A Short Course on Believing for Those Who Don't

back home

  1. Strike the verb Believe from your vocabulary, for now at least. It's misleading.
  2. Put away books on the subject, for now at least. That includes ~The~ Book (whatever that might be). Later you can go back and really enjoy it/them.
  3. Learn three new transforming words: Wow! Aha! and Yo! Wow! is for Awe. It's whatever knocks you on your ass with wonder. Usually you will find it in (Mother) Nature, whether in the Big Bend or the Andromeda galaxy, but it might show up in a houseplant or your cat. (Your cat will be happy to foster this notion.) Very often small children and sweet old people are a source of wonder. Trees are my fave. Prepare to be amazed at all time. Avoid being Cool. Beauty is everywhere. Find it.
    Aha! is for seeing how everything is Connected- literally everything. Go out and find these Connections. Be really watchful. Pay attention all the time. Don't bump into people in hallways, but rather experience them and discover what you have in common with them. Listen, touch, really experience whatever it is you're doing or others around you are doing. Never run for a moving rig. Everything counts.
    Yo! is about Identity. Show up: Know Who you are. Know who I am. First get physical. Start with your body, especially breathing. Examine your life with rigorous honesty (as we say in certain circles) and know not only all the ways you've screwed up- plenty of those, right?- but also your blessings. At the end of the day, would you trade yourself for anybody else? Be really serious about forgiving yourself. Now do this with everyone else you know. Practice on your cat (two year old, dog, etc.). Meditate, with no expectation of anything except hearing your stomach gurgle or trying to stay awake. But just Get Quiet. Now Get Quiet with a friend. Now Get Quiet with a whole bunch of people. Now Get Quiet with the Universe. Get Quiet while being busy with some one else. Share a challenge with someone, or really with many others. Spend time with people you don't like, quietly. Intimacy counts- all the time. Show how vulnerable you are. Again, forgive (because if you don't, you're a Victim and deserve that Kick Me sign).
  4. All around, Nature is my favorite teacher and source of Wow. The sky and the stars at night are good for the Spectacular, close up, my cats and my garden are good; in life, kids and old folks are the best.
  5. Whatver you do or don't do, Lighten Up. Like all Southwesterners, I have a _nicho_ in my house- my sacred space- and along with the Virgin of Guadalupe, I have a little rubber finger puppet of Kali, red toungue poking out her little blue face, and an overwhelming wild-eyed little plastic California Raisin. These crack me up, and keep it all in perspective.

Congratulations! When you make these part of your life, you're ready for Goddess or even her little brother, or just Being, no labels needed. You're seeing the movie. Later if you want you can read the book. Or not.

(Author unknown)