Insights – Melannie Thomas

Archive for the ‘Intuitive Guidance’ Category

Each week I go on a hunt for a word for this blog.  After several years, it has become more challenging and more interesting.

This week’s word, privilege, opened up a broad vista of variation and intensity.  Privilege is an advantage, a special right or an immunity bestowed upon certain people, groups of people or corporations.  It is also something seen as a rare opportunity which brings a particular pleasure.

Examples of different kinds of privilege are: racial, social status, wealth, gender, attractiveness, thinness, age, intellectual, sexual, physical ability, religious and political.

The NCCJ (National Conference for Community and Justice, nccj.org), defines privilege as, “Unearned access to resources (social power) that are only readily available to some people because of their social group membership; an advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by one societal group above and beyond the common advantage of all other groups.  Privilege is often invisible to those who have it.”

“Human rights are not a privilege granted by the few, they are a liberty entitled to all, and human rights, by definition, include the rights of all humans, those in the dawn of life, the dusk of life, or the shadows of life.”  ~Kay Granger

As I plunged deeper into various aspects of privilege, I discovered The Happy Philosopher and his astute blog, The Messy Truth About Privilege, Nov.21, 2017.  It is a compelling read.  To fully appreciate his quote, “Remember, there is almost nothing that is black and white in this world, only beautiful colors and endless shades of gray.  Savor the nuance.”, one must read his blog.

I found these two quotes which stood out because of their likeness to one another.

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”  ~Joseph Campbell

“I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.”  ~Viola Davis

Both Campbell and Davis were and are very accomplished and respected in their chosen careers.

I love the spontaneous repetition and resonant energy of these quotes.  Like beacons on the journey to the authentic self, they remind me of the gracious privilege that is my path, ‘a rare opportunity which brings a particular pleasure.’

Blessings!

…describes today’s blog-post.  As I prioritize through the overwhelm  I wrote about last week, this week’s posting is brief.  Sifting through a group of quotes, the following spoke to me; resonating at deeper levels of growth.

This week I invite you to meditate upon it, digest it…perhaps discovering a resonance within.

“It’s virtue to be growing through your life rather than going through your life.  The object is not to change other people or situations; it is to do the inner work they stimulate.”  ~Wally Amos

Blessings!

Feeling overwhelmed?  This week for the first time in a very long while I experienced feelings of being overwhelmed.  I felt inundated by the sheer volume of tasks, chores, duties, and responsibilities that were spilling off my enormously full plate.

…to feel completely overcome in mind and or emotion, to feel forcefully overpowered; to have our emotions affected in a very potent way; this is the essence of overwhelm.

“If I feel strongly about anything, I get overwhelmed with emotion.”  ~Emma Stone

Caroline Kennedy said, “When you’re going through something whether it’s a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody, you often feel like ‘Oh my God, I’m so overwhelmed: I’m dealing with this huge thing on my own.’  In fact, poetry’s a nice reminder that, no, everybody goes through it.  These are universal experiences.”

To allow a state of being overwhelmed to continue and grow out of all reasonable proportion, is to collapse under the weight, and become unable to move through the process.

Acknowledging being overwhelmed allows for clarity.  Clarity then gives the ability to prioritize.  Prioritization leads to focus.  No longer looking at the enormity of the tasks at hand, we then can take one moment, one step, one hour, one day at a time; moving from overwhelm to empowerment, execution and completion, with a minimal amount of angst and stress.  The most expeditious way of moving out of feeling overwhelmed.

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying.  What you can do is calm yourself.  The storm will pass.”  ~Timber Hawkeye

As Caroline Kennedy pointed out, we all go through these periods, it is a universal truth.  Fully engaging our spiritual, emotional and physical support, guides us through our darkest moments as well as our blindingly brilliant moments; the peaks and the chasms that are part of life’s experience.

“Getting knocked down in life is a given.  Getting up and moving forward is a choice.”  ~Zig Ziglar

Blessings!

Tact is a key practice in psychospiritual development and maturity.  Tact requires an understanding of others; their ideas, beliefs, opinions and feelings.  It aids in effective communication, especially when dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

“Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.”  ~Isaac Newton

The tactful use of words requires a judicious use of sensitivity, discernment, subtlety, skill, prudence and diplomacy.  To attain fluency requires practice and good judgment.  Applicable to all relationships, tactful dialogue improves communication and builds mutual respect.

“Don’t flatter yourselves that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates.  On the contrary, the nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.”  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

None of us will ever achieve perfection in the fullness of tactful expression.  Emotional triggers are not always containable by the artful use of this powerful skill.  However, commitment to daily practice as part of our spiritual discipline, will produce a high yield of authentic communication, self-esteem and inner peace.

“Tact is the intelligence of the heart.”  ~Anonymous

Blessings!

Effortless behaviors, actions and words are smooth, flowing, easy, elegant and graceful.  They are simple, painless, trouble-free and straightforward.

The Fr, effort and LL, effortiare roots of the word ‘effort’ mean to strengthen, compel; strenuous exertion.  Behind effortless movement is work, often hard work, and commitment.

There are those among us who embody an ease and graceful elegance that appear as a natural part of their being.  Alas, the rest of us are bereft of this gift.

However, even those so gifted must engage discipline, focus, and repetitive practice to achieve effortless activity.

A wonderful example is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  “Fred Astaire’s style, elegance and graceful approach to movement made him the most acclaimed dancer in the motion picture industry.”  (Los Angeles Times, June 1987).  Ginger Rogers, singer, actress and Astaire’s dance partner is famously cited for doing everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards while wearing high heels.  (Frank & Ernest Cartoon, Bob Thaves, 1982).  They had to work hard, put forth strenuous effort and dedicated practice to achieve those stunning results.

Knowing that elegant, smooth, effortless behavior can be attained through diligent practice and commitment to achieve some degree of mastery of this art, is inspiring.  And that achievement can have broad ranging effects on our overall enjoyment, quality of life and inner peace.

“If you’re not someone who has a natural and effortless love for yourself, it’s hard to let go of your desire to please other people, and that is really not an ingredient for a happy life.”  ~Anne Hathaway

And this quote by Debbie Ford, “When you know in your bones that your body is a sacred gift, you move in the world with an effortless grace.  Gratitude and humility rise up spontaneously.”

I invite you this week to examine your own effortless behaviors, and acknowledge and celebrate the body of work, practice and commitment behind them.

Blessings!

It began March 5 and will go direct on March 28, having spent the entire time in Pisces.  Mercury rules thought and communication, add the watery influence of Pisces, and communication and thinking can be overwrought with emotionalism.

During this retrograde the full moon was a supermoon, and it occurred simultaneously with the vernal equinox.  That is a lot of energy!

Although we tend to focus on the negative side of Mercury retrogrades (and this one seems particularly disruptive to communication networks of all kinds and to our emotional fragility), there is another perspective.

“Try to see things differently – It’s the only way to get a clearer perspective on the world and on your life.”  ~Neal Shusterman

Mercury retrogrades provide an opportunity to slow down, to focus inward, to self-reflect.  They offer copious circumstances for practicing patience.  They can reveal things we need to change; in our way of thinking and our way of communicating.

Communication challenges, for example, can lead to relationship breakthroughs, and assist us in finding more authentic expression.

It is a great time to examine our communication style in both our outer and inner world.  How do you talk to yourself?  Are you kind, compassionate, loving and supportive?  How do you talk to others?  Is it different than your inner dialogue?

“We all get so caught up in the moment of what we are doing everyday, it’s hard to hit the reset button and get pulled away from all that and see life from a different perspective.”  ~Tony Stewart

For the first time in almost forty years the spring equinox occurs on the same day, March 20, as the full moon. The ‘worm’ moon is also a supermoon, so it will be brighter and fuller than other full moons this year. Prepare for the ride.

The March full moon is called the worm moon, because as the earth warms and softens, and worms begin to emerge from the ground.  All life quickens.  Birds, bees, flowers and trees sing and dance as they answer the call of spring, enticed into it’s fullness by the promise of coming warmth.

“Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and soon we shall see the results of their love.”  ~Sitting Bull

It is a sacred time:  time of re-birth, of rejuvenation.  A time to purge and plant, to cleanse and refresh.  It is a perfect time to set crystals out in the moonlight, to bathe, cleanse and charge.

Vernal Equinox 2019 marks a time for taking action.  The soul-self awakens to new ideas; is ready to try new things; perhaps even to venture outside comfort zones.

I invite your soul-self, the divine spirit within, to create a sacred space and set aside some time to honor the transition from winter into spring with your whole being.

This quote from the work of Rilke quickened my heart, resonating with my every cell and blooming into a vibrant meditation, “Spring has returned.  The Earth is like a child that knows poetry.”

Many Blessings!

Intangibles are things we cannot physically touch or see; not having a physical presence.  They are elusive and imperceptible by the logical mind.

Love is a great intangible.  We experience it, we feel it, but we can’t touch it, and how love functions is hard to understand by the rational, thinking mind.  ‘Madly in love…’ is a phrase often used to describe the chemistry between two people, yet what does that mean?   The adjective impalpable is a synonym for intangible, meaning…a real feeling that can’t be logically explained, it is elusive and imperceptible by way of reasoning.

“Music is intangible and ephemeral, but it comes from the home world of spirit, and though so fleeting, it is recognized by the spirit as a soul-speech fresh from the celestial realms, an echo from the home whence we are now exited, and therefore it touched a cord in our being, regardless of whether we realize the cause or not.”   ~Max Heindel

Self-confidence, creativity, altruism, feelings of joy, sadness, anger, disappointment, inspiration, passion, zeal, excitement and warmth are some examples of intangible energies.  We feel them with our intuitive, spirit-sensing self, yet they have power and meaning in the personal and social milieu.

Intangibility in sports, for example, are the aspects of a players personality and/or style of playing that cannot be described or defined by statistics such as their leadership and enthusiasm.

Science does not study intangibles.  Although there are social and psychological studies regarding behavior and feelings, they cannot be reduced to a pat, predictable formula in a testing laboratory.  Therefore, our experience of the intangible is relegated to anecdotal  processes.

Intangibility makes up a greatly significant portion of our day to day experience.  We can’t touch or see it, but we feel the impalpable, moment by moment.

“Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible.  No one can take them.  You, and you alone, can give them….”  ~W. Clement Stone

As we move closer to the Spring Equinox, I invite you this week to focus your awareness on the grand world of the intangible.

Blessing!

“A level of quality or attainment; Something used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations; Principles of conduct informed by notions of honor and decency.” ~The Oxford Dictionary

There is much talk lately about ethics and doing the right thing, particularly as we watch the daily drama of our national political process. I refer back to my earlier post on The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz:

The fourth agreement  is to “Always Do Your Best.”  Making this agreement a routine, a habit assures the implementation and success of the other three.

We don’t try, we do.  Often we hold ourselves to unrealistic standards.  Believing, for example, that we can watch TV all day yet still find the time and energy to meet the day’s demands.  Conversely, we may believe that always doing your best means that always performing prodigiously is a personal standard.  Both of these beliefs are inherently flawed.

One cannot twitter away the day and expect to not be rushed, frustrated and unhappy with chores, commitments and goals left undone or only partially completed.  Likewise,  always doing our best does not mean performing at the same level regardless of what is going on in our life at the moment.  For example, you cannot be at the same energetic level of action when your are ill versus when you are in top physical condition.

What is imperative is doing your best in the moment, regardless of whatever circumstances the moment brings.  There is no more.  There is only the best effort in the moment for the conditions of that moment.

After the Oklahoma City bombing, the local citizens tried to set a higher standard. “Something called ‘the Oklahoma Standard’ became known throughout the world. It means resilience in the face of adversity. It means a strength and compassion that will not be defeated.” ~Brad Henry

“People went out of their way to share everything they had to make it comfortable for the rescue workers, the firefighters, anyone who was there to help. This became known as the Oklahoma Standard.“ ~Frank Keating, Former Governor of Oklahoma

Not limited to Oklahoma, we see this standard of behavior all around us with every new tragedy and natural disaster. Whole communities rally to help their neighbors, individuals give well beyond their presumed limits; kindness and compassion grow and forge a greater strength. Perhaps we are beginning to feel the oneness at the core of humanity, and act accordingly.

“We are all different. There is no such thing as a standard or run-of-the-mill human being, but we share the same human spirit.” ~Stephen Hawking

Stillness is naturally present in us all; it is part of our behavioral repertoire.  It is a quality of being that is still, quiet, calm and inactive…a state of tranquility.  Stillness is always available, always there for us to access.  Yet, the stillness is not empty.  Eckhart Tolle said, “…thoughts coming out of stillness have power.”

It is often quite challenging to find stillness in the modern world.  Even White Noise, which is designed to mask distracting sounds so we can focus our attention or help us sleep, can interfere with our efforts to find stillness.

Achieving the ability to access stillness and silence are great accomplishments for me.  Living a life dedicated to co-dependence and the painful, useless martyrdom that comes with it, left me fearing stillness and silence.  The extreme discomfort I experienced caused me to go to great lengths to avoid both.

As I discovered along the journey to my authentic self, silence and stillness are great allies; trusting guides and companions.  Hermann Hesse put it well, “Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”  And Donald Hicks noted that, “In the stillness of life, we find our higher self.”

In stillness we discover creativity.  In stillness we hear the authentic voice…our voice merged with the Divine energy of creation.  I have long been an ardent fan of the teachings of Lao Tzu.  Preparing for this blog I went to the writings that reveal his mastery of simple truths.  “Stillness reveals the secrets of the universe.”

This eloquent quote is stillness reduced to it’s quintessence.  Nothing more need be said.

Blessings!