Living the Creative Life

The Art of Consciously Creating, Part IV: Staying in the Current

1/20/2017

What magic allows the acorn to become the mighty oak?

This is the fourth and final article in my series, The Art of Consciously Creating.
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The Art of Consciously Creating, Part III: Manifesting

1/16/2017

In 1999 Masaru Emoto published his first book of experimenting with water crystals by exposing them to different pictures, music and words and freezing them, Messages from Water 1. The above photos show differences in the crystals that have been exposed to the different words, "love", "thank you" and "I hate you". The photos show the vibration that the words and thoughts carry reflected in the water, giving us visual proof of the consequence that our thoughts and emotions carry. We cannot manifest love or gratitude while we are carrying negative emotions and beliefs. We cannot manifest the new while we are stuck in the old.
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Fire Goddess Rising

1/10/2017

With Fire in Her Belly,
In Her Full Power.

She Rises Up!
No Prisoners in the Tower.

In Harmony With Nature: The Sun, The Moon, and You as a Living Myth

1/8/2017

Whether it is Amaterasu retreating into a cave or Demeter mourning for Persephone in the underworld, causing the light to go away and lands to go barren, almost all cultures throughout history have myths speaking to the importance of the sun, solar cycles, and seasons.

Japanese Sun Goddess Amerterasu

Ancient Egyptian Winged Sun Disk

When Positive Thinking Isn't Working

1/4/2017

In my recent article, The Art of Consciously Creating, Part II, I introduced the law of attraction.

If you have ever gotten fired up about the law of attraction and manifesting and had it fall flat, it isn't because this premise doesn't work - it's just that you didn't have all of the information about how to properly engage with it to get the results you desired.

Imagine you haven't cleaned your cat's litter box ever and you just spray a little air freshener over it....That is exactly what it is like when you try to slap positive affirmations over fears and limiting beliefs that are deeply rooted in your subconscious mind. It doesn't work.

And there is absolutely no question as to which one is more powerful. Deeply held beliefs and fears will always win.

It is not that the law of attraction does not work. It is always working. The question is, how aware are you of what you are attracting?

Synchronicity, the shadow self, and projection are all important concepts that intertwine with the law of attraction.

Synchronicity

In Robert Ohotto's book, Transforming Fate into Destiny, he talks about synchronicity. This term was coined by Carl Jung, and as Ohotto says, "...stems from our psyche's interrelationship with the Universe and the laws of creation, not as a causal factor, but as a mirror".

Then he recounts a story that Jung used to tell that his friend Richard Wilhelm was said to have actually experienced when he was stationed in a small provincial Chinese village that had been experiencing an extended drought. The story goes like this.... After having exhausted all the prayers and rituals they could think of to bring rain, the elders of the village decided to recruit a famous rainmaker from a neighboring province. Once he had arrived, the rainmaker requested a remote private hut where he could be completely undisturbed, and asked for enough food and water to last four days. On the fourth day, the villagers awoke to a downpour. Wilhelm immediately went to find the rainmaker and asked how he made it rain. The old man said he had done nothing. He proceeded to explain that in his own province, everything was in balance with the Tao (the Divine consciousness that connects us all) and that therefore, in his province, it rained when it needed to and then was sunny when that was called for, because all of those living in the region were in harmony with themselves. He then pointed out that in this village, the people were out of balance with themselves, and that put them out of sync with the Tao. The rainmaker admitted, that upon his arrival, he himself had been thrown out of balance due to the chaotic consciousness of the villagers and therefore had isolated himself in order to reestablish the connection of harmony between himself and the Tao. Once this resonance was restored, then it rained.

Synchronicity mirrors what is happening within us into the outside world. If we are in alignment with our most authentic selves and our truest soul desires, then we experience synchronicity in the magical-seeming occurrences that coincide to move us along our path gracefully and with ease.

If we are out of balance with ourselves, and not living in authenticity, allowing our ego and shadow to dictate our lives, then synchronicity will externalize in our life as fate, creating events that prevent our continuation on our current path or even completely change our lives. We know the symptoms of this type of synchronicity - illnesses, accidents, bankruptcy, and divorce are just some of the circumstances fate can devise to get our attention.

The Shadow Self

The shadow self would then be what is stinking up the aforementioned litter box. If you have not cleaned your litter box and like to pretend that your cat does not use it, then that air freshner is probably not working so well.

At this point you can make the choice to decide that there must be something wrong with the air freshener, or all air fresheners (why can't I ever find an air freshner that actually works?), or realize that you actually need to deal with the shit in the box.

The shadow is part of life. Just like the shit in the box, ignoring it isn't really going to get you to a place you want to be. Judging it won't help one bit. You have to get in there and clean it up, regularly, and to do that, you first have to acknowledge that you actually have a cat and a litterbox and that this is all happening.

I really do love the Helen Keller quote, "Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows.", but on the other hand, I don't want my dinner guests to be smelling those "shadows" I just shoved in the closet.

So, we want to harness the law of attraction in our lives, and we've started down a few different paths and have been given some really unexpected road blocks. We then find ourselves wondering if the road blocks are about learning to persevere, or if they are a sign that we are completely off course. (Hint: the fact that you actually wondered is your first clue. It is kind of like if your answer is that you are unsure, you can go ahead and take it as a "no" because when it is a real YES, you don't even hesitate.)

Projection

(Do you guys smell something?)

So the cat box hasn't gotten cleaned, and the air freshener isn't working, again, and it totally ruined your dinner party, and now you are really angry.

Projection is when you saddle others with the shadow that you have repressed rather than acknowledged. One clue that you are projecting is it comes with a highly emotionally charged reaction.

Another clue that you are indeed projecting your own shadow onto people and situations around you is that you find yourself in similar situations repeatedly, and are using terms like "always" and "never".

(It was clearly not my cat using that box this whole time and creating this giant mess. I don't even think my cat eats that much. Why does my house always smell awful? Is it haunted? It must be haunted. I think someone else's cat is getting in and using this litter box. And what is UP with all of the crappy air fresheners? Will I ever find one that just does what it is supposed to do?!?)

The disownment of our shadows typically has to do with being socialized to judge certain traits as "good" and certain traits as "bad", rather than accepting them as all part of us and being taught to do regular psychic and emotional housekeeping, just like we would scoop out a litter box.

By labeling these parts of ourselves negatively and trying to separate from that part of ourselves, then we end up giving those negative traits extra power and they then slip out in subversive ways.

So now, understanding how powerful these shadow parts are, precisely because we attempt to ignore and disown them, we can see how the law of attraction, working on the premise of "like attracts like", would be working off of the stronger unconscious fears and limiting beliefs rather than any positive affirmations we are trying to apply.

Just like spraying air freshener around the overflowing cat box.

Clean that litter box!

We have to have the courage to look within and be accepting of what we find so that it doesn't keep seeping into our life in unconscious ways.

Looking within can be much easier said than done. Rather than trying to turn yourself inside out, look for clues in your life. In what situations do you find yourself getting highly emotionalized? What situations seem to keep occurring in your life that you find yourself complaining about, and what themes do they seem to have in common? About what things in your life do you find yourself using the words "always" and "never"? Do it in steps rather than trying to force it all at once.

Every single one of us has this shadow self - there is no need to criticize it or disown it. All we need to do is accpet it and understand it so that we remain in the driver's seat of our lives rather than it.

Understanding when we are projecting is a huge clue to learning about our shadow self. Acknowledging and allowing the shadow self is what allows us to reintegrate it and reclaim power of it, therefore bringing us back into balance and harmony with ourselves. Being in harmony and alignment with our authentic self is what allows synchronicity to manifest rather than fate intervening to redirect us. And when we are in alignment and synchronicity is the byproduct of that, giving us the feedback that our internal world and external world are in harmony, then we are in a position to truly harness the power of the law of attraction to consciously create our lives.

2017: Year of Fire

1/2/2017

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What does the element of fire represent?

Fire is creativity, enthusiasm, motivation and inspiration. Fire is the spark that gets us going. It is our desires and passions. Fire lights the way and keeps us warm.

2017: Light-en Up

On New Year's Day, I spoke with a friend about her experience on New Year's Eve, and as I did was relating it to my own. Things didn't quite turn out the way she had wanted, and my evening wasn't without its hurdles. At first I thought, this better not be some omen about what to expect this year. But as I thought about it more, the words that popped into my head were "Light-en Up".

Lighten up! Be the light, bring the light, look for the light, allow the light. Allow yourself to move towards ease and away from struggle. Drop the baggage. Drop how hard or unfair you felt 2016 was. Just let it go. Lighten up! This is the beginning of a new year and of a new cycle and we are bringing fire - the light!

This year, 2017, is a "1" year in numerology. This means 2016 was a 9 year and thus closed out a cycle, and 2017 is a new beginning. It is an initiation. Fire is also the element of initiation. Astrologically 2017 has a predominant fire vibe with a lot of planetary activity occurring in signs that are the fire element. In Chinese astrology, 2017 is the year of the "Fire Rooster". Again the element of fire is being highlighted.

This year's gonna be a scorcher! All of this fire is truly powerful, but we must handle with care.

Egyptian Goddess Bast/Bastet

Right after that conversation on New Year's Day with my friend, I was driving and saw a black cat sitting on the side of the road that I had never seen before, and the Egyptian cat-goddess Bast/Bastet immediately came to mind.

Bast is a goddess of music and dance, joy and sensuality. She is also a goddess of protection.

Not only were cats revered and kept in homes in ancient Egypt as protection from mice and snakes (cats being their natural predators kept populations down and lowered the risk of disease), but this goddess was also linked with fire protection supposedly because of an ancient Egyptian belief that if a cat ran through a burning household she would draw the flames out behind her.

So on the first day of this year of fire, I am reminded of this ancient goddess who is not only a patron of the creative arts and living lightly and in joy, but who is also a goddess of protection, and more specifically fire protection!

Fire Safety

And so in order to harness this fire energy we must work with it consciously.

Fire needs a container. If a fire is allowed to burn out of control, it will exhaust its resources quickly and may also cause destruction.

If the energy of fire is harnessed, it is very useful to us. It is an energy source that gives us light and warmth; we even use it to cook food and nourish ourselves.

Harnessing this energy to gain the most from it will involve boundaries and structure to contain the fire. The creativity must be balanced by responsibility. Having light and heat and warm food doesn't serve us if we burn our house down.

If we get a great idea and run with it and don't take time to eat or sleep, we will soon burn through our body's resources.

Write down the ideas and structure them with an action plan so that you may bring them into being without them, or you, burning out.

Wands are the suit of fire in the Tarot.

Ace of Wands, Shadowscapes Tarot

"Wands represent the element of fire. They are masculine energy. The themes of wands/fire include action, optimism, sexual desire, adventure, forcefulness and competition."

"The suit of wands (fire) represents our ideas and inspirations. It's where we feel passion, display amazing creativity, and set our dreams into motion. This element corresponds to our career, art, adventure, risk-taking, and self-development. Fire can also represent any of our passions. "

"It is the possibility of creativity, excitement, adventure; a challenge to step forward with courage and confidence. Plant the wand firmly in the ground and see it blaze forth with crimson light. Like a response of flint striking tinder, inspiration blooms from that illumination. The spirits and sylphs are drawn forth from their dwellings. In ordinary light they hide, indistinquishable from leaf and twig and stone and sky, but in this glow they slip out and stretch their wings. They sense that something is beginning. A spark has been lit. A challnege has been whispered. An invitation has been extended in this dawn hour. Once lit, fire is unpredictable and difficult to control. Uncontained energy can flare into a raging wildfire. Seize this wild opportunity, and glory in the blaze. They are beings of fire and the guardians for the wands: foxes, cats, lions. They flash with the sparks of intellect and wit, with fleet bodies that dart through the world, and with the burning flame of a fierce and strong spirit." ~Shadowscapes Tarot

While the Ace of Wands in the Tarot is the initial spark, the King represents the mastery of the suit - the mastery of the element of fire.

And so as the excitement of a firey 2017 sets in, remember to wield the creative power of fire with mastery and grace. Give it a container - a structure within which to burn - and tend to it, ensuring it burns evenly, neither being smothered nor burning through all of its resources too quickly.

Harness the power of this wild and beautiful fire of dreams for 2017!

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The Art of Consciously Creating, Part II: The Law of Attraction and Clearing the Fear: How to Be on the Right Side of the Law

1/2/2017

Now that you've met your Magical Creature, unearthed your unique why, and started making your new creation of life real by setting goals and creating action steps in Part 1, its' time for a check-in with the Law of Attraction.

We are all powerful creators. If we place our consciousness on a past negative event, we have the power to conjure up all of those same emotions and remain there and relive it over and over. If we choose to place our consciousness on something negative that might happen in the future or in uncertainty about the future, we can remain there, mired in worry about something that doesn't even exist...yet. You are so powerful, that if you focus your energies on it, there's a good chance it WILL exist in the future, which is why you must be SO conscious of where you are placing your attention and energy in each and every moment.

What You Need to Know About the Law of Attraction....

The Law of Attraction is ALWAYS working. The Law of Attraction says "like attracts like". We like to think of the Law of Attraction in a positive sense, but it actually is a universal law and works just like, for example, gravity. Gravity just is, and it is always working. If something falls off a shelf and breaks, we know gravity was at work. The Law of Attraction is the same - like attracts like - this means you need to be extra aware of what vibes you are putting out there in the world.

Pause for a minute and think about where your mind has been - where have you let your attention wander? How are you feeling in your body? Is there tightness in your chest or stomach? Is your breathing shallow? Are your shoulders up around your ears? Is there a twinge of resentment or obligation or defensiveness or criticism or fear that is hiding just below the surface but always operating?

You are a powerful creator and it is your responsibility to direct all of that power into focusing on what you truly want to create. It is your responsibility to uncover and weed out the negative and limiting beliefs and fears that reside below the surface that hitched a ride way back when and became a habit. It is your responsibility to consciously monitor yourself so that your efforts to create what you truly desire are not undermined.

The Law of Attraction works on our energetic vibration, and our emotions create the vibrations off of which the Law of Attraction works. In order to successfully engage the Law of Attraction, you must be emotionally connected to your goal, and those emotions need to be aligned with what you want to attract. Remember in Part 1 where you wrote down not only what you wanted to experience on a mundane level in your life, but what feelings you want to experience?

Linking up your worldly desires to your why and your feelings is the Magic Formula!

Alchemy 101:

Your beliefs create your thoughts, which in turn create your emotions. Finding that thing that fills you with energy and that has a “why” behind it that truly moves you emotionally, and aligning with that vibration is using the Law of Attraction to manifest your desires. This is Alchemy 101. When backed up by your beliefs, feelings and thoughts, your intentions are pure MAGIC.

If you have limiting beliefs and fears operating subversively in your subconscious, then they will be more powerful than your desires, and the Law of Attraction will be working in your life off of these things instead of your intentions. You must continually keep looking within and clearing out anything and everything that no longer serves you in order to clear the path for manifesting what you desire.

Where is My Mind?

Now pause again and think about where your mind has been. Has it been reliving past conflict or trauma, or projecting worries out in the future? Why? You must become aware of your thought habits and create new ones that support your vision. You must dig deep and unearth any limiting beliefs that are operating in your subconscious, and bring the light of consciousness to them so they no longer hold sway over you. A belief is stronger than any affirmation or intention. If you are harboring limiting beliefs about yourself or the world, you must take your power back from them. If "I'm not worthy", or "I can't get my needs met", or "everything has to be hard", is running down in the dark depths of your psyche, its time for some serious house-cleaning. "Clear the fear", because any limiting beliefs running beneath the surface of consciousness that are in conflict with what you are trying to create will block the process.

Clearing the Fear: Uncovering and Rewiring

Many times this process of becoming aware of and clearing limiting beliefs happens over a period of time for us and not immediately. We slowly clear layers of negativity and past programming and blocks. There are two parts to this process - the first is uncovering what we may be carrying that we are unconscious of, and the second is rewiring with new beliefs that support us and our new goals.

Uncovering

There are many ways to do this. I like to work consciously with the lunar cycles and journaling as a method of ongoing house-keeping. Other types of regular activities that help awareness are yoga or meditation or even walking in nature. Uncovering requires allowing the space to really be with yourself and gain insight. It can be something very foreign to us and can seem uncomfortable at first, and it can take more time and space than you might expect to allow things to "bubble up" and come into your awareness. You may find extra support and guidance via some type therapy helpful if you are unfamiliar with this process or feeling blocked. I use astrology and hypnosis with clients for bringing awareness to areas of life that may be challenged or blocked.

One exercise that can help us get to the heart of the matter is sentence stem completion. If you are trying to unearth a limiting belief and you ask yourself, "What is the worst thought I think about myself?", and go blank, you can try this. Ask yourself, "One negative thought I think about myself is __________." "Another negative thought I think about myself is _________." "The worst negative thought I think about myself is _________." Now you should be getting closer to the root negative belief.

With your new awareness of that root negative belief, you can trace it out into your life and see how pervasive it is. You can see just how it affects everything you do everyday in your life. And knowing that the Law of Attraction is always working, how do you now see that limiting belief and the Law of Attraction working in your life? What if that belief was a positive one that supported your soul's desires instead of a limiting one? How much power would you have to create the life you want?

Rewiring: Saturating and Acting "as-if"...

Now you can replace that limiting belief with one that supports your why. This is typically just changing the limiting belief to its exact opposite, but its your belief so make sure it feels right to you. You are a powerful creator and your mind is an amazing tool. Now you take your power back and direct it.

Remember that uncovering your limiting beliefs is an ongoing process of awareness. It doesn't happen all at once,and neither does replacing them. It takes 21 days to create a habit. It's generally easiest to focus on shifting one belief at a time rather than several at once. You are creating new neural pathways. Think of it as driving down a two-track with super deep ruts and trying to stay out of them as you drive. The deep ruts are your old neural pathways that the limiting belief has taken over and over and over in your life while you weren't consciously aware of it. Now you are trying to create new neural pathways with your new supportive belief, but it takes conscious effort and attention at first, until you begin to develop new "ruts".

Once you've uncovered the limiting belief, there are two steps to replacing it with your new supporting belief.

Saturate. Saturate your mind with the new belief. Repeat it as a mantra, use mala beads, sing it, write it, keep sticky notes where you will see them, use a hypnosis MP3 - whatever works for you to keep the new belief in the forefront of your brain.
Act "as if". Solidify the new belief by acting on it. Think of an action step you can do every day, something small, that is based in the new belief. If you're old belief was "I'm not worthy", and your new belief is "I AM worthy", then what is something you would do differently every day in your life if you are truly living from the foundation that you are worthy?

Keep these steps of saturating and acting "as if" up for 21 days and watch your experience of life change. Then keep following the ongoing process of awareness, clearing the negative and replacing it with what supports you.

To wrap this up, in Part 1 you found your why, connecting with your Magical Creature, your unique authentic self and found the passion, experiences and feelings that truly set you on fire.

Now in Part 2, you are clearing out any negative beliefs you have and replacing them with positive ones, and aligning your beliefs and thoughts and emotions with your why, your values, so that you can leverage the Law of Attraction in consciously creating your life.

In Part 3, we will be delving into the tool box for manifestation, and in Part 4 we will be pulling together all of the steps and discussing how to stay present in the process of manifesting and "stay in the current".

You are powerful and you are always creating. These steps are about ensuring that YOU are steering your ship consciously and are harnessing your energy and working with the current to manifest what YOU desire. This is how you consciously create your life. Now you are tapping into the magic!