Unfolding

Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do

August 11, 2015 By Cara Lumen

I keep doing stuff I’ve already done and that’s not what I want to do any more. I want to go exploring. I want new adventures. I don’t want to repeat stuff I already know how to do.

What do you no longer want to do?

I’ve never been one to repeat things. I’m not drawn to repeating the basics. I want to invent, create and fly on. That means there are certain things I no longer want to do. And yet, I keep gravitating back to them because they are familiar and perhaps even comfortable. But they are also boring and non-challenging. I get to look at that.

Comfortable and easy do not expand you

In order to grow me as a person, I have to keep exploring and experimenting and questioning. I have found what I want to learn, I want to deepen my spiritual inquiry. However, I keep reverting to my ability to make information products. To do that I have to teach some basics – basics I already know how to do. That’s my dilemma. I don’t want to repeat the basics, I want to fly!

Do what will grow you

It finally occurred to me that if I go exploring and share what I figure out, you will benefit too. You will take wisps and chunks of what i write about and do something with them in your own life. That would be wonderful. That would give meaning to my work . That allows me to give myself permission to not make courses or spend time trying to promote and sell them. That gives me permission to not even bother with ebooks. It sort of leaves me with posts that either get read or don’t. But the posts will have done their work for me. I will have changed myself. I will have explored the idea. I will have figured out how to apply the concept to my life. That will show up in other places in my life. And eventually come to you.

Who do you want to help?

I’ve always wanted to make a difference in the lives of the people who are already flying – who are contributing to their world, so that whatever I inspire them to do will affect many others. I’m no longer teaching ground school, I’m giving flying lessons! That sure works for me.

Who has gone before you?

I’m not on this journey alone and yet I am. I’m not smoothing a path, I’m blazing a trail. Yes, there are footsteps ahead of me and winding paths and signposts to guide me because I’m exploring spiritual awakening, whatever that means to me. But there are many choices and I have to find the paths the inspire and motivate and move me in a direction that resonates with my unique self. I’ll show you that path and where it takes me. Then you have to decide for yourself what path you want to follow. You have to go exploring and choose your own path.

I can’t go exploring if I stay in base camp

I have the tools I need for my journey. I write. I know how to make most forms of information products. I can draw a map in many languages. If I want to. But first I have to immerse myself in my journey. I have to feel deeply what I need to understand next in order to live a more thoughtful life. I have to embrace and explore them. I figure thing out by writing posts like this one in which I both explore the idea and then figure out how to apply it. The results of my trying the concept on for size ends up in another post.

So I don’t have to do what I don’t want to do

Staying in my comfort zone will slow me down. Getting bogged down in what I already know will keep me from growing And I’m pretty certain this next cycle of my life is about uncovering and explaining some pretty subtle ideas that have the potential to change a few lives.

That’s why I”m going exploring. Do you want to come with me?

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

04–How to Redefine Yourself and the 30 Year Plan (podcast, 20 minutes)
05-Do You Have the Courage to Stand Alone (podcast, 20 minutes)
06– Unfolding And The Art Of Wu Wei (podcast, 20 minutes)
07- How to Find and Express Your Distinctive Voice (podcast, 20 minutes)
Do You Know How Much You Have Going For You?
if I Were a Person Who…
If You Are A Rock – Who Supports You?
Take Money Out of the Equation
Your Work as You
My Three Words for 2015
Do You Know How You Create Impact
Are You Hiding Out in Your Comfort Zone

How to Allow Your Vision to Unfold

August 4, 2015 By Cara Lumen

I may be short-changing myself. I want to allow my life to unfold, but how do I craft a vision that’s big enough and still just allows circumstance to show up when they will?

I was doing a self-awareness exercise, and it moved me into actual numbers, for instance how many people I would like to see in the Deeper Song Community – any by when. Up until now, I have only been focusing how I am in service, how I am reaching people, how I am affecting their lives. It was never about numbers. That raised the question how does the idea of holding a vision fit in with the concept of allowing your life to unfold?

A vision doesn’t have to contain numbers, but size often enters into your idea of what you want to achieve or attract. Choosing numbers could either limit my possibilities by being too low, or spur me into action by suggesting I do more to help it happen. I just want to be certain I am thinking big enough, exploring enough possibilities, and following up on the most impactful ideas.

Am I thinking big enough?

It’s not the size of the vision, it’s the purpose. If I keep doing the most thoughtful work I can, diligently sharing it with others, the right people will find my work. The perfect people, not ”x” number of people. If my goal is to be a contributing factor in helping people create positive change in their lives, then changing one life is a success. Changing more lives would be a gift. Am I doing all I can to reach as many people as possible? That may take some planning. I want to fulfill my potential.

Am I exploring enough possibilities?

If I think too small, I won’t go exploring. I may not learn new skills, or try new ideas – unless I hold a vision of touching more lives. When I did a reality check, I wrote down some numbers – how many posts, podcasts and videos I could and would share in the course of a year. Those offerings will serve as change agents, but I’d also like to structure a learning environment around a specific objective. At my core, I know that every word I write or speak has the potential to change a life. As do yours. What do I vision about? How do I let life simply unfold? How do I know what action to take – or can I?

Am I following up on the most impactful ideas?

We all want to be effective. We all want to make a difference. We all need to feel relevant. I know that when I stay true to myself and my passion I make my most aligned choices However, my mind often pops in and wonders how I should be doing things differently or what else I should be doing to touch more lives.

Mind map your path

When I get confused between a vision and allowing life to unfold, I sit down with pencil and paper on a clipboard, close my eyes and relax into my inner wisdom. When an idea pops up, it gets recorded, wherever my intuition tells me to place it on the page. Using this simple technique, I was able to relax contentedly into the idea that in the next ten years, from age 83 to 93, my major purpose is to harvest my crop. That’s it. That’s my vision. I take whatever this mix is called Cara Lumen and share what she figures out. I know that what I share will give a nudge, an insight, or a revelation to many others on their own journey and possibly help them through a particular moment in their life. Their awareness, in turn, will ricochet further out into the world.

That’s a very, very, very big vision – to keep figuring out life based on the experience and wisdom I have accumulated over the years and share it in a way that change lives. It will all happen when I take one moment at a time. When I explore one idea at a time. When I share one thoughtful post, or one inspiring podcast, or one enlightening video and someone, somewhere responds.

Define a core purpose for this stage of your journey.

My purpose is to inspire others to share their gifts with the world.

Trust how you respond to what shows up. Do the work. Put it out there. And move forward. One step at a time. One moment at a time. One small insight at a time.

Your perfect vision is already unfolding.

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

07- How to Find and Express Your Distinctive Voice (podcast, 20 minutes)

10– What Will Change Because Of What You Are About To Do? (podcast, 20 minutes)

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Forcing

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Obstructing

Unfolding and the Wu Wei of Not-Interfering

Return to the Simplilcity of The Uncarved Block

The Mudra That Made a Difference

The Next “Now.

The Spaces In Our Lives

Wander Beyond All Paths

Unfolding and the Big Boulder

July 30, 2015 By Cara Lumen

I’m meandering down the road of life, learning to let things unfold, when I come across a huge, well-planted, boulder standing in my way. What do I do now?

Boulders offer the gift of a lesson

The first step is see if you can uncover the gift of the boulder. The barrier may be in your way because something better is coming along and you need to wait for it A boulder may be there because that is not the most impactful way for you to go. A boulder shows up to make you stop and take a very close look at what you want and need next.

Slow down and enjoy the view

If you are hurrying along the path, you may miss the spectacular view. You may not see the delicate unfolding of the world around you. Sometimes a boulder shows up simply so we will slow down and wait for opportunities to catch up with us.

What is the mot impactful way to proceed?

Perhaps conquering the big boulder seems like the most impactful option – until you stop and look at how far you have already come and the gifts you have brought with you Maybe this is where you need to settle. Maybe this is where you build your village.

See if this is the best path for you

Running up against a boulder is a perfect opportunity to examine your choices. Is this the best way to proceed? Should the journey be made in smaller trips? Are you carrying too much baggage? Do you need help? What needs to change before you consider what to do next?

A boulder asks you to pause and think.

The boulder is your gift. It asks you to pause, take a deep breath, and check in with your true self to see if you are headed in the direction that will bring you the most satisfaction, that will make you feel the most relevant and impactful. The more self-aware you are the more aligned are your choices.

Sit down beside the boulder and let life unfold

Step back from the boulder Look at it from different angles. See how you feel about where you are and how far you have come. Study the landscape around you. Sometimes just sitting and thinking of a new way to approach your goal is enough to make the boulder disappear.

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:

06– Unfolding And The Art Of Wu Wei (podcast, 20 minutes)

10– What Will Change Because Of What You Are About To Do? (podcast, 20 minutes)

The Desire for Freedom and the Road Less Traveled

What is Your True Nature

The Next “Now.

How to Free the Log Jams in Your Life

Do You Know How You Create Impact

Where Do You Find the Support You Need?

What to Do When You Feel Disheartened

Unfolding and the Wu Wei of Not-interfering

May 14, 2015 By Cara Lumen

Wu-wei is a fundamental Taoist principle that means “non-doing.” However, Alan Watts adds the translation “not-interfering” and that made me think.

Wu Wei as not-interfering in relationships

It seems to me that relationships are the place we butt in the most. We tell people what to do and how to be. We force our way to the front. We want to do it our way. That’s major interfering and is definitely not wu-wei. What is important to you? What can you let go? I learned a huge lesson when I was in charge of the bulletin board in my senior community and the consensus was that we would not put up anything religious on the board. Not forcing our views on others. One resident kept putting up religious sayings and I kept taking them down. It was rather frustrating until I realized it was more important for her to put it up there than for me to take it down . I let it go. That was a HUGE lesson for me. What can I let go of? What is not truly important for me to have my way? Where is my line in the sand and can I bring it closer to me?

Wu Wei as not-interfering in work

We’re right back to unfolding, allowing life and circumstance to simple unfold and shaping them as they present themselves. We can not interfere by allowing work to flow rather than force a direction or an outcome. Everyone has their own version of how to express themselves, and when we learn to honor that uniqueness, that method of unfolding, we’ll leave them to their own process. We can help IF we are asked for it. We can mention alternative choices, but not promote our viewpoint. How do I interfere in my own work flow? By filling myself with busy work. By over-committing. By non completing. Hummm. I get to think about that.

Wu Wei as not-interfering in your own personal growth process

There is a lot of acceptance that comes with not-interfering. I get to accept that I am aging and still choose to support my body by seeing to my well-being. I find friendship and support by participating in the arena of the online world. I can accept that my life is going in cycles and there is nothing I can do but be aware and adjust and shape things as they come. And you see, not-interfering is truly about allowing life to unfold.

I can do that. Can you?

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Forcing

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Obstruction

How To Identify and Release Your Restrictive Ways

Are You a Gift Person

What is Your Personal Promise?

Unfolding and the Wu Wei of Not-Obstructing

May 12, 2015 By Cara Lumen

One of the translations of the Taoist principle “wu-wei” in not-obstructing. I wondered how that applied to my life.

What do I obstruct in my life?

Hinder, thwart, block, impede. Why would I want to do anything like that to my life, or to my friends or in my work? I am not certain how I obstruct my own life because I never thought about it before. How do I hinder, thwart, block, impede my own life?

I obstruct my life through missed opportunities

I like that I’m a bit impulsive. It means I sign up for a course that peaks my interest rather than waiting until the deadline passes. It means I read three translations of the Taoist principle “wu-wei” and write a blog post series to figure out how I can apply them to my life. Sometimes my shy-nes kicks in and I miss an opportunity to connect. Sometime I have to get creative around money in order to take advantage of an opportunity. You can miss an opportunity by spending too much time debating its merits. You can miss an opportunity by organic mistiming. I was lucky to get in on the ground floor of two platforms I wanted and got the subsequent upgrades free. What kind of opportunities do you feel you are missing and what will you do to change that?

I obstruct my life by not learning what I need to break through

I don’t exactly obstruct my life by not learning, but I do slow myself down by not learning certain steps. It all has to do with technical stuff. There is a huge hesitation, a putting off, that comes when I need to figure out something new technically. I sometime put off the task. Invariably, it is nuch simpler to step up to the plate and learn what I need to learn. I will get more done if I don’t obstruct my next learning step through apprehension or dread of learning something i perceive is difficult..

I obstruct my life by not cultivation friendships

As the Deeper Song Community continues to gather, I am encouraging and engaging in 1:1 conversation and loving it. We are already connected though the community or an online class that we share. It gives me an opportunity to establish a personal relationship with someone new in some part of the world and Skiype makes it feel like we just had a cup of tea together. I had to change tribes in order to meet these like-minded and awesomely relevant people who are deeply in service. We support and encourage each other. Are you in the right tribe? Do you have an active plan to cultivate relationships?

I obstruct my life by not believing in myself

This is huge. Remember the little train “I think I can, I know I can!” You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe you deserve the good stuff and you have to believe it is possible. Otherwise, you are allowing those beliefs and self-doubts to obstruct you and your potential. Start an Acknowledgment List. Write down the nice things people say about you along with their name and date. When you feel uncertain go read your list. Tracking your feedback is not egotistical, it is a way to chose to change. It is a barometer of how you are or are not impacting the world around you. Look at the good stuff you are doing and go do more. Believe you can and you will.

Why do I obstruct?

The first thing that comes to mind is fear. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of not doing it “right.” Fear of being different. Fear of being loved. I have a feeling that fear is the major reason we set up any sort of obstructions. Give some thought to that and see what shows up. I have to watch the barriers I put up as I get older and things get a bit more physicaly challenging. My response is to reverse this aging process by more exercise and healthier eating. Identify your obstruction and see what steps you can take to remove it.

Wu-Wei is not just “non-doing” it is “not-obstructing.” See how that awareness changes your life.

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Forcing

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Interfering

Do You Need a New Tribe

Where Do You Get Your Feelings of Self-Worth?

How To Set Values Boundaries That Express Your Self Love