BEing - In the Eye of the Hurricane

As the pictures of Irene move ever closer to the lives of millions, I am reminded of what it is like to be in the throws of a storm. As we are tossed around by the challenges of life, we come to realize that the only control we have is our attitude and acceptance. The storms of the physical world are merely reflective of the turmoil we create in our lives by our unwillingness to come from a space of Love. It is in that calm, Loving center that we find true peace.

Having grown up in Houston, I have witnessed my share of hurricanes. I also remember the calm in the eye of the storm. I remember looking up and seeing the sun and blue sky where moments ago were raging winds and rain. That is where I choose to make my home. For me it is just a case of being fully conscious in the present, despite what appears to be turmoil around me. That is the illusion. For me there is only the now.

If I have but one life to live and am making it up as I go along, why would I choose other than to make it Loving and honoring of myself and others? If there is no present or future, only now, what more could I ask than being in a space of calm and Love. This is where I choose to be and what I choose to experience.

Going back to the eye of the hurricane…this is not a stagnant spot. As structures and lives are torn asunder, the eye continues to move over new territory for growth. Around me is devastation caused by the precursors of what is to follow. It is not easy to see what has happened unless you are able to take the broader view of destruction being necessary for creation on higher ground. I believe this is what is happening in the physical as well as the social and spiritual.

Societies and belief systems are being torn apart by the winds of change. The crumbling effigies to greed and fear are unable to withstand the earthquakes of awakening consciousness. The phoenix is emerging from the ashes and the sky is blue and bright with promise. The second wave is coming but only the fearful and inflexible will be washed out with the tide of change. Those who have aligned themselves with the attitudes of Love and forgiveness, compassion and courage have the tools required to weather the storms of life.

I am grateful to BE in the moment and riding the rising tide of growth and understanding. All else is illusion.

Penny

What If

I work daily with Return to Honor helping people on both sides of prison bars redirecting their lives in positive ways.  I was asked to write a few words of encouragement to those inside. It occurs to me that those on the other side are in many ways prisoners as well - trapped in their own self-limiting ways.  To me personal freedom is a choice we all make through our attitudes and choices.  I am  including the few words of encouragement I have come up with  express these views.

What If?

It seems life has given you a little “time out”. The only thing you really have that you can call your own is how you choose to perceive and experience this. This is the story you tell yourself and others that creates the reality you experience.

Some might say that life isn’t fair and it might not be. Some might say that they deserve an even break and they probably do. Some might think that the deck is stacked against them and it probably is. So??? How do you begin to change the things in your life that are not working for you? Perhaps what is called for is an attitude adjustment.

Since only you can choose how you deal with life, given the “realities” of what is, how do you intend to change the only thing you have control over which is your attitude? What if, just for today, you choose to treat ALL people honorably and respectfully – just because that is how you would like to be treated? What if, just for today, you choose to show up as someone who is caring and loving – just because that is how you would like to feel? What if, just for today, you choose to ignore the taunts and jeers of others, knowing that they are wounded and hurting themselves? What if, just for today, you step outside your fear and allow the true you to shine forth and enrich the lives of others? You can try this – just for today - and see how it feels to wear these new feelings. You may find that you rather like the new you and certainly those around you will feel and notice the difference.

Warning!!! Once you have begun this journey to self-understanding and self-appreciation it may be hard to return to the pain and misery of self-doubt and recrimination. That too is your choice. If things are working wonderfully for you and you feel loved and fulfilled, there is little motivation to change. If things are less than perfect, perhaps it is something you might wish to try on to see how you can create a more joyful reality. No charge but big rewards. You deserve it. Keep up the good work.

Penny Genter

Getting Clear

We are swimming in a primordial soup of experience. The patterns of life swirl around us and we attempt to decide which are capable of supporting us and getting us to the shore of fulfillment. How might this serve me in the short run? Will it evolve into something of greater meaning and promise? Should I keep paddling and risk going under or grasp what might be a life-raft of safety and security? Are my visions of Shangri-La unrealistic and unattainable or do they come from a place greater clarity and higher vision of what my soul is trying to show me? What lies around the bend that might change everything?

I for one have trod the calmer waters. While it was not uneventful, it gave me the opportunity to hone my skills as a navigator and get my sea legs. I know what to expect and have tested myself in many challenging situations. I have achieved my mastery. I am ready to move to the next level. I have the inner clarity to guide me through the fog.

One of the gifts of maturity is the ability to reflect on experiences and to discern the patterns that we have lived and how we might circumvent the next pitfalls in life. I choose not to take the dead ends again and to blaze new trails that lead to higher experience. This is the culmination of a life of my making. I intend to make it eventful and fulfilling.

Many are unwilling to let go of the safe and the known and venture past their comfort level. I know this to be a trap that would put me on a never-ending spiral of complacency. This is not what I have signed up for this time. I have been there and am wise enough to reach out and extricate myself from the trap. If not now, when would I be ready to step off the cliff of the unknown?

I choose to experience the richness of life filled with passion and experience. I will use the good china and crystal – not saving anything for the coming tomorrow. I intend to dance in the experience of life and not sit on the sidelines. This is the prime time and I fully intend to make it the best I can, holding nothing back. There is only now and it is magnificent because I choose to make and perceive it so.

I am willing to risk the scraps and bruises that come from being in the fray. They are the price we pay for living in the fullness of life. I Know that without risk, there is no reward. I intend to be richly rewarded because I choose to give to my fullest capacity – love, respect, and compassion. These are the seeds I am planting and this is the crop I intend to harvest. Everything else is fertilizer.

What this will look like – I haven’t a clue. I am stepping off the cliff and where the winds take me has yet to be determined. All I can control is how I choose to perceive life. It is my intention to make it a grand, passionate adventure. Everything else is details.

I have no doubt…

Penny