METTA CENTER

I read these words on a cover of a magazine recently and started thinking how glad I am that I have given myself permission to explore my spiritual side and learn so much from so many different sources. My life has changed in such profound ways. I  have changed. Now, I am inviting you to give yourself the permission to explore the realm of the divine both within you and outside of you. Explore the realm of energy, of everything and nothing. Find out how high you can soar. How would your life be different if you give yourself permission to explore and soar? Where would you be?

(This article was first published in Metta Center Newsletter, April 2005) I would love to introduce you to the term "writing on the wall". Coined by Gary Craig, the founder of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), it refers to the sets of beliefs, shoulds, shouldn'ts, can, can'ts, etc. that we have agreed to, consciously or unconsciously, as "truths" in our individual consciousness. How did the writing get on our wall? In childhood, we received numerous messages from our well-meaning parents, teachers, friends, leaders, media, etc. We often formed our self-image and hoped to make sense of the world based on these "truths". We consult the writing on our walls to determine whether something is appropriate or acceptable to us, whether it is a "good" or "bad" idea, etc. The writing on the wall can be very positive and supportive in helping us achieve success in the world. At the same time, many of these "truths" limit n

Spring is here! I love watching all the new buds and branches shooting out from plants. It has been magical indeed to watch my plum tree blossoming and then, poof, the blossoms fell and new green leaves came out to adorn the tree. How did the tree know how to do that? Nature's designs are amazingly intelligent and graceful. Do you ever wonder how we grow? Our bodies just grow, from infant-hood to childhood to adolescence to full grown adult. For most people, the process of growing is very effortless. You don't wake up each day and say "OK, now, I am going to grow 1mm today" or "I am going to grow one more new cell for my nails". It's just done. Simple as that. Most of us need to enlarge our self-concept. We may see ourselves as a bag of bones but, in truth, we are eternal, multi-faceted and multi-dimensional spiritual beings having a human experience. It's time to think of ourselves as much larger and grander than just a physical and emotional be

This morning, I was thinking how so many of us (including me) are afraid to be a fool or make a fool of ourselves. Then, all of a sudden, the word "full" just floated in my mind, replacing the word "fool." And with that simple change I saw things with a different light! It dawned on me that when we are afraid of being a fool, we are afraid to be a full or abundant being in our own right. We are afraid to make ourselves full and be filled with our own Spirit. Hah! What a new thought for me! I was painfully aware of the various (and creative ways) I have chosen to stay small and withhold the fullness that I am because I didn't want to be a "fool." I know I have patterns where the "fool" in me got pushed aside for the voice of reason. So with this realization I have decided to no longer be afraid to be either a fool or "full" anymore. I choose to fully embrace the fool in me and honor the gifts of this archetype. I choose to liv