Greetings!
Politics is not my favorite subject. It has a devisive edge that leaves me cold. On the other hand, I vote.
Two friends who have responded to my recent post on Facebook cause me to look at the reasons I felt motivated to post "This is where I stand," regarding our current government.
I've reflected on Gandhi, a person I admire. His example of passive resistance resonates for me. In the light of our current political situation, I wonder if my usual position to stand and observe works, especially now.
I choose my clothing, so why would I not choose my president? To quote a friend, I held my nose and voted for Clinton; not because I admire her, but because I could not in good conscience vote for a man who says he loves America but attacks what we hold dear and uses political rhetoric to demean Americans.
If I see a child or an elderly person being abused do I simply observe or do I call the authorities? As I see my country being abused I also take a stand while continuing to pray, meditate and hold the energy. For me, it is not an either/or situation. Gandhi saw a wrong and took a passive position to affect change by fasting. Our public statements can be every bit as effective. I also realize that I have a responsibility to choose carefully what I say.
I am so aware that what we resist persists. Rather than simply copying the Facebook post, I had a personal responsibility to express my own thoughts. It does support taking positive action and speaking out, taking a stand as we feel inspired, is something we can all do to support the country we love.
History has taught us that the price of silence in the face of madness is too high.
Namaste'
Phyl-EL
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Sunday, February 5, 2017
When Hovering Hurts
Hi!
As it is in life, when several things gather 'round, they cannot be accidental. From several sources including my own thoughts, the subject of "hovering" is demanding attention.
Attention is a funny thing. We grow up with it, we grow into it, we become addicted to it. Our lives are full of details and we come to expect that unless we hover over them, manage them, list them, keep track of them somehow we will lose the thread and our lives will spiral out of control.
The delightful thing is that the less I pay attention, the more smoothly my life runs. So I've found that where I find myself blocked, it's because I've allowed myself to hold attention, however unintentionally, on the situation. Hovering. My System is showing me a symptom, and, oh, yes, there is Wisdom in any symptom.
Very practically, I was raised in a low income family, moved through several underpaid jobs and always found a way to survive. Acquired beliefs produced the quality of my life.
It all came home to me regarding my prayer room - a sacred energy space I can see and feel. The prayer room came about through Wisdom as I considered how it is that we traditionally think of prayer as an opportunity for service, with the caveat that we continue to manage them, repeat them, keep track of them. That is until my inner wise voice interrupted to say that once my prayerful intention is stated and I move my attention to the room, continuing to manage it is unnecessary and in conflict with the spirit that binds us. And it means that hovering over that person or situation leaches my energy when ease is my objective.
Our current political situation comes naturally to mind when I see and feel so many folks suffering symptoms very like P.T.S.D. since the election. In several sessions with clients we've heard guidance that directly relates to this habit of hovering.
Our belief that we must maintain vigilance over the unfolding situation can magnify the division.
Attention on any thing produces more of the same.
All things are part of a greater creation we cannot fully understand from our limited right-or-wrong point of view. From this perspective we're unable to comprehend the infinite possibilities. Monitoring details actually blocks the energy of potential outcomes. Hovering blocks the flow of the Infinite, denying its power to bring us remedy.
We are so much more than we know. The power we wield is awesome. How will we assert that power? Much like a lovely ray of sunshine becomes a dangerous thing when focused through a magnifying glass. Or we choose to breathe deeply, expanding a sphere of light to embrace the Infinite.
Breathing and embracing the Infinite,
Phyl-EL
As it is in life, when several things gather 'round, they cannot be accidental. From several sources including my own thoughts, the subject of "hovering" is demanding attention.
Attention is a funny thing. We grow up with it, we grow into it, we become addicted to it. Our lives are full of details and we come to expect that unless we hover over them, manage them, list them, keep track of them somehow we will lose the thread and our lives will spiral out of control.
The delightful thing is that the less I pay attention, the more smoothly my life runs. So I've found that where I find myself blocked, it's because I've allowed myself to hold attention, however unintentionally, on the situation. Hovering. My System is showing me a symptom, and, oh, yes, there is Wisdom in any symptom.
Very practically, I was raised in a low income family, moved through several underpaid jobs and always found a way to survive. Acquired beliefs produced the quality of my life.
It all came home to me regarding my prayer room - a sacred energy space I can see and feel. The prayer room came about through Wisdom as I considered how it is that we traditionally think of prayer as an opportunity for service, with the caveat that we continue to manage them, repeat them, keep track of them. That is until my inner wise voice interrupted to say that once my prayerful intention is stated and I move my attention to the room, continuing to manage it is unnecessary and in conflict with the spirit that binds us. And it means that hovering over that person or situation leaches my energy when ease is my objective.
Our current political situation comes naturally to mind when I see and feel so many folks suffering symptoms very like P.T.S.D. since the election. In several sessions with clients we've heard guidance that directly relates to this habit of hovering.
Our belief that we must maintain vigilance over the unfolding situation can magnify the division.
Attention on any thing produces more of the same.
All things are part of a greater creation we cannot fully understand from our limited right-or-wrong point of view. From this perspective we're unable to comprehend the infinite possibilities. Monitoring details actually blocks the energy of potential outcomes. Hovering blocks the flow of the Infinite, denying its power to bring us remedy.
We are so much more than we know. The power we wield is awesome. How will we assert that power? Much like a lovely ray of sunshine becomes a dangerous thing when focused through a magnifying glass. Or we choose to breathe deeply, expanding a sphere of light to embrace the Infinite.
Breathing and embracing the Infinite,
Phyl-EL
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
I Didn't March...
Hello, Everyone!
No, I didn't march. And since the march I've read a number of posts on Facebook defending not marching and/or asserting the need to at least support others who did or wanted to.
At 75 I've marched, of course. I've fought in professional and educational and legal arenas to be recognized as a valued human being. And I've fought my internal battles to undo what personal history and karma have taught me.
My daughter-in-love marched in D.C. and her sis and bro marched in the Twin Cities. What a powerful statement they made and will continue to make in following intentional paths to sustain and build on human rights.
But I believe the most important thing they've done is to set the bar higher for my two granddaughters.
And I hope the other point to be made is not whether we marched, but that we are all human and deserve respect.
How is it that we can gather in unity and fall apart in dissension when we realize we are individuals?
Correlating with this is an issue in my church. In this place that I love these people I love are pulling apart in dissension. In this place where the Sacred is its foundation, I wonder whether we are forgetting our foundations. "Let Peace begin with me..." Have the words become simply a ritual?
Our country is in a similar condition, isn't it? As my friend, Nancy, said so succinctly this morning, we are the microcosm. So let's not forget that we reflect the macrocosm; that the planet's plan is our plan. We are all simply doing the very best we can to play out the part that we've written into our own script.
Every action generates a reaction. Let's take a breath and instead make it a response, to gentle the energy of whatever others choose to write into their script that differs from our own.
If we can keep this perspective, whether it's human rights or political rhetoric, spiritual seeking or personal growth, this old world will be the beneficiary. Whatever we owe it, we owe ourselves first. Let's breathe and become the initiators of what we want to see.
Peace and Ease,
Phyl-EL
No, I didn't march. And since the march I've read a number of posts on Facebook defending not marching and/or asserting the need to at least support others who did or wanted to.
At 75 I've marched, of course. I've fought in professional and educational and legal arenas to be recognized as a valued human being. And I've fought my internal battles to undo what personal history and karma have taught me.
My daughter-in-love marched in D.C. and her sis and bro marched in the Twin Cities. What a powerful statement they made and will continue to make in following intentional paths to sustain and build on human rights.
But I believe the most important thing they've done is to set the bar higher for my two granddaughters.
And I hope the other point to be made is not whether we marched, but that we are all human and deserve respect.
How is it that we can gather in unity and fall apart in dissension when we realize we are individuals?
Correlating with this is an issue in my church. In this place that I love these people I love are pulling apart in dissension. In this place where the Sacred is its foundation, I wonder whether we are forgetting our foundations. "Let Peace begin with me..." Have the words become simply a ritual?
Our country is in a similar condition, isn't it? As my friend, Nancy, said so succinctly this morning, we are the microcosm. So let's not forget that we reflect the macrocosm; that the planet's plan is our plan. We are all simply doing the very best we can to play out the part that we've written into our own script.
Every action generates a reaction. Let's take a breath and instead make it a response, to gentle the energy of whatever others choose to write into their script that differs from our own.
If we can keep this perspective, whether it's human rights or political rhetoric, spiritual seeking or personal growth, this old world will be the beneficiary. Whatever we owe it, we owe ourselves first. Let's breathe and become the initiators of what we want to see.
Peace and Ease,
Phyl-EL
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