If you are seriously considering joining YOI on Friday, it may be daunting to think of committing to an entire year. You may never have worked with me before, or with a small group on the phone or skype.
You are welcome to try it out guilt-free without feeling you need to commit to the entire year, for the month of March only. Write to me to let me know you’d like to try it for our calls in March, just hit reply. We can have an email chat and I’ll let you know how to enroll for March only if you’re pretty serious about YOI.
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When I was first beginning to work with people, I felt nervous, tentative, and a push-pull about working with MORE people.
What I mean by that is, I actually felt uncertain enough about building my practice, and meeting new and completely different individuals all the time, with varying issues, that I sometimes wasn’t sure I wanted more clients.
Kind of funny, right?
Yet I knew to survive financially, at least with the life I had of owning a little cottage, supporting two children, and buying food and gas….
….I would need to receive money for my service of working with others.
Even though I loved working with people without getting paid for it at all. I volunteered on the Help Line, I offered free sessions, I did volunteer workshops for business organizations and non-profits in my community.
But as I continued my work with other human beings, I saw that I had some strange and uncomfortable blocks with money.
So the actual “receiving” part was weird. My fees were super crazy low. I’d feel embarrassed about asking for money at all.
I’ve questioned many stressful thoughts since that time….
….stressful thoughts on money, work, promoting oneself, marketing, selling, giving, receiving, buying, charging.
And my thoughts began to open up to other, very different possibilities.
I began to feel much more creative, confident, and valuable, to both myself and to others.
And as this feeling of value grew from inside….so did my value in the physical world.
Even with thoughts that seemed entirely unrelated to money, as I did The Work, my relationship with Reality and with the whole universe, every day, grew more abundant, safe, gentle and loving.
Not having dread of new things, worry about how something might go, sadness about the way something went…
…there is an open humility and softness that I never before experienced.
In the end I found that thoughts I had about money: getting it, earning it, accumulating it, spending it, saving it, asking for it….
….were surprisingly similar to thoughts I had about love, attention and needs…..
….and these thoughts were surprisingly similar to thoughts I once had about food and eating.
- I need it
- I want it
- I must have it in order to be happy
- I don’t have it now (so I am unhappy)
- too little is dangerous
- too much is dangerous
Always pushing for that perfect balance!
Either there was too little or too much! Where’s the middle ground??! ARRRGGG!!!
Just taking one from this list to inquiry can be super powerful.
So pick your item, any time (it’s like the magic tricks–pick a card, any card…)
Money, Love, Food
What do you need this thing to be “right” for? What would you have, if you had enough of it?
What would you have if you had it squared away? Under control?
Well…I thought you’d never ask….I’d have comfort, peace, relaxation, I’d be attractive, secure and care-free.
Are you sure? Is it true?
YES! I’d stop hunting, seeking and striving for more. I’d quit having to feel empty, insecure.
Are you absolutely sure that’s true? Are you sure you’d be happy? That your problems would be solved….if you had money, love and food-and-eating (or that other addiction) all settled in your life?
No. I’m pretty sure there would be different problems, other things to consider, new situations to face, or handle.
There’s always somethin’!!
How do you react when you believe you need something, want something, must have it, are lacking something, or you need to be careful about having too much or too little?
Oh man. Very, very cautious. Nervous, uncomfortable, lost, sad.
Now here’s the Big Question, the one that sometimes is hard to even “get” at first, when you feel nervous:
Who would you be without the belief that getting more of that thing you identified would be good?
What if you came from another culture where there is no need for money, love, or perfection around food and eating?
Without the belief that I need, I want, I must have, I’m missing….
….suddenly I look around the room, and I feel a surge of excitement.
Can you feel it?
What if you knew this was a game, you were OK, and you had all you needed, in this moment right now?
“Absolute completeness surrounds you wherever you go. So there is really no reason to bother yourself about it, except for the fact that we humans have long ago deceived ourselves into such a confined tangle of confusion and disarray that we scarcely even consider, much less experience for ourselves, the divinity within and all around us.” ~ Adyashanti
You really do have to imagine this for yourself.
All I know is, I can see how every single time in my life I thought all was lost, and I didn’t have enough, or I thought I wouldn’t make it…
…it was OK.
I turn the thoughts around:
- I do not need it, I already have it or have access to it
- I do not want it…I want peace…and I already can have peace in this situation
- I must NOT have it in order to be happy…I’m being invited to something else, something different, something new, something yet unknown
- I don’t have it now (so I am happy)…could I find happiness for anything right here in this moment? Yes!
- there is no danger—WOAH! Amazing.
If you notice you are stuck on some either big or small thoughts about what you might need, or be missing, that you’re SURE would make you happy (and where you are now is unhappy) then try doing The Work.
If it’s hard to “get” or understand, and you’ve tried before but it feels like it’s not sinking in…join Year of Inquiry starting Friday.
Every month we change topics, and we’ll cover Money, the Body, Relationships (love) and many others during our time together.
Much love,
Grace