Finding my way in a wild new world

December 31st 2011 The year ends with a most wonderful gift: The publication of Martha Beck's new novel entitled: Finding Your Way in a Wild New World. It moved me to tears of hope. You may know Martha Beck as the author of the popular column Advice etc. in O Magazine. I have always felt a pull to Martha Beck's way of thinking. I once called her my guru (she didn't like). I have been reading her columns and her novels voraciously for years - her words, phrases and expressions feel like soothing balm on violent sunburns. She is the ultimate WayFinder to me -she leads the path to bettering oneself in a gentle and nurturing way. She is encouraging, thought provoking, and a wizard in translating concepts into pragmatic, actionable ideas. I quoted her extensively in my first attempt at a novel early this year - she writes splendiferously. I devoured her latest 300 page masterpiece in a few hours. It's a pragmatic guide to creating the life you want in a world where known structures are disappearing, clearing the space for a more caring, nurturing world – should we rise to the challenge. The book is compassionate and inspirational. It's revolutionary - it's the step I needed to leap, and try to fulfill my life's purpose in a non-traditional way. As you may recall if you read my blog regularly, I started the year feeling sorry for myself that some of the people I dearly love no longer have active relationships with me. Martha Beck (page 164) offers a new way of looking at it from a wordless oneness perspective. "For a moment, minuscule aspects of love can drift apart in the sea of love; it's like a dance." Isn't that a more soothing and accepting way of accepting loss? Eureka!!!! If you have no idea what the terms "wordlessness" and "oneness" mean, you'll catch on pretty quickly when you read the book and start doing the exercises. In 2011, Laurent and I fortuitously met Paul & Jaylee Balch, spiritual teachers who blessed us with the initial exploration of a different path. They introduced us to the Anastasia series, to the work of Carlos Castaneda, and to their own teachings. Reading Martha Beck's new book was like hearing many of their principles in ideas in language and thought accessible to anyone. Everywhere around me, the same messages from different sources!!!! It's made me excited to start 2012 by discovering my life's calling - though I know already it involves extensive writing, knowledge gathering, and sharing. It also involves some big goals and risk taking - the maximum doses of feel-good hormones are produced by the brain at the "edge of impossibility" - when we push ourselves out of our comfort zones. As you know, I am all about finding feel-good hormones; it's been my quest for the last 10 years via sports, pharmaceuticals, coaching, light therapy, feeding off the energy of others like a hungry vampire, green foods - whatever worked - temporarily. I have come to the conclusion that my body must not naturally produce as much serotonin as other people's. That's ok. But back to Martha's new jewel: what if my work could be play, and I could push myself to the edge of impossibility by playing the game I was meant to play? What if that permanently healed my soul and reduced my stress? It's so worth the experiment. I am feeling an URGENT need to connect with my true nature. Many of the attributes Ms. Beck defines as those of healers describe me to a tea. So you'll find me quoting her work for blogs to come... Her words are mesmerizing. For now, suffice it to say that I have found motive to being a successful storyteller. I have the means, and will create the opportunity. Furthermore, I have a vision: Like Martha Beck (no wonder I am so enthralled with her work), I want to "write hopeful thoughts" for other people who feel imprisoned by their circumstances, and write articles, books, blogs posts, ideas etc. to give them a sense of freedom. Wow! A life mission!!!! So, Goodbye 2011, Hello New Year, Hello New life lived in love, and without fear. I wish you all the possibility of living your best dreams, those who have forever softly whispered their desire to live in your hearts and subconscious mind.... free them, and free yourself. Thank you, Martha Beck.