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Friday, December 29, 2017

A New Year's "Light" Show



After the magical days of Christmas holidayswhen pine-scented boughs and cranberry candles perfumed the air and glittering lights whispered their grace-filled secrets into our happy hearts…decorating our spaces with joy and celebration…

after these magnificent days have passed and things have grown so very quiet and restful the steady, sure-footed march of the New Year alights on our doorstep, enters our homes and slides into our hearts.

It’s time…to renew and redirect our energy to the wonderful life we have imagined and make the changes that were placed on hold as we made merry and felt merry and loved the "merry" of the holidays.

Now, there is a NEW JOY that awaits us and it is born of reflection and inspiration and discipline…our New Year’s Resolutions.

Much has been said and advised about NYR’s…suggestions that we examine our lives, compiling a list of every change we can imagine…suggestions that we make NO resolutions and not place ourselves under that kind of stress... even a suggestion that we only try to improve ourselves by one percent in the category we identify as “most needed” or, even better, “most desired” and, thereby, let our accumulated steady, slow progress become its own source of motivation.

This morning in the quiet moments when I found myself awakening a different thought occurred to me.

I had been searching for a simple resolution…one that would be easy to hold onto and yet would change my perspective and this is what arrived in response to my request:


As you go through the day and encounter many moments…some relaxing and some difficult and challenging…as you go through the day, just take a moment and imagine how your Higher Self would respond to what is happening. Do not put any pressure on yourself TO DO what Higher Self would do. Only IMAGINE it and TAKE NOTE.

This sounded wonderful to me…and it feels instinctively that just choosing to put myself in the place of imagining a Higher Response would do some subtle, behind-the-scene work for me even while I went busily about my day, impressing my consciousness with a more beautiful, more loving, more joyful way to navigate itand, most importantly, a way to be my own SOURCE of happiness and satisfaction.


And it actually sounds and feels quite practical, too, to become, on a continuing basis, the ANCHOR for my joy.

So I am going to give it a pop!   This means I may pause a few seconds before I react and respond to what is going on…allowing myself the time and perspective I need to call up a Higher inspiration than what would automatically appear on my default button.

It will be very interesting to take this journey and, no doubt, it will have its own BRILLIANLIGHT SHOW as I enter into this universe!

                                                                      
                                                                        


                                                                                     
                                                                            Marie Helena

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

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 curiosityWhat 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

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Dolce Far Niente






In the midst of the holiday season when so many preparations are being made…Christmas trees bedazzled with shimmering lights, ingredients assembled for an array of culinary pleasures, shopping excursions planned to catch the latest sales, spotlighting of porches and roofs with illusionary reindeer…

In the midst of all of this, does it seem strange that I would wish you Dolce Far Niente...
The Sweetness of Doing Absolutely Nothing!


And yet, what more perfect time to just BE in the midst of all of these treasures?

Time moves so quickly now as we hasten to finish our self-appointed tasks for the holidays and, if we don’t pause to take in the ambiance and flavor and spirit of these moments, they will be gone before we know it. We will be left with crumbled Christmas wrappings to clean up, dishes to wash from the fabulous dinner we have prepared and an exhausted body for our reward.

So let’s imagine another dimension to our celebration.

I invite you (and myself as a reminder as I write this), to not miss a single breath of this breathtaking season. To allow the brilliant red poinsettias to nourish and sustain us with their glorious color and powerful presence. To honor the trees populating our landscape outside as they abide winter’s passing and keep their spring secrets warm inside their roots for us. To enjoy the delicately flavored herbal tea and gingerbread one sip and one small and succulent bite at a time as delicate snowflakes descend outside our windows. To watch the faces of the young and young-at-heart as they embrace the magic of families gathering and the waves of joy layering the room as gifts expected (and surprised) are revealed.



Let us all fully embrace the beauty of this season, honor its festive and joyous rhythm and reverence the  MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS  being given to us!



                                                                                               Marie Helena


For our experience to feel whole, our body must be allowed to permeate our expe...rience, BE our experience, entirely. And our awareness must be released from living in our heads and allowed to flow into EVERYTHING.



Meredith Murphy
EXPECT WONDERFUL

Saturday, December 16, 2017

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

Monday, December 11, 2017

The Grace of Mikhail Baryshnikov





A few days ago I watched a rerun of The Turning Point, a 1977 film about the world of ballet in New York City.  The film's story focuses on the rivalries and regrets of two generations of ballet dancers...and it features an icy confrontation between two of the female stars, Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine.

I sat, entranced by the stark intensity of this moment which included a physical confrontation between the two stars, and, as engaged as I was by the depth of the unfolding, I was ultimately stirred by something in the film even more compelling than the unexpected elegance of the women's duel...a scene that both startled and uplifted my soul...the magnificent performance of the incomparable Russian ballet dancer, MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV.   

There is something so ethereal about watching a ballet.....the beauty and symmetry of the dancers moving in perfect harmony with the music, the dancers' engagement with the unfolding of the ballet's story, their interpretation of the emotions it evokes.  The heart cannot help but be swept into the rhapsody of this moment. 

Every ballet I have ever seen has elicited this response in me, but, on this day, I was unprepared for the breathtaking denouement I felt with Baryshnikov's performance.


Where ballet dancers naturally leap through the air, Baryshnikov soared to a height which seemed unimaginable to attain.  Where the dancers delicately reach for the unseen treasure they seem to be pursuing, Baryshnikov's passionate longing was completely palpable.  Where ballet dancers are poised to perfectly present a graceful stance, Baryshnikov was GRACE itself.



I was so entranced with the enthralling beauty and strength of Baryshnikov's performance, I asked myself...is it only in the ballet that such exquisite grace can be found?


Moments later, an answer to this question occurred to me.  The grace of Mikhail Baryshnikov can be found in every moment we encounter.   This grace may very well be the touchstone of how we choose to live our lives.


It can be found...

in the loving way we honor ourselves and speak our truth in the best way we know how; 

in the way we honor others' truth;
  

in the decision we make to listen to each other, truly trying to understand the emotions being expressed;

 in the stirrings of our heart for something exquisite we have encountered; 

 in the compassion we give to ourselves and others as we wend our way through our challenges, often amid distress and difficulties;

in our appreciation for beauty and joy...the first rose of spring, the gorgeous symmetry of a snowflake, the fun of watching a toad hop through a puddle;

in the longing we feel to understand our place in the universe.


A life full of GRACE is a life teeming with generosity, curiosity and anticipation...and wonder.  As close as the next breath we take.  Cast yourself in a starring role in the "ballet" of your life with a full and passionate heart and soar with the GRACE of Baryshnikov!



                                                                                                  Marie Helena



image from www.dance.net

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Swish!






I am a lonely petunia in an onion patch...as the song goes..
.when it comes to the subject of SPORTS

In fact, I am the ONLY one in the family who does not understand even the rudimentary dynamics of football, baseball and basketball. 

And even though I do not understand what all the excitement is about, I clearly see that there is a lot of enthusiasm and energy and enjoyment of these endeavors. 

In an attempt to catapult myself (even an inch or two) into the "in" group I try to listen for catchwords and phrases used by the sports afficianados.  

Recently, I was captivated by hearing family members use the term "SWISH" to describe an amazing adventure of twelve year old Dylan.  His mother said the experience was probably going to be one of the five most exciting of his life.  Well, that certainly got my attention.  I tuned in to see what the hullabaloo was all about.


Turns out Dylan was out on the basketball court tossing the ball around with his friends after a high-school basketball game.  The boys were not alone. 

Since the game had just ended, basketball players, their families and coaches were all gathered around.  Dylan tossed the ball from the side of the court behind the three point line and made a SWISH which I have come to understand is a very cool move.  It means the basketball passes through the basket without hitting the hoop or backboard.  Definitely worthy of note.

After this feat, Dylan got the ball again for another try, this time moving to the other side of the court (still behind the three point line)...taking aim...and lo and behold...another SWISH.  At this point, even the grown-ups were beginning to notice and Dylan took a third shot.  You guessed it...SWISH!

Now the coaches were becoming curious about the excitement going on and they watched Dylan continue to move around the court making THREE more SWISHES.  That's a total of SIX SWISHES all behind the three point line and even a completely uneducated sports spectator like me knows this was a really big deal.


Now comes the part that truly  delights me. 

All along, Dylan has been poised for success.  His dad has coached his team several times with loving wisdom and patience.  His big brother is an accomplished athlete.  His mother is the most devoted fan imaginable.  And, beyond  even this, Dylan's adventures with basketball have centered around being in FLOW.


Now THIS concept I understand...and I am truly captivated by it.  This is what I experience when I write.  And it serves me well.   And it apparently serves Dylan well.  And it is even serving his brother Colin well with his inspiring golf scores this spring.


When something works this well, I want to experiment with it...capture  all of the magic I can.  The other night I awoke with the word SWISH echoing in my mind.  There was a good feeling attached to this...a lightness, a feeling of celebration.  Before long I understood why.

My subconscious was attempting to borrow the concept of the SWISH to reward myself when I took on a difficult challenge. 

For example, when I want to choose "the road less traveled" (also called the HIGH ROAD) when I experience an emotional trigger and it feels VERY difficult to do so... I can classify the follow through of that courageous action by me as a SWISH in the emotional journal of my life,

Wow!  I can hear the crowd roaring at my fabulous  play.  What skill!  What beautiful moves! What tenacity!  Well..., maybe it's just me giving myself the high five for really "stepping up".


At any rate, using my imagination to inspire and motivate me to become "the next, grandest version of myself" works a-ma-zing-ly well.


Are you an imaginary basketball star-in-the-making?  Is there a SWISH or two or ten in your future? 


Just think of the awesome artistry used to seamlessly navigate that ball (your troublesome issue) through the basket (your interpersonal relationships) because you have the stamina, wisdom and grace to enter into FLOW (acceptance and honoring of what life is presenting to you).


Sounds great to me and I'm all in. 

Looks like I'm on the court with the rest of the basketball  players...only just not in the same dimension.   : )
                                                                             

                                                                                         Marie Helena
image from gograph.com