I am just THRILLED to Have a Cup

funny

lots of people tell me i am an optimist, i’m optimistic.

That is not my perception of myself - i believe i am a realist.

i don’t focus on the cup half- full OR half-empty 

- nor do I mean to project that into the future.

I don’t believe any of this is useful.

I am just THRILLED to Have a Cup

(and hoping to keep having a cup for a while longer ; )

I have a CUP!

I Get to play this challenging game, 

on this beautiful earth, 

with so many amazing characters, 

and unending scenarios to explore.

I can 

- enjoy it or not,

- seem to be winning or not.

Meanwhile, I can step-off the game board any time I choose.

I don’t HAVE to play.

But I do GET to play.

(I find this choice is very important to me, not just theoretically, 

but in my everyday processing of my life, experience of my challenges.

It is my choice, to play, so I might as well enjoy it!! ; )

I am blessed beyond measure 

- I can receive and drink it from my cup.

I know humans have an endless ability to take stuff for granted.

We can get used to almost anything - wonderful or terrible

So, it helps to remember:

I have a cup

and I get to decide, not just how to SEE it, but what to DO with it.

I chose to 

- play my own game.

- go Onward, Adventuring in the hero’s journey of my Soul.

I may or I may not be tilting at windmills

but I am happy and I live in hope.

So, I like my game, 

even when it isn’t so popular, 

or others don’t get it, 

or think I am losing the game.

My perception is, I am winning my game.

Because I am playing my own game and 

Beyond all reason and rationale and deserving and reasonable expectation 

I have a CUP, and a lot of opportunities to enjoy it.

The who, what, where, why, how

what it all means, what are the stories,

and what do i do about it? how do i live?

I have some working theories. 

Better ones than I used to have!

These days, I have some places to stand and how to operate my life, that seem to work really well.

I used to get all snarled-up.

and miserable about Meaning...

what does it all mean? what are supposed-tis? the stories about?…

But regardless of the meaning

(or gauging my current success or future outcome)

I have rarely heard better coaching than these 2 perspectives, 

which I have learned myself, the hard way, 

and bow to the wisdom of these men as well:

My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, 

but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate

— that's my philosophy.

- Thornton Wilder, The Skin of Our Teeth (1942) (I added white-space)

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart

and try to love the questions themselves,

like locked rooms and

like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue.

Do not now seek the answers,

which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them.

And the point is, to live everything.

Live the questions now.

Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it,

live along some distant day into the answer.

- Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet (1934) (I added white-space)

thanks for reading ; )

Wendy

.

the independence and interdependence of the major body chakras

I wrote this post to review and explicate some distinctions for recent meditation participants, and I thought I would share:

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel, which refers to the different energy centers within our body.

There are very many of these, all over our system - big and small.

Several years ago, the metaphor of the tiered tray started coming to me, as a way to see and nurture the relationship between the Major chakras of the body.

I like the image becasue it shows how the major body chakras are both independent and interdependent.

Each chakra is unique, with focused intelligence & genius, specialized abilities & responsibilities.

AND

All the chakras are connected:

the upper chakras build on the lower ones,

the lower ones are watered by the upper ones.

Leading to a cornucopia of blessing thoughout our own system

and fortifying us to BE who we are in the world, DOing what we are here to do, what only we can do!

.

It is vital that we gently awaken and nurture all of our energy centers to help us enjoy a powerful, integrated human life.

- If we want a sustainable and safe spiritual journey,

- if we want to enjoy our human embodied lifetime,

- if we want to expereince deep connection with others, and/or the bliss of Divine expereince,

- if we want to actively dive into spiritual evolution...

If we want any of these things, or most anything else in this life:

We cannot skip steps

We cannot run ahead to high spiritual experiences and ignore the base.

And at the same time, If we want a joyful, fulfilled human experience,

it behooves us to go beyond the basics of physical focus and existence, to spiritual depth.

Remembering and investing-in

- the independent fruition of

AND

- the interdependent relationship between

ALL our major chakras

So in very simple terms:

from grounding, being supported from the earth,

supporting our (1) root chakra,

our relationship with this reality - safe, basic needs met, belonging

supporting our (2) sacral chakra,

our relationship with our body experience, communication, expression

supporting our (3) solar plexis chakra,

our relationship with our will, power, the energy we need and how we use it.

supporting our (4) heart chakra,

our relationship with the spiritual Oneness that IS, All our Relations.

supporting our (5) throat chakra,

our relationship with communication, self-expression, the stories we live-in.

supporting our (6) brow chakra,

our relationship with how we see the truth, past the lies; seeing our Way.

supporting our (7) crown chakra,

our relationship with knowing our Way, Light, Love, Truth, Glory, Wisdom, Unique experience of the Divine... spiritually IN our body, engaged in our life.

And at the same time, the blessings of these upper chakras rain down upon the lower ones - enlivening, feeding, filling them with the water of life...

.

"He simply becomes friends with them and they give up the KKK on their own"

My friend Katie posted this link: This Man Spent Decades Befriending KKK Members. Hundreds Have Left the Group Because of Him

Katie said:

As an answer to the question, "What can we do?",
I offer this article.
If we want to see the hate dissipate, we need to engage in conversation.
Shouting from the roof top to deaf ears (and echo chambers) will do very little to move this country forward,
instead be mindful of your interactions with people.
Bring up the tough topics and discuss.
Be willing to listen AND share.

BTW, a documentary about this guy is now streaming on Netflix: “Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America”

The article contains this powerful quote:

He never tries to convert the Klansmen. He simply becomes friends with them and they give up the KKK on their own.

From my perspective, 

this is how life actually works.

What we Resist, persists.

What we run-from, chases us.

Jesus said: 

Resist not evil.

Love your Enemies.

What if Jesus wasn't just being spiritually revolutionary, 

what if he was being pragmatic? 

when he said:

"do good to those hating you, 

bless those cursing you, 

and pray for those accusing you falsely"

With a deep bow to race,

I would also like to note some of the other issues that divide us:

• religion/spirituality
• sexual orientation
• gender and gender orientation

• nationality and country of origin
• political and economic theories we identify-with…
• As well as our everyday human disagreements and conflicts.

The healing power of 

Communication, 

showing-up, 

being-with...

is huge IMO/E.

From my perspective:

Acceptance produces change.

Hate can only hurt, not Heal.

What is your wisdom, experience, theory? 

In practice, is this easy/hard to live?

in life! Wendy

Invitation: OWN your Voice Retreat: Upstate NY, Labor Day Weekend 2017

Are you Ready to Welcome, on a deeper level, your innate ability to:

• Live Solidly in your Truth, Rest in your Power, Bring your Presence, Share with Charisma

• Trust Love, Life, and your Unique and Beautiful Way, as you take the Stage in your Life 

• Feel more confident in Singing from your Center, with Freedom, Joy & Inspiration

Then please come enjoy passionate community, delicious food, beautiful Momma Nature, and an amazing opportunity to:

OWN Your Voice!

DARE to Say your Truth, Sing your Beauty: 

Soul Pathways to Freedom, Power, and shifting your Experience and your World

Retreat with co-facilitators: Ben Silver & Wendy R Wolf, 

and several other special guests to support you in body care, soul healing and tending to your singing voice, so you can bloom!

in Upstate NY (20 minutes North of Poughkeepsie, East of New Paltz)

Labor Day Weekend (Friday Sept 1st evening - Monday Sept 4th afternoon)

.

We will work and play together with:

• Body and Soul tools; learn & practice techniques and distinctions which help you act from a stable base, with creativity and passion, in your Singing, as well as in your life.

• Movement, breath, energy, meditation, focused intention and vocalization, to support you to gently open to deeper healing, transformation and self-expression.

• Large and small group interactions; as well as individual sessions, to address your personal self-care, challenges and opportunities. Support, training, modeling from folks who embody in various ways, where we want to go in Owning Your Own Voice. 

.

This all-inclusive, 3 day retreat is packed with goodies, and valued at $1300.

but we are offering this for the first time at half price: $649

*** Plus we are offering a Special Early-Bird rate of only $499 ***

if you Register by the end of July with $150 deposit.

Ways to SAVE: if your budget is tight, but you are committed to participating in this retreat, please be in touch ASAP,
- limited work-study discounts are available, as well as
- generous referral discounts (so please invite your friends, it’ll be more fun AND you will save) 

.

Please Email Wendy for more info, and to register.

You can see this thread of my blogs for more info, and I will be adding more soon, Logistics and such.

.

Let’s get together and practice with playful community, and then bring to our world:

- Showing-uo Consciously here & now, within yourself and Being Present in your life.

- Being who you are here to be, Making the difference only you can make. And

- Inspiring others to do the same - shifting our world!

:::

If you are interested, but unable to make this event:

- Email Wendy to stay in the loop for other events

and

- Mark your interest on this Facebook Event Page, we will be sharing on the DISCUSSION page: a taste of our our vision, as well as useful insights and practices to Own Your Voice: 

Take Your Place, on the Stage of Your Life: OWN your Voice Retreat: Upstate NY, Labor Day Weekend 2017

Are you Ready to Take Your Place, on the Stage of Your Life?

- Being Seen & Heard; Making your Unique Contribution.

- Knowing you Deserve to BE You, and to DO Your Thing.

- Realizing: we All Need to hear Your Voice in the Universal Chorus.

OWN Your Voice! Retreat - Upstate NY, Labor Day Weekend, 2017

Deepen into your birthright, be more:

- Free, to just Be, Do, Say... Simply Sing.

- Empowered, in your own free-will.

- Enlivened, to live, to grow, to blossom, as YOU.

Strengthen your strong and sure Foundation, within; supporting you to feel more:

- Safe & Sound; living & creating from a place of Ease – no matter what happens in your world.

- Worthy of attention & self-expression.

- Centered in the knowledge that You Matter; and your gifts & your message Matter.

Savor Peace & Quiet, the space to BE:

- Comfortable in your own skin; even as you go Higher, Wider, Wilder...

- Connecting & Communicating with self, others and the world; Hearing and being Heard.

- Present with Life and with your Song – pausing to magnify the deliciousness of the notes.

Heal into your Essential Wholeness, so you can enjoy Singing; become more able to:

- Shift your vibration by singing: access Beauty, bring Joy to your World... in your everyday life.

- Play, Risk with your voice... alone, in groups... Just Sing, sing a Song... without all the angst ; )

.

People Don’t Think of You as Much as You Think They Do

A friend share this post, which I really liked: 

8 Brutally Honest Truths You Need To Hear If You Want To Get Your Shit Together

and highlighted this: 

7. People Don’t Think of You as Much as You Think They Do
From our perspective, the whole world revolves around us, but there are 7 billion people who see it the same way. While we are not all inherently selfish or self-obsessed, we are all far more concerned with how we are perceived by others than how we perceive them.
So once again, embrace your true self and find peace in knowing that people are too concerned with themselves to give you as much as attention as you think they are.

This is a really important and powerful distinction, IMO.

Just Being With What IS: that I am not the center of the Universe for other people, is really powerful, and really helps me just show up, be myself, and do my thing. 

This distinction can help us set ourselves free - to allow the freedom that is Already Ours - so we can BE the Captain of our Lives.

I have found, if I show up to a general conversation and 

I have one interesting thing to share about what is up for me; 

just a few empowering sentences...
that is more than enough.
IF they listen that far, its unusual.

After that, if they Really are wanting to listen and share together, we can dance!
But, usually people are far more concerned with themselves, their sharing, their agenda, their needs...

People generally don't care very much about me, 

and most don't really want to know what is going on for me, 

or really want to have a Deep conversation...
Accepting this, and dancing with it, has helped me be happier.

If I really need to talk, or to be understood, or to be validated and supported - the best place to go, for me, is to Spirit.
From Spirit these needs are met, and I can be filled up with blessings:  I get what I need.
Then I don't go hungry to others, because chances are there is no cheese there.

When I come to a relationship full, not empty;
what I may receive from them is icing on the cake.
But either way, I get cake.
Yum, CAKE.

Jesus told me long ago, a similar thing.

I said HOW HOW HOW could you keep loving, and giving, and healing, and inspiring, and being so patient... loving in the face of all the BS?
To the last: 'Forgive them Father, they know not what they do...'

He said,
I was so filled with Love from Abba - so connected;
I was Love.

So, I was FREE.
I didn't need from them.
I only followed Abba.

Then, if they liked it or they didn't; if they loved me or they didn't - it was ok.
I was free to Just LOVE Them. 

And I could receive any love and validation they sent my way,
but I wasn't addicted to it, or manipulated by it.
I didn't need it, and it didn't influence me.

I was free to follow Abba and just love them,
no
matter
what.

This is very powerful teaching, from Jesus who is modeling an amazing way to live.
Jesus says this way of Freedom and BEing love in the world, is available to each one of us.

That is effin Good News, IMO.

You Are Love (hiding from that can only hurt)

I appreciate this video by Kyle Cease = The Dangers of Closing Your Heart 
I (quickly and dirty) transcribed the middle of the video - and added some bolding. 

: ) Wendy

" the story of your illusion is a lie: you are just unlimited love. That unlimited love is full of infinite creativity, that wants to do things that are a win, win, win for the world. You will create intense abundance for you. You will create lack of codependency. Because you are going to get 
more and more connected with yourself, and feel that you don’t need something outside of you… And feel good. And you will only align with people who have that same self-connection. Could you imagine? Whatever you want in a relationship, is what you need to become.  

thanks for photo: John Hain

You can only accept the level of love outside of you, at the level that you accept it with yourself.

So if you don’t love yourself, and you don’t love the scared little voice in you, and you don't spend time meditating and connecting to that; and someone comes and actually loves you, it’s horrifying! Because its bigger than you’ve let yourself have, so you sabotage it. And you go to people that will match your fear based place, and then you become a people pleaser. People pleasers can only attract takers. Right? Because when you are in your heart, and someone comes up to you and they are people pleasing, you can see it… They are saying to me immediately - ‘I’m less’ or 'I’m not worthy'. They are putting me in a place, that puts me in ‘I am superior’, or something. i don’t want that, I am the same as you guys. And if someone puts a separation in us, then it’s not going to work. So when you are in your heart, opening your heart is the most protective thing you can do. People are scared to open their heart; Because they won’t be protected. You will be divinely protected if you open your heart! Because, a fear based person with your heart closed, can only attract another person with their heart closed They are actually not cutting off anything, other than their connection to love and other people who truly love them. So you are cutting that off, and you are in fear, and you are a people pleaser. And you are either going to attract another people pleaser, or someone else who is cut-off and feels incomplete, and needs you to feel complete. So, now you are 2 addictions, keeping each other from accessing your heart. Right? …. As you connect with yourself more, you start to love every fear based thing…
"
.

Over time, I have found this kind of assumption a useful mirror:

"Whatever you want in a relationship,

is what you need to become."

I wonder,

what are you looking for in relationship?

and

what are you wanting outside yourself,

that perhaps you could be receiving directly

from yourself? Momma Earth? your Source?

.

if you want to read some of my perspective:
No matter what happens: LOVE IS

• .

When to be KIND? When to be NICE? (What’s the Difference?)

I believe it may assist us on our Way,

to become more aware of the distinctions between being KIND and being NICE.

So we can make conscious choices.

.

NICE

I see Nice as initiated for and carried through from the body-level, with a physical focus…

It is a vaneer, putting on a mask.

It is possibly an authentic expression in part of our system, but it is not the true reality of our whole system.

Nice is doing what is expected, pleasing, polite, socially acceptable, inoffensive, accommodating people.

We do this for reasons, such as:

– we don’t want to ruffle feathers.

– we want something from someone.

– we want to be loved, accepted, fit-in…

– we want to survive, to thrive.

– we want to gain, win, succeed.

… lots of reasons we do this.

Being Nice often looks like: saying Yes, inviting IN, over-Giving, under-Receiving.

People are often nice back, often appreciative – if they are not, there may be hell to pay.

Nice can be a conscious choice or it can merely become an unconscious default in our system/ behavior.

Nice is a tool for a greater-end,

a sometimes very useful tool,

but if used unconsciously, sometimes a tool that trips us up.

.

KIND

I see Kind as initiated for and carried through from a more spiritual center – whether or not we are conscious of this.

Kindness is a fruit of the spirit – a blessing that we can allow in to fill us, and to overflow through us, blessing the world.

And of course, Kindness is also the beingness and actions that arise from us toward each of our relations, in alignment with our Path, and theirs.

– Sometimes kindness can look or feel pleasant, sometimes not;

– Sometimes Giving, sometimes Receiving… sometimes Both, sometimes Neither;

– Sometimes kindness can be a Yes, sometimes a No;

– Sometimes Hello, sometimes Goodbye.

Sometimes folks will appreciate our kindness and sometimes not.

But, IMO/E, the important thing is to follow the Way
 - - which narturally serves Us And Them.

And to do what naturally arises, as we are IN the Kindness of the Holy One.

Kind can be a conscious choice or it can happen around us without our really noticing – just a fruit that grows as we walk our Path in Spirit.

Kindness is a reward in itself, and has no agenda.

.

Kind vs Nice

Us humans are a complicated bunch.

Sometimes, we are truely kind, other times really nice, often a mix of these…

(others times naughty, not nice at all ; )

It can be hard at first to tell the difference – within ourselves and in the behaviour of others

– Is this kind or is it nice?

– Is it real or is it Memorex ; )

I believe it is useful to start to know the difference.

And to start actively choosing how we play our own game, relative to kindness and being nice.

: ) Wendy

.

PS – what is your experience/ perspective?

– When to be KIND? When to be NICE? What’s the difference?

– when/where/why is it hard for you to be kind? to be nice?

– when/where/why would you choose not to be kind? to be nice?