Infinity: Learning how to flow from joy to sadness to joy to ...

Infinity: Learning how to flow from joy to sadness to joy to ...
Wed, August 25, 2010

Today I was on Lynn Serafinn's Garden of the Soul radio show. I was a guest to discuss the topic Transforming Grief. 

We were discussing how grief is a process of self-discovery and the gifts that appear as we heal. I talked about the experience of the death of my son and two weeks later the birth of my daughter, Hannah. It was one of the most powerful moments of experiencing the teeter totter of emotion. Cooper died on Jan 15, 1993. His memorial service was 8 days later on Jan. 23 and Hannah was born on Jan 30, a week later.

I was 8 1/2 months pregnant when my son died.

The idea bursting forth was similar to a blog I wrote a few weeks ago about the experience of the caterpillar dying while the imaginal cells of the butterfly begin to awaken. It is a common theme in our world right now. If you are not personally experiencing a death or rebirth within yourself, you are probably witnessing it in a friend, your community or the world.

Anytime we experience a death and a rebirth, we go back and forth between positive and negative emotions. I hesitate to label them with those words, but in our linear world it is the way we understand and view them. Negative emotions would be sadness, loss, disappointment, grief, anger. Positive would be joy, excitement, happiness, hope and freedom.

A few years after my son died, I was exploring and healing more of the grief.  I saw an acupuncturist who told me I needed to stop associating the death of my son and the birth of my daughter together. He thought that was the answer to my healing. As brilliant as he was in many of our conversations, I disagreed then and I strongly disagree now. The more I have experienced and learned about grief I know the answer is to learn to embrace and flow between the various emotions, like the sideways 8, the infinity symbol. A never ending flow.

There will always be moments of joy and sadness present as part of each day. The death of my son can make me sad. The thought of his laughter makes me happy. In a matter of seconds I can move to the sadness and back to the joy and to the sadness and to the joy and ...

The gift of that time period was a lesson in exercising an emotional muscle. It was the muscle of the heart. I could feel great loss thinking about my son and then shift into joy as I looked at the little angel face of my daughter. I began to learn to appreciate the richness in each experience and to dance with the contrast.

We are all experiencing this contrast right now and more than ever, it is time to learn the dance.

If you are interested in listening to the radio show, here is the link. http://bit.ly/dDjFvb

An Inspiration Reawakens: 10,000 Get Clean Kits

An Inspiration and a Passion for the Earth Reawakens to the Next Level
August 23, 2010

Three years ago, I was on a mountaintop in Aspen, CO. I was overcome with a wave of deep love and an idea came rushing into my heart. I took big action for a few months until I realized I had some things to clear in my life first. I kept the idea tucked away close to my heart only sharing it with a small group of close friends. I had a strong knowing that some day it would emerge again in full force.

The Time is Now.

Here is the story:

I was in Aspen, Colorado at Seminar of the Century:  Woodstock for the Mind.  It was an event that was created and organized by T. Harv Eker from Peak Potentials, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.  Three days of motivational speakers and inspiring, passionate musicians.   We were sitting on the grassy ski slope of Snowmass with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, listening to one magnificent, motivational speaker after another.  On Friday, July 6, we made a list of 10 goals for the next year.  I easily came up with my list.  Number one was to share Shaklee products to bring health, harmony and balance to whoever needed it.  

On that day, thinking about Shaklee, my own testimony of health, Dr. Shaklee's inspiration, and the cleaning products, it was easy to find a passion and an emotion of gratitude.  But, what was the goal filled with passion?  I thought about this throughout the day on Friday and went to bed that night thinking about who I wanted to help and where I could make a difference in the world.

The next day was Saturday, July 7, 2007.  07/07/07.  LiveEarth day.  The day began with T. Harv Eker, Mark Victor Hansen and Art Linkletter all doing promotional spots for LiveEarth. The crowd was included in the filming background. We all jumped up and down with excitement for the Earth.  (There were 4,000 people in attendance at Seminar of the Century)  This event would be seen all over the world.  As I looked at the mountains, I felt a passionate desire to do something that would have a global impact.  My love for the Planet was bursting my heart wide open.  I kept thinking what can I do to really make a difference for my dear Mother Earth?

During the next hour, an idea began to bubble from my heart to my head.  It came to me. Create a wave of people using environmentally safe cleaning products. Shaklee had introduced a Get Clean Kit with everything you need to clean your house. The numbers rolled around in my head until 10,000 popped into my head.

Teach 10,000 new families to use environmentally safe products by using 10,000 Get Clean Starter Kits as a baseline demonstration.

Here is a small piece of the impact on the environment when 10,000 families switch to the products:

1. Reduce garbage in landfills by 1,800,000 lbs of garbage (Products are concentrated)
2. Eliminate 2,480,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions

Now that is exciting!

This is why I am choosing Shaklee and the Get Clean Kits:

1. Everything you need to clean a house is in the kit. It will make it easy to switch everything at once.

2. The products work. This may sound silly to you, but I have met people who were committed to using environmentally safe products and then either gave up because the products didn't clean or did things like wash their clothes twice to try to get them clean.

3. It is a measurable goal
       a) Each kit reduces garbage in the landfills and eliminates gas emissions.

4. This will create a baseline of information and education. If you decide to switch to products and buy products from a local store or another company, you will know what it means to use concentrated products that work.

****

For now, I am looking for 10 people who will buy the kit, watch the Youtube videos I will create with information, ask me questions about the products and find 10 people who will also commit to finding 10 people

I am committed to providing an ongoing education. I will have a launch of informational video clips on YouTube, blogs, and updates. You can begin to participate anytime. I will be doing a promotional launch beginning on 10-10-10. I would like to reach 10,000 new families by 11-11-11.

I will be making a monthly donation from the sale of the kits. The donations will go to organizations with themes of the environment, children and education. If anyone has ideas, please e-mail me: opentoinspiration@gmail.com

Next Monday, I will share the details of WHY this is reawakening in me now! It was a WAKE UP: Call to Inspiration.

http://www.shaklee.net/andrea-hylen

Day Dream with God

Day Dream with God
August 18, 2010

On a walk with God this week, the inspiration to start a new twitter account came to me. Day Dream With God. (www.twitter.com/daydreamwithGod) I made the commitment to tweet a minimum of 24 times per day between Aug 12 and Sept 11. One per hour. I am using Hootsuite to schedule most of the tweets in advance. The tweets are devoted to inspirations from spiritual leaders, music, art, billboards, bumper stickers, and inspirational quotes.

The first time I remember using the words, Day Dream with God was sitting at my friend Kate Foley's house. We were sitting at her dining room table drinking coffee at 6:30am. I described the way I felt about opening to inspiration. I called it Daydreaming with God. As I was getting ready to leave Baltimore in January I wrote: I am leaving the safety and comfort of my home and community to go out into the world and explore life in a new way. I am Daydreaming with God, Opening to Inspiration, and Living a Life Worth Celebrating.

I have been actively daydreaming with God for 8 months. I have meditated, walked, trusted, listened, opened and waited. I set a boundary with friends and family that has limited phone contact as I peel away layers to discover the new parts of me that want to emerge. I spend more time in silence than ever before. In my commitment to allow a new part of me to emerge, I am finding the path one step at a time.

Now, when I daydream with God, it is God's voice and my voice. When I feel squirmy and fearful and doubting, it takes less time to find a centered place within me. I am learning to filter and find the inspirations. I see the discomfort as a sign I am stretching and continuing to grow.


After 6 days of tweeting on the day dream with God account, another inspiration came to me. It was a wake up call. I have been ignoring something I am passionate about. The Care of Mother Earth.

A dream, a vision I received on July 7, 2007 on a mountain in Aspen has been reawakened. Teach 10,000 families and organizations to use Shaklee Get Clean Kits by Dec 2011.

Over the next few Mondays, I will share the vision, why this has emerged now and continue with sharing about the care of Mother Earth.

Step 1-Write a blog about the inspiration. Every Monday, this blog will be devoted to the environment.


Step 2- Find 10 people who will commit to finding 10 people in 10 months to use the Shaklee Get Clean Kits.

I am grateful to be awake! See you on Monday!

Day dreaming with God,
Andrea

Open to Inspiration: A unexpected new job

Open to Inspiration: An unexpected new job
August 12, 2010

Sometimes in tragedy we find our life's purpose - the eye sheds a tear to find its focus. ~Robert Brault

Yesterday I went on a job interview. A family of four has a daughter, age 10 and a son, age 4. The son has had six surgeries to correct a birth defect and he has a G-tube. He is bright, physically active and is expected to live a full, productive amazing life. (For those of you who do not know, my son was born with a congenital heart defect, and died of a neuro-blastoma cancer at the age of 19 months.)

The main caregiver for the family has been there for six months but is leaving to go care for her ailing parents in San Jose. The mom e-mailed me on Saturday. I replied on Sunday. We talked for 15 minutes on the phone on Monday and set up an interview for yesterday, Wednesday. When she answered the door, both of us moved towards each other for a spontaneous hug. We both hesitated, took a step back and she reached out her hand to say hello. I commented that I had been moved to hug her. She said, "Me, too." So, I stepped forward and we hugged. In that moment, I was home.


If you had told me two years ago, that I would sell my house, release my personal belongings and furniture and move to California to take a job as a caregiver, I would have thought you were crazy. My thoughts would have been, why would I do that? Why wouldn't I just stay in Maryland in my loving supportive community and become a caregiver there, if that is what I am guided to do? Why do I have to go through this death process of releasing my life to do a job I was already qualified to do? I could have easily found a job like this. There is a deeper reason...

A few months ago, my daughter, Hannah suggested I sign up on-line with care.com, an organization that connects people for babysitting, pet sitting and more. It sort of made sense to do this as a part-time job. I love children and have years of experience. It is flexible, part-time and would bring some money into our lives. Hannah and I both have dreams. I want to focus on writing . I am developing my craft, discovering my interests and allowing the inspiration and thoughts to emerge. But, I am not independently wealthy, and I needed to find something to pay the bills.

Every week, for the past few months, I have applied for a variety of babysitting jobs. Each time I filled out the job application, I observed my feelings. I chose the jobs that were close to where we were living and would fit into my writing schedule. But my heart hurt as I applied for each job. A wave of sadness would appear. My soul was not soaring with joy. For the past month, I have had numerous conversations with God. Really, God? This is where you are guiding me? Is there something I am missing? Is there another job that makes more sense?

My internal dialogue was to continually commit to do anything in my integrity to financially support my family and our dreams. My inner guidance system was encouraging me to apply for a variety of jobs as action steps that would lead me to the real job. They were part of the process. I would be led to the job, the money, a place I would make a difference. I knew it would feed my soul and feed my family.

Before I found this new family, I was rejected by several of the postings because I was too old! What? I am 53 years old and last summer I drove 24,000 miles in 11 weeks and went to 45 concerts (another story). I think I can keep up with children! I used this as an opportunity to process feelings about my skills, my age, and unpaid volunteer positions for the last 15 years. No fancy job titles. No pay. I was reminded of my mother's struggle to find work when my brother was the last child at home and her painful journey with that, "age and no marketable skills crap." Many feelings were stirred up and I did a variety of writing, meditating, and processing to discover the truth of who I am. I have worth and value.

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from a very successful (her words), single mom who is bi-coastal and wanted someone who could travel between New York and CA and care for her infant and toddler. That was intriguing because I have a daughter who lives in New York City. Most of the time in the next six months we would be in California with an occasional trip to NYC. But, she wanted someone who was available 24/7. I would have a few hours to myself each day but I wouldn't be able to plan anything. Her new ad, after I had turned down the job, said she wanted someone who basically had no life! (That was my line to her. Are you looking for someone who basically has no life?) Yes! Indentured servant and slave. The interview experience and sifting through this brought more clarity.

Enter the ideal job. As I talked with the mother for three hours yesterday, I could see and feel the grief within her and the family. Change, uncertainty and all of the feelings when you live life with someone who has been in and out of hospitals for almost five years. It stirred personal memories that I will write about. I will not be writing the personal details of the family unless I am guided to write and have their permission to share this publicly. I will write about my own memories reawakening from my own life. Yesterday, I had several memories burst forth from me. My experience will help the family. Being there with them will help reawaken the words within me. I will write about them and this will help other people, too.

After the interview I drove to the ocean for my weekly walk. It was a walk of gratitude. I thanked the ocean, the sun, the sand and the birds for holding me so beautifully. I have walked on the beach almost every week since February. And every week, I have received the gift of an inspiration that has emerged within 24 hours of my walk. The title of my book, the idea to speak about inspiration, posting FREE articles on the internet about grief transformation, and more that is emerging.

As I continue to climb a mountain of exploration, this is a pause on one of the cliffs. There is more to see here.


One more piece of Divine perfection:
The most important practices in my life are preserved. My morning routine of Tai Chi, mediation, and journal writing. The article and book writing for 3-4 hours at Priscilla's. Supporting Hannah with studying for her GED and a ride to her babysitting job several times per week. Time to develop other projects, do radio interviews, create youtube videos. Time for a walk and a short nap to enter the evening refreshed.

I will be working from 4-9pm Mon-Fri. I will be there to help with homework, meal preparation, playing games, reading books, eating dinner with the family and helping with the little boys medicine and healing. The original idea was for me to work the shift to drop the kids at school, run errands for the family, and hang out for the son's nap. As we discussed the details yesterday, I told the mom I thought that would be a waste of what I could really offer the family in emotional support and counseling. She agreed. I can be a calming influence during an important part of every day.

This is also bringing more balance to my life. Sharing my unique gifts to the family, awakening the words I must write and supporting my soul's growth. I will learn-teach and teach-learn in this job of care.

The journey continues...

Conscious Leadership = Living A Conscious Life

Conscious Leadership = Living A Conscious Life
August 4, 2010

In Feb 2010, I heard about a book project with Love Your Life Publishing, Inc. Powerful business partners, Christine Kloser and Lynne Klippel, partnered with Kathleen Gage, creator of Street Smarts Marketing and 40 conscious business owners to write a book. The book is called Align, Expand and Succeed: Shifting the Paradigm of Entrepreneurial Success. It will be published in the fall of 2010.

Now, if you think this doesn't apply to you because you do not own a conscious business or think of yourself as an entrepreneur, think again. I want to share something about the deeper message I am witnessing.

The group of contributing authors gathered together to write blogs and create videos. Here is the website link: www.alignexpandandsucceed.com After I committed to the project, I wondered what I would write about that could connect with entrepreneurial success. I felt a strong connection with the title of the book but I didn't really see myself as someone who would write about conscious business ideas. I write about spirituality, conscious parenting, and grief-loss.

To reflect on this, I went for long walks, connecting with nature and asking what was the purpose of being involved with this project? Why had I felt such a strong connection? With the encouragement of Lynne and Christine, I began to listen to the words that were bubbling inside and wrote a story about a moment of self-discovery to share with others.

I began to read the conscious business blogs and watch the videos from the other authors. I saw how the authors were writing the same things I was writing; how to live a more conscious life.

I looked up the definition of the word entrepreneur and found these words: a person who has possession of a new idea and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.  I saw that the definition really applied to many areas of my life and the lives of the people around me. People who are consciously living and assuming significant accountability in more than business.

Let me ask you a few questions: Are you experiencing a new consciousness in everything you do? Are you more awake now than you were a year ago? Are you making conscious choices in your life, business, work, home, family and friendships?

In the next few months, there will be a series of free teleseminars discussing a paradigm shift, a new way of living consciously. The focus is business and it can be applied to all areas of your life. I invite you to come along and experience the shift.

The first teleseminar is Aug 17, 2010 at 10 am PST with Kathleen Gage interviewing Anita Crawford Clark, Christian Minson, Lili Cruchelow and me, Andrea Hylen.

Go to http://www.consciousbusinesstips.com/ to sign up for the call information and receive a free copy of Create a Conscious Business e-book.

Spread the word to anyone you think might benefit from the call. Thanks!

Grief Tranformation: Five years ago my husband, Hurley Cox, died

Grief Transformation
July 28, 2010

Five years ago, my husband died.

Just as with any anniversary there is an opportunity to reflect, looking into the past, present and future. In case you are new to my blogs, I want to lay a foundation. I believe that life goes on after we physically die. I feel my husband with me on a regular basis. Any crap that might have been a part of our relationship is gone. I feel support, love and blessings from him. He is one of my guardian angels. When I speak of loss or sadness, I am talking about loss of the physical presence. I miss his physical presence.

I am feeling deep sadness this year and I just want to sink into the feelings and be with them, talk about them, and allow the process to unfold.

Five years.

At the 1st anniversary of Hurley's death, a group of 40+ family and friends gathered at our home. I had been ordained as a minister of spiritual peacemaking a few months earlier. We had a ceremony with peace prayers and created an emissary wheel with rocks. When it was complete we stood in a circle holding hands in silence. Even the dogs who had been running back and forth across the rocks came to a halt and sat in silence.

After a short break, we gathered once more that day for a simple ceremony in the garden.  I read a Hopi prayer.  It starts with, "Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep... After that I placed a handful of the ashes of Hurley and Cooper (my son who had died 13 years earlier) into a hole for the planting of a peace pole.  The garden in that area had roses all in full bloom.  Passionate kisses, Love's Promise, Peace, Glowing Peace, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the Mary Rose.  After I had placed the ashes into the ground, my brother shouted and pointed, "There is a hawk."  Sure enough, on cue, a hawk approached our location flying from the east to the west.  It flew straight toward us, circled over our heads and turned to fly into the north.  Amazing! We finished by singing Let There Be Peace on Earth and saying a short prayer.

Hurley was a falconer and Cooper was named for a Cooper's Hawk.

2nd Anniversary: Hannah and I drove two hours to Philadelphia. The next day was our first Jonas Brothers concert. Little did I know that that was the first of many JB concerts (78 so far)! I felt Hurley with me as we watched our baby girl connect to life again.

3rd Anniversary: Hannah and I drove 10,000 miles that summer.  I felt so connected to Hurley that summer.  I felt like he was leading me to incredible sacred places and was right there cheering me on to live life fully. On the anniversary we were back at the house for a few days and I was surrounded by four weeks of mail. I sat quietly that evening and felt the deep connection.

4th Anniversary: It was a magical day, a hummingbird day. Hannah and I were in St. Louis on a summer tour of 45 Jonas concerts. We won tickets to the concert that day, met people we still keep in touch with on Facebook and Twitter, received meet and greet passes. I thought about all of the things I appreciated about my husband and felt the glow of a magical day.

5th Anniversary: This feels like a milestone marker. How could five years have passed already? I think the sadness is deeper because Hannah and I moved into a new apt and Hurley isn't moving in here with us. My name is on the lease. This is not a hotel or a hostel or anything connected with traveling. This is our home. And he is not here.

I think any loss is hard. I have lost a brother, a child, grandparents, friends and a husband. It always hurts. There is always pain.

As I reflect today, I feel that the most difficult losses for me are when the loss of the person turns my entire life upside down. Losing my life partner meant that everything changed in my life. When Hurley died, I let go of his business and our home. I let go of Girl Scouts and Destination Imagination and all of the other things I coordinated with home schooling. I let go of community gatherings at my home. I needed to think about getting a job or building a business that would support my family.

The foundation of who I am is still inside of me. I am who I am.

And my life is changing radically. I moved across the country because I felt a deep calling to do that. I continue to peel away the grief to discover the parts of me that want to emerge now. I connect on Facebook but I am giving myself the time and space to feel empty. Open and willing to welcome the new.

 I have been in California for six months. I love it in the same way I have always loved it when I have visited. I was born in Oceanside in a Naval hospital. We moved away when I was 3 or 4 years old. I have now returned to the state of my birth. Hannah feels a strong connection here. And interestingly enough, Hurley was exploring moving to California to become an actor when I first met him in 1989.

I will walk on the beach in Santa Monica and Venice today and go to the Agape Spiritual Center for the Wed night service. Hannah does not want to talk about the loss of her Dad. She will find her own way, in her own time. Liz and Mary have their own lives in Arizona and NYC and will grieve in their own way today, too.

I end with one of Hurley's favorite songs from one of his favorite movies. Many metaphors in the words and the film. I always thought it was curious that Hannah would watch this with him when she was only five years old. Although this has the world blowing up, there was a rebirth on the other end of it. The hummingbirds survived.

Blessings to you all in love and life. Embrace the adventure.

Click here for song: I don't wanna miss a thing

Challenging the Tradition of Food Choices

Challenging Tradition
July 21, 2010

Every month I receive a DVD in the mail from Spiritual Cinema Circle. There are four films on the DVD. Three short and one feature film. This month the topic is"Challenging Tradition."

 One of the short films, (10 minutes) is called Gefilte Fish. A young Israeili woman is getting married. There is a list of traditions for her to do before the wedding. One of the traditions is to prepare gefilte fish following a traditional recipe handed down through many generations. There is a photo album filled with each bride in the family, holding the platter of gefilte fish. She is told that when a woman cooks a meal for a man wholeheartedly it stays in his stomach forever and if she does not respect this tradition, her marriage will be cursed.

Step 1 whack the fish over the head twice with a rolling pin to kill it.(And her fiance is a vegetarian and doesn't even eat fish!)

 Below is a short film trailer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgmsRDEkpD0&feature=player_embedded

                                                            *******

The film and a recent blog brought up the topics of tradition and food. Before moving to California, I was an occasional vegetarian. When I had an autoimmune condition in 1995, I drank green drinks and cut out animal products, as part of my recovery. I liked vegetarian foods but I had excuses as to why I could never give up meat.

*I grew up eating meat at home and in the school cafeteria.
*It was hard to find vegetarian choices when I traveled.
*What would I cook to meet nutritional requirements for my body?
*I need meat for protein and energy.
* I didn't want to offend anyone when visiting their home.

*And of course, Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the turkey.

Now in California there are so many new choices. When I crave a burger and fries, I go to Paty's or Bob's Big Boy, (the original!), and order a vegetarian burger. A whole wheat bun, soy patty, fresh veggies and sliced avocado. It is delicious. When I crave a burrito, I can order it with tofu, black beans and a whole wheat tortilla. And there are numerous vegetarian, vegan and raw food restaurants.

Shelly Rachanow, author of If Women Ran the World, Sh*t Would Get Done has a wonderful blog called Celebrating the Wonderful Things Women Do. She recently interviewed Melanie Joy, author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs and Wear Cows. Here is a piece of the interview that stirred me to think about the tradition of eating animals:

"Carnism is the reason humane people can participate in inhumane practices without realizing what they’re doing. The whole system is set up to keep us from thinking for ourselves; when it comes to eating animals, most of us don’t even realize we’re making a choice, following the dictates of a deeply ingrained belief system. We’ve been taught that it’s only vegetarians who bring their beliefs to the dinner table. But when eating animals isn’t a necessity (as is the case in the majority of the world today), it is a choice—and choices always stem from beliefs."

The link to the full interview and Shelly's blog is below:

Celebrating the Wonderful Things Women Do

                                                             ***********

Another opportunity that is challenging the tradition of my food choices comes from my daughter, Liz, age 25. Liz is a vegan. Her minor in college is animal rights. She has been researching the ways we treat the animals we eat. With the influence of Liz, and other vegans, like Jason Mraz, the singer, I am opening my mind. One meal at a time.


The reflection questions at the end of the Spiritual Cinema film are: 


Which traditions in my life limit me? Which traditions set me free?

My call to inspiration is to become awake and aware of the food choices I am making each day. Food is another opportunity for me to make conscious choices. I leave you to answer the questions for yourself.

Now on to the holidays. I have four months to plan the new Thanksgiving menu.

Give 67 Minutes to your chosen social cause

Give 67 Minutes to your chosen social cause

July 14, 2010

Sunday, July 18 2010, is International Nelson Mandela Day. There was an official UN Resolution declared in Nov 2009, to celebrate the legacy of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former President of South Africa. This is a truly significant historical moment because it is the first time that the UN has designated an international day in honor of one person. Nelson Mandela is turning 92.

There was a 90th Birthday celebration in London 2008. In NYC in 2009, the tradition of hosting an event continued. This year, 2010, is the first official international event and is hosted by Spain.The focus is on serving, community, education, music and more...

Nelson Mandela has given 67 years of his life to fighting for social justice, and to celebrate his birthday he is asking you to give 67 minutes of your time in service. He has asked that we do not focus our love on one man's birthday but to work in community to make the world a better place.

Some of you might say that you already volunteer for 67 minutes every week. Consider doing your volunteer job as if it is the first time you have ever volunteered. Bring something fresh to it. Feel a deeper connection and more enthusiasm.

Be creative with the 67 minutes. Maybe you will help a family member or a neighbor. Open to inspiration and let the opportunity to serve come to you. Be ready to serve!

If you don't know who Nelson Mandela is, here are a few details of his life.

* he was born in South Africa on July 18, 1918.
* he protested against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid is racial segregation.
* he was jailed for 27 years on a charge of sabotage and was called a terrorist.
* he became a hero to anti-apartheid groups.
* he was seen internationally as being responsible for helping to end apartheid, a 46-year era
* he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, three years after his release from jail.
* he was the first democratically elected South African President.
* he served as President from 1994-1999

Mandela Day is a call to action for people everywhere to take responsibility for making the world a better place, one small step at a time, just as Nelson Mandela did. 

If you want to know more about it and the myriad of activities, here is a link:

http://www.nelsonmandela.org/index.php/foundation/mandela-day/category/mandela_day_2010/

I highly recommend the film Invictus. It is the true story of how President Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of the South African rugby team to help unite the country. Brilliant film. Here is a link to the movie trailer. It is now on DVD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZY8c_a_dlQ&feature=related

It is a film of leadership and vision. Powerful and inspiring!


One last thing to think about: Isn't it interesting that Spain, a country that has been planning Nelson Mandela Day with the focus on serving, just won the World Cup? Could this be a demonstration of the flow of giving and receiving in the Universe? An example of serving with an open heart and the overflow of generosity?

Just a thought...

Life as a butterfly

The Journey of a Butterfly
July 7, 2010

In 2005, my daughter, Hannah, told me we would be moving to Los Angeles. It was two weeks after her father died and the clarity of the future flowed through her. It took me another 3 1/2 years to see it. I felt a calling to release my house and most of my personal belongings in 2009. Since arriving in California in Jan. 2010, I have met people every week who have the same deep calling to transform and change. I feel the wave of movement from one part of the world to the other.

I have met people on Facebook, at Priscilla's Coffee and Tea in Burbank and at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. We are in a state of releasing. From releasing identities that no longer serve us to material possessions that have been clogging our lives to old beliefs that place limitations on new life. As we release, we open to embrace something new. Most of our futures are unplanned. We live on the edge of uncertainty of what is next until it appears. Underneath there is an aliveness about infinite possibilities and expectancy, like waiting to go into labor. I know the new birth is coming and soon!

The one common element is the consciousness around the release. No one is rejecting their old life. Everyone is releasing and moving towards something unknown. No one is running away. They are choosing a different path. The old life was fine. Maybe even great!

On this new path, there are elements of freedom and music. At the center of it all is a spiritual connection to their heart and destiny. Step 1 is to renew their spirit. Step 2 is opening to the path that is leading them to serve. Something is stirring in each heart. There is a link to the great awakening on planet Earth.

Around the world, old structures are crumbling. Education, banking, government, health systems, resources, and jobs. In nature, there are earthquakes, volcanoes, oil spills and hurricanes. Barbara Marx Hubbard is a futurist who has been teaching for 40 years about a time in the world when the old structures would break down and fall apart. She has used the phrase, "Our crisis is a birth." Spiritual leaders like Michael Bernard Beckwith, speak of the natural breakdown of the old, "Something new is trying to emerge. That which is dissolving has to fall apart." We can not receive the new without the breakdown. Just as a baby is birthed with labor pains, the world is experiencing labor pains of its own.

I am filled with both fear and excitement. When I feel fear, I am examining my life from an old paradigm. Focused on old solutions that do not work any longer. When I feel excited, I am seeing infinite possibilities and open to the inspiration of new ideas and new solutions.

Do you know what happens inside the chrysalis when the caterpillar is changing into a butterfly?

The caterpillar sheds it's skin one last time as the chrysalis is forming. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar's body begins to die. The juices used to digest food, now turn and digest the body. The body dies from the inside out. There are special formative cells that were stored in the tissue of the caterpillar that were never used for anything until now. When the old body becomes a caterpillar soup, the cells awaken for the first time. The cells are called imaginal buds or discs. As they awaken, they begin to multiply. At first, the caterpillar's immune system kills them. It isn't until the cells link together and join forces that they can become strong enough to overpower the immune system attack. The immune system dies and the imaginal cells become the body of the butterfly. The butterfly is very vulnerable and needs protection to complete the process of metamorphosis.

What can we learn from the metamorphosis?

1. The old skin is shed one last time before a new process begins.

2. There is a change from the inside out.

3. A memory or blueprint wakes up when the release of the old begins.

4. There is an internal struggle as the old resists and fights the new.

5. To strengthen the new and release the old, we join together in community, cooperation, and collaboration that supports our new birth.

6. As we awaken, something magnificent is created.

7. There is vulnerability at first. Be gentle with yourself. Rest.

Do you feel the call to become a butterfly and transform?

A Call to Inspiration

A Call to Inspiration
June 30, 2010

After 5 months in California, I am inspired to begin a new blog in a new space. My intention is to share reflections of ideas, music, film, books and spiritual reflections about life. This is my way of connecting and supporting the great awakening that is happening in the world.

After spending several hours writing and researching information for the first blog this morning, I added a picture to the blog and all of the words were lost. For a moment, I sat here with my mouth open in shock and then opened to a new inspiration. Change is like that. Awakening is like that. Walking down the path, adjusting to a change, finding new answers and living in the moment.

I will re-write that blog in the future. For now, I am going to change direction and share a simple song from John Denver.

Looking for Space was released in Feb 1976, during my first year of college, almost 35 years ago. The words have expanded in depth over the years. As I meet people in person and on-line, I see the song as a theme for the world. The words connect with all ages, genders, and cultures. We are living in extraordinary times. Music is one of the healers and awakeners.

I found a beautiful video on Youtube with the song and nature scenes. The words remind me that we are on a journey of life. All of us have moments of soaring like the eagle and weeping in despair. We can connect with the center of our heart, Spirit, and nature to awaken and remember who we are.

Here are some of the words:

On the road of experience, I'm trying to find my own way.
Sometimes I wish that I could fly away
When I think that I'm moving, suddenly things stand still
I'm afraid 'cause I think they always will

And I'm looking for space
And to find out who I am
And I'm looking to know and understand
It's a sweet, sweet dream
Sometimes I'm almost there
Sometimes I fly like an eagle
And sometimes I weep in despair

All alone in the universe, sometimes that's how it seems
I get lost in the sadness and the streams
Then I look in the center, suddenly everythings clear
I find myself in the sunshine and my dreams


Link to John Denver's Looking for Space:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWfxuzJYNgY


Embrace the adventure,
Andrea