Why You Need to “Brake” for Creativity

Aug 132013
 

A little friend in our yard last fall …

Certainly you’re aware that lots of people have bumper stickers stating what they brake for, such as:

“I brake for wildlife”

or (here in the Southwest)

“I brake for tarantulas”.

Just think. The way we all race around, going from here to there, if people didn’t brake for these things, their existence would be drastically reduced, right?

So it’s wonderful that people brake for those things!

In a similar way, our willingness to brake break for creativity will help it thrive, too!

The Creative State

Do you ever notice how, when you wake up in the morning, you’re in a super intuitive and creative space? That’s when a lot of exciting ideas come flooding in. You’re inspired.

This also happens when you’re relaxed and not in “thinking mode”, e.g. taking a walk, relaxing in a warm bath, driving long deserted stretches, etc.

In those cases, you’re not actively thinking … You’re more or less receiving. Your antennae are out there tuning into ideas that weren’t within your scope until then.

You’re connecting with that field of all possibilities … with your Source.

Touching in periodically with that space of no-mind puts you in that same state.

And that’s where your power, creativity, and intuitive wisdom reside.

Today we’re going to open to that space intentionally. And as you practice this one simple activity, both your creativity and intuition will get stronger and will grow day by day.

Today: Break for Creativity

Whenever you think of it, take a moment to break from what you are doing and simply be here now.

When you do this, let go of actively thinking and use all your senses. Look around and see what’s going on in your environment. Hear the birds singing? Feel the breeze on your arm? Notice any scents? Do you have any tastes in your mouth?

Do a quick scan from head to toe: What does your body feel like physically? How are you feeling emotionally?

And now, without focusing on any particular thing, just allow your attention to wander.

Is there any thought that pops into this empty space you are creating? Or anything you seem to just know? Note all of these things.

Taking these mini-breaks gives your creativity a little space to breathe.

More often than not, this will in turn lead to great ideas, inspiration, and yes, even intuition about what you were doing that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

As you do this periodically, you’ll benefit from these brief “re-groupings” and you’ll notice that a wonderful clarity remains with you go about your day.

There will be space between your thoughts for ideas and inspiration to enter your awareness.

Those ideas are coming from your essence, and opening to them keeps you on track to fulfill your deepest dreams.

Experience Your Life as a Playground

Apr 212013
 

Life is your playground!This really is the most important thing I could possibly say.

But bear with me, as it’s a whole different paradigm than most people live by.

When you know who and what you truly are, in your essence, you will realize that you are not at stake here in this life.

That frees you to simply enjoy it, challenges and all.

I know. I’ve been through some major challenges, the most recent being a major financial loss. It could have been devastating but for this new way of BEing that I picked up along the way.

Presence, or the Open State

It’s about living in Presence, one experience of what I call the Open State.

If you’ve followed Eckhart Tolle, you may have an idea what Presence is.

But I also think that many of us (because I did it in the beginning, too) have a shallow understanding of what Presence actually is.

It’s NOT simply being in the moment in the sense of experiencing what’s in front of you right then, although that’s a helpful way to finally get to it.

It’s not even just about practicing mindfulness – that’s more a way to enjoy and “play” (which I’ll talk more about below).

It’s about going a level deeper than that.

It’s about BEing in that moment fully and to such a degree that you are aware of your immortal nature.

You become aware of the space or silence or stillness that Eckhart refers to.

You become aware of the still field that is omnipresent, existing throughout all things.

The field that you ARE.

The awareness that you ARE.

Once you’ve experienced this, you just know that you are not threatened by anything happening “out there” (more on “out there” later ;-)). You are not helped by it, nor are you harmed by it.

And then, as you experience it more and more, this knowing becomes a part of who you are as a personality, and you begin to live much more in peace.

In joy, ease, and lightness.

Fear begins to melt away.

The love that you are in essence begins to express, naturally, as compassion for everything and everyone, for you know that it is all YOU.

And you don’t just know or believe it intellectually. You know it through and through.

Then you’ll begin to see that this you, this essence that exists prior to manifestation, is what unfolds or emerges AS as your life, including you as a thinking, acting human being. (This is the level at which we work and play during a Holographic Emergence™ session. This you, and these subtle layers that are the blueprint for what manifests.)

But still, YOU are not affected by it in any way. Not really.

And you know this.

Which frees you to play with it, no matter how your mind might judge it.

You get to fully experience lila, or Divine play. (For you are Divine! :-))

And you experience your life as one giant playground, full of all kinds of new experiences!

Help Along the Way: Amazing Resources

I’ve come to this over time primarily with the remarkable guidance of 2 enlightened beings.

1) Eckhart Tolle. I can’t recommend his work enough. I’ve read his books several times, each time getting something deeper and richer. I listen to his audios over and over, again hearing or absorbing exactly what’s needed to keep me moving each day toward this state of BEing.

2) John Sherman. His work at River Ganga is extraordinary. Without him, I don’t think I’d have really gotten even what Eckhart offers. His teaching is one-pointed, i.e. Look at Yourself. It’s through this extremely simple practice that I have really grokked who/what I am. I mean really, really got it, to the core. I no longer simply experienced the stillness. It became clear that that is what I AM, and that stillness is ultra-aware. It’s pure consciousness. It’s awareness. It’s me.

Both Eckhart and John illuminate in a new and accessible way what the Eastern Masters have been saying for millennia. I spent quite a long time immersed in Eastern philosophy. The world they so beautifully describe is nothing short of heaven on earth. (Have you ever read the Upanishads? They’re breathtakingly beautiful!) I’ve meditated for decades and meditation is, of course, helpful.

But it wasn’t until I became aware of these two and dove deeply into their teachings that I was able to actually access it; to benefit in a meaningful and profound way, and to really begin to become more consciously this Light that we all are.

A Path, not a Destination

I’m still growing. I don’t consider myself an enlightened master – yet. 😉

The good news is you don’t have to be at the summit to experience extraordinary benefits.

Little by little we become more and more conscious of who and what we are.

And little by little, we emerge as our true, authentic, essence. And this unfolding is rich and satisfying.

No matter what.

Namasté,

Patti

What are your thoughts about Presence? Or better yet, what’s your experience of it? Please let us know in the comments!

Want to learn more about Emergence – plus experience a session yourself?

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Why I Love the Open State — and You Will Too

Mar 282013
 

The Open State is the answer to everything, IMHO.

I think it’s what my life here is all about.

I’m about to launch a series of posts on the Open State, starting next week.

Let me give you an idea of what it’s about so you’ll know if you want to check back in.

The Open State

First, what is the Open State?

Really, it’s BEing who or what we are, in essence. In the series, I’ll talk more about what I mean by this and how you can get there yourself.

Second, what’s the value in it?

In a nutshell, I think the answer is two-fold.

One, it’s a powerful foundation for manifesting. It’s the state that is fundamental to my Holographic Emergence™ practice which is about tweaking how things manifest. In a broader sense, it’s a way to live, or rather to BE, so that life on this plane manifests beautifully as you go.

I mention this first because so many of you are focused on how to manifest consciously. And so am I. But I see this as something we are here to “play” with. And having that attitude of play rather than need comes naturally right along with it.

Secondly, and most importantly, it allows you to enjoy life, no matter what. It’s somewhat akin to moksha, or the spiritual liberation that many of the Eastern masters speak of. So even when our life situation is not to our liking, we have a sense of the bigger picture and do not feel threatened in any way.

I’m an avid “student”** of Eckhart Tolle, and one of his quotes from The Power of Now that recently “appeared” in my life again is this:

The Joy Of Being

To alert you that you have allowed yourself to be taken over by psychological time, you can use a simple criterion. Ask yourself: Is there joy, ease, and lightness in what I am doing? If there isn’t, then time is covering up the present moment, and life is perceived as a burden or a struggle.

He goes on to explain:

If there is no joy, ease, or lightness in what you are doing, it does not necessarily mean that you need to change what you are doing. It may be sufficient to change the how. “How” is always more important than “what.“

In other words, are you living in the Open State?

I made the image at the top of this post to use as one of my desktop backgrounds, for when I want a reminder to check in. Feel free to download it (right-click on it and save image as …) and use it if you’d like.

So that’s a quick over-view and if you find it intriguing at all, I hope you’ll come back – and please let your friends know about the series, too!

More Joy, Ease, and Lightness

And speaking of joy, ease, and lightness: It’s spring here in New Mexico and the hummingbirds usually return around now. I just love their spirit and to me they represent such joy and lightness (even though they fight like the dickens sometimes) — the same way I would describe my own sense of BEing when I’m living in the Open State. I like to let them be harbingers of that for me.

So on that light note, I want to share this one-minute video with you. It makes me smile. 🙂 (And notice how one of them is sitting on my finger. I was thrilled!)

I hope you have a *wonder-ful* Easter.

May it be

a new beginning

where you emerge

as the joy, ease, and lightness

that you are!

** I put “student” in quotes because Tolle also says (again, in The Power of Now):

I am not teaching you. You are consciousness, and you are listening to yourself.

Yes!

Aren’t we amazing?!

Until next time … Lots of blessings,

Patti

Emergence as a Way of Being … and Playing!

Oct 162012
 

A Way of Being, with Fun on Top!Did you know that the most powerful way to practice Emergence requires no overhead at all?

Granted, the sessions themselves are short and fun, but there’s another even more basic aspect of Emergence I want to be really clear about:

Emergence is not so much an activity.
It’s a way of Being.

And then, on top of that way of Being, there are some ways you can apply quantum principles to help encourage your essence to emerge in a certain way. These are what comprise a session.

Spirited Play

But you can’t facilitate sessions with a sense of desperation or even need. It just doesn’t work that way.

It’s got to be in the spirit of fun, and play. Because that’s what this world of form is. It’s a playground!

I know, I know.

I, too, have had some big challenges that sure don’t feel like fun.

But that’s the trick – to get to that place where even difficult things can be appreciated at least as adventures!

In the memorable words of John Sherman,

“You are not at stake here!”

Your Essence is Immortal and Untouchable

We (as consciousness, awareness, essence) are never affected in any way by what’s occurring in our lives. And that means not only “outward” seeming events and situations, but even what most consider “inner” movements such as thoughts and feelings.

They are not you!

Well, okay … in a way they are because they are your essence emerging and not apart from you, but they are not you as your divine, immortal Being.

It’s helpful to “get” that. Understanding it is a start but ultimately you want to live it.

So once you are actually operating consistently from that state of Being, you’ll find that your life unfolds much more harmoniously than if you’re not.

And even when it doesn’t, you are able to appreciate it for what it is.

It’s a movement of your own consciousness
that you, as your divine self,
are getting to experience.

How amazing and cool is that?!

Fun with Form

And then, just for fun, you can learn to do Emergence “sessions” to intentionally play in the quantum field — that same field of consciousness or awareness that is your essence — to help shift how you are emerging. In other words, to affect the world of form that you experience.

And this blog discusses all of the above. If you read my posts, and apply the periodic exercises or suggestions, you ought to be able to learn a lot just from that.

Thank you!

Patti

 

 

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Week 1: Recognize Your Spirit & Breathe

Dec 022011
 

Did you catch a glimpse of your elusive spirit this week? The one that sometimes hides out when you’re looking the other way?

This is the end of Week 1 of the 10 week online course “The Answer is Simple”. And week 1 was precisely about how to recognize that spirit of yours!

(The entire course is offered free by Sonia Choquette, and some of us are working it together here with a discussion at the end of each week. Join us!)

This Week’s Concept

Here are a few notes I jotted down as I watched the first Week 1 video:

• Who you are is not your story, ego, history, accomplishments, family, personality, community, etc.

• You are a spirit. You are unlimited! All those other things have limits, but you don’t. So change your identity. Say I am a divine, glorious, unlimited spirit!

• Spirit has personality. There are different kinds of spirits, e.g. Sonia says she is fiery. Some are calm, soothing, grounded. What kind are you?

• The key is to know that you are divine.

• Recognize and enjoy spirit. It’s beautiful and perfect. It is so powerful it gives you life.

• We’re here to grow. Life is school.

• Understanding your spirit makes life and lessons easier to navigate. It makes ups and downs more pleasurable to engage in. You’re immune.

• Notice Spirit frequency vs. Ego frequency

• Ego is insecure, etc. When you’re in ego frequency, you feel separate and pull away. You’re fearful, judgemental, etc.

• Spirit frequency is always peace, love, etc. You want to connect and participate.

• Practice and concentrate on recognizing your spirit.

• What do you love? What do you enjoy? What leaves you feeling inspired? Notice how your energy opens up.

My Comments

OK, yes, I’m going to do it. I’m going to disagree with Sonia on a few nuances. 🙂

1. I think our spirits are a part of us (a more subtle version of our physical bodies), but I don’t think we are our spirits.

I think that our essential nature is even more basic than our spirits.

She says our spirits are all different (i.e. hers is fiery, some are calm, etc.) and as I understand it, she is speaking of something that is manifesting at some level. If it weren’t it wouldn’t have characteristics, even subtle ones. (Then during the practice video, she says that our spirits are all the same spirit, which sounds a little like a contradiction to me. I do agree we are all one, but our spirits exist as subtle energy bodies and are not the same spirit any more than our left thumbs are the same thumb.)

I think that at our core, we are pure consciousness. That might not even be the right word for it, but it’s a beingness that doesn’t have any “qualities” that we can perceive. It doesn’t change at all that I can tell. It’s always the same.

And I said I “think” that, but I’ve come to that idea through experience. It’s not just something I read or heard.

The best I can do to describe what I’m talking about is to refer you to John Sherman’s conversations so you can see for yourself.

2. I’ve been playing with getting the word “unbound” (or something similar) into my tagline. I take all her talk about us being unlimited as an encouraging nudge.

3. Another slight disagreement. I used to agree that life is a school, but now I’m not so sure.

I think we’re here to simply participate and enjoy (I like the Sanskrit word “lila” for this, the divine play) even more than we are here to learn and grow. We automatically grow and evolve just by being.

4. I agree that at our core, we’re immune. I don’t know that I believe our “spirits” are totally immune. Our spirits are still energy patterns (albeit subtle ones) and still subject to impermanence. Our basic selves are not; they are — or it is — immortal.

So, all that said, sometimes I “look at me”, or sometimes to my spirit. It depends on the application.

What do you think about the concepts she talked about?

This Week’s Practice

Here are a few more notes I jotted down when I watched the second Week 1 video:

Breathing brings you into spirit frequency. When in ego, you hold your breath.

  1. Breathe
  2. Share a breath with several different people (or pets). There’s only one spirit. (Here’s where I saw that contradiction I mentioned above.)
  3. Notice how doing this lifts your vibration and opens your heart.
  4. Energize yourself with breath when you’re in ego.

My Experiences this Week

First, I did pay more attention than I would have if I were just doing this on my own, so thanks to all of you who jumped in to do this with me! 😀 I do think I got more from it as a result.

I made it a point to revisit the idea that I am not this personality; I am much more essential and basic than that. And more than just revisiting an idea, I actually did more of the “Looking” this week.

Monday I found myself in a total funk. Total. Funk. (On Weds. before Thanksgiving I impulsively decided to take Monday off. Now I know why! I knew at a deeper level than my conscious mind did that I was going to need it!)

I felt really pissy but at some level was still compelled to examine what was going on. I also did some Emergence which included some Channeling about it, and the results of that session were marvelous. Within the next few hours I just kept feeling better and better.

I took some time to do the breathing like Sonia suggested. I did notice that when I was upset in some way, my breathing was shallow … and I was in ego frequency like she said. When I focused on my breathing, and on breathing deeply, I was able to easily get in touch with my spirit as she described it. It felt good.

Your Turn

What do you have to say about the concept? What were your experiences? Can you make any suggestions or have some ideas for others?

Anything goes!

Please feel free to reply to each other, and maybe we can get a discussion going. (If it’s especially substantial, I’ll make a post out of it.)

If you’re not working the course, you can still jump in with your thoughts. And next week you might want to join us!

Also, since this is the first week, I’m playing around with the format of this weekly discussion/report post. Fellow-ettes: Let me know if you want to see something different. 😉

Thanks for joining in! 😀

And now: On to week 2! See you next Friday!

Quick note: Thanks to Lindsay at The Daily Awe, Lightspirited Being has been nominated as the “Best Personal Development Blog of 2011“!

I’d be thrilled to make it into the top 50 but can’t do it without you.

If you like this blog, I’d so appreciate it if you’d head over there and cast a vote for it. All you have to do is say you “vote for Lightspirited Being” in their comments section. Thank you! ♥

> > > Special GIVEAWAY Announcement < < <

I’m finding that a lot of people who like my services hang out on facebook instead of blogs. I’m trying to spread my wings there and would appreciate your help. :-)

To that end, I’m giving away 2 readings, YOUR CHOICE of 3 types! You can choose a:

All I ask is that you:

1) “Like” Lightspirited Being on facebook (button to the right if you’re reading this from the blog) AND

2) Write on Lightspirited Being’s facebook wall that you want to be in the “Solstice Drawing”

That’s it!

I’ll draw 2 qualifying recipients on the Solstice (Dec. 21 here in NM). Please feel free to spread the word until then.

Thanks so much — and good luck!

 

A Message About Your Relationship to Love

Feb 212011
 

Something rather startling happened to me in late 1992, soon after my dad passed away. It was both comforting and revelatory in its simple wisdom.

Several of my siblings and I were from out of town and were staying at his home. I’d been feeling his presence strongly, and made it a point during the days surrounding the funeral to take some quiet time alone to connect with him.

On one of these occasions I was telling him I loved him. I was crying and my heart was wide open.

And just as I said “Dad, I love you so much.” I heard, almost as if someone were in the room with me:

“You are love.”

I was struck by both the clarity and the simplicity of how the message came through, and what it implied. Also by how strongly it rang true.

Over the course of the next weeks and months, I found comfort in that experience. It really felt like I’d had a goodbye connection with Dad. I don’t know for sure but can’t explain otherwise how that message could have come through so strongly.

When we divided up Dad’s belongings, my sister got Dad’s wedding ring. It gave me an idea. A few months later I bought a ring to wear to remind me of Dad and the message I was given. I’ve since lost it but replaced it with this one that’s even more fitting, which I wear all the time. (Don’t you just love that it has wings? I won’t even start with the symbolism of that!)

As time’s gone on, I’ve found the message valuable in itself. It comes to mind often. It’s an interesting and useful idea to me. It’s a reminder of what I feel and believe we are; what our essence is.

It means that love is our natural state of being. Or maybe it’s even more simple than that, independent of states … or “being” even. We just are it! We just are love, and we couldn’t not be it even if we tried!

We don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary to “try” to love, to try to be compassionate, to try to forgive, etc.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we automatically do those things. It doesn’t mean we always express ourselves as the love that we are, showing constant compassion and forgiveness. Or even confrontation when it’s called for, and those aspects of expressing love that require courage, that are not all sugar and spice on the surface.

I’m seeing more and more that this life is about our stripping away that which is not us so that what we are (love?) can shine its light.

Not additive, but subtractive.

Simple.

As simple as that profound message I was given on that special day.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

So, you probably notice I’m having a little love fest this month. I’m between Valentine’s Day and my wedding anniversary (hmm, I guess that’s always true, isn’t it?!)

Plus, I’m listening to my heart a lot. And that feels like love (or something really good)!

I’m interested to hear what you might have to say about love. Do you think it’s an action or an essence, a way of being? Do you think it’s something we can add unto ourselves or others?

Do you think you are it?

Even more, I’d love to hear if you’ve ever received any messages that were brand new in the moment yet held up over time, like this one has for me. Surely you must have! Are you willing to share them?

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