Over the past couple of weeks, I feel like the posts on blisschick have had an exorbitant number of questions that have remained unanswered.
The world of blogging and the internet moves very quickly, and as fast as we are "into" one topic, we are onto the next.
We put ideas out there, and though we all sense they are ideas worth spending some time with...we don't.
So, for enCouragingBliss this week, here are some of the questions I've asked recently.
Pick one or two or however many you want.
Spend some time writing about it or them.
Let us know what you come up with. Remember, you can just comment or you can leave a link to your own post in the comments, but please participate.
We are a community of people striving to be brave and choose bliss; all of our energy together is certainly stronger than hording it to ourselves.
From an enCouragingBliss at the end of May:
As James Barrie said:
Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough, you can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.
So that's the question for enCouragingBliss:
What do you want? What do you really need? What would make your soul burst into the flower, into the universe that it was born to be?
And what are you willing to sacrifice to get there?
From when I introduced the idea of reading Stephen Cope together:
What are you setting out to discover?
Of course, expectations will be blown wide apart and ideas will be drowned in the brilliant light of experienced truth, but to set out, I think we need to have an inkling of why and what for.
Perhaps spend some time journaling about this: Why do I seek? For what do I seek?
From a meditation on self:
If no one had ever told you who you were, who would you be?
Go for it. Strip it all away. Choose your own novel; be your own protagonist.
Be brave. Choose bliss.
And from earlier in May:
Looking back over your week (or month!), when and how did you find yourself not respecting your boundaries, not living from your integrity, not following your bliss?
Do you notice any patterns? For example, do you tend to get too involved, like me, with other people's problems in lieu of working on your own?
Do you find yourself "pushing through" some giant list of "shoulds" rather than doing what your heart is aching for you to do? What is your excuse?
How, then, can you eliminate these things, people, events, that are eating away at instead of feeding your bliss?
If this is overwhelming, perhaps you could pick one reoccurring issue and focus on that.
Like I said, lots of big questions that could easily get lost in the constant stream of information in which most of us currently swim.
Take some time. Sit on the stream's edge under a big shade tree. Sip something yummy. Listen to the birds and the wind and see what they have to teach you.
Then...come back from your journey and share with others what you have learned.
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11 comments:
I've posted a little more of Stephen Cope's book, which holds a few of your questions....and answers?
I want to answer this question a little more:
If no one had ever told you who you were, who would you be?
One of my answers to this is: Tia Dalma. From the Pirates of the Carribean films. Ha! But it's true! When I saw her, I felt a strong connection and yearning!
Some of what has been stunted in me by other people's stories is: wildness, power, confidence, and mystery.
I have those voices in my head saying: You look stupid doing that! That's out of character and everyone knows that! No one takes you seriously!
This is something that I am shaking free as time passes. To lose it I also have to be willing to suffer. That means sometimes I will do something despite feeling embarrassed or misunderstood. Not waiting until I don't feel those ways - doing it anyway.
I forgot to say that I LOVE this flower. It's insane!!!
Emma -- It's crazy ass peony, isn't it!? :)
And I would love to hear about concrete examples of things you take risks on. I, too, feel a bit of wild girl in me who has been stifled and would love any guidance! :)
One thing that I wanted to do forever, but was too embarrassed to try was a drum circle. I really, really wanted to try it, but the idea of how ridiculous and clearly phony I would look stopped me for a long time.
Finally, I went to one and guess what - no one seemed to notice I was a phony! ;) Of course, the secret is we are not phonies at all. We think other people BELONG and we do not. We're wrong.
So, I went to the drum circle and everything was magically fine. The End.
Just kidding. ;) I went and was SO anxious. I was physically shaking! But I also loved it.
The next time I went, it was slightly more comfortable and I allowed myself to get a little more engaged. Etc. It's definitely a process!
Now, I don't know what your feelings on drum circles are, but this is one of my personal examples. Drumming feels to me like something someone confident and boldly expressive does. It also feels vulnerable, because I expect people to say: "You're not doing that right. Hey, whose drumming sucks here? Oh, IT'S EMMA. You look stupid doing that since you clearly are not THE TYPE."
:)
What is the trick to this stuff? I think there might not be one. You just have to do it. Maybe the trick is learning and trusting that you (the core, essential you) will be OK no matter what - even if people laugh, even if you're alienated, even if you mess up. Well...I think that's the key to so much.
What does wild mean to you?
Emma, I completely agree. It all comes down to just doing it.
I also feel like my wildness was stifled. I remember a friend's mom saying that about me as a teenager: 'she's a bit wild and boy crazy.' Truth? I could barely say hi to my crush without hyperventilating!
I am still uncovering my definition of wild. I do know that wild = pleasure ... I remember writing once that I wanted to experience pleasure like my BF's cat does: eyes closed, head back, full-body purring. One small way I try and weave wild into my life is choosing not to wear a bra sometimes. It feels so scandalous and yet freeing. Most of the time, I'd bet I'm the only one that even would know it. And what's the big deal? It's like not wearing makeup - - it's the real me. And I am falling in love with the real me.
This was a very timely post, thanks much. I too have been feeling like I'm awakening to so much, that some juicy thing might be slipping by without sinking in. It's nice to just reflect, wonder, and then grow. I answered my question in my journal, but didn't paste it in because it's an epic piece haha ... but thanks for tempting my mind to stretch today.
Enjoy your weekend everyone, and Namaste'
- Jessica
Good questions.
http://lorilynh.typepad.com/between_dreams/2009/06/making-time-and-staying-focused.html
I have an answer for one question at least...if you don't mind reading down through to nearly the bottom. :-) Someone else's question sparked it....
If no one had ever told you who you were, who would you be?
http://knittingjourneymanredux.blogspot.com/2009/06/hybrid-j-has-great-questions_11.html
i love your grab bag of questions as i was pondering your post, i came up with my own question which considers the topic of transitions. i think it falls right in there with 'what keeps us from seeking our bliss; being who we were meant to be; violating boundaries...etc. etc. here's the link to my post on "rites of passage."
http://diamondsintheskywithlucy.blogspot.com/2009/06/rites-of-passage.html
as always, thanks for your blissfully wonderful inspiration and for the AMAZING photo and (in another post) your 'six things'. love it!!
Christine - want to know who I'd be if no one ever told me? Check out today's (Saturdays) post.
Leave it to Bliss Chick to ask the hard questions.
Emma: I know EXACTLY what you're talking about the drum circles. It was the same for me. I'm still getting comfortable with them.
And to Anonymous who wrote: " I remember a friend's mom saying that about me as a teenager: 'she's a bit wild and boy crazy.' Truth? I could barely say hi to my crush without hyperventilating!"
I had the same experience. For the life of me I have no idea what my parents were so worried about. I did very few "wild" things growing up. My parents were worried about college too--I'm not sure if they thought was going be a slut when I got there or what, but the truth is I was a late bloomer.
For the questions:
"What do you want? What do you really need? What would make your soul burst into the flower, into the universe that it was born to be?"
After reading that question, the first thing to pop into my mind was the movie “Sirens” with Hugh Grant. Read into that what you will! But seriously, I don’t know yet, or at least I can’t put it into words.
"If no one had ever told you who you were, who would you be?"
I wouldn’t be as much of an introvert. I don’t come from a social, outgoing family and, as they say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I would be a free-spirited dancer. I’d be more wild. I wouldn’t worry about what other people think. I wouldn’t think twice about going skinny-dipping. I’d worry less about being perfect, polished, and having everything in order. I probably would have travelled and put off university. I wouldn’t worry about always doing the right thing or being nice.
"How, then, can you eliminate these things, people, events, that are eating away at instead of feeding your bliss?"
In regards to the over-exercising and food, I just stopped reading fitness magazines and educated myself on intuitive eating, learning positive body image, and media awareness. Now, it’s not perfect. I read fitness magazines once in a while. I still like fashion magazines now and then too. The girly part of me loves clothes and makeup, so I haven’t escaped vanity altogether, but it’s at a much better place.
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