When I think of honesty, not the word ‘honesty’, but honesty the way I live it, I kinda get the heebie jeebies. Whenever I am wavering on the edge of truth, truth that isn’t easy, truth that doesn’t serve me in some way, a laser of light cuts through any crap that I might be hiding behind and, like the curtain yanked abruptly aside revealing the man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz, I stand, shaking, under the naked light bulb of truth.
Of course, I, like you, have always known the truth. But through years of untruths fed to me and years of manipulating the truth to suit my own needs, I shudder at my own inability to be truthful, even to myself.
Mostly to myself.
Honesty sometimes seems to be a slippery concept. Some people live their lives balanced on a beach ball, shifting it slightly this way or that till their truth accommodates the situation. Sometimes we omit certain segments of a story to refrain from an out and out lie or we avoid speaking at all, justifying to ourselves, at least, that no lie was committed. Is the halo still firmly in place?
But more sadly than the above examples of human dishonesty, is that we don’t even know, or if we do, we rarely live, the absolute truth about ourselves. And that is that we are divinely created, divinely protected and divinely cherished. And we don’t have to do anything to obtain this love. No lie is required. There is no need to shift on the beach ball to conform to another’s (or our own) expectations.
Lying to ourselves and others keeps us shackled. Opening our arms and hearts wide open and speaking our truth, with kindness and compassion, of course, is freedom unlimited.
To me, this is liberating!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Life is Easy
My dear friend, Janet, and I were discussing life and all its challenges today. We decided life does not have to be so hard. We may have to peel off some layers of, well, I don’t know a nicer way to say it, peel off some layers of crap to create an easier life, but life itself just does not need to be so hard. It is true, of course, that we experience difficulties as we travel life’s road, but I don’t believe that means life ITSELF must be hard. If we adopt an attitude that it is, and where I work many people that end up in front of me do believe life is truly hard, then everything becomes hard. Getting stuck in traffic becomes hard. Now if there is someone who is having a heart attack or bleeding to death in your car and you become stuck in traffic, then yes, life is hard in that moment but let’s face it…how often does that happen…unless you’re an ambulance driver?
Most things that first appear to be difficult can be knocked down a notch or two by infusing the situation with a little bit of humor. Or on a more philosophical note, ask yourself the question, “What is mine to do right now in this moment.” This question allows you to get perspective on the issue and to re-define your integrity and re-establish your boundaries.
As my regular readers know by now, I connect very deeply with nature. While sitting at the lake this morning, I was reminded of the beauty and balance in the unhurried, unrushed life in which all of nature abides. There is no such thing as time or acquisitions or life’s difficulties in the natural world. Life just is. Watch birds sometime. They don’t stress. Everything just IS and they move through their lifespans effortlessly.
Today did hold a measure of stress, strain and struggle for me but I discovered anew that life does not have to be hard. I have it within my power to flow WITH life and not to resist it. Non-resistance is the key to experiencing an easier…no, no, not necessarily easier life, as in no challenges…but an easier viewpoint. Non-resistance coupled with the choice to breathe in the light and love of the moment, rather than breathe in the darkness and difficulty, creates an easier energy. An easier way TO BE.
As I write this, I am sitting down at the lake again. The day is drawing to a close. It’s quite windy and therefore chilly. I have a blanket wrapped around me. A man paces back and forth a short distance from where I sit. A mother, talking on her cell phone, walks with her young daughter near the water’s edge. A small houseboat, struggling against the wind, motors toward its mooring. The wildlife is bedding down for the night.
So is the sun.
So must I. Easily.
Most things that first appear to be difficult can be knocked down a notch or two by infusing the situation with a little bit of humor. Or on a more philosophical note, ask yourself the question, “What is mine to do right now in this moment.” This question allows you to get perspective on the issue and to re-define your integrity and re-establish your boundaries.
As my regular readers know by now, I connect very deeply with nature. While sitting at the lake this morning, I was reminded of the beauty and balance in the unhurried, unrushed life in which all of nature abides. There is no such thing as time or acquisitions or life’s difficulties in the natural world. Life just is. Watch birds sometime. They don’t stress. Everything just IS and they move through their lifespans effortlessly.
Today did hold a measure of stress, strain and struggle for me but I discovered anew that life does not have to be hard. I have it within my power to flow WITH life and not to resist it. Non-resistance is the key to experiencing an easier…no, no, not necessarily easier life, as in no challenges…but an easier viewpoint. Non-resistance coupled with the choice to breathe in the light and love of the moment, rather than breathe in the darkness and difficulty, creates an easier energy. An easier way TO BE.
As I write this, I am sitting down at the lake again. The day is drawing to a close. It’s quite windy and therefore chilly. I have a blanket wrapped around me. A man paces back and forth a short distance from where I sit. A mother, talking on her cell phone, walks with her young daughter near the water’s edge. A small houseboat, struggling against the wind, motors toward its mooring. The wildlife is bedding down for the night.
So is the sun.
So must I. Easily.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Living authentically
The question was presented to me recently: “Am I living authentically in this very moment?”
My mind began instantly to do what minds do - think - searching for my definition of authentic to judge and determine if I am. I looked up the word authentic and gave myself a gold star because my definition was nearly identical to Webster’s.
Authentic: not false or copied; genuine, real; reliable; trustworthy.
Within moments that inner voice, the gloom and doom critic, chimed in with all the reasons and all the ways I could not possibly be living authentically; i.e. Thanksgiving cooking would soon commence and butter, eggs and many other non-vegan food ingredients would be used. See how that inner judge is so ready to jump on me.
Is it true that without absolute perfection one cannot live authentically?
This cannot be true. We are perfect spiritual beings, living an often, imperfect human experience. For me, living authentically in this very moment means an awareness of my inherent perfection…a “knowing” that allows me to be consciously aware of this moment. It is not listening to a rehearsal of all the past moments and the judging that accompanies that particular song and dance. Being authentic, not perfect, in this moment means I feel the chilly wind blowing all around me as I sit on the dock, I hear the birds nearby and see the branches move with the wind. I am aware of my breathing.
In this moment I am living authentically.
In this moment I am alive to life.
My mind began instantly to do what minds do - think - searching for my definition of authentic to judge and determine if I am. I looked up the word authentic and gave myself a gold star because my definition was nearly identical to Webster’s.
Authentic: not false or copied; genuine, real; reliable; trustworthy.
Within moments that inner voice, the gloom and doom critic, chimed in with all the reasons and all the ways I could not possibly be living authentically; i.e. Thanksgiving cooking would soon commence and butter, eggs and many other non-vegan food ingredients would be used. See how that inner judge is so ready to jump on me.
Is it true that without absolute perfection one cannot live authentically?
This cannot be true. We are perfect spiritual beings, living an often, imperfect human experience. For me, living authentically in this very moment means an awareness of my inherent perfection…a “knowing” that allows me to be consciously aware of this moment. It is not listening to a rehearsal of all the past moments and the judging that accompanies that particular song and dance. Being authentic, not perfect, in this moment means I feel the chilly wind blowing all around me as I sit on the dock, I hear the birds nearby and see the branches move with the wind. I am aware of my breathing.
In this moment I am living authentically.
In this moment I am alive to life.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Way of the Osprey
It is so fascinating to watch an osprey fish for his breakfast. He will spot a fish from where he is flying high above the water, he folds his wings against his body and then he splashes into the water and catches the fish. Somehow, he is immediately back in the air, holding the fish in his grasp, the fish’s head facing forward, aerodynamically efficient. Then he flies away to find a tree or pole in which to enjoy his meal.
Sometimes, however, the fish is too heavy to lift out of the water. The osprey, rather than release his meal, will hang on tenaciously, even until the weight of the fish pulls the bird under the water, drowning him.
I witnessed an osprey not long ago, struggling thus. He did manage to get airborne enough to reach land safely with his prize but it gave me pause, time to consider and examine all the ways I allow persons or circumstances to nearly drown me before I let go.
For me, it has mostly been romantic relationships, hanging in there long after the funeral dirge, mirroring what appears to be stupidity, on the part of the osprey, but persistence on the part of humans.
How about you? What do you need to let go in order to feel freedom?
Anger and resentment?
Self-criticism and self-judgment?
A job?
Toxic relationships with family, friends or others?
As we prepare to move forward into 2012, is it time to release that which threatens to drown you, pulling you down, down, down?
Like the osprey.
Sometimes, however, the fish is too heavy to lift out of the water. The osprey, rather than release his meal, will hang on tenaciously, even until the weight of the fish pulls the bird under the water, drowning him.
I witnessed an osprey not long ago, struggling thus. He did manage to get airborne enough to reach land safely with his prize but it gave me pause, time to consider and examine all the ways I allow persons or circumstances to nearly drown me before I let go.
For me, it has mostly been romantic relationships, hanging in there long after the funeral dirge, mirroring what appears to be stupidity, on the part of the osprey, but persistence on the part of humans.
How about you? What do you need to let go in order to feel freedom?
Anger and resentment?
Self-criticism and self-judgment?
A job?
Toxic relationships with family, friends or others?
As we prepare to move forward into 2012, is it time to release that which threatens to drown you, pulling you down, down, down?
Like the osprey.
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