Posts Tagged ‘follow your heart’

The Escalator Effect

Friday, September 30th, 2011

There are times when the universe supports change in your life. You get a nudge that it’s time to leave or change a situation. You’ve been in it for a while; you’re comfortable there.

But deep down, you know it’s time. To move. To end your relationship, quit your job, move cities or give up a crutch.

You keep getting signs. Doors open that support your next step: you get offered a new job contract. You meet an attractive man. Someone tells you about the low price of real estate in the city you dream of moving to.

I call this “the escalator effect.” The universe is providing you with a boost to the next level of your growth. It’s a window of opportunity that stays open for a short time.

There is a price to getting on the elevator: you have to let go of something first. You can’t get on it and still be in the situation you’re in.

Years ago, I was involved with someone and had knew for months that it was over. I was trying to push aside that knowledge. In a workshop, I had a moment of crystal clarity that we had no future. It was time to end it officially.

All kinds of amazing things were taking off in my life at that time: I was suddenly meeting LOTS of intriguing men, I had incredible business ventures gearing up, I felt very optimistic about my future—I was on an upswing. The universe was providing me with an escalator.

Except that I didn’t get on it.

It was six months before I ended the relationship. By that time, the escalator was long gone. Instead, there was a cliff in front of me. I was stuck looking down at the crevasse. I could still leave, and I did. Now it was much harder to do.

The escalator is the gift we get from the universe when we ACT on our intuition and “the signs” as they appear. It supports our growth into the next stage of our lives. When we resist and hesitate, that help evaporates.

The message? Act fast when you know it’s time.

The universe supports bold, brave moves.

The video above is a twist on this idea: it’s still up to you to move.

And, fyi, I don’t do margarine. Butter, maybe, a la Last Tango in Paris. Not margarine. ;)

How to Find “The One”

Saturday, September 24th, 2011

A friend of mine recently left her husband of 40 years.

She’s an stunning, vivacious, radiant woman of 62. Let’s call her Sabrina.

I’ve watched Sabrina over the past couple of years as she’s put a lot of energy into her own self-care: she’s lost weight, taken up a health regimen, goes to the gym five times a week, attends burlesque classes and she’s had a committed spiritual practice for decades.

Her marriage had been flat for years and one day it became clear to her that it was time to leave. So she did.

When she called to tell me the news, the first thing I did was let her know her how very brave and bold she was to make that choice. Few people do.

Her other friends (single friends) told her how difficult it was to find love at their age. How all the good ones are “taken.”

So sixty-two-year-old Sabrina hauls her motorcycle out of the garage, where it has been collecting dust for years, and takes it for a ride on the highway. She’s blazing down the open road and she asks her inner guide (spirit, God, whatever you want to call it) “How is anyone ever going to find me? Everyone knows me as a married woman. Will I ever find someone else?”

Later in the week, Sabrina is at her farmhouse—she lives on a sprawling piece of property almost in the middle of nowhere—there is a knock on her front door. She answers it and a man stands on her porch. He says that his employer, Robert Redford, had recently been in the area, noticed her property and was interested in shooting there.

She took a moment. “You mean *the* Robert Redford?”

“Yes,” he smiled. “We’re doing a film here and he loved what he saw of your land. Would you mind if I came back to take some pictures?”

She said that would be all right.

**

Later in the week, Sabrina goes to the gym and into the sauna. There are a few men in there, besides her. Within ten minutes, the sauna is filled up. With twelve other men. Twelve men and Sabrina. What’s a girl to do?

**

As Sabrina pulls up to the supermarket on her motorbike, a very attractive man is leaving. He stops her and they chat about motorcycles. He asks her to go “riding” one day.

**

If Robert Redford (or a reasonable facsimile) can find Sabrina’s acreage, “the one” will also find her, and will find you.

Finding “the one” is not about actively searching—going to clubs, using dating services, asking to be set up on blind dates by friends. I don’t discourage those things, but I don’t encourage them either.

Finding “the one” is about cultivating self-love. Raising your vibration of openness, radiance and feeling joy in the life you have, with or without someone else in it.

Then you meet people at the supermarket, in an elevator, at your gym and walking down the street. The only thing you need to do is get yourself out into the flow of life, to immerse yourself in the things you love doing and you will attract the person who is a perfect match for you. It will be easy for you to find each other.

Image: Nan Goldin

Things that Open, Things that Penetrate

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

I gave a talk in Vancouver this past fall called “The Things that Open Me; The Things that Penetrate Me.”

It was for the incredible, held-in-many cities cultural happening Pecha Kucha. The format is totally unique in that each speaker has only six minutes: 20 seconds to describe 20 slides that encapsulate their creative inspiration.

Due to a snowstorm on that evening (all of Vancouver shuts down when it snows), it wasn’t recorded on the night. So I just recorded it myself, for posterity. And because I had requests to hear more about how to be properly opened and penetrated.

You’ll miss the gasps of shock and laughter from the night, but I’m sure you can insert your own.

It’s safe for YouTube. Safe-ish. So it’s safe-ish for work. Are cock chandeliers safe for work? One never knows.