Shifting Gears

Today, I was reminded that there might be something positive waiting behind things that don't look so positive at first, if we are willing to pivot. Where is the silver lining in the things that might have dragged us down in the past? 

It all began when I attempted to meditate in the backyard. I was so excited to see the sun finally come out and I couldn't wait to get out there. 

I got to enjoy maybe five minutes of that before I had to shift gears. It seemed the vacationers in the AirBNB behind me got engaged today and I was having increasing difficulty sharing their "joy" as they called every friend and family member on speaker phone to share their wonderful news! LOL

Quickly I made the decision to put my ipod on with earphones and let myself get lost in 1,000 of my most favorite songs rather than focus on how much I dislike living behind an AirBNB. 

Fortunately, the magic of the music found me and with each new song, I felt myself shifting into happier and happier states of mind . . . Goosebumps kept hitting me on certain lyrics as each new song played . . . it was as if it was a special "set" that had been assembled just for me today . . . 

It started with Steve Winwood gracing my heart and my ears as he sang "And we'll drink and dance with one hand free and have the world so easily, oh we'll be a sight to see, back in the high life again."

Then the Pretenders sang, "Now the reason we're here, every man, every woman . . . is to help each other - stand by each other. When love walks in the room, everybody stand up! Oh it's good, good good, say I love you, I love you, I love you!

After that Pete Townshend sang "Let my love open the door" and Eddie Money sang "She waits by her window and she shines her light for me, to help me through the harbor" 

This was followed by Lou Bega singing "Cause you can't run and you can't hide, you and me gonna touch the sky" and the Indigo Girls rounded out the set with "Let's make peace tonight, the moon is bare and shining bright, let's make peace tonight."

I think we ALL have something that can catapult us into higher frequencies, higher states of happiness . . . Fortunately for me, music is my thing and it is always there for me. 

Today I was nudged once again to not let what is happening around me keep my energy low and remember that there could just be something wonderful waiting around the corner if I am willing to alter my perspective just a bit and/or let go of what I had originally planned (silent meditation) and allow something else to occur (joyful connection with music and song lyrics). 

What helps YOU make that shift?  It might be helpful to have it "on hand" as the current energies are intense and it's a wonderful way to support ourselves. 

Repost: The Blind Men and the Elephant

I am reposting this blog from June of 2020 because it feels SO fitting for this current time. I'm hoping that it will be of assistance as we navigate this part of our journeys. (Picture added because data shows people are more apt to read a post when there is a picture)  haha 

Many many years ago, I was told a story about people who had never seen or heard of an elephant before. From what I could recall, when they finally came in contact with one, they were blind-folded and based on what part of the elephant they were touching, they each developed their own strong belief about what an elephant was.

I couldn't remember where I heard the story or what all the particulars were . . . what I DO know is that it has been popping into my head a lot lately so I looked for the story and I discovered that it was based on a book called "The Elephant In The Dark" written by Idries Shah And like any good game of "telephone," I had some of the details wrong . . . i.e. the men were blind, not blind-folded, but the basic premise of the story was accurate.  Here is a summary written about the book:

A group of blind men heard that a strange animal called an elephant had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable." So, they sought it out and when they found it, they groped about it. 

In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, he said "This being is like a thick snake". 

For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. 

As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, they said, "the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk." 

The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". 

Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. 

The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.

The blind men discover their disagreements, assume others are lying, come to blows. 

I can see why this story keeps coming into my mind, as it seems to be a good depiction of what is playing out in our world right now. I see people passionately holding on to certain beliefs based on what they believe to be true (what part of the elephant they are touching) . . . and I see people coming to blows over what other people are saying because based on what THEY believe, certainly the other people must be lying (or they are conspiracy theorists or idiots).  :-)

In those cases what we aren't considering is that maybe it's ALL true. Maybe because we are only looking at one piece of the pie (or elephant) and because we aren't seeing the big picture (the whole elephant), we aren't able to see that each of us is holding a piece of the truth. 

Maybe what we see feels like the truth because it is based on what we have learned, what we have experienced, what we have been exposed to. Maybe it's not that we're "blind" but because we're wearing different glasses, with different prescriptions (or filters), we are seeing something different. 

So here is something to consider . . . What if we are ALL correct? What if all of us are touching the elephant but the elephant is so big that we can only understand the part of the elephant that is right in front of us? 

How much unity might we be able to create if we considered that we are "right" and so are the other people whose views we are fighting against? Sit with that a moment . . .