Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Gentle!

The word from my heart pocket is Gentle.

The beauty of Gentle shows itself in every day. 

Try it. When you get irritated or riled, instead of venting in a wild or violent way, be gentle. It has an amazing effect. Most people don't expect it. Those who do, appreciate the power of Gentle. 

To be gentle is to be disciplined emotionally. It is a humane behavior choice. It is compassionate and kind. It is far more pleasant for everyone concerned, especially the person who chooses to be gentle.

Gentle calms the spirit and soothes the nervous system. It is nurturing and nourishing and it sometimes takes effort. Gentle has a soft voice and stands tall. It has a quiet nature and is accepting. Gentle chooses its battles. It always wins.

When we are consciously gentle, we are warmhearted and we are sensitive to our surroundings. Gentle shows a tenderness where there could have been something coarse or rough. Gentle smooths sharp edges and polishes the dullest finish.

Choosing Gentle is choosing Strength. Choosing Gentle is choosing Peace. Choosing Gentle is intelligent and wise and loving.

Choose Gentle today. Begin with You ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Open!

The word from my heart pocket is Open.

Open. Unfastened, unclosed, agape, exposed.

Open. Accessible, not forbidden, approachable, unconditional.

Open. Clear, obvious,visible, unconcealed.

Open. Undecided, unsure, controversial, unsettled.

Open. Honest, objective, candid, natural.

Open. Begin, set in motion, launch, initiate.

Open. Expose, spread, disrupt, reveal.      

WOW. How open is open?

Allowing. That's what being open is. We let in what is. We are affected by what is around us, unimpeded, unshut, yawning wide, allowing all of it to come. 

That is frightening to us because we don't know 'what's out there'. It's frightening because we think we do know what's out there. It's frightening because we've been hurt and scorned for our beliefs; we've made mistakes, and dear me, we've been what has been deemed by others as - dare I say it - wrong!

When we shut down it is because we are afraid. That is the only reason. There are a bajillion reasons humans become afraid. They are all legitimate because they cause fear. In order to be open, we must lose our fears. 

We don't have to tackle them all at once, although that's a surefire way to be done with it. I heartily suggest one at a time and here's why. You get started overcoming fear with baby steps and before you know it, you don't even have to say 'mother, may I ?'.

Being allowing, being open is feeling secure. Security comes at a price. We must allow anxiety and trepidation and fear to march forward and walk right through us and we must allow courage to rise up inside of us and permeate our cells. Courage sits on a little shelf in our heart pocket. It's a little shelf because courage starts out that way. Like those inflatable sponges, it grows and grows the more we drown our fears. Courage can be HUGE and it works hard when we call upon it. Courage requires an allowing heart. We become open to all sorts of good when courage arrives. Dear me. Open is a beautiful and exciting way to live!

We have to remind ourselves to be open because our world has so many opinions and opportunities. When we are open, everything becomes available to us, like an unending buffet. That doesn't mean we have to choose everything, although we're surely welcome to do it! It doesn't mean everything available to us is good for every moment. It simply means we have choice every situation. Right now. And now. And now. And now. And ... even not choosing is a choice.  

I love that one of the words for open is 'agape' (with a long A in the middle). The ancient Greek word agápē meaning love. To leave your heart wide open would be to leave your heart agape; agápē. No judgment one way or another. Pure acceptance for something, someone for the way it is. 

There is a common phrase - "easier said than done". I catch myself saying it and always laugh. It means I need more practice. I can get it, I know I can. I can do this ... if I'm open to it.

Open. Easier said than done. Let's get started ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Cooperation!

The word from my heart pocket is Cooperation.

Play Ball!

It's a great way to learn cooperation. We learn teamwork when we play team sports. We call it harmony when we play in the orchestra. The greatest ballplayers and the finest divas know that cooperation creates the best performance.

We want our team to win. We want to lift our audiences out of their seats with applause. We hope for the committee to hear the words we so carefully prepared. Most of all,  we want cooperation to get the best result. 

To cooperate isn't always about agreeing or getting our way. The action of cooperation is collaboration; a working together to make something happen. One of the greatest examples of cooperation is with the family. This requires a high level of understanding and is usally driven by feelings of love or devotion. The action is collaboration; the essence is synergy, symbiosis, harmony. 

It is beautiful to experience.

One of my favorite parts of cooperation is how I feel when I do it. It's a very personal gift to me for doing my part. I love pulling a show together. It's fun coming up with ideas for a project and working with others to make it the best it can be. People are so creative and get inspired by each other when they work together to an end result. Cooperation. It's a present, wrapped by many hands and hearts and heads.

Observe little ones at play. They figure out how to get the job done. They might have already learned from example how to lead or to manipulate or to avoid participation. They may be afraid to try because of disapproval from the group. They might bully others to have a form of participation. They may use natural instincts and inspire the group to want to work together for the sake of the goal. See if you can find yourself as you observe. Do you like what you see? It's easy to become more of who we want to be when we have the desire.

I take short vacations with the same group of women a few times each year. What a wonderful group of team players! The common goal is for each of us to have the best time we can. No matter what, we bend and stretch as needed because we love each other so much.

I relate to the word harmony because I am a musician. I have experienced it most when I was the soloist. That's not because I felt elevated or better. I blended my voice with the other instruments to become one. Soft and loud, staccato and notes that soar. Making beautiful music requires listening and full participation. Cooperation.

To be good at anything we do is about listening, trying, learning, building, practicing, cooperating.

Sports figures talk about cooperation with words like teamwork, mutual assistance, team spirit, morale, joint effort. Politics and Education use semantics like bipartisanship, community, reciprocity and co-administration. Every group has words to express cooperation. Those who have experienced its benefits know it is one of the greatest and most powerful heart tools available to us. 

True cooperation is a mark of greatness. It is mature and it is one of the best life tools we can give our children.

It begins with example.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Think!

The word from my heart pocket is Think.

Exercise your mind. It's always working, even when we don't want it to. We try to stop it with alcohol and drugs and sleep and more noise. None of those have the long-lasting effect we want. We try to calm it with breathing and meditation and physical exercise. This is effective because we channel our energy and focus on the task at hand. 

Taking off your thinking cap isn't easy. The mind is a busy factory. It is a giant muscle that bears thinking about ... and if we take charge of it, it serves us well.

To think, to cogitate, to intellectualize and conceptualize are all mental processes we do, well, almost without thinking. A better way to say it is that we perform these processes almost unconsciously. We're so practiced at thinking that it happens without much effort, except when we're taking a test or attempting something new. When we're in new brain territory, our consciousness comes alive and we're in the driver seat again. We struggle, not because it's really so hard, but because we resist the effort. When we relax into learning, when it's fun or there is passion behind it, struggle falls away and it is replaced by high energy and pleasure.

The word Think has other meanings. We expect something when we think something is going to happen. Thinking reflects what we believe and here's where the power lies. Our thoughts are directly connected to our belief systems. The more we think a thought, it becomes foremost in our minds. We focus and everything in our world can be connected to it. We begin to notice details related to the thought. We might even get obsessive about it. Genius works this way. Genius shuts out diversion and everything unrelated to its purpose. That still leaves a lot of ground to cover and sometimes genius gets so focused it misses the brilliance in the end. Real genius is focused thought with the flexibility of mind to transcend ego.

Conceptualizing is a dreamy sort of thinking. It allows lots of imagining and this happens unconsciously when we experience some sort of movement like driving in the car or when water is moving around us in the shower. We have good ideas or flashes of brilliance when we're walking or doing some form of aerobic exercise. This also happens when the mind is at rest, as in sleep or meditation. What happens in all of these instances is the mind takes a break; it deflates and makes room for related thought to circle and move about and converse with other thoughts. When there's a connection, we tap into it and bingo! Thinking is on the verge of becoming a thing, something concrete that will manifest itself in the world.

This isn't brilliant writing I'm doing. It's mindful, of course, because it's based on articles I've read, conversations where I've paid attention and my own experience. This writing reflects my thinking. I think and amazingly my thoughts zoom through my fingers placed on the computer keyboard and magically appear on a simulated piece of paper. It is equally incredible that you are sitting there reading them on your computer, a product that came in part from thinking. I'm thinking and you're thinking and we're connecting through our thoughts.

I think that is utterly amazing and it suggests that telepathy isn't far away. 

Just think about it ...  

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Sensible!

The word from my heart pocket is Sensible.

What an incredibly powerful word this is! It is used often and with great authority. It removes doubt and clears the room. Used in this way, in a word, sensible, brings dreamers to their knees.

As with many words, society has grasped one of its nuances and used it so much that the word seems to have this meaning only. Sensible, in some situations, does connote a kind of reasonable and rational behavior. In this vein, it has come to promote justifiable action and even more common, it is used in places of authority such as courtrooms, schoolrooms and living rooms to mean sane and intelligent.

Although this is often true, those moments are debatable and often dictated by a person with a personal agenda. It is advisable for the person with the agenda to enjoy a moment of real listening before pronouncing some sort of edict. True sensibility requires sensitivity to others, not just self.

To be sensible, one must be fully aware. This is no black or white decision. A sensible person is often seen as intelligent. Again, this is true. But some of our most sensible citizens have been called foolish and unreasonable because they have voiced ideas not understood by others. Many of those ideas became our most practical (and lucrative) inventions. "It'll never work. Give it up. Og", said Borg. "The round shape makes it hard to stack and I can't imagine how it will be useful." Og had invented the wheel and I'm pretty sure that Borg was first in line to invest in it when Og's company went public. Sensible doesn't begin at the end. It starts with exploration and dreaming.

Sensibility is awareness, cognizance. It has a discriminating eye. Borg would be a good partner in the wheel business if he were to stop and appreciate the vision. Sensibility has sensitivity attached to it. You will find a refined palate in the most sensible person. Practicality is visionary, and although reason is present, it cooperates with dreaming to create a sensible decision.

When we are at our sensible best, we are open to receiving so we can discern what is good in this moment. That discernment includes the possibility that we should do nothing and wait. Sometimes we need more information before making a move. Other times, we are immediately certain how to act. We have everything we need and off we go! In both instances, we know this because our gut tells us; we're certain because something does or doesn't "make sense". We are being sensitive to the situation. This is being sensible.

Sensibility is whole. It's round, like the wheel, and it rolls along in a never-ending, always changing newness that supplies us with information and inspiration. We are sensible when we pay attention. We are sensible when we listen. We are sensible when we combine discernment with dreaming.

Be sensible inside your days and life becomes more interesting, more productive,  and definitely, more fun! 

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Sweet!

The word from my heart pocket is Sweet!

 Ah, the sweet life!

What does that mean? The inference is that it is life at its best - no worries, no struggle, no reason to sweat. We have plenty of everything. We live in a land of milk and honey. We are appeased at every turn by the world around us. We're the center of our universe and every day everything goes smoothly.

You awaken in the morning and the birds are singing. Wait. You don't like singing birds? Okay. You awaken in the morning and there is complete silence. No? You want to hear the breezes off the Caribbean, to climb out of your bunk and onto the deck of your 45 ft. Titan. Ah, you don't like sailboats. You want a power boat. And some fishing gear. And it's 4:30am in British Columbia. It isn't light yet. The temperature is 45 degrees F and the fish are biting. Aaaaah, you're a hotel person! You prefer NYC and room service! 

Hmmmm.....

Is the sweet life only sweet when we get what WE want? Obviously that's different for every one. For each of us to enjoy the sweetness of life, it is wise to be open to the different tastes of others, to recognize there are many opportunities for pleasure. We might even enjoy some of them if we gave them a try.

Sweet! We've heard the exclamation as we walk down the street. Someone has received word of something good, a break in his life, a win.

We say "she is sweet" without really knowing her thoughts. Sweetness is a quality that is easily feigned and fairly shallow. It isn't kindness or thoughtfulness. It isn't that deep. What a sweet child! That comment comes when the child doesn't require a lot of attention from our busy day. Real sweetness has a pure quality and is the result of true consideration. When sweetness is practiced directly from the heart, it grows into a richer, more satisfying dessert that benefits both the sweet person and those with whom he comes into contact.

Too many sweets make your stomach hurt. too much sugar causes disease and can be fatal. Natural sweetness is a lightness of being, a caring way that hovers and expects nothing in return. It is well-intentioned and not very discerning.

Enjoy the sweetness of life! It is there for all of us. Be aware of excess and envy and pity of others who appear to have more or less than we have. Sweetness is a quality of the personality of people and appearance. It is enjoyable, to be sure. allow it when it comes. Share it with others. Don't dwell on it or you'll miss the mango ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Rest!

The word from my heart pocket is Rest.

It's easy to rest. It should be. We surely work hard to make it happen.

We call it vacation. We call it sleep. We call it napping. We call it taking time off.

When we ignore rest, it forces itself upon us and we call it hospitalization and rehab.

Rest comes naturally after a long day of work. We allow it when we are exhausted. Americans, unlike other countries, average 2 sanctioned weeks of it. Much of the world gets 4-8 weeks of encouraged and paid rest per year.

The mind needs it. The body needs it. The heart needs rest from the burdens it bears.

We love rest. We pay for rest. When we choose not to overwork, we rest. When we choose to exercise, we release pressures and stress. When we smile, we relax 13 muscles in the face.

Some restful activities are: reading, gardening, cooking, playing card games, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, walking. We rest and give the mind a break when we hike or run on the treadmill. Swimming is a marvelous way to rest. We're surrounded by water and working our bodies. The rest comes after the physical activity. We have moved the focus to the body and many of us find this both a relief and pleasurable.

Sometimes we have to decrease the stimulants in our lives so we can rest:  coffee, television/computer, time at the office, traveling, worry. Rest happens when we choose to move out of our routine. We try something different and although it might stimulate one part of us, it gives another faction of our lives a break - a chance to rest. 

Resting the spirit rests every part of us. Meditation is a wonderful way to rest. If it's too hard to do on your own, gather a few friends who are interested in this way of resting. In a quiet place, give yourselves an hour and ease into it. Talk about what you want to release, how you want to feel after your meditation, what you want to bring into your life. Begin by taking 10 deep breaths and for a good 20 minutes, be silent together. Your mind will get used to this practice eventually and you will be able to do it on your own in time.

Certain music calms the nerves. The music of nature is always restful. The sound of waves lapping against the shore or the wind blowing gently through the trees brings peace. Dancing - Oh Dancing! Movement to music rests the soul! And laughter. We say "we're exhausted" after a long time of laughing. Laughing puts us in a beautiful place of rest.

You know what works for you. You've experienced real rest. Build rest into your day. It's as valuable as your work and play.

Rest. It's what's left over and it's one of the best gifts we give ourselves.   

   

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Search!

The word from my heart pocket is Search!

This year is the one. This month I'm going to make it happen. Today. By noon. In this moment, Right now.

We search and search and can't seem to find what we want. It feels elusive and unattainable.

Still we search. We search like we fish. It only takes one nibble to pop us up to a zenith and the search continues. Searching and not finding isn't fun, unless for you the search is the thing. Watch an Easter egg hunt. Notice who loves the hunt and who needs to find an egg to be happy. There are some keys to the finding. Is the search overwhelming? Break it into phases, into smaller increments. Does the search seem impossible? Examine it in your mind. Write it out. Imagine and record your findings. Are you searching in the right places? Are you happy while you're searching? Why not? What is the source of your frustration, your disappointment, your irritation? The answer is a clue. If you are happy, you might be a natural seeker and that's a clue, too!

Relieve the tension and you release the pressure. Search and read the clues. Play with them. Let them lead you. And look, you are already finding!

Searching is necessary when we want to know. Searching can be like a treasure hunt. We forget that we are in charge of the search. It is our idea and we get to choose. Searching for a partner? A job? A new home? An animal friend? A place to volunteer? A decision? The outfit that makes you feel your best? Are you looking for something immaterial and wanting it to come into your life? Qualities like peacefulness, simplicity, or purpose?

When we search, we invite uncertainty to step forward ... to help find certainty. Tools to use with uncertainty are:  flexibility, a sense of humor, intermittent rest and spending energy, research (asking questions. reading, thinking, dreaming).

When we search, we discover. It is important to record your discoveries. You might think you will remember but we never remember it exactly. You might remember big events, but the facts were accompanied by thoughts and feelings. They are equally important to discovery. They qualify the search, offer clues, and make it whole.

We can search too long. Search can become a diversion or can be used as an avoidance tactic. Some people search their entire lives for one thing. Some searches don't require as much time or energy. Searching is active and it leads to answers. Take breaks from your search to see if it needs to take a new direction or if it is complete.

This year is the one. This month I'm going to make it happen. Today. By noon. In this moment. Right now.

The search has begun!   

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Time!

The word from my heart pocket is Time!

Time flies.

It zooms in and around me while I work work work play play play jog jog jog jog laugh laugh laugh eat drink eat drink sleep.

Time stops.

There is only muffled noise inaudibly moving in and around me as I watch my boss mouth the words "let you go" as I stare at the rubble I once called home as I feel the soft shallow breathing of my newborn against my cheek in the middle of the night as my lover touches me with the tendering we both deserve.

Time heals.

Waiting becomes an active verb on the back side of perseverance, persistence and patience as I watch as I wish as I want as I hope as I pray as I forgive as I love. 

Time marches on.

An idea whose time has come. The time of your life. Time to waste. Time to keep silence. Time to laugh. Time to lose, time  to love, time to mourn. Time to plant. Time to remember. Time to speak, to stand, to weep, to wonder, too much too little too late. Not enough time.  

The time we have chosen in our lives is unknown to us. Our passions move us forward.

Take the time. That is its purpose. 

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Emerging!

Art Poster - Creative Spirit Art Centre

The word from heart pocket is Emerge!

This picture, to some, might look as if the heart is disintegrating. To others, it will look as if it is taking shape. Both would be correct. The picture is emerging. We paint life pictures all day long. If we could watch the canvas of our lives, we would see the pictures fading in and out while one picture becomes apparent as the former one fades.

To emerge is to come out, come into view, to become. Parts of ourselves emerge faster than others. Emerging is natural and good. It doesn't always feel that way, especially when we resist. 

Sometimes we get in a hurry. We try to emerge with a great sense of urgency. This is called an emergency. Sometimes the emerging happens so gradually we don't notice it until it pops out at us. We try to attribute this to other circumstances but when we dig into our past, we see we've been emerging toward this occurrence for a long time.

Original emerging materializes and we feel awkward until we're more practiced. This experience is not unlike cutting a path through a dense jungle. We struggle to become skilled with new tools. We learn to intuit using different senses. Our minds have to catch up to the emergency and vice versa. 

If a quality or situation arises that is strangely familiar and we feel like we've "come home", our emerging has uncovered a gem. This is a knowing and as we emerge, we notice how happy we are, how easy the process is, how comfortable and pleasurable this emergence feels. We still have to do the work but it feels like play. Time "flies". Energy is efficient and plentiful.

"Coming into our own" is an emergence made up of lots of little emerging experiences. Each is valuable because it effects the other. None is most important. The unveiling is a process and the final product doesn't come until we decide we are finished.

Rise up. Become visible. Step into the light. Emerge!