SUMMER

May 5, 2011

Fire is associated with the qualities of dynamism, strength and persistence; however, it is also connected to restlessness. An excess of the fire element can bring aggression, impatience and impulsive behavior. Unchecked, it can blaze through resources and relationships like a wildfire and leave destruction in its path. At it's lowest expression, Fire is selfishness, greed and stinginess.

At it's highest expression, Fire is sharing (with good boundaries), touching and creating community. Fire is where our stories ultimately begin - it transforms our actions into meaningful fuel which feeds the emotional environment, from which new stories are born. Consider the types of stories we have been fed over the past twenty years - their focus on greed, violence, and inequality. With few exceptions, those stories are being presented with the underlying message that greed is the only way to achieve success, violence is a natural part of living, and inequality will be defended to the death.

We are in a strange time here on Planet Earth. The old stories are crumbling and failing due to their inherent lack of integrity. The Emperor's nakedness is indeed being revealed. In addition, we are all being forced to look at the true cost of "cheap" resources. Cheap food means years of medication and health problems. Cheap oil means millions of deaths of innocent people and more and more of our collective taxes going to war. Cheap credit means giving "things" in our relationships rather than ourselves. We are learning that cheap is rather expensive in the long run. It's obvious a new way of living is needed, yet getting from here to there may seem daunting and completely out of reach at times.

So what do we do? Where do we go from here? While the old stories are crumbling, the new stories seem far away. Many people are hesitant to make any moves - if I go back to school, will there be any jobs for me when I come out, or will I just be further in debt? If I lose my job, will there be another for me somewhere? If I make a leap into the story that I think will bring me joy, will I fail or succeed? Some of us are waiting for the world to return to the way it was before this global recession; others are waiting for some kind of new direction in which we can aim ourselves. In this time of uncertainty, what exactly can we do to prepare for the new stories?

Prolonged periods of waiting can be stressful. Action relieves stress. What action can we take that will leave us open to new stories yet allow us to continue some kind of quality of life in the old stories?

Most of us in America have more stuff than we need, and more stuff than we know what to do with. The biggest reason we are challenged with letting go of our stuff is emotional. Our stuff holds stories. "This dress was bought in Paris when I was young and in love, and even though it has not fit me for years, it reminds me of who I once was." "This knickknack was a gift from the foreign exchange student I dated in college, and while I have no use for it, I hate to let it go as it reminds me of a time of intense passion." "This collection of items reminds me that I was an awesome bargain hunter, and proof that I have the unique skill of getting something valuable for pennies." Etc. So you see, it isn't really the stuff that we desire, it is the stories they carry. Which leads us to bridge building.

Between the old stories and the new lies the unknown and the uncertain. To build a bridge between the old and the new, we need fuel. Think of your superfluous stuff as reserves of fuel - a bank account held in reserve for just this time. As the stories are released from these items - through the sharing of the story, then the release of the item - the pieces necessary to build your bridge come forth. Today's newsletter is about how to mine your stuff to release the abundant resource of story, and allow your past to build a bridge to your future.

First, I recommend you get yourself a notebook - something nice, with the kind of paper that inspires you to write (some people like lined, some like blank, some like a combination of the two). Whatever it is, buy or create your notebook so it satisfies your personal aesthetic. Get a notebook that inspires you to write.

Then find yourself a story buddy. This can be a friend, a spouse or a relative. The idea is that the two of you will help each other with the process - quid pro quo - while also serving as witnesses to the stories being released. This not only adds the energy of sharing (a Fire trait), it also adds the energy of Receiving Help (a life lesson of Fire, or Joy). Then set up a time each week or month for clearing stuff. Take each item you no longer need/want, and either dictate the story to your helper, or, as they clear out the stuff, you write the story into your notebook. If writing this is not appealing to you, consider videotaping your story, or record it on your ipod. As each story is recorded, put the thing into a box for sending it on its way to bring pleasure to someone else. When your box is full, drop it off at the nearest thrift store and begin another.

The energy released from this exercise will amaze you. Scarcity in our lives is often an indication that our abundance receptors are full. In order to make more room, we have to let something go. All we have to do is open closets, cupboards and drawers to find things shoved in without much thought, collecting dust and taking up precious energy. By releasing these things from our lives, we pare down to what we truly need, and we make space for the new stories to enter. By writing the stories into our books, we have the richness of the experience WITHOUT the high cost of maintaining something long past its time. You may find surges of energy running through you at odd moments, as the energy collected from the release enters your body in a more refined form.

So, find a friend, create a day together, and begin releasing those stories. You will be richer for remembering your past, and your life will become simpler, with more anticipation of a joyful future. Best of all, your stories will be recorded, allowing you to see the progression of your journey, and the extreme amount of joy and abundance you are capable of.

Blessings!

Cat

Our possessions carry stories that need to be told.