WholeLife Mastery

Progress, not perfection.

Time to 'fess up. One of the reasons I haven't been blogging as regularly as I was last year is that I've been learning a new art. (Not to mention school's back in session!) It's not that the art takes that much time. It's that I've been feeling too unfocused to blog. I got so hung up on focusing that I let myself get overwhelmed (I've been hearing that word a lot from my clients recently. Thank you for holding up the mirror!) with choosing among the many topics I could blog about. The paralysis of analysis. UNTIL Today:)! Progress, not perfection.

As a teacher, each year, I take a course or some lessons to remind me what it's like to be a student. I've learned step aerobics, racquetball, yoga, ... and now I've taken the plunge into art. Specifically, it's the addictive art of altering books, and I've gone all out in learning this. I've joined the International Society of Altered Book Artisits. By pure luck of the draw my answer to five questions are included in their January Newsletter. I just registered for classes at Artwerx and I'll also be registering for Art Universe. It appeals to the professor in me, whose tools are words and ideas. Tearing the first page out of my first book to alter was so traumatic, my teacher had to egg me on, and the torn page made it into my personal journal. In the four months that I've been learning the art, I've come to understand altering books is about more than the books or even the art. I've met the most creative, supportive, fun and encouraging people -- all women. I'm looking at everything with new eyes. (Okay, drying tea bags and using the pretty raspberry paper may have been a bit much.) Most importantly, I've been practicing stepping out of my comfort zone and into my greatness. Now that's LIFE altering.

The Top 10 Ways to Live Authentically

The Top 10 Journal-Writing Techniques

[grid::ritual] Routine made sacred through mindfulness: A grid blog

Ritual defined: "a ceremony, particularly formalized, used to fulfill a certain intention" (The Art of Ritual).

I am definitely a morning person, so my morning ritual is most important for getting my day off to a good start. As Barbara Sher wrote in Wishcraft "ritual is a terrific antidote for procrastination". Most mornings -- about 6/7-- after meditating, exercising, before breakfast and dressing, I light a candle ( a tealight on campus days a BIG Yankee candle on homework days) while affirming "I release all concerns, I am filled with your presence. Oh, God of my being live your life through me". Then I read something inspiring to prime the pump for journaling. Right now I'm reading Jill Badonsky's absolutely delicious The Nine Modern Day Muses. I seldom get through the first page of the day's reading without being inspired to write, and as I've recently begun visual journaling, to draw. I usually close my journal entry by listing the three most important things for me to do/be/have that day.

When I cook, my hotel school training kicks in and mise en place becomes a ritual. "Stressed minds need the reassuring rhythm of self-nurturing rituals" (Simple Abundance). When starting a new research project, once I've gathered enough background info to say "yes, I'm interested in learning more about this topic", there's the ritual of pulling the papers together into a folder and labeling paper and computer files. I would like to develop a ritual for financial management. First I need a routine!

What routines could you raise to rituals through mindfulness and intention?

There's Caliche on My Altar

I hadn't heard of this stuff until I moved to Las Vegas 5 years ago. It's the reason there aren't a lot of basements here. It's also the reason it's on my altar. The story: last month I was invited to an event that sounded like a good idea to attend. Notice I didn't say I was excited about it or I wanted to go. It sounded like a good idea, something I SHOULD do. Because I forgot to refrain from SHOULDING on myself, The Universe sent me a very loud message I could not ignore. On the way home from the grocery store the night before the event, I heard an obnoxiously loud THUD! Then there was an awful scrapping noise as if some part of my car were dragging on the ground. Oh no, my warranty was just up and I don't have time to take the car to the shop ... yada! yada! I crept home (fortunately I was less than a mile away). I went into the house and fell into a fitful sleep wondering what bank accounts I'd juggle to pay for the repairs.

With the morning light, I called the person who invited me to "the event that sounded like a good idea" and said I wouldn't be coming. My car was making weird noises. I hung up the phone oddly relieved. At that point Something said "Get a flashlight and look under the car." I've learned to listen when a message comes that clearly and directly, so I crawled under the car. Nothing was hanging down. There was, however, a piece of caliche stuck in a wheelwell, between a couple of things that turn when the car moves. Okay, I'm not so mechanically inclined that I know the names of these things. However, I was mechanically inclined enough to grab a rubber mallet and a screwdriver. Tap. Tap. Kerplunk. Out fell the caliche onto the garage floor.

That flat stone-looking piece of caliche now holds a place of honor front and center on the altar in my office. It's a touchstone reminding me to choose to do only those things I really WANT to do. Joy is my compass!