The people in my life are really mirrors of me. This affords me the opportunity to grow and change.

-Louise Hay – Power Thought Cards

I used to hate it when I got THAT card. How about “My future is Glorious!” or “My income is constantly increasing.”?

Not that I disagree in any way. On the contrary I know it to be true. In my article for this month’s Wild Sister magazine I relay the story of how I learned to love a shadow part of my self, partly thanks to having seen it (and being disturbed by it) in others. It’s just that it’s a lesson, it’s work. It’s not “My future is Glorious!”… Or is it??

In Interfaith Seminary, the Reverend Diane Burke talked to us about the “Clear Mirror”; the reflection back to us of our own beauty and depth via those we admire, adore and even idolize. I silently gasped. Of course! If I can see what is not so perfect about myself through those things that annoy me in another, why couldn’t I see my perfection in those that I love and respect?!

Seeing the ‘flaws’ in someone else I can go to where I have been like that or where I am capable of that – because aren’t we all capable of everything; love and hate, generosity and greed…

And now, seeing the brilliance, creativity, courage and Divine light in another I can go to where that resides in me… and celebrate it. Appreciate it. LOVE it. I am capable of all that too. And then I’m not (as) jealous! I see me, me… fabulous ME!

I am surrounded by it lately, and have been for quite some time. Gorgeous-in-their-being people giving to the world from their authentic gifts, with compassionate hearts, humor and lightness.

• The genius of Alexandra Franzen.
• The creative wealth of Lori Portka.
• The intuitive love of Melanie May.
• The business bravado of Saraswati Om.
• The generosity of Rich Lucchese.

To name a few.

It is a lesson. Yes. A lesson in the Divinity within me, and you, and how it bounces around for us all to see it more clearly, own it… and share it with the world.

May you know that you are loved

May you know that you are of Love

May your struggles not dim the Light

that one day will allow you to shine like the sun

Be steady in the face of others’ indifference

Be quiet in response to their rage

Be true to the Love that made you

And you will be sustained

And buoyed

And risen to heights beyond your imaginings

In Divine time

In perfect time

In no time

click to see pic on Imgfav

Double rainbow pic by me. Cayuga Lake, 2011.

I was recently on the phone with one of my besties when she said, “I don’t think I’m psychic… I just hear God.

“Uh-huh,” I said in understanding.

Later it struck me how funny, and classic, that line was. I laughed to myself. I texted her: I’m sure… you’re not psychic, you just hear God. Will be quoting that a lot!

I knew what she meant at the time. It made total sense to me. I feel the same way. I hear God too.

I hear things I need to write. I used that in college. How else was I supposed to get through grad school?? I would put THEM – I usually refer to them as my “writer spirits”- on it when I had a paper due. When it was ready I would know. An almost silent timer would go off when the incubation was done. Then I could sit down and out it would come. I am doing that right now! I do that when I write prayers, or blessings for people’s services and rituals.

Lori Portka and I had talked about creating a children’s book, offering a spiritual truth in a kid-friendly way. Her colorful illustrations with my story. What story, we didn’t know. Then I was in the shower – the shower and the car are my top two places to hear God, and I’m a meditator… what’s that about?! So, I’m in the shower and I start to hear a chant, a little song… rhythmic, simple. Then it all unfolded. I knew who was chanting it, and who was hearing it. The whole thing was downloaded (LOL, have you seen this video - Shit New Age Girls Say  ?). I jumped out of the shower and had to grab paper to write out the children’s story, complete with the little chant. Lori is illustrating it, and we hope it someday reaches your kiddies’ bookshelves!

I believe my writer spirits are messengers of the Divine. I believe I am hearing good ideas because they are God ideas. I believe we all have access to It… to Spirit, to Grace, to Love, to God. I heard James Taylor sing live once, and as soon as he started I thought, “God.” It made me tear up – and I’m not even a huge JT fan. Sometimes I read something that I wrote down and it makes me cry. I’d better toughen up or I’m going to be known as the crying minister!

You hear God too. I know you do. How? What are you doing when you hear/feel/see/know? What do you do with it?

I would LOVE to know. Please share.

Find your tribe, a group of like-minded individuals

Surround yourself with positive people and those who uplift you

Avoid energy-sucking vampires, negative people and low-energy situations

Restrict your pleasure seeking, overindulgences and excess in all forms

Find a loving teacher who will point you to your own true nature

And when you are good and solid and anchored in the now…

in your Self…

in LOVE

THEN

Know that all minds are one

See yourself in everyone and everything

See Divinity and perfection in all

Go to the dark places and be the light

Take “the other” to lunch

Appreciate the luxury and pleasure that is available at any given moment

Take the pain of others and allow it to move through you and out

Let go of all rules

by Lori Portka

For me 2012 is definitely A Year of Wishes! The calendar that Lori Portka and I created has already led to so many amazing connections, ideas, fun and lots of LOVE. It has inspired a new format for my monthly sangha and will  be a guide for each month’s theme there. I hope that if you live nearby you will come sometime! The first one is next Sunday, January 8th.

The first Year of Wishes blog post is up. It’s a vlog! I lead a guided meditation and tell some of my story of learning to appreciate my body. You can see it here.

More prayers and blessings here.    xoxo,  Lisa

Funny, but the natural response is, “Thank you.”

That may be because I am trying to correct her but still, I say, “Thank you.” Then I got to thinking… maybe that is the correct order of pleasantries. She is allowing me to serve her. She is allowing me to love. My teacher Henry Grayson, in Mindful Loving, points out that when we give love, we experience love; as something inside of us and not separate from us. So she is providing all of these wonderful opportunites for me to touch my essence, draw it out… REALIZE it.

So she says, “You’re welcome.”

And I say, “Thank you.”

Maybe I’ll try this on Christmas. For each gift I receive… “You’re welcome!” Why not? Why say “Thank you”? Thank you for more stuff that I will like and get attached to? Don’t get me wrong, there are things on a list (many of them start with I, as in Apple products) that I want, but will they make me a more loving person and help me to shine?! Perhaps for a moment if they ARE shiny but… I would rather say thank you to those in my life for BEING HERE for me to bounce love off of, and for letting me find the love in my heart and my soul that guides me to buy them sweet gifts. I’m going to hand them their presents and say, “Thank you.”

And to my daughter for letting me make you almond milk steamers, and kiss your boo-boos, and wipe your poop, and watch Dora the Explorer with you… Thank you.

“Hmm”, I said. “I didn’t feel that way when I was pregnant. I was kind of like… ‘This will be cool. I wonder how I’ll do.’ “

“Oh yeah”, my enlightened friend said. “Like Byron Katie… ‘I look forward to…’ ” We LOVE Byron Katie! In her “Work” one of the things you do is write down what you don’t ever want to happen again, and then in one of her famous “turn-arounds” you put “I look forward to” in front of it instead. I look forward to it! I look forward to the crazy-makers coming, and seeing how I do. I look forward to a chance to react differently. I look forward to seeing what I’m really made of. I look forward to being forced to find my center and hold on to it.

I get it. Family, stress, trying to be perfect…they bring up our stuff. But they bring it up TO BE HEALED. Halleluyeer!, as Oprah would say. (There’s a link, in case you never heard of her. LOL. I crack myself up at 3 a.m.) So, we can thank those people, the situation, the time of year, for THAT. Lots of smart clients call me up again and make appointments for Mind-Body Healing this time of year. Smart new clients call me too! If you’re ready, it doesn’t have to be me but call someone, or call on your personal god, or try The Work… SOMETHING to help you find a new way, to step up the love and grace with which you handle holidays… and life.

Seize the opportunity.

Bask in the WONDER.

I wonder how I’ll act when a baby’s head is coming out of my “vajayjay” (that Oprah again).

I wonder what it will be like to be around that family member who___________________ (fill in the blank…e.g. puts me down, molested me, drinks too much, won’t shut up).

I wonder if I should drive separately so I can leave whenever I want to.

I wonder where I got this idea that I have to make this OK for everyone. And I wonder what it would be like to let that go.

I wonder why I don’t listen to myself and what it would be like if I did this year.

I wonder what I can do for myself to make this holiday season a joy… for me.

I wonder what it would be like to forgive  them… and myself.

I wonder!

click to see it on imgfave

1.) I am going with my family to my big brother’s house for Thanksgiving this year. We don’t usually have a turkey for dinner when we go there because… well, not sure why, but probably because I’m vegetarian, we all like to cook, and I guess no one’s really attached to turkey! So we have been texting back and forth about a menu and he came up with the idea of Ethiopian food. Love it. We’re going to make a few stews, injera… the whole thing. Fun!

2.) I just posted on ‘answering the call’ and doing what needs to be done; birthing what wants to move through you, and how that will surely be good for the world. I also mentioned watching Josette Sheeran on Ted.com talk about world hunger.

3.) A couple of years ago I did 29 Gifts during the 29 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Awesome experience! I was thinking I should do that again starting on Thanksgiving; that I need to GIVE.

4.) I have been working (if you can call it that) with my dear friend Lori on A Year of Wishes calendar/project which comes out today! Hooray! It’s been fun and exciting. I love Lori. We met at Omega Institute 10 years ago (a story for another time), and I am so grateful.

See the connection?!     NO??    Oh.  Let me tie it up for you. I am incredibly grateful for my beautiful little life, for my sweet family, my amazing friends, for the gifts Spirit has given me, and I am aware that I can give more. I couldn’t help notice the irony in having an Ethiopian feast when I just heard about the famine in Africa, and now cholera there too. Lori and I want our work to be a blessing on the world so… here’s where it all comes together into a pledge to donate $1 from each Year of Wishes calendar sold to the World Food Program. 

So, thank you ahead of time for buying the calendar, sharing this blogpost, donating more to WFP yourself, giving the calendar to all your friends as gifts, and just generally being you.  XOXOXO

See our video below to find out how the Year of Wishes came to be.

Buy the calendar on Lori’s Etsy shop!

It’s our second date. My (now) husband and I are sitting across from each other at my favorite Indian restaurant. He proceeds to tell me of his dream to sail across the ocean. I gasp! He asks,”Is the food too hot?!”

“No. You want to SAIL a BOAT across the OCEAN??!” I couldn’t think of anything scarier, really. Have you seen the ocean? I don’t care how big your boat is… Since then he’s played the movie “White Squall” for me a couple of times. True story. Very inspiring. But THE WIFE dies! Not helping. And need I mention that the man does not know how to sail, grew up land-locked in Pennsylvania, and gets sea-sick??

This is his dream. He looks at sailboats for sail (oops!) sale on Craigslist. He has a book on how to build a sailboat from scratch. I did get us a private sailing lesson last summer. So I guess the ball is rolling, for him to do what he feels called to do for whatever reason. I think he should. No… I think he must. The thought, the desire, the past life memory… whatever it is that is calling him must be answered.

I know there are other things that must be done. We must feed the starving children of the world, for example (I bawled yesterday watching Josette Sheeran on Ted.com). I just think we each need to answer the calling, the desire, the truth that is residing in us. It’s our part in the whole. Maybe it’s working out some karma in this lifetime. Maybe it will inspire another. I’m sure it is what we will be best at, what will rally unforseen forces to aid us, and what will feed our souls. If my husband learned to sail, got a boat and took himself (and maybe me and our daughter) across the ocean, would it feed the hungry children? Not exactly, but perhaps he would be happier, be a better dad (though I don’t know how – he’s fantastic already) and magically, energetically inspire and support the goals and dreams of our two-year-old who may someday be a Josette Sheeran… Who knows?

How do you know what needs to be done, and can only be done by you? It’s what calls to you. It’s what comes to you. It’s what you are jealous of others doing. Theologian Howard Thurman said,

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Then we just have to contend with our inner critic. Last week my fabulous artist friend Lori Portka told me she was planning on making a calendar with her artwork for 2012. She said she wanted it to be more than just a calendar though. I said, “Mm, hmm. Let me think about that.” In 5 minutes a complete idea came to me. CAME to me… from where? From whom? I don’t know but Lori loved it, we put it together in an hour, and you’ll be able to buy it right here on the world wide web in a day or two! The process was joyful, easy and exciting. (I’ll post a video soon of us telling the story of its birth – complete with hilarious outtakes. Well, we think we’re funny anyway.) That night I heard,”Who do you think you are? Just let Lori make her calendar. What do you have to teach? Who wants to hear your take on things?” and blah, blah, blah like that. I know better. I laughed it off, let it go and stuck to my guns. This came to me, through me, and I’m not going to let my critical mind squash it, shrink it or block it.

So what would you do if you could? If you were qualified? If money weren’t an issue? If you were the perfect person to do it?

Is there a dream, an idea, a creation wanting to come through you right now? Who knows where that might lead…

Come alive! The world needs you.

click on the photos to go to their Flickr page

(by qulic and tamcs44)