Pearls of Wisdom

I invite you to regularly visit my blog page to access my newest
musings on how to lead a creative, authentic life.

What was your dream before you stopped dreaming? - Joanna Macy in Heron Dance

If this question resonates with you in the slightest way then I believe there's hope. Part of your dream is still alive and speaking to you. For some people - the ones who truly feel stuck by circumstances that leave few to no choices - unfulfilled dreams eat away at their core selves. I saw how unreached dreams sometimes saddened my father as he dutifully went to work for decades to support his family of seven. My dear, deceased father, R. David Ready or "Lefty" as he was often called, had relinquished his dream long before any of us were born. But he often shared his passion for baseball and pitching, in particular. He shared his belief that he would have made a great coach and teacher at a small school. I know he's speaking through me as I tell you, "Don't stop dreaming. Start aiming!" I will guide you on your journey towards your dream.

I think most of the spiritual life is really a matter of relaxing -- letting go, ceasing to cling, ceasing to insist on our own way, ceasing to tense ourselves up for this or against that. - Beatrice Bruteau in "Radical Optimism."

The wiser I get about really taking time off to replenish myself, the more I am able to visit this place of "letting go." During a recent vacation, I had to learn not to insist on my own path as I hiked across a densely shrub-filled mountainside because my elderly mutt, Joey Franklin, had recently gone blind as a result of Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS). Slowing down with him was good for me in a way that I could never have imagined before his blindness. When I strived to honor Joey's needs over my own agenda, I gained a more spiritual appreciation of how he and I (as well as all things) were connected in this world. In your work with me, I will encourage you to move forward by letting go of what you are clinging to too tightly.

I have been inspired to respond to two poems from Yoga Poems: Lines to Unfold By written by Leza Lowitz.

Bow
For woman, bow is both noun and verb. How to bend without breaking? How to tie a ribbon around a life without constriction? How to stretch and not snap? How to love? How to live?

How to love? How to live? These questions speak to me in simple and profound ways. I think remembering to love and to live are the answers. Be involved. Risk connecting and engaging. We are all in this world, this lifetime together. Perhaps it is time for you to imagine a dance where we all carry ribbons and we all bend and bow to the music together.

Wheel
Rolling on the earth forever turning churning changing. A life, the seasons, this world. A word about reinvention: if only man could learn to stop where he is.

Stop where you are. Take stock. Be honest with yourself about what you see and have in front of you. Look at yourself too. Don't run after the next best thing out there hoping to find lasting happiness. Focus on what's right in front of you and let your wheel rest until you're ready for it to take you where you need to go.

"Sometimes, Mama, buttercups are wrong." - GDC

My six-year old daughter pronounced this truth one day as we sat in the kitchen waiting for her cinnamon toast to pop up from the toaster. I immediately appreciated the effectiveness of her communicating with both such an independent spirit and a light touch. I admire the way she challenged someone else's handed-down truth about her supposedly liking butter when she knows full well that she prefers her toast butterless! I will support you as you exercise your true voice with gentle conviction.

"People are itchy and lost and bored and quick to jump at any fix...They have been deprived of the sense that there is something else in life, some purpose that has come with them into the world." - James Hillman

There is little I cherish more than helping you discover your unique purpose. I will ask you to evaluate why you are itchy, lost, bored or eager to find a fix. As you begin this soul-searching work, I will be patient, yet directive when necessary. I will ask you to look below the surface to find an internal compass for your life's direction. As you begin to cherish your journey and understand your purpose, I will help you erect signposts to mark the way you've come. I will encourage you wholeheartedly when you experience the undeniable feeling of what you really love.

"But Farmer Hoggett knew that little ideas that tickled and nagged and refused to go away should never be ignored for within them lie the seeds of destiny." - from the movie Babe based on the novel of the same title written by Dick King-Smith

Farmer Hoggett follows his inner voice of wisdom despite the absence of any external votes of confidence. He repeatedly senses that there is something special about the little pig, Babe, and that Babe's purpose is inherently linked with his own. Farmer Hoggett eventually learns to trust Babe's ability to communicate with the sheep in his entirely un-sheepdog-like ways. I believe that our greatest potential arises when we are coping with new challenges. At last, new growth occurs because we are "awake." Allow me to help you nurture your seeds of destiny.

"If you have butterflies in your stomach ask them into your heart." - Cooper Edens

When we feel nervous we're usually focused on and afraid of a possible negative outcome. We lose a chance to bring our own positive energy into the flow of our life. The next time you feel uneasy, take a deep breath, put your hand over your heart and imagine an outcome that you'd feel happy about. Practice positive thinking;it has the power to make the world a better place.

"A finished person is a boring person ." - Anna Quindlen

"The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind." - Maya Angelou

Don't be afraid of this powerful image. Some of us reach this point because nothing positive has been happening in our lives, or the wrong kinds of things have been going on for too, too long. I cherish each of you and your individual approaches to how you want to change. Some of you may need to make a single change like where you live or who your partner is; others may need to change long-standing behaviors like poor eating habits or difficulty setting limits. I work with those of you who know in your heart that you wish you could “bulldoze” a road to follow. It's your journey; I offer you my pioneer spirit as a guide.

"The most exhausting thing you can do is to be unauthentic." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I was raised from a young age to show my true colors when I expressed myself. Moreover, I was cherished for doing so even if "once or twice" I had to be reminded to consider my timing and tone. Knowing how to cherish others as they express what they need to say or do is a gift. Helping others be authentic as they strive to be their best is a vocation. I honor our work together, as you learn to lead a more authentic life.

"The power that makes grass grow, fruit ripen and guides the bird in flight is in us all." - Anzia Yezierska

This quotation reflects my bias that we all have creative energies that, once expressed, inevitably lead to growth. I have been accused by many of being an optimist and someone who has more than her fair share of luck, but I believe I am a realist who simply doesn't stray far from her positive outlook. I want to help you cultivate your own power to bring about a blossoming that's waiting to happen. Do you feel something stirring deep within you?

"Opportunities are like pole beans. You have to keep picking them so more can grow." - Hope Wallis

There's a Winnie the Pooh kind of wisdom to this thought that reminds me of the gentle way my great-grandmother used to talk to my mother when she was a little girl. Each of us needs to be an active participant in the life we've been given. Somehow, then, even the failures we encounter are easier to bear because we are not just letting things happen to us; we are trying to make the best of every situation. Are you ready to “go bean-picking”?

"When you stop putting yourself on the line, and don't touch your own heart, how do you expect to touch other people?" - Tori Amos

Is there a big white elephant in the room? Together we can name it, pet it, and invite it to join our conversation. Taking risks will keep us engaged, active, and deeply caring. When we speak our truths and touch each other's hearts it deepens the rapport we've established. Are you ready to touch your heart? I am a therapist who is willing to be creative in order to most effectively reach you.

Please contact me at anniecoffey@peapodarts.com