by Charles McAlpine | Jun 1, 2014 | Blog
I read an article this week that stirred up a lot of thoughts and emotions. In many ways I am sure it was intended to be a positive article. However, the way it hit me was that it promoted the idea that we are victims of our lives. That we must live with the hand we are dealt. At first I couldn’t understand why this article even held my interest. I am sure it was intended to be informative, thought provoking and to assist others in looking at an aspect of their life. That is all good, right? However, for me it carried the energy of resignation. Resigning yourself to the idea that life will be a particular way, because you have a certain trait, gift, passion or way of being. I realize that way of thinking is at odds with the message I promote everyday. Intentional Living. If we live intentional lives, then that implies we are taking responsibility for what we experience each day and in each situation. When we like something, we create more of it. If something feels out of alignment with our values, interests or direction, we let it go. If we see something needs to change, change it. This doesn’t mean we are trying to move beyond being human! We will all experience emotions, including fear, anger, disappointment and sorrow. We will have ugly thoughts and crazy ideas. We will be judgmental, critical, envious and petty. Precisely because we are human. It is in our nature! It is how we respond and react to these thoughts and emotions that defines us. In fact,...
by Charles McAlpine | May 24, 2014 | Blog
I really shouldn’t feel like I needed this vacation so much; especially considering how much spaciousness there is in my schedule these days. But I did! It was great to get away… And especially to go back to see family and friends in Maine.I left there when I was 19. So a lot has changed. More so for me than Maine. Oftentimes when I visit there it feels a bit like a time warp, or time has stood still. The only difference is that we all keep getting older. The older ones mellowing out. The younger ones finding their way through rebel-hood!I am on a plane home now… trying to recall what might be waiting for me when I return. Projects, plans, chores and to-dos. Of course this weekly newsletter is the first on the list. So, with an hour on the runway, while they change a tire on the nose of the plane; I get to do this a day ahead of schedule, and open up my first morning at home for playing the rest of the catch up game.Last week, I mentioned that I had an announcement and that it had to do with having Fun! This past week has been fun. However the kind of fun I am talking about has more to do with my own personal evolution and journey. You know, the kind of fun that catches you by surprise, when you think you’ve seen it all. And for me, this is a doozie!I recently became a Vocal Channel!For many who read this, you will know exactly what I mean by channeling. For those...
by Charles McAlpine | May 18, 2014 | Blog
Well Fito and I are off on vacation! By the time you are reading this we will be with family in Maine, eating at least one lobster roll per-day! It is a rough life, but someone has to do it! I am really happy to have this break, not because I need time off, but because it brings the past few months to a close. Last week I wrote about change being in the air again. It is so present that I can almost taste it… That is how strong the sense is. In many ways, it feels like how I spend my days going forward is about to change and I need to settle into this new way of being. You see, as much as l love being at Storm Wisdom; more and more, I am less involved with the day-to-day running of the business. I am so fortunate to have the talented and skilled Gisela and Millie who have taken on most of that responsibility. They are very good at what they do AND they love what they do! What more could you ask for! Then there is me! I still love working from my office that is located in the center, I am just not on the floor very much. And if I learned anything from the 13 week program for small business owners last year, it is that I need to keep my eyes on the future. So now my focus will shift to networking, marketing, strategies and creating awareness of what an amazing place we have created here! That all sounds well and good,...
by Charles McAlpine | May 11, 2014 | Blog
My, oh my! The times they are a changing.., again! Can you feel it in the air? I know I do! Right now it feels as if it has to do with my business turning 5 years old. An important milestone, that I wasn’t anticipating the impact of. But each of us has our own unique journey and the milestones that have us look toward the future and know that somehow our lives will be different. I have a sense of anticipation. A new awareness of the patience to allow the shift to unfold rather than to have to influence and control it. Isn’t that a major shift all by itself; the willingness to set down control. There are new things emerging; old ones slipping away. There is an ease and flow that feels accessible. Not something to work towards or try to imagine. Maybe all of those intentions, practices, prayers and meditations have done their work. How fun to be aware that something you have been trying to create is already here. Can you feel it in the air? No surprise that as I write this there is a beautiful breeze blowing outside. The doors are open and the house is full with the sounds of the wind chimes singing their song! A confirmation of our ever shifting and moving lives. We are not stagnant, we are constantly in a state of growth, even those of us whose physical bodies are naturally in decline. We are becoming more of ourselves with each passing moment. Sometimes it is hard to stop telling old stories. They feel comforting; we know...
by Charles McAlpine | Apr 26, 2014 | Blog
One of my favorite things about life these days is the awareness and experience of Magic that is all around us! To give you an idea what I mean, I am talking about coincidences that happen so frequently they can’t be ignored. The synchronicity of people and events that are aligned with whatever you are working on. When something seems to materializing out of thin air just when you need it! Projects and tasks begin to flow and have a sense of ease or effortlessness. This is Magic! One thing that has intrigued me lately is the concept that as we work with and develop our intuition, it increases or expands our awareness of so many other fun things! By paying attention to your intuitive senses, another whole world is revealed that operates just below the surface of our normal awareness. By simply paying attention to our own internal guidance, all of a sudden the world around us conspires with and reacts to our openness. I suppose that could be viewed as a cause and effect… But it feels more mysterious than that. Cause and effect seem to limiting. Instead, and I am just thinking out loud here… It is that we are tuning into a frequency or resonance that is always there, but for the most part we are oblivious to it! We can’t see or notice it (very often), because it doesn’t follow the familiar rules of order that we are use to working/living by. Let’s call the normal world we live in the mundane. There are few surprises, things are predictable, and there is a system...
by Charles McAlpine | Apr 20, 2014 | Blog
News flash! Being “strong” is not defined by the ability to suppress our emotions and appear as if everything is perfect, when our world is falling apart! There is no “right way” to handle the complex situations that confront us on a regular basis. It doesn’t matter what the ad on television promises, there are situations that will be difficult and challenging to handle. We are human and we will experience emotions. There are emotions that are uplifting and expansive, some that are neutral, and some that are heavy and constricting. The game of life is not about seeing how many of the latter we can avoid. It is about developing the emotional fluency to dance with ANY emotion that we encounter along the way! And BTW… We will encounter them all throughout the course of our lifetime. Somehow we seem to have reached a time in our evolution where the emotions such as sadness, disappointment, fear, anger, loneliness, despair, humiliation and rage are to be avoided at all costs. That somehow if we are “hanging out” with any of these emotions, there is something wrong and we need to fix them (fix ourselves) as soon as possible. Put a smile on your face… think positive thoughts! However, this can end up being emotional and spiritual blackmail! You see, it is one thing to have the fluency and awareness to lift yourself from a constricting emotion. It is quite another to try and pretend it doesn’t exist or matter! When we try to cover it up or hide these emotions, it is easy to start judging them (and ourselves)...
by Charles McAlpine | Apr 13, 2014 | Blog
Aging, wellness, health, immobilization, joint pain, hormones, exercise, diet, doctors, hospitals, care, living and dying; how did these sneak up on me and become regular conversation topics? How is it that I spend more time talking about these kinds of issues and less about music, vacation destinations, hot new restaurants, cute guys at the gym or even workplace gossip!?! I remember when my biggest area of focus was who would be joining us for our standing Sunday afternoon “Church”; which consisted of Mexican food and margaritas in Old Town San Diego! (my friends and I called it church, because we did it faithfully!) Now the most consistent thing I do is take a nap everyday! Don’t get me wrong… I have never been happier. Yet there is this irony to life that the older and usually wiser you get, the less stamina, energy or strength you have to use with that knowledge! I can’t even begin to tell you how many things that I have done in the past, that even now as I reflect on them… I can’t imagine ever doing again. I was talking to a friend yesterday who said she never really learned to dance. My response was that from the age of 21 to 30 I went out dancing 5 nights a week! Up until my late forties… I was still out dancing a couple of nights a week! (Thank goodness… Because that is how Fito and I met!). Well I haven’t seen a dance floor in several years now. Not because I don’t enjoy dancing, but because it is hard on the joints… And...
by Charles McAlpine | Apr 6, 2014 | Blog
Well it has officially started! Last weekend I cleaned my home office to get rid of the clutter. I have known for awhile that there was some shedding and shredding that needed to occur. But boy, was I resisting it! Most of what needed to be attacked was paperwork, bills and documents. I use to be so organized about all of that. Yet now, I can’t find any interest in it. As a matter of fact, I got rid of years of saved utility bills. Who cared what my electric or phone bill was 8 years ago!?! I’ve now started on a couple of other areas… And I think I have projects that could last me a few months. However… There is a metaphoric, as well as energetic purpose to all of this. Letting go of the past. Releasing what no longer serves. Shedding old energies that bind me to a time gone by! No doubt that is why I came across a dozen photo albums. Photos of family, friends, places and events that are long past. Reminders that at one time.., we were younger, thinner, more hair and prone to bad fashion choices! And they were fun times. So I realize that not everything has to “go”. There are memories and keepsakes that are meaningful and cherished. It is knowing where that line is that is important. Our past is part of who we have and will become. Yet it is meant to be the backdrop of our lives. The scenery that we look back at when we want to remember the path we have traveled so far....
by Charles McAlpine | Mar 30, 2014 | Blog
On Tuesday I will be participating in Gail Larsen’s “Holy Fools” online launch (see additional information in the banner below). Which is about breaking free and following your inner guidance to become an agent of change. It warms my heart that Gail would include me in her band of amazing Holy Fools! But, what is a Holy Fool? In a blog from last year, Gail wrote: “Comparative mythologist Joseph Campbell talked about the archetype of the Holy Fool. The Fool is the most dangerous person on earth, Campbell explained, the most threatening to all hierarchical institutions. He has no concern for naysayers, and no one has power over him (or her). She is not limited, not stoppable, nor controllable. She knows what she has to do and is doing it, no matter what.” Wow. So then I wonder how energetically I fit into this archetypical model!?! And I realize… It is “following your inner guidance” that has me aligned with the Holy Fool. Not only that, but on a daily basis, I encounter others who are traveling a similar road. I have conversations with clients, friends and family who describe this heart-felt knowing that something is shifting or changing in their lives. Perhaps they know they are being guided to leave a job and strike out on their own. Maybe they can see pieces and parts of their lives that they have to let go of, shed, or clear away. Some feel invited to BE; to lessen the doing. The funny thing about this strong inner guidance is that it doesn’t come with a operators manual, guidebook or rules...
by Charles McAlpine | Mar 2, 2014 | Blog
It is hard to believe that it has only been a week since we finished the small remodel of the retail space at Storm Wisdom. We added about 200sq ft by removing two private room. However the shift energetically seems much greater. It feels really good. (Check out the invitation to our “Open House” next Saturday below! Come see the changes for yourself!) I realize this is not the first time I have felt this sensation of my dream becoming more aligned with my intentions. About a year and a half after we opened, we moved our customer service counter to the center of the space. It made a huge shift energetically. It too felt right and what I had always imagined or intended. This has got me thinking about whether this is actually true… Or, is the concept of this business shifting and changing on its own? Maybe I simply experience a change and then correlate it with an earlier dream or intention that has long ago been fulfilled!?! The truth is that there is no way for me to have imagined where we would be right now… Because there was so very little I knew about this business 5 years ago. So many things that I imagined have never come to fruition… And things that now are commonplace or fully integrated into this business, weren’t even on my radar screen! Isn’t this true in all of our lives? We can be so malleable; easily integrating new people, places and things. Going with the flow; expansion and contraction. At the same time, we can be so resistant to...
by Charles McAlpine | Feb 23, 2014 | Blog
I would love to write some deep and reflective thoughts about my week… But I am just to excited to think of anything but all the improvements that are taking place at Storm Wisdom! The remodel is done, the fixtures have been moved into their new spots (Thanks Beth K. For the insights and ideas!), and by the time you read this, we will have it stocked, displayed and ready for you to check it out! Well actually many people have seen it in transition because we were open during the remodel! I mentioned on Facebook that we told people who were there during the sawing, hammering, drilling, and moving that it was “FREE vibrational/sound healing”!!! But to be honest, there have definitely been some new awarenesses! Patiences is an energetic state that I have to work at… especially when I am excited! Surprise is much more creative than disappointment. And, when your activities are aligned with how you are feeling, everything is easier! To this last point, the word that fits how I am feeling this year is expansive (or expanding)! I could really feel it starting last November.., as we were approaching the new year. I have also heard this from a number of clients and friends who come into the center. So this remodel, opening up and reuse of the space is a form or expansion that is aligned with the expansive energies that are all around us. It feels so right. It is a reminder of staying with the flow! Sometimes it is easy to see or imagine something happening, yet challenging to actually make...
by Charles McAlpine | Feb 16, 2014 | Blog
Part of my belief and the core message I feel like I am here to deliver, is that the world and human consciousness is shifting. It is evolving. The easiest way for me to think of this and describe it is that feminine energies are coming into balance with masculine energies. What this means for those of us who have been around for awhile, is that the old ways of navigating our lives no longer work the same way or are as effective as they use to be. We can’t just rely on doing, driving, thinking, pushing and competing. We need to incorporate being, sensing, feeling, opening, creating, allowing and receiving. We need to find the balance between these amazing energies. Which brings me to another point. These are not two separate energies! They are one in the same and exist as a part of the same continuum. A continuum that has been heavily imbalanced toward valuing the masculine end of this spectrum over the feminine; doing over being; movement over rest. (Don’t even get me started on how this distorts the beauty of masculine energies!) So.., as much as I believe our continuing evolution to be true; sometimes I forget that this applies to how I navigate my small world too! Here is what’s up. Things have been going amazingly well recently. I am on the move, I can see and imagine the expansion that is in front of me. I am taking all the steps necessary to make some significant changes. Things are going GREAT! And then – CRASH! When I say crash, I mean that in...
by Charles McAlpine | Feb 9, 2014 | Blog
We live in such a complex time in the evolution of human consciousness. Never have we had access to so much information and knowledge. And, never have we seemed more committed to ignoring what we know, sense and feel. For most people who read my weekly ramblings, I have to assume that we are similar. We are developing and expanding our spiritual nature. We are committed to connecting to and hearing our own internal guidance. We are doing what we can to honor our truth and to stay the course for what feels authentic and real. Yet we live in a time when we are bombarded with negative, violent, manipulative and distorted images and messages! How do we stay the course, while being overwhelmed with the exact opposite of what we are trying to create in our lives? I must admit that when I look at my life, I feel blessed. There is very little I would want to change. Not only is life comfortable… It is fulfilling and fun. Yet, when I look around at what is happening in the world and on our planet, it is hard not to wonder if we will even survive as a species! We are on a collision course with disaster… And, we appear to be doing little about it. Or is that true? You see, one of the things I have been thinking about a lot lately is… Are we actually becoming the change we want to see in the world, without even being aware of it? Think about this for a moment. If you dig beneath the surface of what...
by Charles McAlpine | Jan 19, 2014 | Blog
This past week I attended Victoria Barna and Gisela Arenas’ workshop called “New Year… New Beginnings”. One of their main areas of focus was to look at each participants “Numerology”. Life Path number, Challenge number, Personal Year number. That sort of thing. Then a couple of days later I had my semi-annual Astrology session with Jolinda Marshall (who has been my astrologer for over 25 years!). It never ceases to amaze me how these systems of study can be so accurate. They provide clarity and confirmation on the cycles of our lives and provide insights on the ups and downs. In both cases and even in Human Design (another system of study), the information that is shared is not so much predictive or specific to any single individual, as they are about energetic alignment or in some cases.., non-alignment. For an example, This is good time to make financial decisions, not a good time to make major relationship choices, etc. I find that when I tap into these ancient arts, I am pulled out of the details of my life and begin to recognize and appreciate the phases and cycles of life. Something that we all experience. I have been connected to Astrology for so long that I even seem to know when something is off in my chart. Perhaps I am seeing or experiencing things from a perspective that is not normal for me. Sometimes when it lasts more than a few days, I will call Jolinda to find out what is up and how long that particular “transit” is going to be around. In the numerology portion...
by Charles McAlpine | Jan 12, 2014 | Blog
These are amazing times that we live in. There are so many wonderful things that are happening and being revealed. And, we live in a time when many of the original systems, organizations and structures that were design to support and assist us are distorted and actually being used against us. Government, corporations, religions, medical/pharmaceutical industries… These at one time were altruistic in nature and were measured based upon their ability to support the communities and people they served. The opposite of altruistic is egotistical… And that is what the majority of these institutions have become. They cater to only a few or small percentage. Specifically those individuals who have been endorsed and selected for leadership roles. Greed, the hunger for power and an intense focus on creating a protected class of elite has distorted much of what was once an important part of the infrastructures that was designed to support all of us. Let’s face it “We have lost our balance”. Before you go imagining that this is all doom and gloom, I am here to say it is not! Instead, I believe we must go through this time to find our own authority. This is a powerful time for the individual to find their own voice and to connect with what resonates from within. This is a time for us to be more connected to one another. Time to build relationships, organizations and communities that honor the common good and individuality. AND, Technology is here to help! The ability for us to connect with one another across the globe in a matter of seconds or minutes is...
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 29, 2013 | Blog
There is nothing like a new year to get me thinking about making changes and shifts in my life. It is a momentous occasion. One that is recognized around the world as a time of transformation; even if for some it is just a numerical shift. These days, we seem to be going through so many shifts and changes all the time. I even wrote in an earlier post about how changes that use to take months are taking days, etc. It makes you wonder, if we are going through constant shifts and changes all the time, is the transition to a new year still a big deal? As I contemplate this, there are two things that standout. First, this is the one time each year when so many people around the world are focused on creating change. And second, Imagine with all those intentions being set, how much extra support our own intentions have during the crossing of the threshold into the new year! Powerful stuff! So what are the changes you are intending for yourself in the new year? What are you creating, releasing, setting down or moving? Are any of these new? How many are repeats? How many of the changes you want to make are things you’ve tried before, yet somehow they have not quite come to fruition? I only ask because personally.., I have a stack of those!! 🙂 I bring up this stack of old resolutions that are still hanging around and unfulfilled, because maybe there is a slightly new way to approach them. If you are anything like me, these have become...
by Charles McAlpine | Dec 22, 2013 | Blog
I love this time of year, as we prepare to move from one year to the next. There is something about the anticipation of the New Year and all the possibilities it brings, that awakens the dreamer inside. This makes the next few weeks is an ideal time to work with the energy centers that are located just outside your physical body. There is one above your head, which some call the “Soul Star”, because it connects you to your Soul’s purpose. It is where we connect with all “Possibilities” for this lifetime. Any possible futures we want to create are seeded through this energy center. Think of it as the magician’s hat. Anything you can imagine (and beyond), can be pulled from this hat and become part of what you are creating. Imagine this energy center (or chakra), being about 6″ to 8″ above your head. It is always there, and it is what connects you (and your Higher Self) to Soul, which is where we are one with All-That-Is, the Divine, God or the Universe. We never lose this connection, even when sometimes it feels hard to access. The other energy center is located about 6″ to 8″ below your feet. It is what is sometimes referred to as the “Earth Star” energy center. This is the energy center that brings the possibilities you are attracting through your Soul Star into the realm of “Probability”. The Earth Star energy center takes the energetic information of “possibility” you are aligned with, and begins to ground that frequency into your physical world. It helps it to find the greatest...
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 8, 2013 | Blog
How do we change the world? How does one person make a difference? How do we shift the energy of “stalemate” that seems so pervasive around us? I guess the first question should have been “do we think the world needs changing?”. When I stop and ponder these questions, I realize that “duality” is on loudspeaker! Duality meaning that our most common way of viewing the events around us is to see them as good or bad, right or wrong, black or white, light or dark, left or right. It seems that no matter where I look, there is a line drawn in the sand, and we are expected to make a decision. Which side of this line are you standing on? Once we decide which side of the line, issue, or topic we are on; we are equipped with battle gear! We are given the weapons (usually words) to defend ourselves. Sound bites that can deflect the majority of what is projected at us and that can also be hurled at the other side! We are ready, willing and able. As long as we are on “our side”. I am battle-weary. I am exhausted from constantly defending and protecting my position, my side of the line.., my half of duality! Even when we are not doing this out loud, our thoughts are oftentimes doing this dance. Choosing sides, staking a position. Even when the position is to stay “outside” the fray. Choosing not to participate is making a choice. So how do we shift this stalemate? I need to say right here and now: I don’t know the...
by Charles McAlpine | Nov 17, 2013 | Blog
I graduated from my 13 week program for small business owners this past week. What an amazing program it was… And all sponsored by the City of Phoenix. This program was such a huge gift in so many ways. It was just what I was looking for. And of course, as with many things in life, it has also been a complete surprise. I often say that no one learns or grows more at Storm Wisdom than I do! We all create the situations, relationships and circumstances of our lives to bring us the awareness and experience we are searching for. In this case, as much as what I have learned will help the business of Storm Wisdom; the personal growth it offers me, is even greater. I am smiling to myself, because as I write this, I realize it may seem like I am saying “I have already mastered the lessons offered through this program”. That is NOT what I am saying! In fact, in many ways, it is just the opposite! I have gone from not knowing what I don’t know, to knowing what I don’t know! And what I don’t know is a LOT! From unconscious incompetent to conscious incompetent! 🙂 This is a good thing! Because now that I am aware that there are things for me to become competent in or with, in order to continue to evolve and create my dreams. It feels like there are pieces of a map that have been revealed that will influence the direction(s) I take. This is how life works! In the past I might have punished...
by Charles McAlpine | Nov 10, 2013 | Blog
Something is changing, and if you slow down and give yourself some quiet time, you will notice it. We’re changing. Not only that, but the speed at which we are changing is increasing. So a change, shift or transformation that use to take several years is happening in a matter of months. What use to take months is taking days. And many transitions are occurring in an instant. The reason this is on my mind is because if we are not aware that this is what is happening, it is easy to feel out of step with ourselves. We are creatures of habit in many ways, so it is easy to operate on autopilot. We do, say, or think something because it is what we have always done, only to feel off, or disappointed. It no longer feels right, however we are not sure why. We look to external situations or circumstances to see what is different. Yet, that is not where the change is. It is within! All of this internal change can feel like chaos and uncomfortable if we don’t embrace it. Or worse, if you are like me, you can spend a lot of time trying to control it. Trying to keep things the same. We can try to do that, but the reality is we are all rapidly shifting and changing at the same time. So unless you isolate yourself and minimize your exposure to others and the world; you’re fighting a loosing battle. It is time to face it, our lives are changing at an accelerated pace and unless we move into flow with...
by Charles McAlpine | Nov 3, 2013 | Blog
I should never be surprised when I learn something new about myself~because it seems to happen a LOT! Yet, every once in a awhile, something reveals itself and I am stunned! Here is what I have recently learned. I have resistance, a bunch of stories and some limiting beliefs about meditation! Meditation of all things!! The reason I find this so surprising is I have been meditating on and off for about 10 years. I was introduced to it through guided visualizations. And since I am very visual with an active imagination, I have experienced some amazing and powerful visual meditations! I also have used meditations to connect with and as the stimulus for writing about crystals. Leading crystal class participants in meditation is a standard part of every crystal class (which have been going on monthly for over 4 years!). So I am no stranger to meditation! We have been hosting Friday Night meditations for the past 3 1/2 years too. It is something where we rotate and shift the meditation leads. Many of them are sound meditations. Didgeridoo, Crystal Bowls, Angel Harp, and even occasionally gongs. These sound meditations are some of my favorites. So, durning the last couple of weeks, while participating in the Friday evening meditation, (didgeridoo and angel harp). I had this overwhelming sense of gratitude for the magic and intimacy of these experiences. I felt so blessed to be there and completely opened too and let myself get lost in the gift of these two sound meditations! And right behind my joy of being in the experience was an awareness that I had...
by Charles McAlpine | Oct 27, 2013 | Blog
There is a theme that keeps recurring over and over in my thoughts. It is the theme of simplicity. The idea that the easiest way, to whatever it is we are trying to create, shift, or release is by keeping it simple. In my world, keeping it simple is not as easy as “I think”. Therein lies my challenge. You see, I actually like complex. I like things that need to be figured out. I am good at seeing the quickest route from point a to point b… and even, how to maximize the outcome and minimize the resistance. But that is because I “think” my way through the process… And then feel a sense of accomplishment for being able to figure it out! I also love to learn. So I take a class; or start a new project; or realize I have uncovered an interest in something that has caught my attention. Now it is time to figure it all out. Put on my thinking cap. Master something new. While exploring and attempting to understand my spiritual journey, I have been exposed to many concepts and ideas. And the ones that I have resisted the most are the simple ones~the basics. It is as if my mind tells me “it can’t be this simple”. “Stay in the moment”, “breathe”, “you are not your story”, “let go”… These are a few examples of concepts and teaching that we continually hear… yet, I always think that there has to be more. When we are feeling stressed and anxious… if you close your eyes, and begin to pay attention to your...
