by Charles McAlpine | Nov 9, 2014 | Blog
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple came out this past week. Being someone in the public eye, this meant he wrote a press release for this announcement. Like many well-known people who “come out”.., he was already out to his family and friends. This means his public coming out was for the rest of us. On the one hand I love this because it sends the message that you can be authentic AND successful, to the people who struggle with esteem around their sexual identity. Especially young people who are scanning the horizon looking for role models and inspiration to inform their own self-acceptance process. At the same time, this announcement creates a label for Mr. Cook. It puts a banner on him that will be used to identify and describe him to the world going forward. It is as if we need these adjectives or labels to sort out which category someone belongs in. And of course depending on each of our own perspectives, we determine if the new label is positive or negative. Millions of people now have a ‘positive’ view of Mr. Cook and what he represents to them. Personally, I fall in this camp… As I loved his statement about his being gay being one of his “greatest gifts”. At the same time, millions of others see this as ‘negative’, because it means he is now associated with something that for them is unnatural, wrong or bad. And let’s not forget the majority of people to whom this will be a completely neutral experience. They won’t give it a second thought. His announcement does not create...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Nov 9, 2014 | Blog
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple came out this past week. Being someone in the public eye, this meant he wrote a press release for this announcement. Like many well-known people who “come out”.., he was already out to his family and friends. This means his public coming out was for the rest of us. On the one hand I love this because it sends the message that you can be authentic AND successful, to the people who struggle with esteem around their sexual identity. Especially young people who are scanning the horizon looking for role models and inspiration to inform their own self-acceptance process. At the same time, this announcement creates a label for Mr. Cook. It puts a banner on him that will be used to identify and describe him to the world going forward. It is as if we need these adjectives or labels to sort out which category someone belongs in. And of course depending on each of our own perspectives, we determine if the new label is positive or negative. Millions of people now have a ‘positive’ view of Mr. Cook and what he represents to them. Personally, I fall in this camp… As I loved his statement about his being gay being one of his “greatest gifts”. At the same time, millions of others see this as ‘negative’, because it means he is now associated with something that for them is unnatural, wrong or bad. And let’s not forget the majority of people to whom this will be a completely neutral experience. They won’t give it a second thought. His announcement does not create...
by Charles McAlpine | Nov 2, 2014 | Blog
Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into these situations! I think I know exactly where I’m going and how something will turn out; only to realize I’m not even close! I am in a state of shock (upset, or…). Or at the minimum, feel like a deer in the headlights. I suppose it is one more of those lessons about ‘control’. Note to self: “Oh yeah, that’s right.., control is an illusion!” Recently when this comes up, I have noticed that I have worked out an agreement in my mind. I have an expectation that when ‘Y’ happens, then someone else will do ‘X’. Except that ‘X’ never occurs. The other person is not following my plan or agreement. Of course, I never told the other person what my plan was. They never knew we had a silent agreement. Believe it or not, they are operating by their own plan AND it has nothing to do with mine. And suddenly I realize.., I have been making assumptions! So what do I do with my disappointment, anger or shock? Can I still be angry with someone, when they didn’t know I expected them to behave a certain way or that they would do a particular thing? Suddenly I am painfully aware that there has been no actual communication involved. Any dialog is in my head. I am negotiating, planning or strategizing with myself. I am an island! Damn! Now I have to regroup and start over. I have to ask for what I need. I have to negotiate or finesse. I have to accept that what I imagined and...
by Charles McAlpine | Nov 2, 2014 | Blog
Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into these situations! I think I know exactly where I’m going and how something will turn out; only to realize I’m not even close! I am in a state of shock (upset, or…). Or at the minimum, feel like a deer in the headlights. I suppose it is one more of those lessons about ‘control’. Note to self: “Oh yeah, that’s right.., control is an illusion!” Recently when this comes up, I have noticed that I have worked out an agreement in my mind. I have an expectation that when ‘Y’ happens, then someone else will do ‘X’. Except that ‘X’ never occurs. The other person is not following my plan or agreement. Of course, I never told the other person what my plan was. They never knew we had a silent agreement. Believe it or not, they are operating by their own plan AND it has nothing to do with mine. And suddenly I realize.., I have been making assumptions! So what do I do with my disappointment, anger or shock? Can I still be angry with someone, when they didn’t know I expected them to behave a certain way or that they would do a particular thing? Suddenly I am painfully aware that there has been no actual communication involved. Any dialog is in my head. I am negotiating, planning or strategizing with myself. I am an island! Damn! Now I have to regroup and start over. I have to ask for what I need. I have to negotiate or finesse. I have to accept that what I imagined and...
by Charles McAlpine | Jun 22, 2014 | Blog
There is something going of inside of me that wants to be known. I can sense it, feel it, and sometimes, almost see it! Sometimes it feels like a new discovery is about to emerge. Other times it seems as if an old friend wants to be revealed or remembered. Perhaps it is a combination; the synergy of old and new coming together to create a different, blended experience of who I am and what is going on around me. Let me start by saying that Gisela has been in Germany for the past two weeks. This means I have covered the front service counter at Storm Wisdom 4 or 5 days. It was kind of fun and kind of cool. Mainly because I got to remember what it was like to balance a cash drawer, reconcile daily reports, add inventory to the system, schedule appointments or events; and of course, assist friends and clients who visited on those days. It was nice. However, by the third or fourth day, I was also aware that it is not my role. It is something I can do and even something I can do well. However, my time for holding the energies of that role has past. Others have claimed it and that feels right. This awareness has me then think about Storm Wisdom in general. One thing that I was keenly aware of, is how different it is energetically today than it was a year ago, two years ago, and especially five years ago. In the beginning it was me. Trying to figure out how to complete a transaction or...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Jun 22, 2014 | Blog
There is something going of inside of me that wants to be known. I can sense it, feel it, and sometimes, almost see it! Sometimes it feels like a new discovery is about to emerge. Other times it seems as if an old friend wants to be revealed or remembered. Perhaps it is a combination; the synergy of old and new coming together to create a different, blended experience of who I am and what is going on around me. Let me start by saying that Gisela has been in Germany for the past two weeks. This means I have covered the front service counter at Storm Wisdom 4 or 5 days. It was kind of fun and kind of cool. Mainly because I got to remember what it was like to balance a cash drawer, reconcile daily reports, add inventory to the system, schedule appointments or events; and of course, assist friends and clients who visited on those days. It was nice. However, by the third or fourth day, I was also aware that it is not my role. It is something I can do and even something I can do well. However, my time for holding the energies of that role has past. Others have claimed it and that feels right. This awareness has me then think about Storm Wisdom in general. One thing that I was keenly aware of, is how different it is energetically today than it was a year ago, two years ago, and especially five years ago. In the beginning it was me. Trying to figure out how to complete a transaction or...
by Charles McAlpine | Jan 5, 2014 | Blog
I looked up the word simple today. Easy to understand, deal with or use; not complex or compounded; not complicated; not elaborate or adorned. Actually for such a common word, there were quite a few definitions. However they all speak to “simple” being the stripped down essence of something… be it chemistry, botany, math, grammar, plants or people. I should explain that the reason I am looking up the word simple in the first place, is because that is the word that comes up when I think about the future. Simple is the word that comes up when I think about how to navigate, plan and approach the day to day activities of my life. Literally, there may be many things vying for my attention, however if I see them in their simplest form; each different thing, when not compounded with the others, is pretty straight forward. Simple is also a big part of what our spiritual journeys are all about! It hasn’t always felt this way for me. For the longest time, I felt I was searching for something. If I found the right equation or the magic formula, I might shift or change my experience and all of a sudden I would arrive at some nirvana or enlightened state. I would be evolved and know exactly how to create and have the life of my dreams. Well, I have the life of my dreams. So how did I get here if I haven’t yet found that perfect equation or magic formula? Then it dawns on me… Simplicity lead me here. I just have a tendency to make...
by Charles McAlpine | Dec 15, 2013 | Blog
This week Fito sold his car and is in the process of buying a new one. New to him at least. In many ways this is just the nature of the beast when you deal with cars. They come and go. You drive them, repair them, and eventually you replace them. He is now in the process of deciding what is next and jumping into the haggling process, which of course he doesn’t mind, because he’s a real estate broker. He does it all the time. While all of this is happening, I am going through my own process. New realizations and awareness of all that has transpired in my life since 2002. You see, that is the year I bought the car that Fito just sold and the same year I brought Utility Saving Expert insurance. Back then I had just moved back to Phoenix from a few years in San Francisco. I was celebrating my 20th year with the company I worked for, and was financially comfortable. 2002 was also the year that Lexus first introduced there hardtop convertible sports car! It was a car lovers dream. As soon as I drove it, I knew it was mine and it was a car I was going to “keep for the rest of my life”. Boys and their toys. Who knows when and how these things happen, but eventually, my toy, became Fito’s car for everyday commuting. It wasn’t so much a decision as just a natural evolution. It made sense for what we were doing at the time. No regrets there, it made sense. And Fito will...
by Charles McAlpine | Dec 1, 2013 | Blog
Do you ever have times of apathy? Times when it feels like you are surrounded by opportunity, potential or work to be done; yet it is hard to get motivated or inspired by any of it? Tell me you do! Apathy loves company… Or at least I do when I am feeling apathetic! I am quite aware of the cycles of life; the ebb and flow. At the same time, it can catch me by surprise. Each high or low can feel like it comes from nowhere, and usually disappears or shifts in much the same way. This is true even when the only thing that is going on, is looking at the projects that are awaiting my attention, with a sense that none of them seem compelling. Even though they are MY projects! It is easy to start giving yourself a hard time about being in a state of apathy, especially when it is not the way you normally experience the world. However, this just adds water to the fire. (You know.., it makes the fire you are trying to kindle and stoke feel all soggy!) Then I remember, this is where the concepts of Intentional Living and Spiritual Awareness actually support me during these times. Sometimes doing nothing is “going with the flow”. I forget that I spent most of my life doing, doing, doing. Sometimes I just need to BE. When I start to look at these times as a natural form of downtime, instead of judging myself for not accomplishing enough or perhaps not having enough clarity or decisiveness; I become more compassionate, patient and...
