The days are getting darker and shorter here in Portland.
This year the lead-up to solstice is particularly tangible. The long nights close in like a heavy blanket, as a slow gravitational force pulls us closer to the shortest day of the year, when the darkness of night, will outweigh the daylight.
These past few weeks with the longer nights rapidly closing in, I’ve noticed a brightness within me. Maybe it’s the tenacity of my being rising up against what I perceive as happening to me, maybe it’s simply a way of adapting to the changes in my environment.
Like a steady flame, the light of my attention has been more apparent than it usually is over the course of the year. Noticing this makes me wonder if the contrast of these solstice times, and the shorter days, is helping me tune into the light.
As I focus on the light, I am reminded of how much we can cultivate ‘internally’ that can radiate out to touch what is ‘external’ and impact our surroundings. From a state of being, to an image we hold in our mind’s eye, or a certain attitude we carry, such as curiosity, we can create a reality inside of us that in turn shapes the reality around us.
When was the last time you came into contact with someone whose presence shifted your state ever so slightly? Or maybe you read something, saw an image, or listened to a piece of music that moved you? We each carry a piece of reality that we can co-create from the inside out.
As simple as this may sound, writing it down I’m realizing that discovering the reality of another is something I delight in so much. Just imagine how many realities are out there, and how each one holds a piece of a much bigger reality. And also, what is reality? Well, this is a topic for another time.
I hope that as the days get shorter here in the northern hemisphere, and brighter in the southern hemisphere, more is illuminated for each of you. I hope that in that light, you see and know more of what is real for you, not only what is ‘real’ out there, or what you’re told is real, but what is true, coherent, and resonant to you.
What I’m Reading:
This book is a paradigm shifter. When I read it at night I have wild vivid dreams based on what Yunkaporta has written about. In Sandtalk, Yunkaporta looks at current global systems from a perspective tied to the natural and spiritual world and from the knowing of his ancestors and lived experience. He considers how contemporary life diverges from the pattern of creation, and shares stories and a worldview that can lead us back into greater connection with each other and the natural world.
This article explores the phenomena and science of awe and the way awe influences our behavior. The authors explore the evolution of awe and go on to speak about how it can support us to connect with others, increase our mood and boost critical thinking.
Read the article here: http://eepurl.com/hPkbP5
What I’m Watching:
C’mon C’mon
This film touches on themes such as parenting, the future, and the power of relationships. It’s filmed entirely in black and white and evokes a tender quality of the faults and graces of being human.
What I’m listening to:
I was introduced to this podcast a week ago by a dear friend and colleague.
So far, I’m appreciating the way Perel draws upon her experience as a psychotherapist to work with interpersonal dynamics that arise at work.
3 spots available for 1-hour sessions
The holidays can be a time where we feel held and supported by those around us. They can also be a time where we feel the stresses of family and friends and find ourselves in a sea of opinions, the currents of which can pull us out of our center.
For the month of December, I’ll be opening up space for 3 sessions in which I’ll offer support for you to reconnect with your inner knowing, ground in what is true for you, and find ease and clarity as you engage with others. Book here:
Free 45min Micro Session - Connecting with Regenerative Source
Friday, January 7th, 4:00-4:45 pm PST
Join me and Randal for a 45min session where we’ll explore a way of connecting with a regenerative source that can infuse our offerings and brand with more of our authentic voice.
Cultivating a Regenerative Brand Practice
What do we mean by regenerative practice and how can this help with communicating your offering?
Regenerative practices draw from life-giving sources, adapt with the seasons, and grow within the larger ecosystems to which they belong. When we learn how to cultivate these regenerative practices through branding we can reconnect with the animating force within our work, connect more deeply with others, and feel more supported in the process.
In this workshop, we’ll discover how the mythic fractals and patterns of life myth can become the supporting scaffolding of your brand so that you can bring a more coherent signal to the world.
There are still two spots left, learn more and register here: https://catalysttochange.biz/offerings/p/brand-signal-myth