The Intersection Between Acceptance and Change

Letting go of the outcome is one of my biggest challenges on the spiritual path.  Here's the idea: You put your time, energy and effort into a project and then release the results to the Universe.  You do not get to decide what ultimately happens.  You trust that the Universe will take care of you and give you the best outcome, even if it's not what you thought you wanted.  In this way a delay or a change can turn into a gift.  However, it only works if we release our grip on one certain outcome.

If we are feeling angry, frustrated, impatient or disappointed, then we are probably attached to the outcome.  Of course it's not bad to feel these things, and these emotions can be signs that we need to practice surrender, the art of letting go.  Every day I find new opportunities to forgive and let go.  For example, today I have an important meeting with a team of 8 people.  I know that I am attached to a certain outcome (medical testing for a student) and I am trying to stay open to other possibilities and other solutions.  My practice this week has been to speak my truth in a calm way and then step back.  By stepping back and letting go of the need to control or manipulate, the Universe can do her thing and send all of the help/answers/solutions that we need.  If we are completely locked in to only one right answer, then we will be angered and frustrated by any other solution.  Today my intention is to stay open.  I'm doing everything I can and now I get to let go.  I know that I am taken care of.  This situation will work out in divine timing and order.  It feels so good to let myself off the hook.  Now is time to live in faith and surrender.
 

Book Club: A Return to Love

The right people and the right books always have a way of finding their way into our lives.  Recently I have been connecting with some amazing women through the networking site, Herfuture.com.  Gabrielle Bernstein created this site for women to find new connections and mentors based on shared interests.  The networking groups have themes and are called Power Posses.  I have also made two dear friendships through the Seattle Power Posse.  We have started a book club to share books, spark conversation and connect with like-minded people.  This month we are discussing Marianne Williamson's book, A Return to Love.

Reading this book feels like meditation.  Marianne has such a beautiful way of explaining how to choose love instead of fear in our daily lives.  After reading for a few minutes, I can feel my mind relax and absorb her ideas.  She writes,

 

 "We have the free will to think whatever we want to think, but no thoughts are neutral.  There is no such thing as an idle thought.  All thought creates form on some level." 

If you would like to join us for book club, we are meeting on Tuesday, November 12th at 7:00pm.  Email Amelia at amelia.greim@gmail.com to confirm.

If you would like to join our efforts in bringing Gabrielle Bernstein to lecture in Seattle on her next book tour, join our Facebook group.

I Need a Party!

I sit here laughing as I write this because I just realized that I need to cut loose.  I have been so strict with myself lately that I'm strangling all the fun out of my life.  No gluten, no alcohol, too much work, too many commitments...it's enough to drive a girl crazy.  I am officially inviting fun back into my life.  Too many rules is suffocating.  I am reconnecting with the medium path and finding any excuse to giggle, do a dance and be silly.  Bring it on, Universe!

Interdependence Day

This week I'm dedicating my blog post to my boyfriend, Kevin.  We're celebrating our one-year anniversary, and I couldn't be more thrilled, thankful and happy about it.  My heart and these feelings of connectedness and inspiration show me that I'm in the right place.  I truly believe that relationships are assignments, opportunities to love, grow and learn.  They bring all of our issues right up to the surface so we can look at them honestly.  Kevin is often my mirror, showing me parts of myself that I didn't see before.  I love him so much for engaging me in a loving, accepting and open way.

This week our country also celebrates Independence Day, the 4th of July.  There is definitely a way to merge love, unity and independence.  If I had to graph a healthy relationship with together time, social time and independent time, it might look like this:

Integrating independent time into my relationship has proven to be very important.  Time to sleep, meditate, cook the foods I like, journal and see friends keeps me sane and balanced.  I know that his alone time allows Kevin to do Crossfit, video games, watch sports and read.  I don't need to be there for all those things.  We each get to fuel ourselves independently so we can be present when we are together.  It is a rich blend that allows us to give and receive love.

In Ayurveda, nourishment of the mind is equally as important as nourishment of the body.  It is ideal to be surrounded by positive people and be at the Buddhi level of the mind, which helps us focus inward towards the truth rather than outward in search of momentary pleasures and happiness.  Instead of needing Kevin to present me happiness on a platter, I know that I will find my happiness inside and then be able to share it with him.  Instead of focusing on what I'm getting or not getting within the context of my relationship, I focus on ways to love, give, support and accept.  Never before have I felt this happy, this calm and this sure of myself in a relationship. 

As Donna Henes writes, "All borders and boundaries and separations are pure illusion. Each time we touch someone we leave some of our skin atoms behind and pick up a parcel of new ones in an intimate epidermal exchange. Thus we merge, quite literally becoming part of each other. I am you and you are me and we are we. We are all in this together, inextricably bound, riding on our beautiful blue planet through space and time. We are one team, one community, one world, one living, breathing entity. And the sooner we realize it, the happier, safer and saner we will be."

By celebrating my anniversary, honoring our country and engaging in loving friendships, I feel so connected to the people around me.  May we celebrate Independence day as Interdependence day, honoring the loving bonds that unite and nourish us all.