The Law of One and the Midnight Pooper

Over the last three weeks I have sporadically heard a song lyric running through my head (also known as an "earworm"). The recurring line is "the shallow end of assumptions." I would hear it play through my mind during the most mundane of tasks, such as picking through fruit at Save-On or washing dishes. But mostly I have found myself singing it as I am walking from my car to my office in the morning. The lyric is from a song entitled The Rapture by Puscifer.

One of my favorite workshops I developed and teach is called Spirit Signs. In it, I suggest that songs in your head may have a personal message for you - perhaps a validation or a reminder of something you should be aware of. Keeping that in mind, I told myself it may be important at this time to be more aware of the assumptions I make.

Well, I arrived at work one morning last week to the macabre discovery of a pile of human feces left on the parking pad near the back door of our building. How did I know it was human feces, you ask? Well, "Midnight Pooper" had wiped his butt with a couple Quizno's napkins that were left scattered around the offending pile. Dogs generally don't do that.

The very sight of that putrid pile invoked many thoughts and feelings. My first reaction was one of disgust and nausea. My second was a sense of total relief with the sudden realization that as a meager tenant, it probably wasn't my job to clean it. Someone else will surely take care of that business.

In Spirit Signs, I suggest that when something appears in your life that invokes any kind of strong reaction, it has a potential double role as a message sent by Spirit. This message can provoke a new idea or awareness that will benefit you in some area of your life. Sometimes it is a "Yay, You!" kind of message, and sometimes it is a kick in the pants. It's like a nudge from God.

The Universal Law of Symbolism - taken from the Universal Laws of Conscious Creation Wisdom Book by Dana DaPonte, Lara Solara and me - states:
"There are no coincidences, and everything present in your environment is there for a reason. Everything is meaningful. The Universe is in constant communication with you through the objects, people and circumstances that make up your environment. By learning to look more deeply into the symbolic meaning of your surroundings, you can participate in this communication."

To harmonize with the Law of Symbolism, you should ask yourself; "If the Universe were using this object to communicate with me, what would the message be?"

I thought about that and I wondered who was going to clean that mess up, and how they would feel about it. Poop Scooper...have you been feeling like you have been cleaning up other people's sh*t in other areas of your life? There's a good chance that Poop Scooper may not have seen the gift in this situation, this message from the Universe. But if he/she had, they would have been pushed to examine their roles within some of their existing relationships on another level. Maybe P.S. was being given an opportunity to get up close and personal with their feelings regarding having to clean up after others. Maybe this is a trend for them, and they are unable to see that they are taking on other people's problems as their own, and it could be costing them financially, emotionally or physically.

But I especially wondered about Midnight Pooper...why poop there? Was this a premeditated and deliberate act? I suddenly recalled a previous day's brief conversation with one of the construction workers renovating a portion of our building. He had mentioned something about a "bum" who had been lurking around the trucks earlier that day. Construction Worker appeared pretty agitated about the whole thing. Was there an altercation? Were there words spoken? Perhaps this was a homeless man's most poetic way to get his point across and make his feelings known.

If it were a homeless person, he/she wouldn't own a toilet. I had to imagine that scenario for a moment and tried to imagine what that would be like. Everyday would pose the problem of where to eliminate. I felt empathy. Strangely, I somehow wanted to believe in the innocence of Pooper. He/she is simply a victim of his/her circumstances. That somehow, s/he couldn't help himself, s/he just had to go.

I settled in my mind (because for some reason I needed to settle my mind about this) that this must have simply been a crime of opportunity. Currently, there is large dumpster located behind the building to accumulate the renovation debris. It provides a private little nook at the back wall where one could squat leisurely, hidden from the prying eyes of the other back lane wanderers and tenants whose apartment windows face into the lane.

The Universal Law of One states that we are all one and interconnected. This means I am One with Midnight Pooper, as well as the Pooper Scooper.

On a metaphoric level, I have experienced some Midnight Poopers myself. I'm sure you have, as well. I've encountered them in business, and also in my personal life. Sometimes it has cost me dearly. I realized that in those cases, I also wanted to believe in their innocence, that they couldn't help themselves and it was simply my bad luck to be there to clean up after them.

But, wait...according to the Law of One, then I must also be a Midnight Pooper! Does my accountant see me as an M.P. when I dump years of receipts and paper on her lap? And how about my colleagues Lynn and Sarah, do they see me as a Midnight Pooper when I let the coffee cups pile up at work and leave the workshop space in disarray because I was too tired to clean the night before? How about my boyfriend, who's previously tidy condo is now littered with stacks of books, papers and metaphysical oddities since I moved in four months ago? I suddenly found a new perspective of myself, and some gentle reminders to pull up my socks, wash the dishes and do my paperwork.

These mirrors were very effective in discovering who I have been lately, rather than who I think I am generally. Our perspectives of ourselves (and others) are easily colored by assumptions and illusions.

By lunchtime, the offending mess was cleaned, the only reminder of the occurrence was a thin dusting of kitty litter spread over the crime scene.

The following day, I arrived at work, the Midnight Pooper all but forgotten.

Until...

On my way to the garbage bin that afternoon, discovered a NEW pile of human excrement on top of the kitty litter. You have got to be kidding me, I thought. How bold! What audacity!

Suddenly, the Midnight Pooper didn't seem so innocent. Apparently, by my logic, one random poop was ok, but two poops two days in a row meant something entirely different. The shallow end of assumptions. I came to assume that the identity of the first and second pooper was one person...one villain. Yes, suddenly, the Midnight Pooper was a heinous villain.

Good grief, I thought, why can't you poop in a bag, or on a newspaper and then throw it in the dumpster? Suddenly I was really annoyed. The shallow end of assumptions.

According to the Universal Law of Reflection, what is happening inside of me and what is being shown to me in my outside environment are the same. During that two days, I was myself experiencing anger regarding some old situations where I was feeling saddled with the responsibility of Poop Cleaner. I examined some of my assumptions with the Pooper. In my own metaphoric Midnight Pooper experiences, I have first seen my Poopers as innocent beyond fault, allowing myself to be blind to their hidden agendas and deceit, even going so far as to make excuses for their behavior.

Then suddenly, the scale would tip and the once innocent now become guilty on all counts.

This was isn't working for me anymore. This process didn't fit into my ideals for personal accountability.

What about my apathy about it not being my "job" to clean up? Ouch. That was a tough mirror to see. Where else on the planet am I not contributing towards the clean up because it's not my mess?

The moral of this story? I'm not sure there is one. But I'm going to sum it up like this:

1. Don't leave your poop for someone else to clean up. Take responsibility for your poop.

2. If you find yourself cleaning up someone elses poop time and time again...maybe it's time to give them a shovel and walk away. It's time they learned to clean their own mess.

3. Poop is a part of life. Used correctly, it makes great compost. Used incorrectly, its a pollutant and carries disease.

Magical Sticks and Stones

Hello.

Since my last couple of blog posts a couple of things have come to my attention...

1. Wayne Dyer is being sued by Stephen Mitchell, a well known author who has translated the Tao Te Ching and authored several books.

From the Huffington post:

"In a copyright infringement lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, author Stephen Mitchell says Dyer "copied verbatim a significant portion" of his interpretation of the ancient Taoist scripture Tao Te Ching in two separate books."

2. Dr Laura announced that she is getting out of radio after using the "n" word in a conversation 11 times with a female caller who just called in to get some advice on her marriage.

Wow, its like I have a magic blog. I dare say that it may even be the Angela Lansbury of blogs. You just know when she shows up someone's gonna get it.

Places, everyone...

Its funny, you know. I have been aware for years that this consciousness shift is coming but I never really thought too hard about what that will mean for us as individuals in our mundane worlds.

We are waking up. Like little babies we awaken from our slumbers...wailing and screaming because we are starving, lonely and seeking comfort. And like babies, we have no idea how to fill the void so we look outside of ourselves. Most of us are not even entirely sure what it exactly is that is missing.

We're trying, though, aren't we? We quit jobs and start new ones, we buy bigger houses, cars, and televisions. We take trips, get cosmetic surgery, get married, get divorced and have affairs. We eat what the television commercials say is good for us, we lose weight, gain weight, and wait for things to improve. We suppress our anger in order not to shake things up or hurt others and then walk around in a Paxil, Zoloft, or Prozac induced sense of happiness...well, an okay-ness. We eat comfort foods with tons of additives and next to no actual nutrients. We get everything done, sometimes at the expense of our dreams and sacrificing valuable time with our families and friends.

Have you ever seen those commercials for cold medications, the ones that mask your symptoms in order allow you to go on with your day as per usual?

I don't get it...
If you're sick, go to bed. Let someone else take care of the crap that needs to get done.

If you weren't pushing yourself beyond your limits in the first place, you wouldn't be sick. Sick is NOT natural. Its a sign that something is out of balance in your thoughts and feelings. If you are sick, you should ask yourself "what am I doing that I no longer want to do anymore? And who am I going to be letting down if I stop doing this?"

Listen to your feelings. If you don't, you will get sick. Your emotions will tell you, very quietly at first "I don't like this." You can't bullshit your emotional body. But we try. Here are some of the ways:

"My work environment is toxic but I need this job. Without it I will be destitute."

Ummm. Get another job. But you better change that victim energy first, or you'll wind up in the same boat.

"I'm not happy but I just can't leave him/her. We just bought a new house."

Then get your ass to counseling and stop moaning about how bad your relationship is.

"I'm struggling financially and can't keep my head above water."

Then take responsibility for your decisions! Spend less money. Or take whatever steps you need to make more.

If you don't listen to your feelings, and change whatever situation is creating your discontent, you will get sick.

Jesus healed people because he caused them to believe in something besides their stories; they saw another way and it resonated as truth.

Or you can listen to the commercials.

We need to start changing things pronto. When we become unafraid of change, we give permission to ourselves to do whatever it takes to make our dreams happen. When we are happy we are healthy. When we are grateful, more things appear that create gratitude. When we feel abundant, we attract more abundance. It starts with a mindset, but it is the emotions that create the flow of fabulousness. Do things that make you feel good. This is a simple and effective place to start.

I'm going to do something that makes me feel fabulous today. Maybe I can make someone else feel fabulous in the process.

My Blog

My boyfriends parents asked him why I put my life out there on the internet.

They haven't met me, yet.

But I get the feeling they don't like me already.

Regardless, that's a great question.

Why do I put my life out there on the internet? I thought about that question for an entire day. I thought about it when I ate my breakfast, I thought about it in the shower, and I contemplated it running errands. I knew it was an important question...because I couldn't let it go. Maybe I needed to remind myself why I put my life out there on the internet.

This is what I came up with.

1. To have a voice, make people think, rile them up, let whatever happen, happen. All my life I've gotten into trouble for my big mouth. I've come to terms with it. And now I invite it. I've had another spiritual teacher tear into me because of what he thought to be inappropriate material on my blog. We had an awesome debate. I loved it. I think he enjoyed it as well.

2. To demonstrate to my clients and friends that you don't have to be holy or perfect to be a spiritual teacher. I'm so tired of these spiritual teachers that deny their dark sides and speak so called truths that they themselves don't follow.

Like Wayne Dyer. In his book "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao" he dedicates a whole chapter to showing how it is impossible to live the Tao and be sick. Then he gets diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Wtf Wayne???

Did you even write this book!?

Do as I say and not as i do?

I'm not taking away from this man's message, he has blessed the world with some wonderful books and helped thousands in the process. But when a man makes a career from selling positive thinking and acts as a role model for "sickness starts in the mind" I would expect him to be healthy.

Or at least candid about what's really going on, instead of glazing over the dark parts. I suspect very strongly that the Wayne Dyer that is presented to the public and the real Wayne Dyer are two very different people.

Like I always say, you can't bullshit your emotions. The truth is in there and if you pretend its not...eventually something will happen to expose it. Especially now, with this astrological T-square thingy that's going on.

So I try very hard to live what I teach and know to be true. Being who I am. Very far from perfect. But at least I'm honest about it.

3. Maybe, one day, I will have a really important message. Until then, this is what you get.

This was so classic.

I came upon this last year and was thinking about it this morning. When I checked online and saw it still out there in cyberspace, I just had to post it here.

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:


Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of debate.


I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.


1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan,

James M. Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia

Its the End of the World...as we know it

And I feel fine. More than fine, actually. I feel infinite.

I think people have certain times of year, that for no real reason, seem to be more difficult than the norm. Imprinting from past experiences, perhaps. June has come to be a difficult month for me over the years, despite the wonderful fact that my son Riley was born in June of 2001. Having been a relentless scribe, I still own journals from over 10 years ago. These Chronicles of both my inner and outer worlds of the time have proven to me that I seem to be in a similar emotional place regardless of the different challenges I'm going through.

This year, by no conscious intent of my own, I set up space for healing.

I started the Incan Medicine Wheel training with Sarah Salter-Kelly and Denise Kinch this month. I have known Sarah for about 3 years. She facilitated a Soul Retrieval Session for me in that accelerated my growth exponentially and helped me to make some very difficult, but necessary decisions. There's no room for BS in this tradition. I love it!

The Medicine Wheel is done over 4 intensive 3 day weekends and it takes a year to complete it. Each weekend is focused on a direction, and that direction has its own particular attributes. We started with the West...the domain of the Jaguar. West is about death and being fearless. It was the perfect weekend to die.

I returned home different. I'm not sure how I feel to everyone else...but you all sure feel different to me!

I love this tradition because it is complete. I don't know how anyone who has this training could be powerless in any area of their life. One year to change your life, to become aware of your roles in your dramas and obtain the tools to transform them. As an emissary of awareness, I can get behind that!

I'm super jazzed to experience a world free of blame and drama's. Even if I'm the only one in the room "awake", I can still be in my bubble of what I know to be true. None of the little shit really matters. Just like getting sick is the minds way of using the body to hide the real issue, life's little dramas are a way to demonstrate the bullshit stories we subscribe to.

So what if:

-Someone else being disappointed in you was their problem, not yours. If, on the other hand, you are disappointed in yourself, you have the power to do something today that will make you feel proud, undo the disappointment.

-Instead of arguing about "what is", we talk about how we feel about the supposed problem. How you feel is truly what you own. How we feel is also the way by which we generate situations into our life energetically. Talking about how we feel helps us become aware and having a sounding board gives us perspective. We talk about how we feel so we are in touch with it. And it helps others to understand our intentions. Its the first step in intimacy. Whether someone else accepts your feelings is theirs to own. Whether you accept how you feel is yours. You can't argue with a feeling but you can certainly question it.

-We all told the truth. Which is easier when you accept it.

-We stopped playing games in relationships and encouraged one another's growth, even if it means outgrowing one another. When you "settle", you take away the opportunity for your partner to be loved in the way they truly deserve to be loved. You are not doing anyone a favor, including the kids.

This can happen. It starts with us. Today. In the Now, All is possible.

2009 and Alchemy

Wasn't 2009 a kicker? It was easily one of the best and worst years of my life. Years like 2009 can change a person forever

Just ask James Arthur Ray, . In October of 2009, three people died and something like 18 others were injured or ill following a sweat lodge exercise at a retreat he facilitated. Participants paid close to $10,000 for this weekend . I trust all emerged completely transformed. Wow. How does an experience like this change a person?

$10, 000 for 5 days? Was this guy really that good? Harmonic Wealth, huh? Not everything was Harmonic in that moment in the sweat lodge, was it, James?

And there is also the question of Colleen Conaway. In July 2009, while attending Ray's Creating Absolute Wealth seminar , Colleen jumped to her death from a third story balcony at Horton Plaza in San Diego during a group excursion .

What you, dear James, are experiencing are the effects of the Universal Law of Authenticity the Universal Law of and Cause & Effect. I trust this experience has humbled you. The Universal Law of Polarity has a heavy swing.

And it can swing back.

I don't judge you, James, and neither does the Universe. It just is.

And think about this...what if James Arthur Ray ends up in prison? What if he can't buy his way out of this mess? Well, if there's anyone out there who can transform the minds and hearts of hardened criminals, I'd put my money on James. How many lives can be saved through his indirect influence? Imagine inmates leaving prison to begin a new positive future, having learned to overcome their patterns of thinking and behaviors. Where prison becomes a vessel of transformation. I, myself, can't think of anything better.

And he would be rewarded, the Universe is fair. I think James Ray is about to learn what is truly valuable in this world. And if he was this powerful before this lesson...he can become an even more influential agent for change that will truly affect the world in awesome ways. Beyond people getting the boat, house or bank account balance they desire.

So my hope for the surviving participants of this experience is that the are getting their money's worth. If nothing else, it had to be transforming. This is where alchemy comes in, turning lead into gold. The potential upswing from this is extraordinary!

There is good in this, in fact, just as much good as there is bad. It's easy to blame and point fingers. But what if somehow it was all perfect? Its funny how when bad shit happens, the common reaction is to label that experience as "tragic", and then file it away. I want to know the inner stories and subsequent choices that followed for everyone. What did they choose to make the experience mean for them? How did this change them?

I learned for myself in 2009 that much wisdom can come from suffering. I have great reverence for the intimate moments of healing that I have shared with others in this journey. It has made me less cautious. Humiliation has taught me to be unafraid to remain authentic and open while experiencing uncomfortable moments. Through remaining open in these moments, I have become a vessel of healing for myself and others. This is so awesome. So thank you, Spirit, for the shitkicking.

It was worth it!