Monday mornings are enjoyable for me. I get an opportunity to sit at my computer, receive lots of information both spiritual and material about the world, and envision my week. As I sit here this morning, I’m inspired to look at the world from a slightly different perspective, and I thought I’d share it.

I’ll start by looking into the past. Have you ever played in the arena of keeping a gratitude journal or notebook, or held to a daily practice of giving thanks? You’ll know the feelings of satisfaction, contentment, and/or joy that such practices bring, by providing a space to align with the soft, clear, gentle flow of gratitude as an energy. My experience with such practices has been rewarding in that it makes the recognition of being grateful such a part of daily life.

So let’s consider this practice, from a minor shift of perspective, while invoking a small variation in the approach. What would it be like to have a practice of “making your unique contribution to the world?” What could it look like to keep a contributions journal? What thoughts, words, and deeds might be part of a practice of making a conscious contribution of joy, happiness, empowerment, upliftment, assistance, even gratitude?

For myself, I can envision a quiet space in the evening, at the close of the day, where I sit in contemplation of what has unfolded. I have a sense of noticing the instances in the day where what I said or did represented a genuine expression of my unique gifts for the world, and made a positive contribution to someone or to many. The words are gentle and kind, and the acts are thoughtful and authentic.

Furthermore, I can envision holding the experiences quietly within my awareness and then letting them go into the world, with a sense of each one continuing to touch people in a loving manner.

And, as with a gratitude journal, it seems as though such a practice supports me in gaining a more conscious awareness of the opportunity to contribute to the uplifting energies of the world on a regular basis throughout the day. Many spiritual practices speak of endowing each thought, word, and action with grace and reverence. Such is the nature of the contribution practice I’m considering.

I notice this concept fills me with enthusiasm and feels heart-warming. I look forward to seeing its benefits unfold in my life and for those around me.

With gratitude for the contribution you are making, in reading and receiving this communication!

“Nothing endures but change.”

Heraclitus, from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers
Greek philosopher (540 BC – 480 BC)

You’ve probably heard this sentiment voiced in numerous different ways, by many authors, and applied to a variety of situations.  It seems that today there is an opportunity for me to add my musings to this subject.

In preparing to travel for almost two weeks, I find it useful to list the activities necessary to a successful trip.  There are arrangements for pets, plants, and postal deliveries.  Resetting of scheduled meetings, events, and activities occurs.  Places to stay while traveling are located, and transportation is put together.  These activities may not occur in the same sequence for each trip I make, yet some semblance of each is common to the theme of traveling.

One activity to schedule around the trip is the regular posting of these articles. A perusal of the blog software shows where a message can be posted in advance of publication.  The feature allows me to write a post in advance and leave it to be published while I travel.  Excellent!  So I determine to experiment with this feature.

In enthusiasm, earlier in the week, I write a piece to post in the category of ‘Natural Beauty.’  There is such enthusiasm, that I get ahead of myself, and write the article with the intent to add at least one photographic image to it.  It seems like a next step to add pictures to the words.

Yet, as Heraclitus says, change endures.  In attempting to add the photographic image to the post, I discover aspects of the blogging software that I have yet to master.  After winding my way deep into the FAQ questions and answers about the software, I look up to discover that the period for writing is drawing to an end, and I’m no closer to uploading an image as I was at the start.  It is apparent something gets to change.

I find myself looking at the intention of the exercise, which is to communicate regularly in this forum.  Here is where the ability to accept change, allow a different outcome, and focus on the ultimate intent is valuable.  Flowing with change becomes a matter of shifting my attention away from one article, and placing it on an article for Now.  I feel fortunate to have tools for shifting attention, energy, and focus, so it is now possible to create an article for the next post.

As I finish writing the previous paragraph, the telephone rings.  There is a brief moment of choice ~ continue to write? Answer the phone?  And because there is flow and possibility of change, I can get up and speak on the telephone.  In the course of the conversation, an idea for another article presents itself.  I enjoy my phone conversation, jot a brief note, and return to complete this post.

The key to playing in a world where change is the constant is a three-fold ability to keep an eye on intention, to keep attention on being flexible in allowing the intention to unfold, and to make conscious choices among the possible actions that support the unfolding.   Being comfortable with change helps me to align with this process with fluidity, grace, and ease. 

There is joy for me in writing these blog entries on a regular basis.  Sometimes as I prepare to write, I notice a time of just sitting that allows me to get in touch with the topic for the day.  Other times, the topic has presented itself and the article unfolds to a great degree, and my job is to sit in front of the keyboard and move the information into written form.  And on occasion, there is a blank for a day or so where there is no topic.

Having past experiences of ‘struggle’ in the area of writing, and preferring the current experiences of joy and flow, I appreciate this new way of being with the blank topic that seems to work.  It not only works well for writing, it also seems to work well for Life.  This way of being is to be present with whatever is right in front of me.

Today what is in front of me is my keyboard. More specifically, it is my keyboard with a key-cap for the period – mark which is loose and wobbling under my right ring finger (blessings on the gift of touch-typing from high school days!) 

Lacking a period – mark in writing makes a brand-new game of completing sentences.  I can express enthusiasm with every sentence!  It’s possible to ask questions, as in ‘what comes next?’  Without a period – mark easily available, I find myself pausing between each sentence.

There is an interesting space in the pause my keyboard is gifting me.  It provides a moment to be fully present with the keyboard and the wobbly key-cap.  It supplies a place to reflect on the next breath, the next keystroke, the next word, the next action.  It allows me to decide what to share about what I notice in the pause.

The first thing to share is the concept that when we experience the luxury of a pause, there is space for conscious choice and awareness.   For example, right now I’m noticing that the path I walk with this article is transforming as I pause at the end of each sentence.  The initial title of the article shifts from “right in front of me” to “the luxury of a pause” as I see how the space of ‘being still’  provides multiple choices and opportunities, both for words and for life-experiences.

I reflect on some of the thoughts of earlier in the morning, where there’s a feeling of uncertainty about the ability to write with a floppy key-cap.  I recall examining possibilities to remedy what I judge to be an inconvenience.  I appreciate the current perspective I gain from being present with key as it is.  I am grateful for the pause that presents itself every 12 – 20 words.   Life is good!

In our every-day, walking-around space, we have the luxury of a pause whenever we choose. In a moment, we can breathe deeply, feel grounded, and be as still as possible within.  With only awareness, we are able to notice and reflect upon the possibilities within the pause.  It’s an opportunity to select our words and actions consciously with clarity, ease, and grace.  And it is a great gift of Life to experience the gratitude that also lives within the pause.  May your day be filled with delightful pauses!

This is a short entry today. 

I’m practicing presence and focus while breathing and feeling the energy of the heart. 

And all of a sudden it gets very quiet and there is no line of mental chatter to transfer to the paper.

Instead I feel the breath in my nostrils and my lungs expanding and there is a flow of words that seems to bypass the rational mind.  There is warmth around the heart.

For those of us who have squabbled with the analyzer-brain for years it’s an interesting and intriguing sensation.

In my walking-around space, I experience it on occasion ~ it’s usually more accessible in meditation.  And what a wonderful possibility to be able to live every moment in this place.

The question is, would it be of value to post this brief observation?

Still breathing, no words.

It is in the sitting quietly that the beauty of the creation is born, and it is in the allowing that the Love of Creator flows. 

I Am grateful to receive these words and to share them with you today.

With love, joy, and gratitude for you as you live this Life!

Do you know the expression, “Blue Marble?”   It’s one that has rolled around in my awareness for years.  A quick trip to Wikipedia reveals its history ~ it’s an expression used for a remarkable photograph of our planet Earth taken by the astronauts of the Apollo 17 mission.    More than 30 years later, NASA put a significant update to the original photograph on their site, which can be seen today.

I bring up the “Blue Marble” because it’s linked in my awareness with the recognition that, from space, distinctions or divisions based on humanity’s propensity to create separation are not visible.  Certainly there are differences in landforms.  Clouds, oceans, and continents all are visible.  What is missing are political, economic, social, religious, or even species’ differences.   There is one planet, hanging in the deep velvet of space, and all upon it share in its fate.

The very few inhabitants of our planet who have traveled in space all mention the change in perspective viewing the planet from afar brings.  Many report transformative experiences.  Most return to the planet with a broader view of our inter-relatedness and connection with everyone and everything on the planet.

What we all can benefit from in contemplating the “Blue Marble” is to recognize that “We” the inhabitants, who collectively share a dwelling place on Earth, include expressions of Life more numerous than humans alone.   The planetary perspective speaks to partnership, co-operation, and co-creation by all Life.  Viewing all Life with respect, indeed even reverence, and making choices that honor all Life seems appropriate, given “We” are all here together.  

Consider the choices and energies that comprise a world where everything is shared, every inhabitant is valued and honored, the contributions of each one add to the benefit of all, and the beauty of the whole reflects that of every partner in Life.  These choices and energies are expansive and focus on what honors All That Is.  These choices and energies come from a “We” that includes all who inhabit the precious “Blue Marble” called Home.   Imagine a Home where We All are One.  And so it unfolds.

Intention receives a lot of attention in spiritual and personal growth circles, as it is a key component of the creative process.  My own awareness of intention is honed over the years by examining the experiences sculpted by its use  ~ sometimes conscious and other times less so.

A formal introduction to the quality of intention, through a coaching program almost 15 years ago, provided me a context for seeing its extensive footprint through my life and the lives of others.   I learned a formula for using intention + action to create results that still serves as  a filter through which I examine certain moments in life.  I’m also fortunate more recently to find that when I keep my focus on intention in the present moment, it’s much easier to see its footprint and choose with discernment what actions to take (or not).

One thing the program did not offer insight to is a phenomenon described in this post, which I refer to as ‘intentional blinders.’  When intention is accompanied by rigidity of thought, especially prescriptive thought, it becomes quite possible to blind oneself to the arrival of the intended outcome!    Telling intention exactly how to operate seems to construct barriers to the very experiences we’re intending.  Let me share an example or two.

I’ve written elsewhere (Celebrate the Journey, a free PDF on the website) about desiring a new automobile and finding myself driving down the road surrounded by others driving the vehicle of my choice.  It took my intention of owning this vehicle a long time to manifest.  Because I’d become fixed on a certain make, model, and color of vehicle, I overlooked for some time the availability of the ideal automobile for me, right within my neighborhood.   My firm determination about ‘how’ intention would deliver up my choice blinded me to its more local operation.

The next story about intention comes from a friend, and is also an automotive tale.  My friend purchased a new truck and had a clear picture of the kind of cap to put over the truck bed.  A focused intention yielded an ideal choice, complete with a good warranty.  However, within a short time, a keyed window lock on the cap ceased to function as desired.  My friend created a another intent that this window lock would be fixed, by the dealer, under the warranty, free-of- charge. 

I’ll spare you the long list of actions my friend took to fulfill the intention, and summarize the thwarted efforts as involving 5 dealer visits, with the offer of 3 different replacement locks (none matching the single key used for all the other cap window locks) from 2 different dealers (as the first dealership had ceased operations.)  And then one day I hear from my friend, full of enthusiasm, that a sudden inspiration led him to local locksmith over lunch, and he obtained free service that returned the window lock to functional.   My friend even mentioned that his narrow focus on the dealer and the warranty had precluded the desired result, which ultimately was a no-cost repair.

These two examples demonstrate that fixed beliefs about ‘how’ intentions are fulfilled actually interfere with the natural energetic flow of intention.   Strongly held beliefs act like blinders, keeping a rigid requirement on the nature of the path creating the result, and disallowing the many options and opportunities that exist Now, in the present, to deliver the desire promptly, with fluidity and ease.  

Is this post a call to jettison beliefs?  No.  Rather, it’s a suggestion to examine all the thoughts that surround an intention for evidence of their rigidity, inflexibility, and duality.  These qualities inhibit our natural ability to create with intention by making it difficult to receive the abundance that intention accesses constantly.  

When we open our heart to intention, and allow our intent to come to us, rather than pursuing it or herding it along with inflexibility, we are in the abundant flow of the creative process.   The formula shifts, to intention + presence creating choice, and we have at our fingertips the vast universe of possibilities to fulfill the intent.  This seems to me a compelling motivation for letting go of intentional blinders, and savoring the abundance of Life.

Someone asked me a question recently about ways to recognize the part of us that is Spirit.  They expressed curiosity about knowing when their higher, spiritual self was orchestrating events.  What would one look for to recognize the desires of their spiritual self?

This perspective of recognizing the flow of Spirit in one’s life is one I’ve played with for many years.  I’ll use the remainder of this posting to share my point of view on recognizing spirit, with the caveat that the view for each of us will be unique. Ideally, what I’ve experienced and learned will stimulate your journey to your own truth about being aware of Spirit in your life.

I notice that, for some people, their connection with the part of themselves that is Spirit is open, clear, and free-flowing.  Whether innately or through much inner reflection, such people seem to hold a gentle, calm awareness of the reverence of Life and exhibit a life guided by such recognition.

For others, and I number myself in this group, the connection with our spiritual Source that runs so clearly at the birth of us as spirit into a body becomes intermittent.  Sometimes I feel in tune with my spiritual essence, and sometimes there’s a sense of disconnection or fragmentation.

I hold the perspective that one of my purposes this lifetime is to re-connect the pieces of myself and strengthen the connection with Spirit.  To do this has required me to grow in awareness of the energetic blocks that obstruct smooth communication with Spirit, and to clear the blockages.

The path of increasing my awareness of Spirit has allowed me to recognize some different ways to accomplish this purpose. 

The first experience I had was one I’d call a “wake-up” call. My connection to my spiritual self had been clogged with limiting thoughts generated by the rational mind and uncomfortable feelings from the emotional body to the extent it was difficult to find joy in Life. One night as I went to sleep,in desperation I asked for spiritual assistance. In my dream state I experienced a golden bliss never before encountered. It mobilized me to take steps in the physical world to begin to unravel the heavy depressing energy blocking my connection to Spirit.

I’ve encountered “reminders of agreements” from Spirit. For me, these experiences manifest as synchronistic meetings with people who can help me learn something new, or receiving pieces of information that suddenly open my awareness to a whole new way of looking at an issue. I see this as my spiritual self reminding me of something I’d wanted to learn or experience this lifetime.

Finally,there are “spiritual lessons.”  A spiritual lesson, for me, is at work when I can see the grace and beauty of Spirit within an event or experience that on the surface seems unexpected, unpleasant, or unnecessary.  When I can step back and view the event as providing an opportunity for me to respond to Life with more awareness and clarity, I’ve encountered a spiritual lesson. I’ve had an opportunity to choose to respond with the best that is within me and to strengthen the connection to Spirit.

These are just a few of the ways our spiritual self sends us communications.  For me, these communications and opportunities enhance my Life, providing feelings of empowerment, joy, grace, ease, and expansion. Each time we recognize the connection with our Spiritual self, both we and it are strengthened, empowered, and uplifted. When your experience contains these kinds of thoughts/feelings, there’s a strong possibility you’re recognizing yourself as Spirit! 

The ingenuity of the higher, spiritual aspect of myself and the beauty of the flow of Life continue to amaze and delight me.  This spiritual part is passionate about learning and growing.   And sometimes the learning and growing takes place in unexpected ways, and as the result of unimaginable circumstances. 

While our rational minds and our all-too-physical body may have one perspective on how we’d like to have Life to unfold, Spirit always has access to multiple perspectives and possibilities.   Bringing wholeness is the goal of the spiritual part of us.  Spirit delights in weaving these many pieces into oneness.  And the creation of Spirit’s tapestry unfolds in ways that may not be apparent in the moment.  Let me share an example pertinent to this blog.

More than six months ago, I put forth the intention to communicate via the blog format. I went so far as to write an article or two, and some welcoming words for the blog.  I delighted in the appearance of the page that had been set up, just in time to be viewed by a new audience at a local wellness event where I was speaking.

With great enthusiasm, I went and gave a presentation about happiness as a key ingredient to well-being.   I stepped into what my rational mind and all-too-physical body viewed as my next growth opportunity ~ building my practice with a web and local presence.

But Spirit had a different idea about my next growth opportunity.  With the activation of the intent to ‘be seen’ by others,  all the energetic blocks to this happening in my life promptly became ‘right in my face’ for resolution.  Indeed, how could I be seen clearly when there were still areas for me to become more aligned as body-mind-spirit?  (I’ve found that it works so much more smoothly and has greater credibility to first accomplish for oneself what one desires to share with others!) 

In regards to the blog, everything that could happen to get in the way of writing and posting material did get in the way.  (At least, that’s the story my rational mind tells in justification.  Gotta love the rational mind, it tries so hard to keep one safe and to publish the ego-sanitized version of things.)  Suffice it to say that a change in family circumstances arose that provided an opportunity to re-experience stresses around lack that I’d considered a thing of the past.

In retrospect, I recognize that the changes I was positioning myself to make to be more visible in the world were allowing everyone else in the family dynamic the opportunity to make changes.  Some were more willing to change gracefully than others!  Collectively, we were bringing light to the issue of lack, to support its healing and release.

This time, I had energetic tools that allowed me to discover the unconscious belief systems contributing to my personal component of lack, and I used these tools to help dismantle its limitations. While my rational mind and all-too-physical body had no conscious intent to revisit the past, and my ego seemed ready to jump into creating this blog as a way to be present on the web and locally, Spirit had a different roadmap in mind.

By presenting the lesson around lack for re-examination, Spirit facilitated a realignment to wholeness. Being in lack means that something is missing.  It’s not possible to be present fully with people when something is lacking!   Clearing the stresses around lack in the past six months has allowed me to be present fully with family members and friends, in a space of compassionate allowing.  This kind of Spiritual gift is one that the rational mind and body could not have come up with alone.  The growth has been a necessary part of stepping forward into being present on the web with this blog.  

In a way, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to re-member that Spirit’s path to wholeness holds a vastness that the mind/body alone cannot achieve.   This article is a gentle reminder for me that our greatest well-being comes from the alignment of all aspects of body-mind-Spirit together.  And trusting Spirit’s roadmap and Spirit’s ability to orchestrate the lessons of the re-alignment is a great place to start!

It seems appropriate that one of the first article in this blog dedicated to quantum well-being be about the beauty and flexibility of the quantum perspective.

One aspect of the quantum perspective is our ability to view life as the observer.  While at first blush the observer carries the energy of passivity, in a world currently dominated by action, there is a deeper context for appreciating the observer.

The observer denotes a state of being Present.  For the physicist, multiple quantum states resolve themselves to a single viewpoint through the observer.  For those with an interest in spirit, the observer has mastered the ability to be still and allow.   The position of observer provides one with the opportunity to allow Life to unfold.  This opportunity is the space for choosing the experiences one desires. 

More pragmatically, what does the perspective of the observer have to do with butter and eggs?

On a recent hiking vacation to Glacier National Park, a friend and I experienced the perspective of the observer first hand.  Let me start with setting the stage.

In the bottom of the box in which our food supplies were stored, I found a 1-cup container apparently filled with flour, oatmeal, and a small yellow slip of paper with the words “2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of yogurt.”  My friend explained it as the recipe for fabulous open-air griddle cakes.  Only one thing kept the mixture in the container and not on the plate….our well-supplied cooler held no eggs.  Abundant soymilk and yogurt; however, no eggs.

We had pitched our tent at Many Glaciers campground, at least 30 miles from the nearest grocery store. Our days were filled with hiking and our evenings with beautiful sunsets and diamond-bright stars – trips to town were not on the schedule.

In this national park, the campgrounds often have an adjacent motel/restaurant/campstore.  A quick perusal of the camp store yielded no eggs, while the restaurant did feature breakfasts.  A plan was hatched, as it were, to purchase the 2 eggs from the restaurant kitchen.  The role of inquirer fell to me.

The first opportunity to purchase eggs arose around 7 pm one evening after a long hike.  A combination of tired feet and a quiet sense that dinner hour at an Italian restaurant was not the time for eggs kept me in the campground.

The next morning, the possibility of eggs again surfaced.  This time, a quick shower in the adjacent pay-for-shower facility held a stronger appeal.   While walking back to the campsite from the shower, I felt a shift around the concept of purchasing eggs.  So I handed my soap and towel to my friend and promised to return with the eggs.

I walked into the restaurant at 5 minutes after 10, just as the wait staff were closing the dining room. I held a mental image of me carrying 2 eggs back to camp with intent.

From the perspective of the observer, I surveyed the dining room.  A few remaining breakfast customers were getting up to leave.  Waiters were clearing tables and setting up lunch arrangements. A member of the wait staff eventually presented himself, courteously listened to my request, and went to the kitchen to speak to the cook.  I continued to observe.

In a moment, the door to the kitchen opened and the smiling young man placed two eggs into my hands.  He said there’d be no charge for the eggs.  And he went on further to invite me to help myself to the little pats of restaurant butter on the tables – health codes precluded them being served again at another meal.

I thanked him with appreciation and gratitude.  I collected about 2 tbsps worth of butter to complement the eggs, and headed to the campsite, marveling at the synchronistic timing of events and the abundance that had flowed.  The finished griddle cakes lived up to my friend’s enthusiastic description, aided in part by the enjoyment we both received from the way in which butter and eggs were manifested!

What can we learn about the quantum perspective from this story?

First, the role of the observer provides the focal point for the preferred outcome of an intention to manifest – witness the successful procurement of eggs to make pancakes.

Second, Being Present in the stillness of observing creates a locus for abundance and joyfulness to be expressed, as demonstrated by the generosity of the wait staff and the cook, and everyone’s enjoyment of our interactions.

Third, from the point of observation, it’s possible to select among possible courses of action and their associated time frames in such a way that the preferred outcome (in this case, eggs with the added bonus of butter) proceeds to unfold with ease and grace to the benefit of all.

Welcome to the world of the quantum perspective.  I look forward to sharing additional articles as this blog unfolds!