The Storyteller Tells Her Stories
February 20, 2010
It’s time to take a leap. Every now and then in your life, more often then I’d like, it’s time to take a deeper plunge, a bigger risk and really go for the gold. So I am going to be writing and telling my own very personal and sometimes painful stories for the very first time.
Whew! Breathe.
It’s not easy! I make it look and seem easy for other people, that’s my gift. But damn it is really hard to do for myself. Luckily I have found just the right team as it honestly takes a team to pull these stories out of me. They don’t want to come out on their own.
These stories are like little long-fingered underwater creatures who are gripping onto the rocks so they don’t have to let go. Eeeeeek!
Why is it so scary to tell personal stories? Very personal stories.
Gosh, I could give you a long list of the reasons that it’s so scary. It seems silly to say but it actually feels life threatening to a part of us. Telling our stories is a way out of the box that we have lived in. We are bound by the emotions, the memories and the meanings of our past stories and thus like the famous Pandora’s box, we must liberate them.
Fortunately as I said, I have just the right team - I have my wonderful reliable weekly writing buddy whom I meet weekly at the local Barnes and Noble coffee shop so we can write together. We’ve been doing this for some months now.
In case you’d want to know my reason for meeting there - it’s because they have sunshine streaming in the windows (I need to feel warm), great Earl Grey tea (I need to have good tea) and a bag of delicious potato chips doesn’t hurt.
Basically it’s a good way to bribe myself to keep on going doing something that is hard!
Then I have my fabulous listening buddy who is helping me tell the stories orally. Written stories and orally told stories are two very different animals and so I know from my own story guiding of others, that the deeper, more painful and often more powerful stories need to be ‘listened out of you.’
My story Maestro listens to me very carefully. He is impeccable in his listening, which is what I really need. He does not trod on my heart nor make those kinds of comments afterwards that make you wish you’d never told your story. He wears a white velvet glove of purity that makes the telling easy.
To be impeccable in your listening you have to be out of your out of your own way - be really silent and really present.
But here is the best part of all. He also makes me laugh while I’m crying! Yesterday was a perfect example.
Yesterday as I was telling a difficult story (and blowing my nose through the telling), I suddenly heard an indescribable noise, a kind of ‘crkkkkrrrrrr‘ sound. Hmm, what was that???
He didn’t say anything about it and I heard him make an ‘uh huh‘ sound like he was listening, so I just carried on.
A minute later I couldn’t hear him, so I asked, “Are you there Chief?” (that’s one of my nicknames for him). Then there was the sound of scramble, scramble, scramble and then he says, “Yes I’m here. I just kicked the microphone over.” Perfect timing!
It was perfect timing. I started laughing so loudly that my crying and snorting turned into guffawing. It was a priceless moment.
Perfect for the storyteller to be paused mid-sob for a moment of sheer humor. My impeccable listener, who was working so hard to be there for me knocked over his microphone and was trying to retrieve it without interrupting.
I am still laughing just picturing him trying to rebound without disrupting my story. What a riot!
These are the precious moments of storytelling. In that moment I realized that it’s not just the telling of the story that is important, but every thing beautiful that surrounds it - the bonding that happens between two humans as they listen and share and the moments of pure delight when real life magic happens and humor appears out of nowhere.
This is the true magic of storytelling.
I am pr
oud, honored, scared and delighted to be telling my own raw and real stories. The deep ones, the raw ones, the ones that matter. If I can’t lead the way on then I’m not worth my metal.
Gotta leap, gotta take a dive.
Thanks to all my partners for supporting me. It takes a community to tell a story. I’d still be on the ledge without you. Thanks as well to all of my blog readers for caring about stories and storytelling. You make all the difference.
Stay tuned for more of the raw and real, the places we dive deep together and make life more fulfilling from taking risks.
Yours in diving into the heart of the matter and laughing about it all the way,
Annie
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The Transformative Power of Stories for Children
February 17, 2010
Annie: This is a beautiful story sent to me by Mike Blackstone a friend, colleague and blog reader of mine. He told some stories to his children with truly magical results. This really invites us to realize the transformative power of story. Thanks for sharing Mike. It really opened my heart.
Mike: A month ago I was invited to a lecture that was to take place last Sunday afternoon. I had completely forgotten about this lecture until it popped back into my mind 25 minutes before it was to begin. Interestingly, I had spent some quality time with my two little boys that morning, had all my “chores” done, so I told my wife Maureen I was going.
When I got to the lecture, I found out the speaker was an “ageless wisdom” guy which I don’t know much about. His theme was “Unfolding the Soul’s Purpose,” and among many things, he talked a little about reincarnation and astrology. I enjoyed it.
When I got home, I did a little research on the internet about him and about some of his subjects. I came across one little tidbit in an online astrology chart about focusing on “raising one’s children well,” and that struck a little heart chord. Hmm, could be a bit of a life purpose in there?
A couple of hours later I had this impulse and decided to tell my 6 year-old a story, and base it on the concept that we had lived other lives together. I completely improvised it. Here is the gist:
We were young brothers (Native Americans) in the 1800s. Out on an exploratory adventure, we were attacked by a mountain lion. It took all of our wits (mostly his) to both come out of it alive. Later we were attacked by a she-bear when we accidentally stumbled upon her cubs. Again our wits, mostly his, saved the day.
Several times during the story he said, with his head cocked to one side and his eyes narrowed, “Dad, you’re making this up, aren’t you?” Of course I denied it saying that that’s what I “remember.” But each time he asked me to keep telling the story.
About an hour later, my 9 year-old, Elliot, comes into my office and asks, very intently, “What did you tell Euan?” I said, “Why are you asking?” He replied, “Well, Euan said you TOLD him something!” “Do you want me to tell you something, too?” “Yes.” So I told Elliot a story, completely improvised, that went like this.
We were neighbor kids in the tenements of New York City in the late 1920s—best buddies who lived about a block apart. One day we were hanging out in the neighborhood, but I was about a block away around the corner with a couple of the guys. I heard loud voices and we came around the corner to see what was going on.
“I saw you (Elliot) surrounded by four rough guys from another neighborhood, and one started threatening you that they were going to beat you up. That kid turned, looked at his buddies to smile, and as he turned his head back, your fist lashed out, caught him square in the nose and knocked him clean onto his back.
There was blood everywhere. The other three were about to set on you but saw me and the other guys, grabbed their fallen comrade and beat a hasty retreat. They never came back.”
When I was done, Elliot floored me by saying, “Thanks, Dad, for telling me that story. And you know the part I liked the best? I didn’t need you to save me.”
I was dumbfounded in some wonderful way. The next morning, as I was taking them to school, Elliot said, “Thanks again for telling me that story, Dad, I really liked it.” And I wondered again what that was all about. He had never thanked me before for telling a story.
A few nights later I was tucking the boys in bed, I told Euan another story where we were both bridge builders, but he was a bridge designer. Right at that moment he nodded his head deeply in some sort of agreement, and he saved my life on a bridge-building site during an earthquake. Remember, he was the skeptic.
This time HE thanked me for telling him that story.
When he nodded his head it was pretty funny because he’s lately been into wearing a blindfold to bed—the kind you get on an airplane. So, I’m right by his face, softly telling him the story, he’s wearing his blindfold, and he starts to nod in agreement when I get to the “bridge designer” part. It melted my heart.
There have been a few more stories since, and, with how much they seem to love them, there WILL be many more.
I am still digesting all this, but I find it amazing. A couple of clues I’m looking at—Euan (6yrs) loves to build things and is a Lego maniac. Elliot (9 yrs) loves everything about the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and is determined to make his living as a pro wrestler.
Annie: Don’t you love this story? Sweet, simple ways to make a difference in the minds of children. Thanks Mike for sharing the transformative power of story.
Yours in always sharing the stories that matter,
Annie
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Sittin’ and well, just sittin’
February 10, 2010
I am taking a meditation class. Me who always thought that meditation sounded about as fun as getting my fingernails pulled out one at a time. The idea of trying to sit and be still made me want to flee!
But ironically I am loving it. I went and experienced an entire weekend of sitting and focusing on my breath and boy if you want to really experience your mind running around like a frantic rabbit, go to a meditation retreat.
Things I hadn’t thought about in years just insisted on coming to mind and coming and coming and coming. The interesting and cool thing though is that the object is not to get the mind to stop thinking. You can’t. So once I was relieved of the pressure of that, I actually started to enjoy it. Sort of.
Enjoy may not be quite the right word because honestly as soon as you start ‘enjoying’ it, you’re probably off in a fantasy land of thinking again. ‘Back to the breath Annie.‘ The idea is not to stop thinking or stop feeling but instead to continue to return to the breath by saying, “THINKING” any time you notice that you are thinking, which in the beginning is pretty damned often!
The thinking is incessant. The answer is yes and so in the first few ’sits’ it was pretty much just ‘thinking, thinking, thinking….oh big thinking….and more thinking.’ But even with all that, I tried to relax and have fun with it all. But not too much fun or that would have been more thinking!
You get the idea.
Well anyway it’s a good challenge. That is what I like about it. The idea of training my mind to become more like a skilled horse than a frantic rabbit really appeals to me. What I like more than that though is the philosophy behind it - that all of this leads to a kinder, more compassionate and enlightened society. I’m all for that.
So for me it’s worth the effort to feel my muscles ache and my mind run around crazy like a rabbit. If I can contribute just one small bit but my little sit then it will be a perfect fit. (I couldn’t resist the rhyme!)
The true test of my perfectly stable mind was that the guy next to me, someone whom I’ve known for years, is actually very hunky and cute. Hmm, let’s add that to the mix of things to not focus on!
I want you to know that I emerged intact. I fixed my aching back and have continued to practice once or twice a week since. I’m making a small goal for myself since I know how easily that not-yet-enlightened horse can bolt.
Today where ever you are, take a moment to experience the power of sittin’ and well just sittin’. Doing nothing is a very good thing.
Yours in always sharing the challenges to creating an enlightened life,
Annie
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Miracle Pants Story Part 2: “Fashion Fore-Warned”
February 8, 2010
I have very disappointing news folks. For those of you that read my story about the Miracle Pants my mother wanted to send - heartbreaking news is that they don’t come in my size!
I can hear you all shrieking, “OH NO,” right now as I did when I called the company and found out that even though they have petites, they don’t have a size 4 which is what I’d need. They begin at a size 8. I guess they don’t consider that fashion forward women like me can be tiny and on the cutting fashion edge at the same time. Bummer!
This means that a lot of my Miracle Pants plans have to change. Here’s where I won’t be able to do wearing my Miracle Pants:
- I won’t be wearing them to my niece’s college graduation, complete with high heeled lavender pumps. *She is thrilled about this.
- I won’t be co-staring in the next Charlies Angels movie with my flame proof Miracle Pants. I guess they are going to have to find someone else.
- I won’t be trekking the Great Wall of China in my hiking boots and Miracle Pants. I’m sure this would have been a first.
- And saddest of all is that on my next date, whenever that is, I will not be flirting with the love of my life in my Miracle Pants. (sob, sob, sob)
I know you’re all saddened to the core about this but don’t let it get you down. The good news is that if you’re a size 8 or larger, petite or otherwise - YOU can get the Miracle Pants. Just email me and I will personally send you an autographed copy of the ad and you can be well on your way to Miracle Pant heaven.
Before I end this sad story however, I know there are a few things that you were wondering about. You are certainly dying to know which colors I was going to order?? I had picked out sensible black, vibrant violent, charming turquoise and little bunny pink. All wonderful colors don’t you think?
You are probably also wondering, as my niece was when she said, “Annie what the heck are you going to do in these pants?” “Sweetie,” I answered, “I am going to go on dates, fly to Paris, walk down the street and wear them to your graduation.”
She was horrified by all of the above options. But as I said, unfortunately none of these Miracle Pant adventures will come to fruition, now or ever. (Sob, sob). Excuse me I’ve got to go get a tissue…..
Here’s the last thing you were wondering - what else could I have used these pants for? Well here are some comments from my loyal blog readers about the pants:
“Chuck Norris couldn’t rip those pants.”
“I bet they ward off wild animals and vampires too.”
“You are so funny! I’m still laughing. I could use some miracle pants! Pink and purple would be nice. People will see me coming when I ask them to volunteer.”
Well folks in lieu of wearing the miracle pants, I guess I’ll have to be adventurous in another way.
You’ve been fashion fore-warned. Today go out and get yourself a pair of flame proof pants and live a little dangerously!
Yours in always sharing a side of life that is better kept hidden,
Annie
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The Story of the Miracle Pants
January 25, 2010
My mother is adorable. At 90 years old she still lives in an old fashioned world of no cell phones, no email and $5 pairs of pants.
She called me the other day very excited. I hate to say this but usually when she is excited about something for me it’s often something that I dread. Her tastes and mine are often very different.
As a kid she would take me to buy new shoes and when we got to the store she’d say to me, “Go ahead and pick out the ones that you like.” As soon as I would pick out the coolest, hippest pair of shoes that an 8-year old could find, she’d say, “Oh not those. We’re going to get these sturdy brown ones.” You know the sensible kind? Ugh! My mother’s taste in shoes and mine were radically different.
So when she called me the other day very excited to say that she wanted to buy me some pants, I had a moment of excitement until I realized that ‘Ugh’, they might be a lot like the brown shoes of the past.
But my mother is 90 now and I decided that I don’t have to ward off her clothing choices anymore. I can open to them and share her excitement, whether I want the pants or not. So I called her back.
She was just dying to tell me about these amazing $5 polyester knit pants that come in so many exciting colors and are completely spill proof. She knows this because she spilled her breakfast all over them and was able to wash them right out in the sink and they didn’t even leave a stain. Wow, these really are miracle pants.
I got such a kick out of her excitement about them. In her mind they have so many benefits - little washing, spill-ability and absolutely no ironing!
I have to say that it was so darned adorable how enchanted my mother is over these miracle pants that I decided to let her send me the catalog so I can (get this) pick out 5 pairs of my own that she wants to buy me!
Now here’s the funny part - when I told my niece Devon about this, we laughed until we nearly peed ourselves. We started making up funny stories about these miracle pants and all the things that they can do. So we decided that in addition to the no ironing, the spill factor and the many lovely colors, these pants can also provide these benefits:
- if you happen to be walking by a burning building and you are wearing these pants, go ahead and go inside because they are completely fire proof!
- if you should cut yourself and are being rushed to the emergency room, there is no need to worry about the wound, just wrap your pants around it and they will cauterize it immediately.
- got a bad ex-husband lingering around? These pants will get rid of him in a jiffy, need I say why?
- don’t have time to change between work and night life? These pants can go from a full day at the office to a night of disco dancing with a simple change of shoes. Note that I say disco dancing as they will probably not be suitable for any other type of dancing.
- do you need to sharpen your kitchen knives but don’t know where to take them? Worry no more, you can sharpen them right on your pants - they are just like stainless steel. Just be careful of your leg underneath.
Now these are just some of the many benefits of these miracle pants and as I said earlier, they are only $5 a pair. But what I am thinking of doing is buying them up in bulk and offering them on my website for an amazing deal of $7.50 a pair (let me know if you want some). I might as well turn a little profit from this amazing discovery don’t you think?
I just love the idea of wearing my miracle pants around town and watching people turn their heads to wonder if I have just stepped out of the movie “Staying Alive” (remember with John Travolta?).
I have offered to wear these pants to my nieces college graduation. Remember they won’t wrinkle in my suitcase. She however has threatened to kill me if I do. Young people are so ungrateful these days, they just don’t get the beauty of things like miracle pants like these.
Ahh, the beauty of the days of old, when pants were only $5 and had so many multiple uses. My mother lives happily in days of yore and I’m happy for her and her lilac, ruby and brown miracle pants.
Aren’t you curious to find out what colors I get and where I wear them? Stay tuned or put in your vote for which uses of the miracle pants you’d like to see me use them for.
Yours in wearing the pants that can change the world,
Annie
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Corey’s Story Journey: Hanging a Picture Frame Around Your Life
January 22, 2010
When I started working with Annie Hart and Katie Gutierrez Painter on my book, I really had no idea where it was headed, or how it would all come together. In fact, like so many of my own clients, I often felt lost throughout this process.
Over the last eight months the three of us got together weekly and Annie pulled out my most poignant business, creative, and personal stories so that Katie could document them. But remaining objective was something I have not been able to do well. My view of my life is infinite, it has no edges, and yet, we have to put a frame around my stories to build the book. We have to give the stories context.
A short lesson on context. One thing I have learned through working with so many books is that readers, as they read, are constantly pulling information, ideas and lessons from what they are reading and are subconsciously filing them in their brain as they travel down the page. If an author fails to provide their reader with enough context, files quickly get backed up and create clutter as the brain slows down and tries to determine how to categorize them. For most readers, a single uncategorizable file can knock the reading experience off course. I call this a roadblock.
The brain starts directing extra focus towards determining how to unclog the road block. But information, like cars, is still being added to the equation. So now attention is being split between trying to unclog the road block and trying to direct new traffic to where it needs to go. One little road block can lead to a pile-up if an author is not careful. And a pile-up is a quick indication to a reader to drive in the other direction—away from what they’re reading!
Throughout the process of telling my stories, I have been waiting for the context to become apparent. I’m a strong believer in not forcing it, and so I have been patient. Then yesterday it happened. Annie and Katie and I were coming to the end of the storytelling portion of our work together and over the last couple weeks we had begun pulling out the themes we saw running through my life.
Simultaneously, I’ve been dealing with some very difficult company setbacks and trying to untangle some rough terrain. To be candid, I felt recently like I was watching my company fall down around me. From an authentic conversation around my life and the business, my picture frame popped out and into view. What a joyous moment to arrive at, and we did it together.
This weekend I plan on taking my first stab at the introduction to the book, and next week, Katie and I will begin to assemble my stories based on our new context. Phase 1 is over. Now we breath and enter phase 2.
From Annie: Corey has been a delight and a joy to work with over these months. Together we dove deep into the stories of his life and I am so happy that he’s able to go to phase 2 now. What a beautiful journey!
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Why Mystics Sit On Mountaintops
January 6, 2010
Have you ever thought about why mystics sit on mountaintops? I mean really, what the heck are they doing up there?
Some years ago I had the chance to visit a meditation hut on top of a small mountain and found out for myself just why mystics go to places like that. I was with a boyfriend at the time who was obnoxiously spiritual. In fact no he was a Mr. Spiritual Know-It-All!
Anyway he and I decided to take a trek to the ashram of a former yogi whom I had never heard of but apparently was very famous. Again Mr. Know-It-All knew the story but I was just following along for the fun. I can never ever resist a great adventure, especially the mystical type.
We went up this small mountain to find this charming hut in the woods, where apparently the master had lived the last years of his life. The story went that the master had spent many hours meditating in the hut and thus they had created a shrine for him in the room in which he meditated.
We walked into the room and I immediately felt a beautiful peaceful vibration. Again I didn’t know the master or his story, but there was a giant photo of his beautiful smiling serene face and I loved him immediately. I felt really grateful that I could come to ‘meet’ him, even though he was not there in person. I never let little things like that stop me from getting to know someone.
My (annoying) boyfriend and I sat down to ‘meditate‘. Please note here that the word meditate is not really accurate because I totally can’t meditate and I don’t enjoy it at all. But the part I didn’t tell you about the annoying boyfriend is that I was in a little bit of a ‘prove myself’ type of competition with him and I wasn’t going to tell him that I didn’t know how to meditate. Give him a chance to one up me?? No way!
Now I know you are wondering why I was with this spiritual jerk in the first place? But that’s another story that we’ll have to save for later. Now back to the mystic on the mountaintop….
We sat in front of the shrine, closed our eyes and meditated - he for real and me pretending. While I was pretending to meditate, I got very curious. I am naturally curious about people anyway but I started to think to myself, “Why the heck did the master spend the last years of his life in this little room, rather than out in the world teaching people?”
I was really curious about this. What I didn’t realize is that the master was actually listening. I swear on my dog that he answered me out loud (in my head).
He said, “The reason I was here is because when I’m here, I’m not really here, but I’m actually wherever I want to be.”
Wow, that was deep! What I got from that is that through his ‘meditation’ he could travel in his mind and effect change on whatever level he wanted to, where ever he wanted to.
Wow, that was cool. I had never heard anything like that before and I naively and excitedly opened my eyes and blurted out the story to my snooty boyfriend. When I told him what he said a look of horror came over his face. He said, “He said what?”
I told him again. Apparently it was one of the things that the master used to share regularly in his teachings. Unfortunately this made my boyfriend realize that this was an actual visitation by the renowned guru, rather than just a figment of my active imagination.
He was livid! He didn’t say so of course but I could see the veins pulsing in his neck. I am sure that he was wondering, “Why didn’t the master speak to me?”
And to that I would reply, “Because you were too busy being concerned with yourself!” Oops, I shouldn’t have said that (tee hee).
When I went to leave the shrine, I turned around to thank the master in my mind for his grace. He winked at me and said, “Dump the guy.” I swear on my dog he did!
So now you know that the reason mystics sat on mountain tops is because from there you can leave your small self behind and get a sense of the bigger (and more important) picture of life - something that my self-centered boyfriend desperately needed to do.
So did I dump him? The boyfriend that is? To get the answer to that, you’re going to have to trek to the top of that mountain top and ask the mystic. But don’t worry, it will do you good - there is lots of fresh air and a fresh perspective waiting for you there. At least that’s what happened for me.
In lieu of finding the mystic maybe today, see how you can let go of that limited point of view like my boyfriend had and seek to share. The mystic will like you for that and maybe he’ll even invite you to return to the top of the mountain for a visit.
Yours in sharing the mysteries of the world,
Annie
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Time Off Is Not Just A Nicety, It’s a Nice-essity
January 4, 2010
Ahhhh, the power of rest and nothingness. Through my retreat, I found the answer to one of my questions as to why I never really get traction in my life on the bigger, more important projects. It’s because they need the intensity of inspiration that only deep time, big space and nothingness can provide. Who would have thought that 8 days of blessed rest could provide so much?
I have learned so much on my retreat and am producing a very exciting creative project at the same time. I really wanted to know why certain things just never got off the ground and now I now. One of the biggest killers of inspiration is our incessant busyness. Did you hear that or were you just multi-tasking as you read this?
Ahhhh CAUGHT YOU!
Stop now if you can and just breathe. That’s better. It may not seem important because when we are going going going, it is addicted. Our brain habituates to it like candy and wants more. I realized on my retreat that it is really a swim upstream like a salmon to get yourself to really let go. It takes more than one or two days, I did 8 and it was just a mere beginning.
The wonderful glorious irony is that I produced more in the last 16 days since I’ve been on retreat than I had in many previous months. Yay, woo-hoo, woopie - the power of rest to provide a font of renewal and everflowing inspiration. I tapped into the secret that the mystics have always known - that to go off into the desert, even though I was at home, is a powerful and life-changing experience.
Ready for this? I’m writing a book about it. That’s one of my projects that are coming out of my tapping the realm of inspiration. And my little dog Miss Sweetie and I got some good bonding time in our daily naps.
Even though I’m back into the world (mostly), I’m still trying to stay aware of how to stay connected to the inspiration and not to the busyness. This morning creativity came first and emails second.
Now that is a FIRST!
Before you click off, breathe again and think about how creative inspiration really does come from that quiet, calm place and how can you add more of that to your life and less of the other - the incessant busyness?
It’s worth the effort, I promise.
Thanks to everyone for the wonderful quotes and inspirations you sent me. I appreciate all the love and support.
Yours in sharing a world of inspiration,
Annie
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Meta-Morphosis - In Search Of Something Bigger
December 30, 2009
If you’ve been following my blog lately, you know that I am on Creative Retreat, what I am calling my 42 days in the desert.
Today I received several very beautiful comments on my recent blog posts about the creative retreat. These folks really seemed to get it and I wanted to share that with you.
I believe they express it much better than I could because they are looking from the outside and I’m still in the cocoon! So enjoy these beautiful thoughts….
The first from a blogging friend Carrie on Skirt, who said, ” Annie, your recent posts have grabbed my attention! I’m in the same place and to hear it expressed with different words…it’s like what happens when you read a poem. Which, reminds me of the poem Metamorphosis, which begins: “Called beyond the confines of this chrysalis by a force I cannot see or name, I am compelled by pain and something bigger than myself to leave the protection of all that I have known.”
Isn’t that gorgeous? Compelled by pain and something bigger than myself. I love that part. That is exactly it, the pain of staying the same and not doing anything different calls us either into depression or into change. I’m choosing change, exactly because I want more for myself, for others and for the world.
The second from my wonderful fellow Speaker and Storyteller Max Brown wrote, “Annie I love your questions. I love your ability to face fear and publish it for us to experience with you as well. I love your heart and willingness to push for somethign more. I love your desire to push beyond comfort and all the while knowing things will get harder, yet you relish the challenge of it all.”
Bravo Max! That’s it too. The desire to push past the comfort and relish the challenge. Yes, that is saying YES to life!
It is darned easy to be lazy and let change come to you. It is much harder to seek it out and go right into the challenge, knowing that you will find gold. Everyone who wants more out of life needs this kind of challenge.
Last but not least was wonderful Eva Snijders, Coach and Storyteller from Spain with a quote from May Sarton, “It always comes back to the same necessity: go deep enough and there is a bedrock of truth, however hard.”
Exactly! That’s what I’m banking on and I’m also counting on all of you to create great new things in the new year. As I go back down under into quiet retreat for the next few days, I’m thinking of all of you. Continue to send your stories, encouragements, poems and comments.
I know what you are made of. You have great things inside of you wanting to get out and be expressed in the world. I’m here to say - You can do it. We just need to find the quiet, tackle the inner critic (by the way we’re par now) and do what mystics have always done which is go to the desert. And no that’s not dessert!
But please do send chocolates as I will really need them once I come out!
I’m thinking of all of you and the gold that you are made of.
Yours in seeking out the bigger and better in life, Annie
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Report From Down Deep: The Unfolding
December 28, 2009
The insights of the spiritual masters may seem quite surprising when you realize that they saw only with the naked mind. We have long held a view of spiritual knowing as something that happens randomly. However, study has shown that like science, the other way of knowing involves a clearly proscribed and rigorous discipline. Although it may sound contradictory, we are realizing that mystical seeing can be learned.
I am coming up for air for a few days. Just a little though because I am eager to go back down under into the deep. It has been very calm and peaceful here and I may never want to come back out. But I know that it’s not enough to just float off to other spiritual worlds. It’s about what you bring back to the world that counts.
So while I am enjoying my time deep down in, I am also keenly focused on producing something. That sounds like a paradox doesn’t it? Totally letting go and yet vigorously producing something at the same time? It is a paradox usually, one which our everyday world doesn’t embrace.
It’s usually either all or nothing - I either totally relax or I’m totally going for it. We desperately need vacations because we never really let go in our daily life. But sometimes even on vacation we can’t truly relax!
I am really letting go and something deeper and softer is emerging. I’m taking naps on the couch with my little dog, staying in my pajamas most of the day, drinking lots of hot lemonade and eating Tofurkey (which was really good by the way!)
It’s lovely.
And the inspiration is steady in coming. Every morning I get up and jot down all my ideas from the previous day. So far I have 10 days of notes and ideas compiled.
I’m still in the messy phase of not really knowing what this is going to be, but it’s all part of the creative process. That’s exactly why we need to go into the desert - to let life unravel a bit and not have everything so logically figured out. Creative inspiration comes from that place where life unravels.
It is a slow, soft unfolding of something that wants to come through me, sent by the Universe.
I’m sure that you have something in you that wants to unfold, unfurl and unravel as well. That is why I’m doing this. I hope to create a path that others can follow as well - how to go down deep and come up with the gold to share with the world.
We all have something inside that we want to give to the world, but we never really take the time or have the way to get it up and out from down in deep out into the places where it really matters.
I am unfolding and it’s a beautiful nourishing process. I’ll be back again in a few days to give you another report.
THANK YOU to all of you who sent me comments, ideas and encouragement. Keep ‘em coming! The Inner Critic hasn’t gotten the best of me yet. We’re going head to head but she ain’t winning and I’m learning a lot in the process.
Yours in the beauty of life unfolding,
Annie
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