Goes Around, Comes Around

As I get ready for a trip to San Francisco with my family, I find myself thinking of a poem I wrote and thought to share it. The poem reminds me of Charting our Course to our North Stars, the idea of Karma and the importance of informed action and intention. Adventure awaits and I look forward to connecting when I get home. May this offering prime the pump....

Goes Around, Comes Around

©Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Going on a journey.

Suitcases are packed.

Protecting everything familiar,

I lock my door

and walk to the station.

Window beckons, “open for business.”

Idling bus sputters in irritation,

awaiting my decision.

Money changes hands.

Ticket is mine.

“Step on up,

hold tight!”

Baggage taken,

tossed below,

sinks into dark recesses.

Outside the rain streaked window,

I see a man

dirty and poor.

He’s out of sorts,

not playing by the rules.

Do I step from the bus,

where might that road lead?

No one’s holding me here.

Yet I stay,

rooted to my seat.

Miles stretch between

as highway hums a song.

Stretching out best I can,

I’m lulled by wheels of complacency,

and fall into deep sleep….

Until, passing through some god-forsaken town,

the rambling bus blows a tire.

No longer dry,

I stand roadside,

looking worn and tired.

“Don’t worry,”

a gentleman looks on,

“Help will arrive.”

Comfort spouted in vain,

sounds familiar.

Groaning to a halt,

the bus indeed ambles in.

I stir, lifted from the roadside dream.

Wiping my eyes,

I sit up and ask, “Have I been saved?”

“Honey, what do I look like,

your angel in disguise?”

the woman at the wheel inquires.

Her black hands rest lax beneath her

as she smiles, “Is this your stop?”

Stretching,

I rise,

grab my backpack

and head down the aisle.

I understand:

where I go,

my destinations,

all reap grace

or payback,

my own creations.

"I'm on my go, go, go...gadget flow!"

Settling down on Monday after a busy weekend, I thought to share an insight. The other day I was rushing a bit trying to get somewhere and drove past a sprinkler misting a lawn in the first light of morning. It glowed like only the union of water and sun can do and rather than be inspired, I said to myself, "Don't look, there's no time." Can you believe it?! The silliness of snubbing beauty because I was too busy! Here's my AHA--when I hurry, I don't take time for beauty. I had inadvertently trained myself to ignore and not look if I was rushed and had to arrive somewhere. Well, Dear Friends, you'll be pleased to know that I slowed down to the speed limit :) and just took it all in. And guess what? I was not late but arrived exactly on time. I made a commitment to plan time to entertain beauty and snag the blessings offered for the taking every day. To retrain or realign one's sights to the priorities of life (North Stars) takes tremendous discipline. Slowing down and not rushing are ways for me to chart my course in the right direction. Lupe Fiasco, I'm stepping off the gerbil wheel!

In a Perfect World....

Recently this question was posed to me, "In a perfect world, where you need not worry about making money or supporting yourself, what would you chose to do?" When I heard the question, it reminded me of North Star, and the idea of identifying and embracing what is most important in your life. OK, I'm not avoiding the question, I'll divulge my answer, but first--how do you answer the question: In a perfect world, whereby everything you need is provided for, what would you chose to do?

My answer is two-fold, I would write and I would act generously. Now, I don't know about you all, but my answer begs the question, why wait until everything is provided in order to do my heart's desire? In fact, perhaps the heart's desire is the path to receiving abundantly. And, then, to go even deeper, perhaps we are always absolutely provided for.

I had a friend once who governed her life in the following way--she made a deal with her Creator, agreeing to do her heart's desire under the expectation that all her needs would be met. I have known this friend for over 10 years and her expectations have been granted every time (sometimes in the nick of time, but met none the less). The Inner Constellation Blog is the perfect venue for pursuing my heart's desire--to write (thank you for indulging me). I'm in the stages of developing a Pilot Program which will fulfill the second part of my heart's desire--to act generously.

Remembering the universal law that whatever we give our attention to increases, it make sense that following our hearts' desires will bring increased abundance. Tonight, I wish upon a star and make a promise to follow my heart's desire. I release it now into cyberspace--stay tuned for the IC Pilot Program coming soon!

Invoke Your Muse

I just spent the last half hour enraptured by a Monarch butterfly feeding on my wildflowers. She's still there as I write this, probing and seeking out the juiciest parts of the flowers. As I watched, I got to thinking about a poem I wrote and the lines kept tumbling through my head. Blessings to you on this beautiful summer day, may this poem provide inspiration....


Invoke the Muse
©Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Lay me down 
in a field of green.

Gossamer wings
flutter near.

Like a honey bee
enter me,
expose sweet nectar center.

Before pulling free
dance with me,
lead and I will follow.

Star of divinity
constellate me,
reveal:
a song,
a poem.
I’ll engrave it all—
Lay
me
down.

Remembering Your Goodness

Happy day, IC friends, I’m currently reading a book entitled, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” Perhaps you’ve read it? It was voted one of the ten best books of the year, and so I couldn’t resist (besides the intriguing title). This morning I read a line that stuck. A character by the name of Eben Ramsey wrote a letter reflecting on the time of German occupation, “We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.” I pondered if the “they” were friends, books or both. We’ve all known people who have nurtured and reminded us of our best parts and forgave our not-so-best parts. Books can do a very similar service but in the guise of characters or human insights shared. I got to thinking how I’ve befriended many a book (what can I say, it’s a Saturday and I’m feeling whimsical). As a kid, Harriet the Spy was one of my best loved characters. The curious and intensely honest girl filled notebook after notebook with life’s observations. Uh, wow, does that sound familiar! A similar inspiring favorite was Harry Potter (is there something to the name?). Most recently, I’d vote “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett as a most exquisite read.

My closest befriending of a book was with "Child of God", the story I wrote about Joan of Arc. It was a seven year project involving travel to France, pouring over trial transcripts and then creating a first person account of Joan's life and visions with what she referred to as, “the Voice.” I published "Child of God: The Humble Beginnings of Joan of Arc" in Kindle electronic format. In this day and age, you can befriend a book in a few seconds!

Eben Ramsey’s wise words, “…they reminded us that we had another part to us,” sum up perfectly what great books and good friends do—connects us to a deeper part of ourselves in spite of situations that counter otherwise. OK, TTFN, gotta go write in my notebook!

Everything is Energy

I don't watch a lot of Oprah, but I highly value her generosity and big heart. A friend of mine sent me an email mentioning a topic addressed on her final show: "It's all ENERGY!" Her show topic supports one of the Inner Constellation truths attributed to Albert Einstein: Everything is energy. I did my research and here's what influential Oprah had to say:

“You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself, and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others. Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space.” 

Her call to action may sound a bit woo-woo, but I have a simple story to illustrate Oprah's point. I must warn you, if you're a rabbit lover, you may wish to not read on....About four years ago, there was a large forest fire in our area, and since the fire, rabbits have overpopulated our neighborhood. This summer season not only did we have our typical adult rabbits but two babies galloped around, jumping over rocks, chasing each other and eating up our lawn. They were so cute, we didn't mind too much. But then, of course, the flowers started disappearing. So, using the power of my thoughts (energy), whenever I thought of the rabbits taking over the hood, I turned my thoughts to the good and simply envisioned fat, yummy bunnies for anyone needing a dinner. A few days later we found a huge pile of coyote skat in our fenced yard, then, a black cat started visiting. He's been around for about three weeks, looks very healthy and well feed and the flowers are doing great! Now, I'm pretty sure Oprah would think me an irresponsible brute, but this brings us to the next Inner Constellation truth: Energy never dies it just changes form: flowers, to bunnies, to cats, to coyotes, to me, sitting and thinking about what it is I want versus what it is I don't want. And now, for the third IC truth (drum roll please...)--we are all ENERGY! 

Nature's Remedy

Wild Rose in water,
I drink from thee
and feel your effect immediately--
like medicine you open a closed part of me.

After finishing a run this weekend, I wrote the above ditty in tribute to the Wild Alpine Rose. I discovered the Wild Rose within weeks of moving to the mountains and continue to make tea from its petals and rosehips. One of my favorite energy techniques is to borrow properties from nature when I need a pick-me-up. In my work with people, I've noticed a tendency to sometimes wall off our hearts, perhaps as a survival instinct, especially in the event of trauma. If I feel this tendency within myself, I purposely look to remedy it by choosing to focus on the opposite--opening. For me, two wonders of the natural world inspire opening--roses and the waxing moon.

If you're lucky enough to have Wild Rose growing in your area, try picking a tight bud and after carefully running under water, place it either in a cup of boiled water for tea or straight into a quart of filtered water, where it will stay fresh for days. Wild Rose has a very pleasing, delicate taste. I wouldn't suggest domestic Roses due to dyes and pesticides. Rosehips are slightly sweeter and hold the seed pods of the Rose when left un-pruned and in its wild state. The fruit is typically scarlet to orange and can be gathered in the fall and added to tea as a natural sweetener.

Moon water is easily harvested using filtered water and preferably a capped, glass container. Old wine bottles work great. I place my water out after sunset and retrieve it in the morning. The moon begins its waxing cycle on July 30. Consider taking advantage of its fullness and voila, drink down the moon!