Independence Day

Today I celebrate the Declaration of Independence and birth of the United States of America as an independent nation. I celebrate the “absence of subjection to foreign domination” and, in theory, a despotic government. However, as a nation, we are now at a critical juncture with our government daily embodying more characteristics of despotism. With the hijacking of the Supreme Court and subsequent 5/4 swings, rulings are clearly partisan driven, the Attorney General is beholden and allegiant to the President, the Senate Majority Leader is an unethical, ruthless manipulator and the President is corrupt as hell. Add Citizens United, lobbyists, purchases of politicians, and all equate to an eroded system of checks and balances. It is indisputable to me that we are on a very slippery slope. (Just is).

With my passions for liberty and justice for all and strong opinions, I am fired up and ready to go! As I move forward with my art, writings and speech, my mantra is speak out/up.

Brave Spirits by Madisyn Taylor, DailyOm.com 4/22/18

In the article below, Madisyn perfectly articulates my tenets. Evolving, moving forward and honoring myself drive my existence! It’s taken decades of experiences to comprehend my soul’s journey and accept responsibility for my empowerment. And, the journey continues daily prompting the question, “What do I need to understand about this?” When dealing with myself, people, places and things, this is an on-point inquiry.

“As spiritual being having human experiences, we are on an important mission to learn and grow here on earth.

Most of us are familiar with the idea that we are not human beings having spiritual experiences; instead, we are spiritual beings having human experiences. We hear this and even though we may experience a resounding yes in our bodies, we may not take the time to really acknowledge the truth of these statements. Integrating this idea into how we view ourselves can broaden our sense of who we are and help us appreciate ourselves as brave spirits on an important mission to learn and grow here on earth. 

"As spiritual beings, we are visitors in this physical realm. The fact that we came here and lost all memory of what happened to us before we were born is one of the many reasons that it takes so much courage for a soul to incarnate on earth. This is why spiritual inquiry so often feels like a remembering, because it is. Remembering that we are spiritual beings is part of the work that we are here on earth to do. When we operate from a place of remembering, we tap into the wisdom that our spirit accumulated even before we stepped into this lifetime. Remembering who we are can give us the patience to persevere when we become overwhelmed or frustrated. It can give us the courage to work through the most daunting challenges and help us trust the ancient wisdom we carry that is offered to us by our intuition. 

We have chosen to be on earth because there is something we want to learn that can only happen by inhabiting a body. Some of us are here to repay a debt, learn about love, or teach forgiveness. Most of us are here for a combination of reasons, we carry this information in our souls, all we have to do is remember. As you go through your journey, try not to forget how brave you are, being here now. Honor yourself." 

The Hero's Journey

A few days ago, a technician came to my home. Prior to arriving, he called to let me know there was traffic and he was running late. I knew from the sound of his voice and our interaction that he was different and special. Upon arrival he asked if I would prefer he wear protective shoe covers. Add very handsome and considerate! In changing to a higher speed modem with fewer ports, he went above and beyond the call of duty and persevered until all systems were up and running as before. He looked at me and said he puts himself in the shoes of his customers and acts accordingly. To which I responded, so you treat others like you want to be treated? He said yes. I assured him that was admirable.

My subsequent thank you sparked a short conversation. Turns out this young man is a newbie to SF and left everything behind to start an entirely different, vibrant life in CA. I complemented him on his courage. I told him to keep going and follow his heart’s desires no matter how challenging because the alternative of living a life of thwarted truth is painful. This was reinforced with my own quick tale of renouncing a life I painstakingly built for years in favor of authenticity, internal vibrancy and freedom to explore all I can be.

As appropriate visual support, I showed him “The Hero’s Journey”. His reaction made me realize my art is a transmission.