Let It Go or Let It Be?

It's not a matter of letting go-if you could you would. Instead of "Let it go" we should probably "Let it be." John Kabat-Zinn How often have you told yourself or suggested to a friend or family member to "Just let it go."? It's great advice. Letting go means not hanging on. When we hang on we keep the memory of a negative experience alive. We fuel it with made-up interpretations of who, what, where and why while reliving the emotional turmoil again and again. Letting it go frees us. But is it really so simple? I'm investigating the "Let it be." approach. Letting it be liberates from having to fix, control or change and allows the space in which to observe and accept. Letting it be feels Zen. It asks that we detach while acknowledging what is. Case in point. My YMCA is closing. It has been an important addition to my week over many years.  In the scope of life the end of my gym is pretty minor. While understanding that I also realize that anything that causes a deep emotional reaction is a catalyst for growth.  Three times a week I enjoyed a walk to the Y through a lovely park using the time for prayer and gratitude. Once at the Y I convened with like-minded people who share my commitment to keep active and have fun. These folks have become treasured friends. The closing left me struggling with the unexpected change.  I tried the "Let it go." method and it didn't help. Letting it go did nothing for how I felt about the loss. But as I worked on letting it be whispers of peace arose in my consciousness.  My mind started to design a new path for my fitness, friendships and meditative walks.  The Y's demise is part of an ever changing and shifting energetic world. Life is not static. Everything is in motion. Remembering that change is constant helped me to let go of my emotions and begin to adapt. Next time you feel accosted by an unexpected happening, an annoying event or person, play around with letting it be. You may find a little space for inner calm and the tools needed for living in love and light. As always, I will be rooting for you. I end with a stanza from The Beatles song, "Let It Be.  Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Shutting Down and Shutting Out. Freeing Bias

While talking to a woman I had just met we discovered that we were raised the same religion, the second child of six children, educated in like schools and had enjoyed living in Florida for many years. The similarities were overwhelming. Then she asked where I was brought up. "Oh-you're an Oompa loompa", she stated as she slammed the door on our kinship. "I'm a Wangdoodle." she declared. Our connection faltered, stumbled and did not regain its balance. 

I decline to define myself by the labels that were assigned to me by society or my life experience. Certainly, aspects of my upbringing and years on the planet add to my character but they are not what constitutes the sum total of me. I have learned through my work that you can't always judge a book by it's cover. 

Her reaction left me wondering what attracts us to our differences rather than our similarities? Why do we  focus on where we clash rather than where we converge? I questioned if we have an inherent need to feel separate, better, higher, smarter, quicker, richer and ultimately superior.  

I've always admired people with the ability to have meaningful friendships while holding diametrically opposed views on key issues. These folks manage to move around their differences and dance in their similarities. They have suspended their judgment and have fostered a connection that builds unique friendships.

What would happen if we sought out the places where our opinions and beliefs intersected rather than opposed one another? Wouldn't that be an interesting starting point next time there is a conflict. What if we began to ask questions such as, "What does being an Oompa Loompa mean to you?"  rather than shutting the door to connection, friendship, communion, understanding and healing. Let's work together to instigate dialogue that encourages curiosity, listening and community but first we must take a deep breath and push our bias aside.

Love and Light,

Nora

Catc A Wave

"Catch a wave and your sittin' on top of the world."

Beach Boys "Catch a Wave"

Are you feeling afraid? Are you worried about everything? Do you feel helpless and depressed, anxious and distracted?  There is something you can do to alleviate the stress that appears to be drowning you. Catch a wave. We are surrounded by waves of energy. Sound, radio and electromagnetic waves constantly bounce around us. There are waves of negativity, fear and hate and then there is the wave of love. With a loving thought or a simple act of kindness you magnetize its power to you. When you choose love you commune with a force of healing that permeates the planet. Riding a wave of love lifts your spirit, shifts your perspective and expands your own vibratory field. You live in the moment. Believe in it's power and engage with it.

Some of us perpetually flail about among currents of negativity riding the peaks and valleys of fear. Love negates powerlessness. You cannot feel like a victim when love is your focus. Create your own bandwidth of love by choosing to think, speak and act in loving ways. Your efforts will help our planet heal.  

If you are burdened by negativity check in with your thoughts. Are they harsh and judgmental? Minor changes in perspective can create major shifts in attitude. Notice how even the smallest act of kindness alters your emotional mood. Try it! You have nothing to lose but suffering and much gain. Catch a wave, the wave of love.

"I think the world is going to be saved by millions of small things."

Pete Seeger 

Love and light,

Nora

The Homeless Healer

While on our Sunday bicycle ride Rick and I stopped at a public beach pavilion. Picnic tables sat in rows waiting for the weekend onslaught of beach goers.  As we headed toward our favorite spot we noticed a woman at a table with a dingy bed roll, a bag of clothing and a cup of coffee. It was 8 am and she was barely awake. Giving her some privacy, we seated ourselves to rest, refuel and regroup.

We were having a conversation about some discomfort I was experiencing during the ride when I heard a voice coming from her direction. 

“Sleep with a pillow between your legs.”  she said.

“Oh, right,” I replied, “I had forgotten about that! Thanks!”

With little encouragement she began to suggest several exercises to alleviate the pain. She had information to share that would help me heal. She wanted to contribute. As we mounted our bicycles to continue our ride I thanked her profusely for pointing me in a proactive direction of healing.

She advised me to sleep with a pillow between my legs. But she had no pillow and she had no bed. Her kindness touched me and I realized that on the surface she could be judged as lazy, mentally ill or an addict. For all I knew she might be all of those things. But she was something else as well. She was a healer, a fallen angel gone off track for whatever reason, but her knowledge was just as helpful as any doctor could offer.

This generous healer reminded me that I should not judge a person by her or his appearance. We are all more than we appear to be.

Holding you in love and light,

Nora

Keys to Nowhere

Do you have a place in your home where you accumulate junk? I certainly do. One drawer in my kitchen was randomly designated as the junk drawer for years. The other day I decided it was time to do some purging. After sifting through bottles of sticky bubble stuff, half-burned birthday candles, keys to nowhere, gadgets and gag gifts received over the years three items remained: a ball of string, a tape measure and a bag of kitchen hooks.  While admiring the now spacious drawer I began to wonder. What about the "junk" people keep in their hearts and minds?  How often do you find yourself remembering an old slight, a thoughtless snub or a petty argument? How frequently do you ruminate on memories full of pain and suffering?  The thoughts that occupy the "junk drawer" of your heart rob you of the joy of living in the present. Beneath our suffering lies longing to be loved. The perception that love is absent creates pain. Step back and examine the memories that trigger your sadness. Recognize them as moments in time where love appeared to be missing. Accept that even the perpetrator of your pain was acting out of a perceived loss of love.  Don't let past wounds take up space in your heart. If you find yourself consumed by painful recollections stop for a minute and breathe. Release the visceral reaction to your memory by breathing deeply into your solar plexus. Say these words silently or aloud:  "I release and let go. I forgive and free my heart to love. I am loved and loving."

Potholes and Pitfalls

Rebounding from unexpected twists and turns in life has been the topic of the day at my house. We live under the illusion that we have a modicum of control over the events of our lives.  Then, with a flick of its fickle finger, Life can turn our world upside down and send our reality spinning out of its orbit.

Through my work I have witnessed my clients heal, recover and embrace life again by delving into their inner source of courage and strength. How do they do it? How does one heal? How does one steady oneself after being knocked off ones feet? The road to recovery is often initiated through small and steady steps rather than broad strides and bold leaps. Over time, tentative steps can evolve to ultimately establish a new level of thriving and self expression.

Numerous potholes litter the path to healing and one to keep an eye out for is the “Yeah but.”  “Yeah but” will paralyze. When you visualize failure before you take the initial step you undermine any chance of success. The journey to healing can feel like you are playing blind man’s bluff. You can stumble around like a toddler learning how to walk. But after a few unsteady steps you may discover  that you are moving more securely and confidently toward a new vision of you.

You may twist your ankle in the pothole of wondering “Why?”.  “Why?” will leave you spinning on your own personal hamster wheel feeling like a victim.  Life hasn’t shared her secret of “Why?” with me as of yet but she does encourage asking the question “What?” “What have I learned?” “What can I do to change?”

A dangerous pitfall on the road to rebounding from unexpected challenges is thinking that you have to get it right the first time. Believing that you must be perfect from the start dooms you to failure.  Imagine a child learning to stand on her own. She falls on her bottom numerous times but never gives up. Eventually through trial and error she develops her strength and can stand on her own two feet.

A seminal component to healing is reaching out for something outside of ourselves. It can be as simple as changing a routine or spending time with a friend. But more often the path to renewal is to do something for someone else. Giving of oneself is a beautiful way to ease the pain of suffering.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said,
“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

As we take those brave first steps to move beyond pain and sorrow we begin to see that we are regaining our footing on the journey of life and are readied in a deeper more meaningful way for the next unexpected surprise life will offer.

Love and light,
Nora

BP Oil Spill

I have been moved to tears. My heart is breaking. I have been in mourning, sickened by the images I see reflecting the utter confusion and ineptitude of the handling of the BP oil spill.
The disaster has left me dreaming dreams of suffocation and death.

I am not writing to sway your opinion on drilling in the gulf. I writing to request that every one of us take responsibility for the disaster. We have all contributed to the "holocaust", as one newspaper reporter called it, in the Gulf waters. For years we have heard that we must change. For years we have watched our world being diminished in subtle ways. For years we have consumed as though there is a limitless supply of all we deem we need and can't live without.

We bury our consciousness in technology, texting and emailing, facebooking and twittering in order to receive bite-sized portions of life while huge chunks of our planet are driven to extinction. I am not sure we can stop the spiral of loss completely but we can begin to shift our own impact on our mother Earth and I know we can change our habits and expectations. Living with less needs to be seen as creating abundance.

There are a million ways to take less and use less. Research them and employ the ones that make the most sense for you. Start living differently. Send me the ways you are changing lifestyle and conserving and I will post them in the next newsletter. No action is too small or insignificant. And please, write, call, picket, vote and let your opinions be heard. This is one time that I do not recommend silence.
Love and Light,
Nora

We raise our conscious vibration through action. We honor our mother Earth and live with thoughtfulness and gentle care. Our steps are light and our hearts are loving.