Avatar the movie

I just watched Avatar again, and I find it exciting. We use this alien as an abstraction for a human experience which all humans can relate to because it is an abstraction. This could have been called in Yin ruled the world. What I love, what moves me, what blows my mind, is that no image in this highly creative artistic film was new. Why? Because we can only imagine what we've experienced, and the audience can only relate to that which it has experienced. So, you get a composite of human experiences, painted different colors, with different characteristics, yet so similar you can see yourself in them. The aliens have big eyes, and do what we do better (run, balance, fall through leaves, fly on a flying animal). Talking to the trees, it is done. Stepping and having the path light up under your foot, this is the magic of phosphorescence. Talking through your mind without words, this is done. Living within a tree, or one made of wood are not to different. Surely, we have not seen the world exactly like this movie, but I LOVE that we Almost have..... We've seen the base parts compostited differently. This fantasy world of living in harmony isn't a stretch, it's a choice. How exciting!

Inspired by Dr.John Izzo's 5 Secrets

1. Risk more emotionally
(This is the purpose. This is the #1 regret if not lived. Joseph Campbell calls relationship the "Holy Spirit". There was much less to lose than we thought. Since we cannot tell which risks will matter. Always find yourself moving towards what you like/ a clearer expression of you. Truly reach out for what you want.)

2.Receive Love, Trust, Be dependent, Be vulnerable, these too are aspects of you waiting to be expressed, Learn to hear my own heart in the company of others

3. Stay in contact with source, play memory, find a match and feel the magic

4. Participate, play the game, connect, make the matches

5. Be aware and in your body, act with love, fill your heart, day body with love daily
(Caution: "The trouble with life is, it is so daily.")

6. Live in accordance with the things that matter to you most

7. Recognize a happy day. What makes a day feel like your kind of day? How could I incorporate more of me?
(Dancing, walking, connecting with people, helping, movies, philosophy, love)

8. My gift: I cannot heal you. I can let God through. I can be transparent in these moments for your connection to God, but I cannot heal you.

9. Have the discipline and courage to keep distraction at a minimum, and propel your life forward. Save the only life you can, yours. (Mary Oliver: The Journey)

*A note on discipline. You can't rush it. As Ram Dass suggests you can't get ahead of yourself by wanting to be disciplined. It doesn't work. When you want something: peace, keeping your word, harmony, being in touch with god, and you find discipline helps you keep your intention, your word with yourself. Then you arrive at Discipline's door and are ready to pass through. WHen you see it as a helpful way to further your goal, connection, intention, then you are ready.

10. Experiment, overcome "disappointment", and see how you can walk through the other side, overcome whatever limits you. If you feel sad question the stories that you tell yourself that result in this feeling.

Uncertainty is Circumstancial

You know how uncertainty seems to run deep? It seems deeper than a mood or an emotion. It feels like a condition bigger than us. It seems to tap into a universal truth. Things are uncertain, and they are. Circumstances are always changing. It is our task to sail these waters. This is true.

Also, true:
Uncertainty always emerges from a circumstance or a pattern of thoughts. Uncertainty doesn't exist without circumstance. So, it is not bigger than you. There is a still part in your heart that can maintain the calm, that connects to something greater than you. Uncertainty is not so well grounded it changes based on circumstance, and we know that circumstance is always changing. So... it seems there is a piece of us bigger than uncertainty. No, we can not control the condition, but these are always in flux. Think of how busy we'd be if we had to set, steer, and create all the circumstances that exist. Better we just sail the waters. Of course we'd like to pick and choose, but this is not often the case. So, here we are. And what I know now, is that my uncertainty will pass, and this condition will pass, and there is a part deep inside of me not influenced by either.

Be Brave!

2 things about the human mind

Two things I've noticed about the human mind:

1. We act as if how it is, is how it will always be. When you are in something (say unemployment) your mind without an editor, without awareness, without any help from you, sometimes takes the perspective that how it is now it will always be. Yet, it can't be. We know EVERYTHING changes, even the hard stuff. And yet we act or feel at times the despair of the hard, as if we're in the middle, and as if some part of us believes it will always be this way. But we also know things can change in an instant. It was dark until it was light. And there it is, boom, it's different. So, put a lure into the waters of the unconscious and fish for what you think will always be this way, and if it's bringing you despair, know in your heart of hearts this too will change.

2. We stop noticing the waves. We are born to take things for granted. Our mind can only take in so much stimulus in a day, so we are able to group experiences, sights, and automatically push them to the side so they don't take undo attention. When we are driving it's good that we don't try to read the sign on the bench. It's better that we focus on the task at hand. A lot of inputs are received, and trashed before we even consciously take them in. On the other hand, I love the beach. I love the sound of crashing waves. And I've come to the beach to take in this sound and just Be here and soak it up. Do you know in about 10 min. I've stopped hearing the waves. I've started watching the pebbles and pitfalls on my path, and I'm no longer taking in the vista. It takes all of our awareness to stay present, even when we are tickled with the event at hand. Why is that? We go to sleep even at the best moments of our life. We're not meant to live totally turned on all the time. This would be overstimulating, so we fluxuate between various levels of awareness. The good news is we can be aware of our propensity to not be aware, and remind our selves, "wake up, wake up, be present" as often as we can.

I am returning to this site not to impress you with every word, but to share experiences I love. It's important to surround yourself with the images and experiences that support, inspire, and encourage you. Here I will post my favorite links to my favorite poems, graceful heart-felt dances, comics that had me in stitches, insight spiritual and otherwise. There are a lot of ways to make this journey. There are many influences to choose, and we may not be able to choose them all so..... here are snipets from yours and mine so we can experience more. All my love to you and yours, to all the eyes that read this.

Warm Wishes for the new year,
Alisha