The Magic of Our Stories

1. Part Our words become actions.

During the holiday season, there are many parties and social events where we have opportunities to indulge in special seasonal foods and beverages, dance, sing and tell stories. What stories will you be telling at these gatherings this year?

When we meet people we have not seen in a while, and they ask us how it is going, what will you choose to get into?

The stories that we tell others are important. The stories we tell ourselves are even more important. because these are the stories we usually end up repeating to others. As we refashion and reimagine the events of our lives into a narrative, we can create, hope, joy, optimism, feelings of courage, well being, abundance and adventure, and these, in turn, create vibrations that help attract more of all this into our lives.

We have the power to create lasting impressions and images of the way other people see us.

"Once upon a time" is one of the most famous magical phrases ever uttered and is one of the most powerful spellcasting techniques ever created. As soon as we hear those four words, we pay attention and are transported into another world. And all of our lives contain at least a few opportunities to see our evolution as something that is not only once upon a time, but also once upon a future.

Storytelling is an art form as old as humans, as old as spoken language. It was one of the first forms of magic, one of the first forms of entertainment, and it has served us well from the time the first cavemen and cavewomen gathered around the fire until this very day.

Don't we all enjoy a good story? The astute listener will glean useful insights from a good story, and the teller will cast a magic spell over those who hear and will make a lasting impression on them.  Pay special attention to the stories you hear and tell this holiday season.

Part 2. Our written words become worlds.

Years ago, when I was teaching Creative Writing, I remember students signing up for my workshop because in their own words, they had "really routine jobs and home lives, and they wanted to see if they could do something creative." Commonly, one of their pleasures was that they enjoyed reading, so their choice was to try and express creativity through writing. They wanted to know first hand that they were capable of being creative and that their stories could captivate people's imaginations and hold their attention.

On the first night of class, I informed them that there were absolutely no restrictions on subject matter. Their only requirement was to write something every week, with no requirement or expectation as to what that might be, and they could get immediate feedback on their writing by their classmates listening and responding to the reading of their stories.

There were people who entered my workshop wondering if they really had any creative ability who went home knowing that they did. They enjoyed themselves and the listeners enjoyed themselves. The first step they had to take was to not censor themselves and just say what they had to say. That simple step opened people up and changed their lives.

The first person you please when you write something is yourself. The readers are next. If you can drop the conditioning that holds you back from saying something because it might offend someone else, you open your expression to not having limits, and what you can create evolves into something beautiful. There are times when it is cathartic to just write something.

Whether you call it inspired, channeled, a crazy dream, funny story, or real life incident that you want to recall and replay, writing about it can be a healing act. Even if it does not get published, you still feel good from saying it, from writing it. Write it first, and worry about what will become of it later. Once you give yourself permission to write whatever you want, it is amazing what might come out. I know. I have experienced it, and the results were wonderful, life affirming and powerful. If you have an urge or an instinct that this is something you want to try, I will help you express yourself.

Humans are storytellers by nature. From mythology to biography and everything in between, it's in our nature to tell stories. From gossip to jokes to opinions on current events and the future of the world, it's all part of our conversations, because it is part of how we share ourselves and our experiences to get our bearings and enhance this journey. It is all storytelling, and if we simply give ourselves permission, we can become storytellers, even if our only audience, at first, is ourselves.

As we make up new stories, we can make up new stories for ourselves to live by. We all have the opportunity to rewrite our own stories, from today to the end. What does your story read like? How would you like it to read? There is magic and power in the writing and the rewriting.

Increasing Energy and Personal Power

One of the most challenging, yet energetically beneficial things a person can do for themselves is to really go through your living quarters and cut off power drains and strengthen power bases.

How common is it that when someone is moving and they are boxing things up or opening boxes for a move and you hear them say "I don't even remember having this. I wonder where it came from." Or this one. "I haven't used this in years. Don't think I will use it any more." If you find yourself saying these things, these things are energetically clogging your living space. Some people will then say good bye to the thing and either give it away or throw it away, while others will move it into their new place. Which is the more energy efficient thing to do?

If we start with a basic premise that your home should be a place that refreshes, protects and nurtures you, and in the case of people who work from home, has what you need to work efficiently. So ideally, we surround ourselves with things that are useful to us and things that are beautiful for our inspiration and peace.

So when we have many things in the place that are not either useful or beautiful, then it is clutter that impedes the optimum flow of energy. Even if it is hidden in a closet, then that closet is not available for other uses. Things that we just put somewhere because we can't make up our minds what to do with it simply block the flow of energy and take up space that would give us more power and flexibility. When things are less cluttered it is easy to find what we want and need.

Another way that this affects us is in relationships. If our space still displays mementos and photos of our old relationship, it can block a new relationship from coming in. A new person may not know who is in those other pictures or know where the mementos came from, but they can sense the energy of another person in the room and conclude that this person is still attached to someone else.

When we give away things we no longer want or need, we let someone else appreciate them find a good use for them. When we look around and rearrange things for the best traffic pattern, we increase the energy flow.

Take a look around and see how this can work for you.

House Blessings

The spirit of a place is important in helping us feel nurtured, protected and supported.

House blessings are also energy clearings, in other words, clearing energy blockages that may be present in a place, whether it is a residence or a business.

What are causes of energy blockages?

How stuck do you think the energy of a home would become if it were inhabited by a hoarder? There may be residual amounts of that energy still stuck even after the hoarder and their stuff is gone.

How chaotic or disturbed would the energy patterns be if the place were previously inhabited by a couple or their children who fought a lot?

What might happen if a displaced spirit were lost in the space where you are now? These could be previous inhabitants or spirits that got disoriented and couldn't find their way to the light that leads to the next realm of existence.

If lots of different construction workers were in and out of your house, some of them may have left residue of their unhappy energies behind.

What if your home were damaged by the floods, fires or other disasters? It may take more than carpentry, plumbing and wiring to put it back in good order.

Once the negative energies have been removed from a place, that opens the way for the inhabitants to build in fresh energy, harmonious relationships, construct creative environments and invite in beneficial spirits and guardians.

If you feel that this is something you could use, call me. I will be happy to do it.

Learning to Learn

"A man’s mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original dimensions.”

 

—Oliver Wendell Holmes,

U.S. Supreme Court Justice, 1897

 

 

We experience the value of this insight every time we embark on a course of study or personal exploration. Right now, for example, I am learning to speak Spanish, and this endeavor constantly challenges, because I can no longer simply use the words I am already familiar with, but I have to consider that there might be a better way to say things than a dictionary definition or a Google translator or some other app.

 

The process is the same when we explore or embrace any new ideas. When people started to learn about The Law of Attraction, they were challenged to see how it really works in their life, and how it connected in ways they never saw before.

 

When people started to reconsider what they thought about the afterlife after reading and hearing newer authors speak about their near death experiences or their ability to connect with the spirit world, their minds stretched to consider these new concepts.

 

Our minds begin by bringing our old concepts into view and then seeing if the new concepts can fit with the new by expanding the context and definitions or if we have a hard time accepting the new ideas because they contradict or conflict with our old ideas.

 

Learning is learning, whether we are learning a language, ghosts, spirits, tarot, astrology, a musical instrument, history, philosophy, cooking, sewing, spread sheets, money management, learning to trust our own intuition or develop our psychic abilities. Learning always stretches us.

 

Researchers say that using our mind by learning, solving problems, and engaging in even something as simple as crosswords or math puzzles can keep our minds from becoming senile, or at least keep us alert and conscious longer. Mental exercise is as important as physical exercise. Our minds and bodies were designed for movement, and the longer we keep our minds and bodies flexible through movement, the better.

 

I have been a life long learner. I have done different kinds of work just to see what it was like, studied different sorts subjects just to satisfy my curiosity, learned to use tarot, runes, pendulums, investigate past lives, paranormal activities, energy healing, learned to play musical instruments and many other things just to experience that feeling that comes with stretching the mind. I like the feeling.

 

There is excitement when we go beyond where we have been before. Curiosity is part of human nature that encourages us to explore, invent and experience. When we explore we begin to notice things that we have never noticed before. We see, hear, feel, taste and notice smells that we have never noticed before because our senses are more open. Learning to learn engages feelings as well as thoughts.

 

Learning to learn is about aliveness. What would you like to learn about? What inspires you? How will your curiosity help you to get more out of life? What are you curious about? Are you pursuing it now?

Life Colors

If we look at fall colors, what we are really seeing is another form of creative destruction in the natural cycles of life. The amount of rain we have had this year, the shifts in temperature, and the intensity of the light will influence the colors of the turning leaves.

Then when the leaves fall, they provide mulch and ground cover, turning into fertilizer for next year's growth. As they drop from the trees, the bone structure or skeleton of the tree is revealed. After we enjoy the fall colors, then we can look right through the bare branches to the horizon, and then next year they will be filled in with fresh green buds and leaves again.

Nature teaches us that change is constant.

There was a time in history when most people never ventured more than  miles from where they were born. Now we move a number of times in our lifetime, often great distances.

There was a time not so long ago when people would find one job, one career, and stay in that field until we were too old to work any more.

There was a time when people just went to whatever church or religion their parents chose. Now more and more people feel free to choose other religions or spiritual paths that they prefer.

Cycles in nature are not identical. They follow patterns but are not identical. We have had more rain this year than other years. Some years we get more snow. Some years we have more drought and more wildfires.

As we enjoy the fall colors and the delicious produce of the fall harvest, what are the other things that have changed? What have we outgrown? What are we grateful for? What is next for us?

Fall colors are life colors. How does change color our life?

The Upside of Destruction

The Tower tarot card is about destruction, often times a destruction that presents us with a new opportunity to rebuild. Right now, the damage that the floods have done will cause a lot of people to be employed rebuilding roads, bridges, homes and businesses. Yes, of course, those who have had their homes or businesses damaged and may have lost priceless personal possessions, but if we shift our attention to doing what we can do to make the necessary repairs and a fresh start, we can become invigorated with a new burst of energy.

In some cases, it is metaphorical. An example would be losing a position in business that causes us to have to reconstruct or rebuild our careers. We can no longer see ourselves the way we used to. We have to reinvent and take stock in a major way. That layoff or termination may prompt us to check into doing something that we would really rather be doing.

When we are forced to rebuild our stuff, we are also rebuilding our selves. When a career change is forced upon us, we may find that we want to really take a hard look at our careers rather than just find another position like the one we used to have. We may then be even happier with our lives after setting a new direction.

Similar things will probably happen as rebuilding is done. Those rebuilding the roads may decide to not just put it back the way it was but to look for additional ways to reinforce it now that they know about the structural weakness.

Those rebuilding their homes may take this opportunity to not just put it back the way it was but to make some changes they were thinking about.

Destruction can inspire creative renewal and that is why drawing the Tower card is not necessarily a bad thing. If destruction has touched your life, take another look at the opportunities it presents.

Rerouting

During the recent floods, people had to reroute to try and get anywhere since so many roads were closed. And some people just had no roads open to get where they wanted to go.

So in a situation like that, you either know of other roads you can use or you stay home and work on other activities for the day or days. Now, of course, people in the worst hit areas had to evacuate their homes which may be heavily damaged. They will also have to reroute, although their change in direction will have to do with whether they can return to their old home or get it repaired.

Rerouting is a natural part of life. Floods of this nature have not been part of every day life here, but in the larger flow of life, how often do we have to change our plans, revising our routes and goals?

How many of us have not only changed jobs but changed careers several times in our life? How many of us have had more than one marriage or long term relationship?

In some cases, the change may have been our choice, while in others, the change was made necessary by the actions of others.

Rerouting is now part of our every day coping strategy for success.

Having extra food in the house, extra water, candles and batteries are good for coping with weather emergencies. Most of those whose homes were flooded will eventually get them repaired and move back in. Businesses that were flooded for the most part will be repaired. Even those of us who live on the high ground had to reroute because we could not go to work or we had to skip social plans. We had to reroute. We have to bounce back from setbacks and emergencies. It is human nature. It is our survival instinct. When one path is blocked, choose another.

Those of us who have GPS in our phones or cars can simply request to be directed to another route, but when we are not driving in our cars, we depend on our intuition to be our GPS. The more you trust your own intuition, the better your navigation. We all have it, but many of us just need to learn to trust it more.

Other ways our lives may get flooded may have to do with big changes in our sources of income, or the flow or non-flow in our relationships. In those cases too, we cannot just insist on going the way we used to go, we must choose a different route in order to survive. Emotional floods are the same as rivers overflowing their banks, and we just need to tune into our guidance and navigate new routes.

We may have thought that our preferred route would always be open, but now we are forced to be more resourceful and explore other routes.