Unsung Heroes

Feet.  We forget how important they are.  We use them everyday, all day.  They stand us up, move us from place to place and keep us steady whenever we want and each time we want.

I don't know about you, but I don't think about how important my feet are until they give me trouble.  Last week my toes on my left foot started to ache so much that it caused pains up the front of my calf.  I had difficulty standing, walking and cramps in my calf muscles wake me from a sound sleep and wouldn't release until I walked it out.

As I was rocking in pain, I realized how little I notice or take care of my feet, how little attention I give them.   That thought gave me pause to consider the many other things that I take for granted.  I thought of the many parts of my body that work constantly to keep me alive and functioning.  I thought of the many things in my life that work endlessly giving me ease and comfort.  Hot and cold fresh running water, electricity to light the night and operate all the appliances in my house. 

Then I thought of the people that I love that care and support me.  It was quite humbling to realize the wonderful life I lead and how often I forget that fact.  It's so strange that I need reminders to get present to how perfect life really is.

Clover Fields

I grew up in the Midwest.   When you caught the first sight of the clover flowers in the fields you knew summer was almost here.  It was a welcome sight.  After a long winter of snow storms, bitter cold walks to school, and rainy spring days, to see the clover flowers dotting the yards was a welcome sight.  That meant tennis shoes, cut offs and lazy hot days ahead.  

The clover flowers would cover the yards and fields we would explore throughout the summer months.  Bumblebees would ramble around the flowers dipping up and down in the flowers.  An occasional Robin would land in the field and snatch up a worm.  Mostly, we could lay in the clover and look up in the sky and make pictures out of the clouds, an alligator here, an elephants rear there. 

This morning on my 6 AM walk in the park with the dogs, the baseball field was covered with clover flowers. Seeing the little buds of white dotting the field was a fond moment on this wet damp cool morning.

Small Miracles

As I have been downsized from my job, I have had some time to take long walks with my dogs.  I have three dogs, three boxers.  They are sensitive, athletic and high-energy.  They are loving this time together.

I have had the time and energy to take them on some lovely long walks along the Palos Verdes coast.  Trump Golf Course, the cove just off PV Drive West, the fire road at the end of Crenshaw Blvd, and the trails off of Crest Street.  Each walk has offered them many new smells with which to become engrossed.  However, for me, it has been the views that have taken all thought out of my head. 

That is a considerable task these days, as I seem to have a lot of concerns about when I will get a new position.  To experience moments of reprieve from the constant nattering of the negative voice in my head is a small miracle.

That small miracle gives me moments of such beauty and peace, if I were a poet I could come close to eliciting the experience in this blog.  So, here is my shot at communicating these moments of bliss.

I see shimmering ocean waves endlessly rushing and crashing into the rocky shore, clear blue skies that stretch for miles above me uninterrupted by any clouds, and hear the songs of birds calling out to each other.  The colors of the sky, sea, trees, sand and ocean surf amaze me.  I live in such a beautiful place. 

While I enjoy these moments of physical and mental beauty, my dogs are busy sniffing out smells, playing tag and chasing one another.  We make quite a team.  Me, breathing in a moment of bliss my way, and the dogs their way. 

What is Intuition anyway?

We hear a lot about intuition, but rarely do we understand what it is, how to develop it, or what it can give to us and our closest people. 

I was on a coaching call with one of my clients one day, and in our conversation I realized that intuition was clearing one's mind of all the judgements, opinions, assumptions and criticisms long enough so you can hear what is present for others.  When you can step aside from all the usual thoughts and ramblings you can listen with new ears.  These new ears will give you  remarkable insights to the people in the room, what is known there, what isn't known there, the emotional goings on, and a whole world of energies to which most of the time one is oblivious.

Here is the real challenge, what do you do next?  Once you get present to the room, to the emotional charges in the room you will begin to ask yourself, well, now what do I do?  It can feel confusing, but if you allow yourself to stay with the confusion and the disarray something complete clear will be make known, and most likely to you alone.  Follow that, take that action, slowly and watch what happens.

Creative Mindset

Its a funny thing about designing our life's purpose, or asking for what we want from life, we have some preconceived ideas that could sabotage our thinking.

I'm not referring to the usual thoughts that people have already bumped up against.   For example,  "I don't deserve X"  or "How can I get X to happen when  I can't even Y".  Familiar one that we hear and have heard others speak about.

No, I mean something we inherited from the past.  We think of all goals as things or solid objects.  Something to hold in our hands, like a trophy.  Maybe they aren't.  Maybe goals or designing our life's purpose is something to be nurtured everyday, examined everyday, and gently attended to everyday.  Maybe there is no achievement as we have inherited achievement from our grandparents or parents.  Like a field to be plowed, or seed to be planted, cities to be built, roads to carved out of the earth.  Tangible, hard fast achievement, with an end game.

I'm  suggesting  that while we think of purpose or asking for what we want as things, we also think that  we only need ask once or achieve the end results once. 

A life's purpose is not a thing like a painting or a mechanical invention.  These are not things at all, but thoughts that create a world, and if the world you are creating for yourself, or asking for, hasn't happened yet, keep asking keep creating, keep focusing.

Develop a creative mindset.

Stillness

Practicing stillness gains clarity, focus and being one with your surroundings. 
It's like being an archer, you stay still and only release your arrow until you are still and one with your breath. 
Maybe all communications and connections are a physical manifestation of you being an archer, being still and centered while all around you is churning and in turmoil.  You release your arrow of communication after you have gained stillness within.
Then watch the ripple of your communication and learn.
You are not alone, you are not separate, you are part of the journey towards greater fulfillment, development and prosperity.
Stillness is one way to perfect your aim and develop your power.