Living True To Our Roots

Bull Elk and His Harem

Every celestial body has definitive root characteristics. The root characteristic of this particular planet is that it is a receptive womb. Planet Earth is female and produces a mothering, nurturing base. Gregge Tiffen (Learning Without Experience Is A Bell Without A Clapper – September, 2008)

We ARE the Planet. The Planet is US.

The visual beauty of the earth here in the southern Rocky Mountains where I’m blessed to live lies in stark contrast to the visual appearance of the devastation we’ve witnessed over the past month. Forest fires, hurricanes, floods, drought have ravaged the earth and seriously impacted millions around the globe.

Here, it’s easy to experience the nurturing touch of the Planet through my senses. Some days the smell of the pines is so strong that I can taste it. To touch a tree is to feel its strength and at the same time its vulnerability. The gentle flow of a mountain stream has been one of my favorite sounds for decades – long before I moved to these mountains. And, the landscape – from the valley floor to the top of the soaring 14,000 foot peaks – is a visual feast every day, every season. Here, even on the coldest, windiest days, I feel the receptivity and nurturing that is the way of Earth.

Likewise that same root – receptivity, mothering, nurturing – is present in the midst and wake of so-called ‘natural’ disasters. Beyond the sense that something old is making way for something new, we witness some of the best in ourselves. Neighbors help neighbors. Strangers help those in need, both up close and personal as well as from afar. These expressions represent the best of our living true to the root characteristics of our planet.

And, that - living true to our roots - is a requirement. It is necessary if we are to ever have a chance at creating lasting peace among all peoples of the planet. It is necessary if we as a species are to continue to inhabit Mother Earth. A sturdy pine does not grow from roots of tender grass. Only grass grows from those roots.

Grassroots

Here are the root characteristics that I believe we are meant to live from:

We are meant to have dominion – loving, nurturing, receptive dominion – over the planet. We are not meant to dominate the planet or one another.

We are meant to be fed from the abundance that the earth provides. We are not meant to be gluttonous or to attempt to nourish ourselves with fake food or man’s laws disguised as laws of the Universe.

We are meant to manifest and to understand that everything we think, say and do manifests. From that understanding we can align ourselves with the true nature of the planet. We are not meant to suffer, rather we are meant to learn.

We are meant to adapt, to embrace change as a natural characteristic of the planet. We are meant to evolve. We are not meant to keep things, including ourselves, as they are or to try to return them to something that we or they were in the past.

As you go about your week, consider the roots that Mother Earth gifted you with when you came to the Planet.  You ARE the Planet. The Planet is YOU. Are you aligned and living true to your roots?

Treetops and Mountaintops - Fall Beauty Abounds

Influencers Revisited

Cool Hand Luke Skywalker & A Hike to the Zigurat - Influencers That Remind Me of My Path

The degree that you allow someone or something to affect your thinking and therefore your life is the degree to which you are influenced. Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: One Original Thought – September, 2011)

On its surface, Gregge’s quote seems simple, obvious, and perhaps, even superficial. That’s the way with truth ‘simple but not easy’ and always, in all ways inviting us to be aware right now, in the present moment.  

When I first shared about influencers in a post (http://cindyreinhardt.com/blog/influencers), I wrote about the people who’ve most influenced me in life. I found a common thread among them: they did not follow the pack. Each in their own way lived life on their terms.  They didn’t choose a path that the world suggested was what they should do. 

And, that is what we are each here to do: discover and follow our individual path, despite the pulls and prompts of family, friends, gurus, politicians, corporations and many other things competing to influence us.  To do so demands that we sharpen our awareness of external influences and that we make choices that affirm our path.

Stop for a moment. Inquire and notice who or what is influencing you right now?   Then explore. Are those influences supporting you, blocking you, or thwarting you in what you are aiming to accomplish? Did you consciously choose to allow it, or did it creep in without you choosing?

Our challenge is to be mindful and at choice about who and what we allow to affect us.

I love being under the influence of the visual and audible beauty of a mountain stream ... 

As I’ve aimed to rise to that challenge, I’ve worked at being able to stay informed of news events without getting caught up in the drama and negative pull that so many in the media tend to project.  I’ve explored various media and observed how each impact me. When I overload or discover that I’m influenced in ways that go beyond being informed, I stop and turn to nature (including Cool Hand Luke) to remind me to be at choice.

This week as I’ve experienced a number of breakdowns – appliances stopping in the middle of a project, repair folks not responding to my calls – I’ve aimed to simply handle what needed to be handled, to take the next step, and to let it go. Rather than relying on the world, I’m engaging my trust in the unfolding of life to influence and guide me.  Simple, but not always easy.

In the midst of those, a friend called to tell me about something that they want to change in our community.  As I listened to the concern and noticed the intensity with which it was being shared, I was grateful for the awareness that I could choose whether to engage AND whether the conversation would influence me after the call ended.  I chose ‘no’ on both.

I’ve also experienced calls to ‘come out and play’.  A frequent guest at the Dragonfly House who’s in town for a house sitting gig elsewhere invited me to lunch at a time when I was thinking about emailing him to inquire if he would house-sit for me later in the fall.  That’s an influence to say ‘yes’ to!

This week I invite you to notice external influences and to make conscious choices about who and what you allow in – moment by moment, day to day, and beyond.

... and the influence of the profound beauty of nature ...

... and the sound of music from amazing artists (Yes, that IS Carlos Nakai!)

Self-Honesty

Fueling up for the journey south ... which will be coming up soon.

To accept an event as your opportunity to reveal more self honesty is the issue for effective and efficient rates of progress. Gregge Tiffen (The Journey Continues: Economical Rates of Progress – August, 2010)

So often we think of self-honesty as a drag. And we forget that the events of life – no matter how big or how small – are simply there for us as learning opportunities. It isn’t especially hard to remember, yet vigilance and practice are required.  This week provided opportunities for both vigilance and practice.

I don’t respond well when someone engages in behavior that annoys me (those who know me are nodding in agreement about now). Having people in my home (most of them strangers whom I’ve never met other than via email or perhaps a telephone conversation) provides frequent events where I have the opportunity to choose not to allow others to disturb my personal peace. As people come and go and interact, I have numerous opportunities to remember that we are all different AND we are all the same.

Sometimes I forget. I get hooked by something a guest says or does. I forget to choose peace and find myself in a (cess)pool of internal thoughts, indignantly criticizing their behavior and imagining just what I might say to set them straight (are you laughing yet?). I forget that these thoughts are a gross misuse of my energy. And, I fail to be aware of the damage they inflict, personally and in the world beyond.

Then, at some point, I remember. I stop. I breathe. I acknowledge that I’ve veered off course, invoking self-honesty sans guilt and self-criticism. I breathe again. I invoke curiosity to discover what different thoughts will shift me and the situation. I breathe. I forgive myself. I find gratitude for the event and the person who brought it forth as a learning opportunity. I remember that they too are on their own unique learning journey. I breathe. I acknowledge how far I’ve come on this journey to build my tolerance of others’ choices.  I smile. I breathe. And, I remember too that my learning in this domain is not complete, for while sometimes this is a quick and easy road, for other events I may need hours or days to come to his place. I breathe again with a smile.

We are ONE is a popular theme today. For me this theme overlooks what Gregge Tiffen spoke of as ‘diversity within unity’. Each of us is an individual being with our own unique expressions in life. At the same time, we are each a tiny, integral part of consciousness, the infinite universe.  To make the whole work, we need to respect and honor all of the parts. We have countless, if not infinite, opportunities in life to experiment and, hopefully, gain wisdom about how to do so.

Like me, you may get discouraged when you look beyond your immediate environment to the chaos, negativity and disrespect that fills the air waves. But the issue at hand, though it relates to that greater whole, is the events that are in front of us moment to moment, day to day and how we handle them.  This is what matters in terms of our individual learning and progress toward knowledge that becomes wisdom through the ages.

Can you spot the faint end of the rainbow? 

Only Good Karma

Eclipse Effect

Karma is not some debt you pay. Karma is a system within the Law of Resistance. Would you believe that the karmic condition is one of the best things you have going for you? That’s right. For every degree of positive energy you put out, you will bring back an equal and positive effect. The opposite is also true. Therefore, since you can’t run from the conditions set in motion, you’d better learn to love them.  Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: Karmic Identifiers – August, 2011)

There is no such thing as ‘bad’ karma. There is only cause and effect, an infinite cycle of co-creation.

I’ve been thinking about cause and effect this week on many levels.  At the global level, I muse about the conflicts and divisiveness present in our culture.  I catch myself casting aspersions and blame.  Then I remember that my thoughts matter. They become a part of mass consciousness, and my negativity does nothing to raise that consciousness.  On the contrary, negativity keeps me stuck in beliefs about right/wrong, good/bad as if those are real.  And, it contributes to keeping mass consciousness stuck in that which perpetuates conditions of discord.

Up close and personal, I found myself labelling several issues around the house and Luke’s annual August allergies as ‘problems’ that I needed to ‘solve’, burdens to handle so I could get on with ‘life’.  I noticed that I was snappy with myself and my beloved pet. I caught myself barreling toward victim mode, just short of casting a strong dose of self-blame and sentencing myself to hours (or days) of self-inflicted misery.  

And, then I remembered I could choose differently.  

Choosing differently doesn’t mean putting on a fake smiley face and pretending that ‘all is right with the world’. It isn’t.  For me it means maintaining consistent awareness of my thoughts about current events and mindful of how I respond, both internally and externally. I notice the huge learning opportunity that presents.  When, where and how do I express my care and my values in ways that make a positive contribution?  Without clear answers, I can only listen within, follow my inner-guidance, notice what shows up, and do my best to maintain peace within along the way.

The ‘stuff’ that presents itself in daily life and business maintenance likewise presents what Joan Borysenko calls the choice “to practice stress or to practice peace”.  

Each choice is a karmic one. Moment to moment, day to day we are choosing, consciously or not, how to be in life. We are choosing whether to engage positively or negatively with life conditions. With each choice we are putting out energy that will bring back an effect. At the surface, our choices are simple. But, like so many simple things, implementation is not always easy.   Choosing to practice peace and to put out positive energy requires attention, awareness, intention and the courage to buck the world’s call to join its pity party.

This week I invite you to join me in consciously and courageously choosing peace and positivity.

Days End - A Beautiful Sunset in the San Luis Valley

52 x 4

The Joy of Breakfast!

“Speak what you think today in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said today.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson’s quote and “Welcome” were the first words of The Zone written four years ago, August 15, 2013. Hence, today marks the 208th issue. A bit of celebration and reflection are in order.

That I’ve honored my commitment to write and share each week is personally satisfying and rewarding. That you read and respond is humbling. I’m grateful for both.

In that first post, I promised to “share what I think today; offer a quote for your muse to both muse and use; and propose an experiment designed to support your journey.”  I’m batting 1000 on the first promise, quite a bit less on the weekly experiment. 

I promised to be eclectic and to share from a variety of sources, systems and doctrines. Then, somewhere along the way, I felt drawn to mostly share the work and words of Gregge Tiffen. Instead of writing, then searching for a quote to fit, I found myself reflecting on what I was observing and/or experiencing at the time. Once I found a quote that deepened my reflection or understanding, I began to use that as a starting point for the week’s message.  You can read more about Gregge and my work with him here - http://cindyreinhardt.com/blog/who-in-the-world-is-gregge-tiffen?rq=Gregge%20Ti

In that first post, I declared The Zone would be “a place to explore what success means; how its meaning fits with dreams and values; what shifts may be called for; approaches for creating your personal Success Zone; and an assortment of resources for the journey.” And, that the focus was intended to be “individually and collectively reclaiming personal power, a right and responsibility that we aren’t very well prepared for in our culture … look at where we’ve abdicated power and how to gain it back through the lens of ancient mysticism, brought forward to practical application in today’s world.”  It’s in these areas that Gregge’s work shines and continues to offer guidance on my own personal journey.

These four years and ‘52 x 4’ posts have deepened my understanding of life, of nature, and of my piece of the universal puzzle. While I continue to experiment and search for the ‘hows’, I’m clear that my focus and intention in the world is as it was when I began “… supporting a shift from the ‘more is better’/’win-loose’ paradigm to the paradigm of care, compassion, cooperation, collaboration, community with abundance for all.”

Next week begins year five.  While, I can’t say what the next four years or even four weeks of posts will look like, these weekly explorations will continue with these intentions intact.

As I said at the beginning, “I want to challenge your thinking (and mine!), to poke around the edges of what’s possible, explore how nature and ancient wisdom define and guide us to success. As Emerson suggests this eclectic approach may sometimes be contradictory. Yet, that represents the diversity and flow of life.  Things change. We change.  We can reconsider and adapt. Or resist and be left behind. Always there is choice.”

Thank you for the privilege of sharing my journey with you.  Seriously, it is a privilege to land in your in-box each week. 

Experiment for the Week: Notice your energy flow. What energizes you? What drains your energy? What new choice(s) are you invited to make?

Another Beautiful Day Dawns in the Sangres

Will

The Sangres from the valley floor

There can be no exercise of will when there is fear. Gregge Tiffen (The Language of a Mystic: Awareness – July, 2009)

When fear is used to control us, love is how we rebel. Rivera Sun (The Dandelion Insurrection – love and revolution)

As the month that we in the U.S. celebrate ‘independence’ comes to a close and as I observe the chaos of our current public discourse, I’ve been thinking about the source of freedom and about what stands in the way of creating new systems that are true to that source.

Freedom, justice, equality – key principles and qualities upon which the United States was founded – cannot be sustained where fear is present. And, today we live in a culture of fear – overt and covert. I see fear in the reactionary systems aimed at controlling ‘the other’. And, I see these systems breaking down. These breakdowns can feed fear as well where we have not made peace with the idea of not knowing. The tighter we grasp to save them, the faster systems move to their breaking points. Many are fearful of what lies beyond. We see this throughout our culture, not only in the U.S. but around the globe.

When fear is present we lose our ability to think clearly and to recognize the reality of the conditions that are present. We defer to the will of others. Yet, one by one, step by step (with some stumbles along the way) we are waking to realize that free will is not granted (and, thus cannot be taken away) by government (or any person or system). Free will and the will to use it are gifts from the Universe. These gifts are our opportunity to discover the unique ‘I’ that each of us is as an individual cell of the infinite Universal whole.

And, from our individual journeys of discovery, collectively we hold the opportunity, the potential to advance freedom, justice, equality for all.  Free will is a gift that grows when exercised and nurtured with love. Not gushy, ‘roses are red’ romantic love (though that is one form of expression) but love without conditions; love that is curious, thoughtful, and pure.

We make countless choices daily, each an opportunity to choose whether to exercise our will or to submit to the will of some other. Fear is what stands in the way of consistently exercising our will.

When I reflect on the chaotic conditions throughout the world, I see a world that has lost the moral compass of free will and uses fear in an effort to control. That approach doesn’t seem to be working so well. History teaches us that revolution based on fear may change conditions on the surface, but that any change will be temporary.

Lasting change in our systems will come – indeed IS coming – from those with the courage and grit to move beyond their fear and to act from a deep knowing that the source of free will is not any government or system or person. They recognize that free will is entrusted equally in each and every one by an infinite Universe.

Up close and personal, perhaps it’s time for each of us to take a look at our own exercise of will. In that spirit, I’m asking myself these questions:

Where is my will lacking?

What fear(s) have me (knowingly or not) defer to the will of others?

What is possible when I surrender my fear, remembering my source is not the world but the infinite Universe of which this world is just a tiny part?

A Chorus of Morning Clouds

Front and Center

Oh what a beautiful morning!

Whatever you have in front of you is what you have in front of you. That’s it! Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: Creative Power Released – July, 2011)

The simplicity of this statement struck me as I woke from a nap and reached for one of Gregge’s booklets in search of my focus for this week’s post.  Life truly is as simple as living in the now, focused on what is in front of us – front and center.

From ancient spiritual traditions to best-selling self-help books today, this teaching is found throughout. Yet simple does not mean easy. And, hey, it seems we humans have been working on this for a very long time.

We make life complex by layering past experiences or concerns about the future (and sometimes both at the same time) onto whatever is in front of us. Over time I’ve noticed that quite often whatever I’m fretting about in my head has nothing to do with what’s in front of me at that moment.

In its infinite wisdom, the Universe does not engage in the past or the future. It doesn’t worry over what it did yesterday or even billions of years ago. Done is done. And, the Universe doesn’t fret about tomorrow or the next election. What will be, will be.

 This doesn’t mean that we don’t reflect on and learn from our past. That’s a natural and necessary ingredient for our growth and development. Likewise, it doesn’t mean that we don’t care about and put attention on the direction of our future. We give each their time. We learn. We make adjustments. At their time, each is front and center. Then we move to what’s next. With discipline and practice, we do so without the past or future successfully claiming bit parts in our present.

Pure and simple, no matter how great or how small (but, who cares about size?), the opportunity before you IS. That’s it. With full attention on THAT, take a step, then another. Leave the past in its place. Let the future unfold as it is sure to do.

P.S. In the three short hours since I penned this post, I’ve been humbled (yet again) by how easily my thoughts wander and by the vast range of that wandering. On our morning walk I caught myself revisiting an old conflict rather than fully taking in the beauty of the mountains and the sky as the sun made its way to the top of the ridge. I chuckled as I put my attention on that and bid the past adieu. A short while later as I watered the garden I noticed myself being annoyed by what needed to be done there later rather than putting attention on the water falling on the bounty.  What’s in front of me is simple. Putting my full attention there requires commitment, awareness, and vigilance. Step by step may I rise to what is front and center NOW.

When I'm present, I notice the subtle beauty of first light filtering through the woods.

A Locomotive Goes In Only One Direction At A Time

Warm weather brings the snow melt to Cottonwood Creek on our Solstice hike.

Everything in metaphysics is like a train. Choose to be a locomotive, the cars will follow. Gregge Tiffen (Father Time – June, 2007)

Happy Summer!  This week we celebrated the Summer Solstice and experienced the longest daylight of the year. That daylight which has been increasing since the Winter Solstice will now begin its subtle retreat. We can count on nature and her cycles to remind us of consistency.

Several weeks back (just about the time that busy season for the bed & breakfast was about to begin), I decided to take a course designed to help me expand the readership of this weekly post. There were some other benefits that sounded quite useful as well so, despite the timing, I signed up.

About the same time, guests and reservations at the Dragonfly House began to trickle in. And, like the creek’s springtime thaw, the flow increased. I’m grateful. I love sharing my home and meeting amazing people from all over the world. It’s a means of creative expression that I would never have imagined. I’ve even come to enjoy the ‘darn dailies’, tasks that were once chores, but now are simply part of that expression.

I also love my walks with Luke and my quiet time in nature, with a book, or taking a nap. I love sharing this weekly muse. I no longer want to juggle a dozen glass balls in the air, making sure that one doesn’t drop.

I also love courses and learning conversations. That’s why I was surprised to find myself struggling and resisting in this course. I pushed through the barrier that the issue was one of not enough time, and slogged ahead. After a bit more suffering, it finally dawned on me that the issue wasn’t about time.

I discovered that my resistance was two-fold. First, I can only go in one direction at a time if I want to be, to give, and to express my best (I do!).

A locomotive goes in only one direction at a time. And, it stays on track!

Second, learning that tells me ‘there’s a right way and to be successful you must follow that way’ simply doesn’t resonate with my understanding of how the Universe works.

Authenticity, being true to who I understand me to be, resonates. Doing market research to tell me what and how to write doesn’t. Not to compare myself with great writers and artists, but can you imagine (fill in your own favorite artists of any type or era) doing market research then penning or painting their innermost thoughts? Who comes to mind? Rumi? Georgia O’Keefe? Beethoven?

At a whole new level, I understand why most every marketing related course or activity I’ve engaged in over several decades didn’t resonate or produce the intended results. These courses weren’t bad (in fact many are excellent). But, they aren’t my path. Okay. I think I’ve received and recorded the message this time. I’m the locomotive, on my track … Onward!

An early morning Solstice hike to the Ziggurat.

Designed To Listen

Nice hike and creek play after a day of rest.

Your first requirement is to your body and to the health of your body. This is the function and health of the body’s mobility, its communication within itself, its awareness to other body forms in nature, and its five physical senses. … and once that is done, you are almost automatically put in tune with the opportunities in nature. Gregge Tiffen (Down to Earth: Terrestrial Activities)

Your cells are as directly related to your body as they are to the earth, as they are to the solar system and as they are to the galaxy. Your cells say, ‘Move now. Sit still. Function.’ You are designed to listen. Gregge Tiffen (Impatience Fishes In An Empty Pond – June, 2008)

Let that sink in for a moment: you are designed to listen. To listen to your body, its knowledge, its wisdom. Your body is your most valuable resource for guidance in what to do next. And, when you listen, new opportunities emerge. That’s how life on the planet is designed.

What is your body saying right now?  Not the mind chatter that’s yelling about what the world (jobs, bosses, friends, family, etc.) says you should do. But what does the body need right now?  Nourishment? Exercise? To start or finish a project? A nap? Your body knows.

When we’re experiencing illness, the body asks that we rest and allow it to heal. The body knows how to do this. Your job is to give it that direction and support for the healing process. In our modern world though we often mitigate the discomfort with drugs and forge ahead with whatever plans and projects we’re engaged in.

I’ve rarely been a follower of that path. I’m simply not good at pushing myself when I don’t feel well. There was a time that I thought that I was ‘wimping out’. No more.

These days more and more I aim to deepen my ability to listen, to hear, and to respond to what my physical body requests of me.  Recently it’s messages that more ‘winter-like’ than active, ‘summer-like’ ones. My body has asked that I slow down, pace myself differently, and sometimes it simply asks me to ‘Stop’.

I’ve never been one to nap much or to ‘just sit’, but recently have felt guided to do both. I’m learning to take time mid-day for nourishment and a bit of rest before re-engaging in the activities of the day. One evening I sat on the back deck for a couple hours just listening to and watching the woods, and wondering about the unseen, unheard lives of the trees and other inhabitants of these woods.

Earlier this week, on a day that I was prepared to dive into my prioritized list of summer projects, my body told me to ‘stop’.  No, a slow pace or doing a few things was not acceptable.  ‘Stop, rest, read, sleep.’ ‘Yes you can check email, FB, and even play a computer game. But, STOP.’  I listened and followed the body’s guidance. After a bit of  grousing about all that I ‘should’ be doing, I surrendered. I slept, I read, I sipped tea. I slept, checked email, read some more. And, yes, I played a few games of Mahjongg Solitare. Luke seemed content with a couple short walks and trips outside and dozed nearby most of the day.  He’s a good role model.

Beyond the sense of satisfaction I felt, I was rewarded with waking the next day to several B&B inquiries, a new reservation, and a reenergized body that was ready to get up and go.

In body, we are of nature. I continue to discover that, when I follow nature’s guidance, life flows as easily as the breeze in the pines.

Sunset on another glorious day in the San Luis Valley

Life As Creative Endeavor

A place to awaken the senses and be curious about nature's ways.

Creative force is the necessary energy to begin a new experience. … Creative momentum leads you to the kind of experience that leads to knowledge. That is what the whole story of life is about. … Nuances are the creative opportunities to get into the experience.  Gregge Tiffen (Open Secrets: An Air of Optimism – May, 2011)

What do ‘creative force’ ‘momentum’ ‘nuances’ have to do with the activities of maintaining life? You know the ‘darn dailies’ required to sustain our existence on the planet?

I’m discovering more and more that there is opportunity for living life as a creative endeavor.  I don’t need to set aside a block of time and have all the necessary supplies to “be creative”. Opportunities abound to invoke the creative force in most everything I do. Curiosity and awareness are the keys. I can choose to become aware of what I don’t know and curious to find out. That’s the root of creative force.

So, each of us – you, me, everyone – has the capacity to be creative.  Being creative isn’t dependent on having the skill to make music or art. Those are clear creative acts, but so can be most any action in life – when you make the choice to BE and to tap into discovering what you don’t know about whatever activity you’re engaged in. That awareness and curiosity hold the potential to bring light, joy and wonder to most any task. And, that’s truly living.

We each have routine tasks that we do daily. We rise, we brush, we dress, we eat, we walk the dog, we work … and the list goes on. We can do these tasks with awareness or not. We can view them as burdens or not. We can look for the creative opportunities right there, subtle though they may be, or not.  And, those choices that we make moment to moment determine the quality of that moment, the next one, and extend beyond to the overall quality of our lives. Yep, those little choices add up to a really big deal – you.

Most days Luke and I walk the same route each morning. When I’m aware that I don’t know what will be different today, I can choose to engage my curiosity to find out. Our walk becomes a creative endeavor of discovery, not a boring ‘chore’ that must be done.  My awareness is in the senses: eyeing Luke as he sniffs his way from place to place; noticing how the light is filtering through the trees; feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin; hearing water make its way over rocks and around bends; and, just this morning noticing the fresh pine scent that permeated the air along our route (I thought of how fresh cut boughs brought indoors invoke the winter holiday spirit). Each day is different, and from these observations I learn little bits of nature’s ways.

I don’t limit this awareness and curiosity to walks in nature. Now that the ‘busy’ season has arrived at the Dragonfly House, I’m engaging in the daily maintenance requirements in much the same way. I observe guests – what they eat, what they use, what they are interested in – from curiosity. I wonder what I can learn about how to make their time here more enjoyable and how I can be more efficient. I engage in cleaning, making beds, preparing each room and the like with curiosity as well. Yes, I know how to do these tasks, but I don’t know what new look and feel I might create or how I might be more efficient. That wonder invokes the creative force giving each routine task its own sense of being new.

So often we look at the tasks of life as chores that we must ‘get through’ so we can get on with our ‘real’ work or some fun, creative project. Yet, when we take a moment to inquire, just below the surface we find creative opportunity abounds, creating momentum for lightening the load of what we once considered the heavy, boring burdens of life.

Aware, curious ... I'd say this is what creative engagement looks like!