Leo New Moon, After Eclipsing

Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

All this week, in every venue, talk eventually turns to the eclipse. Every news outlet, all social media, each conversation on the street begins with some comment about it. "Did you see?" "Where were you?" "We seem to have survived..." "Didn't realize the temperature would drop so significantly!"

With the Leo New Moon and the solar  eclipse happening at virtually the same time, the energetic effect of each increased with the power and impact of the other. Leo is all about the will, specifically, choice and action. After our experience of the new moon and eclipse, what action will we choose to take?

One of our most significant choices in life is whether we choose to see an experience as happy or miserable, as positive or negative. Our first reaction may be anger or upset or angst or fear. We cannot change the feeling. What we can change is how we move forward with it, how we see it in the larger perspective, how long we allow ourselves to sit in the stew of those emotions. We have the opportunity to use our will to move forward in whatever manner we desire.

The solar eclipse not only brought up emotions, some sensitive people had physical reactions as well. Like when we fall in love or we lose a job or someone leaves or dies, our system may respond with restlessness, a lack of appetite or an upset stomach. It's how we experience and cope with rapid change. Prior to the eclipse, discussions focussed on whether to be outside during the event, be with large or small groups, or be alone. People had celebrations, camped out, created rituals. No matter where we were or with whom, the expansive eclipse was a communal experience.

We are moving through one of those liminal places where what we choose as our focus ripples out to help form our communal future. The eclipse and this Leo New Moon are not only about our desires but also about our will to create and co-create the story of our future. Choose concisely, wisely and with care.

What did you do for/during the eclipse? What emotional responses did you have? What physical reactions did you experience? How did you choose to respond? What action are you choosing to move forward into? How do you want your future to be? What part of the story of our communal future are you willing to write?

Journey Time

Having a drink with a recently retired friend, we were discussing the possibility of travel. She and her partner were invited by Uncle Joe (An alias to protect the innocent and guilty!) on a trip to Greece. Uncle Joe planned to rent a house on one of the islands and wanted his favorite niece to come along. Housing would be his treat.

As I listened to the story unfold, I thought, "Wow! What an incredible opportunity! If I were retired, I'd go in a heartbeat!" I said something like that as well.

My friend, on the other hand, was appalled at Uncle Joe's offer. Not because she didn't want to go to Greece, but because she was unclear about her personal money situation. I thought, but did not say, that this was an incredible opportunity and what the hell was she waiting for?          
 
MY reactions vs. HER reactions. At the core sat the opportunity to accept a gift or to reject it with full understanding. She wanted to travel. Her partner wanted to travel. They liked Uncle Joe and the cousins who were also going. The newness of a freed up schedule, the timing of the offer, and the fear of the expenses all play a part in the decision-making.

When we parted company, I asked her to keep me posted on the trip. She laughed. "You mean the one I'm not sure I want to take? Why?" I told her, "It's the story. I want to see where this particular ride takes you. No matter what, you're on a journey!"

How do you react to an offer of an overwhelming gift? What would you do in my friend's position? Have you ever had an opportunity to do something like this? How do you react to someone else's good fortune? What's the journey you are on right now?

Your Story Heals

Here's a thought:
My story, your story, heals us and others.

I already knew ~ and totally understood ~ that telling my story could, or would, heal me. Simply speaking the story, putting it out to the Universe, provides the opportunity for me to hear how it sounds. Am I whiny? Am I angry? Am I making some of it up? exaggerating? Am I hiding something? Am I afraid? Happy? Sad? Grieving? The recognition of all of those are important for my personal healing. Telling my story brings it all to light.

What I have put into the equation when I tell my story is the impact it can have on another person's healing. What I feel, or felt, about my experience can shine a healing light into the darkness of another's wounds. My story can add a new perspective to the story of another person. If she or he has experienced something similar, the other's mind can compare the two events and see how they are related. Sharing my story encourages the other to share hers or his. So many ways to aid in the healing process!

Probably the most significant and promising healing of sharing stories is in the sharing of them in the first place. It becomes the moment of connection ~ and connections are the basis of health and healing. Connections with others on that deep soul-story sharing level reminds us that we are not alone. It reconnects us with life and breath in its most basic form. I am grateful for every moment of those kinds of connections. They are the cords that form the netting beneath me, that catch me when I fall.

When do you tell your stories to others? Are they stories of joy? sorrow? success? failure? Do some of your stories scare you? Have you risked telling those? If you haven't, why not?

Color Stories

At a writing workshop, the workshop leader brought Inna Segal's Secret Language of Colour Cards. The directions were to draw one or two of them. When we had the card or cards, we were to use the color or colors in our writing. Here's what flowed through my mind, down my arm and into my pen.

BB bounced into the room, ready for ~~ well, I wasn't quite sure what she was ready for. She was dressed head-to-toe in her trademark black: shirt, skirt, leggings and shoes. The eye-popping difference was the magenta scarf looped at her neck and hanging to her waist.
As I reached for my first glass of burgundy for the season, I observed her. it was difficult to tell what kind of mood she was in. So I took a sip and took a chance.
"BB, hon, where are you off to?"
"Oh," she startled as though she hadn't noticed me in the 8x10 foot kitchen, sitting on a stool at the island in its center. I'm only 6'4" but you'd have thought I was invisible.
"I'm off to the school play," she said, twirling. "How do I look?"
Questions like that are free-floating mines in the ocean of dad-daughter relationships.

Although this may not be a polished story ~ or even a complete one, I love the prompts where the story shows up when bidden ~ even in a certain timeframe. Not always the pattern for for my writing. When it does happen, it feels like grace ~ and a blessing from the Divine. The Divine, for me, is that place of flow and peace and trust. Whatever anyone else may wish to name it, it's the feel that matters.

My choice of cards was random with the cards spread out on the carpet and me grabbing the two that glittered their call to me. When I sat down to write, I noticed the numbers on the cards: 16 and 17. In the 'deck' or booklet, they are next to each other. On the floor they were half a deck apart. Another sweet coincidence. More things to love.

How does flow happen for you? What creative endeavor do you spend time on or with? How do you feel when that creative flow occurs for you?

Story Life

Stories arrive in our lives in a variety of ways and from multiple sources. People seem ever to want to reveal pieces of themselves. We have different manners of response. Most of the time, we listen to the stories of others with our minds only half present. Our thoughts wander to responses we can give. Occasionally allowing them to formulate our own stories that are close or tangential for when it's our turn to speak.

We've forgotten how to be present, how to listen to one another. Our culture and our society have increased their speed significantly. We have no time. Or we believe that we don't. We believe in the myth of multitasking. We have checklists inside our heads that we inspect and need to complete. We've forgotten the importance and significance of others' stories. We've misplaced our priorities along with the value of interconnection that happens when we truly listen and honor each other's story.

If you don't believe me, check out how many people are writing their memoirs ~ at 25 or 30 years of age! Listen to the people around you who want to 'write a book' with their stories in it ~ whether a teaching/experiential book or another memoir. Each of us has a desire to be heard. Listen to the next person who starts relating his or her story to you. Ask questions that lead her or him to tell you more. Put aside your active mental wanderings that bring the story back to you. See what happens.

Who listens to your stories? What do you do when you don't feel that your stories are heard? How does listening to others help you? How can you honor the story of another person?

Dreamscape

image by Daniel Danger

In many of my dreams, I find myself walking or running or simply floating in the air. I'm out of reach of those who are seeking to harm me. I'm also in a position to see what's happening below which enables me to decide what kind of action to take next: keep rising into the air, move in the air in one direction or another, shout a warning to those below me, find my way down to the ground.... lots of choices.

"Flying dreams and the ability to control your flight is representative of your own personal sense of power." (dreammoods.com) I've found this to be so true! When I feel like I'm being chased or 'shot down' in the dream, I realize that it's due to my feeling somewhat out of control in the awake world. I've loved the sense of empowerment that being airborne and in control &/or out of danger gives me. I reinforces my overall sense of well-being.

Which of your dreams affects your sense of well-being? What do you do to reinforce your self? and your sense of personal power?

You Matter

When this image crossed my Facebook page, every facet of my being focused on it. Entirely. I realized these few statements expressed the current of my way in the world. The flow of who I am.

The formatting of this image doesn't highlight the words calling my heart: Purpose, Story, Dreams, Voice, Impact. When I give VOICE to the PURPOSE arising in and from my DREAMS, it IMPACTS the STORY. How would you use those words to express what is important to you? Would you use others either instead of or along with those that jumped out at me? How would it sound?

I believe in listening to every voice I can hear in the world: people, animals, the wind, the rain, thunder, traffic, etc. Sound is significant. Only in that listening way can I hear the purpose of the owners of those voices, the ones who often want so desperately to be heard. The content of what is said gives rise to the dreams and stories which continually impact each other's dreams and stories so that our interdependence shows and flows.
What do you dream?