What Is Your Hot Button?

We all have personal sensitivities—“hot buttons”—that are evoked in close relationships. Mindfulness practice helps us to identify them and disengage from our habitual reactions, so that we can reconnect with our partners. We can mindfully address recurring problems with a simple four-step technique: (1) Feel the emotional pain of disconnection, (2) Accept that the pain is a natural and healthy sign of disconnection, and the need to make a change, (3) Compassionately explore the personal issues or beliefs being evoked within yourself, (4) Trust that a skillful response will arise at the right moment.  – Christopher Germer, "Getting Along"

I read this quote and realized how appropriate it is for these times when we are all on a short fuse and anxious about what will happen.  I wondered how many people are finding that the hot buttons that they thought were dealt with are now popping up in the most odd places, and anger is being triggered.  Or perhaps it is not anger, it is simply the huge reaction (emotional) that you have to something.  Triggers are all about learning – around self, family, and beliefs. 

What beliefs do you carry that are not helping you?  What values are out dated?  What people are no longer going to be part of your life because you need to move on? 

These questions are ones that we see pop up everyday.  How are you handling them?

Blessings,

Judy

Differences are Due to Ego!

 

  

  

There are two types of people--those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am!' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'   Frederick L Collins

One of my friends and i were having a fascinating conversation about the different styles that people have – styles for getting tasks accomplished in a group, or for getting people to gather behind a belief or value, or even for entering a room.  And then, coincidently, one of my friends sent the wonderful quote above.  (I love how the Universe works to give you confirmation of the ideas that pop up in your life!)  

The Angels say that we all come into this world to experience different styles, and to understand different things.  We all have uniqueness that expresses through our posture, our speech, and through how we do things.  

The Angels flashed me back to the StarTalker Quest class that I taught in the past, when we were all making Prayersticks.  At the end, each of our Prayersticks did look a lot like us.  That is to say, our unique style carried in to how we decorated our Prayerstick.  

The last thought from the Angels was, “The idea of uniqueness is that humans are all experiencing something different because humans are all the same and want to have adventures.”  And then they laughed!

Blessings,

Judy

Kodiak Bear In My Meditation

         

I sat in meditation and breathed slowly sinking into a place of a running river, flowing over and around rocks.  Forest bordered the river about fifty feet from the sides of the river.  I then became conscious of movement to the right of me.  There was a very, very large brownish red bear.  I was startled even though I knew I had nothing to fear.  

I welcomed the bear.  He replied that he was a Kodiak Bear.  He had some sharing to provide to the world.

• Do not be afraid to let your unique abilities shine through at this time.  Each of us has a different way of dealing with a situation.  The time for you to act is now. 
• Find your mate, and stick with them.  Each of you is drawn to the other so that you both may grow.  It is the way of things.  
• Use your language and your body stance to defend your position.  It will earn you respect.  Fighting does not earn any  respect, and instead, demeans who you are. 
• Define what you are able to do, what you are good at, and what you are great at.  Pursue the greatness in you.  It emerges at the most appropriate time.  

I thanked Kodiak, and he drifted away.

Blessings,

Judy