Women in the LEAD

WOMEN: The Call to Grow

When I read Maureen's post below, I was immediately reminded of a poem from RUMI that I've cherished. It comes to you paraphrased from memory --- the words that stay with me. He too speaks with the call to action to grow.

"Come out. Come out from under your cloak, you that are so used to hiding away. The world is reeling and it needs you to do its good."

It's easy to be lost in our fear, our feeling less than, and our busyiness. How easy it is to use these as our excuses. Each of us have some special gift to be giving. As Rumi also said, "Everyone climb on your roofs. Sing *your* note! Sing loud!

May this day blessed for each of you.

Debbe

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy, founder
Global Dialogue Center, home of Women in the Lead.

Lead Without Ego, This Is Your Highest Power

Can you lead your people without seeking to control?

Can you open and close the gates in harmony with nature?

Can you be understanding without trying to be wise?

Can you create without possessiveness, accomplish without taking credit,

Lead without ego, This is the highest power.

(TAO, 10) The Tao of Personal Leadership by Diane Dreher 

      

Come out from under yourself.  Be the tree outside the forest looking in.  Observe mindfully how you are in the world.  Notice your strengths and honor them.  Observe your weaknesses and improve them.  The opportunity for growth is yours.  The knowledge of your weaknesses is your strength.  Observe them.  Grow.              

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: All Life is Inter-Related -- Have you noticed?

As we look at our busy lives, it's easy to miss so much of the world around us. A while back, I wrote a story about a moment in time for me that stopped in my tracks unexpectedly and offered a new perspective. I share it with you.

The Good Neighbor
by Debbe Kennedy

I dashed out of a parking garage, mindlessly rushing down the street, acknowledging no one, only to be abruptly halted by a red light. I stood impatiently, grinding my heels into the curb, ready to leap out in front of the crowd at the first sign of green. As the light changed, an unexpected slow motion took over. My shoes tried unsuccessfully to hold me back—the heels now solidly stuck in the crevice at the edge of the curb. My body instead took over, looming forward, lifting itself through the air, then falling with a thump onto the street. The point of impact was an excruciating, jolting crash of bones as I landed on the asphalt on both knees. Next, still in slow motion, out of nowhere, came a warm hand reaching out to me. I grasped it firmly, welcoming the care and strength from this person I had not yet seen. As I lifted my head up, my eyes met the eyes of this Good Samaritan. My anguish was clearly mirrored on his brown face. “Are you all right? Let me help you,” he said without words.

My life was suddenly interrupted as I was literally “brought to my knees,” stripped of my dignity, then lifted up and mentored by a man with no place to go. He was homeless. For that moment so was I. I had passed him many times, always much too busy to notice him ― or was it just easier to look away? I never heard his voice; never wondered what he had to say or thought about what he needed. I never recognized our sameness. Amazingly, as any good neighbor would do, he had time for me when I showed up unannounced.

One seemingly unrelated event ― a few chaotic moments-in-time ― shocked me into a new level of understanding and thinking about what it means to be a good neighbor. The nameless man caused me to start asking myself some deeper questions and now I ask you:

• How many times have you rushed by a good neighbor in need? How many times have your indifference and self-interest blinded you from the needs of others all around you? How has your behavior, actions or inaction contributed, directly or indirectly, to the state of the community where you live and work?


• How many people have you unintentionally ignored in your work and life?


• How many ideas, insights and talents have you overlooked because of your own limited labels and biases?


• How well do your own actions and behaviors set an example for others about being a good neighbor?

As we move into this year, may we all be more mindful of one another and how much we need each other. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us about this truth:

"It really boils down to this: that all life is inter-related. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

Debbe

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy, founder
Global Dialogue Center, home of Women in the Lead.

That Which I Can Not Do

"I am always doing that which I can not do in order that I may learn how to

do it."

                                                                                                            --- Pablo Picasso

Unless you take a risk and try new things you never grow or develop your full potential.  Why are we here unless it is to explore ourselves and all possibilities?  Picasso created art that is unique in the world and pioneered a new movement and philosophy in art.  His abstract work was a pure reflection of his ability too think outside the box.  Try it!  Think out of the box and make a move that you normally would not.  The world is waiting for you to fully show up.

Maureen Simon   

WOMEN: Discovering who you've become

I'm still seeing this new year, like life itself, being part of a series of new beginnings. Each one is always inviting us to create the work and lives we want to live---to become more ourselves. Most of us find ourselves at times wanting to reignite our passion, strengthen our commitment and expand our accomplishments in all aspects of our life.

This time in particular has caught me in a place where I am being called from it seems so many directions that there is a longing to just stand still. I know what happens there is good.

In a book, The Wonders of Solitude, Sister Corita Kent, a Carmelite Nun, shared her wisdom. It pops up once in a while reminding me that stopping is very valuable.

"And at some time
in your life
trying to be good
may be to stop running
and take time...
to be quiet
and discover who you are
and where you've been..."

Is it time for you to stop running and discover who you've become?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

The Gift of Wind and Water

“May this water as it flows through me become medicine, and strengthen the earth and purify and bring food for people, and renew the people.”

Thundercloud’s Water Medicine Prayer

Water is an amazing gift--one that cleanses and heals. I am writing from Northern California where the water and wind have made them selves quite plentiful this winter. At times the two divine forces combined, have created many challenges for those of us who inhabit these lands. The water and wind do not have our specific needs in mind as they are guided by nature.

Even in these challenging days, where water and wind have provided us with many challenges- I hold great respect for the power and the great contribution they makes to our life. We need them both!

                                                                                    Maureen Simon

Listen to Your Instincts

“All our progress is an unfolding, like a vegetable bud.  You have first an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge as the plant has root, bud and fruit.  Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson   

Instinct is central to all success that life holds.  Instinct is our connection to the Universe.  All of the nature around us takes the knowledge and guidance it is given-- unquestioningly --as it reaches it's natural enfoldment.  We humans often question our instinct.  This questioning often creates problems and challenges.  Have you ever had a hunch or sense of knowing about something and not followed it and regretted it.  Nature does not do this.  It listens and follows its initial impulse and instinct.

What can we learn from nature?

Maureen Simon

A NEW YEAR: Letting Go of Negative Thoughts

There have been several ideas floating through my mind as we are beginning a new year at the Women in the Lead INSPIRATION BLOG. Finally, I decided the best gift I could leave for all of you around the world that stop by is to share a little process that has become part of my renewal experience every year.

First, to set the stage, I have a book that a man I really didn't even know suggested to me at a conference dinner one night. I've been reading it now for nearly ten years, over and over again. Each time I learn new things. It is tattered, coming part, full of highlights, notes that I dated from peak moments and slips of paper marking passages that had a deep meaning to me at some time and place. The book is Around the Year with Emmet Fox, author of the bestselling classic, Sermon on the Mount. This book contains some of the "pearls and gems" by Emmet Fox, a scientist, philosopher and spiritual teacher in the 20th Century [1886-1951]. The book is described as a daily meditation book. I've always read it no matter what. It doesn't always speak to me, but most of the time, it is like he knew what I needed when he wrote the book.

He invites you to reach beyond all the talk of DIETS for new year ---"I am going to deal with the subject of dieting at a level infinitely more profound and far-reaching in its effects than one focused on eating---MENTAL DIETING".

Emmet Fox goes on to tell you that the food we furnish are minds determines the character of our lives. The subjects, negative talk and thoughts from others, and sometime the "junk" we allow our minds to take in and dwell upon, make our surroundings what they are --- "..."as thy thoughts, so shall thy life be." He then invites you to go on a seven-day mental diet:

SEVEN-DAY MENTAL DIET
"For seven days you must not allow yourself to dwell for a moment on any kind of negative thought. You must watch yourself for a week and must not under any pretense allow you mind to dwell on any thought that is not positive, constructive, optimistic, and kind." This is not easy to do, but after doing it numerous times, it does work to change your consciousness about how your thinking and ultimately it results in many positive changes in your live and work. I will attest to this!

WHAT IS MEANT BY NEGATIVE THINKING?
According to Emmet Fox, a negative thought is any thought of failure, disappointment, or trouble; any thought of criticism, or spite, or jealousy, or condemnation of others, or self-condemnation; any thought of sickness or accident; or, in short any kind of limitation. In practice you will never have any trouble in knowing whether a given thought is positive or negative. Even if your brain tries to deceive you, your heart will whisper the truth.

So wonderful women around the world, I send you my warm wishes for freeing yourselves of all that keeps you from being the best that you can be! If you are new here, we hope you'll visit often and would love to hear from you --- your thoughts, stories and perspective.

Also, I want to personally invite you to visit WOMEN IN THE LEAD...a unique resource center for women around the world. We have wonderful new things unfolding for the New Year designed just for YOU!

Best...
Debbe

Debbe Kennedy, founder
Global Dialogue Center, home of Women in the Lead.

As WE Begin The New Year

Seek always for the answer within.

Be not influenced by those around you, by their thoughts or their words.

Eileen Caddy  “God Spoke To Me”

As  we begin the New Year-- we have available to us a fresh slate – an opportunity to see things anew.  Many live their lives influenced heavily by those around them.  It is so important for us to gain our strength from within.  Begin the New Year fresh – notice where you are most influenced by others.  Where does this influence limit you and not serve you.  How could things be different?  Take one small action in the New Year to gain your answers from within.  Notice the strength and clarity that you will gain from this one simple action.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Stagnation, Passion and Self-Discovery

In reflection of the last year, one of the most meaningful discussions we had on the Women's Inspiration BLOG is this post on stagnation, passion and self-discovery. What I loved about it is that it generated different perspectives across the world, so I share it again, coming back to this place all of us seeing this topic with another year's growth...

It seems the whole world needs renewal. It is such a strong calling, particularly at this turbulent time in history and this time of year. Oh, perfect life! What is it we are seeking?

A while back, I wrote about my first experience of being asked this question in a piece called Women: Perfect Life:

"The dimensions of my life and my dreams have the perpetual newness of spring. First a blossoming...then in beauty of it finest hour, a new bud forms to awaken my world with a new color not yet seen before, once again delighting the day with the promise of more to come--- more to learn---more to accomplish---more to give to those who touch my life---more to become myself."

GOING A STEP FARTHER ...
I received a wonderful comment and contribution from Clair Schraeder. She invites us to take our thinking a step farther in her inspiring writing on stagnation and passion. I share it here:

Thoughts on Stagnation and Passion by Claire Schraeder
I live in the UK where we have winter. We have days and sometimes weeks of amorphous greyness and/or cold. This is a time of hibernation and withdrawal when people keep indoors, and yet even in January when the appearance is that everything is dead, there is much burgeoning beneath. New life is generating in the earth and the snowdrops and crocii even manage to push their shoots through the impacted earth. There is the celtic festival of Imbolc that recognises and celebrates this.

My point is that in apparent stagnation, important work is going on. There is a spark of life. Even to name a state stagnation is to recognise the spark - the desire to bring momentum and change.

In mythology this is classically represented by the goddess descending to the underworld and re emerging in the spring. It is interesting to me that the ancients recognised this as an aspect of the feminine, which is why too the feminine is represented in the ying yang by the colour black. Women have this capacity to go within and trawl jewels from the depths. Hades the god of the underworld is also keeper of the wealth of the earth - jewels and crystals of immense beauty.

This represents no problem for many women, but for the woman leader who is required to be performing at optimum levels at all times it is tough.

One of the things that I have learnt to do is on those stagnant days when I might be tempted to judge myself, I hold back from pushing. I use the time to nurture ideas, I know that the embers of passion are in potentia, and it is almost certain that I will wake up one morning and will be ready for action, able to be go out ino the world with energy and enthusiasm. When I do that the experience is effortless fueled by the days when the flames of passion have burned softly.

Thank you, Claire, for inviting us to expand our thinking!

What ways will you apply these insights in your life?

How will you recognize the rebirth taking place even in times you may feel stagnant?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center

Visit Women in the Lead at the Global Dialogue Center.

Read other writings by Claire Schraeder on her blog at http://movesblog.wordpress.com