In this issue:
Reflections: Strong and True
News: Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards - follow each card
Inspiring Links
Reflections: Strong and True
Writing for you this month has been proceeding in fits and starts, I'm not sure why. Some months it flows and feels the right thing to share with you, this time just the opposite. I had an idea, wrote several pages in my notebook.... but.... it didn't feel good somehow. Part seemed contrived and unclear; other parts seemed too personal, in a way that wouldn't be of interest or helpful to anyone.
As a whole it did not ring strong and true. Coming back to writing today, I have choices: I could polish the first piece, maybe make it 'OK' - and that would be fine. (But I might not feel that way). I could choose not to write anything this month, to take a break. Other writers whose work I follow do that - they do not wish to be 'tyrannised' by their own self-imposed deadlines.
Or... I could do this: reconnect with myself, get my 'worry mind' out of the way, and go deeper. My thoughts are: why should I add to the deluge of words on the Internet if I have nothing 'useful' to say? What is the point? is it self-indulgent?
My internal compass comes back to: does it sound clearly like a bell? Does it feel 'strong and true'. Is it my own voice, as authentic as I can be today, as I write here in Cornwall at the end of April 2013. That phrase 'strong and true' came to me recently, and echoes the affirmation I chose two years ago to reconnect me with my true voice, to be able to speak from my heart. That feeling I have written about here before - in John O'Donohue's words, "Coming home to myself", is very strong.
I follow my compass, knowing I am acting in as strong and true manner as I am able in this particular moment. I remember that all I need to do is be myself, the best I can be. Sharing the process of being imperfect, of my best sometimes not being exceptional. Just being the best this ordinary person can do today. And me doing that helps to free you, my dear friends, to be yourselves, to shine in your own special and unique way. All of us are extraordinary and amazing, and all of us have those days when we feel neither of those things. The phrases you find to help you come home to yourself will lead you back, reset your internal compass.
For you, to explore in your meditation and/or your journal:
- Does your compass need recalibrating?
- Is there a part of your life where you feel in need of direction?
- Do you have an affirmation or mantra to help you?
- Maybe the place you thought you were heading to is no longer your destination?
News: Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards - follow each card
Starting from 1 May, I have set the intention of drawing a card each week and writing about how I use it to guide me and focus my reflections during that week. As there are 50 cards the whole process will take a year, or maybe more as I am going to be flexible and aim at three-four times a month (otherwise I am in the tyranny of self-imposed deadlines again!).
If you are interested in reading these thoughts, please will you let me know? Would you prefer a newsletter format like this that arrives in your email inbox? Or would a post on my blog suit you better, where you can visit when you feel like it and/or sign up to receive regular notifications? Or maybe you think it would be better to use the Dare to Blossom Facebook page? It might be good if you could leave your own reflections on using the cards - what do you think? Just 'reply' to this email and send me your thoughts if you would like to be involved.
To thank you for your help in my research into this, everyone who replies before 31 May will be entered in a draw. The first prize will be a Rediscovery Session (by phone or Skype) and a set of Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards, and there will be two further prizes of packs of the cards.
After I had written the piece above, "Strong and True", the card I drew for this week was 'Honesty' - which made me smile, having spent that time agonising about what to write and then deciding to share and be honest about how I was feeling during that process. I'll share my thoughts on that card and the significance of the background colour for me (with a photo for you) later this week when I begin the posting, which will begin on the Dare to Blossom blog while I am awaiting your response on your preferences.
Inspiring Links:
The wonderful spiritual artist Patrick Gamble has recently opened a gallery/studio in Polperro where his work will be on display. If you are ever in the area, do go along and visit. Details and opening times can be found here.
Here is a cartoon to make you smile, thank you to Coen of the Euro Coach List who shared this recently. The Dilbert cartoons by Scott Adams always contain astute observations of human behaviour. After my deliberations recently about using the cards to help access intuition and our own internal guidance, etc - this one particularly made me laugh! On intuition. The two following entries are also relevant to coaching and the 'personal development industry'.
Thank you for reading. Please do visit leave any comments or feedback if you feel inspired.
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