Reverb10, Day 28: Achieving economic prosperity

Prompt: Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

The author of this prompt is Tara Sophia Mohr:
The Women's Seder Sourcebook: Rituals & Readings for Use at the Passover Seder
@tarasophia

"The best of men are they that earn a livelihood by their calling and spend upon themselves and upon their kindred for the love of God." Bahá'u'lláh

"...cooperation, mutual aid and reciprocity are essential characteristics in the unified body of the world of being, inasmuch as all created things are closely related together and each is influenced by the other or deriveth benefit therefrom, either directly or indirectly." 'Abdu'l-Bahá

"Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements."  Bahá'u'lláh 

"...the implications of the law of Huqúqu'lláh for the realization of a number of the principles of the Faith, such as the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and a more equitable distribution of resources, will increasingly become manifest as the friends assume in ever greater measure the responsibility for observing it...this mighty law, a source of inestimable blessings for all humanity." The Universal House of Justice, Ridvan 2006, Huqúqu'lláh Compilation 2007, 104. 


Two words: Economic prosperity. No more scraping by. It was fine to have to fall back on my savings when I was in my twenties. It is no fun now that I am in my thirties. I have lots to offer the world, and I am prepared to work hard, but from now on I expect to be compensated accordingly. There are things that I would like to do with my life, such as raising children, paying off student loans, contributing to the Baha'i fund, buying a piece of land, and building a home. I do not want to live excessively, but I do want to know that I can provide for myself, and, someday, for my family. I feel strongly about being capable of being financially independent. I need to know that I can stand on my own two feet. As a Baha'i, I have a spiritual and moral responsibility as a member of the human race to be contributing to leveling out the current economic inequalities that exist between the wealthiest and the poorest members of our global community. I am not alright with the differences between my quality of life and the quality of life that I saw many people living in Cairo when I was there in 2006. And I know that the citizens of many countries, like Haiti, fair far worse. Achieving personal economic prosperity means I will have the freedom to contribute more generously to the many global efforts that are working to level out these inequalities. Economic prosperity has both material and spiritual implications. 

I imagine that being economically prosperous would mean that I would feel more peace of mind, because I would have the means at my disposal to be an agent of change at a level that I currently do not possess. Of course I always have my time and my skills, and I give of these whenever I can. But sometimes making things happen in life means having the material resources to do so. I also imagine that being economically more prosperous would mean feeling freer to travel, to pursue business ideas, to give to charities, and to attend family gatherings and important life events such as a close friend's wedding every now and then. Other states of being that I associate with economic prosperity are feeling less stressed, and more independent; possessing a greater degree of self-confidence, and having the ability to pursue a wider range of creative and educational projects that will benefit my community. 

So I am obviously not there yet. I have goals, and I am working towards them, but I have a ways to go before I will be able to be making large contributions to charities in Haiti. I will keep working towards my long term goals in the new year, but in the meantime, there are small things that I can do now to help me progress towards my goals. 

I have come up with a list of 10 things I can DO or THINK RIGHT NOW that will empower me, give me peace of mind, help release stress, and make me feel more independent and self-confident (most of the feelings I associate with financial prosperity). Hopefully some of these will inspire you on your path towards your own goal!  

1. Pray. Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i faith, says that our prayers have a profound effect on our lives, even if we cannot at first see the effect: 
"Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee,
as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him,
that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul,
and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber,
the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty
shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth,
and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb.
Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue
of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise
its influence upon his soul." -Baha'u'llah

2. Compile a list of positive affirmations and quotes. By repeating certain ideas or thoughts on a regular basis, they become an integral part of how I think. Two of my favourites, which I repeat to myself regularly, are:
"I give you a commandment which shall be for a covenant between you and me — that ye have faith; that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end;...As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the balance---this is the balance---this is the balance." -Abdu'l-Baha

and:

"The greatest divine bounty is a confident heart. When the heart is confident, all the trials of the world will be as child's play. Should they throw him into a prison, should they cast him into a black well, should they heap him all manner of afflictions, still his heart is content, peaceful, and assured." -Abdu'l-Baha

3. Do yoga. I was never into yoga. I have always thought that the only sports worth my attention were the vigorous ones that required considerable huffing and puffing, like running and gymnastics. But I am finding that yoga not only keeps my body strong (and sometimes very sore!!), it also does truly amazing things to my mind and heart. It helps me to keep my attention focused on my goals, which brings me closer and closer to achieving them. 

4. Pick the brains of people who are economically prosperous. I have been learning the immense value of role models lately. Surrounding myself with people who are where I want to be is a tremendous encouragement and learning experience. I may not have my dream job yet, but there are plenty of people living all around me who do. I just need to find them and flash my angelic smile ;-)

5. Give myself a break. I can be incredibly hard on myself. Every now and then, stopping and actually saying out loud "thank you for sharing that opinion/criticism/comment -- but personally I think I am a rock star," is always helpful. Anything that lightens the heart and makes me smile at myself is a positive step towards achieving my goals. I was just at an an exhibit of post-impressionists in San Francisco the other day, and was reflecting on the fact that Van Gogh only sold ONE painting during his lifetime, and he sold it to his own brother. I mean, really. How many famous people have stories like this? tonnes, that's how many.

6. Re-read Marianne Williamson's quote, made famous by Nelson Mandela. I won't quote it all here, but you will know what I am talking about by the this short piece: "We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, out presence automatically liberates others." If that does not make you feel hopeful, I do not know what will. Sheer genius, I tell you! 

7. Celebrate the small steps. Whenever I first start trying to work towards something, my goal feels really far off. Celebrating the small accomplishments along the way breaks up the distance between where I am standing right now and where I want to be standing. It also encourages me along the way! 

8. Talk to a friend. Friends are the best thing to ever walk the surface of the earth, in my opinion. Whenever I am feeling like none of my plans are going to work out, and as though I would be better off to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head, I put in a call to a friend who points out all of my assets, and how much progress I have made, and how valuable my contribution to the world is, and the world suddenly gets much brighter. Works like a charm every time. 

9. Serve. Offering service is like a magic salve to any of life's problems. Serving others always makes me feel ten times better about my own life and capabilities. I feel peace of mind and heart, less stressed, and far more optimistic about what I have to contribute to the world. 

10. Have a little faith. Having faith when I am feeling shaky sometimes feels almost impossible, but when I push myself a little, and assure myself that if I have a little more faith, things will work out, I usually find that things start looking up. 
 
So there you have it! I will end this blog with a poem that lifts my spirits every time I read it. It is by Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum:



THIS IS FAITH
To walk where there is no path
To breathe where there is no air
To see where there is not light-
This is Faith.

To cry out in the silence,
The silence of the night,
And hearing no echo believe
And believe again and again-
This is Faith.

To hold pebbles and see jewels
To raise sticks and see forests
To smile with weeping eyes-
This is Faith.

To say: "God, I believe" when others deny,
"I hear" when there is no answer,
"I see" though naught is seen-
This is Faith.

And the fierce love in the heart,
The savage love that cries
Hidden Thou art yet there !
Veil Thy face and mute Thy tongue
yet I see and hear Thee, Love,
Beat me down to the bare earth,
Yet I rise and love Thee, Love !"
This is Faith.

Reberb10, Day 21: Taking advantage of the lunar eclipse

Prompt: Future self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)

The author of this prompt is Jenny Blake:
Life After College: The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want
@jenny_blake

Today is the shortest day of the year. Light is not the only thing I am experiencing a lack of today. I spent half an hour this morning arguing with a student loan company representative. There are few things that get me as riled up as someone telling me that I owe them money when I know that I requested, and was granted, a forbearance on repaying my student loans until I find full time work again. There is not a day that goes by since graduating that I do not kick myself for ever applying for student loans in the United States. Whereas in many countries these loans are managed by the government, in the US they are farmed off to private companies whose goal is to make as much of a profit as they can off of the ignorance of the student population. It makes me want to roar! :-)

There has been a theme weaving through my life over the last few weeks: Learning to see things that are potentially present, but not always visible yet. Last night I took a blanket out in the back yard and curled up in a damp lawn chair to watch the lunar eclipse. When I first went out the sky was clear and the air crisp. I saw constellations that I have not seen so clearly since leaving Canada. The earth's shadow rotated a ghostlike, rusty mask over the moon's surface, reducing the full-faced moon to a sharp sickle of light, and then just a pale suggestion of its luminous self. The image reminded me of a poem written by David Moody, a poet I met recently, in which he describes the phases of the moon as resembling the view from beneath a manhole looking up as the cover slides closed, and is opened again. Rippling silver clouds slid rapidly across the sky last night just as the eclipse became full, and so I sat patiently, waiting for breaks in the clouds so that I could catch brief glimpses of the darkened face before it disappeared behind another blanket of cloud, listening to the wind blow through the oaks around me. It has been a long time since I have been outside at night listening to the wind. Being outside at night on a windy night is a powerful experience. In Canada is was almost unavoidable, but being out last night made me realize how easy it is to almost never hear the wind here if I am not seeking it out. Sitting outside alone last night also brought me face to face with fears that I did not experience often in Canada. A few weeks ago a helicopter flew over our neighbourhood late at night announcing over a loud speaker that a fugitive was loose in the area. I grew up on an island, where you would have to be a real idiot to commit a crime, because where are you going to go after you commit it? In other words, my tolerance threshold for violence and crime is non-existent. I had already been feeling apprehensive about being outside here at night, but since that episode, I have noticed that I have been choosing to stay inside a lot more at night. Sitting out there last night alone, I felt a part of me that had grown stronger on Prince Edward Island, wake back up.

 As I watched the moon last night, my first thought was: that is us. That is earth. Proof that we exist. I wondered what people thought lunar eclipses were back when people believed that the earth was flat. Then I thought about how we are constantly in motion, and how easy it is to forget this because most of us are not conscious of the physical experience of motion as we move through our day and night. I also thought about a quote from the Baha'i writings that I have taped to the mirror on my dresser. It is extracted from a talk given by Abdu'l-Baha in London. He says that "the meditative faculty is akin to the mirror; if you put it before earthly objects, it will reflect them. Therefore if the spirit of man is contemplating earthly subjects he will be informed of these. But if you turn the mirror of your spirits heavenwards...the rays of the sun of Reality will be reflected in your hearts, and the virtues of the Kingdom will be obtained." Looking at the darkened moon last night made me think about the qualities that I reflect when I turn away from the source of my own light. It also made me think that being in shadow or turning away from a source of light does not mean the light is not there. It just means that a change of position is required if the object or person in shadow is to receive its rays. To watch a beautiful video of the lunar eclipse, click here. 

This idea that the potential for something may be present long before this potential is realized keeps coming up. I read two stories in the last few weeks about this. One of these I mention in my blog entry Standing on the shoulders of giants. In it, Ken Robinson tells the story of the year that Death Valley received seven inches of rain instead of its average two inches. The result was that Death Valley came alive, becoming a sea of wildflowers. As Ken says, the rains proved that "Death Valley wasn't dead at all. It was asleep. It was simply waiting for the conditions of growth. When the conditions came, life returned..." to Death Valley. The other story that reflects this idea is a story that Rachel Naomi Remen tells in her book My Grandfather's Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging. The story is about an acorn. Rachel explains that we are all more than we seem. She uses an acorn as an example. She says that what we can see and touch about an acorn does not hint at the secret of its potential. She explains that the secret "is not directly measurable, but given the proper conditions over time it may become visible." She goes on to say that "an acorn makes no sense unless we know that woven into the way it is made, there is something waiting to unfold that knows how to become an oak tree. An acorn is defined by this capacity. Something can be the size, shape, weight, texture and colour of an acorn, but without this hidden power to become an oak tree, it is not an acorn." (p.82). Both of these stories illustrate the idea that the potential to fully express our nature is present within all things, but sometimes it is not obvious what this is, or how it will become visible.

 
This morning my yoga class was all about recognizing and tapping into that inner strength that is there, even when it may not be immediately obvious to us. It was a very physically demanding class, and I finished it with shaky, tired limbs, but pushing on through and trusting that I did have hidden reserves, in places that I was not conscious of, radiated a certain powerful certainty that extended beyond the end of my practice and out into the rest of my morning (which, in retrospect, is probably why I visualized a lioness and almost roared at the unsuspecting student loan officer that I spoke to on the phone!)

So if I envision myself five years from now, and try to imagine what advice this woman would give me for the year ahead, I think it would look something like this:

Dear Ariana,

Sometimes in life we can see our strengths and capacities, but how we are supposed to use them to serve is not as clear. You have the capacity to contribute great things to the world as a writer, a farmer, a researcher, a daughter, a lover and a mother. As long as you consciously choose to turn towards the source of your light every day, you should not doubt that you will make a valuable contribution to your family, your community, and the world. You may not be able to see how you will pay off your student loans right now, but the answer is already inside of you. Remember to have a confident heart, to be steadfast in your beliefs, and to be faithful to yourself. Keep dreaming. Keep believing. Be courageous. Take risks. Be curious. And when you are feeling shaky, pray, ask for guidance, and then trust that you will be able to receive the answer when it arrives. Be patient. Know that the universe is abundant. Oh, and don't forget to play and laugh and be silly. A light heart is a joyful heart. Remember: Anything is possible!

Love,

Your wiser, more compassionate self!

Interestingly, when I contemplate writing a similar note to myself ten years ago, I would say all the same things. The only difference is that I would use stronger language and be more specific, in the hope that my younger self might actually listen to some of this advice!

Someone asked me once what my eight year old self would think of who I am now, if she were to have lunch with me today. Personally, I think she would be mightily pleased that I still have the dream of owning a giant trampoline some day!! And I know that she would have been hunkered down out there under the oaks with with me last night, watching the moon wade her way back out into the sunlight. What would your younger self have to say? If you would like to share what she tells you, I would love to hear her thoughts!

Sparks of inspiration at 2am

It is almost 2am, and I am sitting here wide awake, thinking about all the exciting ideas, initiatives and people I have come across in the past week. Ok, so it is possible that the multiple cups of black tea that I spent my evening sipping, while discussing business ideas with two close friends, contributed to my middle-of-the-night inspiration, but I would rather stick with the "I'm so inspired I can't sleep" story! I usually lie awake just thinking, but I have come to realize that if I am awake, and full of creative energy, the best thing to do is to put fingers to keyboard and share some of the cool things that are spinning around in my head!

Photo from: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject, December 2010

 This past week, a good friend of mine who I mentioned in a previous blog, Louise Mould, shared a very cool project that she is taking part in with me. The project is called The Sketchbook Project. 28,833 artists from 94 countries have been sent moleskin sketchbooks to fill with artwork, and send back in. The sketchbooks will begin a tour of museums and art galleries all the way across the United States, starting at the Brooklyn Art Library, on February 19th, 2011. So far the tour list includes Portland, Maine; Washington, DC; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Winter Park, Florida; Austin, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Seattle, Washington. Sound like a great way to spend an afternoon/evening? You can check out the dates that these little gems will be on exhibit in each city here. And for a video with more details about the project, click here.

Image of notebook belonging to Kate Castelli. From: http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject, December 2010

I have come across a number of other inspiring connections this week. One is Gwen Bell, who is an inspiring entrepreneur, yoga practitioner, blogger, social media strategist, and so much more. Gwen was named one of the most influential women in technology in 2010, by Fast Company, as well as one of Forbes 14 power women. If all of that were not cool enough, in addition to working as a consultant, helping people "find the humanity in technology," she owns a yoga studio in Japan. You can learn more about her on her website. You can also watch an awesome video that I think captures the heart of why she does what she does with her life here.

Today, while migrating through an ever-branching and growing network of blogs that I am ever-so-slowly exploring, I came across a blog entry that I loved, by Seth Pollins. It is a letter from his uncle, Dean Young, who is also a writer and poet. The letter, about the journey of discovery that being a writer is, is open-hearted, honest, and thought-provoking. One line that I especially love, is "there's a lot of luck involved in being struck by lightening, so you want to make sure you're holding a pen when it happens." You can read Dean's inspiring letter in full here. Apparently Dean is currently having serious heart problems, and needs a new heart. Seth posts a link to an open letter asking for contributions so that Dean can get the new heart that he needs to be able to continue pursuing his life-long passion of writing and inspiring the rest of us on our journeys as writers. If you feel so inclined, you can make a contribution to his new heart here. If you are interested in learning more about Dean's writing, or learning about other ways you can contribute, please read Anna Clark's blog recent entry. 

So much inspiration swirling around in the universe. Here's to a weekend full and overflowing with it!