How receptive are you? How receptive am I? A tricky question we don’t ask ourselves often enough. The quality of taking in and receiving is being receptive to all life has to offer us. We often say no to life without even realizing it. Mother Nature never says no to life, she is life. We are the energetic force of life, living breathing receptors that have the ability to receive great abundance. When I speak of abundance, I am speaking of the flow of good into all areas of our lives. By remaining in harmony we become receptive, allowing our greater good to come to us.
I don’t know about you, but I have found that by my own efforts alone, I dilute my power to fully live the life I desire and dream of. When I make powerful conscious choices to set up my future, I am then able to hand the details over to my perfected self, my higher self who knows exactly how to bring to me what I want and at exactly the right time. My job is to stay out of the way by remaining harmonious and receptive to my good. There are seen and unseen forces in the Universe that can go to work for us in ways we can’t imagine. I can tell you that when I use these Universal Laws and Principles, they work. Test it out for yourself, take a little test drive. If we want change, we have to be open and receptive!
We need to become receptive listeners who are open and responsive to what comes our way. That is part of harmony. When we are stressed, in a hurry or shut down to listening, it is hard to feel and hear the messages the heart is sending us in its infinite love, wisdom and power. We have been trained to behave in a certain way since birth to survive in the world as we know it. It’s not easy to re-train yourself to remain harmonious in a world full of chaos, but there is another world out there waiting for those who do.
Be receptive to the beauty of life. There has always been human suffering simply because of the choices people make. When we are unreceptive to love and its family, only sadness, regret and fear can occupy that space. By making the choice to live in and from the heart, you remain open and receptive to your highest and greatest good. We must take a stand if we want change, because we are the change-makers and each decision we make matters. Receptivity is a superpower, and so are you!
“Not only do your thoughts and words and actions affect others in an obvious way, but they also have an impact far beyond any that you might have intended. And, to complete the concept of the Golden Rule, what you send out will come back to you, so the actions you take or the words you speak or the thoughts you conceive should be ones that you feel comfortable returning to you, for they inevitably will.” ~Lessons from the Source by Jack Armstrong
Vision, creativity and passion carry us to places we did not know we could go. Believing in oneself and evolving into a state of knowing is a long path to travel, with many bridges to cross. Knowingness is an ever evolving process within ourselves. How do we learn to believe in ourselves so much, that we dispel fear and doubt? This is a question I ask myself often. Intellectually, I know it is found through opening many doors. Spiritually, I know it is from connecting to the heart. I want to believe I am capable of excelling at my passion, but a lifetime of voices, lessons, schooling and all manner of dictates have told me otherwise, at least for the most part. It is up to me to have a vision, to know that I am capable of achieving my desired outcome. The most important part is knowing that I am the only one that stands in my way.
Neale Donald Walsch said “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I like my comfort zone, thank you very much, but as the years roll by I know that what creates growth is change, and that means leaving your comfort zone from time to time. Often we are like children, holding on to our ‘blankey” with a thumb in our mouth, trailing our blanket of comfort behind. Part of growing into an adult means leaving the blanket behind, if we want to evolve. To grow into spiritual adulthood, it is wise to leave fear and doubt behind, which can allow us the clarity to see our vision for the future we wish to create.
What is your personal vision? What is your vision for the Collective? When following your heart and envisioning the future, is it for the highest and greatest good not only for yourself, but for everyone? A very big responsibility sits on our shoulders if we hold the vision of living from a place of love, wisdom and power. By connecting to the heart in a profound way, the obstacles that clouded our vision begin to clear. Our connection to source grows stronger, we grow stronger, allowing knowing-ness to be an essential guide. There seems to be a sense of dis-rest in so many people, no matter who they are, or their station in life. Until we each learn to hold the vision of love for ourselves and our fellow man, there will be dark clouds in the way. Sri Aurobindo said “ In order to see, you have to stop being in the middle of the picture.” Getting out of our own way is not always easy, but well worth the repeated effort.
Spend as much time as possible in-visioning the life you want to live. Examine what is truly important for that vision to succeed. What is the motivation behind the vision and how do you see it unfolding? Your vision is powerful and when you use it wisely and with love, it will bless you in all areas of your life.
We are energy. Let’s talk about this briefly. Our thought is energetic and holds within it – power. We as creators have the power to direct this energy. Cause and effect would be how things manifest outwardly in our lives, and is a direct result of how we manage that energy. The cause is our focused thought, or the recurring habits of our thinking, feeling and acting, which create effects or outcomes in our lives.
Thought is a by product of thinking. Healthy, happy creative and constructive thoughts impact all areas of our lives in a positive way, whereas worrisome and fearful thoughts impact our lives in a negative way. Simple math really! As we vibrate to this positive or negative energy, it is important to know that our multi-body system is taking orders from headquarters! We birth our thoughts through feelings as they take root and are nurtured into reality.
Energy is alive waiting to be directed in any way you choose. Consciously creating brings much more satisfactory results than unconsciously creating. Again, you do the math!
“You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”
By being flexible, expansion and growth become our companions on this journey in an ever changing world. Learning to sway like a branch in the breeze is a skill. We can resist change, but it will occur regardless. Bruce Lee said “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” When times are unfavorable many people break down from fear and non-flexibility. I find when I have challenges in my life, most of the time it is because I am being inflexible. Ahhh, the need to be right. Gets us every time!
There are many changes going on in the world requiring us to be more flexible now than ever. With the internet and all the new technologies, we are able to connect on many different levels. The world stage is changing, challenging many old worn out beliefs and lifestyles. A much needed shift is occurring and flexibility is key to our happiness. People who are able to adapt to change are better equipped mentally and emotionally. Being resilient in times of challenge insures inner and outer flexibility, leading to a more joyful life.
When I talk about flexibility, I am not talking about being weak or passive, just open to adapting in a way that will serve you and your life. Just as keeping our bodies flexible is important to our health and well-being, keeping our minds flexible is essential to our mental health and well-being. By making conscious choices, being clear about our intentions, living our passion and being open to the change needed for a perfect outcome at the right time and place, we are expanding, never contracting. Have the courage to become a living example of flexibility and others will follow. Remember a bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to take the turn.
“Life is Delicious. Devour it with joy in every cell of your body, mind and spirit. You will see it’s perfect qualities reflected back to you in many ways, seen and unseen.” -Debra Oakland
I like to remind myself that my life is the sum of my choices, and the more I enjoy life, the happier I am. It’s simple, yet can take a lifetime of self awareness to embrace life with open arms. Quite a journey we all share!
In this article, I am exploring the partnership of Inspiration and Motivation at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, CA where I live. I sat happily with my Kean coffee looking at the artists booths all around me that are filled with diverse art by very talented people. Festival of Arts has been home to the Pageant of the Masters since 1932 and attracts more than 250,000 people annually. The festival has a reputation for fine art, and is recognized worldwide. These 140 juried artists have to be very inspired and motivated to get into the festival, and to stay in the show from year to year. Each year approximately 25 new artists are added to the art show.
The first delightful artist I spoke with was Betty Haight of Cunningham/Haight. I asked Betty what motivated/inspired her and she told me, “Other people loving our art is what motivates me. Another factor is selling art. Our motto is “Art without commerce is a hobby.” There is a story tag on the back of each painting, and the wood frames are from scrap wood from old cottages. Betty is passionate and enthusiastic about her work, and it was a pleasure to visit her booth…I hope you will too!
I fell in love with Karin Worden’s beautiful jewelry. There is a gorgeous necklace in Karin’s booth that keeps pulling me back and enticing me! Her work is exquisite. It is obvious that Karin puts her heart and soul into her work, so I asked her what inspires/motivates her in regard to her craft. “I’m inspired by the life I see in natural forms. The gestures and textures speak to me. I also love my craft of goldsmithing. So I get inspired by something in nature, or even sometimes a picture of nature, and then I mix that in my studio with the fun and adventure of what the materials can do. I choose gemstones for their colors and then play with textures and techniques in silver and gold. I love the process of bringing an idea to life. A fleeting picture in my mind evolves into something tangible that can last just about forever. I’m also inspired and moved by the responses my pieces get from others. When someone falls in love with a piece and buys it, it begins a new life with them. Often, I’ll see a piece on someone two years later and it will look different – it has become part of the wearer and transformed in ways I could not have effected.”
Wandering around the festival grounds I met Bill Agee who was a commercial photographer for 30 years, and now teaches photography at Saddleback College. Bill’s art is abstract/expressionism in acrylic on canvas. As far as motivation, Bill said “Art makes me happy, I enjoy it. I work independently and have made my hobby my profession.” I viewed Bill’s photography from around the world on his website and it is stunning.
Next I spoke to Anne England who is a longtime Laguna resident and artist. Anne is a print-maker, who says “Art motivates art, and art motivates me. Art comes from my heart and soul, it speaks to me.” Anne spends part of the year teaching and creating new works on paper in Italy. I met Anne after one of her return trips from Italy and found her a joy to interact with.
While talking to Anne, I met Geraldine who directed me to her husband Gar Cropser, a gifted and passionate landscape photographer. Gar’s answer to being inspired and motivated was, “The love of the outdoors gives me a feeling of peace, awe and wonder that I want to share with others. My goal is to be able to capture, experience and share my work with the world.” Gar’s photography of Zion and Yosemite (two of my favorite places) were very moving because he captures light beautifully.
I thank each artist for taking the time to speak with me, and may you each be blessed with a prosperous festival season.
Use Courage to expand each and every day. Smile more often, be kind and loving to others, gossip less, let criticism of yourself and others go, be the joy you want to experience. Life WILL respond back to you. – Debra Oakland
Pablo Casals the famous Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor said “Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and never will be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know who you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”
The children are our future, and what we teach them matters. By reminding children of who and what they are, we are teaching them to live from the inside out as the marvelous beings they each are. Sometimes we forget our uniqueness and the power in that individuality. Let’s all remind young children who they are, so they can pass it on for future generations who want to live in a marvelous world.
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