happen if I let go, I put my attention on where I want to go, continuing to unfold a fulfilling life that suits how I’m designed. Stay tuned. The adventure that is 2018 is just beginning.

What about you?  What’s showing up in your life and what does that say about your focus?

Snow. Snow. Where is the Snow? Come. Please. We Need You.