Lucky 13
When I realized this was my thirteenth essay for On the Wings of Dreams, it somehow seemed particularly meaningful. What is it about the number 13? What inspiration was lurking in my subconscious just waiting for the right trigger to release it?
The immediate, prevalent thought was that in our culture, at least, 13 is considered unlucky – so much so that many buildings skip from the 12th floor to the 14th! And we all know the superstitions about Fridays that fall on the 13th of the month.
My muse often works in tricky, subversive ways, so it is no surprise that contemplating the number 13 would lead me into rebellious thinking. I began to think about assumptions and how dangerous they can be.
It is true that much of our experience of reality is shaped by what we expect. As an example, if you buy into the belief that any 13th of the month that falls on a Friday is going to be an unlucky day, a bad day, you will be primed to notice unlucky things. In other words, at some level, you are looking for them.
Anyone remember the old adage about what happens when we assume? You make an ASS out of U and ME!
Which can lead us to question more of our assumptions; beliefs taught to us by our culture that may be misleading.
Of course, we are entitled to our beliefs, even when they cannot be empirically proven. This is especially true in matters of spirit, which are of the heart, not the head.
But there are other assumptions of a more personal nature that may keep us from health and happiness.
Here is a small example from my own life. I assumed because I am creative (which often means messy!) that I was terrible when it came to discipline and order. This assumption kept me from many things that require commitment and routine. I hated the idea of anything imposed upon me, even if it was imposed by me.
It seemed bad enough that I had to get up everyday and go to work based on someone else’s schedule!
It wasn’t until I questioned my beliefs about organization and discipline, and began to experiment with those qualities in my life, that two wonderful things happened. The first was success in writing a novel. It was the commitment and discipline of four hours a day – everyday - that got the ball rolling.
The second was my yoga practice. Exercise! Yuck! But once I got past my resistance to it, I now look forward to my half hour of yoga like it is a treat. It is a treat - one that I get to enjoy at the same time, everyday.
If I had never questioned my assumptions, both of these things would be missing from my life. That would be a real shame considering the happiness and well being they bring to me.
Therefore – QUESTION EVERYTHING!
It does no harm to revisit what we take for granted with a bit of contemplation. This is appropriate not only in our personal lives, but also in the larger picture of culture. It’s one of the founding principles of this country.
It is especially important now, in this election year, to not make decisions based on sound bites and vague rumors. Question everything! It’s a good motto.
Just for fun, here are some instances where the number 13 is lucky, or at least cool!
Alex Rodriguez, Dan Marino and Wilt Chamberlain all wore the number 13.
There are 13 moons in a year.
There were 13 original colonies that formed the United States.
In Italy, the number 13 is considered to be a lucky.
There are thirteen major joints in your body.
And, one of those aforementioned founders (Ben Franklin, who loved to question everything) came up with thirteen virtues that he tried to put into practice everyday.
1. TEMPERANCE.
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE.
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER.
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY.
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i. e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY.
Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE.
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION.
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS.
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY.
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY.
Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
You don’t have to agree with everything Franklin postulated as virtues, but if they inspire you to question what is virtuous, they’ve done their job!
Peace,
Tee
p.s. Heads up on the Autumnal Equinox, which is on September 22, at 11:44 a.m. eastern.
I’d love to hear from you. Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
Stardust
It’s funny that, as much as I adore the summer months, every year around this time I begin to grow weary of the heat and humidity and long for the cooler breezes and colorful panoramas of autumn. I sometimes think that the autumn is so beautiful just to keep us preoccupied so that we don’t dread the coming winter!
Of course, that’s silly, but that’s me; I love to play ‘let’s pretend’ - to search for meanings and find the patterns.
In that spirit, let’s dance into the land of imagination and metaphor together. Let’s shake off the practical and pragmatic, and fill the Universe with magic.
One thing that helps me to engender this state of mind is to remember that we are Stardust. Before the first stars ever went supernova, the only visible matter in the Universe was hydrogen and helium. It was the death throes of those early stars that created the other elements – nitrogen, oxygen and all the rest – of which life is made. That means, simply put, that every atom in our bodies was created in a sun – a star!
Feeling magical yet?
Here we are, walking around, the reincarnation of actual stars. Wow! Of course, so is every goldfinch and oak tree and blue whale. We are a Stardust family!
Even though this is a truth we can rely upon, it still takes a lot of imagination to feel how precious, how magical, that makes us.
So here we are, ancient stars in new form, living life in all the usual ways, not remembering who we are. But what if we did? What if we remember that the entire 14 or so billion year process of this amazing Universe resulted in making you?
That makes everything you are, everything you do, exquisite and important.
Now usually, we move through life facing challenges, wanting there to be some sense and order to all of life’s craziness. We send prayers out for help and guidance to a great Creator, to spirits and angels. And then, when we have those stretches of time when everything is going well, we forget all about inviting spirit in to influence and aid our paths.
Doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?
We understand the Mysteries by putting them in a human context, so now imagine that you are a guide or angel. Wouldn’t you want to be invited into life when things are going well? Wouldn’t you like to experience some laughter and fun?
What about prayers of joy and exaltation? In our game of imagination (which I consider very real, if not empirical) what if we invite spirit into our blessings?
Let’s make this invitation in a spirit of positivity, in an act of power that might tip the scales in favor of a vibrant and healthy world.
The Buddhists say ‘precious human life’ because being born human is the only way in which enlightenment is available, and thereby the potential to help relieve the suffering world. And yet it is also ‘precious human life’ as in the jewel on top of the mountain of existence - beautiful and shining. What are you doing with it?
It’s a personal question. I don’t pretend to have your answer. I only want to inspire you with the question!
So, it is in the spirit of gratitude for the blessings in my life (which, by the way, also holds great challenges!) that I want to celebrate this twelfth essay, this completion of a full trip around our own star, with some thanks to those who have made these reflections possible.
First to Laura, owner extraordinaire of this website and the little shop that hosts it. Many an essay was concocted over our morning coffee conversations, including the initial idea for Reflections by Tee. She is always inspiring, often my sanity and the truest of friends.
Next to Susan, my dear Sushka, who is one of the bravest souls I have ever known. Fellow writer, beautiful heart and razor sharp wit – we’ve planted many seeds together, and the fruits they have born have contributed to these essays.
To Valerie Hope - comrade in exploring the cosmos with all of its layers and levels. She is a bright and shining angel in human form, in service to the All – a kindred spirit who understands and loves me with open heart and brilliant insight. And, of course, inspiration for these pages!
Finally, to my sister, Linda, who has helped me to heal my heart. The bond of sisterhood, if cherished, is one of life’s greatest blessings. I am more myself because of her presence in my life, and to her I am grateful beyond words.
So now, on to the next twelve Reflections! We may take some new twists and turns together on the path. Dive into deep mysteries and dance on butterfly wings. It’s all wide open!
I want to thank you – dearest reader – for journeying with me. I wish you love and laughter throughout all the days of your life.
Peace-
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you. Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
Between the Light & Dark
Here we are, in high summer – the peak of the light half of the year. The dark and cold winds of winter hardly seem real at this time of year. Bare trees? It’s difficult to conjure that image!
But – it’s winter somewhere, and just like the earth spinning and tilting on its axis creates the seasons, our own psyches contain those potentials for light and dark – warm and cold. Unlike the earth, we create our own spiritual seasons, though we may follow nature’s lead. With so much going on in the world, how can we maintain a spiritual equilibrium? How do we process the disparate light and dark that we deal with every day?
One answer is to look at your motivations.
To stand between the pillars of light and dark is an act of power. When we do this successfully, we do not pretend that life’s challenges don’t exist, and we do not dwell on them as if everything is the world is corrupt and contemptuous. There is a “between” place, where we are fully aware of the dark, and continually bring our own light to it.
Where do our motivations fit into this? When we are in awareness, we don’t pretend that the dark exists only outside of us. Oh, we are this wonderful spiritual being that only does good things and thinks good thoughts. As in, we deserve every good thing because we are spiritual. That’s a dead end, cosmically speaking.
The power lies in the fact that we contain both the light and the dark, and through being honest with ourselves and facing our less wholesome motivations, we can actually begin the work of releasing them.
American culture, despite it’s many benefits, has quite a few shadow qualities banging around out there. We are taught that we prove our worth by the things we own, by the adulation we receive and by the number of zero’s in our bank accounts. Yet within each of us are honest motivations to be good people: to be kind and caring. Yet it’s not “real” unless other people recognize it. We need the exterior stamp of approval in order to believe in our own value.
That’s why digging into our own motivations can be of such benefit. The need to prove ourselves to the world can actually usurp our ability to use our incredible gifts. If you are just looking for Andy Warhol’s proverbial “15 minutes of fame”, then even if you get it, it feels empty and shallow after those minutes have passed. To build real and lasting peace and happiness, we must do so from within.
Now we come to the “why” question. Why do we want to open and run our own business? Why do we want to write a book, or sing on stage? Why, indeed. Of course we want to do what we enjoy in order to sustain ourselves, and in America, that means earn money. Not a bad thing to do, but if that’s your only motivation, once you achieve that goal, you are likely to be unsatisfied and still yearning for the next thing that will fill the void.
So dig deeper. Get past those surface motivations that culture tells you are enough. If you really want deep and lasting happiness, get down into the places within that are real. Stare down your need for approval. Look at it for what it is. The force and power of your attention will dissolve the thing like it’s made of sugar. Then ask again, “why” do I want to (fill in the blank)? It may take some time for each motivation to either solidify into the truth, or dissolve away because it was ego-driven. But if you do this, you will eventually purge the falsehoods that stand in your way.
In my own experience, I have found that the truth always surrounds not just benefiting myself, but more importantly, benefiting all beings. The more my motivations surround my ability to do good for others, the more powerful they are. I have more energy to put my goals into action and more sense of satisfaction as I make progress.
This practice isn’t something you do once and then it’s complete. It’s ongoing, and works best when it becomes an integral part of your life. Each new situation, each new goal will realize itself more beautifully when you get to the heart of “why”.
And really, it’s a question that you can only ever answer for yourself.
The gifts that return to you from this work are filled with freedom, creativity and hope. No task ever feels too big when you know your heart well and truly. The irony is, the gifts turn out to be the icing on your cake. The cake itself is what matters, and its ingredients are of honesty, integrity and compassion.
Peace –
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you! Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
In a Positive Light!
Here we are at last, on the verge of summer. The big green has returned, the short nights turn sultry and warm – nature is as lush and beautiful as she will be all year.
This year’s Summer Solstice is on June 20. The longest day of the year was traditionally called Midsummer’s Eve, which I prefer because it sounds more romantic!
Generally a time of celebration, Midsummer is a promise fulfilled – a time when Life and Love reach their zenith. What struck me as I considered the theme for this month’s essay was the juxtaposition of nature’s verdant beauty to all of the bad news that constantly bombards us.
From environmental degradation to dismal economic forecasts, there doesn’t seem to be a lot to celebrate. So I took on the task of providing some good news!
Here’s what’s happening in the way of positive change:
· An NOAA study recently released showed an increase in the number of Humpback Whales in the Northern Pacific.
· There has also been a 12 percent increase in gorillas in Uganda, and Black Rhinos are up 20% in Kenya.
· The Bald Eagle came off the endangered species list, after four decades.
· In 1972, only 40% of rivers in the United States were safe for swimming. Today, that number has increased to 70%, thanks to the Clean Water Act.
· Ten million trees were recently planted by the World Wildlife Fund in the DR Congo, helping to restore gorilla habitats.
· Toyota recently announced the sale of its one millionth Prius – a gasoline/electric hybrid that gets up to 50 miles per gallon.
· The Environmental sector is expecting a boom in “Green Jobs” in the next decade.
· The World Biodiversity Summit gathered 87 ministers from across the globe to reinforce their commitment to substantially reduce the worldwide loss of biodiversity.
That’s just a sampling, but they are all wonderful reasons to celebrate. It proves when people of good conscious put their hearts and minds together and take positive action, we can make a positive difference.
It doesn’t matter that you can’t run off to the Congo to help plant trees, there are plenty of ways we can all make a positive difference. There’s everything good about doing small good things, because when we all do them they add up to the very BIG!
So don’t let the doomsayers get you down. Do the small things that matter, like patronizing locally owned businesses, considering a hybrid for your next car or taking a load of plastics to the recycle station. There are so many ways to help that we can all fit into our busy lives.
And maybe, for Midsummer, you can dress up in some colorful clothes, grab a few friends and sing and dance – have some fun!
Here’s Osho’s take on celebration:
“Life is a moment to celebrate, to enjoy. Make if fun, a celebration, and then you will enter the temple.”
Happy Midsummer!
Peace-
Tee
Ps - I’d love to hear from you! Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
The “M” Word
If there is any time of year that we can believe magic is real, it is the month of May. Just to watch the transformation of dreary brown/gray winter into the explosion of color in May seems a miracle.
Traditionally May is “coming of age” month, when birds, bees and most of the animal kingdom are busy making babies that will grow to be strong enough to survive the coming winter. Fertility runs high, and so does our imagination. And because it is imagination fuels the magic in our lives, I thought this would be a good May Theme.
While the wild fecundity of May seems magical, nature has its laws and cycles that make it work. There is a very A + B = C quality to nature, and though it is often full of beautiful surprises, it pretty much follows it course, season following season, year after year.
Not so the human imagination, which can dream of snow falling softly in a winter forest while in the middle of an August heat wave.
The question becomes, how are we using, or perhaps misusing, our imaginations? I know I have fallen into the trap of fueling all kinds of worrisome events with my own. In fact, worry is a terrible misuse of imagination. Think of all the stressful situations you’ve been through, getting all worked up and imagining the worst, only to have things turn out fine. Not every time, perhaps, but more often than not.
So what can we do with our wonderful capacity to imagine what is not? How might it improve our lives?
If you think of your life as a story, with you as the protagonist, you can begin to imagine many possible outcomes to your current efforts. Envision an outcome that benefits as many people as possible, and keep that imagined outcome strong in your mind as you stay with the process. Not only can this subconsciously direct you to this outcome, it makes the process itself much more enjoyable!
Ever since “The Secret” came out, people have been exploring the Law of Attraction, which uses the power of belief and imagination to get what you want, often what you want materially. But that is a very limited application of your power to visualize and energize your life, and though you may get results, really what good are they? Where is compassion and altruism within the desire for a new diamond watch? Sorry, this is a sore point with me.
You use your imagination most powerfully when you use it inclusively. Spread the joy, in other words!
So how does this tie into a belief in a magical world? What is more magical than people using their minds and hearts to imagine a better world? Just the intention to go out into the world and make each choice based on your vision is a powerful act of magic. If your heart is really committed, and your mind is focused, wonderful things can and do happen.
Here’s the caution. Magical imagination works mysteriously, and if you include too much minutia, you can derail the whole process. Saying, “At five o’clock on Friday I will receive $1000.00,” isn’t how it works. Even if your intention is to give the money to the local animal shelter, it’s unlikely you can manipulate reality in this way.
Instead, if you want to benefit the local animal shelter, imagine it full of dedicated people helping the animals, finding them homes, with lots of community support. The Universe takes care of the details, and usually an opportunity will arise for you to contribute to this picture.
So let this beautiful, magical month inspire your imagination into equally beautiful visions. Love them, hold them strong and have some fun along the way!
As an extra-added bonus, one of my dearest friends has contributed a poem for this month. Enjoy.
Peace,
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you. Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
Showers and Flowers
April conjures this old rhyme every year.
April showers bring May flowers.
We use it to cheer ourselves on those wet, gray days of spring. Those sometimes endless wet days! Used as a metaphor, we remind ourselves that sometimes what we experience as unpleasant is necessary if we are to enjoy the benefits life has to offer.
A dry April will make for a dismal May! Not all of life that is beneficial appears as what we perceive as positive experience.
The Good Luck, Bad Luck Story
A poor farmer and his son owned a farm. Although they did not have many animals, they did own a horse. One day the horse ran away up into the hills.
“How terrible, what bad luck,” the neighbors said to the farmer.
“Good luck, bad luck, who knows?” replied the farmer.
Several weeks later the horse returned, bringing with him a several wild mares.
“What marvelous luck,” said the neighbors this time.
“Good luck, bad luck, who knows?” replied the farmer.
The son worked hard to tame the wild horses. One day, however, he was thrown and broke his leg.
“What bad luck,” the neighbors all said.
“Good luck, bad luck, who knows?” replied the farmer.
The next week the army came to the village to take all the young men to fight in the king’s war. The farmer’s son could not go because he was still disabled with his broken leg.
And the farmer repeated to his neighbors, “Good luck, bad luck, who knows?”
I have used this story many times to remind myself not to prejudge an event or circumstance - even when it is something as simple as leaving the house late because I can’t find my keys. The manner in which my day unfolds can be absolutely changed by that five minute delay. Knowing this wakes me up from the dream of my whole day. I am reminded by a minor glitch. I remember, good luck, bad luck, who knows?
Perhaps this simple shift in awareness is in itself why my day can improve from there. I have just replaced frustration and annoyance with possibility and flexibility. Not such a bad trade!
The point may be that the showers in our lives are just like the ones falling from the sky in April. Not always pleasant but always an important part of a larger, beneficial pattern. So when the showers come, play in the rain and splash in the puddles! Remember that through the eye of our awareness, we only see the smallest part of the big picture that is life. When we don’t immediately label things “good” or “bad”, we can keep an open, curious nature and enjoy all the little steps upon the way.
Peace-
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you! Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
March
March what? March where?
Answer: march myself back to my center.
Perhaps you’re feeling the same? Scattered and full of chattering, monkey mind? Overwhelmed by long to-do lists? You know, the kind where you cross off one thing and “ta-da!” three more pop up to take its place.
We all come up against the wall now and then, realizing we’ve reverted to old, unsavory patterns. Especially when we’ve just been through the cold and gloomy months of winter! We look around wondering just where the heck we are!?! Where’s the light? Where’s the warmth? Where are blooming forsythia and dogwood? We want to dig dirt and plant seeds and, well, bask! Sigh. Not yet because March still mostly belongs to winter.
So, I’m taking this opportunity to share with you ways to regain your ground and get back to center.
1) Wake up and smile! I have noticed that upon waking my brain starts to download the day’s challenges and difficulties. In other words, all the things I don’t want to do clamor and compete for my attention. But if I take just a few moments (press pause on the download) and instead focus on how wonderful this new day is – how full of opportunity and triumphs it will be – all the little gears in my head click into a nicer rhythm that lasts the whole day through.
2) Breathe! Pay attention and stop that shallow breathing. All throughout the day take the time to pull in three nice deep breaths. This not only gives your brain extra oxygen to work with, it is also calming and relieves stress. Once you begin doing this, after a while you’ll notice it becomes automatic like blinking and swallowing.
3) Dispense with worry. It is the number one most wasteful thing we do mentally and emotionally (my humble opinion). Worry solves nothing and helps no one. Replace it with good attention to what’s actually going on around you and a trust in yourself that you will respond appropriately to each circumstance that arises.
4) If you really want to feel better about yourself and enjoy your life more, try this powerful practice. In each thing you do, consider how that action benefits someone else, and be glad for it. No matter what your job or routine might be, it always influences others. If you do those things well and cheerfully, everyone benefits.
These four practices may be simple but they are also deeply spiritual. They comprise attitude, health, attention and service. Used together they are a powerhouse of positive change.
I have used them successfully over and over again. I wrote this essay not only to offer them to you, but also to remind myself. When I stick with them, my life runs much more smoothly. Synchronicities increase, I have more energy and my joy levels rise dramatically.
Two last things. The spring equinox is on March 20 – a great time for both balancing and new beginnings. The second thing is although I am right-handed, I wrote this essay longhand with my left. Another little trick I use to break myself out of ruts!
Happy Spring!
Peace –
Tee
I’d love to hear from you! Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
The art of patience
I’m thinking crocuses.
February may still belong to winter, but we do get those first few hints of spring to tempt and tease us. Every now and then the air will smell like it wants to be spring. Like spring may be hiding just around the corner, peaking out at us with a mischievous smile and a wink.
A look out the window brings a reality check. There’s snow on the ground. A cold wind is blowing. The earth is frozen and there’s nary a crocus in sight. Then the craving for spring rears its head! These thoughts brought me to this month’s theme:
Patience
I know there are a few naturally patient people, but most of us have to work really hard at it, especially in the 21st century, where immediate gratification rules the day. We are rewarded for speed and how many things we can accomplish at once. Multitasking has become a required skill.
Think back to a few hundred years ago where it might have taken two or three generations to build a single cathedral. You might work your whole life and never see the end result. Can you imagine having that kind of patience and persistence in modern day America? We are not interested in anything that doesn’t show results and rewards for our efforts – the sooner the better. I think we have lost something precious, being in such a hurry all the time.
If April, as T. S. Eliot once wrote, is the cruelest month, February could stand as the most tedious. Thankfully, it’s also the shortest! But right at its beginning we hit the smack middle of winter. We watch the groundhogs and their shadows to see just how much longer winter will last. How silly of us!
The reality is that there is plenty more winter to come before nature’s potential bursts into blossoms and butterflies. That potential requires our patience, unless we are to needlessly suffer the longing for what cannot be. Nature has her cycles for good reason.
How then, do we engender patience?
It may not be easy but it is a simple practice. It’s one that I touched on in my October essay on time. Look for the positive, the cheerful, and the satisfactory in what’s happening right now. Does longing for the warmth and bounty of spring bring happiness? Is the feeling of longing an enjoyable one? Well, perhaps once in awhile!
Yet, the ability to adapt to all manner of changing circumstances is what has held humanity in good stead for millennia, so I am not advocating a resigned acceptance to unfavorable conditions. Instead, it is more of a day-to-day appreciation and an understanding of the nature of ripening and unfolding. The best of things often require a lot of time and attention.
The “I want” feeling we all sometimes experience can serve us well, inspiring us to positive changes. But if we only operate under “I want” and neglect the grounding aspect of “I am”, we are never fulfilled and always impatient for the next thing. There’s no savoring of what we already have. There’s no thoughtfulness concerning our plans and goals. It’s a rush for more acquisition.
Our world demands a lot of us, and the competition can be fierce. The patient person, however, doesn’t always see things in terms of competition or of winning. Power often lies in the ability to value an experience over the gaining of one thing or another. Sound sophomoric? Perhaps. Yet no one can take what’s inside you away from you. Memories, loves, dream – they are all yours to keep with no competition whatsoever.
Simply slowing down also fosters patience. Literally. Physically slowing down the pace at which we move creates not only better quality results, but also lessens the stress and tension our bodies must endure. I think we can all agree that less stress and tension are good things! By slowing down, we may also discover a gracefulness we didn’t know we possessed. I highly recommend yoga and/or meditation practice as a way of teaching yourself to slow down while accomplishing much, much more.
And, if after all of that, you still long for spring more than you can stand, perhaps it’s time to break out the colored pencils and sketch a few flowers. Or maybe pick up a few essential oils and mix a pleasing blend that reminds you of spring mornings. There are lots of ways to use your imagination and creativity to sooth your spring-deprived self!
In the meantime, silly as I am, I’m hoping the groundhog won’t see his shadow and we’ll have an early spring. After all, what’s better than blossoms and butterflies? Well, maybe chocolate!
Peace,
Tee
I’d love to hear from you. Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
2008: Time to Play
Happy New Year!
Here we are once again, at the turning of a new year, saying goodbye to the joys and sorrows of 2007 as we reexamine what we may create in this new, clean slate of a year.
It really does feel that way to me this year - that we have a wide-open space in which to make powerful choices that will set the tone for years to come. In my mind I of think of 2008 as the “blank page” year or the “lump of clay” year. What will we create?
Or a better question: How will we create it?
But let’s back up a step in the process. Last week I realized the month was coming to a close and I had no topic for this month’s Tee Reflections. I fired off an email to Laura, asking her what she thought. Her response was, “”Be like a child and play.” It’s in the Bible, the Tarot, and certainly in my heart!”
Of course. And, in the way of the synchronous Universe, I received two other emails mentioning the importance of play. Then the icing was a Solstice visit by my dear friend Valerie, where so much of our conversation was based around the ‘work as play’ theme.
It’s pretty nice to live in a world where you ask a question and the same answer falls into your lap from multiple sources! Thanks, Universe!
At first, I considered all the different meanings of “play” – as in perform, or fool around, or pretend. All of them valid, but the search made me realize that I needed to expound a bit. Because what I believe this year is about is engaging all of our differing and varied experiences in the “spirit of play.”
SILLY GIRLS IN THEIR LITTLE GIRL HATS!
That’s more like it! Because all of our experiences are heavily influenced by the state of mind or being that we bring to them. Just like observing light influences whether it will appear as a particle or a wave, our attitude influences our experiences. I talked about this in more detail in “Balancing the Spiritual Mundane” back in September.
There is, however, a good deal more to it than that. Because it is exactly when we play that the most wonderful mistakes occur that are likely to end up being strokes of pure genius. When we break out of our usual modes of activity, and fool around a bit, suddenly we have invited the creative spirit into whatever we are doing and - watch out! Anything could happen!
Perhaps that sounds scary. If anything can happen, then it could be bad just as easily as it could be good. Well, yes. But the question is, can we learn to experience bad and good with the same joyful spirit? What happens when we bring the qualities of innocence, curiosity and fun into even the most challenging and difficult aspects of our lives?
2008 is a great year to find out.
I remember in my childhood playing games that mimicked the adult jobs that seemed interesting to me. So even though my own first grade teacher may have been grading our papers with exasperation or perhaps perfunctorily stamping smiles or frowns at the top of the page, when I played school I was having a great time. Can that still be? Can we play at our work? Can we allow it to be fun?
I mean, what if it wasn’t all so SERIOUS? And why does making something serious mean that we will get a better result? Will the stressed out, serious doctor who is trying to cure a patient succeed better than the happy, dedicated one? Shades of Patch Adams, I know. But it is true! The dedicated part is what matters. The perseverance is what is important. But does a frown on our face mean we get a better result?
Why can’t it be a “smile of concentration”?
I also remember that one of my favorite things in the world (other than having fun myself) is to watch people who are just enjoying the hell out of what they are doing. It’s contagious. Suddenly you are recalled to what that feels like. You are inspired to have some fun of your own.
CELEBRATE!!
We were all five years old once, and that spark of playful imagination is still alive inside of us. Bring it to the specifics of your life. When you smile and play, opportunities too wonderful to dream suddenly pop up in your life. When you play the “what if” game, solutions come that would make a five year old proud to know you.
In this way we can help to heal the world. In this way we can make life better for each other. It is a choice, after all. Choose to smile in your heart. Choose to love life back, because life loves you, with all of its might, every single moment.
Peace,
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you! email me at teespirit@gmail.com
“Silly Girls” photo copyright 2007 by Linda F. George
Winter Solstice Theme: Exploring the Creative
Where, oh where, has our creativity gone?
Anyone missing the sunlight? Yes, here we are in the midst of the darkest time of the year. The month of the Winter Solstice (this year on the 22nd), December holds very few hours of daylight for our enjoyment. Add into that equation the busy preparation for the holiday season, and it seems the best we can do with our creative energy is wrap a pretty package. And even once the sun returns to its season of waxing on the solstice, we hardly notice it until around March.
It all sounds rather dark and gloomy, yes? Especially when we consider how many of us fall into depression after the New Year makes its grand entrance! Well, I dislike waste of any kind, especially when it is juicy and creative. Time to switch perspectives.
Unfortunately, the words creative and creativity have become all but meaningless from overuse. Even self-expression has lost its punch, too - having a rather narcissistic ring to it. Let’s face it, you can’t order creativity at the drive-thru. The muses are tricky, secretive and shy. They are also stubborn and seem to show up only on their own terms.
Initially, I struggled with this topic. There has been so much written on creativity – some of it helpful and some just plain not. How to talk about creativity in a way that is concretely helpful? How to shed some light into these dark months and show how wonderful they can be? The answer came during a recent extremely challenging travel experience. Cancelled flights and luggage lost and there it was, staring me in the face.
The path that leads into our creative source is to step outside of our comfort zones with a cheerful, curious disposition. Three thousand miles away from home, with nothing but the clothes I was wearing and a few essentials in my backpack – I shut off my whining, complaining voice and stepped into the experience.
Now, I was in the smack middle of San Francisco, and I am NOT a city person by any stretch of the imagination. I could have chosen my old patterns of thinking that say to me, “I hate crowds and concrete and noise!” Instead, I threw myself into the alien rhythms and entered what Zen students call “Beginners Mind.” Basically, it is viewing your world and experience like you are three years old and your subjective likes and dislikes are not yet in place.
What happened was beautiful and amazing. Without my literal and figurative “baggage”, I was laughing, I was writing short stories and slice-of-life vignettes. I felt creative and inspired and free!
How can we apply this lesson without the stress and expense of my experience? Well, lose your baggage. Put it down! Structure your day differently. Step outside of your comfort zone. Pretend as if you have never seen your life before, and look at it with those three year old eyes. Slow down and really observe. Question your routines and see what inspiration arises. Because it will arise - honestly.
Creativity is not confined to particular art form, although you may find yourself writing, painting, dancing… whatever! The trick is, if you set aside what you think you know, and what you think your life is about – even temporarily – you will reap the rewards of new inspiration and an incredible sense of freedom.
Dark months, smark months! There is no depression here! There are only limitless areas of our inner world to explore as we realize that our lives are not set in concrete. Our lives are organic, fluid experiences that thrive on a little shaking up of perspectives, now and then.
We can become like seeds planted under winter’s frozen soil. Who knows what flower we will become in the spring? For now, in the dark, we can dream away – play with our lives and experiences wherever possible. Don’t put your tree in the same corner you have year after year – shake it up! As nice and comfy as our routines can be for us, if you are looking to invite the creative spirit into your life – you’ll need to give her something interesting and new to experience!
I’d like to end this month’s essay with the metta prayer – very appropriate for this season of renewal and rebirth.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
May all beings be free!
Happy Holidays!
Peace-
Tee
p.s. I’d love to hear from you! Email me at teespirit@gmail.com
