I Want To Know

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The Invitation

The Invitation Oriah Mountain Dreamer Canadian Teacher and Author
	It doesn't interest me what you do for a living I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing. It doesn't interest me how old you are I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dreams for the adventure of being alive. It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon... I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful be realistic to remember the limitations of being human. It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes." It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children. It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments. © 1995 by Oriah House, From "Dreams Of Desire" Published by Mountain Dreaming, 300 Coxwell Avenue, Box 22546, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4L 2A0

Don't Read This....

If you want to stay stuck where you are with whatever you are unhappy with in your life, DO NOT READ THIS. I repeat, do not read this.

However, if you truly want the simple truth that will set you free from anything in your life that you don't like, then read on. Read the following statement carefully. You need to let go of what is, in order to allow space to create what isn't. That's right, you have to let go of what is, in order to create space for what isn't.

Think about it, if you want to be 10 or 20 pounds lighter, you have to let go of seeing yourself the weight you don't want to be. To create the possibility of being 20 pounds lighter, you need to let go of your attachment and obsession about being heavier than you want to be. Once you release that attachment you have created the opening to become the weight you desire for yourself.

It's the same with relationships and moving on to a new reality. You need to consciously and subconsciously release that old relationship to create space in your life for a new relationship to enter or be created. As long as you are carrying any resentment, bitterness or attachment toward your former partner, you are not free to move on. You may be asking why you can't seem to meet anyone, but the reality is that your emotional closet is filled with the memories and emotional energies of that previous person.

And what if you say you want a new job or career but you can't seem to make it happen. Again, you need to detach from your current reality and begin to identify more with what you want in order to make it happen. By letting go and detaching from your current reality, you open yourself to the possibility of getting clear on what you do want and taking steps to make that happen in the present.

So to create something new, you have to let go of what currently is. When you create the visual and energetic state of what you want and marry that with taking action to create it in the present, you are creating a new reality for yourself that you choose. This new reality begins with action today that will manifest into full reality as you stay your course, not allowing yourself to get bogged down with 'what is' in your current reality that you don't like.

Remember, you get more of whatever you focus on. If you put your energy on all the things you don't like about your current weight, your current partner, current job, or anything else that you don't particularly like about your life in its current state, you strengthen its hold on you and your life. The minute you let go of 'what is' and start taking action and doing things that draw your attention to 'what isn't' that you want in your life, you have begun the creation and manifestation of that very thing in your life.

I challenge you right now to assess what is going on in your life that is weighing you down or making you feel dissatisfied. You hold the key to creating whatever new reality you want for yourself. Don't wait to create the life you want. The future life you dream of having one day is not out there somewhere. You are creating your future right now with the thoughts you are telling yourself.

I wish you clarity, love and light in taking action today to create a life you love.

Namaste

The Art of Letting Go

The cliche of 'Let go and let God' is so old - but so true. As human beings, we spend so much energy and time trying to change and influence things that we have so little human control over. We forget that there is a power much greater than ourselves at work and in charge. While knowing this doesn't diminish the deep desires or wishes in our hearts for something to be different, it can bring a peace to our being just to know that we aren't in charge.

Being God isn't my job. My job is to have faith and belief that there is a power greater than me at work. A power beyond my comprehension who sees beyond what my eyes can see or heart can feel. It's actually a relief to know that I'm not God. That's a big job - way bigger than any human can even fathom.

So today, I let go and give all things to God. In the grand scheme of things, I don't really control anything anyway. I am here to fulfill the destiny and fate that was determined long ago. I do have choices to make along the way, but in the end, the path that I am to go down will appear before me - either in a straight or curvy line.

I celebrate where I am in life - knowing that I am in the exact place doing the exact thing at the exact moment that I am supposed to be doing. And to all of us: FORGIVE everyone and anything that has ruffled your feathers, struck you wrong or hurt your heart. Few people in this world do things out of the badness in their hearts to hurt another human being. Things done that hurt others are typically done as a result of the other person trying to protect themselves or influence change in another person to encourage them to open their eyes to another choice. Once again, that other person is on their path doing what they need to do to learn the lessons they are here to learn.

Let go - and trust that all is well in the world. Even if it doesn't appear that way on the surface, God and a higher power are in charge. Today just celebrate that there is a God - and know that you can lean into that with a knowing that this too shall pass. Everything works out. Live your life and love those around you. Life is short.

Namaste