Fierce

Fierce...a robust and often frightening word in our language.

What images arise for you as you think of this word?

Powerful, intimidating, formidable, daunting?  This has always been my perception of that alarming term, conjuring images of lions, tigers, snakes hiding in the grass.

Scary stuff.  Someone else’s stuff.  Not me.
I am not into voice raising, feet stomping, king-of-the-jungle fever.


Until...someone told me I was fierce.  


Wait just a moment...Did I get that right?  Someone was describing me with THAT word?

This unexpected depiction of me as fierce did not make sense to me UNTIL I pondered the objective I had achieved in the “conversation” in which I had participated with this individual...AND, most importantly, in the way I had achieved it.   


Something different from the ordinary had happened for me in this surprising interaction.    Instead of using my beloved intellectual approach of giving the many “reasons” favoring my position on the question at hand, I had unexpectedly defaulted to my heart.  

And, while responding from that new source of perception, I had naturally leveled my gaze, giving prolonged eye contact that was clearly broadcasting an impending heart message and then ever so softlywhispered these simple words with power and compassion:  “This isn’t working for me.”

Fierce.. .in its intensity...though whisper soft in  its presentation.  The message gently introduced with the grace and clarity of soft eyes heralding an imminent and important memo from the heart.  Fiercely powerful.

The result of this prima volta that had entered my life?

The “fierceness” resting tranquil in the gentle softness of my open heart had delivered my message in a way that no amount of persuasion could have accomplished.


Definitely worth pondering...


After some moments of quiet contemplation I decided I liked this new personal characterization of me as “fierce”.  The beautiful heart connection I had defaulted to had delivered my message with effortless elegance and great success and it had proceeded naturally with no interference from my sometimes impatient intellect.  And so I began to practice this new intention easily finding the perfect moments for it revealing themselves to me with gracious invitation.


What a lovely awakening for my personal evolution!

THIS precious unfolding is how the heart communicates...with loving and gentle intention, profound impact, stunning success.

So quietly and beautifully FIERCE.


                                                 Marie Helena



image from pinterest