March 18, 2008
March 18, 2008 Issue #49
Welcome to the newsletter where playing more and stressing less is taken seriously. It's written with the intention to support you in living a life with more passion and play and less worry and work.IN THIS ISSUE...
Looking for a Sign
Lijie & Song of Songs
Writing Endeavors
Cirque du Soleil
Playing at Grand Central Station
Ways to Play Today:
Create Yard Art
Pick Up a Potted Plant
Something to Ponder:
What kind of signs do you notice?
"Sometimes the heart sees what's invisible to the eye."
~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
My Playground
The article, the message, the thing to make you go hmmm...
~Looking for a Sign~
Have you ever asked the Universe for a sign? You know...some kind of proof, a "special" message or something that makes you blink twice, shake your head and wonder if it's the very answer you’ve been looking for? At some point in our lives, I think we've all experienced a sign, a connection if-you-will, to something that's beyond our own understanding. Perhaps it showed up just as you were pondering a big decision. Maybe it happened as a result of you wanting a bit of inspiration. It's also possible you weren't looking for anything at all, but something suddenly appeared that wasn't there a second ago and you noticed the difference and the impact it had on you. I use to be a serious sign-seeker until I realized one day all I had to do was open my heart more than my eyes and I would always see whatever it was I was looking for.
You don't have to believe in God or a higher power to know that the Universe works in inexplicable and amazing ways. The mysteries of our world may baffle us from time to time, but most of the answers we seek can usually be found within ourselves. It's not necessary to have watched the movie "The Secret" in order to realize your thoughts determine your experience. The law of attraction doesn't apply to just certain people. It works for everyone all the time regardless if you accept it as truth or not. The sign(s) we ask and look for are a 24/7 phenomenon and the truth is...we're just not paying enough attention to the stuff that's really important. As human beings, we try to ascribe meaning to everything and honestly, there are signs we should just smile and say "Thank You" for rather than rationalizing them away.
Being aware that all this global goodness is happening around us is the first step to recognizing signs. Does this mean you need to become hyper-vigilant and always be on the lookout for information and validation? Nope. It just means you accept there's a lot more going on around you than you can take in and have explanations for. It's not necessarily the signs themselves that make them extraordinary. It's the interpretations we give them that make them matter. While signs tend to make our minds whirl about seeking their cause, they usually make our spirits soar. Why? Because even as we try to mentally discount the sign, somehow we intuitively know we've just been given a gift. How might our lives be different were we to accept the mysteries of life as readily as we accept its realities? I suspect the challenge for most of us is letting go of the need to know why something is so and just learn to be grateful for all our experiences.
5 Sure Signs There's More Than Meets The Eye
1) You notice a sudden change physically – Whether your heart beats faster or your palms sweat or your breath becomes deeper, you feel a significant difference in your body.
2) You experience an overwhelming sense of awe and/or wonder.
3) You spontaneously burst into laughter or tears.
4) You feel moved to share your experience with others.
5) You feel immense gratitude and/or a connection to something greater than yourself.
I wholeheartedly believe when we start noticing more of the signs that occur in our lives it's because we're seeing more with our hearts than with our eyes. The next time you find yourself asking for a sign, remember that it existed before you even asked. Remember that anytime you make a request, you'll always be given an answer. You won't have to look far to find it. In fact, it's likely you won't be looking at all.
Personal Recommendations for books, music, websites and all resources fun!
Lijie I don't remember what I was searching for on I-Tunes a couple weeks back, but I found Lijie (pronounced Lee-Jay) and have been enjoying her beautiful voice ever since. Sweet lyrics and lovely guitar melodies are especially poignant on the tracks "Roam" and "Blue". She sounds a bit like Sarah McLachlan, but she has her own unique sound. Listen to her songs either on her website or on i-Tunes and see for yourself why I've recommended her music.
Song of Songs
Once a month I receive an inspirational c.d. of movies from the Spiritual Cinema Circle. Spiritual Cinema Circle. Song of Songs was the featured film for February and it can be viewed online for a small fee without having to become a member of the Circle. This hour-long documentary may look a bit amateurish at times, but the content is superb and touches on something all of us struggle with at some point in our lives. The movie was made in celebration of the filmmaker's grandparents' 66th wedding anniversary and it consists of a variety of enlightening and poignant interviews with both relationship experts and regular folks. It's insightful and authentic and the best part is it will stir something up inside you. You can check out the preview just by going to the website. If you decide to watch the film, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.
What's Up at Playful Spirit?
I caught that nasty cold again and even though it's not as sinister as the smackdown I had back in January, it's still no fun feeling out-of-sorts. The somewhat sexy alto accent I've been sporting the past few days has gotten old and I'm ready to have my own voice back. So while I've been sucking down cough drops and slurping lemon and honey tea, I've had plenty of time to ponder what's next for me and my business. The two questions I've been asking myself of late are "What am I a stand for?" and "How does that best show up in the world?" While I'm quite clear of the answer to the first question, I find myself still struggling with the second. I know it's partially the book I'm writing, but it's also the "something else" I referred to in last month's newsletter. I'm continuing to trust it will avail itself when it's ready, but I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who spies her beautifully-wrapped present under the tree, but can't open it just yet. ARG!
On the writing front...In April, nine other writers and I will be reading our prose and poetry at a public event called
Cannon Beach Writes.
Sponsored by my hometown's historical society, the evening gives North Coast writers an opportunity to share their work. I was pleased to hear that my personal essay was selected to close the evening's festivities. In May, I'll be submitting a very condensed version of my book, "The Girl Who Looked into the Mirror" as an entry in the memoir genre of Writer's Digest's short story contest. Meanwhile, I continue to write and be amazed by what shows up on my screen some days.
On the personal front...My business partner and I believe we not only have found the space where we'll be expanding our dance classes later on this Spring, but it could very well become the permanent home of Tsunami Studio this Fall. I can't tell you how many signs we received about the space that said, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" This weekend, my parents, husband and I will be sitting in the second row at Cirque du Soleil. While the close-up seats will be sure to give us first-rate views of the performance, we'll also be prime candidates for the opening act clowns' shenanigans. I've always thought it would be fun to join the circus. For a few moments this Friday night, my wish just might come true.
Giggles & Guffaws
An amusing story, joke, anecdote or picture to tickle your funnybone
This video is more likely to make you drop your jaw than utter a loud guffaw, but it is so worth watching.
Ways to Play Today
Why not...create yard art?
Whether it's a flower or vegetable garden, a hand-painted sign or a cobblestone path, spring is just around the corner in the Northern Hemisphere and it's the perfect time to combine your natural talents with nature. Get outdoors and banish those wintertime blahs by making something memorable with your bare hands and physical labor. Take photographs of your artistic masterpiece as its being created so you can fully appreciate your hard work and efforts. Who knows? You might even inspire your neighbors to give a face-lift to their front yard.
Why not...spring for some new potted plants
If you're not gung-ho about planting a garden this spring, why not indulge your green-thumb with some low-maintenance indoor foliage? Check out your local nursery and indulge in some shrubbery shopping. With potted plants, you minimize the time you'll spend playing with dirt and you won't have to worry about pulling weeds. Add a splash of color to your kitchen counter or dining room table by getting terra cotta pots and painting them up pretty. The most important thing is to bring indoors some plant life that perks you up and makes you feel like spring is almost here even if the weather outside isn't so cheery.
Something to Ponder
Questions designed to stimulate your thinking AND encourage you to take action towards what you want.
Do you pay attention to signs in your life? Why or why not?
Has a decision you've made recently been influenced by something you couldn't explain? How did that make you feel?
Care to share what these questions stir up in you?
Send me an e-mail.
I welcome your thoughts and will respond to all e-mails received.
If you want to find out more about the work I do as a facilitator, writer and movement artist check out Playful Spirit Productions. Make sure you come back and visit every so often as you never know what kind of resources and fun stuff I'll be playing around with and adding to the website.
Thanks for reading this issue of Lighten Up! If you enjoyed it, please pass it along to your friends, your family, your co-workers...You get the idea. May you see more with your heart than your eyes and may all the signs you feel provide you with the answers you seek.
See you on or about April 21st!
Lisa
~Playful Spirit Productions' mission is to inspire people to show up, be real and play big in life.~
lisa@playful-spirit.com www.playful-spirit.com