If Not You, Then Who?

I'm still not back into the swing of things and the love fortunes over the weekend were perfect for my intention...so I'm going to not be so linear so more and go with the flow...and this mornings struck me because it was I Love How You Believe In Me.  It struck me because of a youtube video I saw on FB about women that described themselves to a sketch artist without him seeing them.  Then he would have a stranger that was in the room with them describe them and sketch them.  Guess what the stranger described them with more beauty than the individual.  I get this on a deeper level every day and wonder what I need to do to believe in myself more...I'm fair at it and I don't want to be egoic but if I don't who will...if you don't who will so here's the video and then to show that there is still some of the same old Lulu in there, a song.

I can't help it, I'm sure there are more modern Believe songs...I'm a Cher fan and yes I Believe in Life Before, During and After Love...after all I'm a love activist, right...well that's what I believe and I'm going to stick to it.

Time To Reboot

I'm getting ready to go into a weekend for shamanic retreat as well as kicking off t a reboot program as I'm doing a little belated Spring cleaning...although the weather was late in warming up so I'm not going to worry about it and it's shamanic time.  I will be tracking my love fortunes because it is one of my favorite daily practices.  I'll be back to blogging, most likely, on Sunday or Monday

So the last two fortunes are "I Love How You Are Always There For Me When I'm Grouchy" and "I Love How Your Laughter Fills The Studio".  So to me these are related but as we know I can do that with most things but laughter is the best way to get out of grouchy...and since I'm more in retreat mind than effusive spouting Lulu-isms.  I'm just going to share a nice little reminder I found on facebook that embraces both as I have it posted in my office (where I get to grouchy more often than other places)

And I guess it's all about how we reboot whether it be through a quote, a cleanse, laughter...

PS...

This blogging is like letting the cork out of the damn sometimes...so I had another thought about the I love how you say what you mean.  Not about me but it's funny how the universe does line up and sends other affirmations around the theme (making me realize I may have to look at this aspect of myself more closely.)  But on Facebook today, I just saw something from Paulo Coelho that said, Don't say NO if you want to say YES.  Don't say MAYBE if you want to say NO.  It was right over a picture with the quote "Diga "NO" sin culpa.  Diga "SI" sin miedo.  And if my spanish is right the translation wasn't exact, and in spanish what was said Say NO without blame/guild.  Say YES without fear.  And although not precisely the same it is all embodied in one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Seuss which is "Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Because those that mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."  Similar to Mark Twains quote which is "It's mind over matter.  If you Don't Mind It Don't Matter."

I think I'm done for the day, but you never know....

Ixnay on the Unsolicited Advice

Not feeling bloggy (that may be a good thing) but usually that leads to longer blogs than usual so be forewarned.  I actually am behind and have two.  One is I love how you say Hello and Good Morning. It could be that I say it and if you read in the past I shared a story how I was in Wichita and someone said hello to me in the elevator.  I looked over my shoulder even though I was alone in there.  It can also go back to the one on how expressive I am and literally how I say it.  I guess I don't hear myself speak because I'm too busy speaking.  I had an opportunity to listen to an astrology session I had and let's just say, I've discovered that I am quite expressive and I can't say I'm a fan but it's hard to listen to ourselves, I think???? .  And it is a them since the other fortune what that I love how you speak your mind.  Oh if that were true they would probably put me in an asylum.  Tee hee...then again I know someone who used to be a psychotherapist at Bellevue.  He said the only thing different between him and the patients was that he had the keys.  I get that.  And also I sensor...your lucky you don't hear all the processing I do...it goes faster as time goes on...but let's just say I filter.

And although I can probably listen more and say less, I like to use a filter on speaking (especially when it comes to giving advice - and have I ever told you that unsolicited advice is a pet peeve...just because I share a challenge with someone, doesn't mean I want them to help me fix it...if I say what do you think tell me, otherwise, I think probing or even silence is a good response)  Anyway back to the filter.  There are four questions (with a few comments as well, of course) that I learned and I had to google to remember exactly.   This came from Sai Baba

1.  Is it kind?  It's interesting how people don't realize how harsh there opinions can sound.
2.  Is it necessary?  Oh barely anything anything can fit in this category.  It's the old need vs want.
3.  Is it true?  Except for a few bare facts...most things are our interpretation or perception so it may be true to us but to nobody else.
4.  Does it improve upon silence?  And many people are uncomfortable with silence...yet it can be a profound reply.  We all probably do way more talking than listening.  I know I'm guilty of that.  And what do we hear in the silence?  As many of us know our minds may not make noise to the outside world but sheesh, what it says to us and it's probably best it stays that way.

On that mind, I'll keep this relatively short. But I'll leave you with two songs on the mind...

Born This Way

So the love fortune I'm supposed to be blogging about is "I Love Your Sophisticated Sense of Smell".  I giggle because Danny and I have become scent swappers...although I'm more of an appreciator he is the scent master.  We come together on earthy, churchy smells...what do you expect from someone that practices shamanic ceremonies...think i'ts a pre-requisite.  And I can't think of a song about smells and I was just having one of those whoa is me, sorry for myself mornings...  So I was just going to skip blogging and do a two for one deal tomorrow.  But I never go without reading my love fortunes and todays is "I Love That You Were Born This Way".  The universe always speaks to us and provides...I talk about trust all the time...and it's nice when it happens fairly immediately.  I even wondered about admitting my dark mood but then again this is a part of life and I was born this way too not just the happy playful carefree, the pendulum doesn't stay in one place does it...it's just the speed of the swing (did I lose you...hope not)  

So I can find a song on trust but you all know which one I'm going to post.  This version is more like a mini-movie (7 min. plus) but check it out...I like the dialogue in the beginning)

Sparklers, The New Incense!!!

I have to say I do giggle in delight every time I pick a lover fortune...this one is "I Love Your Sudden Sparks of Inspiration".  I have to say my first thought is do you mean my spark of inspiration or rationalization.  As you can tell if you've been reading the blogs I can rationalize just about anything and find an optimistic spin.  Then again I guess I get inspired pretty quickly and if you read yesterdays I think our inspirations and passions is the fire that fuels all the love we have, not just the love for that specific passion or inspiration...because love is unconditional, if it's conditional that its idolization.  Hmmm, that just came out and I may be onto something.

But I have nothing else to say (are you shocked, I am) although as I'm about to say this I am getting inspired because this also feels very connected to yesterdays blog.  About warmth and a smile (and yes a tight ass because there is reciprocity in everything :) ).  A spark is just the beginning or warmth. I like the choice of the word spark because that really is what an inspiration is ....so it's like when you use flint to make a fire...sometimes it catches, sometimes it doesn't...sometimes will it lead to a bon fireor can lead to an inferno or be more gentle and nurturing like a candle flame or just be a spark for the moment and not manifest into anything more than a spark....

Now I'm thinking of sparklers on the Fourth of July and being a kid and the wonder and awe that the colors and sparks give off...we should all have that sense of awe with ideas/inspirations.  Have it and if it leads to more then maybe you have a fire and if it flitters out then at least you had fun exploring and admiring it.  Just when I'm about to say I can't think of anything else something else gets inspired and that's how sparks work right, they catch on.  Remember for it to turn into something it needs to be nurtured with kindling first, then some wood or even some air...you may want to think of the metaphorical connections to how you are nurturing your inspirations.

I remember giving out sparklers once for a new moon ceremony when the them was inspirations.  So I had used the container I used for my incense sticks to hold it.  I thought I had given them all away or put away when done.  So then another morning many, many weeks later I sit down to meditate and light incense...or so I thought...and instead the sparkler goes off...imagine both my shock and my delight.  It was perfect medicine for my day and more fun when it comes like that then orchestrated but you do what you need to do so  I recommend keeping them around for when your feeling a dry spell, it just may spark (pun intended) something.

I actually started todays blog thinking I was doing the first paragraph and post a youtube video...but that's exactly how inspiration works...one spark leads to another and to another and it may catch and turn into a book or may fizzle out with a tune.  And as I often do, I will just post a song because music is one of my greatest inspirations whether through lyrics, melody, rhythm...  And the one that comes to mind first and is pretty obvious but what a great way to fizzle out, huh?!?!

At the Bargain Price of a Smile You Can Provide Warmth To Those In Need and Receive A Tight Ass In Return

So I intentionally waited after the other days love fortune which was "I love how people are attracted to your warmth."  I went metaphorical at first, shocker I know.  So who isn't attracted to the warmth of a fire place or a camp fire, right.  But then there is the extreme of an inferno or a forest fire.  So we need to modify our inner fire and we can do that if we know where it comes from.  So I began debating whether it's my heart that is the source of the warmth referred to in the fortune or is it my passion/ inspirations which is probably located more in my belly/gut.   Or can it be both...maybe?  Or perhaps they work as a sacred couple...yes that is the ticket.

I saw the gut as the actual fire (like a camp fire) and then I thought the heart was more like a sterno (you know the things at buffet).  I had an image of a sterno under a bunsen burner, until I realized that sterno's have actual flames within them and then they are used to heat water that is the transmitter heat to a pan of food.  OK so our gut is the sterno and our hearts the pan of water that could work but lets go back to a camp fire.  You don't want to touch the flame. You may stand around it for comfort but your not going to put hug it or put your hand on it.  But campfires can be used for cooking.  You can put a pan on it and make some food.  The food is never as hot as the fire but it contains it and you experience it at kind of a homeopathic dose of warmth and the food is the heart which expresses yumminess and some moderated warmth too.

There is also a metaphor of the heart as a marshmallow.  Before it meets the campfire, it's a little hard and not as yummy or gooey.   However when you put it over a camp fire (of if your in Cosi's a sterno for an indoor s'more), it becomes even sweeter and more gooey and yummy.  You have to be careful not to use too much or too little passion/fire.  Otherwise it will get singed and become bitter or not gooey enough.  And then even better put your heart....oops I mean toasted marshmallow on a graham cracker (which could be the structures of life) and add a little chocolate (which could be an sweeter more optimistic approach to life or laughter) and then you have a blended life of yumminess.  I could write a novel on the metaphor of the s'more  but perhaps another time. OK I think you get where I'm going with the partnership of our passions and our hearts.  And how over active my mind was getting.

As much as I had plenty to say, I wasn't ready to blog on it...I didn't get that inner yes...it felt like a diamond in the rough.  So when I'm not sure what to do, I like to wait.  So I thought, let me see what the next days fortune will be and perhaps there is a connection that will smooth out the rough edges...and I'll get a two for one deal on my blogging efforts...who doesn't like a bargain.  Ha, right.

So yesterdays was "I love how you always make me smile."  Which of course, made me smile.  And it made me a little warmer inside too...  Eureka!!!  They were connected.  Let's face it when I'm having a hard day, I know a kind and smiling person in a brief interaction like ordering my trenta unsweetened green iced tea at Starbuck's, can thaw me a little.

And, since I like to ponder the love fortune to see how it evolves throughout my day before putting fingers to keypad, I went to the office.  I didn't think of it much more until I had a "you can't make this shit up moment"  I was walking down a hall way and walking towards me was an officer that I've know her for a many years although rarely see her and have only worked with her on only a few occasions.  We waved and smiled at each other until we met at the ladies room.  (Is that too much information?)   As we enter,  she says to me, "I always smile when I see you."  To which I giggled & yes I felt a little warmer inside.  My inner voice said, "did you cheat and read my love fortune today because you almost recited it verbatim."  Of course, I did share what a coincidence it was with a little more detail and explained the gift of love fortunes I had received.  And the story warmed her too.

So then I was thinking how smiles, whether you give them or receive them, are definitely a form of warmth. And as reminded by Danny in class last night, it also helps tighten your ass.  Hey so that's a two for one deal...another bargain...and, even better, we are also participating in sacred reciprocity you are giving warmth to another who may be chilled by the hardships of life and you are receiving a tight ass from the universe in return.  (Tee, hee...I do entertain myself sometimes)