the answers within
gifts of reflection
While sitting
alone
in a world of people
I
realized
peace
love
joy
are within
one’s
self
or they are not there
at
all
These words flowed onto the page as a teen ~ still guiding me today
I invite you to reflect, to consider what treasures within may call to you
Linda
Complicated Compliments CONUNDRUM~
You Could Have Heard A Pin Drop
As a Guidance Counsellor who loved being with the students not so much the administrative tasks, as you may deduce from the sign above I posted on my office door, my awesome team mate ‘supervisor’ Jean, smiled at me trustingly and obligingly said: ‘Great, you work with the students and develop the Grade 9 program for the school.’
That left me speechless since both she and I knew I was great at process work in the moment; not great at writing down the ‘how’ of anything I did. Jean however was and is a very loving and wise woman: she asked another counsellor, my friend to sit at the back of the room and write down what she observed as I interacted with the students. Then together as a staff we co-created a wonderful program for the grade 9’s in that school.
This particular day, we were discussing self esteem, ‘full steam ahead’ ability.
Listening to my intuition, I said to the class: “Let’s try something new. I need 3 volunteers and I am going to say something positive, negative or neutral to you. The only thing is that you will not know which one it will be. I need you to respond to me in role play.”
A young girl put up her hand. In a loud condescending tone I scolded: “You haven’t cleaned up your room or done your home work! No you are not going out!”Immediately the student began to berate me, call me names and fall predictably into the angry teenager role. I then stopped, thanked her and asked the class if they had ever seen this happen. All heads nodded in unison.
I asked for the next volunteer. Another young girl put up her hand and I spoke: “Its great weather we have today.” She agreed.
As I asked for the third volunteer, of course the whole class already knew what scenario was left. A young boy bravely stood up. I looked at him and in a warm caring voice said, “Do you ever have a nice smile”.
Silence. Profound nothingness. You could have heard a pin drop. Thirty two students ~ not a sound.
I looked around the room and said to the class, “What’s happening?”
After what seemed like a long time, someone said: “He doesn’t know what to say. We don’t hear nice things like that.”
Three more times, 3 more classes, grade 9 through grade eleven; same results consistently. It was then, with a lump in my throat, that my soul knew the depth of this teaching and the dire need to offer this tool to others. I am saddened once again, just remembering the heart felt depth of this moment and the deep trust those students had in me to be able to ‘stay with me in this process….
From my journalling I wrote back then:
this is the work of my soul and I know it so is so simple but so vital to wellness…help me god to bring this to the world in your way…show me, guide me…..thank you for bringing into my life the support for me in this work, my dear friends, my soul friend co-workers and family members who support me in this manner……As always, I am hearing Truth is so simple. Linda, go back to the simple.
In that moment I saw laid bare, the pain of the unacknowledged soul. The tender hearts of our pain filled children: the same pain that had drowned my soul as a very young child and most likely the souls of my own children at times, before I became aware. It is one of those moments when the precious gift of being a ‘teacher’ touched me to the core.
On the surface, how simple a compliment seems. Just an ordinary phrase. No big deal.
Not so~ A compliment is an open hearted act of kindness. Seemingly small, a compliment has the love force of touching another and reverberating to the essence of who we are. Validating, healing, energizing…
So what was my lesson, the nugget of gold from this profound awareness? I began to see clearly how easily many are conditioned to respond quickly in defensive anger, negativity, meanness and also how many are unable to receive the positive or the ‘good’.
How long will we choose to resist the simple truth of caring and kindness?
How can we begin to change this together?
What simple compliment, act of kindness may you offer or accept today, toward becoming the change in this world we all share?
I Was The Small ‘i’ In The Middle of ‘HIDiNG’….
Love Invited Me To Stand Tall ~
I remember at a very young age pursing my mouth shut, hiding my heart.
I also remember 14 years ago, receiving an inspiring book from Holli, ILLUMINATA, by Marianne Williamson. I see myself high-lighting as if it was yesterday: ‘The history of the world is the history of control ~ by institutions, individuals and ideas…..seizing someone’s soul is the ultimate form of control because without our soul we are without love.’
At the everyday level control is the insidiously lethal process of slow death of the spirit…totally legal ~ Hidden rules blaringly written in invisible ink in many houses, businesses, churches, governments throughout the world. Secrecies, veiled threats: Children should be seen and not heard. Boys don’t cry. If you want your diploma, job, position, this is how it will be. THEY are our enemy. WHO do you think you are! Shackling of the spirit, hanging the head, hunkering inward, squelching the voice, hide, hide hide ~
Like the invisible man in the movie Chicago singing: “I’m just invisible me.”
Riveted my attention searing deeper to levels of ‘my own hiding’ still silently lurking within me. And I remember the people who ‘saw’ me, even in my hiding and who gently and surely loved me, as I loved myself back to who I am today.
For Love Is Always The Key.
Now is the time to look to our inner wisdom, to love and to be loved back to our authentic selves. Now is the time to heave off our hiding cloaks, return to the truth of who we are divinely created to be.
Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves: ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us.
When we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
RETURN TO LOVE: Marianne Williamson, 1992.
THANK YOU MARIANNE~
Today, I see even more clearly the imprinting of others courage to speak up steadily guiding my soul, encouraging me to come out of hiding; to take the leap in sharing my writing, photography, art and to begin inviting others to offer their Soul Prints of change, also.
Come join me in envisioning our new reality~ a wellspring of loving light and creativity, flowing out into our world ~
Wisdom From A Free Thinker
Shifting To A New~Old~Ancient Paradigm
Your Choice~
”One ship drives east, another west with the self-same winds that blow.
‘Tis the set of the sails and not the gales which tells us the way to go.
Like the waves of the sea are the waves of fate.
As we voyage along through life.
‘Tis the set of the soul which decides the goal; and not the calm or the strife.”
~ELLA WHEELER WILCOX : Creating A New Paradigm
American Poet & Journalist & Free Thinker
(November 5, 1850 ~ October 30, 1919)
“The art of being kind” was her religion, and she lived it every day of her life.”
Curtain Calls For Another Eclipse~!
The Gifts of Insight are Worth Taking Time Out For You…
Forces will have been set in motion beyond the reckoning of the senses. Sequences of events from the corners of the world will draw gradually together, and miracles and coincidence will bring the inevitable to pass… Joseph Campbell
SOOTHING SOUND AND BEAUTY OF WATERFALLS
Astrologers call this eclipse, ‘Penumbral’: one more subtle in its effects. Whatever its nomenclature, its import if we choose, may hold electric magical energy for us. Eclipses are wake up calls from the Cosmos, to shift the direction of our lives. It has never been a more opportune time to co-create with the heavenly forces.
Dare to risk. To take time to reflect, assess and to let go of all that does not serve you and who you are becoming. Indulge yourself in:
OPEN HEARTED PLEASURES
Belly laughs
Heart talk
Fresh air laundry
Warm flannel sheets
Brewing morning coffee
Teddy bear hugs
Butterfly kisses
Early morning mists
Spilling over giggles
Baby snuggles
Wave watching
Loon calls
Star gazing
Soul sighs
Gentle
Love
on
and
on
Dare to be Self Loving, owning what is true for you.
Dare to set yourself free….
ready~~~~
JUMP~
Many blessings for an adventuresome landing~ Linda
