Down the Rabbit Hole: Alice Discovers the Rulebooks

There was soooo much to discover, Alice realized, as she blinked repeatedly, wide-eyed at the strange goings-on in the rabbit hole.  



The bizarre behavior she encountered from the various creatures chattering and buzzing about made no sense to her UNTIL she realized that it MADE SENSE to them.  And that was the very secret she uncovered that helped her to understand and navigate this bewildering territory.  

 
Apparently, each of the characters in the rabbit hole had his or her own Rulebook.  And each Rulebook was different from all the others.  It seemed these Rulebooks were not easy to come by and one had to experience some perilous adventures to earn this achievement.  And, furthermore, she discovered, the precepts written in the Rulebooks might magically disappear at any time to be replaced with new prescriptions.  It all seemed to depend on the actions of the characters, she observed, though she wasn't sure that they realized they had this power.

The Rulebooks seemed to be especially important to Alice because they helped her make sense of the thespians' behavior.  Alice began to pay close attention to the interface of the characters' actions and what she deduced was written in their Rulebooks and things began to make sense to her.  She realized that the Rules were there to protect each character.  They appeared in the Rulebook as needed and could be changed or even erased depending on what the character learned from his experiences.
 

Not every character down the rabbit hole was ready to learn anything.  Many of them seemed agitated and anxious; some were totally convinced they already knew everything.  The behavior they exhibited often tried Alice's patience but, over time, she realized they were stuck in a default loop that kept repeating itself.
 

What was Alice to do?  At first, she tried to argue with them; later, she avoided their company as best she could.  But Alice was not happy doing this and she WANTED to be...even if she WAS smack in the center of the rabbit hole.


One day Alice was in an especially happy mood and she decided to try to be VERY patient with the mad hatter.  She listened patiently while he hopped in circles, talking incessantly, trying her best to be attentive and understand what he was saying.  Then, a funny thing happened.  The Mad hatter began to notice that Alice was paying attention and he was NOT used to anyone REALLY listening to him.  He began to look at Alice every few seconds while he was chattering and, then, an amazing thing occurred.  He began to speak slower and slower and before long he slid onto a toadstool near Alice and stopped talking completely, watching her face for a response.


Alice was amazed.  No one had EVER slowed down the mad hatter before.  What was happening here, she wondered.  As Alice continued to give her rapt attention to him, she saw a light began to shine in his eyes.  The light grew bigger and brighter.  Soon it spread to his whole body.  Oh my, thought Alice...he is GLOWING.
 

Alice thought about his new behavior.  She had been very sure that the Mad Hatter's Rulebook stated that he should keep moving and chattering away as that is what he always did.  Now, it seemed to Alice, that his behavior had changed and, therefore, his Rules.
 

How did this happen, Alice wondered.  She had not tried to talk the Mad Hatter into doing things differently.  She had not argued with him nor tried to persuade him to make a change.  In fact, she had done her best to honor and respect his frantic behavior.  Alice felt the erratic movements of the Mad Hatter must have been prescribed in his Rulebook and that the Rule must have existed for some good reason even if she didn't know what it was.  What she had done now was just give the Mad Hatter her interest and care...and he had noticed...and it had circumvented his usual pattern.

THIS was something VERY significant, Alice thought and wondered about the powerful transformation she had witnessed.  The Mad Hatter was still sitting quietly and he was still glowing very brightly...so brightly that many other creatures wandered over to see what had caused this transformation. 

Alice theorized that if the Mad Hatter was sitting still, then a new Rule must have appeared in his Rulebook for he looked very relaxed and happy.



Suddenly, Alice noticed that the Mad Hatter was beginning to look lighter and lighter.  Soon he seemed almost luminous.  Alice thought he might drift away but instead he began to share his glow with the creatures standing near him.  
 



Alice was amazed and delighted and, most of all, she felt happy.  And that is when the Rules in her Rulebook changed.  She sighed contentedly and plopped onto a nearby toadstool.
 

Who was it, she wondered, who had created the Rulebooks and had mysteriously given each creature the power to change the Rules.  This, she thought, would surely be a great question for one of her next, fabulous adventures.

                                                                                  


                                                                                             
                                                                                                          Marie Helena




  image from commons.wikimedia.org             

            

What Are You Here to Teach Me?

 

Recently I saw a presentation on OWN, Oprah Winfrey's television network, in which she was telling spiritual writer Gary Zukav about a dream she had experienced.  Oprah said she was flying in the dream and she kept encountering groups of children who asked her the same question:
Where's the magic?   
What are you here to teach me?

Oprah commented to Gary Zukav that every time she was able to express those very words of the children in her dream, she would fly higher.



What are you here to teach me?
Where's the magic?

What are you here to TEACH me?



There is a special innocence and wisdom possessed by children because they have not yet become enmeshed with the more worldly values of society and culture.  Children speak the truth...exactly as they see it...purely, directly, authentically. They are OPEN to learning.  They do not censor their thoughts or words. 

And so it seems perfectly natural that it would be the voices of children that Oprah heard in her dream asking her such an important question...and asking it with such eagerness and curiosity:  What are you here to teach me?


Underlying this question is a  MOST POWERFUL PREMISE:
the promise that everything we encounter in life is here to teach us something. 

Quantum physics tells us that we CREATE our life and, if that is so, then we must be CREATING the lessons we want to learn AND the circumstances that catapult and propel us into that learning.  We are busy, indeed, going about the work of our lesson/creations.  And, we become so engaged and involved with these adventures, that we "forget" we designed them...and with the very highest intention in mind.  As Gary Zukav says, we will never encounter any experience in life that is not designed for the healing of our soul.


Given all of this, it seems very wise for us to be focused and alert as these challenging moments enter our lives.  EVERYONE  and EVERYTHING we encounter are carrying a message for us.  Talk about a five star, Tony winning  Broadway production!  No wasted, empty, boring moments here.  Oh, no...here we live through the MAGIC of what we have imagined and set in motion to keep us on course and making beautiful progress in achieving the dreams of our soul.


BUT we have to stretch beyond our ordinary mentality to recognize these gifts. 

We have to vacate the role of "victim" and fly to the spiritual level of eagle to metaphorically scan the universe and solve the mystery of the sometimes frustrating and sometimes extremely painful messages that LOOK like the illusion of suffering but are, in reality, the GATEWAY to our enlightenment.  These adversities influence us to step up to a grander, more beautiful, more powerful version of ourselves.


What are you here to teach me?

Asking this question every day...every moment of our lives...with true desire to recognize, to embrace and to master our self-created lessons is THE PERFECT WAY to participate in the awesome journey of our lives in the illusion of earth school.

                                                                                                 
                                                                                             Marie Helena





image from www.list.co.uk



originally published August 31, 2013

The Amusement Park

By the time we leave our childhood behind and get on with issues of the "adult" world most of us have managed a trip or two to the glorious island of escape called
The Amusement Park. 


There we stuffed our faces with cotton candy while we waited in line to take our seats on VERY scary and unpredictable rides.  And why did we do this?  Because it was FUN! We screamed our hearts out and then turned around and doubled back for more.


Maybe we loved these "wild rides" so much because there is something in our makeup that loves the unknown... mercurial adventures, precarious positions, challenging perspectives.


Which brings me in a roundabout way to an interesting occurrence I had just this week. 

While sitting in morning meditation a few days ago I experienced a very unusual stream of imagery.  I often have images popping up during meditation and, in fact, they routinely do,  but this meditation scenario was the most delightful I have ever encountered.


Several Disney characters were whirling inside a powerful vortex, riding it downward at a very fast speed having the time of their life and shouting "Whee!".  


When they reached the bottom (as they all invariably did), they were bounced back up to the top and were each affectionately catapulted into a bed floating in space.  They were tucked into warm covers and were soothed, comforted and rewarded from their madcap adventure by having a nice, long rest.


The all encompassing feeling of this fantasy was one of fun and delight.  The Disney characters were All IN.  They had no question of their safety...of the road they were traveling or of the loving embrace (the comfortable, billowy beds) awaiting them at its completion.  The TRUST was implicit, palpable.  Its vibration provided a powerhouse of energy for this adorable and motley crew.

So, here's the thing.                                     

The vortex in my meditation feels like earth school.  We've all experienced the WILD rides of life when it took us some time to
B r e a t he, take it all in,  restore our equilibrium, gain perspective and choose our response, hopefully learning from the lessons being presented to us.


The Disney characters bouncing back up to the top and landing in a comfortable bed feels like a message that we are always looked after and deeply appreciated for our sojourn on this planet.

And the fact that the characters were all having such an exciting, fun time feels like guidance on how to look at earth school as an exercise in curiosity and wonderment because it's all an illusion.  Real as it may seem, earth school is the vortex playground for trying on various personas and life situations to see what we can make of them...and learn from them, all the while sending the vibrations of our new wisdom out for everyone to energetically tap into.

When WE (our Spirit Selves) watch the glorious adventures we have designed for ourselves as earth dwellers, the story of our lives becomes truly enchanting!



roller coaster image from clipartist.info
Disney characters image from childcoloringpages.net
pillow image from wikihow.com


originally published November 15, 2013

The Best Christmas List of All

 





It's December and time for our Christmas to-do lists. 

Some especially ambitious individuals have started on their lists many moons ago.  But for those of us who kick into high gear after Thanksgiving...it's time to get down.

And I bet you have LOADS OF ITEMS on your list: 

 buy a Christmas tree (and decorate it), 

 shop for presents,

 plan a holiday party, 

 balance that budget so finances will work 

   smoothly,

 try some new holiday recipes...

oh, and clean the house (including those jobs you've left undone but now have to do because out-of-towners will be staying with you).

I'm guessing you might be exhausted just thinking about these tasks and that's nothing compared to the EXHAUSTION you feel when you start trying to complete the tasks and keep on trying...even when you are stressed and tired...and in need of sleep and relaxation and nourishment. 

In other words, when the concept of BALANCE has gone completely out of your life.

 

Just yesterday I got  a wonderful idea  about this whole conundrum of how do you get the work done and avoid feeling STRESSED to the max.

 

And here it is.

This is probably going to sound radical to you, but after some reflection I am convinced it's the answer to this problem.

The first premise of this idea is:  Christmas (and all of the preparations that go into the holiday) should be fun. 

 
Easy enough to say.  But, you may wonder, how can we have fun doing the Christmas to-do list when we are bone-tired...weary...dragging ourselves around?

The answer is not to do it.  DO NOT make yourself do the things on that list when you are not  IN YOUR POWER and have good energy, a  positive disposition and are ready to be in-the-flow.  

Just  DO NOT do that list of tasks when your chin is on the floor.

Instead (and here comes the next premise) do WHATEVER IT TAKES  to get you  back to your place of power.  This might mean taking a nap, relaxing, having a lovely conversation, enjoying  nourishing food for your tired body (and eating it slowly and tasting and enjoying every bite).  WHATEVER IT TAKES.


Then... when you have reclaimed your power (whenever that is)...do something on the Christmas prep list.

You are probably thinking THIS WILL NEVER WORK.  There won't be enough time.

But here's my thought: If you've ever pushed yourself to do things when you DID NOT have the energy (physical, mental or emotional) to do them, then I am sure you know there is a HEFTY price tag on that delightful maneuver. 

And I bet this is when you develop that cold or catch that flu or get so totally out-of-sorts that nobody wants to be around you. 

Then...what good did it do to have the things on your list completed and you can't even appreciate what you have accomplished?

 

I know...I know...this concept will take some reframing of the way we usually tackle our tasks but consider this:  

 How wonderful would it be to actually enjoy all of the holiday preparations...to be in such a lovely space that it felt like you were constantly accessing the joy of Christmas and what it represents?  

How lovely also for all of those around you to engage with the happy, positive person you know you can be!

 

Wouldn't it be worth taking the leap to give this a try and then see how everything plays out?  

And, by the way, this isn't  just a wonderful plan for Christmas...I think it's the best way to engage life all year round.

So start making that special list of all of the wonderful things that will rejuvenate you and move you back into that  DELIGHTFUL place of joy and power and make that one THE LIST you always remember!

                                            
                                                                            Marie Helena

image from vickiblackwell.com

reprint  from December 6 2013

This is SHOW BUSINESS, folks!

Do you suffer from a distressing reaction when someone around you is upset and even though it's not about you, it still FEELS like it is. 

 ouch...Ouch...OUCH!  That is no fun place to be, carrying all that gloom.

I've got an idea about how to get OUT from UNDER that web of co-dependency on someone else's emotions.  And it's frivolous and silly and no one else will even get the humor of what you are doing but YOU will be laughing inside (and tickling your funny bone).

Here's my thought.  Become Alice...you know, Alice in Wonderland but this wonderland doesn't belong to the original Alice.  It's YOUR "wonder"land.  And here's what you're wondering about.



You're wondering how these strange characters (your family, your friends, everyone you run into) got into YOUR story...that's YOUR life, YOUR Wonderland.  And, you're wondering about the curious, quaint and sometimes mystifying ways they think and do things.  And so you're enjoying watching them as they go through their individual routines (that's right...I said routines...this is show business, folks).


I wonder if they are there to entertain you with their perplexing and sometimes offbeat moves.  Each one is an original character with a back story and adventures to take on.  How DID they land at your tea party!

Of course.  I forgot you're Alice and you've gone down the rabbit hole they call earth school and now you get to meet these characters, watch their antics, interact (play) with them.  Remember, this is a fantasy drama, a PLAY for goodness sakes.   

                                                                                                                
NOW...what does your story look like?
                                                             

                                                                                               Marie Helena


 

top image from johoffberg.com
bottom image from movies-wallpaper.net

Sleepwalking in Your "Night"

 
If we're sensitive and paying attention, the universe can teach us what we need to learn by tickling us with a feather. 

 If we're resistant to learning and sleepwalking through life, we require the universe to use a sledgehammer to deliver the same lesson.
 
 Gay Hendricks

 


Great artists who produce amazingly beautiful masterpieces seem to hold a profound sensitivity in their souls which informs and directs the expression of their artistry.  They are profoundly aware of this soft whispering.  This voice of inspiration  which we all possess IS the voice which silences all others...the voices of enculturation, limiting beliefs, questioning of self-worth, fear and doubt...when we recognize and embrace it.


With clear intention and awareness we can learn to discern this whisper even amidst the clamor of the world which is "too much with us".   

 
This stunning sensitivity of artists can be found in every human heart.  It may not be uncovered, but this does not diminish its power or presence.  It is the guidance of the Universe which has the governance to bring us into the blossoming of our Spirit Self.
 

I have found that this soft voice will reveal itself after we have bravely observed what it is that disturbs us and how we would like things to be different.


The process of speaking what we feel "in this moment" seems to open the PATHWAY to recognizing the obstacle in our heart that is preventing us from acting with the pure LOVE of accepting "What Is".   Whatever is blocking us always comes from an unhealed pain.  By giving ourselves COMPASSION for the experience we have suffered behind the pain we calm and soothe our souls, clearing away the clamor of default buttons and trigger reactions,  It is then that the SOFT WHISPER can be discerned...and it is ALWAYS the next, beautiful step in our soul's evolution.  In that moment the whisper is feather soft...and profoundly powerful.

Can you sense this exquisite expression of Divine caring or are you  
sleepwalking in your "night"?

                                                                                              Marie Helena



image from crasheconomies.wordpress.com

Watch Your Heart Open

We are filled with breath, with life force. We walk amidst the beauty of this planet. We experience an incredible range of emotion. We are the beneficiaries of grace. And never so much as a thank you is required. Just for today, see if you can appreciate everything you encounter. Watch your heart open.
 
                        Pamela Hope DeLuca-Price



One of the primary tasks toddlers face in growing up is learning the names for everything.  This practice is convenient and practical.  We all have the same point of reference.  We "agree" on what a dog looks like...and a flower...and a tree.  


But a ramification that occurs from this exercise is that we begin to reduce everything we see and encounter...no matter how unique or breathtaking...to the "box" in which it fits most easily.  For example, dandelions, roses, and gardenias are all "flowers" even though they each evoke a different sensation and emotion, look and smell different and are found in different terrain.  Oaks and sycamores and pine trees share the same surname even though the "cousins" lead such different lives.


My point is that by taking on our cultural mores, by learning how everything functions and fits, we enter mainstream thinking which we need to survive but we lose the wonder and awe of experiencing a beauty which seems to have no name.  It is just something our hearts and senses embrace with fascination and awe.  Can you imagine, for example, describing the beauty of the gardenia...how it speaks to your heart....if you didn't know what a flower was?



And there is even more stunning beauty beyond what the eye can see.  There are things we can sense on varying levels of intensity and through subtle nuance such as our breath, our life force, our myriad emotions.  In the midst of our busy days, we often pass by this beautiful GRACE that awaits our awareness. 

Just for today, see if you can appreciate everything you encounter.
Watch your heart open!


                                                                                                        Marie Helena




originally published May 31, 2014

The Gathering

Media cinematographers have perfected the process of superimposing an image on a screen…with one image overshadowing the other.

Both images can still be seen but the superimposed image is the stronger, more impressive one.

What if we were to borrow this beautiful artistry and use it energetically to help us stay connected to what is the true purpose of our life!

When we encounter another in a moment of challenge or distress, perhaps we could superimpose right over them the image of their Higher Self.  Could be a brilliant white light…a figure our imaginations have created…a beautiful blend of harmonic colors and sounds…however we wish to portray the image of Higher Self.


This superimposed figure would no doubt be bathed in love and caring for its human counterpart, softly offering the energy of confidence and support, smiling and nodding as the individual breaks through the barriers of the challenge and finds his way to a LOVE directed answer.

And, if the human counterpart has not yet found his way but is suffering from some hurt or pain, Higher Self would be offering the energy of compassion and unconditional love.


And… as WE enter the scene… we would also be accompanied by our Higher Self superimposed upon us. The two beautiful Spirits would recognize each other, and connect telepathically through the realm of LOVE.

What if we made a habit of seeing this superimposed figure covering EVERYONE we saw.

Wouldn’t life look different to us?

Wouldn’t we be eternally bathed in the higher vibration of Spirit?

Wouldn’t we see others through new eyes, through the vision of our and their Higher Selves?


Let's consider the beautiful and inspiring possibility of GATHERING all of our Higher Selves and welcoming them into our consciousness.


What a wonderful way to experience the day and see ourselves protected, honored and loved by this supreme vibration!

                                                                       

                                                                                       Marie Helena

image from eternalgodz.blogspot.com

originally published July 13, 2011

Vignettes

Sometimes the task of living the whole day in the way we aspire to feels daunting. It seems like a lot of work lies in front of us.

We ask ourselves…Will we be able to keep centered and calm and responsive? Will we be able to give our loved ones beautiful listening? Will we clearly honor the paths of others even when they choose different avenues from ours? Will we be able to fully embrace each moment that presents itself to us?

But,

What if we broke up our day into segments? What if our day was filled with many VIGNETTES…each with its own rhythm and pacing and needs (and blessings, too)? What if we could see our way clear to just truly embrace the vignette we are in at that moment and engage fully and be present to that context, landscape and scene?

Seems like it might be easier to navigate our day.

If we direct our attention to the segment we are currently enacting, that’s all we need to do. And consider how wonderful it will feel if we perform like the STAR our Higher Self knows we are. How satisfying! How motivating! It will undoubtedly give us energy for the next vignette to come.

Consider dividing your day into scenarios.

The scenario of waking and greeting the day and deciding to amp up your vibration by intending and choosing to BE LOVE in all of your encounters. The scenario of breakfast... having your morning coffee while you contemplate the beautiful day outside of your window. The scenario of how you interact with the persons who enter into your life, extending beautiful listening and compassion as you give the gift of attention and reveal what you are feeling at that moment. And the many other scenarios to follow, each with its own unique vibration, pacing and energy.


Why not set the stage to always have an enriching and enlightening experience, embracing each challenge and opportunity one vignette at a time? There will always be something to enjoy and, even more importantly, something to learn about ourselves from the way we move through our day.


                                                                                                  Marie Helena


originally published February 16, 2011

Increased Capacity

 

"Increased Capacity"... That's what my chiropractor called it when I told him what had happened to me last week.   

My younger daughter had come home for her summer visit with the strong commitment to help us go through our home and release whatever we were not using. 

It was her idea.  She had been performing this "spiritual" surgery on her own home and found herself feeling very liberated and full of energy as a result.

The twelve days she was home were packed with a LOT of activity including frequent encouraging comments from her about how someone else could use the item or how things don't have to be the way they have always been. 

She was the voice of reason and she was the voice I needed to hear.  As we navigated our way through a lot of difficult decisions, many emotions surfaced and I found it necessary to "step up" to a new, more simplified way of living.  And it wasn't easy to release the paperwork I had accumulated (this body of work, the testimonials to my perseverance and effort), but it felt necessary and important and I recognized what a wonderful opportunity this was.  By the time my daughter's visit was over, her voice had become "the voice in my head" and I knew the good work that we had begun would continue.

I have read many times, in many places that releasing things...moving them out and possibly giving them to others who could use them...brings new energy into your life and I looked forward to this happening.  But here's where I was surprised.  I thought the new energy would show up in my writing as I am busy with that vocation nearly every day.  However, before that even had a chance to happen, the new energy showed up in a different, very unexpected way.

I suddenly found myself able to deal with issues that had previously felt overwhelming to me.  Now I was processing them in a relaxed, centered way and these were things I had been struggling with for some time.

As I told this amazing story to my chiropractor and we assessed my physical situation I recognized that the new energy was also helping me heal my body and, for this, I am especially grateful.

I am convinced the Divine Universe has lent some very significant assistance in this endeavor.  My daughter told me she had come up with the idea to make this offer last March and, once it had popped into her head, she had never wavered from it.  She has been an instrument of grace and the gifts coming from her generosity are manifesting in a vibrant and soulful way.

I am writing about this exciting experience because it seems too important not to relate.  Releasing things no longer needed to people who can benefit from them is truly an exercise in compassion and the personal level of  INCREASED CAPACITY resulting from the effort is nothing short of miraculous.

                                                                                                   
            
                                                                                             Marie Helena


 
image from artprescription.com

originally printed June 24, 2014