Value LIFE

"Value LIFE above profit." That's what I came to after watching the movie Food, Inc. I've hesitated to see it, fearing that it would leave me feeling uncomfortable in my skin... which it did. I cried during most of it. I later realized that the tears came because I personalize the content; I do not feel any separation between me and any of the animals, people, land, etc. in the film: what is done to them is done to me... And it is painful to endure.

Yet, what the movie exposes feels so important for every single one of us to integrate - really integrate - into our Beings. If we don't and we continue to rest into a state of complacent denial, we're allowing a complete compromise of integrity to overtake this nation and beyond - a compromise that comes down to utter disrespect, irresponsibility and what can be considered criminal activity by those in power.

Their power is supported primarily by money: they hold the coffers for the rest of us, controlling how much to keep or share, dictating what behavior is allowed (to get your share), and not only withholding from but blatantly policing and punishing those who might disagree with the system they've so slyly yet mightily set into place. Where is the justice in that? Where is the democracy, the freedom that this nation is supposed to uphold?

I simply don't see any. We live beneath a smokescreen so thick that we can't see the truth, and that's just the way those in power like it to be. It's a complete hijacking of our personal freedom in my view - undeniable, reprehensible and the epitome of criminal.

Seeing this in a movie is one thing; taking personal action is another. There are many places in my life where I take personal action in support of what I believe in. The food I buy is one of those places. But even that only goes so far when those controlling the system have the power to create whatever they want without our agreement or knowledge.

If we all stopped long enough to take an intimate look at the truth of what's being created here, we might shudder in disgust, but we might also be moved by inspiration to make changes. It's time, folks. It's time for all of us to take a radically honest look at ourselves, our behavior and our creations so that we can bring some integrity -  by the dictionary's definition, "moral uprightness, honesty, wholeness, soundness" - back into LIFE as we experience it here on this Planet. Right now, we are not doing so; we are not there...not even close.

A Year To Love?? My heart opens in deep gratitude to all those standing in integrity, and opens in invitation to all those who don't. 

There's Gum Under My Shoe!

The nice thing about sticky obstacles is that once you discover them, they become your ally. I've spent the past week with strong intent and actions to get clear around what these "new" obstacles are so I can clear them. I can't clear what I can't see!

My experience is that when I get right down to it, I cannot see them because they are hidden by one thing: my fear. My fear might be wrapped in all kinds of different-looking packages, but when I get right down to it, it's still fear. Fear leads to things like bolstering, comparing, judging, doubting, hiding, blaming, and sabotaging of myself and others. Yet, it's all really just about me.

Fortunately, I have a fabulous group of friends who - like me - all travel along their journeys with strong intent for freedom from such obstacles. So I figured I'd ask them what they see. I'm aware that I (we all) have shadow parts of myself that I simply cannot see - sticky obstacles - the gum under my shoes. I've learned now how useful it is to call in extra eyes when I'm feeling something that I cannot see or clear on my own.

For me to ask my friends, though, I had to first open my heart to what might come back to me, to hold their reflections as information rather than fuel for what the Toltecs call my Parasite. The Toltecs say we all have one - that voice in our heads that feeds us lies about ourselves; that awakens either the Judge or the Victim part of ourselves and stirs them up; that takes us away from the truth of who we really are - expressions of the Divine - and puts us into a place of fear.

What I want, what my intent is for this Adventures Of A Year To Love, is to move more closely toward living a life of joyful, open and loving presence - like little children. The Toltecs say that state is our true nature once we get past our Parasite... and that's the state I'm going for: a return to presence, innocence, openness, freedom, joy and love.

Coming face-to-face with all the gum under my shoes is just the first sticky step!

"Uh-Oh..."

There's a well-known spiritual teaching that basically says "When you set an intent, every obstacle that might keep you from reaching it shows up to be cleared..." Although I'm very aware of this teaching within the context of my spiritual journey, I admit that I didn't consider it when I stepped onto this year-long commitment to walk through A Year To Love. Somehow I was holding this piece of my journey as separate from the rest.

It took less than a week for the obstacles to begin showing up here, and now I'm waiting for the other half of this teaching to appear as well, which says "...and so do all the supports you need to move past them."

It is December 3rd and I am a month into this journey. I have spent this first month acutely aware of coming face to face with some unpleasant obstacles that I thought were long gone from my being. Yet here they are, poking their little heads about to see what's going on and apparently, making a ruckus so I'll be sure to notice them... as if the discomfort I feel in their wake is not obvious enough...

"Do you REALLY want to live from a place of unconditional love? Well, then clean this little icky obstacle up, Honey." 

EVERYTHING that will keep me from truly living A Year To Love is presenting itself for healing and clearing. Suddenly this adventure feels really, really BIG!