Ripples: Believe It or Not

A small pebble of Reality was dropped into my consciousness in May 2004. Ripples continue to spread, my awareness expands and it’s increasingly difficult to isolate events which occurred in Albuquerque from the present moment in Sun Lakes, Arizona.

It’s Not About the Hands

Initially I thought that Pam Towne’s admonition to relax during the ABQ Intense (aka Intensive) Workshop to be either a Zen Koan or an oxymoron. My hands and waist were tight because I have a habit of being psychologically “uptight” as I strive to be perfect. Pam, Victor, and fellow students consistently prompted me to soften.

Justin’s voice seemed so harsh while correcting me on the first day that I had great difficulty relaxing enough to truly listen to his admonition as essentially a caring correction. I came so close to quitting. With some synchronicity I got by with a little (or rather a lot of) help from my new friends and fellow students, Moira Holland and Alba Cordasco, as we shared our “corrections” over dinner. Lesson: Insisting on perfection alienates me, sharing and accepting imperfections bonds me to others.

But It is About the Hands

When I gave up my insistence on my mind and body being separate, I saw that my body was reflecting my thinking. As I relaxed some, and let go of a vague and habitual mistrust, I unfolded and began to “go with the flow.” I lessened projecting my issues/weaknesses onto others and more clearly saw teachers and fellow students as beautiful human beings – a much better way to be in the world.

The Pebble

The pebble was the following quote written on the whiteboard at the TCC Center: “Empty space vibrates with energized intelligence. We could call this a sea of consciousness. It is overflowing with an urge to manifest and the manifestation is LOVE.”

Now, back in the Phoenix areas, I am increasingly blessed to be working with two instructors with incredible teh (sincere intent): May Swanson and Wayne Kipple. Sometimes my ego loosens its grip, my hands soften enough to hold a soap bubble, and I feel the truth, the love mentioned in the quote, from Justin’s Spiritual Odyssey.