The world I see...: February 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Becoming at home...

Is it possible to become at home in any environment? Even to bring the 'at home' feeling to any space, any time?

By 'at home' I'm referring to the feelings of ease, openness and peace. Comfort and confidence in being wherever, whenever.

This Clown Fish has evolved to become at home in a Sea Anemone. It has developed a way to be immune to the toxins and neurotoxins of the Anemone.

If this little fish can set up home in a toxic environment without fighting or resisting, then what is possible for us? What ways might we evolve? And disengage from resisting or being in fear of environments we aren't familiar or comfortable in? Becoming at home, at ease, at peace in any situation? Relaxing into being ourselves? Sharing who we are? Inviting others to join us in being at peace as if we were inviting them into our home?

If Earth is our home, then we truly are at home wherever we go. If home is where the heart is, then we bring home with us wherever we bring our hearts. It's a mater, at times, of 'being' rather that 'doing' anything.

Be in your heart and be at home.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Happy...

What is happiness? What is the source of your happiness? Is it from internal or external sources? How long does happiness last?

I've noticed some things about the way I relate to happiness. I notice that I feel happy in situations that other people feel unhappy in and that I am unhappy in situations that some people feel happy in. I've had very little money and felt sometimes happy and other times felt unhappy . I've had a lot of money and felt sometimes unhappy and sometimes happy. I've been in beautiful places around the world and again, sometimes I feel happy and sometimes unhappy.

And when I feel happy because I gained something in life, that happiness is short lived. It's not long before my mind finds something wrong. Or finds something to complain about.

So, is happiness a feeling that is dependent on external conditions? Or do I get to choose?

If feeling happy is a choice, then I am responsible. It doesn't matter how much money I have or where I live. I am the source. I may choose to live somewhere that is supportive to my choice of happiness. Or I may take action to acquire more money. Not for the purpose of finding happiness is these things, because that happiness is short lived. Happiness by choice is as moment to moment as the choice to be happy. I am the chooser, I get to choose moment to moment.

Looking at daffodils, I feel happy. The colors the way the petals are arranged. And yet, the happy feelings come from inside me. If I wasn't the source of my happiness, nothing in the world would illicit the feelings of happy. Nothing I looked at would generate a reaction.

If you feel happy, consider it is through your connection to your source. I have heard that we all want to be happy. So what are we waiting for? No one else will do it for us. We choose to be happy. And it is a moment to moment choice. It is OK to choose something other than happy. If happiness becomes a "should" then it becomes elusive, in my experience. The belief 'I should be happy' is the source of much unhappiness.

Simply play with choosing, and see what happens.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Shiny...

A friend of mine and I have an expression. "Share your shiny!" This expression came from a conversation we had about how we all shine underneath the layers of "stuff".

The "stuff" is all our fears, judgments, past perceptions and hurts. The "stuff" creates layers which cover the "shiny".

In my experience, the layers covering the shiny, radiance underneath is a way to protect. To guard our "shiny" and only show it so some people. To the people we think have earned our trust.

When I let go of the layers, the protection and the guarding I realize that it doesn't take other people to be worthy of my "shiny", it takes me feeling worthy enough to share it with everyone. It takes me being willing to possibly stand out. To attract attention. To invite other people to shine. Just like an abalone shell, it's so amazing to find the beautiful colors underneath all the layers of shell. And yet, it takes stripping away the outer layers to see the "shiny" under it all.

Share your shiny! Invite those around you to shine! It's so much fun to be around people who shine! It reminds me to shine! And it's an amazing experience to feel myself shine! To experience the world through that radiance!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Opening...

What is the experience of opening? What does it feel like to open? To be open? How long does it last?

When a rose blooms, it opens. It starts as a tight bud and opens more and more until it's very core is visible. Then the petals fall away. A new flower is ready to open.

Is my heart a flower constantly opening? In my childhood a tight bud then opening more and more until my petals are all unfurled and this flower dies? And then I am born again to bloom and open?

I feel my heart opening when I tune in. It feels like a flower opening up. Continually opening to the love and light of this world.

How do you experience your heart? Do you ever tune in? What does it feel like? If your heart was a flower, what flower would it be?

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Down...

What has you feeling down? What are the thoughts? What are the feelings? Where do you feel it in your body? What is your body language? How do you act? How do you react?

If I stay present while I'm feeling down it shifts my experience. I still have the thoughts, feelings and body sensations. And yet, there's space around it. Instead of everything seeming overwhelming, it is more of something to be curious about.

When I notice what is going on inside, it shifts the whole experience. It becomes an experience instead of all there is.

Next time you feel down, upset, stressed or overwhelmed notice your thoughts, feelings and body sensations. Then notice it all as an experience. Feel the space around it. Be with it. See if the feeling is different. Notice if you act and react differently.

The world I see...