WILDLY FREE ELDER
The Artistry of Aging
DAY 24: A Bit of Light Magic
Winter Lights, N. Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, NC
Awe, wonder and a bit of dancing around, just like the young child close to us, as we walked into the Winter Lights show outdoors at the N. Carolina Arboretum. What pure magic awaited us as we walked through hundreds of displays in the gardens spontaneously singing with the music and certainly with smiles on our faces the entire time!
“When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.”
~Fred Rogers
It felt like being catapulted over the rainbow to the Emerald City or being dropped into a Candy Land game. At one point I could have sworn we were in Wonderland with Alice.
“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
C.S. Lewis
There was just no room at all for seriousness, but huge spaciousness for absolute joy, wonder and awe. Bringing us back to the child within…..
“to that part of us who never forgot the importance of laughing for no particular reason, of imagining far beyond what the rational mind can comprehend, and of sitting in wonder at the miracle we wake to every day.” ~Vince Gowmon
We all have magic inside of us that, if we allow it, transforms our everyday existence into precious moments to see beyond the barriers of conventional mainstream thinking and doing….
and into the wildness of being.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
~Albert Einstein
Now and again it is good to pause in our pursuit of joy and just be joyful. To see the world through the eyes of the child like wonder that is always inside the heart forever.
When we lose our way, and we will, simply see the threshold before you….
…and enter into the magic of all things….
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/24/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 23: Bare Limb Wild Dance
Tree Community Dance, Nature Park, Weaverville, N. Carolina
Having spent most of my life with palm trees in Southern California or evergreens of some sort in Northern California the bare limb Winter hardwoods of Western N. Carolina are bewitching me.
Have you ever just taken a walk to be with nature in such a way that you became part of the wild dance?
That is what happened today in the short time I spent simply placing my attention on the dance of the trees. As all kinds of dance and movement has held a primary focus in my life, especially free form and contact improv, I couldn’t help but become part of the “bare limb wild dance” around me.
Something you don’t really see when they are dressed with leaves. Something we don’t often allow ourselves.
To move and connect with wild freedom in life, unattached to what others may think of us.
Sometimes we feel like intimacy is called for
and other times some undulation all by ourselves….
embracing the sun in our arms…
Bare beauty, vulnerable and transparent, teaching us how to inhabit the wild joyful dance of life….
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/23/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 22: Finding Connection
“We can’t change the world, but we can change how we live in it.”
Grant Hine, Eco-Therapist and Guide
The giant bare beauty in the image above stopped me in my tracks this morning. Bundled up with a cold wind blowing it seemed somehow that by placing my hands on the body of this giant I would become warm. Yet it wasn’t warmth I felt in the typical sense but instead a flowing grounding energy and a communion within the heart of nature.
In the video below eco-therapist and guide Grant Hine takes us on his barefoot earth travels offering a time to breathe and of being present with all of our senses.
A break of calm, peace and simple wild being.
Take a few minutes to travel with him…..and then find time today to open your senses and feel how your body is touching the earth…..
“The concrete jungle and the rat race suck up our time and energy. Our lives revolve around paying bills and staring at a computer screen. We feel stressed and anxious, and we don’t know what’s wrong. What we are truly lacking is a connection with the wild world and its rhythms. Grant takes us out into the Cape Floral Kingdom, where we kick off our shoes and walk barefoot on the earth, touch the bark of a tree, watch a spider spin a web, listen to the birds singing in the branches above. We reawaken our senses. So no matter where you live, get out there and be wild every now and then. You’ll find connection again.”
https://www.greenrenaissance.co.za/ Filmed in the Cape Floral Kingdom, South Africa. Featuring Grant Hine – Ecotherapist and Guide (www.zenguiding.com)
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/22/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 21: Spontaneous Laughter and Kindness
The holidays can be a slippery slope. As we honor Winter Solstice today, the darkest day of the year, we are aware that it also marks crossing over the threshold to a very gradual return to more light each day.
Starting the day with candles lit watching the sunrise over the mountains I was suddenly awash with emotions. Feeling the separation from family clear across the country, the birthday of my youngest son today that I would not be in person for, the lack of a devoted life partner, and many other feelings that are shared across the world right now, all colliding together.
A long time friend happened to call to talk about Christmas Day food and all of a sudden I was awash with tears. The dam had sprung a leak. What comfort friends can be when we allow ourselves to simply be transparent and vulnerable in the moment. Being there for each other in compassion, kindness and love is a gift that is precious beyond words.
The antidote for me in losing one’s balance on the slippery holiday slope often is spontaneous sharing of kindness and humor. It is birthed from a completely improvisational and attentive space.
If I made up a story for the head-stand snow person at the top of the page I would say that she/he was bored silly with the usual snow persons standing around with a perpetual smile, long orange nose, dark eyes (oh why couldn’t they be blue?!) with no eyebrows or lashes, and a too tight scarf wrapped around the neck with only buttons down the front and no jacket in view, and worst of all some flimsy no muscle arms!.
In one of those moments in time this snow person spontaneously decided to do a little improve activity and broke out of the snow person identity with great joy and most probably that very unusual snow person’s laugh – you know what it sounds like don’t you?! Sledding and snowball fights were next on the agenda.
I say if you go out in the world today, even on perhaps “boring and potentially stressful” errands, be aware of unlimited opportunities for spontaneous acts of kindness and sharing of laughter. They simply emerge when you are least expecting it.
However, one must be open and trusting that the moment may serve up an opportunity….and willingness to connect with curiosity and spontaneity.
“Every day is a new opportunity to begin again. Every day is your birth-day.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu & His Holiness the Dalai Lama
I will leave you with one of the several opportunities that emerged for me today while out on errands. Now mind you words often fly out of my mouth, perhaps birthed from that spontaneous improvisational place that resides somewhere in the galaxy.
A rather benign purchase of gluten free frozen pie crusts to make a couple of holiday pumpkin pies turned into moments of complete joy and laughter for both myself and the male cashier. I always inquire how the day is going for the person handling the checking out.
In this instance it was an older man with white hair and when I asked how his day was going he simply said “I’m really tired!” When I asked when he arrived at work he said 6am and it was 1pm when I went through his line. This is when words simply flew out of my mouth without forethought as I said, “So when are you getting off?” quickly followed by “Gosh it sounds like I am asking you out!”
Complete silence on his part…..and then he said, “You are making me blush” and my saying “I don’t know where that came from” with a laugh which he joyously shared with me. As I am about to walk out the door he looked at me and said, “thank you, you made my day!”
Well, we made it together in our willingness to play and place our attention on connecting and being in the moment. HAPPY SOLSTICE!
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/21/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 20: Give Yourself Time
Community Labyrinth, Weaverville, N. Carolina
“Give yourself time to make a prayer that will become the prayer of your soul. Listen to the voices of longing in your soul. Listen to your hungers. Give attention to the unexpected that lives around the rim of your life. Listen to your memory and to the inrush of your future to the voices of those near you and those you have lost. Out of all that attention to your soul, make a prayer that is big enough for your wild soul, yet tender enough for your shy and awkward vulnerability; That has enough healing to gain the ointment of divine forgiveness for your wounds; enough truth and vigor to challenge your blindness and complacency; enough graciousness and vision to mirror your immortal beauty. Write a prayer that is worthy of the destiny to which you have been called.”
~John O’Donohue
Giving ourselves time to be still enough to hear our own voice. To channel a prayer that is “big enough for your wild soul” as John O’Donohue speaks to the destiny we are here for.
This day was filled with dropping in and letting go. Communing with the natural world. Engaging in spontaneous laughter with another as a small community walked the Full Moon celebration labyrinth.
It was a bitterly cold day with wind blowing, bundled up and layered so to enjoy a walk around the local lake. Of a sudden we came upon a Blue Heron simply being still in a tree gazing out at the lake that was filled (we were told by a fisherman nearby) with bountiful fish fit for a majestic bird.
I noticed almost walking right by this beauty where two humans stood transfixed becoming a part of the stillness. What a loss that would have been.
Past a bird sanctuary, mostly void of the calls and presence of the denizens that nest and feed here, continuing in the gentle loop around the lake. Taking in bark textures among the barren trees. Witnessing how the branches have formed an art piece all their own. One tree in particular having co-created a spiral pattern with the assistance of a very persistent vine that has since been cut away. Yet the tree still growing towards the light.
Moments pass. Prayer of the wild soul and shy awkward vulnerable one starts emerging through moments entwined with nature and later another circle of ancient form.
One step at a time within a Full Moon labyrinth walk with others, Winter Solstice energy vibrating. We have all been here before. Taking that first mindful step within the spiraling circle of life. Watching the mind spin its stories. Heart inviting opening, forgiveness, and surrender of any resistance that keeps us stuck.
Each walk through a labyrinth weaves its own experience. This day a new friend found she was all of a sudden in the center space and found she had skipped parts of the path. As I arrived there she realized what she had done and said “Oh, I am lost!” and attempted to retrace her path hopping over some river stones to go back.
Breaking into the silence of others walking mindfully…. laughter spontaneously erupted between us. The giggles actually, if two elder women are “allowed” to do that. 🙂 Cosmic humor delivered straight from the center of the sacred labyrinth walk.
Realizing in an instant that we go through a lifetime of “being lost” and finding our way.
A reminder of letting go, acceptance, and willingness to curiously continue the journey of discovery. Letting others along the path know that we are there to get lost with them.
As I placed the smooth river stone I had in my hand painted with the words “Create” and “Love” in the center of the labyrinth circle the prayer revealed itself even more…..words emerging within the steps taken one at a time along the path.
A continuing life song until one has lived their prayer….and the soul has fled the body.
DAY 19: Wild Divinity
“As a child, I came to understand that my relationship with nature was reciprocal and that nature had a relationship with me. We called to one another. We called one another into being. What I mean by that is we have evolved together. I trust what I see, and I believe what I feel. Trusting direct experience is the open door to revelation. This was my foundation for faith. It still is.”
~Terry Tempest Williams
When “home” resides in the wild divinity of the heart, nestled in the embrace of the natural world, each moment you are aware of serves as an awakening to life. Never separate. Always a part of the whole.
The beauty, power and grounding of nature serving as guidance. Whispered into heart, body, mind and soul as a reminder to build inner resilience, acceptance and trust.
We celebrate a Full Moon today and in two days the Winter Solstice – a turning point from darkness to light. This dance of life and creative energy unfolding, if fully felt with all of our senses and being, would blow us wide open.
As a child i grew up playing on the beaches and in the waters of the Pacific ocean in Southern California. Exploring tide pools, collecting shells on the beach, jumping the small little waves at the shore and when braver (and older) riding the waves with only my body, roasting hot dogs and sticky marshmellos at the open fire, staying to watch the sunset over the ocean with stars just beginning to appear in the sky.
Magical.
Here started a lifelong love affair with the natural world and elements, which has only grown and deepened over the years. I am certain many of you found your first love of life and belonging here….in nature.
Today I invite you to join me, not in a frantic rush of holiday obligations, but in carving out some direct experience time in nature to simply be still….and in awe.
Wild Divinity
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/19/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 18: Joy of Food: Overcoming the Odds
What joy we can find in food grown, prepared and shared with love and passion. …and in inspiring stories of individuals who changed the fabric of their lives overcoming the odds of succeeding.
Waking to a rainy day, one in which to stay snug and warm inside, the PBS video below came into my life . Of course I simply wanted to share it with all of you as the Joy and Laughter Project continues through the month of December.
As I watched each segment telling stories of people who have not only overcome immense odds, but in addition turned them into lifelong service to their communities with devotion, resilience and generosity of spirit, I couldn’t help but smile.
This is what we should see on the daily news and in our social media for it is abundantly happening all over the world.
From Yannick, a man who lost his mobility at age 25, years later launching a barrier free very conscious restaurant called Contento; Kristen who came from homelessness to creating the family she never had growing up; Maria who lost her home and was helped by a group of veterans who had formed a collective to help rebuild homes in flooded Houston after Hurricane Harvey; Tony, a once severely depressed man who changed life in Harlem by setting up urban gardens; and Jared who was falsely imprisoned for 10 years for a crime he did not commit becoming an attorney and more.
Interwoven throughout all of these stories is Lidia’s Italian flare and passion for food born through her mother’s love of cooking, both having faced enormous obstacles in their lives. She tells a bit of her own story and connects with each one of these individuals through this love of food and the courage it takes to overcome the adversities of life.
You may even find some great new dishes to cook!
SALUTE!!
“In this hour-long Lidia Celebrates America special, Lidia travels from big cities to small pockets of rural America, both in person and virtually, to share the inspiring stories of a diverse group of resilient Americans who have overcome extraordinary odds in their own lives, found purpose in serving their communities, and turned their loss into inspiring accomplishments.”
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/17/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 17: I Was Created For Joy…
I sometimes forget that
I was created for joy
My mind is too busy
My heart is too heavy
Heavy for me to remember
That I have been
Called to dance
The sacred dance of life
I was created to smile
To love
To be lifted up
And lift others up
O sacred one
Untangle my feet
From all that ensnares
Free my soul
That we might
Dance
And that our dancing
Might be contagious.
~Hafiz
Though the murmuration of starlings in the image above is for protection, warmth and sharing of information, we as humans see it as magic as their collective energy forms yet another bird. In awe when we witness it.
A free form collective dance that reminds us to open our hearts and free our souls.
Many of us are finding it extremely challenging to keep on with our lives amidst the constant barrage of virus updates, global warming weather disasters and political unrest. Our busy minds and heavy hearts take us away from why we are here.
So I ask today where do we wish to place our attention?
The Hafiz poem above has the potential to shift the energy of despair, struggle and fear….reminding us we have the power in every interconnected moment to embody the joy of simply being alive. To evolve our own unique dance with and within the collective.
Not only finding joy in those moments but being aware that it is those exact moments of being that are contagious…
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/17/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 16: Grounding Humility
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
Anais Nin
The word humility comes from the Latin word for earth or soil – humus. As soon as I learned this I pictured someone with hands sifting layers of earth soil, between their fingers, being in stewardship with that which feeds, nourishes and sustains life for all living beings.
Grounding humility within is essential to any possibility of joy. In what seems like a world gone “crazy” we fall into a space of humility when we know as human beings we can’t solve everything nor control all aspects of our life.
“…our vulnerabilities, our frailties and our limitations are a reminder that we need one another: We are not created for independence or self-sufficiency, but for interdependence and mutual support.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
But what we can do is actively offer our transparent authentic and whole being, flaws and all, into all connections and interactions we have whether it be with humans, wildlife or nature herself. Talk about letting go of ego or any concern about how we are perceived!
Just today in my morning writing practice I realized this. If I could have the humility to simply show up transparent and whole in every single interaction and connection, and not judge or make assumptions – that is enough.
Being a “healer – a lifelong identity this time around – now means to me doing just that. Opening others to the light of wholeness within them by simply being who I am in any given moment. And in turn I receive the gift of accessing more of my own being.
Layers of pursuing and seeking and striving simply dropped away in that moment. Enough just as we are. What a wondrous thing. In that humility great joy opens like the bud that could no longer stay tightly closed.
The natural unfolding – blossoming – of a human that walks the path along with everyone else – transparent, vulnerable, and connected….all masks fallen away to see the absolute beauty of the one before us, and within us, as we walk barefoot on the earth….
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/16/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
Considering a move? Finding Home: Conscious Relocation Services by Gaye Abbott
DAY 15: A Shift In Perspective
Cloud Mist, Blue Ridge Mountains, Western N. Carolina
Opening my closet today I happened to glance at one of the book titles in my bookcase and pulled it out – The Book of Joy. How perfect for this mid-way journey of 31-Days of Joy and Laughter Project.
Having danced with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Bali, Indonesia many years ago now where he was the keynote speaker for a Global Healing Conference, and having always loved the playfulness and wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Getting those two together is quite something – joyful moments to be certain….and very, very playful!
“Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, Mission: JOY is a documentary with
unprecedented access to the unlikely friendship of two international icons who
transcend religion: His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu. In their
final joint mission, these self-described mischievous brothers give a master
class in how to create joy in a world that was never easy for them. They offer
neuroscience-backed wisdom to help each of us live with more joy, despite
circumstances.”
One of the “8 Pillars of Joy” spoken about in this book is a quality of the mind – perspective. The way we see the world, and our life within it, is how we are in the world. This viewpoint impacts the experiences and challenges we may have and in turn has the power to change the world we live in.
Our perspective toward life can be our final and ultimate freedom – a way of looking at life in a more operational way versus a defining way. This perspective is often based on limited self-interest and self- awareness – but when we open up our lens to a wide angle view more possibilities reveal themselves.
“For every event in life there are many different angles. When you look at the same event (challenge or situation) from a wider perspective, your sense of worry and anxiety reduces, and you have greater joy. “
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
I often feel that what the world needs right now in these crucial times is a shift in perspective. A shift away from focusing on the symptoms and a rewire to address the core causes of disruption and imbalance. This also can have great impact in our daily personal lives.
It has taken some time for me to “get out of my own way”, let go, and open to unfolding possibilities and synchronicity. Perhaps it has for you as well.
As a small example, when I relocated from Austin, TX back to California (Relocation #6 of 7) several years ago now, I thought I needed to save money and be more prepared to set up a home base before I could set a date for leaving. My mind told me this was sensible and safe.
However, when I tried on the flip side of that thinking this possibility appeared – “I trust that there will be more resources that will appear when I simply set a date to pack up and start the move” – I felt freedom in that moment.
Within that letting go an opportunity came in to work with a friends company remotely that funded my relocation and meant I did not have to “hit the ground running” to build up my energy medicine/yoga therapy practice right away. A wider perspective.
Because I was willing to see beyond the, what seemed like, more secure and safe decision (inner conversation) to save money and wait to move, an opportunity emerged from willingness to let go into a larger area of possibilities.
Even when we may be constantly bothered by something in our daily life, a different perspective can make a world of difference. Several months ago now I moved from an extremely quiet and peaceful environment to a space on a busy road leading to a small downtown area.
This road is not only traveled frequently by cars and trucks but also fire engines and police cars with sirens blaring. Mind you it is only a small one lane both ways winding road, but the siren noise dramatically disturbed my peace of mind and being. Or so I let it.
One day while standing out on the front porch a fire truck went by with sirens blaring. My landlord, who lives right next door to me, came out on the porch with his hand on his heart and a smile on his face. Curiosity drove me to ask what meaning these noisy trucks had for him. He proceeded to tell me that he was a volunteer fireman for 19 years and simply loved watching them go by bringing back all of his memories.
From that point on every time I hear the sirens I only have to envision a man standing on his porch with his hand on his heart and a smile breaks out on my face. Incredulously I no longer have an adverse reaction to the noise.
Allowing time for the mists to clear, as in the image at the top of this post, a different perspective and a vast array of possibilities will reveal themselves.
Hand on my heart…..joy and freedom is nestled in perspective.
About 31 Days of Joy & Laughter Project:
As elders with a long life behind us and not as much embodied life before us, and as humans on the planet Earth at this time, we are being faced with incredible challenges that compete to take our attention.
A couple of days ago I realized I no longer choose to have my attention taken by the fear, doom and gloom broadcast daily, whether on our smart phones news feed or while talking to others. I am weary of it all and need a higher vibration energy bath!.
It is not that I don’t want to know what is happening in the world, but instead the question I am posing to myself, and to you, every day is – where do we want to place our attention? We most always have a choice.
For the month of December I am placing attention on joy, laughter, creativity and acts of kindness as a experiment to see what unfolds. Seeking out and being aware of moments of joy sometimes hidden in the deep pockets and lining of each and every day that seem to get passed over without even looking back. They are always there.
Each day in December you will find a small nugget of joy, humor, creativity or small act of kindness that found me and pulled my attention which will be posted here. I invite you to join me and share your experiences and what you noticed so that we may spread it around! (Please use the “Comment” section below).
If you don’t want to miss any of these posts simply sign up for the blog here:
https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/blog/
You can also find all of the posts in the archives here: https://wildlyfreeelder.wordpress.com/2021/12/
Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 12/15/21. Please feel free to share this post and link to WildlyFreeElder
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