I’ve just started another book… “The Right to Write – an Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life”, by Julia Cameron and this one is very important for me because I have found the personal value, benefit and beauty of putting on paper (i.e. journals, articles, blogs, etc.) for the mere expressing of what is inside of me and in which needs to come out in the various forms – usually in ways of going deeper than the surface of things, like: Venting - when I’m not seeing clearly due to something pressuring me or getting in the way of what I need to see/experience/understand; Brainstorming – when I need ideas; Meditation – writing to quite the multiple thoughts in my head (just for starters); which all feel to me like multiple forms of Prayer – purposed times I need to get more focused on the spiritual truths revealed within my heart/the God-space within.
So, I’m going to take this moment to share a few items that have inspired me thus far and that may do the same for you too, even for some of you who think that writing isn’t for you! Enjoy…
“Why should we write? …We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It makes it directly and specifically our own. We should write because human beings are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance.
We should write because writing brings us clarity and passion to the act of living. Writing is sensual, experiential, grounding. We should write because writing is good for the soul. We should write because writing yields us a body of work, a felt path through the world we live in.
We should write, above all, because we are writers, whether we call ourselves that or not.” ~ back cover of The Right to Write, by Julia Cameron
Julia goes on to share passionately the bigger picture of writing, to make sure that understand foundationally that most of us have been taught in school the subject of writing (as what writers do) and she argues the point that maybe we may have been “taught wrong” or at least we’ve not been taught the wholeness of it – leaving out so much of what it really can be and is for us as humans. I can certainly relate, because English Lit and English in general weren’t my strongest subjects in High School or College, in fact I felt as if I weren’t very good at it at all… until I began to be invited into journaling by my coach Jim Spivey a few years ago and then through a friend’s recommended to read The Artist Way, also by Julia Cameron, as more of a place to share and find my inner thoughts, not in checking off boxes to fulfill my “assignment” to do so. I remember the first time I shared with Jim my journaling efforts and it felt just like I was reporting to the English teacher (my performance mode). That’s when he began to open my awareness through his own experience of writing. It went something like this (in my own words): “I don’t write for others, I write for myself. Writing keeps me present in being who I say I am and for the life-work that I have been called to by God”. Hum, and as I write that I realize that is now, not only his thoughts, but my mantra of sorts, at least I’m coming clearer on that while doing it for a few years now (sporadically and mostly kept personal). Now, I’m feeling in my heart that all that’s about to change – as I throw myself into the good and God experience of it. Boy, it sure does feel good!
Ok, here’s something that bubbled up just after reading on pg. 14, about the “if-I-had-time” lie that gets in the way of writing. She stated that “Sentences can happen in a moment. Enough stolen moments, enough stolen sentences, and a novel is born – without the luxury of time”, which came as a response to the many myths she exposes such as, “All that stands between me and the greatest American novel is a year off”, which leaves many with the thoughts of “I don’t have time to ‘really’ write do I?” Maybe we can…
“LOVING - is an invitation straight from the source of who we are and who’s we are – and when we are aware of the full implication of that, the struggle to do it is dissolved because we just let the source flow through us as we are being that which we already are.” ~ By little ole Dave, in a moment of writing
Well, that should do it for this entry… for now. I’m also practicing shorter writings – that some well be certainly glad about (hehe)!
I invite any of you to check out Jim’s blogs. For years, he has written on a daily basis, and I’m sure he’d say that the benefits for us (the readers) are just a bonus for what it has done for him. Thank you Jim for your persistence and courage! http://www.revolutionconsulting.com/blogger.htm, please email him at jspivey@revolutionconsulting.com to be added to his direct emails send outs!
~ Dave E. Anderson, writing for its own GOoD experience!
http://www.freedomlifeconsulting.com/
To buy this book
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Getting to the other side (Pt. 2) – my changing observations!
Wow, I’d love to share how things have changed after a bit of healthy ranting and purging out the crap that IS there (like it or not) and getting to the other side to see more of the “whole truth” vs. the lopsided one I began writing from on last Monday (3:45 PM).
After sending out, “Dave’s getting to the other side”, I still felt a bit negatively-focused on the situations at hand, which also served to open up my eyes to what I still was yet to see from a heart-focus real Me vs. the fear-focused head/egoic me (and what a interesting paradox we all are). Ultimately part of the reason I wrote that, was to purposely give myself permission to feel what I was feeling and share it openly – a raw living moment.
And now I’ll share some cool stuff that showed up almost immediately after writing. Monday, one hour later, we went out to the mailbox to find a notice telling us that our food stamp card (yes, we have a food stamp card which is not easy to admit – practicing open and honesty) had been unexpected money credited to us due to some Hurricane relief efforts (Bam, we had food money). Then later that night Michelle’s mom offered to give us some gas money for our cars (Bam, now we had gas money). Then a voice mail came in from a dear friend Rhonda, with http://www.revitalizenetworking.com/ offering her services (a bartering blessing) in assisting me on calling and getting more companies for our life-work, followed by a great phone conversation with her that left me very inspired about all the possibilities (Bam, this is huge -you rock Rhonda!). Then at 10 AM on Tuesday, as I was walking into the Love Machine (L.M.), I got a voice message saying that my check that wasn’t supposed to be here until Friday was ready for pick up (Bam, money inflow). Then during L.M., I was really gifted inwardly with a dose of loving and honest conversations that brought even more clarity to my situation - an invitation to become more aware of what was going on – within this choice I/we made “to follow God/the path/this calling” and here’s one rich insight came of it:
My following was to “serve as an example of pushing through to the other side in the midst of the difficulties in life for the connection to God for all the needed Love, joy and peace – and even being able to say ‘thank God for the difficulty’ as a means of getting there.” That’s what people really need…to openly experience with their fellow sojourners – the whole and fully honest journey that is on all sides of their getting what is to be gotten for that moment in life – like with the onion – the layers ARE the onion, not something to be removed in order to get to something else…Now there’s a lesson in enjoying the entire journey (the layers), not just the destination (the core: no-thing).
Then, just to add few more to my gratefulness list, a friend, Ann Perle, connected me with Patt Cottingham, who has created http://www.creditheart.com/ : “Concrete advice, support, and encouragement from fellow travelers who have journeyed through financially rocky times and lived to tell the tale” - a resource for people like me! Wow… it’s amazing to consider all the loving emails, calls of support and conversations – even a gracious “accountability” conversation with a contributor to our lifework. What struck me so beautifully was how God just worked some things out – and that it had nothing to do with someone reading and responding to the email… and when that happens I just sat in awe of the reality that God was/is already at work in ways that we certainly aren’t aware of. Duh!
So, to wrap this up almost a week later (it’s taken a multiple sitting to finish this), I am left with: a growing awareness of God’s unconditional love and humor for me/us; the abundance of all that I need; a greater appreciation for all the many sacred invitations, so lovingly presented, in order to get the lessons that are concealed within every so-called “problem”; and the paradox of my human and spiritual self – the great reminder to give less attention to the ego-thoughts and become more fully present to the heart – where an authentic life is truly lived.
Practicing living and loving from the heart…
~ Dave E. Anderson
http://www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com
After sending out, “Dave’s getting to the other side”, I still felt a bit negatively-focused on the situations at hand, which also served to open up my eyes to what I still was yet to see from a heart-focus real Me vs. the fear-focused head/egoic me (and what a interesting paradox we all are). Ultimately part of the reason I wrote that, was to purposely give myself permission to feel what I was feeling and share it openly – a raw living moment.
And now I’ll share some cool stuff that showed up almost immediately after writing. Monday, one hour later, we went out to the mailbox to find a notice telling us that our food stamp card (yes, we have a food stamp card which is not easy to admit – practicing open and honesty) had been unexpected money credited to us due to some Hurricane relief efforts (Bam, we had food money). Then later that night Michelle’s mom offered to give us some gas money for our cars (Bam, now we had gas money). Then a voice mail came in from a dear friend Rhonda, with http://www.revitalizenetworking.com/ offering her services (a bartering blessing) in assisting me on calling and getting more companies for our life-work, followed by a great phone conversation with her that left me very inspired about all the possibilities (Bam, this is huge -you rock Rhonda!). Then at 10 AM on Tuesday, as I was walking into the Love Machine (L.M.), I got a voice message saying that my check that wasn’t supposed to be here until Friday was ready for pick up (Bam, money inflow). Then during L.M., I was really gifted inwardly with a dose of loving and honest conversations that brought even more clarity to my situation - an invitation to become more aware of what was going on – within this choice I/we made “to follow God/the path/this calling” and here’s one rich insight came of it:
My following was to “serve as an example of pushing through to the other side in the midst of the difficulties in life for the connection to God for all the needed Love, joy and peace – and even being able to say ‘thank God for the difficulty’ as a means of getting there.” That’s what people really need…to openly experience with their fellow sojourners – the whole and fully honest journey that is on all sides of their getting what is to be gotten for that moment in life – like with the onion – the layers ARE the onion, not something to be removed in order to get to something else…Now there’s a lesson in enjoying the entire journey (the layers), not just the destination (the core: no-thing).
Then, just to add few more to my gratefulness list, a friend, Ann Perle, connected me with Patt Cottingham, who has created http://www.creditheart.com/ : “Concrete advice, support, and encouragement from fellow travelers who have journeyed through financially rocky times and lived to tell the tale” - a resource for people like me! Wow… it’s amazing to consider all the loving emails, calls of support and conversations – even a gracious “accountability” conversation with a contributor to our lifework. What struck me so beautifully was how God just worked some things out – and that it had nothing to do with someone reading and responding to the email… and when that happens I just sat in awe of the reality that God was/is already at work in ways that we certainly aren’t aware of. Duh!
So, to wrap this up almost a week later (it’s taken a multiple sitting to finish this), I am left with: a growing awareness of God’s unconditional love and humor for me/us; the abundance of all that I need; a greater appreciation for all the many sacred invitations, so lovingly presented, in order to get the lessons that are concealed within every so-called “problem”; and the paradox of my human and spiritual self – the great reminder to give less attention to the ego-thoughts and become more fully present to the heart – where an authentic life is truly lived.
Practicing living and loving from the heart…
~ Dave E. Anderson
http://www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com
Monday, November 03, 2008
Getting to the other side…(Pt. 1)
Hello friends… I’m writing because I know I need to…so that I get past my head and into my heart in all of what I’m facing. I believe that if you knew what I was feeling you’d ask me to share it…and because you don’t, I’m just going ahead and doing that for you – for my heart’s sake and for the sake of expressing it before I blow up with it inside of me.
If I could ask for this one thing: Please hear me with your heart as I vent (the stuff of my head) to get to the other side…and thank you in advance for helping me love myself. I’m NOT looking for a handout – I just need to vent so that it won’t feel damn lonely inside. Thank you for listening… and being with me!
Progressively, these last two weeks of the month (as well as most months) has been the toughest for us… There’s been hardly any money flowing in, I don’t get my monthly contribution till the last day of this week (first Friday following the 1st), we are just about empty in the gas tanks, a little ground meat, some pasta and sauce, a few bananas and a box of cereal and some yogurt is just about all we have left to eat. We WILL make it through this lean time…so be assured we won’t starve. It’s just that my son doesn’t understand why I have to constantly say (when he asks for the normal snacks), “I’m sorry – we don’t have any of that right now Caeden” and Dash is too young to know how to ask. When all that happens the trusting and God-centered state of “we are gonna get through this” feels like it flies out the window because the kids are hungry for their favorite snacks and they don’t understand why we can’t go buy more yet, (one of the smaller financial issues we face).
This past week Michelle said she would go find some work… but that isn’t possible with our choice of parenting. Then she mentioned that “it would be nice if we just had at least one more client-company” around the size we have now, so that we aren’t so strapped and broke half of the month. She’s right…but who do I call on? Which triggers my own frustrations with and resistance to making the calls for that to happen. Even my individual clients(who are really FRIENDS) seem to be all out of money too…so getting paid for showing up when they are in need of us, is not guaranteed either (which is an agreement we have mutually agreed upon). So, All of this really doesn’t make sense to us (in the head)… so we just carry on and trust that God’s working it all out…and it always does happen somehow.
Saturday while in Whole Foods (to get free samples to eat for their “taste of the holidays”) in lieu of the snacks we didn’t have, I noticed one of their shopping bags that said something like: “The Path is what we’ve chosen…” and it struck me with a shot of perspective…that we have “chosen” to do our life’s work, even if it doesn’t provide consistent payments, insurance, or any guarantees at all (at least the way we think we need them) … in lieu of trusting God to provide surrendering to his invitation to trust that “it will all work out” (which is a state that we seem to forget often these days). So, in writing this all… I’m asking for what I really need - to be reminded that God’s ways are not our own and that He has it all worked out – and usually just in time. Missing THAT is to miss the whole point.
The two extreme opposites that I sit here with is interestingly beautiful: on one hand I’m freaking out and the other is that “I get it” and feel very trusting that everything is as it is supposed to be – Perfect, in a spiritual sense. Grabbing a hold of the one that matters most (in my heart) and putting the head/ego in its proper perspective is my work to do…but then there’s this thought of just going out and getting a regular job (fear talking) to guarantee something so that I don’t have to trust God for the “daily manna” will (should) be there in the morning.(Hum…I’m a mess at times aren’t I?)
Recently I was inspired to play around with some words and their meanings and came up with this one: MIRROR. A word used often in my conversations and those around me. And the truth behind this is really needed in the moment…
M y
I nner
R eflective
R eminder
O ffering
R ealignment
….Realignment to God, the Truth, Life, the journey, understanding, surrender, etc…
So, there you go…
I’ve vented and feel better now… thank you for your love and holding us in your heart as we continue on in the journey.
And a reminder for you…Fixing it isn’t the answer (nor could you), SO… could we just have a sacred moment together to mutually be reminded and feel whatever we are feeling so that we get to the other side of it? I’ve found that after the rusty pipes get flushed out – there’s plenty of fresh water in unlimited supply (abundance) on the other side… (feeling it now) which makes the venting or flushing a process in remembering and being refreshed with all that is needed – unconditional Love in the moment, God’s way to expand our perspective (and acceptance) of it all.
So, what is on the other side of this? Well, 1) Michelle has a couple of new clients that she loves working with and so do I. 2) We feel like there will be another client-company to work with in the near future or just enough individual ones that will allow us to continue the work He’s called us to. 3) The opportunity of the moment by moment experiences where we learn to surrender to God, who gives us a clearer appreciation of the gift and beauty of “not knowing” in light of the “already Knowingness” of God, which is perfectly fitting (thou challenging) for the work we are doing. 4) Life as an Adventure: We feel that our calling is not ordinary, nor is the path we are to walk in living it, even when some of the time we think we have strayed from the path altogether, simply because we’ve never walked this before. And one more… 5) A deep sense of gratitude for all the wonderful people we get to love on and who love on us simultaneously – as we all grow into being who we really are! The double Mirror!
I wish you well as to how you will take all of this in… I can’t get all worried about that – I’ll just trust God that you and we will find our own way (however it looks) and become more aware of how to surrender and trust that God is in all of it…taking us to a greater understanding and acceptance along the path.
PS… Jim, your message a few days ago is really being felt, of how Jesus sent out the workers to do the work of loving people without knowing how they would be cared for – and in doing so, was always taken care of. Thank you for following God, as well as offering some guidance (as you get it yourself) along the way in this journey – I feel your heart and your own journey too!
Living and loving Life and others…OUT LOUD and on purpose!
~ Dave E. Anderson
http://www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com
If I could ask for this one thing: Please hear me with your heart as I vent (the stuff of my head) to get to the other side…and thank you in advance for helping me love myself. I’m NOT looking for a handout – I just need to vent so that it won’t feel damn lonely inside. Thank you for listening… and being with me!
Progressively, these last two weeks of the month (as well as most months) has been the toughest for us… There’s been hardly any money flowing in, I don’t get my monthly contribution till the last day of this week (first Friday following the 1st), we are just about empty in the gas tanks, a little ground meat, some pasta and sauce, a few bananas and a box of cereal and some yogurt is just about all we have left to eat. We WILL make it through this lean time…so be assured we won’t starve. It’s just that my son doesn’t understand why I have to constantly say (when he asks for the normal snacks), “I’m sorry – we don’t have any of that right now Caeden” and Dash is too young to know how to ask. When all that happens the trusting and God-centered state of “we are gonna get through this” feels like it flies out the window because the kids are hungry for their favorite snacks and they don’t understand why we can’t go buy more yet, (one of the smaller financial issues we face).
This past week Michelle said she would go find some work… but that isn’t possible with our choice of parenting. Then she mentioned that “it would be nice if we just had at least one more client-company” around the size we have now, so that we aren’t so strapped and broke half of the month. She’s right…but who do I call on? Which triggers my own frustrations with and resistance to making the calls for that to happen. Even my individual clients(who are really FRIENDS) seem to be all out of money too…so getting paid for showing up when they are in need of us, is not guaranteed either (which is an agreement we have mutually agreed upon). So, All of this really doesn’t make sense to us (in the head)… so we just carry on and trust that God’s working it all out…and it always does happen somehow.
Saturday while in Whole Foods (to get free samples to eat for their “taste of the holidays”) in lieu of the snacks we didn’t have, I noticed one of their shopping bags that said something like: “The Path is what we’ve chosen…” and it struck me with a shot of perspective…that we have “chosen” to do our life’s work, even if it doesn’t provide consistent payments, insurance, or any guarantees at all (at least the way we think we need them) … in lieu of trusting God to provide surrendering to his invitation to trust that “it will all work out” (which is a state that we seem to forget often these days). So, in writing this all… I’m asking for what I really need - to be reminded that God’s ways are not our own and that He has it all worked out – and usually just in time. Missing THAT is to miss the whole point.
The two extreme opposites that I sit here with is interestingly beautiful: on one hand I’m freaking out and the other is that “I get it” and feel very trusting that everything is as it is supposed to be – Perfect, in a spiritual sense. Grabbing a hold of the one that matters most (in my heart) and putting the head/ego in its proper perspective is my work to do…but then there’s this thought of just going out and getting a regular job (fear talking) to guarantee something so that I don’t have to trust God for the “daily manna” will (should) be there in the morning.(Hum…I’m a mess at times aren’t I?)
Recently I was inspired to play around with some words and their meanings and came up with this one: MIRROR. A word used often in my conversations and those around me. And the truth behind this is really needed in the moment…
M y
I nner
R eflective
R eminder
O ffering
R ealignment
….Realignment to God, the Truth, Life, the journey, understanding, surrender, etc…
So, there you go…
I’ve vented and feel better now… thank you for your love and holding us in your heart as we continue on in the journey.
And a reminder for you…Fixing it isn’t the answer (nor could you), SO… could we just have a sacred moment together to mutually be reminded and feel whatever we are feeling so that we get to the other side of it? I’ve found that after the rusty pipes get flushed out – there’s plenty of fresh water in unlimited supply (abundance) on the other side… (feeling it now) which makes the venting or flushing a process in remembering and being refreshed with all that is needed – unconditional Love in the moment, God’s way to expand our perspective (and acceptance) of it all.
So, what is on the other side of this? Well, 1) Michelle has a couple of new clients that she loves working with and so do I. 2) We feel like there will be another client-company to work with in the near future or just enough individual ones that will allow us to continue the work He’s called us to. 3) The opportunity of the moment by moment experiences where we learn to surrender to God, who gives us a clearer appreciation of the gift and beauty of “not knowing” in light of the “already Knowingness” of God, which is perfectly fitting (thou challenging) for the work we are doing. 4) Life as an Adventure: We feel that our calling is not ordinary, nor is the path we are to walk in living it, even when some of the time we think we have strayed from the path altogether, simply because we’ve never walked this before. And one more… 5) A deep sense of gratitude for all the wonderful people we get to love on and who love on us simultaneously – as we all grow into being who we really are! The double Mirror!
I wish you well as to how you will take all of this in… I can’t get all worried about that – I’ll just trust God that you and we will find our own way (however it looks) and become more aware of how to surrender and trust that God is in all of it…taking us to a greater understanding and acceptance along the path.
PS… Jim, your message a few days ago is really being felt, of how Jesus sent out the workers to do the work of loving people without knowing how they would be cared for – and in doing so, was always taken care of. Thank you for following God, as well as offering some guidance (as you get it yourself) along the way in this journey – I feel your heart and your own journey too!
Living and loving Life and others…OUT LOUD and on purpose!
~ Dave E. Anderson
http://www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com
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