What are you waiting for??

Are you finding you are constantly getting ready? Always one more thing to do before it is finally done? More things to learn, to consider, to acquire, before we can act?

There is a time to take DO. Things need not be 100%, or even 80% - in fact it seldom is. Successful people make decisions quickly and change their minds slowly – and they never wait until circumstances are perfect. They act when they know it is more beneficial to act than to wait, at any given point.

And do not confuse patience with in-action; it is an active “wait”, not a passive one.  Procrastination on the other hand, is.

Having no choice is very painful. So act before you have no choice.

How do you know it is “time” to act? Here are a few simple keys:

·         Learn to trust your inner voice. I have often written about this, and, truth be told, yes it MAY sometimes it does lead us astray (when we confuse the inner voice with that little voice on our shoulder or with impulse!), but the more we listen the better we will become at recognising a true calling. Learn to recognise how it manifests (I get familiar physical sensations that I have come to recognise as my internal “radar of 80% readiness”).

·         Journal. We are human beings and often forget or fail to realise patterns. Journaling, apart from the tremendous healing power of writing down your thoughts and experiences, actually helps us to detect and recognise our life paths. It provides clarity.

·         Are you using “perfectionism” as an excuse? Come on, we are evolving creatures. What is “perfect” now may not be perfect later. Stop hiding behind that and rather make your actions more “perfect”.

·         Ask yourself the question: Does it serve to wait? For what purpose? For what purpose? For what purpose? Get honest and get clear.

·         Understand why you are not acting. This is probably the single most important thing, and sometimes we need the objective perspective of a coach to see this, and help us to break through it. The duty of our subconscious is to protect us, and it will keep us in a comfort zone to do this. Is it fear? Baggage that you can’t let go of? A dead-end that you can’t seem to get out of? Awareness of the limiting belief is the first step to eliminate it.

·         Know that it sometimes takes courage. In the famous words of Nelson Mandela, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act despite the fear.” And know that one action will lead to a next…and to a next…and to a next…That is the nature of growing, and learning. It is never our final action, until we die.

I’ll say it again. Having no choice is very painful. So act before you have no choice.

Until next time…there is something I need to do! J

Love and light,

Celeste

Growing and Resting

I often get very obvious but very profound (for me) insights when I spend time in nature. I love my solitary bush walks and have a few secret hideaways in my local nature reserve where I reflect, meditate or just enjoy the sounds and scenes around me. The last few weeks were quite challenging and I did not get to do this as often as I would like, so this morning it was very obvious to me how winter has set in. Everything looked different from what it looked a mere two weeks ago.

I used to say I am a summer person; that I “hate” the winter. I am a passionate person, full of energy and I move fast and purposeful. A spring person. “Springy” too yes! J And whilst it is certainly true that I MUCH prefer the warmer weather and also certainly true that I get cold pretty easily (I wear THREE pairs of socks in winter – and some would say Pretoria winters are quite mild!), this morning it struck me how beautiful it all looked. Yes beautiful – the colours not as vivid anymore, many trees already devoid of leaves, and grass and bush becoming grey and dry. It looked beautiful to me because I became aware of resting. The endless cycle of blossoming, growing, and resting. Not birth and death, but growing and resting.  

Nature is also beautiful when resting. There is a different energy, quieter, mysterious, eerie, enchanting. I’m not looking at a dry bush, a dead tree or a colourless landscape. I’m seeing this, but I’m sensing more. It is as if nature urges me to look beyond the obvious, forcing me to understand better, hear deeper sounds - and it is drawing me closer. I feel as if it has something unique to share with me, it makes me feel special.

I guess that’s why I feel so exceptionally happy in nature. It is in nature that I get the peace and acceptance that has become part of me. It is where I become aware, and reflect. Grow and rest, with space for more. Space for spring and summer.

The beauty of spring and summer brings energy and joy and hope. EXCITEMENT! So can we perhaps also see the “colour” in winter - mysterious, slower and shyer? Perhaps not so “exciting” and vivid, but with a deeper passion and a quieter spaciousness? And can we perhaps expand that awareness to other areas of our lives – things that appear less exciting (“mundane”), people that are less colourful, and places that are a bit darker? And also appreciate these for what they are?

Of course we can. It will make us feel special.

Love and light,

Celeste

Signs and symbols

Let's talk about signs and symbols. I love signs and symbols. So yesterday, during morning meditation a sign came to me, and, may I say, a very unusual sign. Not one to be encountered in suburbia. I'll be specific; I "saw" an image of a leopard. And I knew I would encounter that signal (the leopard) during the day if I stay aware of it. Of course I knew that I might not physically come across one unless I left the city (and I had no plans to do so yesterday), and although I had no idea how, I knew I that in some shape or form, the leopard would "come" to me.

So what happened? During the first - the very first - conversation I walked into yesterday morning, this guy was telling a story of a leopard he came across the week before. He was talking about the footprints. Okay, my cue to pay attention!

Now of course this is not about the leopard. Yes, the leopard represents something to me - it is a symbol for me, but that's over and above the point I want to bring across. It really is about a clue - during morning meditation I was given a clue to watch out for throughout the day. I say I was "given", but it came from within me, that place of knowing, of wisdom and eternal knowing, that which we often ignore. And yes I guess I was fortunate to arrive at it so quickly; like I said the first morning conversation I heard.

So what did the clue tell me? Well I don't know that. Yet. It may not be important for me to know now, it will be revealed later. But what I did do was pay very close attention to the conversation, exchange details and alerted myself to the knowing that these people had something to share or do or add value in my life. I became acutely aware and made mental notes. This was not just a time-filler conversation (well, maybe for them, but not for me!)

Now before you think this blog post a bit too airy-fairy, consider for a moment all the rituals, symbols and signs we come across during our daily lives. If it is external, we believe it, but when it comes from us, we often put it down as dreams, figments of imagination, wishful thinking, or even paranoia. Some sceptics even say "Well, you will see what you want to see." And I totally agree! You WILL see what you believe, NOT the other way around! It’s what you do WHEN you see it that matters.

My sign yesterday was to pay very close attention to when the "leopard" appeared and I did. That's all I have for now...

Love and light,

Celeste

Breaking hearts to break free

Sometimes we just KNOW we need to do something. When that inner voice becomes so loud we can’t ignore it. It keeps nagging at us and simply won’t go away. We start noticing signs in everything we do and everywhere we look.

You know what I’m talking about. Call it whatever you want – gut, intuition, knowing, The Calling - it’s the same thing.

And yet we so often ignore it. I have spoken about ignoring it out of fear or limiting beliefs within ourselves. But often we ignore it because of OTHERS. Sometimes we fear that heeding “The Call” might hurt others. We sacrifice, and that is rarely a good thing. It comes back to bite us. Later, when we are the ones feeling hurt or betrayed when, after making the “sacrifice”, life turns in a different direction.

I’m not saying sacrificing is not good or noble. Mother Theresa sacrificed. So did Nelson Mandela. But they followed their inner calling. It is when we sacrifice despite our inner calling that things go pear-shaped.

I believe everything we do must adhere to three basic requirements – is it good for us, is it good for others, and is it for the greater good. For me, the greater good means in the best interest (“right” or pure) of the environment, the world, the universe, and for all concerned.

I also believe that if it TRUELY is that deep inner knowing within us that calls (and not the ego or a “whim”), that it will be for the greater good of all concerned. Our natural state is love, so that Voice will be leading to the path of bliss, even if this may not always be evident immediately.

So sometimes we hear that calling but ignore it for fear of hurting others. But to hurt is a perceived feeling. It is when the outcome of an act or event is not as we’ve expected it to be, so we might feel let down, disappointed or betrayed. But that is only the meaning that we attach to the outcome. The act or the event might still be good or pure – and for the greater good. I don’t have to cite examples here. So we let it be for fear that others might attach a meaning to the outcome of our actions that we have betrayed them; for fear of breaking their hearts.

Sometimes we have to break hearts to allow ourselves and others to break free and follow our bliss. For the greater good. Hearts will mend and grow stronger. Meaning and perceptions will change. But the call might never go away.

Nobody said it will be easy. But it will be good.

Love and light,

Celeste

Ba careful what you wish for!

Be careful what you wish for. It might just come true!

So goes the old saying, and like most old sayings, has is a lot of truth behind it.

I live in the city but have a need to escape it fairly on a fairly regular basis. Which usually happens on impulse. I decide to go (these days admittedly it requires slightly more careful planning around commitments and constraints), see what options are available and suitable, and go. And I am always amazed at the comments from people about how "lucky" I am to "just do it". Yes, I agree, the fact that I do not have small children (in my case, none at all) makes it easier, but I have other constraints.  For example, I do not have a steady income, so if I do go, I have to weigh that up against loss of income (no paid leave for me!). And the kids can go along too, or stay with grandma or leave them behind with Dad (or Mom) if you want. Or go for a shorter period. Whatever! Come to think of it, the people who comment most about "lucky", are the ones who actually have no "excuse" (for lack of a better word). They are usually also the ones who are financially in a WAY better position than I am to go, if they so wish.

And "excuse" is probably the right word. I suspect - and I know not to make assumptions - but I do have this nagging suspicion that most (okay, many) people who voice their envy do not really want to go. Let's just stay with the example of a few days' break (as this may apply to many scenarios) - it involves work! You still have to pack a few items of clothing, travel, sleep in different surrounds, etc. etc. - at the very least. You can take everything and the kitchen sink or you can pack only a toothbrush and clean undies, but you still have to do something. And it may involve risk. The weather might be foul, you might miss your team's game, you might lose out on a good party "back home", traffic, the bedding may not be as nice as yours. It is much easier to have an excuse (work, money, kids, partner....).

My point is, we are rarely "lucky". It always is about choices and options. I have the utmost respect for someone who really longs to do something but simply are not able to, but rarely do you hear these people complain or voice their envy.

The freedom to "just do it" involves a lot of responsibility. If you do it, it is your choice. No-one or nothing to blame.

So next time you say you wish you could do something, think carefully about what's stopping you. And if nothing is, think carefully whether you really wish for it. Because it may just come true!

Love and light,

Celeste

Little voice

Which voice do I listen to?

(Part 1)

Our inner being has an amazing way of telling the truth. That knowing within us. We can put up a facade and ignore it, but that little voice will keep popping up. However, most of people don't recognize it or simply do not hear it. It is drowned by the sounds of the outer life which demands our attention. But hereon lies the paradox. For if we don't adhere to our true selves (the little voice I'm talking about), the outer world can not get our rightful attention. Our best. Moreover, the little voice is also drowned by the sound of that outer, evil, negative voice that sits on our shoulders and pretends to be us. That voice which leads us astray, tells us we are not good enough, it can't be done, and a host of other untruths.

So how do we tell the difference between these two voices and how do we know which voice to listen to?

I'll address it in stages...

Firstly, you need to be able HEAR the inner (good) voice - your Self.

Sometimes it takes years of undoing the things that drowned that little voice. So we need to learn to reconnect with ourselves and our inner beings. To be still, empty and spacious, and to really listen. We can do that through meditation, breathing practices, journalling, connecting with nature, retreats, teachers and gurus, and other practices. These are all excellent practices that support it, but we need to also understand what suits of us individually. Each of us is different, and whilst practices help and can make a huge difference, it is still up to the individual to apply what resonates with them and to adapt it to suit them. And to sustain it.

A Coach can do wonders to guide us with spiritual and inner transformation practices. People sometimes spend years searching...trying many different things, and although the search for Self, growth or transformation is a personal one, and the only way to it is through it, guidance is a gift some people are willing to give, so why not take it?! A Coach can help us explore what really drives us, help identify the clutter in our heads so we can be more authentic and better able to understand that little voice, and support us through implementing and sustaining good practices to make it "stick".

Take a moment to reflect on this and be honest with yourself. Can you hear that little voice? Do you recognize it? And do you listen to it and stay true to it? Or do you boast about "your gut always being right" without really understanding it?

Next up... Part Two.

Love and light,
Celeste

Which voice do I listen to?

(Part 1)

Our inner being has an amazing way of telling the truth. That knowing within us. We can put up a facade and ignore it, but that little voice will keep popping up. However, most of people don't recognize it or simply do not hear it. It is drowned by the sounds of the outer life which demands our attention. But hereon lies the paradox. For if we don't adhere to our true selves (the little voice I'm talking about), the outer world can not get our rightful attention. Our best. Moreover, the little voice is also drowned by the sound of that outer, evil, negative voice that sits on our shoulders and pretends to be us. That voice which leads us astray, tells us we are not good enough, it can't be done, and a host of other untruths.

So how do we tell the difference between these two voices and how do we know which voice to listen to?

I'll address it in stages...

Firstly, you need to be able HEAR the inner (good) voice - your Self.

Sometimes it takes years of undoing the things that drowned that little voice. So we need to learn to reconnect with ourselves and our inner beings. To be still, empty and spacious, and to really listen. We can do that through meditation, breathing practices, journalling, connecting with nature, retreats, teachers and gurus, and other practices. These are all excellent practices that support it, but we need to also understand what suits of us individually. Each of us is different, and whilst practices help and can make a huge difference, it is still up to the individual to apply what resonates with them and to adapt it to suit them. And to sustain it.

A Coach can do wonders to guide us with spiritual and inner transformation practices. People sometimes spend years searching...trying many different things, and although the search for Self, growth or transformation is a personal one, and the only way to it is through it, guidance is a gift some people are willing to give, so why not take it?! A Coach can help us explore what really drives us, help identify the clutter in our heads so we can be more authentic and better able to understand that little voice, and support us through implementing and sustaining good practices to make it "stick".

Take a moment to reflect on this and be honest with yourself. Can you hear that little voice? Do you recognize it? And do you listen to it and stay true to it? Or do you boast about "your gut always being right" without really understanding it?

Next up... Part Two.

Love and light,
Celeste