Changing one’s life is a warrior’s journey. It is a series of choices that you make each day, in every moment that will eventually reveal your desired results—often in an unexpected form. In making those choices, you are living your new vision of yourself right now! Let go of how and when the desired results will manifest. This is called “letting go of outcome.

The whole column is great, but this passage particularly resonated because it covers so many predominant themes in my life: Change; Journey; Choice; In-the-Moment; Gradual Revelation; Letting Go/Surrendering Attachment to Results.

And then:  Patience; Trust; Gratitude; and Being Outside.  Patience is a biggie for me and so worthwhile, because without it we are frequently frustrated and that’s not a happy way to be.  By trusting that life is unfolding and evolving just as it should be, we can relax and be patient.  In order to trust, we have to let go of our belief that we have it all figured out and know just what we need (ego.)  Being grateful for what we are, and have, now, shifts our focus from worrying about outcomes to fully experiencing the process.  And getting outside and moving around gets our blood and energy flowing and does great things for clarity of mind and vision.

When you feel the tugs of disappointment because something that you are focused upon hasn’t happened, this “mantra” of mine may be helpful! “I trust that (Insert your Divine desire here) is already manifesting in ways that I can’t yet see.” This is a way to move through the emotional turbulence that anger; jealousy, impatience and disappointment create. Remember with compassion that these feelings are old habits and usually reveal another layer of inner landscape work that needs to be attended to. Feel them, acknowledge what they are showing you about your perceptions, and then transmute them by attending to your gratitude practice. If possible, also get yourself outside. Practicing gratitude while outside in the natural world, we more easily “reset” ourselves to the harmonious vibrations of creation.

And these central themes: Focus; Intention; Manifestation; The Path.  Getting back to the moment/the process, and trusting it, we are able to remember that the universe works in mysterious ways.

Once you are “reset” by gratitude, refocus your intentions and make sure you are focused on the feelings that your desired outcome is already manifested. These feelings are critical as they can generate a result that provides an unexpected path toward the desired reality. Remember, the spirits of All That Is (and your own divine self) may have something in mind even more glorious than your mind can imagine, so always focus on simply feeling it in this present moment.

Yes, that mystery can be frustrating, confusing, and difficult, but it can also be magical, if we let it.

I thank Evelyn for this wisdom, and Baron Baptiste for suggesting we be warriors instead of worriers.

]]> http://e-volvedliving.com/blog/2010/02/03/325/feed/ 0 http://e-volvedliving.com/blog/2009/08/10/do-the-practice/ http://e-volvedliving.com/blog/2009/08/10/do-the-practice/#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:21:31 +0000 dorothy http://e-volvedliving.com/blog/?p=236

“Just do the practice and all is coming.” I read this twice recently. The second time was when I opened up Fully Fertile, re-reading as a refresher. I’ve been back through all the Reiki guidance from Chikara-Reiki-Do earlier and can’t find it there, but I know I saw it earlier; that’s what made me really take notice. Apparently it is a well known nugget of yogic wisdom, but I don’t recall hearing it before. What I take from it is a reminder that all is as it should be and that by trusting the guidance of the universe and focusing our intention, life will flow and we will experience balance and joy.

Here’s what I am practicing:

* nourishing my body to heal and balance and promote strength and vitality; nourishing others
* moving my body and tuning in to it; being active outdoors as much as possible
* breathing deeply and using breath to release/heal/balance/strengthen/clarify/focus
* clearing and stilling my mind; opening myself to guidance from the universe
* releasing blockages in my body/mind/spirit; allowing myself to feel happy and have fun all the time
* recognizing and being grateful for all the blessings of this life
* feeling love for myself and the humans, and creatures, I come into contact with
* forgiving myself and others for not being perfect; recognizing we are all doing the best we can
* freeing myself from living in the past or the future; really being here and now
* having confidence in my ability to achieve all that I desire and focus my energy on; feeling worthy to receive all that the universe provides
* believing in the abundance and infinite nature of the universe
* accepting creative inspiration and channeling it into concrete expression which brings me joy and can be shared
* nurturing communication and developing connections with the world around me

I had a great talk with Norma Jean last night.  Ah – girl time!  It is such a treat (and too rare these days) to really connect with someone, to have their thoughts/ideas resonate and enlighten, and to get feedback that you are really hearing them and possibly even offering something helpful.  I’m grateful for those moments, and those people.

We philosophized about a lot, including getting stuck between realization and action.  She’s there:  aware of what’s bugging her/not feeling good, aware of what she needs to focus on/do to improve, poised to Just Do It.  Waiting for someone to wave the start flag, or something. I can relate because that’s a zone I am pretty familiar with.  There are many reasons one can get stuck there:

• inertia – bodies at rest tend to stay at rest
• being overwhelmed – where to start?  is it humanly possible?
• fear of failure/lack of confidence
• fear of success
• attachment to the present/the known
• overanalysis/overplanning

It can be frustrating.  And sometimes days go by and you wonder if you’re making any progress at all, because the steps you are able to take feel so small and possibly inconsequential.  But that’s the way life rolls sometimes; the pace of the universe, which is futile to resist.  Great progress can be made at that slow-and-steady pace and the results are often more lasting and sustainable than if you had sprinted.

These phases of life are like a thin beam balanced over a big hole, with firm ground on both sides.  You gotta risk falling in order to explore what’s ahead.   And the smartest way to do that is to cultivate balance internally (equanimity), before you even set foot on the beam.  Then, step lightly, and move cautiously while remaining, calm, focused, and patient.  Trembling with fear, hurrying, looking backward or off to the side, letting your mind wander – these are the things that can throw you off.

Keep in mind, always, that falling will not kill you.  In this analogy, the hole is not going to consume you.  If you fall, you will definitely be able to get up and climb back onto the beam.  The only thing which would prevent you doing that, as many times as it takes, is your motivation, confidence, and commitment.  So, please don’t let fear of the unknown (what’s on the other side), fear of falling and staying down, or attachment to the present keep you from stepping onto that beam.Keep moving.  Keep exploring.  You can always go back and visit.

It’s a big world out there, full of exciting things and potentials and much of the good stuff requires walking on balance beams.  By doing it now, and again tomorrow, and maybe the next day…you will become better at it.  It will become easier and more comfortable.  Your confidence will grow.  And you will really be living(!), not just sitting in one spot wondering what else there is.

So, I’m editing the Happy Living Method, outlined in my last post; breaking step 4 into two steps, which acknowledges that planning and implementation are two separate processes.  Here’s the update:

1. identify what you have control over (this will become your game plan, and  it’s also how you choose to react to what comes your way)
2. identify what is beyond your control (this is the thoughts and actions of other people, as well as some of the circumstances which come your way each day)
3. accept and make peace with what is beyond your control and trust  in the universe and its rhythms; then shift the focus to cultivating gratitude for all the good stuff (make a list) and controlling what you can
4. make a plan with clear action steps and timeframes (see #1)
5. start playing the game, following your plan, moving through your action list (crossing off, adding to, adjusting as you go), and reacting to the unplanned (spontaneity is inevitable, and good!), all with confidence in yourself

May 16th is my Birthday…

The weather was a pleasant surprise – warmer and more sun than forecasted.  When I caught myself giving thought to what I didn’t receive – call/card/email from mother (forgetful and not actively engaged in my life), dad (gone, and never had a relationship), brother (totally wrapped up in his own drama and makes no effort to keep in touch), and friends – I grabbed my mind by the ear and forcefully redirected it.  Just remembering it now, I can feel my energy sink.  Because, it is an energy drain to focus on what you think you should have but don’t.  It creates a hole in your core which keeps gobbling up all the good elements of your life to feed it’s aching emptiness.  That’s never pleasant, or productive, and should always be caught and redirected.  And, especially on my birthday – a day to celebrate one’s essence and existence in this lifetime – I wasn’t about to go there.

I frequently wonder if I’m making any progress in my efforts to still my mind, open up to universal wisdom and guidance, recognize and clear blockages, and strengthen my inner source of power (through meditation, yoga, qi gung, chakra work, and acupuncture.)  I still catch my mind wandering all the time, still feel blocked energy, and still sense that inner light struggling to really shine.  Perhaps this an example of progress: catching my mind/heart wandering into negative thoughts/feelings of entitlement, disappointment, comparison, and lacking, and shifting the focus.  It is hard to do, for sure, but as is always the case, practice gradually makes an action more comfortable and automatic.  As that happens, energy is freed up for other good stuff, like being Now Here to soak up the sun, listen to the birds sing, and breathe – ahhh.

What I decided to think and feel on the 39th anniversary of my first breath is all the good stuff my life is full of:

• Love and support from family and friends, expressed and just known
• A very loving, supportive, cool, fun partner to share this road with
• Loving, supportive furry friends (the boys) with lucky tail powers
• The earth which supports and nourishes me
• The universe which guides and protects me
• The opportunities which each moment presents
• All I am learning about how to cultivate true health of body/mind/heart/spirit
• The healing touch of acupuncture treatments
• Coming home to a clean house, smelling of chocolate
• Enjoying a play, and homemade brownies during intermission,  in the courtyard, in the warm, fresh Spring nighttime air
• A genuine, down-to-earth Birthday Happiness Wish and smile from the woman we chatted about vintage bikes with – that made my night
• A freshly made bed to crawl into
• Freedom – to choose what I focus my intention on and how I act and react

I am truly blessed and grateful.

I still want to share, big time, and I think that’s the most fun when there’s a specific focus. For example, I loved, loved, loved doing our home renovation blog and cannot wait to do another one of those!  This time my goal is to do daily posts and also to link to it at other reno/building/design sites.   That, and sharing it with friends and family throughout the project, should provide a clear sense of audience and connection.

I’m trying to think of a clever focus for our next road trip (coming soon.)  When we drove from SF to Grand Blanc in 1999 Gumby and Bendy rode on the dashboard and got photographed in scenic locales like the Hoover Dam.  That was a specific story, and it was fun.  I haven’t been hit by divine inspiration yet so, as Jeph would say, “Please hold.”