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UNIVERSAL TRUTH

Key to a Co-Creative recovery Process

Ever been in a situation where you heard something for likely the thousandth time, but all of a sudden it resonates within you? Not a burning bush moment, but an ahaa? I had just that happen last night.

When I began the journey to recover a happier, joyous and more abundant life (a Big Life as opposed to the life I lived that was getting small), I was devoid of all things spiritual. Devoid at least on a conscious basis. God was something I’d learned about from others and from institutions. Even to this day, god as a word with traditional concepts does not sit well with me. Long ago I accepted the notion of a power greater than me, and god being an acronym for good orderly direction. To date, that has worked, but with some discomfort.

At a gathering last night, a respected friend talked about “Universal Truth”. I am sure I have heard and read this term many times. As I said, last night, for some reason, it resonated deep with in me. It is what I have searched for and felt as an integral part of my life recovery experience.

I’m not anti-church, anti-religion or anti anything that works for an individual. I have always believed there is only one higher power and over time, humans have put this concept into a dogma that made sense for them. Unfortunately, I strongly believe that this has caused many to have a need to be right, which of course makes others wrong. This need to be right has taken more lives than any other factor in human history! It has given me great concern about formal religions. But all religions have an underlying “Universal Truth”.

As I heard the words “Universal Truth” and the things said about it, a light came on for me.

We started with truth within us, and it has always remained with us and all around us. There is a truth that is universal. With me, over time, this universal truth got lost. In the process of life recovery, it has been awoken with in me and I appreciate it and can see it all about me. In working with others who are willing to open their minds, I see it awaken within them as a key pillar in them achieving what is important to them. The “Universal Truth” is something within all of us. Awakening to it in a pure sense is a key to achievement!

I journal, and have journaled, for a long time as part of my journey. I find it healing to get thoughts and feelings from the inside to the outside. It is a part of my practice of good mental hygiene.

Some will read this and say where has he been all these years?  I have related to “Universal Truth” and used the concept forever. For those like me that struggled with the god thing and religion, maybe this will make sense! As I go forward from today, I will take comfort in knowing my “Co-Creative Process for Life Recovery” as I practice it seeks the “Universal Truth”, and this spirit of truth may be the CO in Co-Creative.

Thank- you Linda for saying the right things at the right time for this traveler. I look forward to seeking the “Universal Truth” in my journey, and coaching others to helping find it in theirs! Could it be the “Universal Truth” within is what many call their soul?

This journal, and other related  blogs can be found at www.hopeserenity.ca. Please be a part of this site!

BEING PRESENT

Everyone needs in their life someone who can just be "present" for them. Someone who will just listen deeply. How many of us are truly heard?

One of the great skills that is taught and taught again by every coaching school is the art of deep listening. This goes beyond what is called active listening. To listen deeply one has to be able to shut off their own brain chatter for a while, and just be present for the other person. Do you have someone like that?

In developing the "Co-Creative process of Life Recovery", we have recognized that being present for a client is a key. Every person needs to be heard to be able to set goals and move to the life that they want. They know the changes they want to make; someone has to hear them.

"Being present is an expression of love.
When someone we care about is in distress, we may not know what to say. We'd like to make the hurt go away and set everything right, but we feel awkward and powerless.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give each other is our presence, our attention. As we recover, we become more available emotionally to those we love, less preoccupied with craving and control, and less withdrawn and isolated. Having experienced the healing support of our Twelve Step groups, we can share our strength and hope by simply being there for someone else, whether or not that person is in the program.
We know that each of us must find his or her own answers. There are many times when, much as we'd like to, we can't fix the problems of our friends, children, parents, or other family members. What we can do is show them by our presence that we care and are on their side. We can spend time with them or, if we're geographically separated, we can call or write. And we can be confident that the same Higher Power that supports us is also supporting those we love.
My presence today can make a positive difference to someone dear to me."

Can you be present for others, and is there someone in your life who can be present for you? Are you heard? To restate from the quoted passage, "each of us must find his or her own answers'".

A fundamental in the Co-creative process of Life recovery is just being present.

Ego:”Don’t Ask For Help, I Can Do It”

Asking for help is the first step to healthy living.

By admitting to our friends that we don't know what we should do about the many confusing, sometimes scary circumstances in our lives, we open the door for our Higher Power to reach us. That's often the way help comes to us. At times we'll open a book and an inspiring passage will jump out, or we'll wake up feeling as if God has answered us in our dreams. But more frequently and vividly, our help is in the gentle words of a friend.

Many of us postponed getting help because we dreaded asking for it. We thought that asking for help would make us look weak and uninteresting. We so wanted to be liked and admired that we pretended all was well, while in reality all was awful. It's a profound relief to share our burdens with other people. And the best part is, we'll get needed guidance.

In looking at a “Creative Process for Life Recovery” we knew the chief stumbling block for most people is simply being humble enough to ask for help. A paradox, in admitting we can’t do it alone leads to getting it done. Admitting our weakness is an act of courage. As Tolle points out, conscious ego is often a huge road block to living a life we truly want.

A holistic approach to life recovery does have a spiritual component, and this is aided by the mere admission that we, alone, cannot find all the answers. We are not all powerful. Answers and direction come from different places at different times. Often, when sought, they are within.

We need help to search for and recognise the answers.

A joyous, abundant and happy life, by anyone’s definition of what that may be, cannot come without healthy living. The first step to healthy living is asking for help. The “Co-Creative Process of Life Recovery” is designed to give help to those who seek.

The 2 YOUS

Every day I read from a little 24 hour meditation book. I've read the same pages on the same day every day for 15 years. Often times when I read, something new will jump out. I know it is because of where I am at in the NOW.

The last few days have talked about what I call duality. For example, statements like "I was always at war with myself", phrases like "inner conflict (conflict requires at least two parties).Today stated that "Everyone has two personalities, a good and a bad" and goes on to say "we are back and forth, always in conflict with our other selves, always in a stew".

Is there anyone who cannot relate to this inner conflict? Resolution of it is part of my journey, and there has been a large measure of positive change, but to get it took work and doing things that did not come easily to the pre-journey person I had become. Even today, the conflict inside can be there; no, is there and often I have to do what I know to be right rather than what I want to do. They are not always the same thing. There are two distinct thought processes (people) at work within. This hasn't changed.

I truly believe at birth, we were at one with our creator. Then life started to happen. Personally the degree of separation grew from my creator, and the" me" that developed became a "me" at a point in time I really didn't like. A "me" I knew that was far from being who I once was and who I felt I wanted to be.  I know I'm not alone in this experience.

We have been working hard at creating a theory, and from the theory, an action plan that can be taught to others. To date, I have referred to it as the "Creative Theory of Life Recovery". This has been a working phrase, but not one that really "felt" good. The originator of the phrase, Patrick Meninga (www.spititualriver.com) has had constant dialogue with me as things evolve. He is and will be a partner if we ever hit a viable product!

Today I had the pleasure of working with two of my clients, both in a "Life Recovery" mode and neither addicted to a chemical. Both are looking to set goals to reach a "happy, joyous and abundant" place in different areas in their respective lives. Only my clients can define their goals. Coupled with what has jumped off the pages, some of which I've quoted, thoughts struck me. Within each of them rages a conflict. Resolution is a journey.

We all have inner conflict AND it does not get resolved without help. We all were perfect once. Resolving the conflict is what the journey, "Life Recovery", is all about.

From long experience and dialoging with hundreds of others, I know that taking the journey alone, without help; will not yield long term results. Read in to "not alone" what you will. Could it be totally spiritual?

What has evolved for me is new thinking as it relates to a journey; it really is a "Co-Creative Process of Life Recovery" that comes out of a "Co-creative Theory of Life Recovery'. The objective, to minimize through resolution the conflict within resulting in what an individual feels meets THEIR definition of a happy, abundant and joyful life. Only the individual knows what success feels like to them!

Input, as always, is sought and welcomed!

Living Now

So often we hear trite little things, and because they are so simple, we pay little attention.

One day at a time, live in the NOW, is one of them.

Eckhart Tolle in his works, “A New Earth” and “The Power of Now” drives home some simple truths, albeit in a fashion I found enlightening, but more complicated than a simple mind like mine needs. In evolving the “Theory of Creative Life Recovery”, Tolle’s writings had a profound influence.

In recent readings, I got the following simple truths:

“You feel the way you do right now because of the thoughts you are thinking at this moment.
--David D. Burns
Good thoughts are like bright colors in a painting. Negative thoughts are dark and dreary and drab. Each day we paint pictures of our own lives with our thoughts. If we step back and look at the canvas, we will see whether the picture is alive with bright colors or dreary and lifeless like a dark cloud. Our thoughts have the power to bring joy or sadness our way, depending on what we expect or look for in our surroundings. The choice of how we want our lives to be is ours. Since we paint a new picture each day, we are always free to change things when they don't please us. What better time than the present?
Is there something in my life I'd like to change today?”

Living now, making those changes within a tight time frame that we know need to be made, ads up to holistic living, Creatively Recovering Life through positive change in the NOW.

There is help available to help you through these simple actions; they are neither trite nor easy! Watch the Creative Theory of Life Recovery evolve at www.hopeserenity.ca and www.spititualriver.com. You are invited, NOW, to input and be a part of the evolution.

Worried vs. Proactive

I love Thursdays, the day I call mental health day. On Thursday, I practice what I preach in keeping with the "Creative Theory of Life Recovery". I take time to meet with a coach, a group and other friends, some of these friends being specialists in health care.

I generally find that I come home with my mind alive.

A practice that was suggested, and I took the suggestion, when I started my journey to getting a life back, was doing a journal. I was told that it allowed me to externalize feelings and thoughts, not just stuff them and promote "brain chatter".

I keep my journals, and once and a while look back to monitor change. And over the years change there has been! I have adopted a holistic approach to life recovery and use as many tools as I need.

My journals have changed from what now seems to be plea bargaining or begging from a god I was just building a relationship with, to far more esoteric things. My major issues are at a minimum, and I do have time to think about far more philosophical things which lead to my choice of a final career and a mission to coach others to improved personal performance.

My friend visit today was a noted psychiatrist. I was sharing with him the thoughts behind the Creative Theory of Life Recovery". He said to me "Those who continually seek help are the healthy ones", and in his business are referred to as the "worried well". As one who seeks outside help and still has an ego, I challenged this term.

As he told me, he believes "worried well" is a good thing. They worry about their well being. Semantically, I didn't feel comfortable about thinking worry caused me to take action to be well. Sure I worry, but not obsessively. Sometimes there is good reason to worry!!

I hate to think the "Creative Theory" is being coached to those who take a holistic approach to the recovery of an abundant life because they are worried. Words and phrases like courage, willing to change, flexible, curious, seeker, learners, committed, etc., they are more in keeping with those who work hard to improve. They are the people who will benefit. Far better people of action than worriers.

And what do these words have in common. They are positive action words. They are doing; not worrying.

The outcome; he will now use the phrase "Proactive Well", and so will I to describe people on a positive journey. I love to work to be "well" and try to do so proactively!

On a daily basis the challenge will be to be "Proactive Well' and deal with worry in a proactive fashion! Makes sense to me and my journey!