“Don’t wait for someone to bring you flowers. Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul.” (purelovequotes.com)
I remember going to this play in college. It was put on by a group of students – a collection of short skits aimed at promoting positive self esteem and addressing issues that college students might be facing. One of the skits involved this man poetically reciting this quote above. It really struck me at the time. It landed pretty powerfully in my heart and has stayed with me ever since.
I think the last couple decades of my life (yikes … decades?! Have I really been on this planet that long?!), have really been geared toward personal growth, inner healing and planting my own garden so to speak. I think for the most part, I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I’ve been around the self-help block a few times and have built up quite a nice community of people in my life – all of which/whom can point me in a good direction when I’m feeling lost.
Last spring I picked up a creative workbook at the library entitled, Walking in this World. It is by an author named Julia Cameron who is quite well known for another creative workbook called The Artists Way. In Los Angeles I could name this book to any passerby and chances are, they’d know exactly what I’m talking about (Here in Cleveland, it’s a little less known). Essentially, the idea is to nurture your Inner Creative with daily journaling, weekly “artist’s dates” (taking yourself out solo on an adventure), and weekly reflection or artistic activities laid out in the book. My experience of it has always been quite powerful.
Anyway, over the summer while doing this workbook, I took myself on an Artist’s Date to a place called Viva Dance Studio in Cleveland. I’ve taken countless salsa dancing classes over the years off and on. After seeing a Facebook advertisement for an event they were having, I decided to be brave and just go. Well that one class led to me signing up for a few more classes which eventually led to me trying out for a dance team (a completely different style of dance called Bachata which I had never danced prior but loved once trying it) and NOW … I’m on this freaking performance team. It has cracked open my world unlike anything with wonderful new people, learning something fun, passionate and new and putting me waaaay out of my comfort zone.
My point with all of this IS … I’ve gotten some experience over the years with that garden planting and nurturing my own soul. I am incredibly grateful for this. My life will always be in blossom-mode with this ability I’ve cultivated.
When I arrived in India last month, my first night was spent at a hotel before traveling to the campus for the Enlightenment Festival. I met with my friend Jess that evening for dinner on the rooftop restaurant. The sky was twinkling (or maybe it was our jetlag). Some kids were swimming in the pool. Although it was humid outside, the air had a little chill. There was even an Indian woman singing popular American songs as the restaurants’ evening entertainment (accompanied by what seemed like a karaoke machine). It was kind of an odd but endearing combination.
Jess and I sat at our table, angel cards laid out before us, having a heart to heart about what we were intending to have shift in our lives by participating in this festival. For me, there were two things that felt very clear and poignant as to why I was led to India:
1. Really… and I mean really … truly owning my individual gifts and talents and utilizing them in this world like never before.
2. Opening up to Love and Partnership like never before. To finally begin this next chapter of my life with my soulmate … whomever that’s meant to be (which by the way, I don’t mean in that cheesy Hollywood you-complete-me kind of way. The “romance” and “best friendship” and “awesomeness” component is surely part of it … but it’s also someone I feel I’m meant to share a life purpose with – something we’re contributing to the goodness of this planet together – be it energetically or something we actually create together. More for another article)!
Back to the Enlightenment Festival and my intentions … In some fantasy, I suppose I thought these set intentions would become super clear either while I was in India or after I arrived home. Granted, it has only been a few weeks since my return. In some ways I feel like I’ve undergone a major surgery. Although an incredibly beautiful experience, It was also quite intense being at the Ekam Temple going through all those healing and enlightenment processes. It takes time for things to settle. In general, I do get antsy from time to time – especially related to career and coming into my own. I’m reminded of the metaphor of seeds having been planted. They just need continued nurturing. And Like everyone else in this world, I am In Bloom. More will be revealed.
So … I’m not sure how coherent this article has been. But regardless, I’m sticking with my New Year’s intention to write more – just because. And like my beloved Michael Scott says in the hit sitcom The Office, “Sometimes I just start a sentence and I don’t know where it’s going … I just hope I find it along the way”…
I hope I found it along the way 😉
Metamorphosis 