conversations with WHO???

A long, long time ago, someone suggested I read "Conversations With God". I remember bristling the moment she said it; I was not in a place where I could even remotely think about reading anything good from a book with such a title. Had my issues; which were a LOT. About the whole God thing. About how anyone could have a conversation, let alone write about it. About all the malarkey surrounding anything to do with god, religion, tenets, etc. I was, for lack of better wording, completely NOT open.

That was then. This is now. And as it turns out, someone else I respect and admire suggested this book to me (again!). This time, I was ready. This time I felt no angst about any of the above "topics". No resistance, no cynicism, no ruffling of feathers. Just wide open to possibilities...and something to read in the comfort of my hammock.

Got the book from the library and commenced to reading on what can only be called a perfect day. Just the right temperature, wind, vibe and, of course, the company of the Mighty Bruzer.....

Now, before I go any further, let me just say that I am not attempting to get you to read this book. I am simply offering the feelings that have risen up since I began the read. I know how testy some of us can get when anything "god" comes up. Folks are usually none too happy to have their beliefs challenged. So...this is not a suggestion. Got it? Good.

So then...back to the experience....

I'm not finished yet. Only about half way through. Yet, just thinking about it makes me want to grab my water bottle and head out to the hammock to read some more. That's how fun it is. Yes. I said FUN. It is one of the most wonderful, amusing, even funny, books I've read in a long while. God (for the sake of distinguishing who is who in the context of conversation) has a terrific sense of humor. (I always thought It would. After all, if you're God, and you know everything, you'd have to have a sense of humor, right?) Some of the passages are so funny they made me crack up. Had to put the book down so I could get my little snorts out. No kidding. And not just funny; also quite the wise guy. As in New York style sarcastic. Poor Neale (Donald Walsh). If he was, in fact, having this miraculous experience whereby God was moving his pen, I'm guessing he was probably having quite a time trying to keep going. I mean, it's bad enough you're writing this stuff and claiming it is God talking. Then to have such snappy comebacks coming out of "God's mouth"? I can only imagine what that poor man must have been going through. Bless his beautiful heart!

Anyway, the book has been a pure delight so far. I am only taking time out from reading so I can digest some of what I just read...and also to report in to my beautiful Peeps who may check in to my Blog. I really mostly just wanted to tell you that the book has made me feel a million times lighter. And I'm laughing a million times more than I have been lately. And...everything around me seems to be bursting with possibility. How can any of that be a "bad" thing?

Cheers!

In the blink of an eye...

You know how people are always saying, "Everything can change in an instant!"? Yep. Yep. Just like that...everything can change. And I'm wondering if right now, as you read this, you're thinking "Uh-oh. Wonder what happened." OR are you thinking, "OH GOODIE! More fun stuff....!!!"

Here's the thing: sometimes when we hear someone saying this (about changing in an instant, that is) they go on to tell us about some tragic thing that happened to their neighbor or brother or the waitress at Moe's Diner and they end the whole thing with, "See? Everything can change in an instant. That poor girl never saw it coming. One minute she's planning her wedding, the next she's planning his funeral. How terrible for her." Like the other day when I switched on the TV and was immediately met with one of those "HEADLINE NEWS UPDATE!!! Junior Seau has been found dead from an apparent suicide. Details after this message from your local station."

WHUT THE...???

First of all, those of you who come here often know that I do NOT watch the news. Or read it. Or listen to it. {If you want to know why, you'll have to go back in the archives. No apologies here. Just sayin'...} So when I was smacked in the face with this 'news', I immediately blurted "SHIT!" {That was pretty much the extent of my verbage.} I was shocked, to be sure. Being a long-time Chargers fan, and having met the man in person, it truly was shocking to hear that he was dead. HOWEVER...I am also well aware of how much the media likes to sensationalize such tragedies. So I switched off the TV pronto and went outside to send the man some love. Bless his too-young-to-go-yet heart.

But that's now what this is about. What I'm getting at here is that all too often when we hear about how fast things can change, it is not with eager anticipation that we ponder said changes. Typically, for most folks anyway, it is with dread and fear. We think of every horrible thing that could happen and then hope it doesn't.

WHUT??? Why do we do this? Where did this come from? How'd we get so danged cynical?

I'll tell you how: the daggblasted news media, that's how. They do it and then the people who watch do it. And then the people they tell do it. And round and round and round it goes.

TRIPLE ICK!

So...how 'bout we fix that? How 'bout from now on when we think about "how things can change in an instant", we get all excited and clap our hands and do a little jig and throw up our arms and holler YAHOOOOOOOOO! Because this Blossoming Being is right tired of all the doom and gloom. I say, have a party because IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, YOUR WHOLE WORLD CAN CHANGE. And that, my friends, is GREAT NEWS!

The Muse Is In...

...and her name is Jill Badonsky. If you haven't yet heard about Jill, and you're into being the Creative Genius that you really are, you might just wanna wander over to her site and have a look around. She's always doing stuff to get your juices flowing. Little exercises (although that's really not the right word...) and prompts and fun off-the-wall activities that help remind you that yes, you are a kid and yes, that kid is where your creative self lives. Did I mention that she's also a VERY funny lady? (You'll have to see for yourself). And then there are the retreats. And the books. And of course, her FaceBook page (actually, there are two; one is her 'personal' page, the other is her 'Awe-manac' page. Both are worth exploring.)

Every day, sometimes several times throughout the day, she posts something and asks for responses. One such prompt was, "You found a message in a bottle. What does it say?" It's as much fun responding as it is watching what everyone else has to offer. And lemme tell ya, there are some pretty crafty folks out there! Another fun thing she does is post photos and ask for captions. And then there are the "votes" on her latest book, which is in the editing process right now; sometimes her editor might say "we need to cut this" and Jill will then post whatever it is and ask "us" what we think. I happen to think THAT is very cool. I've read two of her books so far and I can honestly say that the woman has a gift that goes beyond .... beyond. Geez. Somebody needs a break!

Anyway, I just wanted to offer this up to those of you who may be in need (or want) or some inspiration. Doesn't matter if you're a writer or painter or musician or whatever. It's all about CREATIVITY. And Jill is the gal who does more than just nudge. For me, a daily dose of Jill Badonsky is my Get Out of Stale Jail ticket.

Cheers ~ 

As always...the choice is YOURS ~

Not long ago, we moved into a new abode with brandy new surroundings and some added extras not had in our previous residence. Among those extras is more channels on DishNetwork. Now, being the persnickety TV viewer that I am, most of the stuff offered on TV is, in my not so humble opinion, CRAP. However, as with all things media, there are certainly some choice options too. Anyway, among the newer channels I now have available is Miz Winfrey's OWN. There was a time when I was a huge fan of hers. Then, some things changed (or was it me?!) and I kinda fell off the Oprah wagon. But I still wanted to see what her network was about. And so...

She had this Life Class thing that she was doing; apparently an offshoot of something she'd begun a while back. Among the featured 'guests' were Iyanla VanZant, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, and some other folks I'd never heard of. So last night, I'm watching the rebroadcast of Iyanla (I missed it first go 'round), thinking it'd be fun to hear what she had to offer. Now, I don't know if you're familiar with her work but she can be quite fun to listen to. She has a sassiness that appeals to the likes of this Imp. In any case, I'm sitting there watching this thing unfold when I began to get this little knot in my belly. I was acutely aware of it, from the moment it began. So I paid attention, without letting it "grow larger" and continued to listen/watch as she did what she does. Suddenly, as if someone had snuck up behind my chair and tipped it over, I jumped out of my seat and switched the program off. I didn't want to see/hear one more word. I was a bit surprised by the feelings that came flyin' up. And then it hit me: just because this is what she believes does not make it so. We are each entitled to our beliefs, our practices, our choices. And just because hers are not akin to mine, doesn't mean I need to react so strongly. It was an angst that is all too familiar to me. And when it happened, I realized just how NOT in balance I can sometimes be. It really shocked me!

So it seemed appropriate that I share this today. It appears that no matter how "far along" we think we have come, sometimes it's not nearly as far as we might like it to be. Sometimes, stuff like that is a terrific wake-up call. Sometimes...it pays to pay attention!

The gist of all this is: regardless of where you are on your path, or what you have or have not yet done, regardless of whether or not you agree with someone else's truth, the only things that really matter are those things that feel like YOUR truth. There is no right or wrong. There is no test to pass. There is no other (person's) judgment that makes a difference. Only YOU can choose what fits your Life. Only YOU know how something feels to your own Self. Trust that. Trust whatever those voices or vibes or gut feelings tell you. Because, in the end, the Life you live is yours and yours alone. I don't care how "famous" they are. "They" are not YOU.

'Nuff said.

Splendid and ...Messy!

This is what I see when I look out the window directly in front of my desk.

This amazing creature that is both splendid and messy. Kinda like the way life just IS. Know what I mean?

The Road to Funk

You don't have to believe in the Law of Attraction to experience it. You don't even have to subscribe to any particular tenet to experience what must surely be the "natural order" of life. Because no matter what you call it, what you experience on a daily or even momentary basis is a direct result of your choices. All of it. Regardless of your beliefs, all you need to do to realize just how much power you have is to pay attention. It will all become crystal clear, even after a very short time. Here's what I mean:

Let's say you've been in a Funk for a few days (or weeks or months. YIKES!) You can't seem to get yourself into any kind of flow. Your every thought is wrought with fear or anger or worry or some other Ickiness. You try to distract yourself with tasks or hours of television or loud music or five bottles of Jack Daniels. (double YIKES!) You get out your journal and write til your hand hurts. You take long naps. You go to the gym twice a day. You consume massive amounts of chocolate. All to no avail. No matter what you try, nothing seems to get that pesky Funk to lift. Now, according to this Law of Attraction, the reason you're not able to lose the Funk is because the Universe is matching what you're focusing on. In other words, if you're doing all this stuff to get your mind off the Funk, what you're really focusing on is the Funk. So, what you get is more Funk.

If, on the other hand, you were to wake up one morning and think, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a grand opportunity I have on this bright and beautiful morning! I am alive and well and open to all manner of possibility to grace my life." In those thoughts there is not a trace of Funk, yes? There isn't any mental note of a Funk that has been present for the last however many days. There is only eagerness for what may come on this brandy new day. If you were to walk through your entire day keeping those thoughts at the fore of your mind, simply looking for things that make you smile and ignoring everything that doesn't, you would not have a moment to think about the Funk. You would be so focused on what Grooviness might show itself that the Funk would be trampled by your focused attention on the Groovy. Because you can't have both. It's one or the other: Funk or Groovy. {You can call it whatever you want. I just happen to like the word "groovy" and think we should revive it. There. I said it. I like the word "groovy". So there.} Anyway, the point here is that you DO have control of where you take your thoughts. The wheel is yours. You can steer your pretty little Self where ever you wish to go. And if you're still in that Funk, it isn't because the Funk is your lot in life. It is because you aren't paying attention to where you're going. You're on Auto-Pilot, allowing your thoughts to take you without any input. This is not rocket science. Nor is it fluffy PollyAnna baloney. It is a proven fact: our thoughts are ours to use however we wish. Don't like the Funk? Focus on the Groovy. Simple as that.

One last thing before I get on with this glorious day: even if you think all of this is nonsense, or you think this Blogger is high on crack, or you think the time it took for you to read this post is time you'll never get back...if you are on the road to Funk the only person who can get off that road is YOU. Unless, of course, you're letting somebody else drive.

Leave it alone!

Don't you find it funny how people will scratch and fight and beg and scream and carry on like crazies in the name of "want", and then, when they actually get whatever it is they're wanting, all they can do is talk about all the ick that was before this happened? Don't you find that just a little bit nutso?

I do. I think it's about the craziest thing we can do to ourselves. Just go on and on about how it was and not pay a smidgen of appreciation for how it is. NOW. Not yesterday or last week or a month ago. RIGHT NOW. You asked and you got what you wanted. So why are ya still talking about that old shit?

This commentary comes on the heels of several major changes made by myself and a few other very wonderful people I know. My change was all about moving. Something I've wanted to do for well over a year. When I finally made it happen, I was over-the-top-thrilled. And I still am. It's only been two weeks, but I can tell ya, they have been two of the happiest weeks I've spent in a very long time. Am I talking about the why's and how's and the rest of the Ick that prompted the move? Absolutely NOT. I don't want to live any of that crap for even one more second. Which was my motivation to begin with. The moment I put that last box in my truck and drove away, I was D-O-N-E. With a grin on my mugg and a giant YEEEEEHAWWWWW!, I drove down the road and never looked back. The few people who have asked about "why" have been shut down lickety-split. The rest already knew why...and were cheering for me the whole way. Now...in this new place with all the splendid new energies...that other place seems a million miles away. Life is GRAND, doncha think?

And then there are the others I mentioned...those who were also wanting and wanting and then...grabbed what they wanted. Do you think they are talking about the "before"? Hell no! They are so focused on their triumphs that they, too, are completely oblivious to their prior "ick". Tossed that out the window as they slid seamlessly into their "new" spaces. Celebrations abound. And all those involved are doing the Happy Dance for having realized those dreams. Not a second is wasted on what "was". Not one single nano-second!

So I offer this up to you now: ask for what you want. Stay focused only on that; whatever it is. Stop fretting over the "how's" and "why's" and just keep the image of your dream in your mind. Let the Universe take care of the details. Your job is to identify your desire and then GET OUT OF THE WAY! Once you've met that desire, leave the rest behind. Just LEAVE IT ALONE! It is no longer a part of your Now. So why you wanna keep bringing it up?

See what I mean?