“Every artist was first an amateur.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
To be an artist one has to find beauty in ordinary things. Find 10 things of great beauty in the landscape that surrounds you. For example, crumple sheets on your bed in the morning, the smell of coffee making its way around a busy office. (Ana Guardia)
The list comes easily. Watching the wind play with the surface of the small lake, movement of the reeds responding to the same breeze, a seemingly mindless journey of the dragon fly, sounds of the Red Wing Blackbird swooshing by as a warning to move from the nest, the slight brush on my hair for his wing, the play of light on the floor as it passes through the prism of cut glass of the front entryway, the interesting angles of the various magazines on the sofa table, unique patterns of each plank of cypress flooring beneath my chair, melodious sounds of table ware being placed in the drawer, and distant sound of the cow beckoning her calf.
The greatest beauty is found in the people that I encounter. My challenge is to observe and value that which is unique in myself. My senses that allows me to become aware of the beauty that surrounds me is truly a marvelous gift.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
on Guilt..
“I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
What message is yearning inside you? What is something you know deep in your soul? Don’t look for someone else to describe it. You do it. Write it down. Write it as a poem, a sentence or even just a string of words. Just make sure you get it to paper. (Michael McFadden)
Guilt – Such a loaded concept. Guilt has been a part of my life since I can remember. I didn’t grow up in a religious family; that didn’t happen until I was in my early teen years. The guilt was there long before Billy Graham came to Oklahoma and my folks became believers. It manifested itself in a sense of being less than anyone else. I was painfully shy and withdrawn. My parents didn’t intended to use guilt as means of control; their actions which triggered a guilt response in me were motivated out of a caring and love that wanted me to be a competent human being. The “Why didn’t you…”; “you are lazy”; report cards from teachers stating “can do better” were positive intentions. My internal experience concluded that I was faulty protoplasm. I believed I had to justify everything that I did. If I had ‘fun’, I was accused of being lazy, not caring about the family, not respecting my parents. If I spent any money or was the cause of money being spent, I felt guilty because I didn't deserve it and I owed a debt (with compound interest) that couldn't be repaid.
This type of guilt might be referred to as ‘false guilt.” False guilt is very difficult to confront; where as true guilt can be confronted; amends made; actionable steps can be taken. False guilt is a elusive and intangible but haunts and torments as a thief in the night taking what belongs to each one of use – our sense of completeness and wholeness. It steals self-confidence and self-reliance; making us slaves to the opinions, and judgments of others. We begin to make it our business what other think of us. The false guilt is brought on by the many tapes and messages given in the past which begins to generate a feeling of being bad without ever doing anything wrong.
The differentiation between true and false guilt is a first step to emotional freedom. False guilt is a lie! Differentiation begins with determining responsibility. Is it your fault? If it is, take action to change your behavior; gain insight into your motivation. Some acts that were harmful were out of good intentions; keep the good intentions and learn more effective means to accomplish that good intention. Change yourself or situation if it is true guilt. Making mistakes is human and forgiveness of self is critical. Make amends when doing so is appropriate and doesn’t create more harm. Be open with your mistakes with those that you trust and seek feedback about the guilt – is it true or false guilt?
One of the greatest gifts I can present to those that I love is a guilt free spirit. I become open for their love and their gifts which is the greater gift – being worthy of the abundance that is available to me.
What message is yearning inside you? What is something you know deep in your soul? Don’t look for someone else to describe it. You do it. Write it down. Write it as a poem, a sentence or even just a string of words. Just make sure you get it to paper. (Michael McFadden)
Guilt – Such a loaded concept. Guilt has been a part of my life since I can remember. I didn’t grow up in a religious family; that didn’t happen until I was in my early teen years. The guilt was there long before Billy Graham came to Oklahoma and my folks became believers. It manifested itself in a sense of being less than anyone else. I was painfully shy and withdrawn. My parents didn’t intended to use guilt as means of control; their actions which triggered a guilt response in me were motivated out of a caring and love that wanted me to be a competent human being. The “Why didn’t you…”; “you are lazy”; report cards from teachers stating “can do better” were positive intentions. My internal experience concluded that I was faulty protoplasm. I believed I had to justify everything that I did. If I had ‘fun’, I was accused of being lazy, not caring about the family, not respecting my parents. If I spent any money or was the cause of money being spent, I felt guilty because I didn't deserve it and I owed a debt (with compound interest) that couldn't be repaid.
This type of guilt might be referred to as ‘false guilt.” False guilt is very difficult to confront; where as true guilt can be confronted; amends made; actionable steps can be taken. False guilt is a elusive and intangible but haunts and torments as a thief in the night taking what belongs to each one of use – our sense of completeness and wholeness. It steals self-confidence and self-reliance; making us slaves to the opinions, and judgments of others. We begin to make it our business what other think of us. The false guilt is brought on by the many tapes and messages given in the past which begins to generate a feeling of being bad without ever doing anything wrong.
The differentiation between true and false guilt is a first step to emotional freedom. False guilt is a lie! Differentiation begins with determining responsibility. Is it your fault? If it is, take action to change your behavior; gain insight into your motivation. Some acts that were harmful were out of good intentions; keep the good intentions and learn more effective means to accomplish that good intention. Change yourself or situation if it is true guilt. Making mistakes is human and forgiveness of self is critical. Make amends when doing so is appropriate and doesn’t create more harm. Be open with your mistakes with those that you trust and seek feedback about the guilt – is it true or false guilt?
One of the greatest gifts I can present to those that I love is a guilt free spirit. I become open for their love and their gifts which is the greater gift – being worthy of the abundance that is available to me.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The power of your legacy
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
One definition of legacy is what someone feels, thinks and says when they hear your name. What are you doing today to build the legacy you want?
One of the legacies that I desire to transmit to those I encounter, either family or friends is a sense of acceptance of their own value and capacity for life. My efforts in that direction to seek to create value each day. Value is determined by what I choose to exchange for this moment, this breath. Often I make a poor bargain by choosing to engage in activity that has little value for anyone.
I remember on frequent occasions that I would stop by the farm in Oklahoma as a young man to visit with my father. His response to me before his senior years was; "we can visit while we work". This is a strong legacy which strongly influenced my sense of always needing to work. I find I battle this in my personal life; needing to be busy - often too busy to take time to spend time with others. By contrast, if I stopped to visit my uncle, he would stop what he was doing would sit under a shade tree to visit. Years later when I stopped to visit is son, he always took time from his work to spend with me.
We leave legacies. What do you choose to leave?
One definition of legacy is what someone feels, thinks and says when they hear your name. What are you doing today to build the legacy you want?
One of the legacies that I desire to transmit to those I encounter, either family or friends is a sense of acceptance of their own value and capacity for life. My efforts in that direction to seek to create value each day. Value is determined by what I choose to exchange for this moment, this breath. Often I make a poor bargain by choosing to engage in activity that has little value for anyone.
I remember on frequent occasions that I would stop by the farm in Oklahoma as a young man to visit with my father. His response to me before his senior years was; "we can visit while we work". This is a strong legacy which strongly influenced my sense of always needing to work. I find I battle this in my personal life; needing to be busy - often too busy to take time to spend time with others. By contrast, if I stopped to visit my uncle, he would stop what he was doing would sit under a shade tree to visit. Years later when I stopped to visit is son, he always took time from his work to spend with me.
We leave legacies. What do you choose to leave?
Monday, July 11, 2011
“Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Mirror, mirror on the wall… find the nearest mirror. Look. Keep looking for 3 minutes. Write about what you see. (Esther Poyer)
An interesting exercise. I rarely look at myself in the mirror - only when attempting to get the perennial 'rooster tail' to cooperate or locating wild hairs to eradicate. The thoughts I experienced didn't seem to be reflective of those I had imagined of someone of almost 70 years. The image reminded me of my father in his later years. I saw the reflected image to be stoic and rather flat. I observed an observer; a seeker of understanding. This has been a life long pattern; I was called the question box in my early years. I also saw a calm and peaceful man; comfortable with himself and life.
Mirror, mirror on the wall… find the nearest mirror. Look. Keep looking for 3 minutes. Write about what you see. (Esther Poyer)
An interesting exercise. I rarely look at myself in the mirror - only when attempting to get the perennial 'rooster tail' to cooperate or locating wild hairs to eradicate. The thoughts I experienced didn't seem to be reflective of those I had imagined of someone of almost 70 years. The image reminded me of my father in his later years. I saw the reflected image to be stoic and rather flat. I observed an observer; a seeker of understanding. This has been a life long pattern; I was called the question box in my early years. I also saw a calm and peaceful man; comfortable with himself and life.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Paradox of the Comfort Zone!
Most of us are familiar with the concept of the comfort zone. Challenging this zone of familiarity involves 'risk' and some form of fear...resistance, judgement, terror, pluralizes, escapes. Interestingly, the riskiest of all places is this comfort zone. It becomes the place of standing dead. Avoiding risk might have a number reasons; fear that we might get what we want, fear of failing, losing what we have, or might not be able to manage success. The attraction of the comfort zone is predictability and familiarity.
Chadin once said, "You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience." This concept is essential for any person seeking "comfort" - each of us is created in the image of our creator; we are spiritual beings. We are designed with the power to create, to exercise our will, use our intuition, employ our imagination...to be fully alive. To be fully alive, I must live not "having to know" but believing in my ultimate security as a creation of the creator. The comfort zone becomes the place of "having to know" even if it is a miserable knowing. It becomes a place of having to be right!
A first step in breaking free of the tyranny of the comfort zone is telling the truth. By exercising your will and say, "I choose to feel afraid", "I choose to avoid people", "I choose to be miserable". Only when owning your decision can your circumstance begin to change. This is a decision of becoming responsible for your experience.
When you know you are an expression of the Creator, you have made all of the choices that have shaped your experience. You give up blame, the rent you pay to dwell in the comfort zone. Blaming others and circumstances surrenders your personal power. What are the results that you want in your life? See yourself as having arrived; how does that feel? Write it down!
Chadin once said, "You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience." This concept is essential for any person seeking "comfort" - each of us is created in the image of our creator; we are spiritual beings. We are designed with the power to create, to exercise our will, use our intuition, employ our imagination...to be fully alive. To be fully alive, I must live not "having to know" but believing in my ultimate security as a creation of the creator. The comfort zone becomes the place of "having to know" even if it is a miserable knowing. It becomes a place of having to be right!
A first step in breaking free of the tyranny of the comfort zone is telling the truth. By exercising your will and say, "I choose to feel afraid", "I choose to avoid people", "I choose to be miserable". Only when owning your decision can your circumstance begin to change. This is a decision of becoming responsible for your experience.
When you know you are an expression of the Creator, you have made all of the choices that have shaped your experience. You give up blame, the rent you pay to dwell in the comfort zone. Blaming others and circumstances surrenders your personal power. What are the results that you want in your life? See yourself as having arrived; how does that feel? Write it down!
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