Greetings!
Welcome to the June newsletter! A special welcome if you are newcomer to this experience!
I
apologize for my silence over the past two months which were filled
with many ordinary moments that required my full presence. Even though
some of these moments were extremely challenging, I could, sometimes
though only afterwards, discover and appreciate the extra-ordinariness
of each moment.
The article below, which I posted to my blog Martina's Musings, is the first in the series that explores the topic of Discovering the Extra in the Ordinary.
I
continue to develop my work in the field of 'Transitions,' "Getting
UnStressed and UnStuck (GUS)", 'Deep Listening: The Foundation for All
Relationships," "Tune Up Your Intuition," and "Just Write." Visit my
website for upcoming seminars. If you wish to organize a small group coaching experience in person or as a
tele-seminar, see the brief announcement on the right as well.
Contact me if you would like to arrange a seminar in your area. I look forward to hearing from you and exploring the possibilities.
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Magic: The Extra in the Ordinary
How much magic would you like to experience in your life?
What
sort of magic, you are asking? Excellent question, I must admit,
because I'm not talking about the wonders of the magic wand, the thrill
of a lifetime, or bliss and instant enlightenment (without the
endarkenment or shadow, of course). I'm aware that magazine headlines
capture the
'blissful moments' many of us long for. And certainly, advertisements appeal to our almost manic need of the "WOW" factor in our lives, as do many TV programmes and talk shows. In short, it seems
much of the Western world, at least, craves bedazzlement, a form of
irresistible pleasure with which we tend to be blinded to the world
within and around.
That's NOT the magic I have in mind even
though I can certainly identify with the longing for the big "WOW" in
my life. What about you? Are you longing to be bedazzled by the waving
of the magic wand or the snapping of fingers-yours or somebody else's)
through which your life changes miraculously?
What about a
different way for you to live the magic that emerges from your everyday
life? Just think for a minute about Buckminster Fuller's statement: "There is
nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."
For me, it evokes a sense of enchantment and deep satisfaction, which in
turn reveals spaciousness and beauty, curiosity, connection and
compassion. Are you game for
an adventure? Here we go. READ ON. |
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Ordinary...Invoking Magical Presence
Do
you know the plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov? Bear with me
as I take you on a simple excursion to 19th century Russian theatre.
What are Chekhov's plays about, such as the "Three Sisters" or "The
Cherry Orchard"? As I see it, he creates a vision of human life as
something extraordinary in its very ordinariness. He demonstrates to us
that through a deeper understanding of the ordinary moment, we create
affinity and comfort for one another.
Through our encounters
and appreciation of the ordinary, we develop a com passion for all of
our relationships-animate and inanimate, material and immaterial-that
cannot arise when we compete due to our need to be special and to live
for the special moments.
Much of our behaviour, though,
appears to be driven by this need to be special, which we may want to
express by showing off our brilliant thoughts, a particular skill or
talent, or by rescuing others, in short by using anything that helps us
define ourselves. It appears personal gratification and even validation
become the rewards for us when we get our needs met.
And yet,
it's a trap, I believe, because the very need to be special binds us to
mental concepts that prevent us from reaching a balanced head-heart
space, in which we can simply be present without needing to prove
anything. When we receive our reward through external validation, we
also know from experience that it is and never will be enough - just
take a look at why we continue to consume more and more.
I'm
invoking your magical presence to the ordinary by offering four
additional and different perspectives on the subject. I trust you will
enjoy just as much as I do, Sarah McLachlan's beautiful song 'Ordinary Miracle,'
(you can easily find the lyrics online) where she describes the
miracles in nature we tend to take for granted, such as the magic of a
raindrop.
Now I'd like to take you to an initially more heady
experience that especially the mathematicians and academics among you
will appreciate, Shinzen Young. He serves as the director of the
Community Meditation Center of Los
Angeles. He is also an ordained Buddhist monk, and a teacher of
Vipassana meditation, as well as a scholar of Buddhism.
Don't be scared, though. He uses 'Zero and One' simply
as a metaphor in his explanation of experiencing the ordinary as
extraordinary and the extraordinary as ordinary. Just get through the
first minute or two and even the non-mathematicians will delight in his
message of the 'complete experience of ordinariness,' which involves
the critical mass of concentration, clarity and equanimity, according
to Young.
In a similar vein, Eckhart Tolle suggests that
along with the change in consciousness, we learn that there is no room
to be special. In his words, we find spaciousness when we accept
ourselves as ordinary because we don't need to stand out or occupy
ourselves with making an impression. Chekc out Tolle's brief excerpt 'Quite Ordinary.'
Now
to a very different take on the subject, coming at it from a place 'out
of the ordinary.' Perhaps people with 'seeming' disabilities can teach
us a lesson or two about their need to be ordinary. Looking at life
from their vantage point might teach us more about how important it is
for us to awaken to a discovery and appreciation of the Extra in the
Ordinary. You might want to watch the short video about the 4-year-old Ezra.
What are your views on the subject of the 'ordinary?'
What role does it play in your life? How has the ordinary invited
magical presence in your life? What gifts may you have taken away from
such moment? Perhaps just shifting your perception of the ordinary
moment might create a spaciousness and an opening for you that allows
you to discover and appreciate the magic of the Extra in the Ordinary. |
What gifts have you been able to offer through appreciating the
ordinariness of the moment? I very much look forward to hearing your
stories. I invite you to share them with me and on Martina's Musings, where you can post shorter items on the magic of Discovering the Extra in the Ordinary.
Love and Light
Martina
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From the Insight Out is written and produced by Martina Steiger for Creative Conscious Transformation, Inc. Please email me for permission to use or reprint any of the materials from the newsletter, my website or my Musings blog.
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Small Group Coaching
Good news: Over the last few months,
I have received inquiries about providing Small Group Coaching sessions. Finally, I'm ready. These small group sessions can be conducted
as tele-seminars or in person. You may wish to visit my website over the next few weeks, where I will post more materials. In the meantime, just send me a message if you feel you and a few friends are ready for such an experience that
tends to create powerful awareness and opens the door to transformation.
As you may will know, Spiritual Life Coaching is a creative process of transformation. It's your opportunity to
remember and (re)discover your own being and what you really want. Your
innate resources and my poignant questions and observations inspire
actions that signal you're present and in the flow of life. It's inspiring and rewarding.
Send me an email to find out more, including about the One-to-One Coaching in case you prefer that.
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Deep Listening
In this workshop, we explore the Art of
Deep Listening, which arises out of a balanced head-heart connection
and is rooted in the heart. Deep Listening is an active and sincere
listening process that requires us to listen intentionally as a
whole-being.
Deep Listening is contemplative and reflective in
nature as well as open-ended as it is not directed toward an outcome.
Instead, it recognizes the possibilities embedded in each situation.
Deep
Listening builds trust and enables true dialogue. It serves as the
foundation for all healthy relationships because it creates shared
vision. It is the language of love for everyone.
Are you curious? Visit here or send me an email.
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Martina's Musings
If you enjoy my writing, consider subscribing so you don't miss any of the articles. You'll be in for a treat.
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Thank you, ATTN!
Congratulations and a special thank you to all of you who organized and participated in the annual conference of the Atlantic
Therapeutic Touch Network in Halifax this past weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in beautiful Nova Scotia with you.
I'm grateful to the amazing dialogues and the heart-warming sharing among us. All three workshops, Transitions, Getting UnStressed & UnStuck and Listen! What Do You Hear? will from now on hold within them your enthusiasm, openness and ideas.
I trust you remember to integrate your new and old learning as much as possible into your everyday life.
I
welcome your feedback as well as inquiries into conducting further
seminars in your area or working with you by phone individually.
I look forward to our next time together. I'd very much appreciate receiving some of the photos you took.
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