Joy to the Fishes in the Deep Blue Sea....

This week, I was introduced to an 86 year old Japanese man who owns and runs a sushi restaurant in Tokyo and has been creating and serving sushi for over 75 years. His name is Jiro Ono and he clearly understands the Inner Constellation concept of North Star (one's top priority, or motto for life). After being kicked out of his home at the age of nine, he learned very quickly how to swim versus sink. Young Jiro began a quest to make his one desire--making sushi, a reality. Sushi was an exorbitant commodity but this didn't stop young Jiro. He admitted that most of his inspiration came in dreams where he would be preparing sushi but changing the traditional time-honored recipes. He would wake with all kinds of ideas pouring out of him. Serving up the fishes in the deep blue sea became his life and Jiro still follows his North Star, "improve always on your craft." Here were some of Jiro's most remarkable nuggets of North Star wisdom:

* One must discover his or her specific craft, and once it's known, cultivate the skills necessary to be the best possible. For instance, to be a chef one must develop taste, smell, cooking instinct and intuition. Some skills are innate and natural but most must be developed and honed. 

* Always doing what you're told doesn't mean you'll succeed in life.

* Don't worry about money, instead offer only the best possible ingredients (metaphorically speaking, always offer your best, don't let money motivate your decisions)

* Always look above and beyond yourself (said by Jiro's son, taught to him by his father)

Jiro trains his apprentices for ten years before they're promoted to the position of preparing and serving the sushi. He spoke often of becoming a shokunin, or master craftsman or artisan. Yet this Japanese word has a much deeper meaning, as explained by Tasio Odate:

"...not only having technical skills, but also an attitude and social consciousness....The shokunin has a social obligation to work his/her best for the general welfare of the people. The obligation is both spiritual and material...."

If you wish to experience a truly inspirational man, watch Jiro Ono's story, "Jiro Dreams of Sushi."

"Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea, joy to you and me!"

Iranians Flock to Election Polls--Go, Brave Souls, Go!

This month's Freedom Series highlights the people of Iran as they bravely head to election polls, today, June 14, 2013. One remaining moderate candidate remains in the Presidential election after religious leader Ayatollah Khamenei arranged to have two others disqualified and one withdrew himself to avoid pulling votes away from the most popular candidate, Hassan Rouhani.

Rouhani has the votes of many women and young people as he faces five hard-line candidates closely tied to the current president, Ahmadinejad, and religious leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Almost all of the five hard-liners have been suspected of bombings and having a hand in the slaughter of innocents during past uprisings (gives a ridiculously new meaning to the definition of hard-line!).

Many say today's election is a farce after accusations of fraud during the last election and the bloody crackdown on peaceful protesters that followed, but I'm holding to the third Inner Constellation Truth:

Everything, no matter how challenging, has the ability to be transformed. 

The reformist Rouhani's poll results continue to surge as the country is very clearly divided between traditionalists and those who want change. Iranians are enthusiastically turning out at polling stations and voting hours have been extended to keep up with the demand, while social media explodes with anticipation. Results are expected by Saturday, so stay tuned.

Hearing about the election this morning, I asked myself what I could do, sitting here in the Good Ol' US of A to assist the courageous Pollsters today and in the upcoming weeks? I came up with two contributions:

1) Pump up my care focus to include Iranians and the elections. Visit this page for my favorite ways to do this.

2) Diligently practice gratitude for my daily freedoms over the upcoming days following the election.

Both of these fall in the category of creating global coherence. Global Coherence Initiative is a science-based project tracking the ability of focused intention to positively influence areas of unrest. Inner Constellation language might say it something like this:

IC Truth number 1: Everything is energy; the body is the interface.

I'm using my thoughts, intentions and actions to focus on a positive outcome in the Middle East while truly soaking in the freedoms that I know through direct experience encourage a good life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

If you'd like to join me in a care focus including the Iranian people during this election time, please follow me on twitter @ICNorthStar

Just the Right Amount of Wrong!

Metta

a gentle rain that falls unconditionally, friendliness, recognizing another’s beauty, connecting and belonging to one another, wishing another well

The above Pali word is used to describe the feeling of care one actively engenders toward another. It is said to be the most natural state of who we truly are when we’re not caught in re-activity. 

I first came across the practice of Metta when I was struggling with a "mentally ill" family member (in quotes because I don't accept this label). I had spent my life battling the idea that there was something drastically wrong with this loved one and had quite frankly exhausted myself trying to fix the situation. Finally after years of unfruitful effort, I converted to a novel idea--responding with what was most needed--unconditional love and care to the best of my ability. 

Since taking the tiniest baby steps in practicing Metta, I've begun entertaining this question: 

What if nothing is ever wrong? Try this on: What if absolutely nothing is ever wrong, but rather is an opportunity for you to respond? 

Does this question take the fight right out of you? It sure does me. If there's nothing wrong, then there's nothing to fix, I'm freed up. If I were free, how would I respond? Without fear, without judgment, I would respond with love and care, naturally. 

As I write this blog post, my sweet hubby finishes watching a French Open Match, where his adored Roger Federer just lost in 3 sets, to Mr. Jo Willy Tsonga. What if absolutely nothing is ever wrong, but rather is an opportunity to respond? Lets just turn off all the drama, and go to bed. Oh, but not before a final commercial that makes me smile in pure awe. The advertisement is for Las Vegas and across the screen in seductive letters scrolls:

"Just the right amount of wrong!"

Ha! Yes, just enough of a push to set us into motion. When life presents me with a road block, a cloud threatening to cover up my North Star, how will I respond? With a bolt of lightening, a thunderclap, or the gentle rain of Metta?