tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88386538277149685312024-03-13T11:03:36.898-07:00New Moon BlogBlog for Sparks and LeapsMichelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-2491182640865849032020-01-24T11:34:00.001-08:002020-01-24T11:42:13.205-08:00☄️Breaking News Announcement📻<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am taking a <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">break</span></span> (possibly permanently) from this New Moon Blog.*<br />
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At this time when there is so much <span style="color: red;">break</span>ing news about what is<span style="color: red;"> break</span>ing down in the world, I am paying attention to what is <span style="color: red;">broken</span> or <span style="color: red;">break</span>ing in my life as well.<br />
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I love writing for you and am greatly appreciative of the time you have taken to read my words over the years. In the midst of all that competes for your attention, I am honored every time you chose to read my (often overflowing and occasionally overwhelming) offerings.<br />
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"It's not you; it's me" and "you deserve better".<br />
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These clichéd lines from so many <span style="color: red;">break</span>-ups are totally true in this case!<br />
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I want with all of my heart to serve you better than I have been able to do -- despite my best efforts. Our relationship has been "complicated" and that is entirely on me. Clear, concise, simple and easy are totally contrary to my way of being!<br />
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Rather than attempting to "fix"what is <span style="color: red;">broken</span> (in this blog and my life and what is happening around me in the larger world) I'm putting my energy into consciously and more energetically <span style="color: red;">break</span>ing old patterns and exploring what I find at those <span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: red;">broken</span> edges.<br />
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I always begin my writing for this blog and everything else, by scribbling on scratch paper before moving to the computer.<br />
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I make lots of copies of significant insights from my voracious consumption of library books and sometimes they later get added to my scrap paper folder. I have recently discovered this is another fun source of synchronicities. Old pages sometimes copied years in the past that I had decided I did not need anymore or were faulty copies resurface just when they are totally relevant.<br />
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So as I was scribbling about the concepts of <span style="color: red;">broken</span> and <span style="background-color: white;">unbroken</span> and Groundhogs and rats ** and feeling like my mission was "<span style="background-color: yellow;">in pieces, in a pile on the floor, [and I had] no idea how to go forward</span> ", I noticed that on the flip side of one of the pages was a reference to <a href="https://www.scienceandnonduality.com/article/the-goddess-of-never-not-broken">Akhilandeshvari --The Goddess of Never Not <span style="color: red;">Broken</span></a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;">Akhilanda</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;"> derives her power from being </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;">broken</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;">: in flux, pulling herself apart, living in different, constant selves at the same time, from never becoming a whole that has limitations.</span></blockquote>
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But this isn’t the kind of <span style="color: red;">broken</span> that indicates weakness and terror.<br />
It’s the kind of <span style="color: red;">broken</span> that tears apart all the stuff that gets us stuck in toxic routines, <span style="background-color: red;"><b>repeating the same relationships and habits over and over, rather than diving into the scary process of trying something new and unfathomable. **</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">In pieces, in a pile on the floor, with no idea how to go forward</span>, your expectations of the future are meaningless. Your stories about the past do not apply. You are in flux, you are changing, you are flowing in a new way, and this is an incredibly powerful opportunity to become new again: to choose how you want to put yourself back together. Confusion can be an incredible teacher—how could you ever learn if you already had it all figured out?</blockquote>
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Well, maybe you can't relate. Perhaps all in your life is clear and solid, but confusion has certainly been my teacher for a while now!<br />
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Also, I love that this Goddess rides a crocodile. 🐊<br />
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Crocodiles "<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;">pluck their prey from the banks of the river, take it into the water, and spin it until it is disoriented. They whirl that prey like a dervish seeking God, they use the power of spin rather than brute force to feed themselves." They also </span>represent the reptile brain from which our fear emanates.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;">I have been twirling like a dervish almost every single day for nearly 10 years in the wild beauty of Nature--dancing and spinning my (nearly constant and often severe) lifelong fears into nourishing gratitude and joy.</span><br />
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I have also been reading, writing, photographing, connecting and serving in as many ways as I can --as best I know how. AND working on practical survival by taking as many jobs as I can find!<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.625px;">I have not given up on this mission that grabbed me in it's jaws 10 years ago. Sparks & Leaps has been, and continues to be, my greatest longing (obsession) and teacher. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.625px;">I look forward to</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">beginning something new on a future </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">New Moon. Maybe it will be a blog or maybe something else. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14.625px;"><span style="color: #333333;">In the meantime*, enjoy whatever lucky </span><span style="color: red;">break</span><span style="color: #333333;">s life brings you --especially those </span><span style="color: red;">broken</span><span style="color: #333333;"> places that seem anything but fortunate. As I have invited you to do so many times in these posts; look again at those potent times to see if you can discover a new story!</span></span></span></span><br />
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* I will continue to send out my Full Moon Blog to my Patreon subscribers-- with a new format starting with the next one. If you want to stay in touch with what I am up to and help support my creation process, I would be ever so grateful if you hop over to </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/SparksandLeaps"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black;">my Pareon page</span></a><span style="background-color: magenta;"> to check out the gifts I offer there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">** Happy Chinese New Year (Year of the Rat -1/25) and Happy Groundhog Day, Imbolc, Candlemas (2/2) and Setsubun /Japanese Bean Day (2/3)! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">Groundhog Day is perhaps the most significant for me of all of the myriad holidays I celebrate. So I am feeling a combination of grief, </span></span><span style="color: red;">disappointment, resentment, self recrimination (for once again replicating the movie of Groundhog Day with the endless repeating of same stuckness rather than creating something significant to roll out for the game of Sparks & Leaps as I had hoped and planned --see red highlted section of quote above) AND profound gratitude for the many blessings in this time of my life as well as a growing trust in myself and trust that all is unfolding in a timing that is not under my control. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">One last fun synchronicity story. As I was coming to the despairing conclusion that despite my best efforts, I was not going to be able to pull off my annual Groundhog Day offering, I decided to consult my bookshelf oracle with the question of what I should do. I closed my eyes, reached into my ever-shifting stacks of books and pulled out a book that I opened to a random page. I got <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/10784617-awake-in-the-world">Awake in the World</a> #331 The section entitled:</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">"Nurture perseverance and patience". </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">There were examples of several famous people who experienced multiple failures before achieving great success. I started to cry when I read "Einstein discovered the theory of relativity in a flash, but said it took him 10 years to explain it". It has been 10 years since my flash of insight (perhaps not quite as brilliant, but still pretty cool!) as well, so I am hopeful that I too will be able to eventually explain it! </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">In the meantime, farewell for now!</span><br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-43592529176582507332019-12-26T17:29:00.000-08:002019-12-26T17:29:08.168-08:00❄️Happy Holidays From Me To You!☃️<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white;">In 2019 I turned 60. This eventful, milestone year was filled with adventures & challenges, sorrows & delights, quagmires & quantum leaps, mysteries & revelations, weighty fears (personal and collective) & sneak attacks of effervescent bliss that bubble unexpectedly and inexplicably to the surface.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">My biggest take-away from the year that I want to share with you, echoes a message that I have been saying for years but that became Crystal clear to me in the midst of events like my car crash last March and a scary time involving my finances last summer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">In both of these near cataclysmic events, the pain and fear I experienced turned into alchemical gold through my willingness to let go of trying to control and to instead trust that all would somehow be of benefit. AND to call in my team* for support in this game. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">Hanging out at the sharp broken edges of my comfort zone or in the muck of stuckness or the fog of uncertainty is not easy, and sometimes I succumb to the pressure of the <i>extremely compelling</i> dictates to FIX from my frantic survival conditioning.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">I attempt to FIX whatever it is (fix, as in repair the "wrong and bad scary problem" or addictive fixes --books, screens and food are my drugs of choice). But</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"> the more I can ground into the support of the Earth (my daily time in nature is nonnegotiable) and the support of my team* the better I feel and the more able I am to show up </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;">with relative grace </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;">in this increasingly precarious world.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">The aforementioned Bliss Attacks as well as astonishing synchronicities increase in frequency and intensity each time I am able to courageously lean into and curiously explore that from which I wish to run or hide.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">Magic happens more and more</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">In addition to all of that trust and magic, I took some practical measures last fall. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">I am now working for several families; picking up the child care hours wherever I can. All of these amazing little beings and their parents enrich my life immeasurably in so many ways!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">AND the extra work and the holidays on top of of my usual overflowing </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">activities, has meant less time creating the game of Sparks & Leaps. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">But I am ever the optimist and I am hoping that 2020 is the year Sparks & Leaps has been waiting for to SPARK a fire and LEAP out into the world in a big way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32);">I also hope that your most precious dream comes true in the New Year and that your holiday season is filled with the gifts you most need (,even if not always ones you would have asked for! 😉)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">Much love, gratitude and blessings to you for your (belated) Solstice, Saturnalia Festivus </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(32, 32, 32); color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">(or Nestivus if you are an introvert), </span><span style="color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">Hanukkah, Christmas (or Eclipsemas, since there was an eclipse either yesterday or today, depending on your location), Boxing Day, Kwanza, New Years, Hogmany or whatever you celebrate at this time of the returning light!</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: red; color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;">FOR MY BELOVED PATREON SUPPORTERS</b><span style="background-color: red; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="color: red;">In the last Full Moon Blog, I told you that I was going to make it a 2 part post and finish in this New Moon Blog. But I decided that even divided in half, it was going to be too long for a post in the middle of the busy holiday season. I will, however, continue to explore the topic of truth and beliefs in future posts, so stay tuned! And although most of your offerings are so tiny you might think they hardly matter, allow me to assure you they DO! Not only because they add up, but because knowing that you believe in me and value what I create for you means the world to me. So THANK YOU once again!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: lime; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";">If you are not a subscriber, here is how you can be a part of my Patreon World. This helps me so much to continue to offer my gifts. If you have not explored what is what I have for you in this other realm, I invite you to check it out! https://www.patreon.com/SparksandLeaps</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: lime; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;"><span style="background-color: white;">* my team includes my friends family and community, that are a combination of "real" and virtual as well as "imaginary". And just by virtue of you taking the time in your busy life, to follow my blog, YOU are on that team, even if that is our only connection; so THANK YOU! </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;">Some of my requests for support are like the one above and some are for emotional or spiritual support. All are valuable to me, whether an actual request you hear or an imaginary ones where I call upon my team (energetically vs in person or via a device) in a moment of challenge, that you will never consciously know about.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> And BTW, whether or not it </span><span style="background-color: white;">is all in my imagination or not, it ALWAYS works!</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: helvetica;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span>Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-73367585368511456712019-11-26T17:56:00.000-08:002019-11-26T18:05:27.224-08:00🤬 ➡️🦄 Driving Lessons 🚙<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tricksters and unicorns have been messing with me this week.*<br />
<br />
I am pretty sure, the trickster <a href="https://norse-mythology.net/loki-the-trickster-god-in-norse-mythology/">Loki</a> (who delights in spreading discord) was driving the camper van that caused me to switch from blissed out contentment to outraged fury and then awestruck gratitude.<br />
<br />
All in the space of a few minutes.<br />
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Here is what happened:<br />
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On Sunday, we unexpectedly stumbled upon a negative tide at the beach. This offered an enchanting expanse of mirror like reflective sand and usually inaccessible tide pools with sea anenomies and starfish.<br />
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Due to the fact that none of us wanted to leave the beach, and due to my not having taking into account the fact that my sand monster/ nanny charges would somehow manage to cover their entire bodies, including scalp, ears and nostrils with sand (I usually just have to rinse my feet when I leave the beach), we were running a little bit behind schedule on our drive home.<br />
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We had only driven a short distance when we were forced to slow WAY down. Sometimes to as slow as <i>ELEVEN MPH</i>. With no way to pass. And the driver did not choose to use any of the pullouts-- despite the infuriated honking of the long line of cars behind the loathsome camper van.<br />
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The older of the boys (who is a stickler for rules), pointed out that this was "totally unacceptable" and was joining me in castigating the driver --who of course couldn't hear us from inside our closed car.<br />
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And then the six-year-old boy, (who remembered almost word for word what I had said on a previous occasion when the boys were complaining about slow traffic delaying our return home from an adventure), suggested that since we couldn't do anything about the situation, perhaps we should focus on the beauty of the drive and all that we were grateful for.<br />
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And suddenly, Loki's spell was broken for me.<br />
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We begin listing all the beautiful things we were going slow enough to notice and remembered all of the wonderful things that happened that day and all of our many many blessings, including how lucky we were to have each other.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3B6z9ZAnnMo/Xd2zSMPaOFI/AAAAAAAACeo/DX8aRAYFSD0Cl1j887vZfIn2HQ5IJIjuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="640" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3B6z9ZAnnMo/Xd2zSMPaOFI/AAAAAAAACeo/DX8aRAYFSD0Cl1j887vZfIn2HQ5IJIjuACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2127.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how kids can turn everything upside down and reflect deep Truths.</td></tr>
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And THEN, my little friend asked "How is Sparks & Leaps going?" He has never asked me this before and I have said very little about it other than to mention that there's something else I do in addition to taking care of them.<br />
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I've never been able to come up with the short, simple and clear explanation, (for kids or grownups), but I gave it a try.<br />
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I said that Sparks & Leaps is a game and that the situation with the van was a great example of how to play.<br />
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I explained that when something in life happens that you don't like, it is important to feel the mad, sad, scared feelings, (but not to feed them so that they grow bigger) AND that it's really cool if you can breathe into the feeling and activate your curiosity to see if there's a different possible story or possible gifts.<br />
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I told him that in Sparks & Leaps, this is called an ❌ spot and this is where the real magic happens.<br />
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I also described how when you can turn bad guys into allies this is a super powerful thing to do.<br />
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So we considered several possible stories about why that driver might be going so slow. And we agreed that since we really have no idea what the truth was, and there was absolutely nothing we could do to change the circumstances, it felt better to feel kindness towards that driver rather than feed stressful anger.<br />
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And what if this driver was helping all of us in the long line of cars to learn some important stuff? Kind of like Loki and other tricksters.<br />
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I don't know if what I said made a difference for them, but it sure helped me!<br />
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I love searching for hidden treasures. Sometimes they're tricky to discover, and I might not get the whole thing, but it is almost always well worth the adventure!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmxFVOm2d70/Xd3TGBt151I/AAAAAAAACfk/4QsKOZIa9k8wwkP0vf7JxDKo_ygWmcYJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmxFVOm2d70/Xd3TGBt151I/AAAAAAAACfk/4QsKOZIa9k8wwkP0vf7JxDKo_ygWmcYJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2196.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This big Starfish was really tricky to photograph in between waves that drenched me, but it was so much fun!</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving with many magical blessings and unexpected delights!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px;">*Here is a story from my FB page on 11/20</span><br />
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px;">Bad news</span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t91/2/16/1f615.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">😕</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px;">/Good News</span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/teb/2/16/1f642.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🙂</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px;"> Story </span><br />
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😕<span style="font-size: 14px;">sick children yesterday</span></div>
<span style="color: #1c1e21;">🙂</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: 14px;">very minor bug & cozy day cuddling. Movies & stories & swilling various immune system support concoctions & extra hour$</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">😫</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">no nature outing/dance possible during daylight hours</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">😁</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">I SAW A UNICORN on a nighttime walk/dance through town!!!</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">😖</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Still bedazzled by </span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t2c/2/16/1f984.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🦄</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">, I stepped off a curb into a </span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t8/2/16/1f573.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🕳</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">dark hole where the street was supposed to be.</span><br /><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">😅<span style="font-size: 14px;">only minor injuries (I am well aware of how unexpected surprises can change your life in an instant) and at least I had plenty of ice for my foot, knee, back and </span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;">hands</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"> since </span></span></span><b style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">the power shut off was cancelled</b><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">AND there were 2 more magical delights</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">🦄</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">1.) I discovered there is a UNICORN METEOR STORM predicted for tomorrow night! </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">UPDATE:</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Unicorn Meteor Storm did not happen after </span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255); font-size: 14px;">coordinating with a bunch of friends to go and view</span></span><br /><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t91/2/16/2614.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">☔️</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">2.) there was a totally unpredicted little RAIN SHOWER last night which prompted my running out into my back yard in my jammies for an ecstatic bonus dance.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit;">🎭</span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">What fun would it be if life was nothing but </span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tfe/2/16/1f31e.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🌞</span></span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t2c/2/16/1f984.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🦄</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">? It is the contrast of the light and dark that makes life so magical </span><span class="_5mfr" style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 1px;"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb2/2/16/1f308.png"); background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: contain; color: transparent; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 16px; text-shadow: none; vertical-align: text-bottom; width: 16px;">🌈</span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"> And BTW, the magic can be even more powerful with greater challenges. </span></div>
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👀<span style="font-size: 14px;">Stay tuned for the game of Sparks & Leaps which helps players discover the evolutionary gifts in dark holes. I am SO close to finding the maddeningly elusive unicorn of the missing magic I need to finally bring Sparks & Leaps out of hiding. AND (I am reminding myself) what fun would it be if it were totally easy?! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiding in a yard in downtown Fairfax</td></tr>
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-68751339392485546492019-10-31T11:21:00.000-07:002019-10-31T23:21:15.639-07:00❤️🔥Friendly Fire🔥🧡<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2DS1_U9gLOM/XboPqAsAeRI/AAAAAAAACbE/0YMmsZpRmoYoEJIBZF15HtPjgAfDxBoxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_7893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2DS1_U9gLOM/XboPqAsAeRI/AAAAAAAACbE/0YMmsZpRmoYoEJIBZF15HtPjgAfDxBoxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7893.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
Chaos is dancing wildly in my world here in Marin County and presumably also in the larger collective as well -- although since at the moment of writing this with paper and pen, as I have been without electricity or Internet for four days, I am blissfully oblivious to all but immediate survival needs.*<br />
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Fire, dangerous wind gusts, darkness, occasional horrid smoky air when the wind shifts, and mass panicked confusion of many thousands without electricity or internet have been the spooky pre-Halloween tricks.<br />
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And the treats were stumbling upon a store giving away it's melting frozen food on the sidewalk or the Black Swan rarity of a highly coveted bag of ice. Oh and the starry night skies along with a delicious excuse to read for hours by candle light!<br />
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My original idea for a blog topic (before the additional level of chaos brought on by the blackout occurred), was to honor Maleficent.<br />
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This was not inspired by the recent movie as I chose my Halloween costume and this theme before I knew about it. I look forward to seeing it now that the movie theater is open again!<br />
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My intention was to embrace the elements of chaos that she represents for me.<br />
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The characters of Maleficent and Eris (aka Chaos) have related stories that have fascinated me for many years.<br />
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My biggest take away from their tales is that it is a really good idea to invite them them and welcome them (albeit with mindful caution and protective boundaries) because <b style="font-style: italic;">they are going to show up anyway, </b>and it is a futile and foolish idea to attempt to shun them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwUdJZNmWCM/XboRmjixRoI/AAAAAAAACbQ/KxPIUVndikcQ3k40Lex7xekbgu9UZ8AoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_9856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwUdJZNmWCM/XboRmjixRoI/AAAAAAAACbQ/KxPIUVndikcQ3k40Lex7xekbgu9UZ8AoQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9856.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out in the hidden pumpkin woods, <i>attempting</i> to scare some children. </td></tr>
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The stories of an entire kingdom put to sleep and the Trojan war --both of which were started due to invitational omissions (Maleficent for a baby christening and Eris for a wedding), are useful allegories.<br />
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Few enjoy Chaos showing up at their door in any form: whether dark fairy, goddess or some kind of nasty Life surprise.<br />
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We quite naturally prefer more well behaved guests.<br />
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Just about everything in our survival conditioning, neurobiology and cultural norms makes us crave that which is smooth, safe, easy and predictable. After all, if we are still alive, whatever we have done must be working --so it feels dangerous to mess with that even if we are not cozy and content.<br />
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This makes it extremely difficult to even consider a willingness to explore the evolutionary benefits of inviting Chaos. (I have written about these benefits in previous posts, so won't go into it much here).<br />
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Obviously, I am not saying I would invite the fire-breathing dragon manifestation of Maleficent anywhere near my home, because once she gets to that point she is not going to be amenable to friendly connection. The time to make her an ally is much earlier -- prior to alienating her!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agmZ_teN0A4/XboYs0mP63I/AAAAAAAACbs/18mkMU4iwwYz4fbfiZDfyhglhbdT3gY5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dd0ouu3-793cafb5-3dbc-44cd-88e9-6e9e79c6d183.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1078" height="230" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agmZ_teN0A4/XboYs0mP63I/AAAAAAAACbs/18mkMU4iwwYz4fbfiZDfyhglhbdT3gY5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/dd0ouu3-793cafb5-3dbc-44cd-88e9-6e9e79c6d183.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">https://www.deviantart.com/shadowxjamie/art/Maleficent-Dragon-787219995</td></tr>
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<br />
I also admit I probably wouldn't be so philosophical or be making overtures of friendship to the Chaos in my life if there were actual flames at my door.<br />
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Once things are at that level of crisis, usually the only appropriate response is survival by whatever means possible. This is the time to activate that cortisol and fight or run!<br />
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What I believe the deeper message of these stories about Maleficent and Eris demonstrate is that even though they (and the chaos they represent) are troublesome and it seems easier and more prudent to avoid them; this strategy is an epic fail.<br />
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Change is the only constant in life. It is inevitable, inexorable and essential.<br />
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And of course, change always bring some level of disruption/chaos. Whenever it is possible to lean into the discomfort earlier in the process, rather than trying to control it, resit it, or fix it, I highly recommend trying this seemingly counterintuitive strategy.<br />
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In the example of my current and recent situation, I do not get to choose whether wild fires or the winds or smoke come to my neighborhood. I did not get to choose to go without electricity for four days.<br />
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But I did get to practice saying yes to the gifts of Chaos, embracing the Mystery of having <i>no idea</i> what was next and dancing with what was happening. Not every minute, but I did the best I could!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One day when the winds brought some smoke, I headed for the cleaner air in the woods with my little charges and our masks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of us had a totally magical time! A holiday from school for them and opportunity to make extra money, do something altruistic (<i>always</i> helpful when I am feeling scared or sad or mad) and hang out in beauty for me. They played imaginative games of their own creation about survival and I danced to Halloween and fire songs, made little mandalas out of fall leaves, and sent prayers to all in the path of fire.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have thought a lot about what caused these fires on a deeper level than just blaming the evil electric company (anyone seen Stranger Things?!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I have also pondered the gifts of Chaos and how fire (and all the other disasters dancing wildly in our world right now), could actually be viewed as friendly helpers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Too many threads to tie together here in this post, but much of it has to do with the choices we make around wanting life to be more easy, comfortable and safe than it inherently is and the evolutionary benefits of difficult times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">AND firing (with the weapons of judgement, blame and punishment) wildly at everything in sight--thus harming many potential allies or burning "witches".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Please know that I am not saying we should ignore or put a happy face on tragic losses or terrifying circumstances. Nor am I saying that we "deserve" whatever pain we are experiencing because we made "wrong or bad" choices due to being "lazy"</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> or not courageous enough. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not judging anyone (okay maybe PG&E executives, but I aspire not to!) including myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course we experience natural consequences for our actions and we need to hold ourselves and others responsible when we are perpetrating harm, but when we can do so from a place of common ground without pointing fingers of blame, I believe we will be able to move forward in an entirely different way rather than caught up in the soul sapping energy of conflict.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps fire can be a friend if it sheds light on the hot and destructive consequences of our previous ways of life and teaches us to be more creative, come together in kindness and love (SO much of that happening in the midst of all of the disasters).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And so on this belated New Moon blog and on this Spooky Halloween, I wish you all of the blessings of the Witches New Year -- Samhein.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">*This post was delayed for obvious reasons. Most was written on paper and hastily typed in with a few new thoughts</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">PS the text is totally wonky in the second half and resists all attempts to correct it. Mercury went into retrograde today and much as I do not want to cast blame, it is either that or a merry little Halloween prankster. </span><br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-1325700259417088792019-09-28T14:35:00.000-07:002019-09-28T14:53:29.398-07:00🧟♀️Zombie & Love Stories 🥰<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3XozldGpu6c/XY-iNavw-lI/AAAAAAAACXg/Nu7HVT-yrnoaPUrX7za8WRDgQ2lm3c9cgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_7144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3XozldGpu6c/XY-iNavw-lI/AAAAAAAACXg/Nu7HVT-yrnoaPUrX7za8WRDgQ2lm3c9cgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7144.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I shot this photo and the ones below a few days ago. All are of my shadow (and a couple of small friends making a guest appearance) dancing at twilight on the Earth.</span></span><br />
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Twilight (literal and metaphorical) is when our shadows become most interesting. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;">I have a dark and complicated shadow AND I have parts of me that shine with bright love. Both are an essential part of who I am. There's no point in trying to run or hide from my shadows or to fight the shadows of others. But I can choose to dance with both the light and the dark within and around me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">One of the ways of dancing with the shadow involves the stories we are telling ourselves each other during darkening days and/or just before exciting and extraordinary new dawns. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;">🌞🌑💃🏻🌞🌑💃🏻🌞🌑💃🏻🌞🌑💃🏻</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;">Some of the content of this post was taken from something I wrote in a Facebook group in response to a meme presenting Greta Thunberg as a tool of dark forces. Although I mention politics, the point I am making is not about furthering any agendas of the left or right. </span></div>
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It is about the stories we tell (on both left left and the right as well as in nonpolitical situations) and the power those stories have to shape our lives.</div>
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These are liminal times on our planet when we can no longer live comfortably in the old story or fully inhabit the new one that is still a mystery. </div>
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Liminal can mean a transitional doorway between two worlds. Such as dusk when day is turning into night. Or dawn when night is turning into day. </div>
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In this transitional time we are all collectively inhabiting, so many old paradigms are crumbling and thrashing around in their death throes and our exaggerated shadows are dancing wildly at the edges of the dark void. AND there is magic during these times as new paradigms are being formed.<br />
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I do not believe that the void, the edges, the shadows, the darkness, death, Mystery, anger, fear, and an enormous range of differing beliefs (including “conspiracies”) are wrong and bad. </div>
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Consider the opposite extremes of perpetual sunlight, and only that which can be proven by dry, logical certainty, that which can never decay or die, nothing but sweetness, etc. </div>
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Perhaps in another realm, there might be a world where that there is nothing but sweetness and light. However, here on planet Earth we live with cycles and I, for one, celebrate that.</div>
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I also celebrate exploring dissonance (part of harmony) as well as that which we fear and resist. ALL are a vital part of the whole. </div>
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I understand there are dangers in the darkness and I struggle with how to stand sovereign with a sword of discernment and demarcate clear boundaries (especially when defending the innocent and vulnerable) AND be curious, open, and willing to listen --even to those that hold diametrically opposing views from my own. </div>
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For the record, I do not believe that Greta is being used by shadowy political cabals. </div>
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Nor do I subscribe to very many conspiracy theories. Although some of them are compelling, I try not to invest much of my energy in that which is fear based, with villains that should be fought, as I believe that which we resist persists and grows more adamant with conflictual energy.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">I do not want to breathe life into those stories. </span>I just looked up the etymology of the word conspiracy. It is to breathe together. What if, when we collectively breathe life into stories of evil, we give them more power? </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";">I am not saying they're not possible. Evil definitely has a powerful presence in the world. I have seen some extremely convincing articles and videos around various “conspiracies”.</span></div>
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And there are many in my wide circle of loved ones who hold views that I do not, including "conspiracy theories". I care about them and want to live in as much harmony as we can create in the midst of our differing views of reality. </div>
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So I will respectfully listen to what they believe and try to understand what they are feeling that underlies their beliefs. And I will search for any possible common ground; shared beliefs, shared fears, shared griefs as well as shared hopes and loves.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">As for those who are not in my circle of loved ones (and for whom I confess that despite my best intentions I harbor strong judgments), I am not advocating a spiritual bypass. Yes, we are "all one/children of God" but that doesn't mean I just want to give all politicians and CEOs of polluting companies etc. big hugs and tell them to go ahead and continue perpetrating harm. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">There are times when it is not responsible to refuse to take action (which under extreme circumstances could involve extreme measures). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">I just do not choose to use my precious time and energy to fight battles I couldn't possibly win --especially using the weapons of "shadow powers", since they clearly have more! I would rather in-spire rather than con-spire and to use my playful creativity and kinder means to explore what else is possible.</span></span><br />
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This quote from Ariel Spillsbury arrived in my email yesterday:</div>
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"In a sense we are putting "spells" or closed feedback loops on each other, hypnotic suggestions by the way we see others, the expectations we hold of them, the stories we tell about them. In quantum physics it is called the Observer Effect. In essence, that means we see what we expect to see. (Though paradoxically, no one is absolutely at cause, because reality is actually acausal, self-arising, non-linear, holographic.. a mutually created holographic dream projection.)”</blockquote>
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I also love <a href="https://www.leahlamb.com/">Leah Lamb</a>'s take on what she calls "zombie stories”. These are stories that may in fact be “true", but telling them leaves no place for the listener to engage.<br />
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For instance, if you tell the story that we are doomed (from an environmental standpoint, or powerful cabals), then why even bother to take action, since it is clearly hopeless? Here is a great quote from Leah: </div>
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"Speak with fear and you will speak to the fear in others. Speak from scarcity and you will breed scarcity in others. Speak from love, and you will wake love in others."</blockquote>
We can tell stories of the zombie apocalypse : the planet is dying and it is hopeless --we will all soon be dead OR there are zombie cabals trying to control us with lies about environmental disasters.<br />
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But all zombies eat brains and leave their victims with no will of their own. Groupthink zombie stories are not alive and do not allow for the individual listener to have even a spark of hope that might inspire them to take life-affirming action.<br />
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I believe with all my heart that the only way we can individually and collectively navigate this time of transition is to respectfully and kindly dance with those other shadows that are here with us to the best of our abilities and start telling different stories.<br />
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Instead of seeing our shadows and those of others as bad and unlovable, what if we try to get to know them a little better and maybe even embrace them?<br />
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Instead of telling zombie stories (even if you believe them to be true) which spread fear, anger and hopelessness as well as making shadows darker scarier and bigger, why not find ways to connect with teams of allies and start telling stories that are equally if not more true that use creative imagination, loving kindness, and new possibilities?<br />
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I invite you to consider what other stories are possible. Can you come up with stories in which we create changes that allow us to care for our planet and the children and other beings who live here? I encourage you to think outside of the box of our current narratives in which there are clearly defined villains and that is soon as they stop doing bad things everything will be fine.*<br />
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I am hugely inspired by the massive movement of children (and all of the adults who support them) rising up to protect their planet, but our kids deserve better than only scary zombie stories. And<i> all of us</i> are responsible to add our piece to the narrative and to join together to create change.<br />
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*This is <a href="https://charleseisenstein.org/books/climate-a-new-story/">my favorite book about climate change</a> it offers a surprising perspective that people of all political persuasions will find interesting.<br />
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-69823899632034994962019-08-30T11:32:00.000-07:002019-08-30T12:39:28.365-07:00🃏Foolish Wisdom👵🏻<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You can't really tell from the above photo, but I am dancing at the edge of a steep cliff next to The Land’s End Labyrinth.<br />
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Literally and metaphorically, I am at the edge of the solid land, walking reverently in mystery as well as dancing and taking wild leaps in precarious circumstances.<br />
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I share this information, not to alarm those friends and family who read my blog (please don't worry, I trust that one way or another, all will workout <i>as it always has</i>!), but because I know there are many of you who are at similar metaphorical edges. I share what is happening in my life in the hopes that my experience will benefit you.<br />
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My current edge is finances, exacerbated by my inner anxieties (with their own set of side effects that impact my life) which come to the surface when I don't feel secure.<br />
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For you it might be your health or a relationship issue or any of a wide variety of challenges. And even if by some miracle you are currently sailing smoothly through your personal life, all of us are a part of the aggregate uncertainty (a dark gift) at this time on the planet.<br />
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Being on the edge may not feel comfortable, but it is a place where magic can happen.<br />
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I have discovered that there is rich potential for transformational evolutionary leaps if I am willing to be open to the mystical possibilities that are more available here, than in the midst of "safety" and comfort. AND it is also, of course, vital to PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION to every step and take practical measures*.<br />
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The heightened awareness of Life and it's infinite possibilities (including both the potential for miracles and danger) is one of those invaluable gifts in disguise that I am (mostly!) embracing right now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_ek7VdDx8I/XWiuQbOW_sI/AAAAAAAACVo/2gKqwZ0atcA7w-iHLFvunk5Z62E1KA4BwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="499" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_ek7VdDx8I/XWiuQbOW_sI/AAAAAAAACVo/2gKqwZ0atcA7w-iHLFvunk5Z62E1KA4BwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5241.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from inside the outer edge of the labyrinth.</td></tr>
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As I was walking the labyrinth which is right up against the edge the cliff with a sharp drop off down to the sea, I suddenly thought of the lovely <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUSqzoPTdYk">Alison Krauss song</a> with the line “Whatever the answer, it's yes that's the question-- I am the fool dancing over the edge.”<br />
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Yes, I may be a fool to be living so close to the edge. I suppose there are more sensible choices I could make, but none that feel right in my heart. And even when fear pushes me to consider backing away, there are really no viable, sustainable options available to me at this point.<br />
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And so, I will continue doing my piecemeal jobs (searching for more now*) while continuing to create Sparks & Leaps and living in my precious little sanctuary here in ridiculously pricey Marin County. The joy of this home here in this sweet community of Fairfax, where I have put down deep roots, made dear friends and have found more joy then any place I have ever been in my life is where I want to stay.<br />
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In order to do this, I am reaching out to any and all allies. I would love it if you would hold strong thoughts for me as I navigate this perilous territory (I believe in the power of Love and shared intention) and perhaps help with useful connections—see below*,<br />
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In addition to the peril and need for support, I see this as an opportunity to walk (dance and leap) my brave talk about cultivating curiosity and exploring the paradoxes that present themselves in times like these. Game on!<br />
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As I am playing my own game of Sparks & Leaps, I am practicing leaning into discomfort, building a team of allies, (including befriending the troubled inner aspect of myself), embracing adverse circumstances, looking for the buried treasure of the gifts in disguise and cultivating gratitude for every blessing.<br />
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I am not saying I am sailing through my challenges with total equanimity, (and I have my little escape indulgences) but this strategy of saying YES with playful curiosity to adventure and cultivating trust feels <i>way</i> better than the seriously flawed coping mechanisms I tried during previous difficult times many years ago--such as curling up into a ball under my blankets while whimpering with despair and ruminating on my worthlessness and hopelessness or recklessly drowning my sorrows with alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.<br />
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So far, every single major crisis in my life (I have had many, especially around the times of the beginnings of new decades, starting with my traumatic birth), has ultimately benefited me and I truly believe this one will too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana";">Moment to moment, and with every step, the Fool leaves the past behind. He carries nothing more than his purity, innocence and trust, symbolized by the white rose in his hand. The pattern on his waistcoat contains the colors of all four elements of the tarot, indicating that he is in harmony with all that surrounds him. His intuition is functioning at its peak. At this moment the Fool has the support of the universe to make this jump into the unknown. Adventures await him in the river of life.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana";">The card indicates that if you trust your intuition right now, your feeling of the 'rightness' of things, you cannot go wrong. Your actions may appear 'foolish' to others, or even to yourself, if you try to analyze them with the rational mind. But the 'zero' place occupied by the Fool is the numberless number where trust and innocence are the guides, not skepticism </span></span></td></tr>
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On 8/19, just before midnight in my last moments of my 50s (in theory, I am a wise elder now😄!), I drew this single oracle card from the Osho Zen Tarot Deck in answer to my question "what's the most important next step for me at this time of transition in my life.”<br />
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While I definitely have fears about the real possibility that foolish steps will lead to a dangerous fall for me personally as well as that choices being made on larger levels could lead us collectively to disaster, I am doing my very best to trust myself and to trust how life is unfolding for all of us.<br />
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After drawing my fool/joker/wild card, and after my labyrinth walk on 8/24, I watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mNboLb2Suc">this short video </a>about the Amazon rain forests that came to my email inbox on 8/27. It was (surprisingly, given the grim topic), enormously comforting and inspiring. It was also synchronistic in that it addressed issues such as taking next steps towards the destination of trust that our heart knows exists with naïve confidence, even when our logical mind does not understand or approve.<br />
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This does not mean sitting back and passively waiting for magic or luck or a diety to take care of my predicaments or the larger issues on the planet. I am taking a profusion of practical steps* to address current as well as long term survival needs. As for the larger world I believe we need to conjointly take a great number of “down to Earth” steps regarding our shared environment, economy, policies etc.<br />
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The tricky part for for me ( and perhaps for you too?) is to take those steps from a place of trust rather than fear of scarcity. Given that scarcity fears are a part of intense and powerfully strong survival conditioning, and that I really do need to pay rent and bills, eat and consider my future, this is a moment to moment challenge. I do better in some moments than others, but I aspire to be a fool!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">*</span><span style="color: #674ea7;">This Virgo New Moon is all about taking practical action steps. Focusing on details and creating order and clarity out of chaos. Resetting new intentions and committing to them. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>So, here is what I am up to and how you can support me if you have any inclination and/or ability to do so.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you have connections in Marin and hear of any </span>child care opportunities<span style="color: magenta;"> (I charge $25.00- $30.00 per hour depending on circumstances) for under 20 hours a week afternoons, evenings or weekends --on going or on call, please send them my way!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you know anyone who would enjoy </span>easy, customized adventures into Nature<span style="color: magenta;">, (individuals or group I charge $50.00 per hour), please send them my way. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you would like to purchase any of my </span>Nature photographs<span style="color: magenta;">, for yourself or as a gift, please contact me.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you (or someone you know) would be willing to help me </span>put together an ebook<span style="color: magenta;">, I will split the profits. I need help with organization of concepts, clarity, and brevity.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you (or someone you know) would be willing to help me with </span> technical skills<span style="color: magenta;"> in creating the Game of Sparks & Leaps (either on a website or app --several possibilities), I will split the profits.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you (or someone you know) has connections to Jane McGonnigal or others who know how to create games and can help me </span>create the Game of Sparks & Leaps<span style="color: magenta;">, I will split the profits.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you are not already one of my patrons on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/SparksandLeaps"><span style="font-size: large;">Patreon</span></a>, I would be ENORMOUSLY grateful, if you would check out my page and consider supporting me. And you get cool content in exchange. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">If you can think of any other way you can assist me at this time with immediate survival needs or my long term dream, I am open to love💖, support 💞and miracles✨! </span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">AND If there is any way I can support YOU with my quirky skill set and/or holding you in my heart, leaving a flower or other token with your intentions/requests up to a labyrinth, etc. please let me know. Because </span>we are all in this together<span style="color: magenta;">. Whatever I do to serve you will benefit me, and I would love to show my gratitude for your taking the time to read my words!</span></li>
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-40291898102942107392019-07-31T13:46:00.000-07:002019-07-31T15:16:40.620-07:00❌ SEALed With a Kiss 😘<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">In this photo, (shot last Saturday by my awesome 27-year-old former nanny charge who was visiting from Minnesota), there are literally tons of elephant seals behind me.</span></td></tr>
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Elephant seals appear to be just lazy lumps laying around on the beach. And it is true that they are nearly immobile for most of their time on land. But 90% of their lives are spent swimming gracefully in the water where they can cover 60 miles in a day and dive over 5000 feet deep.<br />
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I have felt a bit like the beached seals recently. They go here to mate and molt. This involves a lot of posturing, making funny noises and is quite an exhausting process for them.<br />
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Although I am not mating, I have been creating a new life and this has involved posturing (LOOK AT ME —check out what I am doing!), and making funny noises (I suspect much of what I have been trying to communicate has sounded as silly and/or incomprehensible to many of you as seal barks and snorts!) and it has definitely been exhausting.<br />
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I have also been taking some deep, dark dives into emotional waters recently while trying to avoid being consumed by my inner sharks. I'm looking forward to gracefully swimming to wherever I am meant to go very soon.<br />
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As for molting, like the mythical Selkies who their shed their skins to transform from seals to humans, the messy process I have been undergoing while creating Sparks & Leaps feels like it is becoming transformational and magical.<br />
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Not magical as in “abracadabra POOF” with a magic wand where transformation takes place in a flash. 💥<br />
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More like a slow painful alchemical process that involves a lot of molten heat.<br />
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I, of course, wish it was quicker and easier, but my understanding is that no true transformation happens like that.<br />
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Fortunately, it feels like I am nearing the end of the torturous part. Whether my leaden lump is ready to become a SPARKly nugget of gold, and I begin making quantum LEAPS or I at least change into fools gold and my baby steps start to cover more ground, I am cautiously optimistic!<br />
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If you are also feeling like things are a little too hot for you (and I don't mean this summer's heat!) or you feel like an awkward seal out of water, maybe you are also in the midst of a transformative change!<br />
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We are all, always, in the midst of change, so if there is a transformation you would like to have occur in your life, it might help to consider the possibility that whatever is happening is actually for your benefit.<br />
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It can't hurt to shift that perspective and you never know what might happen!<br />
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On 7/7, I committed to playing the game of Sparks & Leaps every day until I turn 60 (45 total days) on Facebook. I know many of you are not on that playground, so let me know if you are curious what I'm up to there and I can send you some copies of posts —they are kind of like mini blogs.<br />
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Otherwise, I will send you my love, SEALed with a ❌. This ❌, serves as both a kiss and an ❌-spot.❌-spots are one of the key features of the game of Sparks & Leaps and you will be hearing more about them.<br />
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In addition to wishing you a Happy Black Moon/Super Moon/ New Moon, I also send you my best wishes for a lovely Lammas/ Lughnasadh (8/1 & 2 or 8/7 --depending on whether you celebrate the pagan or astrological date).<br />
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Translation for those of you who don't celebrate any of that, but are curious : Black Moon is the second New Moon in a month, Super Moon is closest to the Earth in orbit and Lammas/ Lughnasadh is the midpoint between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. Is a time of celebrating the first harvest.<br />
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OR if you are in the southern hemisphere, perhaps you are celebrating Imbolc/ Candlemas and Grounhog's Day!<br />
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Since my Groundhog's Day Sparks & Leaps attempts at new starts have looked more like the middle of that GHD movie than powerful magic, I'm going to see what kind of first harvest I might glean from the mirror holiday of Lammas!<br />
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And if this is sounding more like seal snorting and barking to you, then please just accept my wish for a happy August!<br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-10785157969259977722019-07-02T09:00:00.002-07:002019-07-02T09:06:51.219-07:00🍰Not like this...🚶♀️<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wish there was a sturdy, straight, short bridge going safely over the gap between my old story and my new one. I would also like to be totally luminescent -- filled with light and love as I dance gracefully across.<br />
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Despite all of the things I have doing to be as responsible and creative as I know how to be regarding practical obligations (putting in the hours for income generating jobs as well as frustrating entrepenurial dead ends), bizarre random complications and challenges (such an overflowing abundance lately), and many more activities in the way of self care and spiritual rituals, ( including massive purging of physical and metaphysical stuff I do not need); the above description of my passage is far from accurate.<br />
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I am baltering (Balter - To dance artlessly without particular grace or skill but usually with enjoyment) through the murky muck!<br />
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It's not a cakewalk, but there is a certain sweetness and mysterious beauty about the often dark and confusing territory found in these in-between places. AND there is an abundance of joy and magic as well. (Is it just me or are there more and more crazy cool synchronicities happening all the time?!)<br />
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This paradoxical mix, which I call "The Land of &" and Charles Eisenstein calls "The Space Between Stories", is not just showing up in my current personal world. It is also true of the larger "Marvelous Messy Middle" (SARK's name for this place) we are occupying collectively. Perhaps you are hanging out in some paralell universe like this too right now.<br />
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If so, I invite you to balter with me!<br />
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On this day of a Solar Eclipse (not visible here in USA) I am taking the ashes from my recently burned old journals (old stories) to the sea. I will flirt with the waves alongside my trusty young adventurer friends (internal children and two very real little boys) and dance with wild abandon.<br />
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Lots of change happening (partially what dictated brevity of this post) AND lots of wild magic!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I went to this favorite spot last week (it is a windy vortex on top of huge rocks with a view of the sea) and added a favorite quote to the photo.</span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="text-align: start;">I can't find who originally said it, but it feels especially true right now!</span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-87628833353702873202019-06-02T21:17:00.000-07:002019-06-02T22:31:44.549-07:00❄️Frozen in Time🥶<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have always claimed that if you went back to my elementary school, you would see the claw marks in the walls where I was dragged out to the dreaded horror of recess on the frozen tundra. My attitude about winter did not improve much with age.<br />
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On Memorial Day weekend, this younger aspect of myself was dragged out to play in the snow once again. But before I tell you about why I was hanging out with a sulking "Little Mickey" (my childhood nickname was Mickey) and why you might want to subject yourself to listening to someone's tale of their" inner child" 😝, let me share a powerful and true story from history, related to my icy memories and Memorial Day.<br />
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After WWII, there were soldiers who did not believe the war was over. One of them, Hiroo Onoda, was still hiding out in a Philippine jungle, conducting an occasional raids and refusing to surrender for<i> 29 years</i> after the war ended.<br />
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Dr Bill Plotkin tells <a href="http://violand.com/publications/monday-morning-notes/discharging-your-loyal-soldiers-part-i">the story</a> of how,<br />
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"some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.<br />
The only identity many of them knew was that of being loyal soldiers to their country, having shaped this identity through the formative years of their lives. Many of them simply weren’t mentally or emotionally fit or prepared to reenter humane society. Some of their communities created rituals where the soldiers were thanked and praised in public for their service to the country. A community elder would stand, and with great fanfare, announce, 'The war is now over! The community needs you to let go of what has served you and served us so well up to now. The community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier.' "</blockquote>
Fr Richard Rohr <a href="http://www.secondjourney.org/itin/2011Fall/11Fall_Rohr.htm">has this to say</a> about Plotkin's work on "discharging the loyal soldier":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"This kind of closure is much needed for most of us at the end of all major transitions in life. Because we have lost any sense of the need for such rites of passage, most of our people have no clear crossover to the second half of their own lives. No one shows us the stunted and limited character of the worldview of the first half of life, so we just continue with more of the same. The Japanese were wise enough to create clear closure, transition, and possible direction...The voice of our loyal soldier gets us through the first half of life safely, teaching us to look both ways before we cross the street, to have enough impulse control to avoid addictions and compulsive emotions, to learn the sacred “no” to ourselves that gives us dignity, identity, direction, significance, and boundaries. We must learn these lessons to get off to a good start...The loyal soldier is the voice of all your early authority figures. His or her ability to offer shame, guilt, warnings, boundaries, and self-doubt is the gift that never stops giving. Remember, it can be a feminine voice too...The loyal soldier cannot get you to the second half of life. He does not even understand it. He has not been there. He can help you “get through hell,” with the early decisions that demand black-and-white thinking; but then you have to say good-bye when you move into the subtlety of midlife and later life. "</blockquote>
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This "Loyal Soldier" is very similar to our Survival Conditioning, black-and-white subconscious thinking that we all (to varying degrees) received and internalized from our parents, teachers, culture, ancestors etc. And whatever you want to call it, this is what guides many,(<a href="https://www.brucelipton.com/resource/interview/mind-growth-and-matter"> possibly 95% ) of the decisions we make in any given day.</a><br />
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For a variety of both practical and spiritual reasons, (having very little to do with the Muslim religion), I decided to use the occasion of the month of Ramadan to do my own version of a fast and 3 mini "holy pilgrimages". In addition to not eating solid foods during the day and simpler dinners at night, I also cut out most of my addictive entertainments --like novels, movies and Facebook.<br />
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A big part of my motivation in removing these distracting addictions, was to bring my loyal little soldier out of the hidden jungles within and invite her to integrate (with all of her quirky gifts and superpowers) into my current life.<br />
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One of the main reasons for focusing even more strongly on my ongoing process of integration is that I have been steadily gaining weight. I am unwilling to try yet another restrictive dietary or hard-core exercise regime or "money-back-guaranteed" healing modality.<br />
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I loved this FB post I saw from someone named Jamie Kennedy:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I'm amazed by people who lose weight w exercise. When I exercise nothing happens bc my DNA still thinks I'm a European peasant. So it's like 'Oh! Are we running from the English again, lass? Dinnae ye worry: we'll keep ye plump as a partridge to outlast the murderous bastards!'"</blockquote>
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Part of my European peasants background possibly includes a starving Mickey from the potato famine of Ireland, (and of course it's complicated because I also have the DNA of murdering English bastards as well as of the raping and pillaging Norwegian Vikings).<br />
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But even though there is compelling research that shows we are impacted by traumas from previous generations, I think the more relevant "Mickey" is the one who was starved for other nourishments in her childhood* and whose favorite comfort was; large quantities of food --especially potato chips! Furthermore, (in her opinion) the best way to consume that food was curled up with books or TV and avoiding any and all extraneous activities.<br />
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My tastes have changed, and I no longer own a TV or qualify as a couch potato, but there definitely some similarities in our behaviors.<br />
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So my plan for this month of Ramadan, was to break some recent/ old habits (apparently "Paleo friendly, organic, sustainably sourced", salty, crunchy, snacks are not really that much better than potato chips as far as weight gain) AND to bring Mickey/ my strong little loyal soldier out of hiding where she has been sabotaging my food choices (like Hiroo Onoda conducting raids in the Philippines) for decades.<br />
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As soon as I made that intention to connect with her and find out what she wants and needs that can be satisfied without addictive behaviors, I received <i>so many</i> opportunities to hear her voice and feel her pain. SO MANY!<br />
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I spent the entire four hour drive from Marin County to Mount Shasta (one of my three mini pilgrimages), having a conversation with her. I figured that should just about wrap it up. <b>Four long hours</b>. With my inner child --😝. I figured I could cross that off my to do list and then I should be well on my way to total mental, spiritual, physical health. And maybe miraculously shrink back into to a size 7.<br />
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But she was not about to suddenly become a well behaved sweet little girl who was totally on board with with my agenda.<br />
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Nor was she willing to conveniently retreat back out of sight when the drive was over.<br />
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Things got particularly challenging when my friends I was visiting in Mount Shasta wanted me/us to <i>really</i> frolic (sinking with each step into the wet, cold, deep, snow) on the mountain. Not just the token photo op in front of the snow bank, and maybe throwing a snowball or two like I had anticipated when I learned there was still snow on the mountain and said I was ready to frolic.<br />
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And did I mention that I was <b>hungry</b> (due to my liquid diet during the daylight hours) and it looked like my eagerly anticipated dinner would be delayed due to this torturous plan? Yes I know, it wasn't the anguish of the potato famine, but it felt pretty intense.<br />
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These are dear friends who I was really excited to see. And they were really excited to play in the snow. I wanted so much to be a good sport/ good girl, versus a whining wet blanket.<br />
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After all, I am all about being playful and going on challenging Nature adventures. The previous day I had thrown myself repeatedly into a 33 degree creek (in between a hot bath and sauna). But I wasn't <b>hungry</b>. And I was by myself so I could control what I wanted to do and how long I wanted to do it.<br />
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The issue of 🔑<b>control🗝</b> is key. Obviously, we can't live in total chaos and there are circumstances when rigid control, protective constriction, black and white thinking and distrust are essential for survival. But at least in my life (and I'm guessing in the lives of most of you reading this), those circumstances are pretty rare.<br />
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I am finding more and more that surrendering control,<b> relaxing</b> (especially physically) into whatever is happening --including pain and discomfort, and trusting in myself and my ability to handle the distress --as well as trusting in my circumstances; greatly reduces my anxiety.<br />
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And it turns out that anxiety has almost never protected me from anything genuinely harmful. What it <i>has</i> done is caused me endless misery and a whole lot of unfortunate side effects --including recently, the merry little dance between insomnia and weight gain.<br />
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Anxiety is also contagious and spreads to others in my presence and then ripples outwards.<br />
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AND anxiety has gifts to bring IF I am able to get curious and listen. Which is tricky to do!<br />
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On that snowy mountain, I finally forced myself (and a very reluctant little Mickey) to at least pretend have fun. I promised her I would make it up to her later. I threw myself literally into the snow. I log rolled down a hill. I threw snowballs. I made a snow angel.<br />
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And I even had a little bit of real fun.<br />
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On June 1, it was the nine year anniversary of my move to Marin (which was preceded by my first night in Mount Shasta) and the beginning of this new life where I have been happier than any other previous time or place.<br />
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I went on my second mini pilgrimage of a 3 1/2 hour loop hike to Phoenix Lake (with the whole "rising from the ashes" theme that was so alive for me 9 years ago) and back.<br />
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I had created a playlist on my iPod for the occasion and although most of the hike was silent, I danced and sang my way through some of the more deserted parts of the trails.<br />
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But not on the narrow trails where I was continually brushing up against tall grasses and branches, and where I was stopping every few steps to check for tiny poppy seeds sized, potentially disease infested ticks--I only found one and brushed it off before it latched on.<br />
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I refuse to wear toxic pesticide or only walk on the wide fire roads, and my homemade concoction of vinegar and essential oils has not been repelling ticks this year. I just found another little vampire attached to my neck last week.<br />
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Given the dangers of disease as well as just the overall creepiness of having something sucking your blood, this is a circumstance where control, distrust and diligent protection seemed legitimate.<br />
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The trick was to accept the paradox of choosing to go on this adventure with the necessity of protecting myself and the anxiety that there was no guarantee, even with the most careful control that I would be 100% safe AND to do my best to gratefully enjoy the experience and <b>relax</b> even though every part of my body constricted each time I brushed against anything --which was unavoidable and happened every few seconds on some of the trails. And there was a lot of poison oak as well. :)<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I remembered the excellent example of watching my friend Kao, gleefully hoping to be attacked by snowballs the previous weekend. Whether he caught the icy cold ball in his mouth or got hit in the face by it, didn't matter in the least to him. He was just ecstatic to be out there playing.</span></span></div>
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I failed at relaxing more than I succeeded, but it was excellent practice, and I got better at it as I got closer to the lake. Mercifully the trails widened for the remainder of the trek back home after reaching the lake, but then I had a new challenge.<br />
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Because I am carrying extra weight and also have not gone on a hike this far in quite some time, my feet started to hurt more and more with each step.<br />
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There was no other option but to keep going, so once again I had the opportunity to practice <b>relaxing</b> and even gratefully experiencing the beauty and the joy, despite the pain.<br />
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I had so many opportunities to ask myself the question of whether constricting my body was going to save me from the ticks or from the pain in my feet. The answer was "no" every single time, because of course, resisting, resenting, fighting against the circumstances with constrictive "protection" did not protect me at all.<br />
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I'm a slow learner, and decades of old fearful patterns as well eons of evolutionary survival conditioning do not just disappear with a little bit of logic! AND there are magical portals right smack in the middle of pain and anxiety.<br />
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Through the game of Sparks & Leaps, that I am learning how to play (and developing to share), I am slowly learning how to turn adversaries (including ticks, physical pain and my anxieties) into allies. The more I am able to bring curiosity and compassion to challenges, the more trust and joy I discover is available to me. <br />
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Much like the Japanese soldiers, there are parts of all of us that are still fighting a war when we could be transforming those rigid, constrictive, protective energies in living a more relaxed, expansive, trusting, life. Life is messy, but it is also playful and magical. And it is most fun when it is not black-and-white. Dancing with paradoxes is way better than fighting with them!<br />
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6/1/19 --9 years of playing on these gorgeous trails!</div>
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* just to make it clear, I am not blaming my parents or other family members for any deprivations. They all were doing the very best they could, given <i>their</i> survival conditioning/ loyal soldiers/DNA and the logistics of limited resources-- and I lived a very privileged existence compared to so many others on the planet.<br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;"> World War II, some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.</span><br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Dr. Plotkin tells the story of how, after World War II, some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
The only identity many of them knew was that of being loyal soldiers to their country, having shaped this identity through the formative years of their lives. Many of them simply weren’t mentally or emotionally fit or prepared to reenter humane society.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Some of their communities created rituals where the soldiers were thanked and praised in public for their service to the country. A community elder would stand, and with great fanfare, announce, “The war is now over! The community needs you to let go of what has served you and served us so well up to now. The community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier.”</div>
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<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Dr. Plotkin tells the story of how, after World War II, some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
The only identity many of them knew was that of being loyal soldiers to their country, having shaped this identity through the formative years of their lives. Many of them simply weren’t mentally or emotionally fit or prepared to reenter humane society.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Some of their communities created rituals where the soldiers were thanked and praised in public for their service to the country. A community elder would stand, and with great fanfare, announce, “The war is now over! The community needs you to let go of what has served you and served us so well up to now. The community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier.</div>
<br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Dr. Plotkin tells the story of how, after World War II, some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
The only identity many of them knew was that of being loyal soldiers to their country, having shaped this identity through the formative years of their lives. Many of them simply weren’t mentally or emotionally fit or prepared to reenter humane society.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Some of their communities created rituals where the soldiers were thanked and praised in public for their service to the country. A community elder would stand, and with great fanfare, announce, “The war is now over! The community needs you to let go of what has served you and served us so well up to now. The community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier.”</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Dr. Plotkin tells the story of how, after World War II, some Japanese communities helped returning soldiers successfully reenter civilian society by reframing the identities many of them had adopted as soldiers.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
The only identity many of them knew was that of being loyal soldiers to their country, having shaped this identity through the formative years of their lives. Many of them simply weren’t mentally or emotionally fit or prepared to reenter humane society.</div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
Some of their communities created rituals where the soldiers were thanked and praised in public for their service to the country. A community elder would stand, and with great fanfare, announce, “The war is now over! The community needs you to let go of what has served you and served us so well up to now. The community needs you to return as a man, a citizen, and something beyond a soldier.”</div>
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-75456818018864210762019-05-04T12:00:00.001-07:002019-05-04T12:06:19.951-07:00🧙♀️Witches and Tacos🌮<br />
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Did you know that if you put your clothes on inside out, tie a wild radish around your neck and venture out to a crossroads on Walpurgisnacht (April 30), you will be better able to see the witches and fairies that frolic at this time when the veils between the worlds are thin?<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: red;">This is a two part Blog. For those short on time, there is a short version, addressing a different perspective on what we<i> really</i> need and how something that may seem frivolous can help</span> <span style="color: red;">you find joy and reverence (and irreverence!)</span><span style="color: red;">. Just read up until the Radish necklace image. For a deeper dive, go below the radishes. </span></h3>
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Stories like these have been told (and often believed!), all over the world, throughout time.<br />
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For our ancient ancestors, experiencing the cycles of nature could be a matter of life and death.<br />
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Telling stories and creating rituals (including weddings, funerals etc.) was a way of honoring the Mystery of the life/death/life cycle. This creative process also added vitally important elements of play and/or celebration to help diffuse fear and grief during hard times.<br />
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Sharing stories and rituals, especially in the form of holidays/Holy days, strengthened the tribe/community/family groups that were (and still are, even though we don't typically acknowledge this truth in our independent lifestyles!), essential to survival.<br />
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<a href="https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/pagans-and-heathens/pagan-holidays-walpurgis-night-and-how-a-british-lady-went-from-catholic-saint-to-germanic-goddess-to-witch-and-gave-us-a-second-halloween/">The story of Walpurgisnacht</a>*, like virtually all stories, (including our personal stories that we tell ourselves about our lives and our world) has layers of meaning that morphed over time as a way of adapting to newer belief systems.<br />
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Our holidays and other ritual celebrations along with myths, fairy tales, poetry, novels, movies, art and games, are not just for entertainment. We need them as much as we need practical essentials that contribute to our health and well-being.<br />
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And although food, clothing and shelter may seem to take precedence, if we are deprived of these, stories can help us survive. Such as when <a href="https://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/viktor-frankl/">Viktor Frankel</a> (and countless others in similar circumstances before and since the concentration camps) changed the story of what was happening to him.<br />
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<b>The prevailing story in our current times, is that cold logic, dry facts, serious effort, endless work, efficient fixes, constant struggle and hard science are what we most need. But as important as all of these can be in the right circumstances, they only take us so far in the face of the dark and beautiful mysteries of life and death.</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y3JuZVNrxUI/XMyZRbcC48I/AAAAAAAACLg/rNsHZxD2_dw-ZKooIyprFQaZPnZcy6gBACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2837.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1125" height="177" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y3JuZVNrxUI/XMyZRbcC48I/AAAAAAAACLg/rNsHZxD2_dw-ZKooIyprFQaZPnZcy6gBACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2837.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was up at a Spiral last weekend overlooking breathtaking beauty after a Beltane gathering. </td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><b>We also need luscious pleasure, unfettered imagination, wild celebration, insatiable curiosity, mysterious paradoxes, playful frolicking, ridiculous humor, natural beauty, artistic creativity, bewildered awe, loving kindness and lighthearted whimsy.</b></span><br />
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<b>These are not frivolous luxuries only to be enjoyed when the all of the problems are solved and the work is done. The problems will never all be solved and the work will never all be done.</b><br />
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This does not mean we should ignore the issues that need to be addressed in our lives. We need to put food on the table, do the work of caring for ourselves and others and our planet, etc.<br />
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But just as there are cycles and seasons in the natural world, this is true in our contrived world. We have created stories about what is important. After we meet our basic bodily survival needs, the rest is a matter of choice --and the stories we tell ourselves.<br />
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What if we tell ourselves the story that we need work AND play, logic AND whimsy, science AND Mystery? I think this is a way more interesting and enjoyable story and I also believe it will be ultimately more functional and practical.<br />
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And why not celebrate as many holidays as you can? You can modify the ones on the calendar or even make up your own. Just make a day holy in some way. Gather with your tribe, dress up, eat yummy food, tell stories, play games, give gifts or do some kind of private ritual to take time out of the serious business of life.<br />
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Holidays give us excuses to take a break, find joy and reverence and strengthen connections.<br />
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Wild radish necklaces are optional!<br />
<h2>
<br /><span style="color: red;">End of part 1. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: red;">Venture below the radishes into deeper territory for part 2 of this Blog.</span></h2>
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Keep in mind that some holidays require more reverence then frivolity. For instance May 1 marks Beltane/May Day which is all about frivolity --and fertility! Gathering flowers to put in baskets and dancing colorful ribbons around Maypoles --as well as lusty entertainments for those so inclined.<br />
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AND it is also May Day/ International Workers Day which celebrates workers, but also commemorates the exploitation, oppression and death of those who protested unfair conditions.<br />
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Probably no one who is reading this blog experiences the kind of horrendous working conditions that were being protested at the first May Day. However, far too many people in this current day and age are either forced by circumstances beyond their control or <i>choose</i> (for complicated reasons) to spend the vast majority of their time performing tasks that bring no joy and/or dispiriedly engaged in mind-numbing distractions.<br />
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Interestingly, MayDay is also a distress signal--named because it sounds like the French word "m'aider", which means “help me."<br />
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If you didn't take time to celebrate May Day yet, do not despair --it's not too late! Take some time off this weekend to do something playful and joyful. Whatever tasks you think have to happen can probably wait just a little longer. Life is short and deserves full attention. And a bit of whimsy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOkHrIMw7uI/XMydi8bJtRI/AAAAAAAACL4/mCS59dXo-DQH739kzJKjzt7J8Ba3p03ugCLcBGAs/s1600/58460656_2223613577704577_2897145978786152448_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOkHrIMw7uI/XMydi8bJtRI/AAAAAAAACL4/mCS59dXo-DQH739kzJKjzt7J8Ba3p03ugCLcBGAs/s320/58460656_2223613577704577_2897145978786152448_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base of the May Pole I danced around and the flowers each of us placed there to represent our wishes. </td></tr>
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And for a really serious holiday, Holocaust Remembrance Day began at sundown on May 1. It is a solemn occasion, but also a way of connecting with compassion. The intention of honoring this story and those who lived through it is also to prevent a reoccurrence.<br />
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Even if we don't tell the stories out loud, they live on in our DNA. <a href="http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190326-what-is-epigenetics">An intriguing and compelling study done with mice and cherry blossoms</a> shows how Epigenetics affects the lives of the descendants of those who experienced the Holocaust as well as other trauma survivors --even if they didn't hear the story.<br />
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So in order to move past what happened to our ancestors, (and all of our ancestors had some kind of trauma), and to move past what happened to us in the past of our current life, we need to both commemorate what happened in some way AND change our current story so that we can evolve in ways that allow us to live with more joy.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">And finally, tomorrow marks two more holidays.</span><br />
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Cinco de Mayo (a holiday largely ignored in Mexico) was originally about a bloody battle, but the reverence for the sacrifice of those lost lives was overshadowed by celebrating an unlikely triumph of outnumbered forces. The day has now morphed into honoring Mexican American culture --and is mostly observed with significant consumption of alcohol as well as Mexican food.<br />
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I will be attending an annual Cinco de Mayo party where there will probably not be a single person of Latino heritage, and I won't be drinking alcohol (since I spontaneously lost interest in this activity several years back --a miracle which never ceases to amaze me) or eating (see Ramadan holidaybelow), but I relish any opportunity to celebrate with this community of people whom I adore.<br />
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And I also like knowing that on some level I'm connected with all of those who are celebrating the day and the Mexicans who make such enormous and often unsung contributions to our country. Especially here in California.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm all about the holidays with twirling dresses!</td></tr>
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The last holiday I am featuring begins at sundown (or whenever the new moon 🌙 is sighted) and goes for a month.<br />
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Although there is a little bit of feasting and celebrating in the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, it is more about fasting, sacrificing and religious reverence.<br />
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I have decided I'm going to do a modified version of a Ramadan fast this month. Although I usually only relate to the mystical Sufi branch of the Muslim religion (gotta love all of that ecstatic twirling!), and do not share the many of their beliefs, the timing is perfect for a change I want to make with my personal food consumption.<br />
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And adding the element of spiritual discipline to the rest of what I am exploring with this experiment will provide a helpful dimension.<br />
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I also love knowing that there are millions of others who will be similarly engaged over this next month, even though our intentions and methods will differ.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">🌺✡️🌮☪️</span></h2>
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I understand that my quirky celebrations of myriad holidays will not resonate for everyone, and I certainly don't expect that my readers will do the same. <br />
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But I think it's important to at least acknowledge that the stories of different people around the world matter.<br />
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Whenever we can connect to the joy or reverence of people honoring something that is significant to them (and this also includes rituals like weddings, graduations and funerals), we feel a little closer to them.<br />
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Given the current state of our world with so much polarity and divisiveness, AND our current incredible wealth of information, as well as our ability to connect in real-time with people all over the planet, it seems to me that finding ways to connect with joy and reverence is a good thing.<br />
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So is noticing the common threads in all of our stories--including our holidays.<br />
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Currently Jews, Mexicans and Muslims are being targeted as people who should be feared and therefore "justifiably" hated and mistreated, I advocate for finding ways to connect to, celebrate and love them.<br />
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One of the ways I do this is to honor and share their stories.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">🧙♀️🧚♀️🧙♂️🧚♂️</span></div>
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And of course this goes for the witch loving Pagans as well. After all, the vast majority of the holidays originated from the original earth centered religions that commemorated the seasons and cycles of our world.<br />
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Walpurgisnacht has been celebrated in many ways by different people. Some used it to burn effigies of witches in fear, and some just used it as an excuse to drink a lot and hang out by fire.<br />
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April 30 is the night before the midpoint between the Spring equinox and the summer solstice. there is magic a foot at times of transition. And we tend to fear that which we don't understand and can't control.<br />
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I am advocating for embracing and celebrating the Mystery.<br />
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Especially at this time of transition (on SO many levels) in our world .<br />
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So Happy New Moon and happy whatever else affords you an opportunity to celebrate the cycles of our beautiful and mysterious world as well as ALL who live here.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The process of weaving those different colored ribbons was sometimes chaotic and confusing, but it was a merry dance.</td></tr>
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*The subtitle to this fascinating article in <a href="https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/pagans-and-heathens/pagan-holidays-walpurgis-night-and-how-a-british-lady-went-from-catholic-saint-to-germanic-goddess-to-witch-and-gave-us-a-second-halloween/">the link</a> is "Pagan Holidays: Walpurgis Night and how a British lady went from Catholic saint, to Germanic goddess, to witch and gave us a second Halloween"<br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-50598321579447567832019-04-05T13:51:00.000-07:002019-04-06T12:06:32.446-07:00❓What if...⁉️<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What if crashing my car last month and narrowly escaping death combined with an almost comical (in retrospect although certainly not the time!) cluster of misery inducing events was my choice?<br />
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I am not saying that it literally <i>was</i> my choice, either consciously, subconsciously or on some metaphysical level*, but merely posing the question causes physical, mental and emotional changes (many of which are scientifically measurable). And each one of these changes affects my ability to respond to what ever I need to address in any given moment.<br />
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When I say "ability to respond", that is also the meaning of responsibility. Not to be confused with blaming myself for attracting "negative" experiences. There are some people (such as those referred to by<a href="http://risingaslove.love/2017/01/10/new-age-or-new-cage/"> Jeff Brown as "New Cagers"</a>) who might tell a person with cancer that they chose it and they're responsible for healing it with higher vibrations and a positive attitude. The implication being that if they don't heal, they're doing something wrong and it's their own fault.<br />
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I don't agree with that, nor do I believe in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_bypass">spiritual bypassing</a>, where I might tell myself, that no matter what happened, I just need to have a beatific attitude, showing the world only Love and Light and proclaiming to myself and anyone who will listen that "it's all good" --rather then fully feeling all of those uncomfortable, "negative", messy emotions and/or painful sensations.<br />
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I do not have all The Answers, I don't even have all the questions. But I'm finding more and more that the questions are way more important than The Answers. When I am able to ask from a place of genuine curiosity, and compassion without expecting the reassurance of certainty, the mere act of asking opens up new possibilities that offer me totally unexpected gifts that are nowhere to be found when I'm focused on figuring out The Answers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were tinkling wind chimes and a little treasure chest with tiny gifts tumbling out of it in the crook of this magnificent tree. The tree was itself a totally unexpected gift that I discovered when I recently stumbled on a new trail with a surprise Fairyland right in the middle of an area I would have sworn I had thoroughly explored. I found it exactly 4 weeks from the day of my car crash, when I asked the question : "I wonder where this goes...?" And then (one baby step at a time) I faced the fears of pain from my injuries/ticks/Poison Oak that had been keeping me on only the most familiar and safe trails for the previous month.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">On 3/22/19, I listened to the beginning of a free workshop from </span><a href="https://www.jamiecatto.com/">Jamie Catto</a><span style="font-size: small;"> entitled "Monster Hunt and a Bit of Death" --part of his Academy of Sacred Fools program. He suggested asking something like "what if I had planned this as a training to teach myself valuable lessons? Why might I have chosen this and what are the gifts and how might this ultimatly be beneficial?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I didn't get the exact quote and may have mashed up a little with some other teachers who have suggested asking similar questions, but the point is that reframing something like a seemingly random crisis or series of unfortunate events </span><span style="font-size: small;">has the power to transform to what will happen next.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Like my car crash/tick bite/allergic reaction/poison oak/virus/plus a bewildering array of related chaos </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">OR my previous life implosion nearly a decade ago, of losing my husband/ best friend/family members /adored children/home/dog/community/"secure"</span><span style="font-size: small;">future/identity </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">OR insert your own "clusterfun" from your life</span></li>
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<h2>
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: small;">But don't take my word for the power of asking questions; try a little experiment for yourself. </span></h2>
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">First, imagine either a crisis or loss (minor or major) from your past, present or something you dread that could happen in the future. Take a quick dive deep into the feelings that accompany this scenario.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Tell yourself that this is not fair. It shouldn't be happening. Consider who is to blame. If someone else, ruminate over their culpability and what makes them wrong and bad. Possibly consider how you might make them suffer for the pain that they have caused you. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Think about how you might have caused or contributed to the situation, castigate yourself thoroughly for having screwed up. Ponder the many ways in which you are wrong and bad. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;">Consider the worst case possible scenarios that could result from this terrible thing that is happening to you. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;">Doubtless you could find other ways of continuing this probably all too familiar process, but take a moment to pause and pay attention to how you feel in your body. Do you feel tightness and constriction, shallow breathing, a furrowed brow and frown, concave chest, hunched shoulders and/or perhaps a disturbance in your digestive system. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;">Now, as you pay attention to your current physical, mental and emotional state of mind, think hard and fast about how you need to figure out how to fix this problem or how desperately you need an addictive fix of some kind to deal with the pain of these stressful thoughts, emotions and sensations. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-size: small;">How likely do you think you will be to take effective action which will result in a favorable outcome from this place?</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: yellow; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Now activate your imagination and switch to curiosity. What else is possible? </span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: magenta;">What if I play with the idea that I chose this challenge --like if it showed up as an obstacle in a game I had designed or a plot twist in an adventure story I had written? </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Or what if I imagine I was planning what I most needed for my evolution before I came into this life and decided this experience would be perfect --what valuable lessons could I learn from it?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">IF I had on some level, chosen this, what unexpected gifts (even if even if small or slightly silly) could possibly come of this? </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Let your imagination run wild and and ask more "what if " and "I wonder" questions involving best case scenarios and at least somewhat plausible, happy repercussions. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Once again, assess how you feel physically mentally and emotionally as you ask these questions and contemplate what your imagination offers in response. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"><br /></span></span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">You are likely to feel more relaxed, breathe easier and maybe even smile a little. B</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">oth curiosity and smiling </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">will release dopamine, endorphins and serotonin to help deactivate your fight or flight survival conditioning and also help with discovering unexpected solutions. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Research (from numerous studies) shows that when we focus on a happier or more successful outcome, it is far more likely to happen. Just a simple reframe of how we perceive stress, for instance, changes the physiological effects on the body and performance.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;">Plus when we feel like we have some kind of agency (even if only imagined) it gives us a sense of sovereignty. And this level of confidence helps with moving forward.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: magenta;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">AND we just make better (and more "responsible"!) choices when we feel better. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">I wish I could tell you that knowing all of this will help you navigate your "perfect storms" in life, with total grace and ease. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">That has not been the case for me. 🙃Although I am way more functional (not mired in suicidal depression or frozen in anxiety, numbing with alcohol, cigarettes and drugs) and kinder to myself, I still resort to addictive fixes (junk food, novels and DVDs) when it feels like too much. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">I still struggle with embracing the mystery as I ask questions while trying not to demand immediate definitive answers. Part of me still believes I am entitled to</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"> certain outcomes if I follow what I think are the "correct "steps that a "good girl" "should" take. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">And yet, d</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">espite my imperfect results (it is so humbling to be human!), being willing to show up, ask different questions, try new behaviors in the middle of all that mess</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">gets easier for me each time I practice, and I AM becoming more graceful in my responses to stress. Given my history, I am pretty sure that if <i>I</i> can do this; <i>you</i> can too!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Stressful times tend to be messy times. It's not comfortable to peel off layers of old conditioned behaviors. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">But it is way better than keeping all those layers! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">Shedding another layer, having an opportunity to practice what I have been learning, a renewed layer of gratitude and joy for my life, learning how to receive more gracefully, and feeling bathed in love and support from friends family and community, and cool insights are just a few of the gifts I got from my most recent catastrophe. So whether or not I actually chose it on some level, it was beneficial for me in many ways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This Eucalyptus I encountered last week (photo by 7 year old boy --5 year old hidden in the tree --have I mentioned how much I love my job?!) peeled off swaths of outer bark and was beautiful to behold.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">* although I am not completely ruling out this possibility. There are many fascinating philosophical theories. I do not have the definitive answers on how the universe works, so I keep an open mind.</span></span></div>
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-53666207423695454812019-03-06T10:19:00.000-08:002019-03-06T10:22:50.704-08:00🐛 The Only Constant...🦋<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8u1E8-lOX_0/XHmNEMt3a1I/AAAAAAAACC8/F97KbsMRq0UN8wXoznHc7mYlCHqXnloxwCLcBGAs/s1600/butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1000" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8u1E8-lOX_0/XHmNEMt3a1I/AAAAAAAACC8/F97KbsMRq0UN8wXoznHc7mYlCHqXnloxwCLcBGAs/s320/butterfly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn"><span style="background-color: yellow;">Scroll to the bottom for quick update if have not already heard about my accident on Monday. Fortunately I had already written this blog over the weekend, because I would not have had time since then!</span></span><br />
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<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn">In the above image, the magic is taking place inside the closed chrysalis. But it's not a pretty process. It's gooey bug soup. A very messy transformation --as most significant changes are in life. But it's also noteworthy that the bug soup is made of what some creative scientist named "imaginal cells".</span><br />
<span class="ILfuVd NA6bn"><br /></span>There's no guarantee that a butterfly will emerge. It might not make it out of the chrysalis. Especially if you try to help it, because then it won't develop strong enough wings to fly. This is a process it has to do alone.<br />
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The cycle of Life/ Death/ Life is not negotiable. Change is constant and death (both actual and metaphorical-- as in the endings we experience in our lives) comes to all. This much we know for sure. Whether there is a glorious rebirth/ afterlife following death is a matter of faith.<br />
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But even if you are one of those who has that faith; losses (whether they involve an actual death or other endings), are not easy for any of us.<br />
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I know I crave constancy. Everything in my survival conditioning strongly compels safety and security and sounds the amygdala alarm when there is chaos, confusion, pain or even the threat of loss.<br />
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I can only imagine what the Catapillar feels.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">This particular caterpillar (found recently by one of my charges) was doubtless alarmed by suddenly finding itself on the hand of a giant human, and I'm sure had great stories to tell it's friends about miraculously escaping death!</span></div>
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Despite my understanding that attempts to control endings or prevent pain are feeble, futile and usually only exacerbate the situation causing me distress, I <i>still</i> scramble to protect myself.<br />
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Obviously sensible measures need to be taken to prevent harm, and sometimes pain requires alleviation.<br />
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But when I notice that I'm going through life with rigid armor, impenetrable walls and addictive behaviors that do not allow me to be present for the magic of life (<i>especially </i>during those times of "bug soup"), I am slowly starting to trust that the constant changes are almost always ultimately beneficial.<br />
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AND I understand that I can't do a spiritual bypass to get past the "bug soup" by cheerfully chirping "it's all good, I am love and light". I have discovered that when loss is dark and painful, I need to FEEL it all the way through in my body mind and soul.<br />
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I have heard from many others (I've actually been obsessed with hunting for real life stories and have found a huge abundance of them!) who have endured hardship, that this is true for them as well. It's fascinating to hear how the most devastating experiences become portals of transformation and evolution.<br />
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But we all have our own ways of coping with the pain and loss of life changes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">I created this collage to put on my altar in honor of a 6 year old girl who died last weekend. I would never presume to tell her loved ones how to process their pain or talk to them of butterflies, portals or even the arms of the angels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The quote from Heraclitus :<span style="background-color: white;"><b> “<span style="color: red;">change is the only constant in life</span>” </b></span>has been on my mind due to another recent death. And a coincidence of names.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Someone I know, who is deeply loved by people I care about, died unexpectedly last week. He was the picture of health and vitality. And he even cofounded a healing center that is renowned for cutting edge technologies in assisting people with serious health issues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Because of this paradox, I immediately thought of the first man I met when I moved to Marin County who also died before his time. My former housemate was the picture of health and vitality and associated with helping people with their health issues as well. He taught fitness classes and took people on adventures into the wilderness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Although I did not have a long or deep friendship with either of these men, their deaths were disturbing to me. They seemed to do everything "right" in terms of taking care of their body mind and soul. So why did diseases take them out? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As I pondered that question, I suddenly realized that they shared a name. Constantine was the first name of one and the last name of the other. Hence my musings about the name Constantine which is derived from "constant". Meaning that which does not change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">But of course, despite our best efforts to do everything "right"; losses,--both expected and unexpected, minor and the ultimate (loss of life)-- are the only constants upon which we can depend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was deeply affected by the loss of my father (whose birthday was Monday 3/4 --Happy Birthday Dad, I miss you!), but certainly not surprised. He was the poster child for an unhealthy lifestyle, and actually took pride in that!* And yet he lived to be older than both of the Constantine's. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Monday was also the Hindu holiday of Maha Shivarati. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: x-small;">This little statue of Shiva is holding my wedding ring --with it's inscription : "surprise me"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This holy day celebrates the god Shiva and his dance of creation/ preservation/destruction of life. </span><span style="font-size: small;">(For those who are interested, here is </span><a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2016/03/god-of-destruction-brings-message.html">the story</a><span style="font-size: small;"> of how Shiva came into my life on the eve of my most devastating surprise life implosion). It was the death of a way of life -- among many other losses from that ending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Maha Shivaratri is a floating Hindu holiday, that is celebrated during the dark of the Moon. It occurs in either February or March and is a very solemn introspective occasion involving fasting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Today, is Ash Wednesday. It is also a floating holiday associated with the New Moon </span><span style="font-size: small;">that occurs in either February or March and is a very solemn introspective occasion involving fasting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The ashes from the burned palm leaves of the previous years Palm Sunday fronds are applied in the sign of the cross on the forehead, with the words "remember you are dust and to dust you shall return".</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">But of course, as with Shiva's dance, where creation follows destruction, Ash Wednesday is also part of a cycle of death and rebirth. This day marks the beginning of the Easter season which culminates in the story of a miraculous rebirth. Butterflies abound in Christian symbolism at this time of year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We humans create so many stories and rituals to help us dance with the mysteries of life and cope with our fears about the pain and loss we all inevitably experience. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Although I love the many stories, holidays and rituals we humans have created and celebrate a ridiculous number of them, smearing palm ashes on your forehead may not do it for you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">So perhaps just consider the (s</span><span style="font-size: small;">cientifically verifiable!) </span><span style="font-size: small;">story of the caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly, the next time you are feeling overwhelmed by difficult changes and painful endings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I took the above photo of a palm tree recently while on in the company of two little friends of the girl who died. They had a blast finding creative uses for the dead Palm fronds they found on the ground. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">As always on our adventures, a huge amount of my focus is on keeping my little charges safe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We (me too!) climbed several trees that day and there was one minor fall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">It can be exhausting to monitor all of the potential hazards of two exuberant boys and scary when they fall, but even if I kept them safely on the couch all day, there's no guarantee they will be spared from harm. (Superstitiously knocking on wood right now!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">And so we playfully explore the wonders of the world with curiosity and courage and the willingness to muck around in the messy, muddiness of life! Way more fun than sitting on the couch!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was not my plan for last Thursday, but my boys were running down a hill, skidded at the bottom and went down. Since they were already covered with mud, I decided to let them wallow. And to mud they joyfully returned --thank heavens with exuberant aliveness!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">* My father's cancer diagnosis was not enough to make him quit his decades long habit of chain smoking. However when the Democratic governor of Minnesota put a tax on cigarettes, my staunch Republican dad was irate and adamant that he would not contribute to the agenda of this politician. He quit cold turkey and never smoked again for the months remaining to him! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: small;">On Monday afternoon, on the way back from the doctor to deal with a scary looking tick bite, my car spun out of control going around a curve on a wet road. As I was headed down the embankment toward the creek, I was sure that I was about to die. Miraculously, I hit some trees and although my sweet little car car was totaled (I am grieving the loss of this faithful friend) and I have some minor injuries and am in pain, <b>I am alive</b>! I did not have to go to the hospital, and I am deeply grateful to be typing these words! I am currently extremely dealing busy dealing with the aftermath (so much paperwork and so many communications..!). I welcome all love and healing that is sent my way, but please be patient if you write or call and I don't get back to you for a while. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">And yes, for those of you who I know would be advising this, I am on antibiotics for the tick bite and am under the care of a chiropractor</span>. </span></div>
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-85500344225436538142019-02-04T12:59:00.000-08:002019-02-04T19:04:07.818-08:00☂️The Magic of the Doomsday Clock🕛<br />
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Of course I had to see <i>Mary Poppins Returns</i> (spoiler alert!). The reviews were mixed, but MP has been a lifelong mentor for me. And I think it's high time for her return!<br />
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One reviewer demanded to know why Mary Poppins made the lamp lighters (love the symbolism!) go through the dangerous climb up Big Ben at five minutes to midnight, when she had the power to just float up there and turn back time herself.<br />
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I have an answer to that question and it also may be the answer to some really big questions we are facing right now.*<br />
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First I want to point out that the "Doomsday Clock" (based on the likelihood of various man made global catastrophes --according to scientists who first invented the "clock" in 1947) is currently set for two minutes to midnight.<br />
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Midnight is the death of the old day and the birth of the new one, and is often portrayed as a scary, supernatural time.<br />
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Midnight is also the time when we celebrate the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one.And by the way, tomorrow is the Lunar New Year,** so there will be great anticipation at five minutes to midnight tonight, with fireworks and parades.<br />
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What if we welcome midnight and the celebrate the possibility of magic?<br />
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Of course I do not want the so-called "Doomsday Clock" to go off, but there are many old paradigms that are dying, and this process, as intensely chaotic disturbing and painful as is for many of us, may also portend what Charles Eisenstein calls "<a href="https://charleseisenstein.org/books/the-more-beautiful-world-our-hearts-know-is-possible/">the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible</a>".<br />
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Every beginning is preceded by an ending in the cycle of life.<br />
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Every fetus must leave the safety of the womb in a painful journey, every caterpillar turns to bug soup and every seed must be cracked open, before the new life can begin.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This buckeye seed, I recently photographed will be completely destroyed so a new tree can grow.</td></tr>
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In <i>Mary Poppins Returns</i>, the family she cares for is going to be evicted at midnight by an evil banker (also symbolized by a cartoon wolf --both of whom initially seem friendly and benevolent), unless a miracle occurs.<br />
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Of course Mary Poppins makes that miracle happen --at the last possible moment.<br />
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If Mary Poppins represents the forces of magic and miracles in the world why doesn't she immediately handover the missing paperwork (the shares needed to prevent foreclosure which are currently patching a kite) or at least do her magic with the clock sooner and save everyone all of that angst?<br />
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And why are there SO MANY stories in which ticking clocks/ bombs, and even hourglasses are counting down the final nail biting seconds before some miracle or courageous act saves the day?<br />
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Obviously, it wouldn't be a very good story and characters would not be developed without dramatic tension. And nothing says dramatic tension like ticking clocks and sand running out!<br />
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What if that is true for us now?!<br />
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What if we need to experience that dramatic tension and encroaching danger to break us open, make an evolutionary leap AND to discover <i>through that painful process</i> that there is magic available to help us?<br />
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No, I'm not advocating that we sit back on our couches and wait for some Deus Ex Machina to save our world from imminent destruction.<br />
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As the saying goes; "God helps those who help themselves".<br />
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I firmly believe miracles and magic happen in times of the greatest peril and we need to have faith to have that occur. AND we also need to be resourceful and diligent and keep showing up taking action even when it looks hopeless.<br />
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All while realizing there is no guarantee.<br />
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Here are a few things that have made miracles more likely in my life, and what I have observed in the stories of many others:<br />
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<li>Fully FEEL (on all levels --especially physically and emotionally) that tension/fear/grief/anger and whatever else comes up as while surveying the dangers and losses that are present during times of change.</li>
<li>AND AT THE SAME TIME, <b>relax</b> and nurture any feelings trust (even though this seems nearly impossible sometimes)</li>
<li>Physical movement (even if just a token, ritual gesture or baby step) is necessary</li>
<li>AND AT THE SAME TIME, summon inner stillness and know there are times when rest and non-doing is called for</li>
<li>Surrender expectations as to outcomes</li>
<li>Time in nature is essential --although in a pinch, even viewing nature and listening to nature sounds helps</li>
<li>Activate curiosity as to what might be possible</li>
<li>Discover your unique quirky gifts and superpowers. Use them whenever possible</li>
<li>Remember every time in the past when significant turning points occurred and how they came about. </li>
<li>Reframe the story to one where there is an opportunity for evolution</li>
<li>Cultivate courage </li>
<li>Offer love, empathy and compassion for all involved --especially yourself!</li>
<li>Invite allies (internal and external, includingfriends, family, magical characters --huge bonus points if you can convert an adversary into ally!) to join in on the adventure.</li>
<li>Integration to dis-cover wholeness is key. </li>
<li>AND AT THE SAME TIME, as keeping your heart wide open to be nonjudgmental, compassionate, connecting and inclusive; be mindful of boundaries and protection of the vulnerable.</li>
<li>And always invite playfulness --especially when things seem particularly serious and grim!</li>
</ul>
<span style="text-align: center;"> ✨💖✨🥀⚡️💞💫🦄🐛🦋🌪🧚♀️🧘♀️🛍🧝♀️🎊💔🧜♀️💝😍🤱🌂</span><br />
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I wish I could say I always remember all of these and perfectly follow through. I'm still a novice. But as I keep practicing, it gets easier and life gets more joyful --and filled with more magical synchronicities that seem to prove the Pronoia theory (that life is conspiring on our behalf)!<br />
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Evolution is not a neat and formulaic process. It is riddled with bewildering paradoxes and painful uncertainty. There are no guarantees and it's not easy.<br />
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But what I love about hearing so many real life miracle stories (as well as being inspired by the fictional stories of protagonists overcoming seemingly impossible odds or being saved by a magical hero/ine --like MP with her umbrella!), is that they inspire and invoke the possible.<br />
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You may think magic is not real and miracles are not possible, but I beg to differ. And my mentor Mary Poppins will back me up on this. She is all about making the impossible possible!<br />
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She also points out that "In every job that must be done There is an element of fun You find the fun and snap! The job's a game.<br />
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So this is why I am in the process of creating a game. I want to make it easier and more fun to do the seemingly impossible at this time before midnight --whether in our personal lives (many of us have ticking clocks of one kind or another) or in the world at large. And I promise the game is filled with super practical material and backed by peer reviewed scientifically proven research.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">If you would like to be a part of my game creation and discover my gifts for you (there is a category called the "Magic Umbrella" which allows you to create your own gifts), please check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/SparksandLeaps">my Patreon Page</a>. And just a reminder, that I will not be back in your inbox again until the next New Moon as Full Moon Blogs are now through Patreon.</span><br />
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I also invite you to practice willfully suspending your disbelief (as you do when watching a movie) in your life and in looking at the world, so that you can be more open to making the impossible possible.<br />
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Happy New Moon and Happy New Year!<br />
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* I am using enormous self-discipline to not also dive into the themes of turning back the hands of time and the cracked bowl , wolves as villains and "turning turtle" from the movie and the theory of the original Mary Poppins in the book as a shaman.<br />
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**The year of The Earth Boar --not seen since the year of my birth!<br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-54028283437135711332019-01-05T15:11:00.000-08:002019-01-05T15:27:21.271-08:00🧜♀️Overflowing Magical Gifts 🛍<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yesterday at an overflowing waterfall.</td></tr>
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On the first New Moon of the New Year (featuring a solar eclipse), and on the eve of Epiphany, I am overflowing with gratitude for gifts more precious than gold, frankincense and myrrh.<br />
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Some of the gifts have been actual presents over the holidays that have stretched my capacity to receive graciously (knowing I am unable to reciprocate in kind and judging myself for not being able to do so) and some have been gifts of incredible beauty in Nature beyond my ability to fully convey (with either words or photos), as well as Love (even more indescribably beautiful in both the giving and receiving to the point of nearly bursting my heart), and many moments of quiet epiphanies, luminous joy, sparkly delight, and playful fun.<br />
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All of this amidst the ever present chaos of my inner anxieties, some minor kerfuffles (with judgment for the others involved followed by judgment of myself for judging them and spending time down that rabbit hole🐰🕳), and the cacophony of increasing dissonance in the world around me.<br />
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More and more, I am genuinely saying "YES" to ALL of it.<br />
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To be clear, there are things to which I say "no". For instance, I work with children and "no" or "stop" can save a life. To say nothing of the scared and belligerent inner children of many decision makers--and not just politicians. Sometimes "no" or "stop" are essential here too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdPvcS9uy_k/XDEz5CS8RrI/AAAAAAAACAA/U2YXhsRkLMc5MwpYs0gQkwMqcaGTWLtsQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdPvcS9uy_k/XDEz5CS8RrI/AAAAAAAACAA/U2YXhsRkLMc5MwpYs0gQkwMqcaGTWLtsQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_4280.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On yesterday's hike to the waterfall there were many occasions where I said "stop"! </td></tr>
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Also, I live the time and place where there is an overwhelming plethora of possible activities and companions with whom to spend my time. I truly feel like a kid in a candy store, and I know what happens when I overindulge...So sometimes I need to say "no" to myself and others.<br />
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What I mean is that I say "YES" to accepting whatever is happening (even while sometime taking actions to prevent harm, which may include a "no" or a "stop") and to trust that there is a gift somewhere within the situation.<br />
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Each time I lean into whatever is not comfortable, I feel my heart expanding to make room for more love (which in turn leaves me increasingly vulnerable to heartbreak --because the more people I care about and the more deeply I feel Love for them, the greater the risk).<br />
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I'm certainly not asking for the excruciating pain of heart break (despite knowing that it has ultimately benefited me greatly every time).<br />
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There is only so much heartbreak I can take in a world where I have the opportunity to take in the anguish of witnessing the immense pain that is available 24/7 courtesy of the devices (including my telephone) that connect me to the world at large.<br />
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To say nothing my face to face encounters with those in need.<br />
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There are still many ways I guard my heart and I often fail miserably with automatic "HELL NO" responses rather than the calm and kind acceptance I aspire to and advocate in my words to you.<br />
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And I say "YES" to that as well, because that's the way it is in the moment. My hope is that being more openhearted towards myself about not being openhearted, I will become more openhearted! So far it seems to be working --just not at fast as I want and the whole lot messier.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YES to slow and messy failed attempts </td></tr>
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According to the astronomers, this New Moon eclipse is a particularly potent time for creating change.<br />
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Of course, not everybody believes in astronomy or Epiphany.<br />
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They are stories.<br />
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And I believe wholeheartedly in the power of stories.<br />
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I share stories to offer alternative possibilities for those who might need them in the midst of grim "realities".<br />
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I borrow magic from wherever I can find it. I celebrate as many holidays (Holy days), sacred possible moments in time, and Life affirming stories as I can include in my life. And I share them freely with those who might be too busy to discover them.<br />
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What if, connecting to the stories/ celebrations that others believe in, connects us in some way to them and the collective power of their beliefs?<br />
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There are actually fascinating studies (some using random numbers generators) that show how when a critical mass of people are thinking the same thought or feeling the same feelings the same time it affects the collective field.<br />
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Whether or not the power of magic sacred moments in time to affect my life is real or imagined, it has helped me measurably on more occasions than I can count. Perhaps just because I believe in it.<br />
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If you need a little magic at this time in your life, why not temporarily suspend your disbelief (like when you're watching a fun movie). Let your stodgy, logical, rational intellect have a little mini vacation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JQSiPb8__KQ/XDE2gJ49XeI/AAAAAAAACAg/OAP47vEuMjA6iBllerfiYQREs8Q7olepQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JQSiPb8__KQ/XDE2gJ49XeI/AAAAAAAACAg/OAP47vEuMjA6iBllerfiYQREs8Q7olepQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_4165.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dragon and mermaid I encountered on an adventure with a friend and my little charges a couple of days ago. </td></tr>
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It will still be there, ready for you to pick up the weary load of all of the serious, important burdens whenever you want.<br />
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I'm well aware of the necessity of what it takes to survive in difficult times and am not advocating magical thinking and mad frivolity at the expense of fulfilling essential responsibilities.<br />
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But I invite you to join me in welcoming the possibility that this moment could be a moment of profound change.<br />
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Which begs the questions :<br />
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What changes would you like to see in your life at this time and in the year ahead? What gifts and epiphanies would you like to experience?<br />
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I am adding my overflowing love (and a little bit of magic) to whatever you most wish for in 2019.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you feel it?!</td></tr>
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-35606464474204788762018-12-06T20:09:00.000-08:002018-12-06T20:09:29.046-08:00🌘Darkness & 🕎🎅🧘♀️☀️🎊<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YW2IM5A4LVw/XAS_a-k_UmI/AAAAAAAAB_M/eUY7Cfa7Bukm8nts2VByeXGX-1cDhpGQQCLcBGAs/s1600/18d710fd52dd917147eb898fdfb9dbbc--new-moon-to-the-moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YW2IM5A4LVw/XAS_a-k_UmI/AAAAAAAAB_M/eUY7Cfa7Bukm8nts2VByeXGX-1cDhpGQQCLcBGAs/s320/18d710fd52dd917147eb898fdfb9dbbc--new-moon-to-the-moon.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homegroenphotography.com/">"Frozen Road to Nowhere"</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="mcnTextBlockInner" style="padding-top: 9px;" valign="top">On This New Moon, I am modifying a Full moon post from December of 2016. The theme of darkness and the strategy offered here continues to be quite relevant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="mcnTextContent" style="color: #202020; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word;" valign="top">Before you read this post, close your eyes for a few seconds and think of the words that come to your mind when you contemplate the word "darkness". You might even want to write them down.<br />
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Ready?<br />
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Go!<br />
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Were the first associations "negative" ones like "fear", "shadow", "gloom", "danger", "ignorance", "depression", "evil" or "death"?<br />
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Or were they neutral like "black", "night', and "winter"?<br />
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Or perhaps you thought of some that were more "positive" like "rest", "quiet", "relax", "renewal", "rejuvenation", "Mystery" --as in THE Mystery.<br />
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If you had a good mix of all three, congratulations! You will find life easier than those who can only see the "negative". And you will be better able to keep yourself safer from harm then those who only want to look at the "positive".<br />
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Fear has many benefits. Those who have no fear are less likely to survive. I would not be writing this and you would not be reading it if our ancestors had not been vigilant and fearful. It truly is dangerous to be unprotected in places where scary predators lurk in the dark. And sometimes fear can propel us out of habitual inertia into necessary action.<br />
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However, the vast majority of the fears that trigger our fight or flight survival physiological responses are not real in our present experience and will probably never happen.<br />
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Yes, <em>some</em> of those things we fear <em>will</em> happen. Like death. But we will not prevent them by living in a state of hyperarousal.<br />
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We certainly need to pay attention and take appropriate practical actions, especially when we or others who are vulnerable are in immanent danger, but the more we focus on what we fear and resist it, the more we attract it to us. This is not just a New-agey aphorism, it is actually proven in numerous studies.<br />
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A lot of what looks dark is just because we're wearing dark glasses and don't even know we have them on. These lenses were created by our unconscious conditioning from our earliest years, our biological genetic programming, our ancestral legacy, and cultural misconceptions -- as well as the fear mongering media.<br />
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That said, darkness is of course real --both literally and metaphorically. And we are currently experiencing both at this time of the year and at this time in our world. Blinders or rose colored glasses are not the solution either.<br />
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Mostly, in our Western culture, we don't like darkness.<br />
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So we resist it with bright lights, frantic busyness, and multiple fixes. These fixes can take the form of fixing what we believe it is undesirable or threatening in ourselves, those in our close circles or in the larger world. Fixes can also be addictive substances or behaviors that numb the pain and discomfort that dark time bring up for us.<br />
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I am not advocating disconnecting your electricity, refusing all medications or not repairing items that are broken. But sometimes sitting quietly in the dark, staying present with pain and looking for whatever gifts might be found in brokenness can be enormously beneficial.<br />
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Fighting, fleeing or freezing in response to a genuine predator is usually a good plan. That's why our bodies infuse us with hormonal surges to help us protect our lives.<br />
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On the other hand, when we fight against darkness, we make it worse for ourselves. Especially if it involves the fight or flight response. When we fight fear of the dark or attempt to flee or hide from it, we intensify it.<br />
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So here is an alternative strategy, which I adapted from Shawn Achor's research on re-framing stress (pages 30 - 34 of <a href="http://sparksandleaps.us8.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=6428954006eab6ca4cc51c88f&id=a48fedc9ee&e=0bfb660333" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Before Happiness</a>) and another one he did demonstrating the effectiveness of using a 1:3 negative to positive ratio.*<br />
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Ready?<br />
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First name the three things you like least about the increased physical darkness in December.<br />
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Then see if you can think of nine <strong><em>equally true</em></strong> ways in which this darkness is or could be beneficial.<br />
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As a hint to get you started if you haven't already come up with some, there are the benefits that nature requires from dormant times and you are a creature of nature.<br />
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Don't try and get rid of your first three dislikes or hide them under pretty colored blooms and say "it's all good". Just notice that there are other perspectives that are equally true and notice how you feel (emotionally and physically) when you think about each of these alternative truths.<br />
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Which viewpoint do you think is most helpful to you?<br />
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Now do the same exercise with the darkest current worry you have in your life.<br />
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List the three worst things about this circumstance and then think of nine <strong><em>equally true </em></strong>ways in which this situation is beneficial either now is likely to be in the future? Don't pick pie-in-the-sky scenarios that you don't believe are possible and avoid imagining ones that involve harming any "bad guys".<br />
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Again, pay attention to how the difference perspectives make you feel and notice how you may not have chosen the unfortunate circumstance causing you distress, and you didn't get to choose the number of minutes of daylight you got today, but you <strong><em>do</em></strong> have a choice about how you think about it.<br />
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You just did it. And you can practice for longer periods of time, paying closer attention how that lands in your physical and emotional body.<br />
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Your thoughts have a direct influence on your feelings, which in turn have a strong influence on your actions and ultimately on the direction your life will take.<br />
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Keep in mind that you actually do not <em>know</em> what the future will bring. We can make predictions, but life is full of surprises! When I look back on my life at the most traumatic dark events, <strong><em>every single one </em></strong>of them has proven to be of benefit to me. Some in astonishing ways that I could never have imagined.<br />
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I am betting you and others in your immediate circle and whom you have witnessed in the public eye have had similar powerful experiences of unexpected blessings from challenges.<br />
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It's always difficult to remember this truth when we are in the middle of pain. Perhaps part of the reason is that we actually need to feel pain and discomfort in order to evolve.<br />
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We need to experience darkness in order to have fallow times necessary for growth. And darkness also helps us learn how to appreciate and amplify the light that is available to us.<br />
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If you play with the concept of making darkness a friendly ally who is here to serve you in your growth, I promise it will not just be a more enjoyable way to live, but you will also be more effective in whatever it is you most want to do-- in all seasons of your life.<br />
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Wishing you warmth, beauty and cozy long nights with friends and family or rejuvenating solitude as you celebrate whatever winter holidays are your tradition or that bring you joy. As always, I will be honoring all of them -- or at least all of these!<br />
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Happy Hanukkah (12/2-12/10), Happy Belated St Nicholas Day, (12/7 -yesterday), Blessed Bodhi Day (12/8), Happy St Lucia Day (12/13), Lo Saturnalia (12/17- 12/23), Blessed Yule (12/21 - 1/1), Joyous Solstice (12/21), Happy Festivus (12/23), Merry Christmas (12/24 -12/25), Happy Kwanzaa (12/26-1/1), Happy Hogmanay (dusk - dawn 12/31), Happy New Year (12/31-1/1) and Feliz Three King's Day/Epiphany (1/6)<br />
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* And by the way, the exercise Achor did on re-framing stress resulted in astounding measurable results in health and productivity. I highly recommend checking out his work. Here's a video of his <a href="http://sparksandleaps.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6428954006eab6ca4cc51c88f&id=c8215ebca8&e=0bfb660333" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">Ted Talk</a> to get you started.<br />
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-91221640539861702482018-11-07T13:36:00.000-08:002018-11-07T14:50:49.628-08:00🌟This Little Light of Mine🕯<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found this image today on the cover of a journal at the book store at <a href="https://www.spiritrock.org/">Spirit Rock</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the time you read this, you will know more than I do right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, I am referring to the election but no, this is not a political post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am writing this on the Dark of the Moon (the night before the New Moon --which as you probably know is considered to be the best time for new beginnings).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Darkness and mystery are under-appreciated in our culture. We demand light and definitive answers. And we want that now. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Halloween this year, I dressed all in black as "The Mystery". I introduced myself to people in a portentous voice: "I am the Mystery. You may ask me anything you want to know." I listened carefully while people posed their questions. And then I responded by saying "Yes, I do indeed know know the answer to your question". {pause} </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"But I'm not going to tell you, because {pause} I am The Mystery". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then I would open my arms and say "Embrace the Mystery". I got lots of hugs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I thoroughly enjoyed being The Mystery. Especially since it helped me playfully embrace all of the uncertainty and mysteries that I am experiencing in my life and as I survey the world right now. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">I was wearing a string of crystal balls (combined from both of my Grandmothers gifts to me) which I also consulted.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">We may not always enjoy mystery, darkness or chaos* but it is out of these states that creativity and new possibilities arise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Consider the Big Bang theory of the creation of our world --or for that matter creation stories from around the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The known feels reassuringly safe, secure and comfortable. But that is an illusion. We are not living in safe, secure and comfortable times. Old paradigms and institutions and ways of life are crumbling all around us. And our planet (or at least the creatures --like us who live on it) is in serious peril.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Difficult challenges, rough transitions and nasty surprises are unpleasant. No one wants them. Not even people like me who have experienced miraculous benefits as a result of them! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">But rather than despair and give up, or fight/flight/flee/fix (which includes both desperately trying to fix that which might be fortuitously broken or getting addictive fixes to numb the pain of those sharp broken edges) we need to awaken our creativity and get really curious about what else is possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Once our eyes adjust to the darkness of a black night, we begin to see the infinite stars of the mysterious beautiful universe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Those stars represent so many bright possibilities that we might never have seen before.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.outofstress.com/darkest-nights-produce-the-brightest-stars/" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">The Darkest Nights Produce The Brightest Stars</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"The stars are always there, just that they are not visible to us in the bright sunlight. In-fact, we would never know of their existence if it wasn’t for the night. And the darker the night, the more it brings forth the brightness of the stars."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, the stars represent each of us.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of star stuff”.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">– Carl Sagan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are ALL made of stars and all literally a part of each other. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However this election turned out, whether in your mind darkness or light triumphed, (or some murky twilight in between, where some "bad guys/gals" won and some "good guys/gals" won but no one is happy), we can appreciate our own light and look for it in others. AND appreciate the gifts of the darkness/ mystery and chaos that reside within ALL of us.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">You can't see my red leggings, but I dressed in red white and blue. After voting, I took my little nanny charges to a polling place to fill out practice ballots. Then we went to hang out with the giant redwoods to get their perspective.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This New Moon is also Diwali, an Indian festival of lights that symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance." Many candles and bright lights shine beautifully in the darkness on this holy day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So many of our stories involve this theme. From ancient myths to popular culture, we want that victory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">But what if we look at some of the deeper meanings of those old stories and/or create new ones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Rather than focus on the ways in which I fight the darkness, solve the mysteries and conquer chaos, I am trying something different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I am focusing on the gifts to be found in the dark and celebrating both the darkness AND bright sparkly light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I would gratefully welcome answers to the big questions in my life, but I'm paying more attention right now to living into the questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Chaos is definitely challenging for me at this juncture of my life, but I am remembering all of the stories in which Chaos (represented by characters like </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(mythology)">Eris</a><span style="font-size: small;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent">Maleficent</a><span style="font-size: small;">) wreaked havoc upon those who did not invite her. So I am doing my best to welcome her. She's going to show up anyway!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So on this New Moon/Diwali/ Post election, I plan to explore how I can best let my little light shine and to shine the light of love on all in my world --as best I can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I invite you to try this as well. Can you imagine what our world would look like if we all did this?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">A Diwali festival</td></tr>
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*Last year for Halloween I went as the Queen of Chaos in a wildly colorful costume and the previous year I was the Queen of Death -- carrying a small Glass cauldron filled with pomegranate seeds which I offered to people, asking if they would like some seeds from the underworld, and asking what in their life they were ready to let die. Unless that was the year I went as a sparkly pink fairy granting people's fondest wishes, I don't remember.🧚♀️</div>
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<i>And just in case you noticed and you're curious, it is a complete mystery to me as to why the font shifted. It had something to do with the captions under the images, but nothing I do will fix it. I am finally surrendering. If that's the only price demanded by Chaos today, I'm okay with that!</i></div>
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-71306637907162892222018-10-08T11:55:00.000-07:002018-10-08T22:11:22.289-07:00⛵️Exploring a New World🗺<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I invite you to set sail with me to discover a New World.<br />
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I am aiming for <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span></span>. Please scroll down to the bottom of this post under the image of the green hill if you are unfamiliar with this place*<br />
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It is a land of extreme paradoxes and radical inclusion and it is a place where hero/ines, villains and victims find common ground.<br />
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I'm warning you ahead of time that the waters we sail today will be turbulent and chaotic. I anticipate there will be mutinies along the way. AND if you make it all the way to the shore without abandoning ship or having me keelhauled, I trust it will be well worth the journey.<br />
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Today's New Moon (readers of this blog know that I consider new moons to be a time of fresh starts and that I believe those new beginnings to be even more powerful when they follow extremely challenging times) falls on Columbus Day. This day is also celebrated by many now (including me) as Indigenous People's Day.<br />
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It is also Canadian Thanksgiving. They are ahead of us in their celebration due to an earlier harvest. And perhaps they are ahead of us in some other ways as well.<br />
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But whether or not you are in love with the (admittedly imperfect, but still a heartthrob for me😍) Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau; celebrating and giving thanks early and often is a really good idea!<br />
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The practice of gratitude and focusing on the harvest is one that I guarantee will offer a cornucopia of benefits.<br />
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I am overly ambitious in the abundant themes that I want to offer to you today, but I hope you will find nourishment here if you have the time to pick through this profusion of ideas.<br />
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This New Moon is also on the heels of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation on the Supreme Court.<br />
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Feel free to skip the orange highlighted part unless you question my motives for the rather controversial stance I'm about to take --I don't want to be dismissed as someone who doesn't take this seriously.<br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">I make no secret of my political leanings. I am way left of Bernie Sanders. I believe Dr. Ford with all my heart. I have my own #me too stories. I have a minor in women's studies and have been a very strong feminist for most of my adult life.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">If I added up all of the protests I have attended, all of the petitions I have signed, all of the political campaigns I have devoted time, energy and money to, as well as taking into consideration the variety of actions in the public realm and my private choices in life that I have taken, I'm pretty sure no one could fault me for being a slacker in taking action on behalf of my beliefs.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;"> In addition to politics, my spiritual beliefs include being a champion of the Divine Feminine in the world as well as part tree-hugging, Earth worshiping Pagan AND I am part Christian, as well as actively celebrating a wide variety of holiday/holy-days from many traditions around the world.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">AND I drive a car, use a cell phone, and (despite very limited purchases and most of them either used or local/fair trade etc.) purchase other products that were brought to me by exploited people.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">I have an enormous respect and admiration for the way of life and teachings of Indigenous People all over the world (most recently I have been blown away by the people at Standing Rock), AND I live happily on stolen land.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">It is a messy, chaotic time and we all do our best to make our way through it according to our individual belief systems.</span><br />
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So here comes the part where those who are feeling anger, betrayal and despair about Kavanaugh, Trump, and all who support them might follow my more conservative readers-- who probably jumped ship as soon as I described my beliefs.<br />
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I hope I'm wrong. I hope all of you "hoisted the sails of willingness" (as <a href="https://coyotenetworknews.com/">Caroline Casey</a> says) and are willing to hear me out. If you are still with me and haven't read the part that explains about this land we are sailing towards, now would be a good time.*<br />
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In <span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span>, Christopher Columbus, Brett Kavanagh, Donald Trump, (or if you take the opposing viewpoint, Christine Blasey Ford, the conniving Democrats, and witch hunting women), all took the actions that YOU would have made if you would have lived in their life circumstances with their unique conditioning.<br />
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<b>This does not in any way justify any harm perpetrated by anyone</b>. Rape or any form of sexual intimidation is wrong. As is lying. Or (from the opposing perspective), a political pawn lying to destroy a man's life for political gain is wrong. Exploiting an entire people, (as Columbus and other conquistadors/conquerers/dictators have done) leading to destruction of their way of life is also not okay!<br />
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We, the observers are affected by what happens and should not be complacent, neutral or passive about what we believe to be harmful AND we need to reconsider the strategy of fighting --especially when it involves vilifying "others" who are not like us.<br />
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We, the perpetrators (and we are all perpetrators at one time or another as even minor, subtle unkindnesses and untruths ripple outwards), should not be self-righteous about what we believe "they" deserve. We need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions AND forgive ourselves and others for past mistakes.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">I am Christine Blasey Ford</span> (I have been abused in various ways and have courageously stood up for what I believed even when I knew it would be detrimental) <span style="background-color: yellow;">AND I am Brett Kavanagh </span>(when I was younger I drank to the point of blacking out and did shameful things I don't remember. I have also lied to keep from getting in trouble or to get what I wanted at various times in my past.)<br />
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We all have our shadows and we have all harmed others. We did what we did largely because of our life experiences and cultural/ancestral/neurological conditioning.<br />
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I'm not going to get all new-agey on you and say we should not fight because we are all a part of Source/God/Love (although I do believe that) nor am I advocating that we all act out of open compassionate hearts because that's what Jesus/Buddha/ Quan Yin or your deity of choice would do. Although that would be awesome --if everybody did that!<br />
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History has shown what happened to the openhearted, trusting and innocent (or in some cases just less well armed) Indigenous Peoples of the world. History also showed the abysmal failure of appeasement in dealing with Hitler.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh sure, why not throw in Hitler and (by extension) maybe some pedophiles and terrorists at this point just to make things a little bit more challenging for me?! Can I just say that I am not enjoying what my Muse directed as my assignment today?! I had other plans for this blog...</span><br />
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AND history has also shown the endless perpetuation of conflicts with continual fighting. Even when the "bad guys" are conquered, whatever it was that caused them to "go bad" does not just disappear.<br />
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It really is true that what we resist, persists AND we can't just roll over, expose our throats and soft underbellies while trusting in the best nature of predators.<br />
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If innocent people (or creatures or the planet) are being harmed, those who have the capacity to protect or offer justice need to take action.<br />
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We need to take action AND we need to very carefully consider what actions will be most effective.<br />
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There are circumstances where violence is absolutely necessary. If a hungry tiger is leaping towards your helpless baby, there is no time to consider an alternative to shooting if you have a gun.<br />
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Obviously there are less extreme examples and there are more subtle forms of violence as well.<br />
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For instance, shaming or mocking can give a self righteous pleasure (and one I am totally guilty of indulging in --mostly passively by laughing at clever humor when I'm feeling despair), but ultimately this only adds fuel to the fire.<br />
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Those who are shamed or mocked may be burned by that fire, but they are even more likely to come back to burn those who treated them that way --to say nothing of those innocent bystanders who get torched as well. And furthermore those who wield the torches are also harmed, whether they realize it or not.<br />
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Rather than make further assertions as to what I think you should believe or do at this point, I just want to ask some questions. They are, of course, leading questions, 😉 but I'm hoping you'll overlook that and answer them as honestly as you can. I'm asking the same questions of myself and doing my best to recognize the ways in which I too, perpetuate these dynamics.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-size: x-large;">?????????????</span></div>
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<br />
What if fighting against the villains only makes them fight back harder?<br />
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What if "they" (and maybe even peace-loving you?) are addicted to fighting due to unfortunate choices made a long time ago? Getting a fix feels good in the moment and may temporarily "fix" a "problem", but what if fixes are not the answer?<br />
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What if in escalating conflict, you are encouraging them to perpetrate even more harm on themselves and others?<br />
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Are your friends, (including "friends" on social media) family and community members with opposing views all wrong, bad and stupid? Should you just push them out of your life? Will that resolve anything?<br />
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What if (as <a href="https://charleseisenstein.net/">Charles Eisenstein</a> advocates) we sincerely ask the question "what's it like to be you?" And then genuinely, empatheticaly listen to what they say and ask more to learn why it is that they believe what they believe?<br />
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What if you also paid close attention to what happens inside of you when having these conversation? Do you recognize some things you share that you don't like? How do you handle feeling triggered and vulnerable? Can you sit in the middle of that without running or fighting?<br />
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What if we look for common ground, even (<i>especially!</i>) in the midst of the worst conflicts? Is there even a faint possibility that we can find that? And if it is possible shouldn't we give that a try?<br />
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What if things need to get really bad to get our attention and force us to do something different?<br />
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What if we view what is happening in our World right now as a powerful time of evolutionary change and brainstorm ways to respond in a new way to disturbing events and behaviors?<br />
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What if you believed in the concept of Pronoia (Life is conspiring on your behalf)? If you play with the thought that this outlandish belief <i>might</i> be remotely possible; what creative possibilities can you come up with about how this present time in our country and on our planet could somehow be beneficial?<br />
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If you have your eyes on the prize, what is that prize? If that prize is living in a happier, healthier and more harmonious world (which I think everyone agrees upon, even if they don't agree what it looks like or how to get there), how likely is it that we will attain this prize by fighting with each other? Has that ever worked for very long?<br />
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In the midst of ever widening polarization, where the stakes get higher and higher and behaviors get lower and lower, we can do what we've always done. We can assign roles to our selves and others of villain, victim or hero/ine who will fight forever.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>But what else is possible?</b></span><br />
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Typically those who have little power are unlikely to gain access to people who are in the positions of the greatest power.<br />
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Realistically, I can't literally go up to Donald Trump and look him in the eye and ask "what's it like to be you"? Even if I could, and could spend enough time with him to gain his trust to have an in-depth conversation, it would probably be pretty difficult for us to find a lot of common ground. But I'll bet we could find enough to at least allow for some tiny shifts.<br />
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Of course, when someone is entrenched in extreme views and attached to the power that goes with them, it is very difficult to connect if you are coming from the opposite extreme.<br />
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But we do have access to plenty of people in our circles who disagree with us about many things.<br />
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What if we start where we are, with whoever is in front of us --or on social media or however we connect?<br />
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<b>What if we treated everyone (especially young children whose views of the world are just being formed) with a little more kindness and compassion? What if we listened with our full, open, honest attention not only to what they say but to what they're truly longing for that is under the surface of their words?</b><br />
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Can you imagine how different the world would be if someone wise and kind had taken Little Adolph under their wing?<br />
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I sure as hell don't have all of the answers to all of these questions, nor do I always walk my talk. I do, however do the best I know how to do. And I'm betting you do too!<br />
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I didn't get to go where I wanted to with this blog. I wanted to play more with the paradoxes in <span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span> and explore more about the role of gratitude and celebration in the midst of (or on the heels of) difficult times when we feel scared, despairing and betrayed. I know a lot about that.<br />
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But this post is already way too long and convoluted. And I do not have the time to do the ruthless editing that is needed. Fortunately, there are gifts to be found in chaos, and there is always room for more exploration in <span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &!</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PdF4nnZv6Ls/W7lBeiIpk6I/AAAAAAAAB6s/8Gs3itTsvh40B9YVKAZlUCUoHkhtym1QwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PdF4nnZv6Ls/W7lBeiIpk6I/AAAAAAAAB6s/8Gs3itTsvh40B9YVKAZlUCUoHkhtym1QwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_8686.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This is a photo I took on the shores of Lake Lagunitas that I am using to represent <span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span>. And yes, it is for sale !</span></td></tr>
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*If is the first you have heard about <span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span>, here is an excerpt from a previous post:</div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I have been using the theme of the Hero/ine's Journey (which is the theme of a huge number of our best loved stories from ancient times to popular culture's Blockbuster movies and best-selling books) as a way of exploring those in-between places where an old life or way of life is ending (or recently over) and the new one is still a mystery.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Joseph Campbell called the place in the Hero's Journey after you cross over the threshold from the ordinary world; </span><a href="https://screenwriting.io/what-is-the-heros-journey/" style="color: #588c0a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;">The Special World</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">. Charles Eisenstein describes what he calls </span><a href="https://charleseisenstein.net/essays/2013-the-space-between-stories/" style="color: #588c0a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;">The Space Between Stories</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> (in reference to our world right now). SARK calls it the </span><a href="http://planetsark.com/" style="color: #588c0a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;">Marvelous Messy Middle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">. William Bridges in his enormously popular and practical book </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=transitions+william+bridges&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=1696831398&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_f69vcg8k2_e" style="color: #588c0a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px; text-decoration: none;">Transitions</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">, calls it the Neutral Zone. Lewis Carroll called it Wonderland.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">There are other names for it as well, but what is noteworthy is that in all of these places, the usual rules of the "ordinary world" do not apply. Paradoxes are around every turn in the path in this misty, mystical, mysterious and often maddening territory.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I came up with the "</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">The Land of &</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">", because there is usually an "and" (sometimes looks like a "but") between the two seemingly contradictory truths found in paradoxes.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">That "and" spot in-between the two truths can be a confusing and uncomfortable tight place </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">AND</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> it is a zone where magic and transformative alchemy can take place.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Transformative alchemy takes us far out of our comfort zone sometimes into excruciating pain. Think about the heat it takes to melt metals, the pressure it takes to form a diamond or the bug soup stage of the caterpillar.🍵🐛</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Pain, fear and confusion cause our survival conditioning and consumer culture to warn us frantically of 🚫</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">danger 🛑</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">AND</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> it is the only way to evolve so that we can reach the miraculous New World that is waiting for us. 🦋</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">The list of paradoxes in everything from philosophy to quantum physics and many more mundane topics about how to live our day-to-day lives is a long one.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">Playing Sparks </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">&</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> Leaps will not solve all of the paradoxical mysteries of life (and I will explain later why this is a good thing), but it will offer alternative ways to find your way when you find yourself in the "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: magenta;">The Land of &</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">".</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">In the meantime, as I am putting the game together, if you find yourself in a confusing time of transition, I invite you to do your best to be present with the discomforts that you find there (rather than trying to figure out how to fix your problems or make the pain go away with your favorite addictive fix) </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">AND</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> to </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">RELAX</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;"> and soften your resistance--even when that feels impossible.</span><br />
<br style="caret-color: rgb(69, 23, 127); color: #45177f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #45177f; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.399999618530273px;">I promise you will find magic there if you can do this. Don't forget to enlist allies to support you.</span>Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-13008085637694618442018-09-09T16:03:00.000-07:002018-09-09T16:04:42.464-07:00🎉Celebration🎊<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKRmSVt6Cyk/W5WinvoaGGI/AAAAAAAAB5A/NB990uzp1YUA8J2E7URKyAD4nPcKU1z1gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1420" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKRmSVt6Cyk/W5WinvoaGGI/AAAAAAAAB5A/NB990uzp1YUA8J2E7URKyAD4nPcKU1z1gCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_7052.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every day, including ones that suck, I find something to celebrate. </td></tr>
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Celebrating everything can change <i>everything</i> and bring treasures beyond measure.<br />
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I know this may be hard to believe. It may seem as though celebrating everything is Pollyanna naivety or covering evil with a smiley face 😀, spiritual bypassing, or a frivolous waste of time. But I promise you, what I propose is none of the above and the reasons for doing so are myriad and compelling.<br />
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As an example, let me start with today (9/9/18). I am celebratingGrandparents Day --a day to revere our elders.<br />
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My grandparents had some pretty major "issues". This is an understatement for two of them who, in addition to being brilliant and charismatic were also often cruel in ways that rippled damage far and wide<b>. </b>The spouses of those two were much sweeter, but had other issues.<br />
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Some might say they spoiled me (including both definitions of that word, when the "collateral damage"/ "friendly fire"is included with those many tiny, sweet indulgences), but I genuinely and gratefully celebrate my grandparents with my whole heart.<br />
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All four of them adored me and the feeling was absolutely mutual (most of the time!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss them.</td></tr>
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Rather than focus on what was damaged as though it were a problem, I chose to reframe it. I do not deny their flaws or the ways in which their behaviors affected those around them --including me (mostly by the aforementioned "collateral damage"/ "friendly fire") AND I have tremendous respect, empathy and love for all of them. I believe they did the very best they were capable of doing, and in addition to their precious gifts to me, all of them made wonderful contributions to the world.<br />
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I would not be who I am today (with my unique gifts/quirks/ flaws --all of which are invaluable to me) without them. And, of course, they are literally a part of me, inside my DNA, as are all my ancestors.<br />
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In making the choice to both honestly acknowledge the darker sides of my grandparents and how that affected me, feel all of the complicated mix of emotions fully as well as highlighting everything lovable about them, and celebrating ALL of that; the damaged parts of me became part of <br />
a Wabi Sabi creation.<br />
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This month also marks Respect of the Aged Day (Japan 9/16/18) and Ancestor Appreciation Day (9/27/18) --just in case you want to honor your ancestors.<br />
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I will return to holidays (so many significant "holy-days" over this next couple of weeks which I will find some small way to honor) in a moment but let me shift to my current passion of celebrating minutiae and how that is changing my life.<br />
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🎉🎁🍬🎀🧚♀️💔🥂💝🧚♂️🍃🥀🍂🍒💎</div>
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You may recall from previous posts that I am turning Sparks & Leaps into a game. The game is based on tens of thousands of hours of research on a wide variety of topics including cutting edge science, ancient wisdom traditions and <i>so much more</i>.<br />
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The game will help players navigate circumstances ranging from major life implosions to the overwhelming minutiae of everyday life, and in the process of playing, contribute to personal as well as planetary transformational evolution.<br />
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My ambitions are not small! 😉<br />
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Part of the game involves the counterintuitive strategy of curiously, creatively and courageously choosing to engage with that which seems wrong, bad, overwhelming, painful and/or scary rather than follow the insistent directives of survival conditioning.<br />
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Fight, flight, freeze --or fix (as in repair what is "broken" or get an addictive fix to numb the pain) works excellently if you are being pursued by an actual tiger 🐯or stitching up wounds (if you weren't fierce or fast enough to escape that tiger), or if you happen to experience the equivalent in terms of physical danger or damage.<br />
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However, survival conditioning/fixing are actually not effective strategies for most of the problems the majority of people who are likely to be reading this blog face right now*.<br />
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In fact it causes more harm than good if your nervous system is on high alert all the time in response to the ever accelerating pace of life and the many crisis situations of which we are made aware --in the constant onslaught of information that most of us receive on a daily basis.<br />
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The game of Sparks & Leaps offers alternative strategies.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this photo of a mosaic in the window of the home of Sue and Greg Cantrell --who have a magical Airbnb in Portland. <span style="background-color: yellow;">Artist Lianna Bud</span>. I love the translucent SPARKleS & LEAPS of joyful fairies made out of broken pieces!</td></tr>
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In this game, challenges are reframed, <i>broken down</i> into the easiest, smallest components and interspersed with rewards, play, rest, support and celebration. Celebration is key!<br />
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Players receive points for each tiny triumph. They send their points to fellow players and allies (real and virtual) for weekly feedback. After a loooong delay, I finally came up with a workable system that is simple enough to practically and easily implement, yet with enough repetitive reinforcement to allow for the nervous system to settle and new neural pathways to form --both of which are crucial.<br />
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I am practicing breaking things that are overwhelming down into what SARK refers to as <a href="https://lifehacker.com/182362/get-ahead-with-micromovements?tag=goals">micro-movements</a> (although I've modified her process a bit), and also sometimes deliberately pushing to the edge of my comfort zone, for another level of the game. Points are awarded according to level of difficulty.<br />
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There are additional ways in which everything from catastrophes to the overwhelming minutiae of every day frustrations and endless "to do" lists become transformative vehicles for profound evolutionary change.<br />
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Life has always been about constant change, but the changes are happening faster now.<br />
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Fortunately, we have an incredible abundance of wisdom available to allow us to make use the hidden power of those changes. But it's really hard to do from the old paradigm of working harder and faster to fix "problems". Especially without sufficient support.<br />
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And that's where the game of Sparks & Leaps comes in-- I look forward to sharing more with you soon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn is a beautiful celebration of the cycle of life and death. </td></tr>
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As we are transitioning from summer to autumn, below are same ways to celebrate that. <a href="http://www.sparksandleaps.com/13_benefits.html">Please click here</a> if you want to know why celebration in general and also of holidays will benefit you in surprising ways.<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">This lineup of holidays is pretty impressive in its diversity, synchronicity and significance.</span><br />
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Tonight begins the high holidays of Judaism with Rosh Hashanah --the Jewish New Year<br />
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9/11 is marked on the calendar as Patriot Day. I have respectful reverence and sorrow for all who have been affected by terrorism all over the world, but<a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2014/06/the-day-my-life-changed-forever.html"> I celebrate this day for different reasons.</a><br />
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9/12 is Muharram (Islamic New Year). This is a floating holiday that can happen at all different times of the year, so this year it's placement next to 9/11 and so close to the Jewish New Year is interesting. I also love that Ashura which is also a floating holiday and bears many similarities to Yom Kippur is right between Yom Kippur and the International Day of Peace this year.<br />
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9/13 is the Hindu holiday of Ganesh Chaturthi --celebrating the elephant headed god of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles.<br />
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9/19 is Yom Kippur (Jewish)✡️<br />
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9/20 is Ashura (Muslim)☪️<br />
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9/21 is International day of peace☮️<br />
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9/22 is Mabon (Pagan)-- The Autumnal Equinox 🍃🍂<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BTW --for those who expressed an interest in purchasing my photos, THANK YOU! I have been busy with the Game (and many other pieces of my current life). I will be in touch soon!</td></tr>
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<b>*</b>With the exception of my relatives whose home was struck by⚡️ lightening ⚡️last week (they have A LOT of fixing to do!) and to whom you are welcome to take a moment to send a little good ✨juju✨. I believe in the power of sending love 💞to those who need it and the more sources the better. Ready? GO!🌬✨💓🙏<br />
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-38931977953958132452018-08-11T14:42:00.001-07:002018-08-11T17:24:11.025-07:00🏰Castles & Dragons🐲<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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I love that my life includes castles --and dragons! I took the above photo of little darlings on a day filled with adventures last weekend.</div>
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This month, I have been playing hard, exploring several castles and labyrinths and engaging in other magical adventures with various young companions, as well as navigating a currently overflowing life --despite my best efforts to minimize all distractions.<br />
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This has left me little time for writing over the summer, so once again, I am sharing a previous piece. <br />
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This one is from a full moon post, so if you only follow my New Moon Blog, or you are new to my writing, (this was from January of 2016), I recommend you check it out.<br />
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<a href="https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=6428954006eab6ca4cc51c88f&id=7190e501df&e=0bfb660333">Dragons and Tiger and Wolves, Oh My!</a> 🐲🐯🐺😱</h3>
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It has strategies for dealing with evildoers and difficult times. Even if you've read it before, IMHO, I think it's timely and worth a second look.<br />
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Today is the last eclipse of a series of three and a supermoon.<br />
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Whether or not these events in the sky have contributed to the blazing intensity of current times (as all of the astrologers are postulating), it has certainly been a fiery time for many of us recently.<br />
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One friend's home (and dog 😢) burned down during the Carr Fire in Redding CA on or near the last eclipse two weeks ago. She is a renter without insurance and no cushion<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "lato" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">, </span></span>and only social security for an income, since she was doing a work trade for rent. If you are feeling charitable and have a few dollars to donate, here is her <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/carr-fire-my-home-burned-down">go fund me campaign</a>.<br />
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And on Wednesday (8/8), I nervously watched the firefighters (from the hill above their station at my nanny job) respond to a large nearby wildfire on Black Mountain. The kids and I watched many trucks, helicopters and planes rush to the scene. After work I hiked up a hill to view the billowing clouds of smoke in the distance and give thanks that it did not spread to my home.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I took this shadow selfie up on the hill observing and respecting the fire</span></div>
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You may not be in jeopardy by flames, but you may be feeling the heat of other difficult challenges right now.<br />
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If so, why not take this opportunity of this propitious occasion of this last eclipse of 2018 or go out tonight to a dark place to view the Perseids Meteor Showers (should be excellent viewing with the new moon!) and wish upon a falling star. Or invent your own special occasion --perhaps a celebration of your newly reorganized sock drawer as your token gesture to create order in a chaotic world!<br />
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Find <i>some</i> reason to embrace this moment and honor any darkness, burning or chaos. And then infuse this time with the power of your intention to give thanks for whatever blessings you are experiencing and begin a new chapter in your life story.<br />
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After this next busy week, I will start a new chapter with my day job and begin the last year of the decade of my fabulous 50s. It's been a very full summer of work/play and my 50s have been the best years of my life so far, so I'm eagerly anticipating this next year.<br />
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My hours will be much shorter this school year, so I will be <i>highly motivated </i>and will finally have time to return the creation of the game of Sparks & Leaps!<br />
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Last night my employers surprised me with a love and gratitude filled card (with both hilarious and heart melting comments from the boys) and a very generous gift in honor of my one year anniversary with them.<br />
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Here is the first picture I ever took of my fearless little adventurers one year ago. I am feeling wonder and gratitude for how life has unfolded so far and curious what will happen next!<br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-63895248034785772962018-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:002018-07-12T09:49:04.175-07:00😼The Triumph of the Cat Over the Dogs🐶<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you are not experiencing any inner turmoil today, then you can just enjoy the funny story at the beginning of <a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2015/07/">my offering</a> to you today and file the rest away for a time when you might need it.<br />
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But if things feel extra intense right now, perhaps because of the unfolding circumstances in the collective, perhaps because of <a href="http://www.mysticmamma.com/astrology-for-solar-eclipse-new-moon-in-cancer-july-12th-2018/">these extraordinary astrological circumstances</a>*, or perhaps you're just having one of those days, I hope <a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2015/07/">this blog</a> from the 2015 July New Moon will help.<br />
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I am at the tail end of three overflowing weeks of adventures including just returning from eight days of travel last night, so rather than write a new post I am sharing <a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2015/07/">one of my favorite old ones.</a> I hope you enjoy "<a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2015/07/">The Big Scary Kitty of Doom</a>".<br />
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And I hope that if you celebrated the Fourth of July, or if you are planning to celebrate the other red white and blue, r<span style="color: red;">evol</span>utionary July holiday of Bastille Day on Saturday, that it was/is fun.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was at Prairie Creek Redwoods on the 4th, on my way to see my mama!</td></tr>
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* Here is <a href="http://www.mysticmamma.com/astrology-for-solar-eclipse-new-moon-in-cancer-july-12th-2018/">an excerpt from Mystic Mamma </a>about this potent New Moon. Whether or not you believe in astrology, this might ring true for you. It sure does for me!<br />
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<em>Feelings that have been dormant in the underworld of our psyches, are returning to us like waves rising toward the shore.</em></h5>
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<em>The past is knocking on our door, not because it has come back to haunt us, but because it has come back to heal us.</em></h5>
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<em>There is a part of our lives that we have disconnected from because it has left a deep wound. </em></h5>
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<em>These are the imprints that we would rather forget as we continue to move rapidly into our future. But sometimes, the cycles of Life turn to bring these pieces from our past back into our present for reconciliation and healing.</em></h5>
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<em>The reclaiming of our past is our soul’s retrieval of power. </em><em>It’s the reconnaissance of all our orphaned parts back into ourselves, back into who we are now.</em></h5>
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<em>And who we are now is precisely because of the past we have lived, not in spite of it.</em></h5>
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<em>As individuals and as a culture, we need to make amends with where we’ve been. Our histories are all marked with stories of abuse of power and we all fall somewhere within the spectrum. </em></h5>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this photo on the 4th on the beach at Crescent City. <br />
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-31345317568623346912018-06-13T12:13:00.002-07:002018-06-13T20:15:58.369-07:00💥🚂 Slo-mo Trainwreck or Miracle in Progress? 💫<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like "Miracle in Progress"</td></tr>
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Is there anything in your life that appears to be a potential train wreck? Or perhaps you are watching someone else's impending train wreck (or looking at the world at large!) peeking through your fingers...<br />
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Unlike an actual wreck, it is possible to derail a train of thought before a crash occurs and changing stories can avert disasters. I have had success with this in the past and watched many others pull off a miracle against all odds.<br />
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So I'm hoping to do it again and I invite you to ride along with me-- or at least watch from the sidelines.<br />
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In <a href="https://mailchi.mp/a43f5f7ddd24/my-new-story?e=0bfb660333">my last Full Moon post</a>, I shared some of my old and new stories about my loooong process of creating my life's work.<br />
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My old stories are not very nice ones --about as reassuring as Harry Potter's Boggarts and Dementors telling bedtime stories (which helps explain the periodic insomnia that has slowed my progress of creation). And while I would like to say my stories just disappeared <span style="background-color: yellow;">*poof*</span> when I brought them out into the light; such is not the case.<br />
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They're definitely nowhere near as powerful as they were when they were hidden in the dark, but I've been telling myself variations of these stories for over 50 years, and those neural path ways (or well traveled train tracks) are pretty well grooved.<br />
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Although I am open to the possibility of them going <span style="background-color: yellow;">*poof*</span>, I am also willing to give them my full attention so I can honor them and discover what gifts they have for me --even when they activate everything in my survival conditioning and sometimes make me feel despair and hopelessness over my prospects.<br />
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Once I have listened to them in this way, I can then create newer stories that are equally if not more true. And when I do this, the way I move forward changes.<br />
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My intention in sharing this process with you is is not to over-share to get attention and/or pity. Nor am I trying to elicit your encouragement.<br />
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Part of the reason I am putting myself through this process of publicly exposing my insecurities, is because it helps me release the need to try to win love and/or approval with a sparkly façade.<br />
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I admit I still want everyone to adore me, but even though it would be painful if my worst fears came true and everyone recoiled in horror because they believed my old stories about me too, I would rather lose that coveted warmth than to believe that only a false version of me is worthy of love.<br />
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Also, my hope is that <span style="font-size: xx-small;">if</span><span style="font-size: large;">when</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>I actually am successful (hopefully sooner rather than later!), it will give courage to others who are wasting a ridiculous amount of energy trying so hard to hide what they believe to be their worst selves.<br />
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And just maybe whoever reads my tales will be inspired to offer their much needed unique gifts to the world as well.<br />
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If my miracle is successful, and you need one too, I invite you to give changing your stories a try! Maybe we can even change some BIG stories about our world.<br />
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Or possibly these posts will serve as a cautionary tale of a train wreck! Either way, I hope my process will have served you well!<br />
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There are so many polished-shiny-bright people with their PhD's from Harvard, perfect bodies, six-figure incomes and their New York Times bestseller books giving you the message that 🤩"you can do it!"😀<br />
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But they're <i>already</i> successful, so it's a bit more of a leap of faith to imagine that you can achieve similar heights (unless you already have --in which case, let me offer you my congratulations!)<br />
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Yes, what they have to offer is valuable (I have certainly benefited greatly from the teachings of many such mentors) and it is obviously highly motivating, in that <i>perhaps</i> if you follow their 7 steps/ 4 pillars/10 rules/ money back guaranteed 12 module programs or whatever it is that they are offering, you too might be able to duplicate their success.<br />
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I have diligently followed the advice of <i>so many</i> luminaries, and yet, here's my current reality:<br />
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I'm pushing 60, divorced, in debt, and working as a part time nanny. Not exactly what most people are aspiring to achieve or willing to pay me money to learn how I did it!<br />
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Furthermore, despite my best efforts, I'm continually fumbling, bumbling and stumbling. <span style="background-color: white;"><b>But I am still showing up</b>. </span>I am still doing my very best to keep the faith even when I feel discouraged by the disparaging internal voices narrating my old stories and when I encounter the myriad stumbling blocks Life continues to present.<br />
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Maybe hearing my stories of the challenges I have undergone and <a href="https://mailchi.mp/a43f5f7ddd24/my-new-story?e=0bfb660333">my fears of what could transpire</a> in my life if I fail to do what I have set out to do does not seem that harrowing to you, but to me this is what it feels like:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHzOGpnf7Jo/Wxy0RnyefKI/AAAAAAAABx4/hlPFlXetWjoHadO-nfmy1RjvfeZBBFP4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/9497270528010ec05500103eec9eff61%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHzOGpnf7Jo/Wxy0RnyefKI/AAAAAAAABx4/hlPFlXetWjoHadO-nfmy1RjvfeZBBFP4gCEwYBhgL/s320/9497270528010ec05500103eec9eff61%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okay I'm not as hot as Lara Croft, but there weren't any video game images of middle-aged nannies courageously persevering against all odds to create a game that will save the world! Plus I liked the background ship wreck.</td></tr>
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<b>AND</b> I have<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"> New Stories ✨📒✨</span>that are equally if not more true than the old ones. Here are a few (<a href="https://mailchi.mp/a43f5f7ddd24/my-new-story?e=0bfb660333">and more here</a>):<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;">My New Story ✨📒✨ about pushing 60 is that my</span> 50s have been the happiest years of my life so far, and I have one more year left in this decade. My life just seems to continue to be getting better and better. I actually kind of like the idea been an eccentric old bat or maybe even be a wise elder someday. My wrinkles and stray gray hairs don't bother me and while I would be delighted to shed a few pounds, sleep easier and eliminate some aches and pains, I wouldn't trade this time for any of the previous ones I have lived. Not even close!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;">My New Story ✨📒✨ about being divorced is that my</span> <a href="http://blog.sparksandleaps.com/2014/06/the-day-my-life-changed-forever.html">surprise divorce</a> was by far the greatest gift I've ever received! My 10 year marriage had its ups and downs, but even though my former husband was the greatest love of my life so far, and if you had asked me I would have told you that I wanted to continue that "comfortable", "secure" life forever, I am beyond grateful to not be married to him anymore and living that life. I'm open to the possibility that there might be some other partner at some point, but for right now, I'm not looking. I love being single. Hanging out with me is so much fun! I have a great imagination and sense of adventure. I always know exactly what I most want to do and don't have to consult or persuade anyone else. I have a difficult time imagining wanting to give up even a tiny bit of this delicious freedom and whatever precious bits of solitude I can find in my overflowing new life. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;">My New Story ✨📒✨about being in debt is that a</span>lthough I am not currently experiencing financial overflow, <i>at this moment</i> I have enough money to take care of my basic needs and a little bit more. I am grateful beyond words for all of the many blessings that I have. Plus, I have heard enough "rags to riches" stories to know that it is certainly possible for me to be more abundant as well if that is what I truly want. I do not aspire to live in a big house drive a fancy car, wear designer clothing, travel the world or have expensive jewelry. None of that appeals to me in the slightest. I would, however, like to pay off my debts, travel to visit loved ones and go on road trip adventures. I want to be able to continue to live here in this gorgeous place where I miraculously landed, eat pricey organic food and indulge in other self-care luxuries like my daily outings in the beauty of nature. I have faith that I will continue to be able to do so.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;">My New Story ✨📒✨ about my employment situation is that </span>I love my job! The little boys that I care for in my nanny job are incredibly sweet and delightful companions. I get paid to cuddle, play, read stories, go on adventures and hike in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. And I have my mornings, evenings and weekends free. And who knows how this time I am spending with these little boys will affect their future?! Plus I'm learning a lot from them.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;">My New Story ✨📒✨</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 16px;"> about t</span>he long slow train wreck of my plan to fulfill my life mission and create a sustainable livlihood is that it is, in fact, a miracle in progress!The game I am creating (and the amount of time it is taking) is all coming together perfectly. It will be something that anyone and everyone can do in their own idiosyncratic ways to discover the new stories, valuable gifts and transformational portals within their unique challenges --as well as within our shared collective experience. The game synthesizes tens of thousands of hours of reading, viewing, listening to and experiencing all that my voracious curiosity has insisted I explore on topics related to difficult life transitions. Even though what I have created so far doesn't seem that impressive to my inner critics, considering how much I have I put into it, and how long it has taken, I get that I couldn't have done it any other way and it will continue to be a work in progress --just like life. Finding a way to allow players to engage in the easiest possible ways without being overwhelmed by information overload and yet entice them to dive as deep as they want has been a bit tricky! Especially given my quirky skill set, health challenges, and a variety of "dragons" that have served to keep <i>my game</i> of creating this game interesting and ultimately beneficial to my personal evolution. <span style="color: red;">After all, how interesting and character forming of an adventure would it be if it were a total cakewalk for me --and what what I have to offer you if everything had come easily to me?! </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: red;">I trust it will be worth the wait and come together in the best timing for me and for whoever wants to play.</span></span><br />
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So, here I am sending you this blog post on the last New Moon of spring (and according to the astronomers and astrologers, it's a powerful super moon), which I had once again hoped was <i>finally</i> going to be an announcement of my latest offering --rather than another post about why I have not finished yet.<br />
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Just think of it like the continuing Star Wars series. It wouldn't have been very exciting to watch Luke Skywalker walk easily up to Darth Vader in the first movie, give him a hug and say let's be friends, and then watch the two of them stroll off arm in arm into the sunset, talking about what a great New World they will build together.</div>
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My game is not done, but I'm getting closer everyday to at least having the basic structure in place. If you would like me to send you what I have so far and offer your feedback, I would be delighted to share it with you I'm grateful for any input you might have. You can be a part of my miracle!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">🦄🦄🦄</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: magenta;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: magenta;">Send an email to michelle@sparksandleaps.com with the subject heading "Send Me the Game!"</span>.</div>
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And if you are one of those who volunteered to be an ally for me as I play my game of creating my game, I will be sending you instructions on how to do so (if you are still game) very soon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2H6axJAIVus/Wxy7sEmlU-I/AAAAAAAAByM/yqyqc0hX_5QiXtnUSgcJiEIcXyDIt6f-ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2H6axJAIVus/Wxy7sEmlU-I/AAAAAAAAByM/yqyqc0hX_5QiXtnUSgcJiEIcXyDIt6f-ACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2174.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of middle-aged nanny (dressed as the Queen of Chaos) taming a dragon.</td></tr>
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-30567569149702694862018-05-14T19:16:00.001-07:002018-05-14T19:25:30.864-07:00👯♀️What If The Hokey Pokey Really IS What It's All About?!🕺<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f759RUXJXWk/Wvc3hBu4SnI/AAAAAAAABuw/e7chOU55VI0WNPn6WeOgF5bW8rVuSzTDgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f759RUXJXWk/Wvc3hBu4SnI/AAAAAAAABuw/e7chOU55VI0WNPn6WeOgF5bW8rVuSzTDgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_6233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: yellow;">IF YOU PREFER A VIDEO VERSION TO READING, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM.</span><br />
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Chances are pretty good that you, someone you love, your country, your planet, or possibly all of the above; are in the middle of some serious challenges.<br />
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You might think this calls for serious measures.<br />
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YES, you absolutely need to pay serious attention to what is happening--vs adopting an ostrich like strategy.<br />
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YES, you may need to take serious and responsible actions -- keeping in mind responsible means "able to respond" vs reactivity. Also keeping in mind that "fixing" what is broken is not always the most responsible action. Sometimes the most serious and responsible thing to do is to spend quiet time doing nothing "productive" and just appreciating what shows up in the broken places.<br />
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YES <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(no one likes this part but it is </span><span style="color: red;"><b>absolutely essential</b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">)</span></span>, you will need to <b><span style="color: red;">feel</span></b> all the seriously unpleasant feelings associated with serious challenges <i>to the best of your imperfect, current ability</i>-- vs the ever popular strategy of getting a fix from your addiction of choice to numb and escape from the pain.<br />
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Forgive yourself if you make this choice, but know it is like an exorbitantly high interest credit card from which no bankruptcy can stop the inexorable requirement of repayment.<br />
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Slapping on a happy face 😃 and/or doing a <a href="http://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-16-84-01-063.pdf">spiritual bypass</a> to pretend to yourself and the world that everything is just hunky-dory, may seem like the right thing to do, and sometimes it is the best you can do to cope. But ultimately, this is also a serious mistake.<br />
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YES, there are times when you need to get serious and "put on your big girl panties" or "man up" for a short time in circumstances where falling apart is not an option. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>AND</b></span> serious measures will only take you so far.<br />
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Sometimes you need to play The Hokey Pokey. Maybe not literally, (my sincere apologies to all of you who now have this ear worm burrowing into your brain), but relaxing, being silly and irrational, playing games, dancing, singing, shaking things around, connecting with others in a circle, will all serve you surprisingly well when you are in the middle of a serious challenge.<br />
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The ever increasing number of scientific studies (especially in neuroscience), teachings from respected thought leaders and the ancient wisdom traditions from around the globe (with all of the associated merry celebrations/holidays/holy-days), as well as the personal experiences of countless individuals (including myself), all show the benefits of the same kinds of tactics that The Hokey Pokey is all about.<br />
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If The Hokey Pokey (or whatever preferable creative equivalents you can devise) can positively impact physical, spiritual, emotional and mental health, perhaps you might want to try playing with putting different parts of yourself forward and back, not worrying about if you get it wrong, shake things up in your usual strategies, and turn yourself around!<br />
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<div class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="65" data-mhc="1" jsname="U8S5sf" style="max-height: 65px;">
<span jsname="YS01Ge">To quote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XBT3CXi6e0">Jimmy Buffet</a></span>:</div>
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<span jsname="YS01Ge">"Maybe it's all too simple f</span>or our brains to figure it out. <span jsname="YS01Ge">What if the hokey pokey i</span><span jsname="YS01Ge">s all it really is about"</span></blockquote>
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I could explore further possible philosophical dimensions of the Hokey Pokey, but I am seriously busy and delightfully playing with the creation of my own game of Sparks & Leaps, which is slowly and beautifully coming together!<br />
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I am beyond excited that I finally discovered a way to combine all of the cool stuff I have learned in a fun and easy game, that starts off super simple and allows for pretty much infinite levels of skill development. <br />
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The game will enable players to not just more gracefully navigate the ever accelerating changes in the world, but actually welcome and use these challenges for their personal evolution as well as contributing in a more positive way to supporting planetary transformation.<br />
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Yes, these are big promises from a nanny in multicolored twirly outfits advocating the Hokey Pokey, celebrating obscure holidays and (if you have read previous blogs) encouraging mythical journeys and the wisdom of fairytales. But strange times call for strange methods and strange people!<br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;"><br />Optional silly musings </span>about the Hokey Pokey in relation to this week's holidays for those who want a longer read. OR scroll to bottom for video version of this New Moon Blog post. </h4>
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<span style="background-color: orange;">Shavuot</span> (a Jewish holy day whose timing varies each year and depends on a complicated series of calculations related to the moon) originally came from an ancient grain festival in which the Hokey Pokey would fit in perfectly with the celebratory seasonal dances!<br />
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Also, Jews eat dairy treats on this holiday, and one of the theories of the origin of Hokey Pokey (which is called Hokey Cokey in the UK) is that it is based on an ice cream treat called the Hokey Cokey.<br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">Pentecost</span> (a Christian holy day which is related to Shavout, and often falls on the same day but not always) celebrates when the Holy Spirit came down and allowed everyone who would normally not have been able to understand each other to speak a common language<span style="background-color: orange;">*</span>. Also known as speaking in tongues. <br />
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There are some who claim that the origin of the phrase Hokey Pokey came from hocus-pocus which<br />
"is said to be a Puritan parody of the Latin "hoc est enim corpus meum" or "this is my body" used by Catholic priests to accompany the transubstantiation during mass...and the dance came from the days when priests celebrated mass with their backs to the congregation and whispered the Latin words of consecration with many hand movements."<br />
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So maybe skip doing the Hokey Pokey if you happen to be celebrating Pentecost at a Catholic church this year.<br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">Ramadan </span>(a Muslim holy-day begins on the first sighting of the moon this month and continues until the next New Moon is cited ) is a very serious holiday with fasting etc. I love the Sufi branch of the Muslim religion. Not only because they "turn themselves about" in their trademark dance of ecstasy, but that is definitely a factor!<br />
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<span style="background-color: orange;">* </span>While I'm not likely to join a Pentecostal church and handle venomous serpents, 🐍I really love the idea of a dove flying down 🕊and miraculously allowing us to actually be able to hear and understand each other better.<br />
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Even those of us who speak the same language, often seem to be unable to truly hear what others are saying. I think that in our hearts we have the common language of love and wish for peace. We just say it differently and have different ways of accomplishing what we believe.<br />
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And even though many of the holy rituals that are celebrated around the world are very different, they also have common roots. I believe with all my heart that if we could sing, dance, celebrate,<br />
and play together, and perhaps dance The Hokey Pokey, we could find common ground much more easily. We need that common ground to survive and thrive together right now!<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/iGl4pdc8b4g" style="background-color: yellow;">VIDEO VERSION OF BLOG</a>Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-72338217635166544102018-04-15T16:51:00.000-07:002018-04-15T16:51:12.841-07:00💊Everything is Medicine.💉<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Wb-MtO5iII/WtKHf986TDI/AAAAAAAABsA/vXiSNkZgWzkqMIYv7hqTFfCpj_-euzdUQCLcBGAs/s1600/CPOIciVWwAAxqHh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: yellow; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="595" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Wb-MtO5iII/WtKHf986TDI/AAAAAAAABsA/vXiSNkZgWzkqMIYv7hqTFfCpj_-euzdUQCLcBGAs/s320/CPOIciVWwAAxqHh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">PREFER VIDEO VERSION TO READING? SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF POST.</span><br />
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Are you ready for me to give you all the right answers about how to be totally physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy?<br />
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Because I have spent <i>way</i> more than the requisite 10,000 hours it supposedly takes to become an expert on anything. I have been researching and practicing each one of those aspects of health obsessively for years. I totally deserve at least two or three PhD's.<br />
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Okay, I might have seemed just a tad insufferable at times (especially in regards to nutrition), BUT I KNOW MORE THAN YOU and I have cutting edge science and renowned spiritual teachers throughout the ages to support my theories.<br />
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So just pull up a seat near my feet and I will enlighten you. You're welcome.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Obj2yhgcj5c/WtJ2LPt669I/AAAAAAAABq0/ZVe3oqKmfc8CGBbM7xPTgHHuhDc3WKn8gCLcBGAs/s1600/20120425103235327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Obj2yhgcj5c/WtJ2LPt669I/AAAAAAAABq0/ZVe3oqKmfc8CGBbM7xPTgHHuhDc3WKn8gCLcBGAs/s320/20120425103235327.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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Just letting you know that the irony of the following has not escaped me and I am a bit more humble than when I kind of thought I knew it all.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I, who have shunned almost everything that can be put in or on the body which is not organic and sustainable (and all of the other ultra-healthy buzzwords) and</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I, who no longer smoke or drink alcohol (yes, I formerly smoked organic cigarettes and drank organic alcohol) or take any kind of drugs (including over-the-counter) and</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I, who have all kinds of lovely spiritual practices and</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I, who hike and dance every day in the healing beauty of nature and</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: inherit;">I, who have been trying <b>so hard</b> to do <b>everything</b> "right" (the list goes on and on)...</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">I</span></b> have been struggling with insomnia and put on 50 pounds in the past few years.<span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;"> </span>And, I have been sick nearly steadily for the past 11 weeks with cold and flu viruses as well as experiencing a variety of miscellaneous aches, pains and mysterious, distressing symptoms.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STInupY-TYo/WtJ-IF60AVI/AAAAAAAABrQ/sAlOenhTQxcDTC1FlgFmv1blIrhQ-uKLQCLcBGAs/s1600/30594814_1686453364753937_8391671682340666996_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="679" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STInupY-TYo/WtJ-IF60AVI/AAAAAAAABrQ/sAlOenhTQxcDTC1FlgFmv1blIrhQ-uKLQCLcBGAs/s320/30594814_1686453364753937_8391671682340666996_n.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at work last week, sick and beyond exhausted, with severe pain in my right foot, but dancing anyway.</td></tr>
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I have so wanted to blame all of my current set of problems on the insomnia, thus exonerating me from the fear of doing something wrong and inevitable punishment, because <i>it is not my fault</i> that I have this issue and I have done everything possible to correct it.<br />
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But resisting, fixing, and blaming are missing the point. These strategies make this condition into a villain rather than a helpful friend.<br />
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What we resist, persists, so even though my survival conditioning (which flips automatically into Fight/flight/freeze when there is pain) screams RESIST and FIX (or get a numbing fix), I am doing my flawed best to welcome these visitors with curiosity, humor and kindness.<br />
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I believe the anxieties underlying these issues (especially the insomnia) have origins in younger parts of me and that helps me be kinder. AND to be more understanding of the invalid, immature beliefs that underlie the fears.<br />
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I am not passive in the face of that which causes harm. I can listen to these abandoned orphans of my psyche and invite them to be on my team, but they don't get to drive the bus! Similarly, any symptoms that truly threaten my survival, will be addressed by whatever means are necessary.<br />
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I'm sure lack of sleep probably helped turn my formerly rock star immune system into a welcome mat for every passing bug which then wreaked havoc with my already precarious finances. And doubtless, insomnia contributed significantly to my weight gain which in turn exacerbated my other physical issues. All of which, of course, caused anxiety and contributed to more insomnia.<br />
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AND it is equally <i>if not more true</i> that the insomnia, and all of the other related physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial issues have invaluable gifts to offer.<br />
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I am still unpacking these gifts and putting them together (kind of like a really complicated piece of furniture from IKEA that you know is going to look great).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PbE0BGvxXwQ/WtKC5CG7eKI/AAAAAAAABro/ZwYP5g8ncL87bS4nl6Gm_wog5H-mQa3gQCLcBGAs/s1600/Binks-Helps-Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1469" height="293" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PbE0BGvxXwQ/WtKC5CG7eKI/AAAAAAAABro/ZwYP5g8ncL87bS4nl6Gm_wog5H-mQa3gQCLcBGAs/s320/Binks-Helps-Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
But the most important piece is this jumble in front of me right now is that "everything is medicine". I have been saying this in a variety of different ways in my blogs for years, but let me share with you blurbs from a blog that landed in my email last week.<br />
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In her blog on 4/3/18, <a href="http://lissarankin.com/everything-is-medicine-a-lesson-from-the-shamans" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;">Dr. Lissa Rankin</a> said<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through the lens of “<span style="color: red;">everything is medicine</span>,” physical symptoms may even be perceived as a gift, a message from the Universe that helps you get back on track...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This isn’t to say that you caused your illness or that all illness has psycho-spiritual roots. Some traumas to the system are external, like when you live next to a toxic waste dump or are filling your body with toxic food or poisoning substances. But this opens a portal of inquiry that allows your physical illnesses and accidents to become messages from your soul. If disease or pain is here with a message for you, are you receiving the message?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">Later in the blog Dr Rankin quotes from the new book that just came out entitled "<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1427637085"></span>The Sacred Science<span id="goog_1427637086"></span></a>" By Nick Polizzi</span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is a principle I learned from the shamans ...: </span><em style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: red;">Everything is medicine</span></em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m not saying you should take a spoonful of Elmer’s Glue to cure your cold. It’s more figurative than that. What native healers are getting at is that everything that happens to you in this life, every single moment, good or bad, has a lesson to teach you. </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Everything that has ever happened to you and will ever occur around you can be seen through one of two lenses: medicine or poison. It’s totally your choice, but your mindset will determine which choice you make. </span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kzOs1q-doc/WtOGdNgBpNI/AAAAAAAABsc/2coKmm4Gi0YT4Kxp7DaqDcsFPl8ZiDl0ACLcBGAs/s1600/Shamans-Mesa-Blue-Morpho-by-Chris-Kilham-Zoe-Helene-Ladybud-474x631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3kzOs1q-doc/WtOGdNgBpNI/AAAAAAAABsc/2coKmm4Gi0YT4Kxp7DaqDcsFPl8ZiDl0ACLcBGAs/s320/Shamans-Mesa-Blue-Morpho-by-Chris-Kilham-Zoe-Helene-Ladybud-474x631.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Healing crystals, ritual objects and magical elixirs from a Shaman</td></tr>
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Another fascinating perspective on this concept of "<span style="color: red;">everything is medicine</span>" is the recent book by Dr Joe Dispenza entitled "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Placebo-Making-Matter/dp/1401944582">You are the Placebo</a>", in which he<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">" shares numerous documented cases of those who reversed cancer, heart disease, depression, crippling arthritis, and even the tremors of Parkinson’s disease by believing in a placebo. Similarly, Dr. Joe tells of how others have gotten sick and even died the victims of a hex or voodoo curse—or after being misdiagnosed with a fatal illness. Belief can be so strong that pharmaceutical companies use double- and triple-blind randomized studies to try to exclude the power of the mind over the body when evaluating new drugs."</span></blockquote>
What if the "spoonful of Elmer's Glue" that Nick Polizzi mentioned above, <i>could</i> cure my maladies and "repair" all that is "wrong" with me better than the most tried and true conventional and holistic remedies if someone convinced me it was a magical healing substance?<br />
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What if the reason all of the myriad remedies I have tried (including various practices and healing modalities as well as machines, pills and potions) have been ineffective is because deep down, I don't currently believe that there is a fix that will work for me?<br />
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What if one the reasons for my lack of faith is because on some level I understand that as distressing as these symptoms have been, it's not about making them go away, but of paying attention to the messages/gifts they are bringing me?<br />
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And what if it is more beneficial to explore and celebrate the cracks in what is broken than to fix and erase/hide them?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VDde8LOLRZ0/WtONBRvNIKI/AAAAAAAABs4/rBUAmlUQHPQ07iAvAjsdAHDns76PoLljwCLcBGAs/s1600/Japanese_technique_of_kintsugi-1100x690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VDde8LOLRZ0/WtONBRvNIKI/AAAAAAAABs4/rBUAmlUQHPQ07iAvAjsdAHDns76PoLljwCLcBGAs/s320/Japanese_technique_of_kintsugi-1100x690.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Wabi Sabi - highlighting and celebrating beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. OR As Leonard Cohen says, "There is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in." </span></span></td></tr>
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These are some of the pieces I have currently have spread out before me that are causing me to wonder --in both senses of that word.<br />
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I would rather get a root canal by a hungover dental student reeking of the previous nights jello shots in a room full of angry hornets while watching I Love Lucy reruns at full volume than attempt to assemble anything from IKEA.<br />
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But I love puzzling over the chaotic mess of broken pieces of my life and combining them with the heartbreakingly, beautiful pieces from the stories of others broken lives (and every single truly compelling success/healing story has these pieces) with the intention of creating something that inspires a more heart-centered, trusting, adventurous and joyful approach in the midst of life's most difficult times.<br />
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I may not have all of the "right answers" for you, because first of all, I don't think there are any black and white "right answers" -- just a whole lot of mind blowing paradoxes. Furthermore, all of us are unique and ever-evolving and living in a world where change is accelerating at a bewilderingly astronomical pace.<br />
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But I hope you find some of what I am learning helpful in creating <i>your</i> mosaic. I would love to hear what you are learning, if you are willing to share in the comment section below.<br />
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We all have pieces to contribute. Whether or not you choose to share publicly what you have discovered that is essential for you right now, I encourage you to at least think about what feels true and write it down or speak it out loud to someone today.<br />
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We are all in this amazing time together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-spZfvCToM2g/WtPchEtd4tI/AAAAAAAABtU/Bd4_QmrNvAkQCzgpn767q2dw9WiOZ1M5QCLcBGAs/s1600/bad17135f13c85058892392cceb8b66c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="640" height="299" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-spZfvCToM2g/WtPchEtd4tI/AAAAAAAABtU/Bd4_QmrNvAkQCzgpn767q2dw9WiOZ1M5QCLcBGAs/s320/bad17135f13c85058892392cceb8b66c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist : Laurel True</td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWX8sOgoLLE&feature=youtu.be&a=" style="background-color: yellow;">VIDEO VERSION OF THIS BLOG</a><br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-33540871999532098092018-03-17T13:45:00.000-07:002018-03-17T14:07:32.415-07:00🧚♀️ Magic in the Mists ☘️<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RovNK24wCL8/WqWtRodlkzI/AAAAAAAABqY/KGglx49_j9oPnzMFxdjcYF4N0dicfxsOACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1351" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RovNK24wCL8/WqWtRodlkzI/AAAAAAAABqY/KGglx49_j9oPnzMFxdjcYF4N0dicfxsOACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3536.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime;">A misty photo I took here in NorCal, not Ireland.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">DON'T LIKE TO READ? SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM OF POST FOR VIDEO VERSION</span><br />
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My maternal grandmother was a hibernophile. She loved all things Irish, including the vile liqueur called Irish Mist that she proudly kept in a Waterford Crystal decanter. Truly vile!<br />
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I celebrated many a St Patrick's Day and attended many a Catholic mass with her, but I am far more intrigued by the older Celtic/ Pagan/ Druidic religions that dwelt in the magical mists of Ireland's past. And I think Grandma Peg was strongly influenced by this as well.<br />
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My horoscope from the unconventional astrologer, Rob Brezsny* for last week was right on target.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In his book *Whistling in the Dark,* author </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Frederick Buechner writes that the</span><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">ancient Druids took "a special interest </span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><b>in in-between things </b><span style="font-size: x-small;">like mistletoe, which is neither quite a plant nor quite </span></span><br style="font-family: Helvetica;" /><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a tree, and </span><b>mist, which is neither quite rain nor quite air</b>,</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;"> and dreams, </span><br style="font-family: Helvetica;" /><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: x-small;">which are neither quite waking nor quite sleep</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">." According to my reading </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">of the astrological omens,<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"> in-between phenomena will be your specialty in </span></span><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">the coming weeks. You will also thrive in relationship to anything that </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">lives in two worlds or that has paradoxical qualities. </span>I hope you'll exult in </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">the educational delights that come from your willingness to be teased and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">mystified.</span><br />
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I have been totally consumed with the topic of in-between places and paradoxes for some time now, but even more so recently. I am particularly interested in to how to be non-judgmental, compassionate and inclusive and <span style="color: magenta;">AND</span> have good boundaries with those who inflict harm.)<br />
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This escalated to a near obsession just prior to reading this horoscope due to several highly stressful <span style="color: magenta;">AND</span> ultimately instructive and helpful (for me) life situations involving loved ones engaged in conflicts.<br />
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So I decided to use this "magically delicious" ☘️💗🌙 New Moon to share a little bit about the paradoxical new land that I'm adding to the developing game of Sparks<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span><span style="color: magenta;">&</span></span> Leaps. I am calling it "<span style="color: magenta;">The Land of And</span>".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ey_3eVF3iB0/WqWTxyK57uI/AAAAAAAABoc/awNjA3_VQCUb6HDWqU8d-TehMHfO1b0NACLcBGAs/s1600/6317903bb0a59ca55cc1fcdd15eb47c7657e4b51375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="742" height="238" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ey_3eVF3iB0/WqWTxyK57uI/AAAAAAAABoc/awNjA3_VQCUb6HDWqU8d-TehMHfO1b0NACLcBGAs/s320/6317903bb0a59ca55cc1fcdd15eb47c7657e4b51375.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I recently read that the ampersand is a broken infinity sign <b><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;">∞</span></b></td></tr>
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In case you have not read any of my previous posts, I have been using the theme of the Hero/ine's Journey (which is the theme of a huge number of our best loved stories from ancient times to popular culture's Blockbuster movies and best-selling books) as a way of exploring those in-between places where an old life or way of life is ending (or recently over) and the new one is still a mystery.<span id="goog_933315429"></span><br />
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Joseph Campbell called the place in the Hero's Journey after you cross over the threshold from the ordinary world; <a href="https://screenwriting.io/what-is-the-heros-journey/">The Special World</a>. Charles Eisenstein describes what he calls <a href="https://charleseisenstein.net/essays/2013-the-space-between-stories/">The Space Between Stories</a> (in reference to our world right now). SARK calls it the <a href="http://planetsark.com/">Marvelous Messy Middle</a>. William Bridges in his enormously popular and practical book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=transitions+william+bridges&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=1696831398&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_f69vcg8k2_e">Transitions</a>, calls it the Neutral Zone. Lewis Carroll called it Wonderland.<br />
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There are other names for it as well, but what is noteworthy is that in all of these places, the usual rules of the "ordinary world" do not apply. Paradoxes are around every turn in the path in this misty, mystical, mysterious and often maddening territory.<br />
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I came up with the "<span style="color: magenta;">The Land of And</span>", because there is usually an "and" (sometimes looks like a "but") between the two seemingly contradictory truths found in paradoxes.<br />
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That "and" spot in-between the two truths can be a confusing and uncomfortable tight place <span style="color: magenta;">AND</span> it is a zone where magic and transformative alchemy can take place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTcEbqxQTD8/WqWdvbuV8cI/AAAAAAAABo4/2rRE_37PdbgxiGMjUXqezgF1N-9qapLWACLcBGAs/s1600/c49691f82e0ce2d9d4ffce1f74046a30.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="428" height="317" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTcEbqxQTD8/WqWdvbuV8cI/AAAAAAAABo4/2rRE_37PdbgxiGMjUXqezgF1N-9qapLWACLcBGAs/s320/c49691f82e0ce2d9d4ffce1f74046a30.jpg.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Snake making the infinity sign (photographer: Mark Laita)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: lime; font-size: xx-small;">NOT one of the ones St Patrick exiled!</span></span></td></tr>
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Transformative alchemy takes us far out of our comfort zone sometimes into excruciating pain. Think about the heat it takes to melt metals, the pressure it takes to form a diamond or the bug soup stage of the caterpillar.🍵🐛<br />
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Pain, fear and confusion cause our survival conditioning and consumer culture to warn us frantically of 🚫<span style="color: red;">danger 🛑</span> <span style="color: magenta;">AND</span> it is the only way to evolve so that we can reach the miraculous New World that is waiting for us. 🦋<br />
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The list of paradoxes in everything from philosophy to quantum physics and many more mundane topics about how to live our day-to-day lives is a long one.<br />
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Playing Sparks <span style="color: magenta;">&</span> Leaps will not solve all of the paradoxical mysteries of life (and I will explain later why this is a good thing), but it will offer alternative ways to find your way when you find yourself in the "<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">The Land of And</span></span>".<br />
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In the meantime, as I am putting the game together, if you find yourself in a confusing time of transition, I invite you to do your best to be present with the discomforts that you find there (rather than trying to figure out how to fix your problems or make the pain go away with your favorite addictive fix) <span style="color: magenta;">AND</span> to <span style="color: blue;">RELAX</span> and soften your resistance--even when that feels impossible.<br />
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I promise you will find magic there if you can do this. Don't forget to enlist allies to support you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--VPJO9wY--o/WqWiwrPl3UI/AAAAAAAABps/pwNNXYe45zMI_18IiUydlK0Hk_0cCXCYgCLcBGAs/s1600/9-dancing-fairies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="632" height="168" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--VPJO9wY--o/WqWiwrPl3UI/AAAAAAAABps/pwNNXYe45zMI_18IiUydlK0Hk_0cCXCYgCLcBGAs/s320/9-dancing-fairies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6d6d6d; font-family: "titilliumregular" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; text-align: right;">Photo credit: Matthew Harvey</span></td></tr>
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Saint Patrick was credited with driving to snakes out of Ireland, and some say that those snakes actually were those who followed the old religions.<br />
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Whether or not you believe that 🐍, or in the banished Little People🧚♂️, or like to drink green beer 🤢 or think Irish Mist is delicious, or believe St Pats Day is a rebranding of the Vernal Equinox (🌸<span style="color: lime;">FIRST DAY OF SPRING ON TUESDAY</span>🌷), I hope you have a fun time celebrating. Wear green and smile 😁 at everyone you see who is similarly attired! A sweet and fun way to connect. 💚<br />
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And if you discover a pot of alchemical gold at the end of a rainbow following a perfect life storm; may it bring you richly deserved blessings. 🌈<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9s2x4QgcQqM/WqWhSfdSTTI/AAAAAAAABpY/kh23sm_mb34nELIXYzLel-dpI8LNnycygCLcBGAs/s1600/Irish_Pixie.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: lime; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="223" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9s2x4QgcQqM/WqWhSfdSTTI/AAAAAAAABpY/kh23sm_mb34nELIXYzLel-dpI8LNnycygCLcBGAs/s320/Irish_Pixie.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; font-size: small;">Best to be respectful to any little people you might meet. Just in case!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px;">* Rob Brezsny is also the author of one of my favorite books of all time: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pronoia-Antidote-Paranoia-Revised-Expanded/dp/1556438184">Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia, Revised and Expanded: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings</a><br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/qkFPWWemKXA" style="background-color: yellow;">VIDEO VERSION OF BLOG</a><br />
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Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838653827714968531.post-85532627374158349192018-02-15T05:32:00.000-08:002018-02-15T13:30:35.082-08:00😀Friend or Foe😡?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-doslPAvK95w/WoSORbxpjoI/AAAAAAAABms/qDK72NGnJN0lhglF15x_nmBrhoBQ2RNvgCLcBGAs/s1600/Unknown.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-doslPAvK95w/WoSORbxpjoI/AAAAAAAABms/qDK72NGnJN0lhglF15x_nmBrhoBQ2RNvgCLcBGAs/s1600/Unknown.png" /></a></div>
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It sure looked like a foe!<br />
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The attack was sudden and hit me on all fronts (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and financial) with particularly horrid timing.<br />
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I saw it coming and I put up formidable defenses, confident that I would prevail.<br />
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But I went down. WAY down.<br />
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And now, over two weeks later I am just starting to pick up the pieces and assess what's next.<br />
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The first thing I did as I crawled out my bed, was to attempt to reframe my foe as a friendly ally.<br />
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After all, <span style="background-color: orange;"><a href="https://mailchi.mp/943e2e24804b/calling-in-my-allies?e=0bfb660333">I sent out a call in my last post for allies for the game I am creating </a>*</span>and one of the key components of the game is to transform challenges and "enemies" into allies.<br />
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How perfect that I received this opportunity to not only practice what I preach but to also learn about what works and what does not in seeking support. Especially given that creating a supportive team is another important part of the game.<br />
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It turns out that the flu, (or possibly two flus --one that hit my chest and sinuses with a fever and sapped every drop of my normally effervescent energy and the other that wreaked havoc with my digestive system), brought me some truly precious gifts. For real!<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VhVsQemL4NU/WoSRmsaHS_I/AAAAAAAABnE/nxi1GQf7ewUphfWxwzsIgkLCA_qGpH2_wCLcBGAs/s1600/cartoon-virus-germ-bacteria-thumb3234482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VhVsQemL4NU/WoSRmsaHS_I/AAAAAAAABnE/nxi1GQf7ewUphfWxwzsIgkLCA_qGpH2_wCLcBGAs/s1600/cartoon-virus-germ-bacteria-thumb3234482.jpg" /></a></div>
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Nothing happened the way I planned. I certainly would not have asked for the flu or for the many repercussions. And I'm still in the process of learning the lessons and appreciating the gifts, but the lessons and gifts are definitely there.<br />
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In my next post, I will reveal what I learned, and how it can benefit you.<br />
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In the meantime if you are one of the <i>many </i>people in my network experiencing intense times, or if you are just feeling the stress of <i><b>so many</b></i> (and not just humans) in the larger world in crisis, I invited you to consider the possibility that the foes in your life, might just be friends in disguise.<br />
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I also want to remind you that this week, (2/11-2/17) is <a href="https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/">Random Acts of Kindness Week</a>. <span style="color: magenta;">If you are having a rough time, one of the best remedies is to do kind things for others.</span> Even tiny acts will help you as well as those who will benefit from your kindness. <u><b>I promise!</b></u><br />
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Also, in addition to Valentine's Day, it was Mardi Gras, and the important Hindu holiday of <a href="http://isha.sadhguru.org/mission/reviving-tradition/significance-of-mahashivarathri/">Mahashivaratri</a> and Ash Wednesday-- which marks the beginning of Lent.<br />
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Today there is a <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2018-february-15">solar eclipse</a> , the Buddhist holiday of<a href="http://metro.co.uk/2018/02/15/nirvana-day-2018-why-millions-of-buddhists-will-be-meditating-today-7213235/"> Nirvana Day</a>, and the very ancient Pre-Roman festival of<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia"> Lupercalia</a>.<br />
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Tomorrow is <a href="https://susanlevitt.com/astrology/dog-year-2018/">Chinese New Year (the year of the Earth Dog)</a> and <a href="https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-festivals/tibetan-new-year.html">Losar (Tibetan New Year)</a> begins on the same day this year.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Another surprising remedy for difficult times is to connect (even if only in your heart, or by a small gesture like eating with chopsticks tomorrow and thinking of how many millions are doing the same), to others who are celebrating the natural cycles of life.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"></span>Aside from the commercial Hallmark holiday of Valentine's Day, all of these holy days are connected to natural cycles. They remind us that Life is filled with cycles within cycles.<br />
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Light becomes dark and dark becomes light. Love and gifts come to us and loss is inevitable.<br />
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And we are all in this together.<br />
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I am not suggesting that you pretend everything is one giant party or that you should not use caution in the face of danger.<br />
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I am however, unequivocably stating, that no matter what you are experiencing, you can help yourself and others by creating opportunities to connect in kindness and adopting a spirit of curiosity as to the possible gifts from even the worst possible "foes".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJNReL2W1Oc/WoUUS0Zl8RI/AAAAAAAABng/MHuRfY39RJI2bDWVaiiRCOmcPtPOvxD-wCLcBGAs/s1600/little_girl_and_dragon_by_s_o_l_l_a-d55t72l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJNReL2W1Oc/WoUUS0Zl8RI/AAAAAAAABng/MHuRfY39RJI2bDWVaiiRCOmcPtPOvxD-wCLcBGAs/s320/little_girl_and_dragon_by_s_o_l_l_a-d55t72l.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://s-o-l-l-a.deviantart.com/art/little-girl-and-dragon-312091149">Artist link</a></span></td></tr>
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* 💞For those of you who responded to my call for allies after my last post with messages of support, I can't even begin to tell you how much that meant to me. I started crying with an answered longing I did not even know I was feeling.<br />
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I will be in touch soon with clear, easy, quick options for how to participate. For those of you who are just seeing it now, <a href="https://mailchi.mp/943e2e24804b/calling-in-my-allies?e=0bfb660333">click this link</a>, it's not too late --I would be thrilled if you want to play with me!<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">Sorry, no video this post. The timing of my almost-but-not-quite-complete recovery and all that is clamoring for immediate attention after over two weeks of neglect did not allow for me to create one.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Update: last night after the first day that I was feeling almost back to normal (or as normal as I get!), I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever. It was much easier to befriend the flu in retrospect, thinking it was on its way out, then to have it as a lively companion again. Especially since I have dear friends (whom I enjoy hanging out wit a lot more than this one!) coming into town to see me this weekend from Minnesota. So once again, I am being given the opportunity to show that I really mean what I say about befriending seeming foes. <b><u>You have my attention, my friend!</u></b></span><br />
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<br />Michelle Simonsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05986446341634955362noreply@blogger.com0