Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Wider and Deeper


The myth that vertical growth equals success or contentment is one conjured by a continuous desire to attain. When we see our lives, our work, or our passions as things to be accomplished with specific pentacles and picturesque endings, we miss opportunities along the way to grow wider and deeper.  Depending on how high we climb the latter of success, our view may become askew with reality.  We may find ourselves at the top of our game, with our dreams in tact and nowhere to go but down, motivated only by a fear of falling. 

As I ponder this idea of achievement, I am intrigued by the idea that if we reach wide by forming alliances in our quest for purposeful greatness and deepen our understanding of self in the process we can achieve a more sustainable version of success.  In this version there is no one to look down upon, only reflections and encouragement on either side.  In this version the roots are longer than the branches and the works we make visible to the masses are a small part of the abundance that lives beneath our exterior projection.  By extending past our comfort zones and asking questions that perpetuate our growth rather than validate our knowledge we get closer to the source our strength.  We discover new possibilities in old patterns, beauty in new beginnings, and expansion in our expression.  

My teaching, dance making, and parenting are all continual reminders that grasping for what is not keeps me doing but digging deep and embracing what is, keeps me understanding.  In all areas of my life I am reaching wider and deeper. 


"What does it mean that success is as dangerous as failure?
Whether you go up the ladder or down it,
you position is shaky.
When you stand with your two feet on the ground,
you will always keep your balance."
                            
                                                    Tao Te Ching, 13

Thursday, November 14, 2013

We are a sum of our parts. The way we were raised, the conditioning we've experienced and the opportunities that have shaped our world view mold our perspective on the life we live. This perspective causes us to judge each moment as right or wrong. One of the key elements missing from our evaluation is reality. We often assess how the situation could or should have gone instead of operating from a place of reality and moving through each moment with clarity of action.

Seeing the reality in each moment frees us from desire and regret, allowing us to act authentically, therefore becoming more of the individual we were created to be.