What Do You Think?

I've understood the power of positive thinking for years now. Recently, I've begun practicing a new step in the positive thinking routine ~~ Reaching for the higher thought. What we think, the way our minds allow for positively or negatively charged words, creates what comes to us. It's simple and not so simple all at the same time.

Positive attracts positive. When I allow my thoughts to be bright and positive, I attract more of the same.

Negative attracts negative. When I grump and grumble and roll around in the metaphorical mud, things continue down that same road.

As I said, simple. The not so simple part is doing it continually. I practice often. I take deep breaths every time some dull thoughts rumble through, put the brakes on them and grab for a higher, brighter thought.

It goes something like this:
"This is taking too long! What's that lady doing? Why isn't the line moving? I only have two items; why isn't there an open faster lane?"
BREATH. BREATH.
"I'm glad I'm in this lane and not a longer one. I'm glad I only have two items so when I get to check out, I'll be done quickly. Look at how beautiful the sky looks! I have a good view through the window from here."
By the time I get through the check out, I'm more relaxed and smiling. The entire day looks better and all I did was refocus with intention on something positive.

What do you do to bring more positive thinking into your life? How do you change your thinking when it's heading down the negative track? How do you feel when you're positive? How do you feel when you're negative?

January's Super New Moon

January 20, 2015 ~ The first New Moon of the new year AND the first SuperMoon of 2015. Unusual as it may seem, this New Moon is one of the closest to the Earth. Even though we don't see it, we can feel the pull of its presence.

This Super New Moon is in Aquarius, the sign of new beginnings, fresh starts and expecting the unexpected.

The New Moon is always a time of letting go. However, this one demands that you look closely within to see what needs changing in order to create success and growth. Look at your challenges in a new way and be willing to embrace them, to work with them, to overcome them.

There is power in the choices you make today. Choose well. Let the Super New Moon work its magic to help you create new life and co-create it the way you want it to be. Live your creativity from the deepest part of yourself. Empower yourself ~ do what makes you feel powerful, courageous, strong. Step out of your comfort zone and be bold and innovative. Listen to your inner knowing, your intuition. Pay attention. Listen with all your attention.

New Moons carry their own power. The particular potential of this one is its position as the first of the year.

What are you ready to let go of? How is you creative energy calling to you? What is your intuition saying?

Gatekeepers of the Lips

Sometimes, when I take the time to think about it, I catch myself saying some things that are pretty ugly. Not intentionally. My mood can cause me to bark or to snap half truths. Or it can provide verbal fodder that would be better off unsaid. Occasionally, I step into gossip ~ which is never a pretty or uplifting conversation. It's human nature to speak our minds about topics, rattle off our opinions and focus on the seamier side of our mental processes.

That's why I love the proverb in the image. It reminds me that three very small queries could prevent the kind of negativity that I truly don't want to have in my life.

The first question: Is it true? It seems that would be an easy one. Something is either true or it is not. Unfortunately, my words are rarely that simple. The specific statements I make may be true, but the context, inflection and/or intention may not be. Have you ever heard, or used, the phrase: "I was only telling the truth as I saw it"? That's a subtle acknowledgement that the speaker knows the re-telling is questionable in its veracity. If that's true, keep your mouth closed. The story doesn't need to be told that badly.

The second question: Is it kind? Wow. This one really hits me in the gut. Have you ever wanted just to be snippy and unkind to make yourself feel better? Sometimes that how it goes. I've had a tough day at work, I forgot my lunch, I spilled my coffee. The list goes on. When I feel bad or insecure, all I want to do is feel better. For some odd reason, at those moments I forget about kindness.

The third question: Is it necessary? Probably over half of what I talk about with people is unnecessary. People don't need all the details of my burnt breakfast. Or how many places I searched for new batteries for my camera. If the details help comfort someone or make someone laugh, then they're worth it. It's a matter of discerning what's truly necessary to hear and what's fluff.

I think I'll post this image above my desk. If I remember to look at it, it may save some heartache and ugliness.

Do you ever say ugly things? How do you feel afterward? What do you do to mitigate the comment? What practice do you do to stop the ugliness from coming out?









































































































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Still Small Voice

 There's also that Voice inside me. You know the one because you have it too. The Voice that urges me forward, onward in certain, steady directions. The Voice that says, "Turn this way." When I do, I face an incredible sunset. Or It says, "Leave. Now." I do and later discover that an accident occurred shortly after I left, blocking the route home. Or It says, "Not this one." I turn away, only to discover later that the person in question was not worthy of my trust.




The list could go on and on. You know that Voice. You've heard it. Sometimes in your ear. Sometimes in your heart. Sometimes in your dreams. My Voice sounds different from yours ~ which makes sense. We do not want to be confused by any overlapping messages.

We can name the Voice God or Goddess or Angel or Soul Companion or any of a thousand other names. That is of little import. How you or I choose to respond to that Voice is of the most significance. Do you listen? Do I respond? Do the voices around us drown out the Voice Within?

There is a story in the Bible of Elijah. He was distressed and fearful. God had sent him to Jezebel to give her an ultimatum. She was Queen ~ and had her minions scouring the Judean countryside for the prophet. He had good reason to be afraid. He wanted a sign from God ~ to hear God's Voice ~ reassurance that Elijah remained in good stead with the God of Israel. God sent a strong wind that tore up the land around Elijah, but God was not IN the wind. Then came an earthquake shaking the ground around Elijah, but God was not IN the earthquake. Then a ravaging fire, but God was not IN the fire. Then came a Still Small Voice. Elijah knew God was IN that Voice.

Sometimes, even when much is happening around us, listening for that Still Small Voice can keep us on track. I often have to cock my head to one side and listen. Or recognize It in the voice of another. Or be patient enough to wait.... to know It will speak sooner or later.

What has your Inner Voice spoken to you lately? Do you listen? Do you recognize when you haven't listened? What is it telling you today?

Build Windmills

I recently dreamed about windmills. I walked up the rise of a grassy hill. Although the sky was a swath of deep blue velvet with scattered twinkling sequins, the land was lit with an ethereal blue-white glow of the Full Moon. The earth sparkled with diamond dewdrops.

As I topped the rise, an expanse of mostly flat land lay before me. A river ran from the northeast to southwest, its banks lost from sight below low, chiseled cliffs. I caught glimpses of white-capped waves swirling along the line of cliffs.

The land was dotted with windmills of all ilk:

Old World brick buildings

They took a significant amount of space on the wide plain. Their large blades churned methodically, rhythmically, visible only as the large crossbeams slipped through the dark air. Their varieties were plentiful, amazingly beautiful across the land.

Midwest/Great Plains farm/ranch towers

These towers were most familiar to me. I spent my youth in the North Central states and saw them dotted across fields with dairy cattle gathering near their bases. Memories of that youth flooded through me as I watched the rotors blur in the moonlight.





new wind power generators

These triple-bladed giants towered over the other windmills across the open space. Their mobile white blades taking on the appearance of tilting praying mantis heads and upper appendages in the flashing dark-and-light.








As I watched, the wind strengthened, pouring forth with great gusto, until all the blades of all the windmills became a blur of intermittent light. I recognized this burst: the Winds of Change. This is a year of Change. News from across the world echoes that notion. My dream insistently prodded me to form the Distant Past, the Recent Past and the Present into a Windmill of Change to power me into the future.

What changes are blowing through your life now? Are you building walls? or windmills? Why have you made that choice? Do you experience one choice as more valid than another?

 

Be Fierce

I have a friend who has chosen a focus word of the year for the past decade. She challenged others to join her in the practice ~ and many have. I have repeatedly chosen not to do so. My reason? Words call to me all the time. They show up in my everyday life like dust-bunnies under the bed. Sometimes they gather together and bring a larger message; sometimes they puff out when the wind blows the right way.

Today, these words showed up: Stronger, Braver, Kinder, Unstoppable.... and their cousin: BE FIERCE.

How do I choose from among those incredible words? Personally, I don't. I let them all flow through the energies around me, let them settle in the corners of my mind. They throb through my veins into my heart. They find their own rhythm to speak to me ~ and I find the space and silence to listen.

This is the year I will be fierce. Yes. I feel it. The online dictionary defines fierce as "showing a heartfelt and powerful intensity." That's certainly what I've been feeling as this new year has begun ~ a powerful intensity leading me toward.... I'm not quite sure what.

That intensity, that fierceness, has shown up in my recent dreams ~ battles without anger or bloodshed, only abundant intensity, like a many-partnered dance with weapons. Or lots of people looking for a particular path and tumbling over each other to reach it. More circus-type tumbling. No harm done nor intended. Yet overflowing with intensity. I continue to watch how fierceness will play out in my life ~ and for how long.

What word or a group of words calls to you as this new year begins? Will it form a focus for your year? or for a particular length of time? Where is that word leading you? Are you willing to follow?

Cancer Full Moon

The January Full Moon is also called the Wolf Full Moon, referring to the wolves howling in the deep cold of winter. Wolves were more willing to come closer to villages to find heat and food.

This Full Moon is also the in Cancer. As it is connected to Pluto, the New Year begins with a powerful charge: Focus on what needs to shift, change, end or transform in your life. Let go and let the door slam shut behind you! Allow the old, fulfilled karma to depart ~ and with it, anyone or anything that is holding you back. Embrace the change that this Full Moon is bringing.

This is also a Grand Cross Full Moon ~ (Capricorn Sun opposite Full Moon Cancer crossing the axis of the North Node in Libra and the South Node in Aries) ~ which means that energy is moving. Even though there is change underway, do not make the changes impulsively. Follow the center path. Move forward decisively and with awareness and create the life you most deeply desire.

Change is happening deep within as well ~ and is manifesting itself through external events in your life. Balance your masculine and feminine energy to empower and support your creativity during this time.  Focus your intention and trust your feelings, your intuition.

What are you willing to release? to transform? How will you encourage your own creativity? What do you need to let go of? What do you most desire?