potential

Procrastination – Day 1108

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Puppies luxuriating fireside – Photo: L. Weikel

Procrastination

Oh yeah, baby. You have to know that’s my middle name. You may think it’s Joy (or maybe you didn’t know that), but either way, I’m here to tell you, procrastination takes on some peculiar characteristics in my life.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m realizing I don’t always have the same fundamental emotion motivating me to be…demotivated. You would think it’s primarily founded on avoidance of pain or unpleasantness. And I guess that’s true for some things I procrastinate on, such as inputting data into my Quicken or mowing the lawn when the grass is tall and the weather hot and sticky.

But even as I sit here and try to come up with stuff I really don’t like to do – and routinely procrastinate on – I find myself thinking, “Yeah, but when I finally end up doing those things, it feels so good.” I am often flooded with a sense of relief that I can cross them off my list.

And yet, that’s actually the least influential ‘good feeling’ I have after completing something I dragged my feet to do. I love the feeling of being organized or the satisfaction of seeing and smelling fresh cut grass. I love how the wildflowers growing in the middle of the lawn seem to duck the blade and spring up triumphantly about half an hour after I’ve put the mower away.

I’m serious about that, too! I used to feel annoyed by those wily wildflowers. Now I celebrate their resilience (as well as their color and diversity).

The Flip Side

The other side, or perhaps fundamental cause, of my procrastination is something I think I wrote about seemingly a million years ago – or at least early on in my 1111 Devotion. I guess I didn’t call it procrastination then. I think I called it hoarding. (Note! In finding the link to the hoarding post, I realize it was written way back in 2013 – well before embarking on my 1111 Devotion.)

And deep down, I think most of my procrastination is actually rooted in a desire to hold onto the feeling of potential, promise, and opportunity that comes when poised at the beginning of a new activity. I love the feeling that anything is possible. As a result, sometimes I linger a little too long in the imaginal realm. (Ha ha – spell check refuses to acknowledge that imaginal is a word.)

But this desire to linger also applies to tasks or projects I engage in often (or ‘should’ allow myself more often) – not just to new activities. And that’s actually the feeling and type of endeavor I’ve allowed to get a slow burn on lately.

I love to really dig into things, especially thoughts and feelings. Motivations. The real and honest stuff that informs our choices and helps define our reality. Writing in my journal is the way I make sense of the world, because writing in my journal is where I allow myself to dig deeply into my feelings and motivations.

And Then…

And then this happens: I forget where I was going with the thought that started this whole post. Now I see I’m going to barely have enough time to get it posted without it being bumped into the next day’s email.

Ugh.

OK, so I will end here for now. Maybe you’ll forgive me if I include some puppy photos.

I swear to you, this bottom one was taken only moments ago. No matter how many times I shift, they keep piling onto my left hand!

Writing Partners – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-3)

Gilded With Sadness – Day 1019

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So much potential – Photo: L. Weikel

Gilded With Sadness

I’ve been sitting here feeling a similar sense of that ‘stuck in waiting’ I mentioned last night, only tonight’s is gilded with sadness. I’m speaking, of course, of the suicide bombings at Kabul Airport targeting our evacuation efforts. It was only a matter of time before awful people made a desperate situation exponentially worse. And speaking of worse, the reactions of those in the insurrectionist party back here in the U.S. are simply disgusting.

But I don’t want to go down this road, especially since there’s nothing I can do to make the situation better. I guess I bring this latest tragedy up at all because it’s part of our shared reality and it’s impacting each and every one of us, whether we want to admit it or not.

I’d rather focus my (and hence our) attention on higher vibrational subjects – things that make us lean toward smiling rather than scowling (or weeping) (or collapsing in a rage).

Glissando of Life and Color – Photo: L.Weikel

Sense of Humor

I’m sharing some photos of a lovely pink wildflower that caught my attention the other day. I couldn’t shake the feeling that these blossoms (and the buds so tantalizingly close to bursting forth all along the stem like some quivering glissando of potential) were a symbol of the potential still available all around us.

I’m sure I’ve seen these flowers before but for the life of me I had no idea what they were called.

But sure enough, Mr. Google came through yet again and I believe – saucily enough, Universe! – this is called an Obedient Plant.

Hmm. Yeah. That’s not what I was expecting. But it did make me laugh.

And boy did it feel good to at least feel a chuckle.

Am I the last person to hear of an Obedient Plant? Probably. And I suspect Karl will be clamoring to plant them in abundance around our property. He can dream all he wants – and plant them, too! I find them to be absolutely lovely.

Obedient Plant buds closeup, with an ant making a cameo – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-92)

Natural Hieroglyphics – Day 857

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Natural Hieroglyphics – Photo: L. Weikel

Natural Hieroglyphics

Our walk late this afternoon yielded a remarkable observation that just begged to be photographed and shared. A branch of a tree had fallen on one of the back roads we travel when we go on our longer ‘walkabout.’ It obviously had been cut with a chainsaw and tossed on the berm to decay. While this is a relatively common occurrence, the mystery evoked by the natural hieroglyphics lurking under its bark was a welcome addition to our day.

Yes, of course. We know the markings are the result of insects living beneath the bark. But it doesn’t take a deep dive into the ocean of whimsy to see the designs created by these creatures resemble early efforts by humans to convey thoughts, ideas, and perhaps emotions as well.

I guess the markings probably resemble more the musings of our most ancient ancestors (those I referenced in my recent post about a Cloud Horse) – not necessarily the further evolved ideas of the ancient Egyptians. Nevertheless, one could definitely ‘read’ meaning into this discovery.

Signs and Symbols – Photo: L. Weikel

Intuition or Baloney?

I’m not positing that we drew any conclusions from our discovery today, beyond the fact that the natural world creates works of beauty filled with symbols recognized by humans for millennia.

And even though we didn’t ‘read’ anything into the figures and faces, spirals and meandering paths we could see as plain as day etched into this chunk of wood, I’m not reluctant to say we could have. We didn’t see messages or interpret signs because we hadn’t asked a question. We weren’t seeking answers to anything in particular.

Or maybe we were – and maybe we received exactly what we needed. Maybe we were yearning for a flash of creativity from Mother Earth or the creatures with whom we share our environment. Perhaps we needed to see some freeform artwork that would send our own creative juices into a state of demanding expression instead of always being happy to step aside for more practical and logical endeavors.

Photo: L. Weikel

Permission

When we give ourselves permission to imagine we unleash a whirlwind of potential.

Maybe that’s why, as a culture, we tend to instill in ourselves and our children (because it was instilled in us) a disdain for embracing our intuition. Actually, beyond disdain, it actually feels like a fear of embracing our ability to tap into the Unseen. There’s an incredible amount of power inherent in imagination, creativity, and making intuitive connections to signs, symbols, and patterns in our lives.

What happens when we give ourselves license to truly engage our imaginations? To read the patterns engraved in wood by insects that may have died months or years ago? Could it be possible that there is a web of connection between all beings we encounter – between us and everything else in our world?

Is it be possible that we can access insight and guidance from beings we arrogantly deem lack sentience?

It makes me wonder if the message brought by our natural hieroglyphics was to provoke a musing on precisely these questions.

In Context – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-254)

Timely Reminder – Day 578

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Turtle Girl – Photo: L. Weikel

Timely Reminder

Many of us are encountering opportunities to reflect upon our beliefs, review the paths we’ve taken to arrive where we are, and potentially take steps to restructure our lives if they no longer suit us or reflect who we are (or aspire to be). We’re contemplating the seeds we choose to plant for our future. In that regard, I was given a timely reminder of something we should all bear in mind as we take steps to cultivate our futures.

I, for one, am rarely fully satisfied with all aspects of my life. Sometimes I’m happier with my life choices than others. But usually I’m reflecting in my journal on what I could be improving or where I’d like to be heading as far as my next challenge. I tend to thrive when I both love what I’m doing, but also have a challenge on my horizon; something new to learn or an idea to develop.

Often, such aspirations need to be planted and allowed to grow at their own pace, fed by research and reflection, connections and inspiration. Another analogy that can be made to this process is building a nest and laying an egg (or a couple of eggs). Actually, the eggs are only (or maybe I should say ‘all’) potential. They require time and tending to become something new and of substance.

Teacher-by-example

The other day, Karl and I happened upon our first Eastern Box Turtle of the season. As you can see from the photo above, she’s a beauty.

When we encountered her, she was directly underneath the mailbox of one of our neighbors. And while I was relieved and delighted that she wasn’t on the road when we discovered her, I was a bit dismayed at what it appears she was doing.

It looked to me as though she was digging a hole in which to lay her eggs. See for yourself in the photo below.

Of course, I didn’t disturb her at all or dissuade her from her task. That’s not for me to decide for her. (OK, perhaps I did annoy her a little when I stuck my phone in front of her face to snap her photo; but I maintain this was but a minor irritant!)

But it was in her choice of where to build her nest and lay her eggs that got me thinking. It’s important how we take care of the ideas we have. It’s critical that we take care of those nascent thoughts and not-yet-developed seeds of inspiration. She brought me a timely reminder to be careful with the results of all the reflections we’re engaging in and the choices we’re making. These are precious realizations and aspirations. They need to be protected and nurtured until just the right time arrives to introduce them to the world.

Making a nest? Laying her eggs? – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-533)

New Moon – Day 469

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Dark “New” Moon – Photo: nasa.gov

New Moon

Today the moon and the sun were conjunct in Pisces at 10:33 a.m. EST, meaning it was a ‘new’ moon.

You may or may not personally experience differences in how you feel or how you perceive yourself or your surroundings during the various phases of the moon. It’s helpful, if you can, to keep a journal and record your feelings and the various interactions you have with people on any given day.

Of course, I make this recommendation because it’s really easy to lose track of these types of things if we don’t write them down.

Everyone Is Different

And let’s face it: everyone is different. Not all of us are as tuned into the moon and its phases. And even when we are tuned in (i.e., we’re pretty cognizant of when it’s a full moon, when it’s a new moon, and when the moon is waxing or waning), we may not be fully aware of how the moon impacts us personally – or even whether or not it does.

The world is full of anecdotes about the effect a full moon has on sensitive people. Thus, it is not surprising when there are increases in potential mental health issues or even certain crimes during a full moon.

On a more mundane level, we may feel a yearning to complete a project or find ourselves sensing that a relationship or a business partnership has reached its fullest potential around the time of a full moon, and realize it’s time to let it go.

The same can be said for new moons – although new moons are more about having reached a place of emptiness. A new moon is usually experienced as a time of enthusiastically beginning something new, planting some new seeds, or celebrating a sense of openness to the potential of embracing something completely new. I’ve written about the time of the dark moon on a number of occasions over the past 469 days, here, here, and here (this one being especially relevant, since it also mentions Mercury being retrograde at the same time – which is also the case today) – just to link to a few.

Your Rhythms

It’s easy to dismiss the effect the moon might be having on you, your moods, your life experiences, and your decisions. Many of us find it just so easy to scoff at the old ways of trying to make sense of our world. It’s much easier to pretend to have ourselves and our world all figured out such that we simply are not influenced by something as mundane as the phases of the moon.

But again, this is the exact attitude that begs to be invited to keep track. Notice, in writing, how your energy shifts, ebbing and flowing throughout the month. You just might come to learn more about yourself and how influenced you may or may not be than you ever realized. And sometimes, if you keep accurate notes, you may come to realize that certain people with whom you interact on a long term basis actually seem to react differently to various situations depending upon the moon’s phase.

Again – once we start keeping track, we may learn more about ourselves and others who are in our proximity than we ever thought we could or would. Just remember: knowledge is power. If you’re too busy glibly dismissing the validity of tracking the moon’s phases or astrology in general without trying it, you may be missing a wonderful opportunity to know yourself better.

A Lovely Journal

Of course, you can always keep track of your feelings and experiences and how they track (or not) with the phases of the moon in a simple, spiral bound notebook from CVS. Or you can opt for something that keeps you more in direct awareness of the moon. A great journal for this specific work is produced by my dear friend Karen Ward, of Moon Mna, in Ireland. Check out her website and see if her journal piques your interest.

Notice whether you’re being drawn to bringing in a new attitude, starting to plan for a new phase in your life, thinking about applying for a new job, or maybe even contemplating starting a family. There are a myriad ways in which the start of something new may be knocking on the door of your consciousness.

Pay attention! Keep track. What can it hurt?

Men Too

Just because women are particularly connected to the moon throughout most of their lives, it’s really important to realize that men, too, share a connection as well. Our bodies consist mostly of water, and the moon exerts a great a deal of influence over water (hence the tides). There’s not that great a difference in the water content between men and women. As a result it just might come as an even greater surprise to men, if they start tracking the moon’s influence over their lives, to realize just how much they are affected by that great orb in the sky.

Again: knowledge is power.

(T-642)