Motivated by Collaboration - Day 8

I am inspired by collaboration. Synergy between two people results in a much broader and deeper vision. Ideas spring forth and unexpected outcomes arise. One idea can lead down the rabbit hole to a host of completely unanticipated options. Human creativity is remarkable.

I also find it difficult to collaborate, I have to remember to listen. Sometimes I can really like my ideas, and the possibility of those ideas leading the way. If I listen though, and let go of expectation, magical things can happen. I like finding opportunities to blend two different ways of doing things. I am especially happy when an "Aha" moment arises where each person feels connected to the outcome and has a sense of "buy-in".

Sometimes I notice resistance, both mine and the other person's. I ask myself, "Am I clinging to my own ideas, or is there another reason for resistance, maybe a lack of understanding or clarity, or perhaps the other person is clinging?". There is something tremendously fulfilling about overcoming resistance and reaching a new perspective in which the outcome is enhanced 10-fold by the merging of two concepts. Similarly, learning to step back and contribute to another person's lead, while more difficult, is also equally rewarding. The more able I am to release the need for my ideas to be at the fore, the richer and more evolved the results can be.

I find that I am motivated when there is another person working with me. I enjoy someone to run with, to engage with, to explore with. The interaction feels like a game of ping pong, fast paced, back and forth that spurs the imagination and raises enthusiasm.

I also like clear, direct, boundaries that indicate what the other individual's needs are without the individual being overbearing, laying "guilt trips", or in anyway trying to make me "bad" or "wrong". It is refreshing to have someone say, "this is what I need". When someone speaks clearly I am able to respond in an authentic way and identify whether or not I can meet their need. 

Working in collaboration continues to bring out the best in me, and even when it is difficult, ultimately, there is more much gained from the experience than not; each person is better for it.

How does collaborating work for you? In which does collaborating serve and hinder you?

5 thanksgivings:

1. I am grateful for honest, direct communication.
2. I am grateful for Tana of Simple Life Synergy.
3. I am grateful for clarity and understanding.
4. I am grateful for self-awareness.
5. I am grateful for kindred spirits.

Moving Forward into 2014

Over the last month or so, Karen and I spent time going inward and listening, Think of the image of a still winter morning, covered in a layer of white powder that muffles sound and holds space within, as the metaphor from which Karen and I have been emerging. Now we are planning and prepping; now we stretch, dusting off the snow and slowly move forward in step with the sun and its increased warmth and bold light that beckons. 

But planning and prepping required a gestation period and a time to ponder the future. We listened. We listened to what wants to be seen and known from within. We asked, “What do we wish to share with the world in 2014?”, We were inspired by the many answers, ideas, images, thoughts, and feelings that bubbled up.

While we haven’t teased out everything or defined all of the details, we have managed to conceptualize a framework and some ideas. You can look forward to some of the following topics and concepts as we move through 2014:

Stepping out

• Loving self, loving others, loving life
• Spring rituals
• Living as the “fool”
• Embracing Mother Earth
• Rising out of the ashes
• Showering abundance
• Dealing with life’s mudslides and downpours
• Mothering self
• Relishing our talents, relishing life
• Picking ourselves up when we fall

Additionally, we intend to hold lightly to “quarterly constructs” using them as springboards for our posts. For example, through this first quarter of the year we will consider:

• Creativity
• Initiating
• Budding
• Growing
• Developing
• Conceptualizing, and
• Emerging

Subsequent quarters will have their own essence.

We wish you a happy new year. May you be fulfilled, blessed and happy!

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom

We hope you take or have taken the time necessary to still yourself, to silence the world’s cacophony, and to really listen to your inner wisdom, so that you can see what is calling you, and what wants to be manifested in this new year filled with possibility.

We would love to know what you’ve heard, and what emerged from your silence. Is there something you are going after this year? Please post!

We’d would also love to hear which of the topics listed above are of particular interest to you. Please post a comment so we can support you!

Let's Remember 2013's Successes Before We Set 2014's Goals

All around me I'm hearing people talk about moving into 2014, visioning for 2014, preparing for new year's resolutions, setting goals for the new year, and on and on. I'm feeling rushed into the new year! I'm not behind the 8-ball, the 8-ball is fast on my behind, and I don't like the pressure.

Don't get me wrong, I will set intentions for the new year, pick a word for the new year with Abbey of the Arts, and have goals for the coming year, but geewiz, I still have almost 2 weeks left in 2013!! It seems like nobody's talking about taking time to reflect.  I feel the same way when retailers put christmas decorations up right after halloween. "I WANT MY THANKSGIVING!" I scream internally.

Well, "I WANT TO REFLECT ON THIS YEAR!" Sheesh, I've done a lot of good work! I need a little time to relish it, to roll in it, and feel good about it.

Let me be the voice of holiday reason. 'Tis the season to reflect, review, reminisce, congratulate, and take stock of our progress. It's a time to give kudos, and consider what could be done differently.

I'm so busy being pushed to create new goals for next year that I don't even know if I accomplished my goals for this year! Can I get an "amen" please?

I recently spoke on a panel at the Studio City Holistic Chamber of Commerce meeting. We were talking about how to succeed with setting and keeping new year's resolutions. The first thing I addressed was the importance of looking at where we came from in order to look at where we need to go. This harkens to my August post about my annual "birthday success inventory". Here are a few questions you can ask yourself about this year before you move into next year:

1. What did you accomplish this year?
2. What did you do well this year? What did you do especially well this year?
3. Did you meet the goals you set for yourself this year?
4. Where did you struggle this year? What could you improve on?
5. Did you learn anything that you can apply for next year that would help you have a more meaningful, successful coming year?
6. If you could do things differently, what would you do differently and how?
7. Come up with your own questions too

A friend of mine, Tana Guadi, a marvelous life coach, encouraged me (in a coaching session) to write a letter to myself, thanking myself for all the good things I did this year, and for all the ways I showed up for myself. I wrote the letter. WOW! What amazing insight I gleaned from my gentle, wise, wondrous self.

So the message I want to leave you with is, "if you are going to pile one more thing on your already hectic, holiday schedule let it be to finish out this year and take stock of it, before you move into next year!"

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom:

Can you take a half an hour, a day, or a weekend to review 2013? Can you pull out your 2013 wish list, dust it off, and see if any of it came true? What about writing a letter to yourself to tell yourself what a good job you did this year? Have you thought about giving yourself a bonus? Consider what you can do to bring closure to 2013 - to feel good about your successes and reduce your weaknesses. Wishing you all the best at the close of the year!

Supporting the Success of Others

We are happy to have this blog post be part of the
Winter Solstice Blog Hop

Over the past few months, Chantel and I have focused on helping you recognize and achieve success in a variety of forms.  We began with a success inventory and built on that by contemplating a unique aspect of who we are and how that shapes our success.  Then, we looked at time, trust, and identity through the lens of success.  In our last post, Chantel used leaves falling from the trees to talk about letting go of what's preventing us from being successful.

As we enter the holiday season, Chantel and I would like to change our success focus to helping others achieve success.  As you go out to shop for gifts for friends and loved ones, consider how your spending power can help others achieve success.  In short, support a local artist or artisan, a mom and pop store, someone in your community.

We'd like to offer a little incentive by sharing three things with you - some great quotes about helping others, an example of some of the local places Chantel supports, and an opportunity for you to win something from us.

As I contemplated this post, I looked for quotes to inspire me and would like to share three of them with you in addition to the one above.

"The best way not to feel hopeless is to get up and do something.  Don't wait for good things to happen to you.  If you go out and make good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope."  Barack Obama.

"Even the smallest act of caring for another person is like a drop of water - it will make ripples throughout the entire pond."  -  Jessy and Bryan Matteo

"If you're not making someone else's life better, then you're wasting your time.  Your life will become better by making other lives better."  - Will Smith

Below you will find my (Chantel's) list of the local artists, musicians, retailers and restaurants I support. I live in Los Angeles, so if you live in the area or plan to visit soon, make a point of stopping in to one or all of them. You can also order online from some of these organizations.

Finally, we would like to give something to you.  In the spirit of supporting a local business or artist, I should mention that Chantel and I are both local artists and business professionals.  Therefore, I am offering a copy of my novel, The Son of Nine Sisters.  Chantel is offering three thirty minute coaching sessions  and a copy of an Eddie Edwards and the Psychedelic Spurs CD .  To win one of these gifts, simply email us and let us know which gift you prefer and we will enter you into the drawing for that gift.

Art Supplies

Soft Expressions

Mind, Body, Spirit Classes, Events, & Workshops

Art and Soul Lab
 
The Yoga Loft

Heart of Voice
 

Be the Change Energy Center
 

Shelley Bell - Laughter Yoga

Barbara Schiffman - AKashic Records

Carole Pilkington - Astrology

Music

Eddie Edwards & the Psychedelic Spurs
 

Stella Davies

Debra DeLahunty

Ter Lieberstein - Loving Stone Productions

Peter Jack Rainbird

Food

The Green Temple
 

Follow Your Heart

Retail

Harmony Works

Made in the Valley
 

Michi Olson

Kim Jones - Sugar Skull 77

Holistic Business

Holistic Chamber of Commerce

Non-Profits

Sustainable Works

Southern California Foster Family & Adoption Agency

The Labyrinth Society

Veriditas

Holy Spirit Retreat Center

Prince of Peace Church

West Valley Food Pantry

Shadowland Foundation

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom
Karen and I would love it if you would list, in the comments section below, the local businesses YOU support. Include the city where people can find these businesses and put a website or phone number so that people can reach them.

Remember that by shopping locally, you keep money in the local economy, help a neighbor stay afloat financially, and support passionate entrepreneurs.

We thank YOU for your support of Engaging Inner Wisdom all year! Good luck on winning one of our prizes!

Return to Winter Solstice Blog Hop

Who do you think you are? Identity and Success

"To remember who you are, you need to forget who they told you to be."

The media is constantly bombarding us with images of how we should look and what we should believe and who we should aspire to emulate.  You know what I say to all of that hype?  I say, "Phooey!"

Look at the women along the left side of this post.  What do you see?  What is most obvious to me is the variety - we are not the same.  Many things influence who we are and who we are changes as we age and learn from new experiences, both ours and by watching those of others.

However, before we can consider any outside opinion, we must come to accept who we are without all of that external pressure.  When we look inside ourselves, there is no denying who we are, yet we seem to be more able to let others decide who or what we should be.  We have some strange desire to please everyone else at our own expense, to forgo those things which make us truly happy so that we can make others happy.  There are many problems with this approach to living our lives.  For one thing, we rarely succeed in making others happy, especially in the long run.  For another, when does it stop?  Who do we have to appease?  How many people do we need to satisfy?  What do we do to ourselves in the process?

The quote at the top of this post struck me, because of its honesty and directness.  Too often, we let others decide who we are or what we should be doing, especially as it pertains to the idea of success.  What we often forget in the process is that we determine who we are and what successes we will have.  It is our choice.  That is not to say that others cannot influence our choices, but those influences should come from inspiring support, not disapproval of who we are at our core or by them trying to force us into the image they have of us.

Who we are affects the successes we have in life.  Therefore, how we define, or allow others to define, who we are affects those potential successes as well.

I speak from experience on this subject.  Once I finished college, I jumped right into "AAHH!  I have to get a job!" mode, even though at my core, I knew I did not want to work that traditional 9-5 cycle.  That is not to say that I did not have successes within that framework; I had several.  The problem is that they rarely mattered to me.  Of course, some mattered.  For instance, I was very happy to know that I was helping to protect the environment in much of the work I did.  I enjoyed helping others and working in teams.  But, there was something deep inside of me, a constant dull tugging or a grip that refused to let go of whatever it was holding onto, that I could never quite bring myself to let go of or ignore.

A few years ago, I paused and reflected on that grip and what it was holding onto and I realized that what it held was me, the me I truly am, the dream the natural instinct I've had since I was a very small child.  "I want to be... no... I am a writer."  I embraced it completely at that point and began to let go of what everyone else thought I should be, of the society-level images of who I should be as a woman, wife and mother.  I began my retransformation back into who I knew I was.  Through that process, I came to understand myself and, perhaps most importantly, to accept who I am and recognize that I do not need to defend that to anyone.  I needed only to build on it.

As I have gone through that process, it has been a struggle; of that there is no doubt.  But, it was totally worth it!  Because, today I am a writer.  I am a published author.  I am an editor.  I am an entrepreneur, in charge of my own company, skills, successes, and myself.  Of course, it doesn't hurt to meet someone for a second time, a few months after your brief first encounter and have them say, "I remember you.  You wrote a book."  With that one sentence, I realized that who I am influences others' impressions of me, instead of allowing others' impressions of me to determine who I am.

The only thing I had to do to achieve this was to be honest with myself... oh, and believe what I saw and then work really hard to be successful with it.  That is a challenge I would take a hundred times.

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom:  Take some time for yourself, maybe five or ten minutes to begin the process (and remember, this is a process; you may have to do this several times), and ask yourself this question.  Am I being true to myself?

If you are, how can you build on that experience?  How well does your external representation of you reflect your true internal self?  How does knowing and embracing that true self affect what you're doing to be successful?

If you are not being true to yourself, what do you see when you look inside?  How can you get past all the layers of crap that's a result of external influence and just look at who you are?  Spend a few minutes every day working to re-engage with that true inner self.  What can you do to accept your inner identity?  How will that affect what you're doing to be successful?

How does trust affect success?

Nearly three years ago, I took a leap of fate to begin my lifelong dream of having a writing career.  I say fate rather than faith, because I trusted that it was my fate to do it.  I have wanted to be a writer since before I could draw my letters.  I used to draw squiggly lines under pictures to tell the images' stories.  Writing has always been an important aspect of what makes me who I am.  When I took that writing leap, I trusted that, at long last, it was the right time to do it.

More than that, I trusted a lot of other things in that leaping moment.  I trusted that all of the things that come with a successful career - finances, recognition, and achievement - would come in time.  I trusted that this endeavor would make me happy.  I trusted that, overall, I would make good choices (or at least choices that weren't detrimental to anyone) and I trusted that I would figure out the obstacles and challenges I met along the way.  These are all vital aspects of this undertaking that I had to trust.

But, there was still more; I had to trust myself, my skills, and my ability to turn my desires and goals into realities.  All of this translates into self-trust, but I did not take this leap alone.  There is also trusting others and trusting the community.  (This summer, Chantel introduced the concept of trust and pointed out these three aspects of it.)

Besides trusting myself, I had to trust others, even though some of those others didn't necessarily trust me.  Some of the people closest to me thought this leap was a fool's errand and one or two among them seemed to help create obstacles for me to ensure my failure, while at the same time trying to help me.  Needless to say, there were plenty of bumps in the road, but I trusted they would come through and the vast majority of them trusted what I was doing enough to help me.  I'm not sure if it was my abilities, ambition or commitment they trusted or maybe some combination thereof, but I reached out to my friends and family and got the support I needed by trusting them.

The community trust had its own set of hurdles to get over, because, in essence, I had to build a brand new community of clients and a network of colleagues and supporters.  It started off slowly, but it has grown and is building momentum.  Not only do I have a committed group of returning clients, but an even larger community of supporters all of whom continue to give referrals for my work and service.  That is the two-way street of community trust.  I trust that they will request my services and they trust that I will provide quality service.

Trust is not always an easy thing to have, it is important and it begins with self-trust.  Self trust builds confidence which, in turn, creates empowerment.  If you trust in yourself and your abilities, it will show in the successes you achieve.  Are you ready to take a leap?

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom:  Option 1 - Make a list of the skills you possess.  This includes everything from solving complex equations and writing poetry to playing music, cooking, driving, even making beds.  Which of those skills do you trust the most (have the most confidence in)?  Which skills give you the most satisfaction when you use them?  Are they the same?  How can or do you use those trusted skills to achieve success?

Option 2 - I've shared a story with you about how I achieved success through trust.  Share your story with me.  Leave a comment on this post or email me and let me know if I can share it with our readers in a future post or if you just want to share with me.

One Simple Tip to Boost Your Success

“ Success begets success” ~Anonymous

Do you know why “Anonymous” said this? Because any one of us could have said it, we’ve all experienced it. Think about a time when you’ve tried to do something new. If it was hard (success was more difficult), you may have given up, or at least found yourself dreading the idea of doing it again, but if it came easily (success was easier), you may have continued, or at least tried again. Success encourages us. It gives us hope, highlights our accomplishments, and makes us feel capable.

Most definitions of success include the words “prosperity”, “popularity”, “wealth”, and “goals”, however, I think being successful includes far more than having an outcome that involves money or everyone thinking we’re swell. Success moves beyond achieving goals, and into the realm of interaction with others, perception of self, and a life lived with depth and meaning.

Success is so much more than just performance, prosperity, and popularity

I continually assess my success, sometimes haphazardly, and in a few instances, with repeatable certainty. For example, every year, I do a “success inventory”, a process in which I take time to give myself kudos. I do my success inventory on a special day, my birthday. I don’t know about you, but to me, birthdays mean a lot! I love spending time with family and friends and visiting special places. Birthdays also offer a clean slate, a new year, and provide a marvelous opportunity to reflect and grow.

So, as Earth begins its course around the sun again, I take time to reflect on my previous revolution, and set seeds of intention for my annual adventure. Several weeks prior to my birthday I begin asking myself questions to get my brain thinking (check out “One Small Step Can Change YourLife” by Robert Maurer.) I don't’ have to find the answers right away, I just want my brain to chew on the questions for a while, ‘stirring the pot’ so to speak.

I start to think about what I accomplished, where I fell short, the challenges and unexpected opportunities that arose, and whether I reacted or responded to them, and how. I ask myself, “What was the general tone of my year in terms of my emotions”. I consider how my interpersonal relationships played out, where I need to take responsibility, and where I need to let go and not get caught up in drama – even If that drama is only in my head.

On the day of my birthday, I start out by creating sacred space. Whether at home, or a location like the beach or park, I lay out a cloth, using a material I love, select iconic items that have meaning for me, and light a candle. The candle reminds me to bring in the light, positive energy. Often times I will include a natural item such as a flower, leaf, or seashell, something that reminds me of my connection to the world around me.

Rituals support humans in their daily life

Once my sacred space is set, I allow myself to settle, spending time in meditation, either a mindfulness meditation, a guided visualization, or centering prayer. With that done, I begin to free write, allowing myself to remember my year; sometimes I will go month to month from my last birthday, other times I will notice the highlights first. What I’ve found, is that usually, I’ve had an amazingly successful year, not just because I’ve accomplished goals, but because even in my trying, difficult times, I realize that I’ve learned something, or taken away something of value that makes me a better person today. I end my ritual by considering how I would like my next year to flow – I don’t list goals per se, but rather, I set a tone, and come up with words that indicate my intentions.  This year I decided to focus on being joyous, inspired and confident; ultimately with those intentions I will be successful.

By engaging in my annual ritual, I recognize that “success” means so much more than accomplishing a goal, obtaining wealth, or becoming popular – success is a quality, a timber that defines my experiences. To be kind, is to be successful. To be happy, is to be successful. To be connected with others, empathizing, celebrating, contributing, is to be successful. I’ve had a rich and marvelously successful year, and I’ve accomplished quite a bit too!

Practice engaging your inner wisdom:

What does success mean to you? How do you measure your success? Do you engage in a birthday ritual, or other rituals to give yourself credit for your success? Have you ever considered doing a “success inventory” – try them daily, weekly, monthly, or annually – by taking stock of your success, you will bring about more success. 

Taking Time for Your Passion

Say, "Yes!" to your passion!

How often do you engage your passion?

For way too long, I have largely ignored mine - writing - but that all changes now.  In her last post, Chantel talked about the solstice as a time of abundant energy and vibrance when we can make bold moves and take giant leaps.

I, for one, am taking her up on the idea and I hope you will join me.  I plan to channel this high energy time into my writing passion using the simple formula I've been using for my blog, The Wonder of Runes, since last fall.  I have committed three hours one morning a week to writing and sharing my blog with others and, since that time, it has flourished and I am amazed and grateful to see the interest in and response to my efforts.

Yeah, nice idea.  Why is this important?  What if I'm just too busy with other things to do anything about my passion?  I have to work, ya know.

When you focus all your energy on things that simply suck the energy out of you, you are draining yourself.  Engaging in your passion is one way to refuel or replenish that energy.  I write for a living, but much of that entails writing things for other people or editing their work.  While I enjoy it, it is not the same as the three hours I spend writing my blog entries for The Wonder of Runes.

Therefore, between now and the autumnal equinox on September 22nd, I plan to dedicate a similar amount of time, like that which I dedicate to my blog, to different writing projects each weekday and there is no shortage of supply.

I write my blog on Mondays and that will not change.  Making that commitment is one of the best things I've done for myself in recent years.  This a a wonderful example of the benefits of engaging your passion.  Not only has it paid off for me personally, but professionally as well.  And now it serves as the formula to expand that benefit and write more.

Tuesdays will be dedicated to writing the sequel to my novel, The Son of Nine Sisters.  I began writing it last November as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge, but haven't really touched it since.  Sure, I've gone over it a hundred times in my head, thinking through details, making links, and solidifying characters and story lines, but I'm not sure I've written a word in it this year.  Since I want the first draft completed around the autumnal equinox, I had better get a move on.  So, Tuesdays for my sequel.

Once I published my novel, my daughter decided she wanted to write a book too, so we are working on one together, a young readers series about time travel.  The first book draft is literally about 500 words from being finished, but it is a series, so we need to write at least more and the synopsis for a couple beyond that.  That ought to keep me busy on Wednesday mornings.

Of course, there is little point in writing all these books if I don't do any marketing.  Even though it's not my favorite thing to do, I will spend Thursdays marketing both my creative writing and professional writing services.

Friday is for another, much newer passion, gardening.  You may recall my last post was about my new love of growing food.  Yes, this is the first and trial year, but I've already learned a few things and I can't wait to get back and dig in literally and figuratively.  And, I have to say, I am amazed how engaging with Earth helps clear my mind and accelerate my creative and critical thinking, a grea way to come up with or clarify story ideas.

Ah, now that's the way to spend a week.

I don't have time to dedicate three hours each morning to my passion.  Are you crazy?  I have a job and I have to clean the house and shuttle the kids and go grocery shopping, and do the laundry.

I'm not suggesting you follow my model exactly.  I am suggesting that, as one way to engage your inner wisdom and refuel yourself that you take time for your passion once a week.  The only catch is that you have to set a dedicated time to do it and stick to it until the equinox.  You can make excuses or make time.  Which will it be?

I would love to have you join me in this solstice to equinox quest, especially my fellow writers.  We can spend a morning writing together.  To that end, here is your challenge:

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom:  Take time or, more specifically, arrange a set time once a week to engage your passion.  Tell me what it is.  Share your experience with me.  Are you an artist?  Show me some of your work?  A fellow writer?  Share an excerpt or poem.  Are you spending time in nature?  Take some pictures to show us.  Email me a sample of whatever you do and I will dedicate a blog post or two (or however many it takes) to sharing your experience with our readers.  I look forward to making this journey with you.

For those of you still questioning whether you have time to spend engaging your passion, how about this?  All you have to do is monitor me.  You can check into this blog over he next three months to see what progress I've made or, you can follow Engaging Inner Wisdom on facebook and see regular updates there.  That way, you can decide whether it was worth it for me to take this time or not.  Maybe that will inspire you to take time for yours.

Another Messy Work Space

I'm a big city girl; always have been; always thought I would be.  Maybe I will, but recently, I discovered a new world and, if you will, a new aspect to me; something that I enjoy almost as much as I enjoy writing or working with Runes, something that makes the big city feel like it is a world away, even though I still live within its borders.

It's my yard!  When we moved into our house a few years ago, there was a lovely garden in the back yard, a lovely garden that didn't suit us at all.

  

After two years of largely letting it go, we are taking it back and making it our own.  We are removing trees and rose bushes and trimming back lots of other vegetation so that we can plant food.

Last month, Chantel shared a picture of her messy workspace as she makes her way through a creative process.  Now, I want to share my messy workspace - my yard/garden - as I make my way through the process of empowering myself to overcome feelings of helplessness and frustration.  We still have a long way to go in this multi-year undertaking, but we're under way and it feels great!

It is messy, but it is also progress.  My husband removed the scraggly cedars that ran along the side of the porch:

Before and after tree removal with the mess in the foreground

I cleared two sections and planted corn in the space along the fence:

Before the flowers (roses removed from along the fence) and after.

And veggies (lettuce, broccoli, onions, beans, and tomatoes) in the other section where roses once stood:

Before (where the roses were in a circular enclosure) and after where the dark soil awaits my veggies.

 It's a trial this summer; a learn as I go process.  If I get some food this year, I will be very happy;  if not, I will be grateful for the experience and continue to prepare the rest of the yard for next year, when I plan to triple the growing area.  I am so excited and driven by this opportunity!

The only experience I've had with purely personal satisfaction like this was writing my novel, my blog about Runes and, well, doing almost any kind of writing.  But gardening, planting and growing my own food, feeds a very different part of my psyche than writing does.

They are both evolved, sophisticated, and educated, but along very different lines.  It's absolutely fascinating to be so enthralled by two such different feats, yet have them strike so many of the same chords from almost opposing sides and give me such a strong feeling of satisfaction, peace of mind, and overall fulfillment.

When I write, I feel like I can go any place and any time in history that I want; create my own world and experience.  When I garden, I feel like I am going back to a world that was simpler, maybe harder, but grounded and full of meaning.  It has truly given me another wondrous path on which to engage my inner wisdom.

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom
Gardening is something I never thought I would like or do.  This week, I challenge you to try something new, something that you never thought you would do or something you have been wanting to try, but haven't.  Then, let me know how it goes and how the experience affected the way that you understand and follow your inner wisdom.

A Colorful Path to Inner Wisdom

Happy May!  No matter where you live, the colors are changing; in the northern hemisphere from the cool shades of winter to the blossoming flowers of spring and, in the southern hemisphere from the heat of summer to the rich reds, oranges, and golds of fall.

These powerful color shifts give us the opportunity to recognize how color affects our lives.  We may not think color impacts us, but look at the colors on the walls in your home or in the artwork you have hanging on your walls.  Consider why some people have to have the red car instead of the navy blue one.  You may not think about it, but color constantly impacts your life.

Color has always been important to me, from my peacock blue trench coat in a sea of black ones in New York City, to my pink spotted rain boots, I need color and I recognize its influence on me, my mood, and my energy.

In fact, color is one of three important tools - Runes, color, and writing - that I use on my path to inner wisdom.  I discussed how I use the Runes in my last post and will cover writing in my next one.  Today, it's color!

The tools that guide and support my path

Color is so important to me that I have created my own color system based entirely on the feelings that certain colors evoke in me.  I have used this system personally and with my wholeness coaching clients with great success for the past few years and it builds on my emotional attachment to color; that is to say that different colors evoke very clear emotions from me.

When I tell people that I use color for guidance and support, one of two things usually enters their minds - chakras or chromotherapy.

Chakras

Although the chakras never spoke to me and do not guide my path, they provide guidance to millions of people around the world, so I would be remiss if I didn't give them a brief mention.  Chakras essentially represent life force energy centers in our bodies.  Wikipedia gives a reasonable overview of each one and I summarize them in the chart below.

Chromotherapy or color therapy is used for healing, focused on the energy a body emits in an effort to balance that energy.  I can use myself to explain this, using an idea I wrote about earlier this year - intuitive listening.  Knowing that I am a very high energy, active, and outgoing person, logic seems to dictate that I should be drawn to vivid, warm colors like red and orange.  But, I prefer dark purple and forest green.  I chose these colors intuitively, because they balance my energy.

My application of color differs from color therapy and chakras as do my color interpretations.  My scale includes roughly fifty different colors and I use them in two ways.  First, my color system is designed to balance or support an individual.  Second, when working with clients, we determine together what colors they need, then I make a totem for them, a Tied Totem.  A Tied Totem is a bracelet made from string, akin to a friendship bracelet, and some of my clients wear them as a reminder of the issues on which they are working, abilities that they have or for empowerment or encouragement.  For example, right now, I am wearing one with two colors to help with strength and focus, though I am feeling like it is time for a change.  Perhaps it's the energy of spring beckoning!

It is important to take many aspect of your world into consideration when deciding what colors will help you at a given time.  This includes everything from your state of mind to the season.  Sometimes the colors come quickly, intuitively, and at other times, they need some reasoning.  The process is important, because color can impact your well-being, profoundly and in very subtle, but important ways.

To help you explore color in you life, I'm giving you a couple of tables.  The first table shows how the three systems - chakras, chromotherapy, and my color totems -  interpret colors, each using them in slightly different ways for slightly different purposes.  The second offers a more nuanced interpretation that my color system uses.  Whichever one speaks to you, make sure you dig deeper into their meaning before applying them.

Color	Chakra	Chromotherapy		Color Totems
	Crown, calm, open	Contemplation and spirituality		Strength
	Third eye, balance, intuition		Devotion, intensity	Protection
	Throat, understanding, communication, expression		Cool, soothing, practical	Openness
	Heart, love, passion, deep emotion	Nature, peace, calm		Focus
	Solar plexus, empowerment, overcoming fear	Energy, communication, curiosity		Energy from different sources
	Sacral, creativity, enthusiasm	Warm, social, freeing		Creativity, passion
	Root, physical pleasure, survival, primal instincts	Passion, energy, assertiveness		Passion from the heart, raw passion, empowerment

Color	Color Totems
	New life, new phase
	Consistency, constant
	Mourning, loss
	Calm, non-confrontational
	Joy, pleasure
	Loyalty
	Patience
	Peace
	Honesty

Practice Engaging Your Inner Wisdom:
Have you thought about color in your life and how if affects you personally?  Using the tables above, which ones resonate with you?  Which ones do you think you could use in your life right now to help you on your path to inner wisdom?

If you're interested in learning more about my color system, please contact me for a complimentary consultation.  Now, get out and enjoy the colors of the seasons!