The week in review

Energy Musings. Here. Now

The real state of this union

Waking up to each new dawn, there is a feeling “what will this day bring?” And although this is truth each and every day regardless, right now, that inquiry has a particular tone to it.  A level of uncertainty and weariness.  We can learn to roll with the punches, so to speak; to rise about it all, so to speak; to stay centered and grounded, so to speak.  And yet the unrelenting signature of this inconsistency around us, is to wear us down over time.  In other words:  Its not that easy to escape or remove yourself from this all pervasive incertitude.  

After the state of the union address this week, I noticed a distinct  shift in my personal students.  A new level of “stress” if you will.  That stress originates from the massive disconnect between what was said in that address and what is really going on in our communities and lives right now.  This disconnect feels unprecedented in its enormity. And the disconnect creates an energetic rift in our being.  

Healing this rift, this disconnect, is what is “up” right now. 

Resisting the overwhelming tendency to either run away from it all, hide from it all or be triggered by it all is the first step in this process.  Take a deep breath in and know that you are not alone in this struggle.  It is a personal and collective strain.

We need tools intended to literally clear and work the inner landscape, like meditation (not visualization), tuning forks and Qigong.  

We don’t need “expansion” at the moment because this can be overwhelming and overstimulating to the nervous system and energetic body.  While this acceptable form of escapism might feel good in the short term (depending on your preferences), in the long run, it will contribute to the likelihood of being more triggered and less able to cope.  

The state of the union is chaotic and unpredictable.  Blanketed in deep unknowing and embedded in fear and false pride.  Thats just what is happening.  And we are all truly “in” it.  This lens we are seeing through right now is cloudy and mirky.  Just knowing that, helps to make more informed decisions and to be more centered. 

Take a deep breath in, and blow it away.  (repeat, if necessary)

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Thursday, Jan 31, 2019

Energy Musings.  

Here.  Now.  Today!

Boundaries.

a line in the sand.  the word “no”.  a fence.  a wall.

What do boundaries serve?  WHO do boundaries serve?  This, as in most things, all depends.  Depends on who you are, where you are and what is happening.  Boundaries divide. That is true. But boundaries also protect.  Division.  Protection.  When are these necessary? When are they problematic?  This is the real question.  

Examine your boundaries.  Personal.  Private.  Familial.  Societal.  In your work, your ideas, your relationships, your words.  

Many have a tendency to believe that a life that is unbounded, is the most creative, expressive and desirable.  Many have a tendency to believe that setting limits is restrictive and confining.  

But limits and potential need each other. 

If you try to fill a cup with no edges, what exactly are you filling?  If you can’t fill, how can you experience your wholeness?  If you cant experience your wholeness, how do you know who you are, what you are doing in this precious world?  If you are  the universe (which you are) and have no container for your being, what is your work here?  How do you direct your life force without boundaries?  

This physical form of ours is form of boundary, and it serves us in this time and place.  We are energy bodies in a human form.  If we leave this form, we no longer exist here (some call it death).  But to be alive, is to understand this form, this place, these boundaries.  And to know how to work within them.  We can touch the infinite and have a connection there, but we live in this body.  Our body of boundaries.  

Boundaries can both powerfully serve us and others as well as potentially harm us or others.  By examining your beliefs about boundaries and being honest with yourself (aye, theres the rub!)  there is an opportunity for deeper connection, deeper work, deeper understanding and greater clarity.  Its easy to be deceived by our belief systems, so being as neutral as possible with this examination is key.

When boundaries are up, its time to examine your own first.  Then look to the manifestation of these patterns in the world around you.  Everything becomes a reflection of it all.  The infinite and the individual are not separate.  We are bound together.

 

Song of the Day:  

The Walls Came Down.  by The Call.

 

Tuesday Jan 8, 2019

Energy Musings. Here. Now.

Today!

Its a new year, and the beginning of a new cycle.  Mindful of course, that we are continuously cycling so to consider starting and ending points is somewhat arbitrary.  The opportunity to begin again, to bring in the new exists in each and every breath. Not on any calendar date.  Though we celebrate the full and new moon with rituals, the moon of course, is always in a cycle.  And each step of the way is in fact significant.  Each phase has its lessons, its rewards and its challenges.

Its easy to get swept up into the drama and majesty of those end/beginning points.  And to anchor into a particular point is not necessarily irrelevant. But really, the important question is:  where are you in your cycle?  where are you in this cycle?  What are the beginnings and what are the endings that are present right here for you?  In other words, locate yourself in the cycle rather than just imposing it onto you. Without forcing events into a label or construct, just see what is present.  Perhaps, on this New Year, for you it was about closure, or opening, or just being in the middle of it all.  The structure of cycles is fluid and encourages us to pay attention to the moment we are in, not to label ourselves prematurely or absentmindedly.

I’m not quite in “new year” mode yet as dictated by cultural phenomena around me. I’m still shedding, clearing, becoming lighter and more spacious. This process takes the time it takes… no more no less.  And when my “new year” moment arrives, I will greet it with celebration, joy and open arms no matter what date it lands on, no matter what the phase of the moon offers.

Sending blessings on this cycle, your cycle and all cycles,  all-ways.

Peace.
Jeneen

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Energy Musings.  Here. Now.

This Weekend.

Theres a chaotic energy whipping through the trees today, stirring things up, moving them around.  In some cases, movement/stirring is a good thing.  In some cases, not so good.  A favorite astrologer of mine likes to talk about loss vs gain in astrology (think retrogrades) not from an absolute perspective as “good or bad” but all relational.  For instance, if you lose a beloved pet, that can be seen as a negative. But if you lose weight to get healthier, that can be a positive.  Loss, though often considered negative, can also be what is necessary and desired.

This is true of everything that is out there, which makes the complexity of our world quite apparent and calls for the need for true discernment in all situations.

Lately, there has been a serious lack of subtle discernment.  While the main “message” of an event (for instance) may be positive, without full understanding of the energetics of language (in particular) we can find ourselves in a deep mess though that was never our initial intention.

And let me tell you, there are those of us out there who are constantly “cleaning up” energetically after such messes and see the implications that others choose not to see.

The request here is to pay attention, and then to pay attention even more deeply still.  How do we do that?

Come in to stillness.  Come in to silence. Rest here a while.  Let go of all attachments.  Let go of all beliefs.  Let go of all triggers.  Let go of all judgement.

No.  REALLY.  ALL of them.

This is where we fall short.  We let go of the things that we want to let go of, but hold on (sometimes even more intensely) to the places we think or believe in.  And we somehow fall in to the very dangerous and false assumption that “if only all those other people would let go of x,y,z…. then the world would truly change”.  If you notice ANY part of you beginning to externalize or blame in this way, take a GIANT step back.  And repeat the steps above.  Clear your internal slate.

So much is happening in the energetic field right now.  Change wants to come.  But those who are initiating that change for the betterment of all beings everywhere are still BLIND to the places where they are actually holding back that very same change they wish to see fully realized.  They think its others that are holding back the change, and fail to realize it is actually them.

All I can say is this: be honest about your blind spots.  Look for them.  Ask others to help you.  You’ll know what they are when you are triggered.  First, you have to recognize when in fact you are triggered (or listen if someone else tells you you are!!).  Then look there.  Whats behind the trigger? Thats the place for you to work.  When there are no more triggers, you come in to the true ‘neutral zone’ and then… only then… will you see the path forward that has been waiting for you, for us, for all this time.

From the depths of my heart and the trueness of my being, I offer you this today, this weekend, and moving forward.

Song of the Day: High Hopes by Panic at the Disco

Saturday, September 1, 2019

Energy Musings.  Here. Now.

This Weekend!

It always begins with the breath.  Breathing deep into your belly, your ribs, your hips your feet, your hands.  Breathing all the way into your life, your soul, your being.  Breathing all the way IN.  From here, the breath can offer space and clearing.  It can also show you where there is discomfort, tension, places where you just insist on holding on, whether you notice it or not.

This weekend is about moving through the emotional storm that has been either raging or quietly building inside you and finding your path through it all.  To move through it, its true, you will need to be “in” it.  But being in it to move it, and being in it to wallow, are very different intentions. Be mindful not to get stuck or sidetracked.  Don’t get too nit-picky or petty.  Don’t start to overanalyze every feeling or over react to every situation.  Its best to take some distance, some space, some breathing room and just KEEP ON MOVING FOWARD.  Slowly, carefully, lovingly and deliberately.

Until you reach the other shore.

Along the way, you may notice others in your circles becoming stuck, triggered, or bogged down.  As you make your way forward, you’ll help to create more pathways for others who might need them.  Feel free to reach out a hand, offer some assistance, but remember to still keep moving forward… even as you guide others.  Momentum is key this weekend.

Its a big transition weekend for most.  And in these times of transition, lets bring some ease and clarity to our inner work.

Song of the Day:  Gaining Momentum by MC Hammer

Saturday, Aug 18th, 2018

Energy Musings. Here. Now.

The Weekend Report.

Your Authentic self shines behind the clouded sky.  A blanket of grey, like a dusty lens, covers the clarity you seek.  Its only a matter of cleaning a small place to see through, a before you can get a glimpse of the work of your soul.  But when we clear off just one small spot in the midst of  a large dusty surface, it can quickly become consumed again.

This weekend, find a moment to cleanse an area of  your awareness.  There are many ways to do this:  meditation, coaching, yoga, QiGong, art.  You might choose where you go and what you do to “clear your mind”.  From that “clear mind” place, pay attention to what you notice.  This is but a partial view what and who you really are.  And an important starting point.

The question is:  will you remember it the next day? And the day after?   or rather:  HOW will you remember it the next day?  And the day after?!

This is a place for you to be creative and playful.  Write it in a journal, compose a song, make a picture, call your best friend, put sticky notes on your computer.  Find something you do every day anyhow, and add a reminder to the activity.  For example:  I light a candle each evening before going to bed. If I put a beautiful note right next to my candle with my insights, I will see and read it every night.  Then remembering becomes part of my evening ritual.

Eventually, you will be ready to clear more of the lens, take a bigger look: see more, be more.    For now, start with a peek, and let it in.

Song of the Day:  Johnny Nash.  I Can See Clearly Now.

 

Wednesday, July 4th, 2018.

Energy Musings. Here. Now.

Today!

Independence.  What does that word mean to you?  personally?

Close your eyes and breathe it in.

Independence.  Freedom from outside control or support.

Independence.  Freedom from the influence or aid of others.

Independence.

What would independence give you in your life right now?  Who or what would you choose to become independent from?

This concept of independence as a foundational element of our very society is one that is worth considering from a broader perspective.  From a place of non-attachment, from the discerning wisdom of a clear mind.  Is Independence a part of our nature…. or a part of anything in Nature to begin with?  Or are we more closely aligned with inter-dependence and even outright dependence?  I wonder why we react from a place of protection and fear when we consider the possibility that we in fact are necessarily and beautifully dependent on each other, on the planet, on those we’ve never met, and on those we see every day.  Sometimes it feels like an escape pod, a reaction based on fear. Fear of our own intimate vulnerability and the truth of how connected and needy we really are.  Perhaps our laser like focus on independence is at the root of much of our suffering as an individual, as a nation, as a society, as a world.  Perhaps its at least worth considering.

Today marks the United States anniversary of Independence.  After 241 years, it may be time to reflect on what that word means to us here and now today and what we know to be true for ourselves, our communities and beyond.  Not looking back at those decisions made in a moment of turmoil, not judging or analyzing,  but looking forward, to how we might want to navigate this territory of “independence” for the generations to come.

Independence? Is that what we really want to be celebrating and the legacy we want to continue?  Amidst the joy and celebration of our amazing fortune to be here now in this truly blessed place, lets take a moment of silence in the presence of all that is happening, to really consider our perceived  “independence”.

With Love,

Jeneen

 

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Energy Musings.  Here. Now.

The energy of this moment.

What happens today, when you stop.  Just stop.  Like right now.  STOP!

Stop doing, stop trying, stop moving.  Really stop.  How long does that “stop” take?  As you ‘stop’, what parts of you have stopped?  what parts of you keep going?  Did you really stop?

Stop the excess.  The extra.  The “more than”.  Stop the thoughts, the mindlessness, the triggers.  Stop being lost.  Stop creating suffering.  Stop worrying.  Stop projecting.  Stop.

Then ask: What is essential?  What never stops?  What is vital to your being?  What is vital to this Earth?  What is vital to life as we know it?

We stop so that we can listen, see, hear, feel.  So we can notice.  So we can pay attention.  So we can create IN-tention.  We stop so that when we “go” we go forward with clarity, connection, calm, centeredness and true discernment.  We stop so can remember who we are, why we are here and what are work is.

Sometimes, we think of a stop as a “pause” or a “time in”.  But really, that pause must be a full on, no faking, 100 % STOP.

I remember once a cop pulled me over at a stop sign.  He noted that I came to a sort of “rolling stop” but not a full stop, and he kindly and patiently explained the difference.  A Full Stop is just that: giving your wheels the full amount of time to truly and completely stop.  And then waiting (like a full breath!) before you start again.   And when you start again, it feels like you are starting from the the very beginning.   Like when you first start your car in the morning. How long had I been mostly coming to a “rolling stop” at stop signs and not even noticed?  After that, I paid much more attention to stop signs.  I was grateful to this police officer for calling my attention to a place I had lost awareness.  Now, when I come to a stop sign, (especially the ones back in quiet neighborhoods where I find its easiest to sort of kind of roll to a stop-ish, and keep going because its clear no ones around…) I really, truly STOP.  This is my practice.  And it feels different.  I notice what it means to stop and what it feels like to start again from a place of really stopping.

When did we lose connection to what it really feels like to stop?

Today, re-connect yourself to the experience of truly stopping.  Throughout your day, as you remember to, whenever and wherever you are.

Stop.  Look.  Listen.  Then see how the very next moment unfolds for you.

Word of the Day:  Stop!

Song of the Day: Stop and Smell the Roses by Mac Davis

Thursday, April 5th, 2018

Energy Musings. Here. Now.

Today!

How are you?  No…. really.  Move inside yourself, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself “how are you?”  “how am I?”.  And then Listen.  Listen to your Self.  Listen the way you would listen to a dear friend.  With patience and true care.  With all your attention focussed on the listening.

At first you might get the stuff on the surface, the stress from work, the business of your days, the tiredness in your body, etc.  This, you probably already know, but still…. listen.  Then just keep asking “how are you?”  like a mantra repeated and just keep waiting, listening, patiently.

Ask your bones, Ask your tissue, Ask your cells…. How are YOU?  Ask you organs, your blood…. How are you?  Ask you mind (be ready for an earful!)….. How are you?  Ask you emotions, feelings, sensations….. How are you?  Ask your eyes, ears, mouth, nose, throat….. How are you?

Ask and ask again.  Without any expectations. Without any need to change anything.  Without any necessity to do anything. Just to listen and ask and listen and ask and listen and ask.  How are you?

Ask you breath…. How are you? And let the breath show you the breadth of its wisdom and knowing. Let it move through every part of you and reveal the inner landscape with its keen awareness.  Listen.  Listen. Listen.  Listen to the breath.  Really get to know, How you are.  And then keep asking, throughout the day:  How are you now?  How are you Now?  How are you now?  And notice, notice the shifting or rigid landscape that is your experience.  Notice what it means to be tuned in to you.  Notice and love and hold and be patient and kind.

How are you now?

 

Song of the Day:  Hello, I love you. by the Doors

Monday, March 5th, 2018

Energy Musings. Here. Now.

Today!

Neutrality is key.  How do you maintain a state of equilibrium especially in challenging times?  It is one thing to practice accessing this inner space on your own, and quite another to put this into use through your day, your life, your interactions.

Of course, we all have to start where we are at.  Begin with the breath, begin with finding a quiet place, begin with a class or a book or an app.  Begin by connected to this state of neutrality. What does it feel like to truly be ‘neutral’?  How does your body respond?  Your breath?  Your being?  Is it a familiar comfortable place, or does it put you on edge?  Notice what is here as you practice coming into a state of equanimity.

But remember to include these skills and tools as you move off your cushion into the world.  Asking the same question with the same non-judgmental sense. Pay special attention to your home, and those  closest to you.  While sometimes this may feel the most challenging place to make change, your honest reflection will give you a true sense of the results of your practice.  Without judgement, be willing to see what is here and where you are caught up.

Neutrality is up this month as a theme.  And this week, we look at ourselves, our relationship to our inner life and our interactions with our loved ones.  Starting here, we begin to cast our “neutrality net” in ever widening circles.

Word of the Day:  ataraxia. noun.  a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety;tranquillity.

Song of the Day: Equanimity by Ryan Stewart.