CHANGE YOUR VIBRATION AND THEN TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!

Already this season, I have requests to lift spirits.

Everybody needs love and encouragement. It’s not the negative news, pictures or reporting that inspires us to respond to world pain. But positive vibrations do.

Be a bringer of hope.

Inspired and soulful inquiries move conversations forward. Moving the conversation forward means speaking into community when your contribution inspires the learning environment. Lifting vibrations and aligning moves the conversation forward.

Old worldviews are problem-based with uninspired, and even toxic, vibrations. Humans resort to scarcity and fear-based thinking. Negative speech and dissecting issues brings the conversation down ... and us along with it.

Three days ago, a friend on Facebook posted on her timeline: “I’m leaving Facebook. I can’t stand all these awful images.” Putting up awful images on Linkedin, Facebook and in the media news shuts down inspiration and positive energy that could make a difference.

One person wrote in response to our friend leaving:

              Posting horrible things is unnecessary to get the people who will help, 
              to help. And shock value of horrendous photos is not going to get the 
              people who are not already helping, to help.

                                                                                        MaryGaye LeBoeuf

                                                                             ‪

Old belief systems are dying out. Yet, there is still controversy about what creates positive change. I believe that MaryGaye is right; shock value does not motivate us to create positive change. Namaste Global Vision's ten years of research in the animal steward field suggests the same. There's a lot of despair, anger and burn-out in the animal steward field ... and a lot of negative results. 

If you don’t do this by tonight.....it will be the end. This isn’t a message of hope. Nor does it inspire. When I get one of these Facebook messages, I have a sinking feeling; I have heart palpitations. I have to stop and do intentional work to re-align my vibrational field before I can move into a positive place...before I am RELIABLE to make a difference.

FIRST CHANGE YOUR VIBRATION AND THEN TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!

Noeline McManaway has been helping people for years to lift their vibrational field, transforming negative issues. She offers a rich perspective:

Once we get into our aligned positive beneficial space then we have that field of positive energy going out for someone else to pick up on. When we are depressed and in that negative state, someone already with that tendency picks up on that and they get more depressed. When we're happy and aligned that energy goes out to anyone who can benefit from it. 

         

We all NEED to SEE what is WORKING, be inspired, and buoyed up. We need positive images. Years ago, part of my job was to consult with leaders of halfway houses: homes for women re-entering society after long bouts of drug abuse. Lenore, Director of one of these programs, ALWAYS met me at the door saying: “Tell me something good.” She was drowning in a sea of sorrow. She counted on me to tell her what was working!

Scientific research demonstrates that what we focus on expands. Focus on the negative and negative outcomes grow. Focus on positive inquiries and positive outcomes flourish. Appreciative Inquiry, an organizational leadership process, teaches that asking the right questions allows the pathway for positive results to open up.

“Many well intentioned teams have abandoned problem-solving projects because the weight of the problem was too much to bear,” David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva write.

Appreciative Inquiry Organizational Change Model teaches that positive interviews create positive futures. The key is first to change your vibrational field and THEN focus on what you want.

Wild Horses are in the news recently. If I used a problem-based approach, I might ask someone:

“What is your systematic approach to save wild horses before it’s totally too late?”

It generates scarcity consciousness. It suggests nothing CAN be done. It invites in the awful news. It calls out low vibrations.

If I asked a question from an Appreciative Inquiry model, I’d ask:

“I know you’re a very committed person that likely works 40-50 hours a week. I see how much you care about your work and the environment. Could you take a moment and share your best experience with wild horses? What’s your most positive story about wild horses presently running free? What is one thing you’d be willing to do to build on that success in Wyoming?”

It honors success and commitment. It inspires change. It builds on success. It listens for what’s possible. People’s vibrations light up in sharing good stories. Change occurs when we are aligned and sending forth positive vibrations. It’s what animals and people need. To build on that foundation, I might ask people to turn to something that inspires them.

Michael Stillwater and Gary Malkin put together such an inspiring video. “The Great Bell Chant” nourishes lives. It fosters positive vibrations. It renews the spirit.

Dear Reader, tell me a story about the time you created a positive impact with others. How and where in the world, will you build on that success?

THANKSGIVING / A MEAL FULL OF GRACE

I’ve made peace with Thanksgiving. I feel affection for how it became a blessing day of gratitude and sharing.

I had a few issues with Thanksgiving that I needed to transform first. (Family baggage; USA’s Thanksgiving’s historical past and The Turkey.) As a young adult, I never grasped taking a life and then giving thanks over it; so I don’t. While I can’t undo Native American suffering at the hands of Pilgrims, I can bless Native American culture. As for family baggage, it’s meant to be released.

Harvest Festivals from around the world have a common theme: blessing, giving thanks and feasts with loved ones. Embracing other harvests gave me a deeper appreciation of what’s possible.

Onam is a Kerala festival honoring a time of freedom, protection and prosperity.

Thanksgiving in Brazil is about giving thanks to God for the harvest.

Great New Moon Festival is a ceremony of the Cherokee Nation.

Many Native Americans pay respect to Harvest festivals.

Korean Chuseok is a day of thanks and honoring ancestors.    

One of my favorite Thanksgivings was 21 years ago. I invited a niece and nephew, two close friends, their friend, my sister, brother-in-law and their two dogs, to come for a few days to a family vacation home that was my turn to use. We collectively would create the meal. My dog, Nami, offered to do kitchen clean-up.

I’d just unloaded grocery bags. I turned to everyone to discuss how to organize Thanksgiving preparations. Who wanted what?

My friend, Marie, was first to speak. Her question: “Karla, what would you have if you weren’t thinking about what we wanted?”

“Well, interesting question. Because I’m a vegetarian, I’d make things like, uhm: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pear Salad, Cranberry Sauce, Yeast Rolls, Mushroom Gravy, Holiday Stuffing, Mashed Yams, Pumpkin Pies. Maybe another pie and a Tofu loaf.”

Marie replied: “Sounds GREAT to me! Let’s have these dishes this Thanksgiving. We don’t need the other stuff.”

Everyone agreed!

My jaw dropped. I invited everyone to co-create Thanksgiving from all our favorite dishes.

“But you guys like that other stuff!”

“Well, this year we don’t,” Marie declared, with all heads nodding. “That’s settled. Let’s make a list.”

Vegetarian Thanksgiving was in progress.

I was blown away by everyone’s generosity. Thanksgiving became about deepening connections and true giving.

Cooking that day was fun. Finally, we sat around a candle-lit table, with ocean views and sounds. We shared gratitude. EVERYONE loved the food! The conversation was warm and plenty, just like our sated bellies.

While everyone else was sitting back from the table, digesting, I watched my sister reaching generously for more food. The rest of us moaned about how much we’d eaten. We all were preparing for an ocean walk. I stopped the conversation.

“Hey, Georgie, what’s up with you? You just ate more food than I’ve seen you eat in your whole lifetime! Normally, you nibble. Are you PREGNANT?”

“Wow, Karla, you’re good. I wasn’t going to tell anyone. But yes, yes, I am,” Georgie said beaming.

My jaw dropped one more time.

And this is how I shared one of the best, happiest and most amazing Thanksgivings of my life.

So, Reader, tell me about a time when you were really happy at Thanksgiving. Who was there and what contributed to your satisfaction?

THE LOVING POWER OF HORSES AND THE UNKNOWN

When I engage in equine coaching, I enter into what the Lakota people call The Great Mystery.

Yesterday, as I stepped into the barn, I met a peaceful scene. Part of the herd came down the hill. Others, already with stall access, came in for a nuzzle.

My client and I were working in the small barn room. From my perch, I saw more horses come down the hill. At liberty, they milled around Ginger quietly standing in the round pen. A couple of horses were lying down. A few nuzzled each other. There was a lot of licking and chewing. Eyes were attentive on me as I worked with the client.

My client works for a large company. He recently shifted from a breakdown with a close colleague and was still in dialogue. His former communication and integrity issues cost him business and respect. He was seeking deeper intimacy with his teams and family.

After a brief exploration in the round pen, life burst into action on the other side of the pen. Two of the horses nipped each other, nosed, chased...sometimes kicking out as one of them would speed up the hill and then return.

After scanning the environment, I asked my client what the two horses seemed to be saying to him.

"Well, it was connection and then biting. Like fighting. So I guess something about connecting." 

More biting and chasing ensued.

I then asked if his inner intimacy conflict had returned? He confided that it had. Ginger came a little closer.

“What’s Ginger saying?”

“That I was honest and it's okay to come closer to me. I still feel agitated, though. Like I cannot get ahold of it.”

“Of intimacy? But you just did by admitting you were in conflict and not hiding it.”

The exploration changed again. Ginger moved off and the biting and nipping resumed.

“Hmm, is there anyone you’re in conflict with presently?”

“Well, I blew up at Bert. But I don’t think he cared.”

More nipping and rearing.

What are the horses saying to you?

“If it weren’t for the broken company...”

More nipping and rearing.

“What are the horses saying?

“Heck yes, I blew up. It was a bad deal and I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Ginger moved away from John. More nipping, rearing and biting.

I walked closer into my client’s space. My body was relaxed, my voice even. “I thought you already decided that blowing up was unacceptable?”

My client looked out into the distance to the top of the pasture hills. Ginger moved to stand in front of the round pen gate.

“What’s Ginger saying to you?”

John laughed. “That there is no way out.”

 “From?”

“Putting an end to my rage and controlling others.”

“What are the other horses showing you?”

“I have to clean this up.”

And?

“I will tonight.”

“Who are you mad at?”

“Me. I am mad at me for not communicating, not knowing how to share my love of the project. I blew it and took it out on Bert.”

“John, what was the herd energy when you arrived? And then later, with you?”

“Well as we came to the round pen, they were all calm.  Then when I was talking those two were play fighting, they showed me I wasn’t. I was numb and yet, aggressive. It was ... really ... like love ... and POWER. You, too. Like a Loving Power.”

A day later, I called an equine coaching friend. With only a brief picture of the horse’s interaction, she had the same coaching questions as I. She asked about my response to the work done.

“It’s so dynamic. I don’t like seeing the horses bite each other. And you’re right, I don’t really know what it’s like for them. They were play fighting. It's really that sometimes when I express this loving power, I get anxious. This strong vibration of love, strong and focused. And yet, the horses cheered me, whinnying, coming closer when I moved in closer to my client. They backed me up.”

“How was that?” my friend asked.

My eyes teared up. “It’s my growing edge. I know Nature and the animals are helping us, even in our work. It’s humbling. I feel moved by it.”

Dear Reader, when was the last time you let Nature have a word with you? Did you make the change?

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, PEACE AND TRANSFORMATION

If I were to interview organizational consultant colleagues, they would say that mission embodied companies are the most likely to succeed. Many consultants write about the value of aligned personal and organizational values. Most consultants know of the gap between living personal values and the organization’s values in the workplace.

We are living at a time that’s vital to our global family’s sustainability. We need to heal the splits between our core right brain values and our actions. Happiness is a core value of the United States Constitution. Many of us now know that the key to happiness lies in manifesting our core values of peace, love, joy, and compassion into our lives and the world. Yet, there is a huge split in we Americans’ ability to manifest equality and happiness for all.

            “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that
             they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that
             among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Many Americans say that peace of mind is a core value. Auto and health care insurance; estate, auto sales and pet sitting advertising capitalize on this in their slogans. Yet, the USA does not have a track record of demonstrating peaceful actions and relations. We don't treat everyone in the USA as if they have a right to pursue freedom or happiness.

The Huffington Post wrote a recent article, “Violent Deaths More Common In U.S. Than Any Other Wealthy Nation Report,” finding that “homicide and suicide together account for about a quarter of the years of life lost for U.S. men compared to those in peer countries.” Poverty is another factor in American violent deaths. Alcohol related accidents and drug abuse are others.

           Other Statistics of incongruence with American Values of Peace and Happiness
          1. USA: Highest crime rate of any wealthy nation.
          2. USA: Residents say they love animals and yet consume one-sixth of the
              global population of them. 

3. Most surprising is the Global Peace Index 2012. The USA ranks low on the list.

        

It’s striking that, ranked at #88, Americans haven’t yet demonstrated inner peace translating to world peace statistics. Yet, you cannot be committed to peace, joy and happiness while engaged in practices, images, language, thoughts, values, mindsets, policies and decisions that promote violence.

Physician Gary Slutkin returned from a decade of treating diseases in Africa. When he returned to American, ready to rest from epidemic deaths, he discovered America was not exempt from the scourge of brutal disease. He encountered gun violence that followed patterns of infectious disease. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work.


Americans can join Dr. Slulkin and others who are helping the USA and the world align their core values and manifest them into peace and happiness. Otto Scharmer writes:

           What's being born is...something that we can feel in many places across Planet 
           Earth. This future is not just about firefighting and tinkering with the surface 
           of structural change. It’s not just about replacing one mindset that no longer 
           serves us with another. It’s a future that requires us to tap into a deeper level
           of our humanity, of who we really are and who we want to be as a society. It
           is a future that we can sense and actualize by shifting the inner place from 
           which we operate.

We can shift into love, harmony, joy and compassion. We can find freedom for all. There is growing value in our earth’s sustainability.

It is up to all of us to align our core values with our life practices. I consider this essential and noble work. It’s money well spent. We can close the gap between constitutional declarations, organizational missions, and personal values.

Reader, do you want genuine happiness? Are you willing to invest your life’s energy into creating it for you...and the world?