Dear Friends,

As the summer temperatures rise and drought spreads across the country, it is my hope that you are all staying cool on the inside and that your personal dreams are not drying up in the heat of the season.  I wish you inspiration from the wellspring of your inner passion and that your personal visions continue to flow freely.  Sometimes, those hot summer nights can be the very source of new ideas, and if that is the case, then here is a toast with a cold one to keeping the dream alive.

I say this because it is hard enough to come up with creative currents for the future course of our lives, and often the real challenge comes after we do manage to put voice to our highest aspirations.  Ever have a friend, parent, co-worker or counselor knock the wind out of your sails with a comment that starts with that egregious preface:  "Just to play the devil's advocate...?"  Well, I most certainly don't believe in any sort of devil, but the little devil in the mind of the status quo seems to have more than enough advocates lately.  So, here are a few thoughts to give you courage when somebody next tries to downgrade your enthusiasm for a new idea.

Remember, you have to be a little out there if you have intentions of finding a trail towards transformation.  As Ibiza retreat participant Napata Mero told us:  "If you're not living on the edge, then you're taking up too much space."

Here's to finding your spot on the cutting edge and enjoying the view,

Emanuel

I Bought a Bike! Enjoying the Transformative Path on Two Wheels             

I recently decided to buy a bike. Now, at this point in my life, it is very easy for a lot of "expert authorities" on safety to hear this, scratch their heads and inquire if I'm really sure that biking in the city is a good decision. "At your age, you want to buy a bike?!"  

This could probably be the most offensive objection I can imagine, and like the spiritual journey we are embarking on, there will always be naysayers, "experts" assuring us we are crazy as we traverse our transformative path.

During our Greenheart Transforms Ibiza retreat, I was having a conversation with my good friend Jerry Brownstein, and he was mentioning some of the keys to his own personal transformation. He said that one of the most important for him was "don't ever allow the FMA card to enter your mind." FMA being "For My Age."

We are so trained to follow this way of thinking, constantly aware that we shouldn't be doing something because it isn't aligned with someone our age. This is certainly a barrier to our own personal transformation. We need to ignore those ideas that our ambitions might be too large for our youthful age, or that if we are of a later age to enjoy the childlike wonder along our path.

It is this youthful exuberance for life that has been revived since purchasing my bike. Sometimes we have to stop intellectualizing the process and over-thinking our intentions, and riding through the streets of Chicago has been a reminder of embracing action.

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You Don't Always Have to Listen to What the Experts Say

I'm sure we've all been told many times over that we shouldn't go forward with one of our dreams because some "expert authority" cautions against it for one reason or another. How many times have we been told as children, teens, young adults, "you shouldn't do that" because that omnipresent "they," say your idea is unrealistic and will never work?

Probably your earliest childhood dreams were dashed by a parent, teacher or practical counselor saying "that sounds great, but let's get real and get practical about making a living and dealing with the material world." In this process, our best laid plans and dreams are left unrealized. Had I listened to the expert authorities throughout my life, I would have done virtually none of the things I'm doing today.  

Lately, it seems that in meetings, at work, with friends, associates and the world of philosophy, I've been hearing once again, all the good sound practical reasons why I should not or cannot undertake a new dream that I want to make real. At this point, I'm less inclined than ever to listen to what the experts say, and would rather follow my inner motivation that pushes me to find alternative solutions to the world's challenges.   This is particularly true when it comes to the so-called "devil's advocates"- who love to downplay our aspirations with a lethal dose of punishing practicality.

Now granted, gathering information and being aware of the pitfalls and difficulties that we are going to encounter in a new undertaking are certainly helpful, and I'm not saying any of us should willy-nilly dive into the unknown totally unprepared, but this is a call to courage. Do not let practical circumstances dissuade you from following the inner vision that pushes us to forge a new path in transforming our society. 

In an online article on INC. called "How to Accomplish the Impossible" author Harvey Mackay recounts this story from Former First Lady Nancy Reagan:

"Once, at the University of California, a student got up to say that it was impossible for people of her generation to understand the next generation of young people.

'You grew up in a different world,' the student said. 'Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers...'

"When the student paused for breath, Nancy said:  'You're right.  We didn't have those things when we were young.  We invented them.'"

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Greenheart Music of the Month:  

 Kika Wren        

Greenheart Music - Kika Wren "Brother"