It turns out I like the flurry - tending to stay in motion

Yesterday was a crazy day in my life. I had to complete two vastly different projects. First, I was presenting my "Let's Talk Clouds" workshop at a local middle school.

As the Earth Lady, I work with schools to help students jump-start their interest in science, specifically Earth Science.

Then, I switched gears and released my interactive Tarot reading ebook. As part of the project, I had to finish the programming, create the cover, and upload the entire thing to amazon.

I'm excited about this project because it allows the reader to choose a new card every day from a random selector set. Then, the reader sees the interpretation and a special call to action individual to each card. I've been working on the interpretations for years, but I had never figured out exactly how to create the interactive portion of the book.


And here's how the title of this blog post relates. I didn't try to focus on both projects at once. They are too disparate. As I've gotten older, I've seen the wisdom of limiting multitasking. Although it seems efficient, it isn't. It's a will-o'-the-wisp. It leads you down the primrose path of thinking you are being efficient while all the while your brain is operating at a slower speed and lower level.


Here's what I did do. I completed the workshop with the kids, and I gave it my all. I left it all on the classroom floor, as they say. We had a blast. Their transformation from before the workshop to afterward startled me. They went from post-lunch food coma to shouting about how much fun they'd had in just under 40 minutes. I can't wait to go back.

And after I got home from the workshop, I jumped into the Today's Tarot project. I created the cover. I finished the programming. I uploaded everything to amazon, and I released the entire thing.

It was exciting and energizing. I didn't feel my exhaustion until I was finished. And then I dropped like a stone.

Why did I just write up my entire day for you? Well, it's because I've had a realization. If you work hard, if you commit yourself to excellence on each project, you will succeed. And here's the most important thing. The key to that success lies in maintaining the level of focus and activity on each project while you are working on it. The Law of Inertia comes into play here. "A body at rest tends to stay at rest. A body in motion tends to stay in motion." If we take a lot of time between projects, we will fizzle out on them. If instead, we rev those engines, blast through the projects with full dedication and focus, and only take the foot off the gas for a bit between them, we will fly. And we will fly because we are already in motion. We are already doing and creating so it becomes easier to keep doing and keep creating.

To refocus my brain on a new project requires almost no time if I do it correctly. I've started taking the time to recharge by doing a quick breathing meditation. It is simple, and the best part? It's only a minute long. I've created a small video of the meditation. The next time you need to recharge between projects, go ahead and try it.

And let me know how it works.

Course Correcting: Changing Dreams Call For Changing Goals

Tonight, I will be creating a brand new vision board. For those who don't know what one is, it is a focusing tool, usually some sort of paper, that you create to clarify your goals and foci. A physical board can be a piece of paper on which you draw or glue pictures of your goals or dreams. You can also create a Pinterest page with the images that illustrate your vision of what you want to achieve and/or how you want your life to be. It can take whatever form you choose.

I prefer a physical piece of cardboard or paper onto which I glue my dreams and goals. Tonight, I will take a piece of bright, blue construction paper and glue cut-outs of the pics below onto it. The old board comes down, and the new one replaces it. That's because as my goals shift, as I develop new ideas on how I want to proceed with my life, I create new boards. Some of my images remain constant. For example, my relationship with my husband, and the health and well-being of my critters always have a presence in my board. However, other goals evolve. Some goals grow and take on a bigger importance in my life. Others recede and become either less important or are ones I have achieved and can therefore release.

Here are today's images. I will explain each, because it helps me solidify in my own mind what I will move towards in the coming visualization cycle.

 

At the top left is my husband, Rich, on our recent trip to Iceland. I envision even deeper love, laughter, travel and grand adventures for us.

Next is our fantastic dog, Hatha. His continued health and wellness are part of my goals and dreams.

To the right of Hatha is the super model and one of my idols, Ashley Graham. She has taken the world by storm. Someday, I'd love to buy her a cup of coffee and chat with her. #beautybeyondsize. 

To the right of Ms. Graham, is an image of a healthy thyroid. I dream of a day when my thyroid is healthy and works at peak efficiency. And I work towards that dream by eating well, releasing stress and doing yoga and/or Tai Chi.

At the end of the top row is a female martial artist (specifically Tai Chi in this image but any martial arts practice will do). I am a martial artist, and I want to keep deepening that practice either with Tai Chi, which I've been playing for over 20 years or aikido in which I am a black belt but which I have been unable to practice regularly for the last few years.

The second row shows the covers from my two most recent books, The Fiddler's Talisman and The Piano's Key. I envision these stories going out into the world and igniting the interest of millions of people who love music, magic, fairies, and exciting fantasy stories.

The next image is of the Earth. I envision continuing and growing my work as the Earth Lady. I will work with students of all ages to help them learn how to be aware of and care for the Earth.

To the right of the Earth is a not-so-secret dream of having my books be on the New York Times best seller list. The Dream Forging image that appears just below that is about the Dream Forging journal project I'm developing. It will be out in the next few months, and it will help people develop an easy way to determine and forge their dreams.

I also really want to give TED Talks. I'll do it. This, I promise.

The next row brings my kitties, Ninja, Pyro, and Kimba, or as I like to refer to them, The Neapolitan Kitties.

The next two images are of places I want to travel. I have a deep need to hang out on the Amalfi Coast. And I also have a deep need to see bioluminescent algae (this can be in Puerto Rico on the Maldives or any other place in the world I can travel). 

The next image is of something I have wanted to incorporate for a long time - a deep meditation practice. I meditate every day, but I want to get further. I want to delve deeper.

The next image is an image I took when Rich and I were on Grand Cayman a few years ago. It highlights play (which I want more of), the turquoise waters of the Caribbean (which I want to visit more often), and Grand Cayman itself to which I want to return sometime very soon.

The phrases are my mantras. "Go at your own pace but show up" is how I get things done. I might not be the fastest, but I sure will meet everyone at the finish line.

The last phrase is one I say to myself every morning at the end of my meditation. I envision my day, and yet I remain open to what else might come. So, "This or something better" allows room for something greater than what I visualized. It leaves me room to breathe and expand.

When I'm done creating the vision board, I will hang it up near my desk. Then, whenever I need inspiration or when I simply need to check in with myself and make sure I am moving towards my dreams, I will be able to look at the board and get immediate feedback on the goals I set up. I allow for the goals to change, sometimes daily, so I can course correct at any time. I can add pictures or remove them. Or, I can do like I will this evening and create an entirely new vision board. This course correction allows me the same freedom that "This or something better" allows. It gives me room to grow.

They all say to stop and breathe, but how exactly do we do it?

Oh my goodness there are a ton of posts on mindfulness, meditation, and anxiety reduction. Almost all of them have some form of, "stop, be still, and breathe to calm yourself." It's great advice. And it works. The trouble is, how do you stop, be still, and breathe when you might be scared, anxious, nervous, or downright freakin' out?

What are the magical steps? How do you grab onto the focus and calm that lets you take any sort of breath when you are already stressed? And even if you manage to take a deep breath, are you doing it correctly? Will you get the most relaxation bang for your inhalation buck?

Most of us breathe inefficiently. I've taught thousands of people to sing and speak and I've watched them breathe to assess what they are doing and how they are doing it. Almost every single person breathes in such a way that she or he uses up a great deal of energy and motion on the breath but almost never gets the full benefit of either that breath or that energy expenditure.

So, let's take a look at breathing. In these next few posts on Communication Thursdays, we'll go over it step by step, and get you the information you need to breathe deeply and effectively.

We breathe involuntarily. We don't think about it. Some people have to think about it because it's not a voluntary action to them and that must be arduous. Others have breathing issues like asthma, and although this post might be helpful to them, I admit it's not geared towards them. For the rest of us, breathing requires almost no thought. If we aren't sick or having other breathing issues, we breathe easily. However, although we breathe easily, we often breathe inefficiently. And if we want to reap the rewards deep breathing can bring, we must become efficient breathers. With full and mindful breathing, we will reap the many benefits that such breathing can bring.

Let's take the next few minutes together and breathe with purpose. I'll show you how. Stand up (if you aren't already) and take a big ol' breath. I'll wait right here. :)

How did that feel?

Did your shoulders rise up when you inhaled? Did your belly, back, and chest feel tight or cramped? If you don't remember, bring your awareness to your body, take another breath and try to answer these questions. I'll bet you answered yes to at least one of them. If so, then you can improve your breathing.

Did you feel balanced when you inhaled? How did it feel to take that deep breath? See if you can become aware of how you are inhaling and exhaling. Take care if you start to feel a little lightheaded. We are not used to deep breathing and the extra oxygen can make us feel a little woozy. If you start to feel that, sit down, relax and try it again after the feeling passes.

Ready to try again? Good.

Now, let's take the breaths we were taking and make them even better. 

First, let's think about our alignment. Whether we are breathing deeply to sing, speak, address discomfort or just for the sake of these exercises, it is a good idea to maintain good posture and alignment. Let's start from the bottom. 

Our stance is the core of good breath. And a good stance will be to keep your feet hip width whether or you are standing or sitting. So, let's try it. Stand (or sit, if that is what is comfortable for you) with your feet hip width apart. To make sure your feet are hip width apart, stand (or sit) with your feet facing forward draw an imaginary line from your second toe (of each foot), through the middle of your ankle, up through the middle of your knee, and up to your hip points. Hip points are the part of your hip that points in front of you or juts out to the front. It is not the outside of your hips. If you stand with this alignment, you are well on your way to maintaining good posture.

Next time, we will talk about your trunk, shoulders, neck, and head and how to maintain proper alignment in those parts of your body. Once you have proper alignment, we will talk inhalations, exhalations, and every part in between to get you breathing deeply, fully, and effectively.

In the meantime, whenever you must speak, sing, or even just stand for any length of time, try to remember this alignment tip. It will help you stand longer and more easily. 

Until next time, here's a thought on breath.

Happenstance Art - A lesson in mindfulness

I love Happenstance Art. It sneaks up on me and throws fairy dust in my eyes. It challenges me to stop what I'm doing and pay attention. It reminds me to be mindful.

I think that most of the time, art is placed as something separate from our day to day lives. We tend to think of art as something we must to seek out rather than something that is present all around us and inside us every minute of every day. We need to look at images, paintings, sculpture, etc. that were created by artists specifically for being studied and appreciated. We go to museums. We look art books. We treat art as something magnificent and yet purposeful. And often, those of us who don't feel we are creative, believe art is to be created by those other than ourselves. Here's the message from me to you: We are all creative. We are all artists. And we have an incredible opportunity to share what we see and sense.

Art is there every second. The curve of the line of a guitar's body can take your breath away. The way a car changes lanes with skill and finesse so that it melds its motion with and against all the other cars on the road has a certain artistic beauty. The pillars of light that filter sun rays and grace us with heavenly visions have an artistic sense. These all appear in our lives and can give us that momentary sense of the sublime.

And sometimes, art goes a step further. In an otherwise innocuous moment, it presents itself like a dare. "See me! Acknowledge me! Bathe your senses in me."

This morning that happened to me. Art smacked me awake when I was changing my guitar strings for a video shoot I have this evening. I slipped the G-string out of its packaging, and it made this:

I love the shape and the lines. I also love how my fingers holding the string winder make it all look somehow like a stylized imagine of a tropical bird. This morning the simple act of changing guitar strings transformed into a profound meditation on the state and nature of art.

I had to stop and appreciate it, because to do otherwise would be to ignore art's insistence that it be acknowledged. What a wonderful lesson first thing in the morning. "Remember, art comes at you. Your job is to meet it and play in its world."

Today's Tarot: The Hermit (solitude, alone time, knowing your own worth)

There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely. The Hermit has chosen a life of solitude, but she or he is not lonely. There is a purity of purpose to his/her solitude. Whether it's a life of examination, meditation, communion with spirit, dedication to a craft, or the simple desire to be alone with our thoughts, sometimes, we just need that alone time.

Unfortunately, sometimes we need that alone time long before we realize we need it. We need time to meditate or ruminate or just be with our own thoughts, but for whatever reason, we don't take it. Instead of spending time alone to recharge, say, we turn our back on solitary time. Rather, we end up joining social events, causes, clubs, etc. We try to fill the well with external influences when what we might really need is space and time to take things in from a universal source. We can call it God or gods or universe or nature or books. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that we take the time to do it.

Sometimes, we must demand the right to solitude from others. Sometimes, we have to demand it from ourselves. Try as we might, we can't run away from our own thoughts no matter what we do to get away from them. We can turn to partying, alcohol, sometimes drugs, extreme sports, extreme activities in general but our thoughts are right there the instant we're no longer vigilant at keeping them at bay. In the end, it's easier to take some time to be hermits and sit with our thoughts and feelings. If we make friends with them, we can begin to understand them. Whatever those thoughts and feelings are, they loom worse - darker, inkier, and possibly more terrifying - before we name them and shine the light on them.

When we spend time in repose, we get the opportunity to do that. We get to be with our thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, and plans. Mostly, though, we allow ourselves to be truly honest with ourselves and we give ourselves the opportunity to confront and make friends with ourselves and that is the most vital relationship we will ever have.

Today, if you can, spend some time in repose. Give yourself time to be alone with your thoughts without to-do lists, without guilt, and without judgment. Even five minutes spent in self-examination can change our lives. Certainly, it will change our day.


Link to the Hermit image page.

Today's Tarot: Strength (patience, strength, inner knowing)

Today's Tarot: Strength

(patience, fortitude, inner knowing)

Ah, my favorite card in the deck and not just because it depicts a woman lovingly stroking a lion.

I've always loved this card because its name belies its true meaning. The word strength implies outer, physical strength (think the Chariot card if you want to go in that direction). It makes us think of some sort of display of that strength. But the Strength card is wilier and sneakier than that. It doesn't mean strong-arming a thing. Quite the contrary, it means internal moxie, if you will. It is all about knowing your inner landscape and being at peace with it.

If you look deep inside yourself, you will find a well, no, an ocean of reserves, often, when you least expect it to actually be there. We spend our lives being tested in one way or another. And, we often feel we have failed either others' expectations of us or more importantly, our own expectations of what we can do and whom we can be.

The Strength card calls on us to go inward, to go deep, and come out the other side with the certainty that we know who we are, we understand what we can do, and we are at peace about that state of ourselves. Then, we can move forward from that place of certainty and do whatever we need to do.

So, today, if you find yourself tested, don't be a gladiator. You don't need to prove a thing to anyone but yourself. Instead of reacting strongly, close your eyes, breathe deeply and connect your innerscape with the universe's outerscape. Don't know how to do that? It's not too difficult. As your eyes are closed, breathe in and note the sensation of taking in life-giving air. Send your senses out and note what you hear, smell, and touch. Acknowledge the clothes on your skin, the hair on your head, the sounds, hums, whirs, and chirps around you, and the feel of your body, mind, and spirit in this place and this time. The beauty of this connection is that it helps us remember that we are all part of it all and that goes for us, that which challenges us, and those who stand with us or against us. Once you have that connection established, open your eyes and face your challenge. With that strength, you will prevail.

And when in doubt, remember what that fabulous sage Youmei Zhang says so eloquently: "If not this door, another door."

It's never as bad as it seems inside your head

Today's cards are: Nine of Swords, Two of Rods, and the Sun! Yep, I put an exclamation point at the end of the Sun(!) because it's just that kind of card and something needs to be done about that Nine of Swords.  That Nine of Swords squats inside your head and heart like a miasma. The worry you have doesn't help anything. It doesn't allow you to deal with the dramas and stresses of your life any better. In fact, it takes your focus away from being able to do what you need to do because you're too busy worrying about what you need to do to actually do it well. Here's a paraphrase of a quote that many have said better than I can. It is: "Worry doesn't solve tomorrow's problems; it saps today's joy." Truer words were never written (except perhaps 2+2=4). Really, that fear, that worry, that anxiety, they aren't at all helpful to you in getting anything accomplished. They just take energy away from you so you have less to devote to the very things you are worried about.

And here's the thing: the other two cards in today's draw? They are fabulous! The Two of Rods tells us that the world is ours. We can be bold. We can be original. We can grab life in our hands and fly. And the Sun gives us all the energy and childlike joy to do it.

So, whatever it is that has you worried, today, see if you can release it out into the universe. Stand outside and if it's at all breezy out there, let your anxiety blow away on the wind. Seriously, go outside. Take a break. Stand under the sun. Close your eyes. Take a minute away from all the other stuff going on around you. Whatever hectic pace everyone else has right now, doesn't have to impact you. Stand still and breathe deeply. Listen to the sounds around you. Let them flow over you. Notice and appreciate your feet on the ground. Feel the sun on your face. Come to a place of stillness, and the cares will dissipate.

Oh, you'll still have stuff to do. You'll still need to make plans and carry them out, but worry, that energy vampire, won't make you feel like you're crawling through molasses as you get it all done.

Today's Tarot 3/9/12

The Hermit and the Ten of Cups. Interesting combination. The Hermit represents solitude, not loneliness. The Hermit has chosen a more contemplative way of life and so today is about contemplation, meditation, and thoughtfulness. The Ten of Cups tells us to look to what makes us happy in our home life. That might mean making a dinner that knocks your socks off. It might mean getting the kids to hang with you tonight while you break out the Spirograph (or let's face it, the Spirograph App, which if there isn't one, there ought to be). Or it could mean, making your space more conducive to relaxation, meditation, and contemplation. What would it take? A single candle burning while you sit comfortably? Fresh flowers? A long walk under the (almost) full moon? A healthy lunch of which you savor every morsel? Take care of yourself today. Slow down. We have so many "ought to do's" in our lives that the "want to do's" get shortchanged. Do something about that. Find the pleasure in even the most mundane tasks and you too will be like the calm, peaceful Hermit who lives up on the mountain. The joy of all the world will be yours.