Living The Moment

G'Day, Everyone!

Feeling very "Aussie" this morning and observing my world through this perfect moment, I wish us all the knowing of perfection in the now.

I love so much living from moment to moment. This is so out of the context from the life I grew to believe was the only way for responsible people to live. This living "in the flow" feels so "hippy" to me; so much the way the Flower Children lived in the 70s. My youngest sister came into her own during that period and she modeled that way of life for our family. We, of course, responded with some alarm to parts of that lifestyle. I must say, I was also curious about what that might feel like for her. I love her so much and wanted to understand, while rejecting what I thought could be dangerous for her. She, of course, went blithely on her way and continues to live her life more freely than I have - until now.

Living the moment is not living IN the moment. Breathing has taught me so much about living the moment. And I love living this way. Now, you and I both know that I am not perfectly in my moment all the time. But living my moment is such a relief that I am becoming addicted to it. Breath brings me back to now; nothing else but now. Thoughts float by and breath takes me back to System. What it wants now is all that matters. What it needs now is what takes precedence. All else can fall away easily.

Does it need a nap now? With breath I know what task has least resistance. Where is my attention now? This will be done this ease. With breath I hear System and respond. Reaction is less my life and more a memory.

This is a newly traveled country for me. I was a stranger here but loved the landscape. I grew more and more attracted to the beauty, the simplicity of it and now find it is more mine than the old territory I knew so well but struggled to manage. I am no longer a "stranger in a strange land." I am learning the language and feel no remorse for abandoning citizenship in what was. I adopt this country as my own.

Today is mine. Daniel visited last night and introduced himself as my Presence. "Grab it all, Phyllis. It is yours." What a different feeling I had hearing this. In the past, grabbing it all meant reaching out into the future for what would fill the now with something more, something to fill a void. In this new territory his words fill me with knowing that System is complete. My day is mine. It is complete. I am fulfilled. I do not yet know this completely, but I am comfortable learning this language still. Breathing, I know it better than I did yesterday. And while I learn it, breathing sustains me. I need know nothing more than this moment. Living the Moment is every thing.

In this Moment,

I am Phyllis, Still Becoming

The Physics of Service

Warm Greetings!

From sub-zero Minneapolis I send out a warm hug with hopes that you all enjoy a day of warmth, whether in snuggy layers or enjoying a more temperate climate. I will be in layers as Mom and I do some shopping later this morning.

I feel as if I am coming up for air after a a few days of immersing myself in The Dream Team project and completing an overdue report for the church. And I am so grateful for this computer that is easing all of it - and grateful for my computer advisors who help me iron out the wrinkles. You know who you are, Scott, Lee.

The Dream Team is, at this moment, 32 strong, with two of those from Australia. We are truly a global entity! Each one of you who has joined is already contributing to the expanding Consciousness. Judith and I notice a more vivid dreaming pattern already. We all know we are part of this to serve the planet, but what you invest also returns to you. Exchange is intended.

As we contribute, the energy naturally multiplies and, in the pattern of the infinity loop, returns to each of us. Breathe and accept the return energy to enhance your life. This is the intention of Creation; that all should thrive. And once you have stated your intention to be part of The Dream Team, you are part of the exchange and benefitting from it.

The dynamics of exchange fascinate me. Of course, a person does not have to part of The Dream Team to benefit from exchange. I am only using it to illustrate the power of exchange in our lives. Service is energy in any form, and energy invested always returns to us. The question is, are we geared to receive the return to enhance our lives, multiply our reserves and give us all the more to enjoy and to work with?

Return on our service is not limited to a paycheck or a pat on the back. As welcome as those are, it is the physics of return energy that fulfills the cycle. Physics - and the science of this escapes me - informs us that energy invested pays dividends. And most of us are not taught to receive the return.

The energy does not force itself upon us, but once we realize this is true, we have the exciting opportunity to reap the benefit. Breathing opens us to receive and to thrive. Breathing is the activity that, with intention, channels this vibrant energy through this physical system. Ahhh. Even writing this I realize that I forget to intentionally become the vessel, open to receive.

How reviving to remember, especially after investing so much in these projects the past week, that I am my best therapist when I breathe and accept all that Creation has for me, has always had for me. I am grateful to have learned it and to reap the benefits.

Breathing with you,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

Service with Honor

Greetings and Blessings!

Good Morning to all of you, whatever time of day you may visit this site. I woke this morning dreaming about President Obama and his family, and I was surprised again, as I realized the messages of the dream, that I had not acknowledged Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday yesterday.

Yesterday was a busy day, beginning with heartfelt exchanges with two partners in Spirit, and continuing with a perfect shopping trip with Mom (she saved more than she spent at Penny's - don't you just love it!). Every clerk was a joyful gift in service, every purchase a perfect answer to a need. Shopping with a low-vision person gives me fresh perspective, and so she serves me.

Service is my theme today. The dream this morning had President Obama and his family on high alert status following a threat on the president's life, but that was not the message. His focus on his family was the theme and his ease in handling the situation. And it was Mrs. Obama's focus on the girls: "Take them to a secure room and feed them breakfast, please." Wearing their public roles with such ease struck me as service beyond the obvious.

How do we serve? But perhaps more to the point, how do we honor what is our service and that it has value, whether public or private. I watched Piers Morgan interview Oprah Winfrey on CNN last night. I like him. I like his service. And I admire the core of Oprah's life of service. She is quite good at acknowledging her service, honoring why she is here on the planet.

Jack Reuler, founder of the Mixed Blood Theater here in Minneapolis, spoke with such energy and reverence about Dr. King on Sunday. He reflected on their shared history as Unitarians and about the principles he shares with Dr. King. He founded the theater on U.U. principles, with a passion for Dr. King and his vision as well. He recited passages from Dr. King's speeches that I had never heard before and that struck me with new awareness of his brilliance; not a perfect man, Dr. King, but a man of legendary service. This was the first message I've seen receive a standing ovation in this church.

Unitarian Universalists are by their very nature people of service through social justice. I am not a traditional U.U. person, but I can appreciate their service while offering and honoring my own contributions. I honor equally the service of each person who raises a child in love, who cooks with reverence for the gifts of Earth, who meditates, who breathes for the planet, who takes care and offers solace to another human being, who asks the hard questions, who contributes to Habitat for Humanity, who brings mittens for the hands of a cold child, who prays, who stands in non-violent demonstration, who serves in uniform. I honor the dreamers and those who bring the dreams into substance. Understanding them all is not my job, but honoring the service expands the good it does, the effect it can have.

Last night, as I found myself surprised that I had not mentioned Dr. King in my post yesterday, I realized that when I think of Mohandas Gandhi, and I do so often, I also think of Dr. King. Such different leaders, but each leaders of people who are forever changed by their vision and having an impact on the Consciousness beyond what we can understand. They do not stand alone, but they do stand tall. So do we all, each in our own way, as we serve.

Honoring, each of us, the manner in which we serve has the effect of exponentially expanding the energy of that service. We can serve with self-deprecation. It is still service. We can also, without ego, serve and honor the service and ourselves, thus expanding the effect of the contribution. Consciousness expands when we respect the Creation that is us; you and me, public or private, honoring what the Creator invested in us.

The heroes among us may not be visible, at least not until they touch our lives and change us in that moment, that day. Whether it be the kind and helpful clerk, the neighbor who reaches out, the thoughtful driver, the pilot who saves hundreds of lives, the friend who makes the extra phone call, the person who prays, or the leader who gives us hope, I honor each of us in service today. We are agents of change. Let us take a deep breath and honor ourselves.

Breathing and Honoring,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

Restrictions and Definitions

Greetings to All!

Leonard Bernstein said, "Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time...The wait is simply too long." Sometimes we have to take a step, write the story, be grateful for inspiration that seeps in and trust. And, I might add, the wait is not without activity. The wait is full of life; it is full of the perceived restrictions or definitions, and they all weighted with some value.

Sitting here with a great cup of coffee this morning, contemplating how long it has been since I posted to this blog, I am filled with gratitude for all the definitions and restrictions of my life that have filled the many days since I last posted. What gifts, what sweetness, what lovely energy.

I've turned 69, and was delighted that my birthday was on 1-11-11. What fun. The day spent with Mom was very sweet, reminiscing, enjoying lunch together, partially defining our lives by the years we have shared and the memories only she holds; memories that help to define me as well; memories I tuck away to share with the next generation.

Previous to that I was in Duluth, enjoying a sunny, cold weekend in the warmth and bustling energy of my wonderful church family and the snug home of my generous hostess. And following my birthday I moved in with my son and his youngest - and the enthusiastic dogs - to fill in for Carin while she chaperoned Andrea's class on a field trip. For two days I was defined by their lives, their definitions of life, and it was more like a vacation than a task because I chose it to be.

Back home to clients and conversations by phone and email with new Dream Team members, then church and friends, I observed how we all move from one activity to another, learning ourselves in various roles as we always have, yet seeking new definitions - and where we can - definitions without restriction. Clients are so good at demonstrating this, but so are all the people around us when we observe and absorb what is also ours.

I decide who I am as a grandmother. What do I share with each of these children that links us forever and does not bore them to tears? How does this bridge in Consciousness help us to define who we can be together and apart, but never unpaired? I asked Shannon if she would like me to read her a story at bedtime. "No, I want a fake story," she said. She sets me back from time to time. "Fake" stories are those that come out of my mind; stories that, when they come from inspiration, delight all of us because they are new to me, too. Inspiration provided not just one story, but as Shannon said, "OH, a story inside a story!" that also introduced another dimension/chapter that we will share next time. I am more than I was before they arrived on Earth, because some restrictions fall away in their presence.

The Dream Team is officially global. We now have a member from Melbourne, Australia. I am delighted, and galvanized by the interest of so many inspired dreamers, to create the web site and e-mailbox now that my son has given me some pointers on what might work best.

We decide. What do I believe is a restriction, and what definitions fit, still, in this time of new beginnings? We are most definitely in the time of learning ourselves in a new light. We can continue to be shaped by our past; defined and restricted by memories and old patterns. Or we can hold the memories like scrapbooked photos and choose what remains, briefly, perhaps, defining ourselves by a new template without restricting our capacity to shape-shift.

Birthing, bursting forth, wriggling in delight as we free ourselves from the birth canal, not once but again and again. "Oh, that story was me, but I am not restricted by the pages of my own book. I decide. I fake it 'til I make it. I am inspired by the story in my mind that, in a constant state of evolution, informs me about who I am and who I choose to become. I am the dreamer and the dream; the story told and the story yet to be told. I decide."

Until the next chapter,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

A Dream is Born!

Greetings on this cold winter morning!

Just a note today to express my gratitude to everyone who has expressed interest in the dream collective that birthed just over a week ago. The emails are arriving, and I am grateful and teary. Wow, our planet has cool people on it. This is not news to me, though I am struck again by the adventurous Spirit in us.

So, The Dream Team is born! And welcome to any and all of you who are interested in adding your name to its growing membership. An email will get you on the list and the latest information emailed back to you. Emails are still best sent to: phylel11@gmail.com.

I'm off to Duluth shortly to see my church family. My day is full to the brim with gratitude. I wish you the warmth of family and friends this January day, whether in body or Spirit (or both).

We are, indeed, limited only by our imaginations. What we dream, we do create. On a scale of 1 to 10, we Elevens!

'til next time,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

Holy Days

Greetings on this 12th Day of Christmas!

Throughout this 6th day of January I've been reflecting on this 12th Day of Christmas and on the 12th Night celebrations that are traditional in many areas of Christian faith. I am also struck by the attacks against people of the Coptic faith, in Egypt, and the concern of Coptic leaders in other parts of the world.

Most of you know I am not a traditional Christian. I love Christ and my relationship with him is intimate and fulfilling. What Christianity has done to his legacy with dogma and restrictive law has bothered me since I was 20 and searching for my own truth and a comfortable place to express it.

What I have learned of the Coptic religion has fascinated me, and although I do not choose to practice their faith, I respect the roots of Coptic faith and know that my soul is connected there, just as I know I'm related to the Knights Templar, to the Masons and to the Anasazi.

I've been in this reflective place for some time, and I know tonight that the reason is that I have been place-holding the holy days of several Christian denominations. Today marks Epiphany, which has such a complicated history and mythology that I won't even explore it here. But it has meaning for a lot of folks, so it is part of our Consciousness, as is the Coptic Christmas celebration tomorrow (Friday).

The crimes we commit against one another in the name of religion hurt me deeply; more today than I have ever felt before. So I hold in the Sacred today all the people of faith who stand and profess their faith, whatever price they must pay for it. Whether Jewish or Christian, Muslim or Buddhist. Whether a person practices faith in a Cathedral, a Mandir, a Mosque, a Temple, or a Sweat Lodge, or sits in a tree to meditate, I honor all people who seek Inner Wisdom and comfort in something that feels too big to understand.

Speaking of seeking, the collective dream group is growing! The name I've chosen is The Dream Team, and we will gather in our dream state for the first time on the 30th, with intention to meet monthly on the last Sunday night of each month.

I haven't worked out all the technology for the chat venue yet, but realize all I need do is surrender it and approach it again next week when I am back from a weekend with my wonderful church family in Duluth.

Until next time,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

News on Dreaming and 2011 Anomaly

Greetings 2011 Beings!

First the update on dreaming. This experience is already exponentially expanding MY consciousness, so I am both excited and intimidated by the scope of this birthing intention.

While I started out pondering the ways in which people dream, I've found the core of these thoughts takes me into reflections on collaborative or mutual dreaming that I introduced to a dream class and workshops many years ago. In the dream class we learned the techniques of recalling and recording our dreams first. Then, as we grew more adept, I introduced shared dreaming. We would agree on a night to dream together, then choose a place to meet in our dream, and state a goal we would try to achieve. This was phenomenal! What a journey to take with people who had similar interests.

The journey I am proposing now is on this theme, but with global proportions in service to the Earth, with an intention to expand Cosmic Consciousness. As we establish a common meeting venue, perhaps a chat venue like Big Tent, and agree on a set of intentions to guide us in this venture, I will be looking for folks who are interested in joining the group. I will moderate, but that does not mean I hold the group to strict controls. How could that happen anyway, with the global scope I can see developing.

Please let me know if you would be interested in a dream collective. You do not have to be a skillful dreamer to join. No. The practice in dreaming is part of the process. I will email to anyone interested, the techniques we learned in dream class to improve our dream skills. So if you are interested in trying it out - you are making no commitments - then email me at:

phylel11@gmail.com. I will add you to my list and keep you informed of our progress. So be it.

Secondly, do you ever wonder when you observe an anomaly whether it is universal or just your own message? I'm observing an anomaly that really has me fascinated. I have seen three lighted commercial signs with either front or back missing or hanging in disrepair in the past two weeks. And in places you would expect to see rapid repair: Perkins Restaurant, Walgreens and McDonalds. Large, obvious, messy signs of disrepair.

The message for me seems to be that all the signs no longer apply as they once did. In this new Earth and since the first of this amazing new year, signs in my life which had meaning are part of the old. I take nothing for granted. Everything is under construction. We are in a state of renewal and all the rules are changing. I've spoken of this in earlier postings, so will not belabor it here.

Well, it's been a long day, so will call it good for now and thank you all for being such a significant part of how I am Becoming in 2011.

Until next time,

I am Phyllis, still Becoming

The New and the Update

CH. 2 of Dreaming the Vision

Hello Again!

This dreaming group is becoming something I had not consciously anticipated, but so much more than I explored yesterday.

While how people dream is an exciting journey that may continue to be of interest, and could be part of a larger creation, input from a few readers has me on a different, though related, track.

Joining in intentional dreaming, as I explored in one of my dream workshops, would be the most extraordinary exploration of Consciousness.

In the class, we would set a night and location to meet, record our results when we woke and report at the next gathering. The events we shared were just delightful - and instructive. We sometimes also set an intention to accomplish something together. This I realize could, no will be, a journey taken to change Consciousness in a manner beyond our current understanding.

I believe one of our goals would be to assist in a global goal that Wisdom shared with me when telling me the goals of the axis shift: to dissolve all barriers, boundaries and borders. And we can do that with intentional, group dreaming for the planet. I know it at this moment more surely than I know any thing. And the goals we set are limited only by our imaginations. The goals could includes focusing dream attention on one of the group for whatever might be needed. A dream gathering might focus on a community, a disaster area, the energetic grids, you name it we could effectively contribute. Stated, respectful intention would set guidelines for the greater good, absent of selfish or personal agendas.

I have to leave for a family gathering, so will stop for now. Please chime in, and if you prefer to email me rather than comment here, my email is: phylel11@gmail.com. Thank you all.

Namaste

Dreaming the Vision

Greetings to all of you and to 2011!

A vision a couple of weeks ago seems worth exploring this first day of this amazing new year.

Sharing dreams with my closest peeps is a favored way to explore what our Consciousness is communicating. One day I realized with renewed clarity that every single person on our planet dreams differently. It reminded me of my philosophy professor, Dr. David Lund at Bemidji State, who said, "You cannot have another person's experience." And while I surely get close when I am translating the Consciousness/Wisdom of a client, I know that what Dr. Lund says is true. We are unique in this Cosmos, and our experience is not the product of one aspect, it is a complex conglomerate of many aspects. Why, then, would we dream like any other person?

The crux of my vision, though, was people gathering in person, in Consciousness Links, or online to share the way they dream. One person dreams in color, another mostly in black and white. Some are 3-D dreamers, some dream on a flat screen. Some people have lucid dreams interspersed with symbolic dreams and some clearly dream only symbolically. In all the years I have been helping folks realize the meaning of their dreams, I have explored the way they dream only peripherally.

The most prolific and lucid dreamer I ever met could stop and restart her dreams at will. If she wanted to review a part of the dream, she would use a symbol to rewind the dream and begin again, losing nothing in the process. She would wake enough to pick up her notebook and with eyes closed, record the dream, dreaming while she was writing. There are certainly, out there in our world, dreamers worthy of exploring.

My thought is that our dreams are our Consciousness communicating significant segments of our lives; that already this expands our personal Consciousness and certainly the Cosmic Consciousness as well

The vision was of a collaboration of dreamers, sharing the qualities of their dreaming, and by doing so, exponentially expanding Consciousness in a manner that we have not yet achieved.

So here I plant the seed, and that is enough for today. If you have thoughts about this, I would love to hear them.

Into your new year and mine, I hold us in the Sacred, expanding the Consciousness we share and bringing us all to new heights of achievement and balance, inward and outward balance that serves us well and all others. Namaste