Downward spirals can be gifts

In a mentoring adventure I am currently on a question was asked,

"When you are in the midst of the downward spiral, do you know the tide will turn? What would it be like if you could lift yourself up and gain the perspective that allows you to see the beauty of the entire process? Would that change your capacity to experience beauty in the heat of the most difficult moments?" (Robin Rice - Be Who You Are)

In the midst of a downward spiral, I know spiritually that it will turn, but there are times either when I can not or could not see it.  There are other times when I can be the sacred witness to an event that truely brings home the beauty that surrounds us in every spiral.

When my dad was dying of AML, the last three months of his life I had the gift of being able to go spend time with him.  The last three weeks I got to spend a majority of the time with him.  It was one of the most difficult experiences that I have ever gone through; yet also one of the most beautiful.  To watch your dad go through the last days of life, the stages of oxygen starvation and watch your mom say goodbye to the man she has spent the last 40 years with was beyond difficult.  Yet, in the moments of lucidity that my dad had, it was absolutely without question some of the most beautiful moments of my life.

Being able to be a sacred witness rather than simply a grieving daughter was only one of the special gifts.   I remember the last lucid conversation like it was happening today.  I remember the last words spoken.  I remember the last breath and watching the bliss as my dad crossed and reminded me of the rainbows.
Even at the celebration of life that was held for my dad, I was delivering his eulogy looking out at the congregation, the church overflowing with those who had been touched by my dad's soul.  As I was finishing sharing about my dad someone whispered to me, "Carla come outside".   Over the church was a double rainbow.  My dad came to celebrate his life with us.  It was beautiful in the middle of deep grief.

There are times when a downward spiral can feel as though it will never cease; when we can simply become the sacred witness and see the whole picture rather than our own emotional perspective the gifts can appear for us to open and savor.  

Words are Weapons Too

Again, it happened.   I posted a thank you to the US Military for the service they provide in honor of my daughter and her young man.  Another questioned not only my support, but my walking truth of being a spiritual person.  I wish to address a few questions asked of me from the post.

First, yes I consider myself a spiritual person.  "Could you please explain to me how suppression ever could lead to freedom?"  First, the post was to show support for my daughter period.  It does not make a political statement as to whether I agree with suppression, war, fear, or death.  I do not agree with the shooting recently that occurred in Arizona; yet, no one questions supporting the families that were involved.

Regardless of whether a person agrees with the actions of the US Military, it is surprising (actually rather shocking) that anyone would question the spirit of a mother supporting her child.

I was further asked if I "ever think of the other side when sending troops into the world?"  I don't send troops into the world.  I don't promote sending troops into the world.  I do exercise my right as a US citizen to vote in order to express my opinion during the election process.  To answer the question of whether I consider the arguments of the other side being justified - I believe, as is in all of life, there are multiple sides of every story.  Each side is considered by the perception of the person who is reading the story.  Each person is going to find it necessary in this world of linear thinking that it is necessary to take a side.

So let me set this part of the record straight from my perspective and my side of the story - I do not support war, I do not support inflicting pain, torture or killing regardless of what name it is done under.  

 "Did you mourn with the families of those killed by your troops?   Did you respect other territories?  I guess no!"   It is statements such as this that continue the negativity and conflict between persons of different religions, cultures, and countries.  I go back to the statement that there are always multiple sides to a story.  For anyone to attack another because of their own perceptions is (in my humble opinion) the same as attacking in war.  The energetics are the same.

"Only when the leaders WORLD-WIDE start to respect each other, to respect the rights of the small man, to respect territories, nature and the right to express one's free will, true peace will become reality."  This followed the attack upon my posting.  I wonder where the right to express my free will, free expression, and love of my child was ....

Let me recap here, I thank our military - the US Military - My daughter, Patrick, My brother, My father, My grandfather, My uncles, My aunts, My cousins, My nephews, and My nieces who either are currently serving, served, or who have passed to another life.  I thank them and am grateful for what they do.  I thank the young men and women who pay the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.

I pray for the other mom's out there who support their children in the decisions that they make to serve in the military.  I pray for the hearts and souls of all involved and that they all come home. I pray for the mom's on the other side who are also just supporting their children and simply want them to come home safely that night.
I pray daily for all the world leaders to begin to see war is not the answer but respect that I do not want their job either as a world leader.

I pray most of all for those who attack verbally the simplicity of honoring, showing gratitude, and love for a child.  I pray that they are given a moment to pause and reflect upon words are weapons.

Follow Your "True Calling" - Jana Stanfield

My Journey With A Shark

Yesterday, I was at an event where we worked with a variety of tools to expand your awareness in order to create open hearts for manifestation of visions.  At one point we were asked to get up and move tables to sit with total strangers.  The object was to take you out of your comfort zone and open your heart and soul without reservation with a stranger.  WOW!  As we were at this table we were asked to go through a process of sharing our deep personal vision, our story, our fears, and our obstacles.  As we did this we were sharing power animals, power colors, and power foods.  A man at my table said to me "you know you are a shark".  I was a tad bit disturbed,  A shark in my mind was a dangerous predatory animal.

I asked why the man thought this.  He shared a bit of what he perceived the shark to be, qualifying that he was not this intuitive or new age type of person so who knows!  He actually had a very mundane linear and analytical job in the air craft industry.  I think the first time a person gives their intuition in a safe environment like that, it is probably the most accurate they will ever be.  So I listened.

I am not a water person, preferring my feet firmly planted in the dirt and sitting in front of a fire.  A shark obviously is a water animal and the thought of taking a journey with a shark was not something I was all excited about, to be quiet frank.  What I learned was the beauty of the ocean is as grandeur as the beauty of any fire.   The shark I shared this journey with was fluid and energetically a soul that was so evolved that I was in awe of the wisdom.  From the lessons of regeneration to battle, each a treasured gift.  What I share here is only a tiny portion of the journey.

The biggest gift's of the journey was seeing never to wait on life - to act upon life.  Don't wait for opportunities, make opportunities.  Don't impose upon other "eco-systems" but allow other systems.  Be an authority on my life - know precisely what I am about and seize my life with verve.  Protect what is sacred in life without hesitation.

I was amazed at the honed senses of the shark.  It perceives things  with sight, smell, and touch.  It showed me that in reality the senses show me nothing if I do not interpret them correctly.  I need to be acutely aware of what the sense is telling me and be willing to listen to the "gut feeling", taking it one step further and having the courage to act upon what I believe it is telling me.  I had been shown the value of being a sacred observer earlier in the week, to travel with the shark really brought home the absolute necessity of this action.

The energetic vibrations sent out by the shark as you watch it was incredible.  It would actually pulsate out when it was peaceful and when it was on the ready as a predator.  Every creature seemed to understand and know intuitively what change in their own behavior was necessary.  The shark not only could read others with precision but could emit the same energy to let others know what its internal sense was.  Boundaries!!!
I had also thought that sharks were completely solitary in nature, it was interesting to see that the shark I journeyed with was actually very social.  Though it would go off to swim the floor of the ocean at times.  It was adaptable.

The shark revealed to me its protection.  Its protection in both strength and wisdom in negotiating the worlds of the oceans that it resides in and the worlds of the river's of life.  Its innate power and authority of its own world shows how that we have the power to fight for what is right and not to back down.  It is a resolved power that fuels a comfort deep within.  In spending time simply watching the shark move seamlessly through the waters, it was a perfect example of how to relax and self nurture.  I was amazed to see other fish swimming up and next to the shark, having the misconceived thought of danger sensors going off in others around the shark.  What I learned was that the shark can open up and communicate with the other beings of the ocean that it is completely safe to be around and even swim next to the shark.

As I was guided by the shark that all change is inevitable in life, there are times that change is not always appropriate or a good thing.  I must be able to see when resistance to change is important - when protecting the environment for example, change and acceptability in pollution is not a good nor appropriate change.  There are sometimes change that can threaten and compromise my external world and my internal world.  So when facing change to stop and breath and determine if it is change only for the sake of change or if it is appropriate change.

As I took the shark deep into meditation this morning, it was a bit uncomfortable at first.  I tend to think of sharks as a risk, as an animal that attacks (more than likely from the commercial version of the animal).  I became acutely aware that I am also vulnerable in my own environment.  Not only by other animals but by other humans.  The shark showed me that I am both predator and prey, as we all are.  I am as capable of hurting another as I am of being hurt.



After meditating, I have also come to understand that the shark really is an animal that will come to help me confront my own inner predator.  Remember that predators, whether we consider them positive or negative in our perception, remind us that there are times that we must be willing to confront our own ability to get what we personally need.  This is an asset when used appropriately and part of being a human being.

The journey of the shark's swim revealed how truly all of life is simply going with the flow.  Yes we must learn to adapt and change but this is a natural part of life.  When it is unacceptable change, it is proper to stand up and become the predator to protect my "river".  In between it is vital to learn to just relax and enjoy the incredible beauty that surrounds me.