What is more important? 

Being right…or being held for your imperfections? 

I don’t have a need to be correct in my opinions. Although, I need to be correct in my actions, or specifically; true in how I live and what I create in my life. What I refer to as the “Following of the Call” or “What You Are Drawn To”, is only created and hence expressed through deliberate, conscious action. Living out those beliefs is the heart speaking its truth. When we act from the heart, the results are feelings of “this feels right”. Thus, providing the confidence to know we are doing the right things for ourselves. Action is always more powerful than words. There is no need to speak a truth that you are living. Action drives the emotion or feeling; the vibration. Taking the risk to live the life we dream of, is arguably the hardest step.  Pushing through the real bodily produced feelings of fear; pushing through the fear of the unknown.

By stepping through the fear, we allow our hearts to speak clearly. This resonance when lived out is felt not only by us as individuals, but. by all those in contact with this field of coherence we emit. The feelings we produce help us understand what we should and should not be doing. The mistakes along the way are only helping to error correct our trajectory. We often only know what “to do”, by “doing the wrong thing first”. So, the more patience we have with ourselves on this journey, the more patience we have for others along their own path. In turn, that which we hold for others, will in turn, be held for ourselves. 

I believe this give and take to be the foundation of community. Loving all, while allowing them to live, make mistakes and error-correct or not, in their own time. All the while, withholding judgement. 

So…I don’t need to be right, although I want to be true or have the right in my actions, while holding myself and others for their imperfections.

 

Sharing your opinions and judgements…or sharing a meal and sustenance?

As stated above, I prefer to withhold my opinions or aka judgment. At the same time, I want to share my values. This again is expressed through how I live my life.  Sharing a meal with others is likely my favorite experience and medium to share the values of life with others. 

Through the sharing of experience (facilitating experiences for others), we have the opportunity to allow others to find out how the experience feels for themselves. In all my years of guiding and educating, sharing the experience without sharing the bias of my own past experience has allowed others to create their own. It has also showed me things that I had taken for granted or even completely missed. By holding back my expected outcomes, opinions and judgment from my past experiences I was given the opportunity to have a new experience in the same terrain over and over. The true process of observing ourselves through others. This process has taught me more than any traditionally based education. A sharing experience that turns into a shared experience. 

When we have a shared experience we have the opportunity to have shared feelings.  When we have shared feelings we are creating similar hormonal releases in our individual blood streams. When we do this, we create and radiate that specific vibration of emotion. Resulting in a coherent field of energy greater than its sum, emulating from us and connecting us. These shared feelings imprint deeply on both individuals creating lasting bonds between them. This is the power of the oxytocin; the hormone of bonding.

The practice of sharing a meal is likely the oldest tradition in the existence of mankind. The first of the Three Needs; Food, Shelter, & Companionship. The sharing of sustenance is the first step in creating everything we need from this existence. This practice was and still is, the foundation of all relationships and communities.

So…what I really want is to share sustenance with others while being open to how they are living and what they want from their own lives. Live and let live.

 

Feeling vindicated…or feeling loved? 

There is no doubt in my mind here…I want both! Although, I do not seek to be vindicated by anyone other than myself. I can only feel true vindication by living the life I want to lead. This is not achieved through the expression of words to others. I find it to be a personal experience that is felt due to our own actions and beliefs. Often, for me, it is a quiet moment alone or while working with others and in nature. Sometimes it is while I am cultivating food or home-making. Expressions that support the well being of the self are the actions that create the feelings of self care, love and trust in one’s self.

The more time we spend working on the values we hold, the more love we hold for ourselves. Consequently, the more love we feel for and from those around us. That which we have created for ourselves, manifests itself in our surroundings. It has never worked any other way. 

Therefore, I hold no one else responsible for loving me. By living out the love I have for myself, I show others how I want to be treated…and how they will be treated. Feeling and sharing love.

 

Solving the problems of the world…or solving the problems I have created in my world of relationships?

Again, I want both. Although, I am not in control of the world. But, I am in control of my thoughts, words and behaviors in my world of mind, body and action. The more I question my own thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, the faster I get to the source of the problems in my life…me.

My tactic or strategy, if I am reacting to a problem of the world, (meaning a feeling of fear arises in my body) I stop and recognize it. Giving it time to dissipate before responding. Once dissipated,  I then take that energy and focus on a problem I am causing in my own world.

The outcome is beneficial to the collective. By focusing on the task at hand one can be less of a burden and more support or help to the people around us. The more control we have over our own thoughts, words and behaviors, the more control we have over how we feel and respond to what is often the absurdities of life to include death. We all just wanna die peacefully, don’t we? The more measured our response, the less problems we create in and for our world.

So…I want to change the world, I am just starting with myself.

 

Do we really know anything…or do we just relearn the lost knowledge of the past?

There is seemingly new information or what I refer to as data, appearing daily. Despite the appearance, everything material we have, is built upon something from our past. Additionally, these material things, gadgets or bits of information are not knowledge and/or wisdom. Until we integrate these things into useful processes that enhance our relationships and improve the human experience, they are nothing more than 1’s and 0’s.

I firmly believe that we are not learning anything new. With intention and perspective knowledge and wisdom has always been accessible. We simply need to look within to find it. When we look within ourselves, we awaken to, or remember the things we had forgotten from the past within this current life and from the lives we have previously lived.

All the ancient teachings and their stories converge in message, in time, in place, in event, in grace and glory to our demise. It seems we are but another chapter in the great annals of time. Destine to make the same mistakes of our past selves. Or are we? What happens when we use the knowledge of the past?

One of the tactics I apply when I experiencing the world, is to use it as a mirror. A mirror that shows me either who I am or what I am fearing. The feelings I produce during an experience or interaction tells me which is occurring. When I feel love and connection, I know that is me or who I really am. When I feel fear or anger, I realize that is what I am afraid of becoming. When I realize that I am both or all, I understand my responsibility to mankind on a deeper level. One where I recognize how and why I am triggered by something from my past while stopping the projection of blame on to others. If I owe mankind anything it is to work on that single objective…the purification of the self. 

That is what I consider to be the never ending job of life; to better yourself, so you can be of benefit to others. The oldest lesson that we have yet to master. So, nothing new just th need for more practice, practice, practice.