School Shootings, the New Normal?

Heck, no! I mindfully make a choice--I call it "raw compassion." First, however a bit of startling 2014 history. As of this past Friday (1/24/14) there has been an average of one school shooting every other day so far this year. This is not including three near-misses where police intervened before bodily harm happened. My teacher's jaw dropped when I heard this statistic, and I did what I've learned to do to keep myself flowin'--start the laptop a humming and write it out.

My way of approaching the epidemic of shootings is a far different approach then what I see from media and top decision makers. It seems gun control is Obama's answer and many Americans agree. In my humble opinion, I disagree. The shooter must be addressed. I know this is a scary idea for many people, but unlike a gun, which can be outlawed, people can't always be kept out of reach. I see the shooter coin from two sides:

1. People suffer and they don't know how to deal with it. If not managed, their sphere of suffering increases. 
2. If another person suffers, we suffer. We are completely interdependent, whether we accept someone's actions or not. 

We must help people suffer less. If people do not suffer, they do not pull triggers on innocent children. Call it naive, call it simplistic, I call it "raw compassion." For today, here's your Arrival action step--please consider helping one person suffer less. Be brave, be raw and do it. All love and care, K

"The trick is, just relax your legs...I read it on Wikihow!"

Watching the movie, Identity Thief, I took deep belly laughs for a solid two hours. Not only was it engaging but it had a sweet and precious ending. To set the stage, it co-stars one of my favorite actresses, Melissa McCarthy (starred in Bridesmaids as Meghan, "I met a dolphin down there. And I swear to God, that dolphin looked not at me, but into my soul!"). She's quirky, spunky and kind of injured inside--but that doesn't get her down. She's resourceful, and right at the height of her resourcefulness, she takes a pretty good tumble. Won't go into details, cause I don't want to spoil the flick for you, but it's kind of a slow motion moment, an "Oh, gosh, is she going to be OK," moment, and just as your heart is missing a beat...well I promised not to spoil it--this line comes out of her sassy mouth:

"The trick is, just relax your legs. I read it on Wikihow!" 

She got me thinking about flow, and how necessary it is to maintain healthy flow for well-being, both physical and mental. Think about the times your body has felt twinges, what do you do? Me, I try my darnedest to stop, listen to what my body is saying--"Yo, I'm giving you a warning, pay attention here!" and meridian tap. It's even harder to maintain flow when a moving object is coming toward you at high velocity, as in the case of our dear Identify Thief.

So, then, let's progress from the body to the mind--now that chattering monkey is even harder to dress up in the Sunday bests and convince it to behave itself! Whoa, I think I just channeled Melissa McCarthy. 

What to do with the unruly monkey mind? You've got to tame it, baby, kind of like Big Chuck at the Foxhole! Sorry. Alright, where were we? Oh, right the monkey mind and maintaining a state of flow--start the day oriented to what's important to you, AKA the North Star--that which is your highest ideal or priority in life, and do not stray! Do you hear me? Do not stray! Um, OK, easier said than done. However, I have a little secret, and it's called North Star tapping. 

First step in maintaining constant flow is identifying bodily discomforts, cause if you can't be comfortable in your skin, it's more challenging to be comfortable anywhere else. So, first things first, target aches and pains with Meridian Tapping until your number is a SUD 4 or lower and then, shift to tapping in your North Star. If you don't know what I'm talking about, contact me for a session and let's get started on taking care of bodily discomforts, identifying your North Star and creating a steady state of flow. I even have an Inner Constellation Flow Chart that provides a guide for self-directed practice.

When you're running from The Law, you never know when you need to keep your flow a flowin', but what I've got to share, you won't be reading on no Wikihow!

"May the Force (of Mindfulness) be with you."

Hello Sweet Lovelies, I have a beautiful day off and of course, first up, writing. Lately, I've really been digging Thich Nhat Hanh. When he speaks, the Inner Constellation metaphors flow out of his mouth, my jaw drops and I'm more in touch with my inner truth. Initially, too, I have to admit, I was drawn to him because he reminded me of my absolute favorite character when I was a kid, Yoda. Seeing as Thich Nhat Hanh  is Zen (and maybe even Yoda!), he will not mind my reference one iota.

Mindfulness is something discussed much in Thich Nhat Hanh's engaged Buddhism practices, and I've been giving this concept much deserved attention, attempting to define it for myself and take it from the abstract into the concrete. What does it mean to live mindfully, to be with my clients mindfully? First on the brainstorm list was, "It's like getting in touch with The Force." Thank you, Yoda; however, diving a bit deeper, I came up with a poem. Enjoy, and may the Force (of Mindfulness) be with you....

Mindfulness

©2014 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Beloved breath—
lifeline, precious nourishment,
are you thready, shallow, below the surface
or even, full, long,
rhythmically leading the orchestra of my body?

Beloved body—
vehicle of movement, constant regenerator,
are you aching, strained, yearning for notice
or fresh, rooted, poised,
cradling my attention while alerting me to feelings?

Beloved feelings—
carriers of information, heart at my center,
are you heavy, uneasy, lonely at the core
or peaceful, happy, brimming,
overflowing a joyful steady nectar that sweetens minds?

Beloved mind—
that to which I give attention, creator of my reality,
are you regretting the past, grasping future, chattering like a monkey
or still, reflective, expansive,
acknowledging the ever-present wonders of life?

Breath, body, feelings, mind—I am here.
In this precise moment of transformation, I dwell. 

Hello, Year 2014

I look for any reason to bust out a poem. Happy, healthy and abundant present moments and these wishes for 2014, enjoy….

Say Goodbye

©2008 Karla Johnston all rights reserved

Say goodbye to earthly child—

one who looks outside for direction:

what to do,

which way to go,

how to talk.

Say goodbye to limits set.

Do you not know

Creator who formed you

is so beyond,

so beyond what is imagined?

Elevate your understanding:

Say goodbye to loss—

focus on the gift.

Say goodbye to what was taken—

rejoice in what was given.

You define holy movement:

build instead of tear down,

love rather than despise.

Compassion is your calling,

tender mercy inborn.

Goodbye boundaries,

compartments and segregated lines.

Step into limitless possibility.

Seed of God,
reach!

See that brilliant light?
It’s a brand new day:
Open,

Receive,
Grow.