LIR 52015 weekly - Naihwaz & PerthroR

I have learned a new aspect of Naihwaz this past weekend - that of the sacred fire, the fire created to purify the offerings, to request aid and blessings, to accept the bounty that comes. In my mind, this translates as making the fire, and the objects, sacred. Which leads one to wonder, just what does sacred mean?

I think, I feel, sacredness is connected to that feeling of Nirvana, of accomplishment, of awe and wonder and joy so deep it's difficult to express. And isn't that what we feel when we finally reach home, after a journey? When we finally accomplish our goals? When we finish a great book, or hear an amazing song, or see a beautiful science theory?

We feel the moment is sacred. We may even feel the item or event is sacred. Hopefully we also feel sacred ourselves, for that moment.

What if we could be in that moment all the time? What if we allowed ourselves, our movements, our thoughts, our truths to be constantly awesome, amazing, and sacred?

There is no need for bells or whistles, for jewelry, outfits, or feasts. Just an acknowledgement, a silence, an acceptance of the tools, the moment, the transition. A knowing that it is, they are, we are, sacred. Because, whatever we have and however we have practiced, these moments will never be again. And we have given of our best.

So this week Naihwaz asks, what is sacred within our hands, within ourselves here at the end of this transition? What is celebrated, now that we have arrived on our personal shore? Can we, further, allow the tools and gifts and moments to just be, simple and sacred (in whatever fashion you consider sacred), without trying to make them more, or less, than they are? Can we allow ourselves to be, in every moment, sacred, purely ourselves, no adornment necessary?

PerthroR chimes in with a thought. To really celebrate, feel, allow the awesomeness of this moment, perhaps wait before running out to celebrate with your clan. Allow that moment of silence, of pure personal appreciation. Allow yourself to rest, explore the tools, the shore line, the end of your journey. We have worked on and from our truths for a very long time. This may only be one shoreline, one storm, one situation or emotional discovery on our path, but we deserve to appreciate it for ourselves. Not to dilute it with the party, the celebration.

We deserve to make the moment sacred with the silence and fullness of our regard.

Granted, PerthroR may also be a question, or an answer to a different question. Even without the desire to give each moment its own sacred space in time, this may be a good weekend to just sit back and breath. No big parties, no rush to connect with your clan. Allow yourself and your body (and your tools and your thoughts) time to process, settle back into shape.

As I type this, I realize sometimes we float a long time between the end of the storm and settling into shore. It's not that the distance is long, or even that we're adrift. It's simply that it takes that long to process all that has happened and apply it to the new world we are in.

So, allow yourself the sacredness of the moments it takes to celebrate your scientific discovery, to appreciate all the amazing work you have done, to replay the song or reread the book, to find where you are and what you have. There is no rush to connect with your clan. They will always be there. And it can be easier to find the sacred truths in ourselves, if we each have the space to process all the awesomeness personally, before muddying it with the opinions and perceptions of others.

Who are also uniquely sacred.

To view the video, please click HERE (after 2:30 pm MDT on 5/21/15)

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Before I rush off to do the upload the next thing, I just have to say. The sacred part I will enjoy practicing.

The not partying, gathering, celebrating with my clan? Not so easy. I'll have to think about that one. I mean, yes, not only would it help me process, it would help me catch up on all the things I want to DO with all the insights and tools and...

Let me put it another way. I often think, when I encounter Naihwaz, that it's saying yes, you can make do with these few [insert tool names here]. But all it says is you'll have what you need (and conversly, what you need is what you'll have.) 

Long pause for a perusal of what I have - when it comes to ideas, projects, happy to do's and necessary to do's - I have a lot. Insert expletive of your choice lot. And another party next weekend. It does make sense to settle in, buckle down, physically process some of my to do list. 

but.

But?

"But I really want to see the Avengers on the big screen," she whispers. I wonder if I can tell myself it's self care? Will I believe it? It could even be my truth. 

I hope you have a great week!

-Lila

LIR 71114 - PerthroR & Ehwaz

Remember, it is your truth & your needs that will keep things flowing the way you want.

Yes, everyone is important, but you are the ONLY one with your experiences.

 

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In other words, if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you do it?

And remember, sometimes the answer is no.

For me, this reading had 2 or 3 parts.  The first was easily determined.  I turned in my 2 week notice at my current retail job.  There were the expected protestations, and the questions which boiled down to "What can we do to make it happier for you here?"

And it was flattering.  And it was tempting.  But the answer is, "nothing."   The only way for me to be happier at this retail job is for it not to be this retail job.  So.  I imagine there will be a few more conversations, but the truth, my truth, is that it is time for me to move on.

Relatively easy.

Not so easy are the moments when friendly people want to discuss opinions.  Whether it's books, movies, or political arenas, sometimes it's frustrating trying to balance acceptance of other's views and maintaining/ expressing my own views.  I like the person, shouldn't I like the same things she/ he likes?

And then the moments with friends.  True friends.  Long term friends.  However, this is a little easier because part of the strength of the friendship is the give and take of ideas, the flow of one leading and then the other.  A lot of practice has gone into this: the quick turn around between total agreement and opposing views; the switch between one person having knowledge and then other.  Again, the truth of the moment is the most important thing, not the ego, not even the image of "My place in the pack."

And finally, the most interesting part.  The rebellion part.  The "anti-influence".  Being used to doing the opposite of what people advise is just as false as going blindly along.  Opposing sides is not a permanent truth.  And this is the aspect of outside influences I still feel I need a lot of practice in.  When one is used to being unique and different, and prides herself on that, it is easy to miss the good advice, the suggestions and opportunities and vibrations, from unexpected sources.

So, to answer all the mothers in our heads,  if my friends jumped off a cliff, would I follow?  Putting aside the questions such as: can I fly?  What kind of safety device am I wearing?  Is there a time portal we're jumping into? the real issue is this.  Would it make me happy?  if the answer is "yes," I'm jumping.

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LIR 71314 - No Rune

"You’ve got this covered. Anyway, I’m busy." Love, the Universe.

I hope you have a great day!
-Lila

LIR 7114 - PerthroR

Sometimes, it feels it would be easier to let someone else be responsible for your choices.

But you’re the one who will judge yourself tomorrow.

Your life.  Your truth. Your Choice.

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What I have discovered with this reading is that we are never free from outside influence.  Everything we do creates a ripple, and we are constanting living in the ripples created by ourselves and others.

For instance, I just realized I made a choice yesterday (to attend an event) based on something I read that resonated with my truths.  I also made a choice to add a gig to my fiverr jobs, based on a client's needs.  So actually, I totally ignored this advice.  Or, it wasn't actually applicable to me?  Cuz I was swimming in the ripples like a fish.

But this ripple effect, this universal influence does not remove responsibility from our shoulders.  We may not consciously choose the situations we are in, but we always choose our actions.

Wait.  Do we ALWAYS choose?  There are many situations we cannot guarantee our behavior, whatever we hope it might be, because there is no training for that life or death, flight or fight reaction.  If i am startled, I jump.  If a bug bites me, I swat.  And that can very much be outside influences affecting our choices.  If instinctive behavior even qualifies as a choice.

What we do when we are cognizant, however, is the choice.  Do we train ourselves out of the behavior we dislike?  Like learning to calmly put the fire out instead of running around screaming?

Do we accept our actions and face the consequences?  Like apologizing for accidently knocking over the red syrup onto the white floor.  And offering to clean it.

And most importantly, are we able to do this with the open-minded truth and acceptance we would use for others?  If you would say, "Oh, no, that's okay" to someone else, you most certainly can say it to yourself.

Do I revoke my RSVP or take down the gig?  Just because I realized it was an outside influence?  Well, no, because those things still resonate with my truth.  And with my wants.  I still choose to do so, not because I was influenced, but because it makes me happy.

For me, this reading becomes about judgement.  It is automatic.  Perhaps it is a survival instinct.  And it certainly influences the behavior that follows.  But it's what we do after the instinctive reaction; what we do with the analysis and information; what we CHOOSE that is the important facet of every ripple we create.

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LIR 7214 - Wunjo

Remember those parties, those celebrations with all your clan about you?  What made it a party?  What makes them family?

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila

LIR 62214 - PerthroR

Look. It’s not about the outside influences. It’s not about what others want or think is right. It’s not even about fate, destiny, or what “should” be.

It’s about what we want. It’s about what makes us happy. Each, individually, uniquely happy.

So. What do you WANT?

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Yes, at first, this reading does (did?) seem like a continuation of the last posted reading, about taking time to decide what really works.  Weighing influences, in a fashion.  And I thought, "Okay.  Today I walk into the world with my head held high and my goals in sight and I will not let anyone sway me from my path."

Except.

Except.

What about when i want to be swayed?  When I want to be influenced?  When I want to stop for a few minutes and hang out with friends?  What if being under the influence of friends or family is what I WANT?

Ah, I realize as I sit here.  But that's still my choice.  My influence.  My responsibility and my decision.  It's like answering the body's need for calories.  I get to choose what form the calories take.  I even get to choose, to some extent, when I partake of those calories.  I find a balance.  I do not (anymore) eat the whole pint of ice cream just because the first half of the carton tasted so good.

Oh yes.  I do want to sit with friends in a bar all afternoon and talk.  Or sit on the couch and watch a marathon of Lost Girl or Elementary or Agents of Shield.  But, I also want to do that indulging with a happy heart.  With all of my brain.  With the knowledge I am working with myself, not in spite of myself.

So it's really not about the outside influences.  It's about the inside ones.  My responsibility.  My choice.  My WANT.  And my need.  Feeding my body, resting myself when it's time.  And getting up and working some more when it's time.  Stepping forward and trying to fulfill what I want when it's time.

Because that time is now.

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LIR 62314 - Isa

Today is a good day to isolate yourself a little, to stand apart, to shield from other people, outside influences, habits of the past.

I hope you have a great day!
-Lila

Life in Runes March 2014 PerthroR

Ias written for Spirit Wise newsletter)

The rune for March is PerthroR.

Perthro itself indicates the influence of outside forces, the Hand of Fate, the effects of chance.   Perthro Reversed, however,  says, it's all up to you.  You hold the responsibility to put your dreams into actions; you have the ability to design the foundations; you make the hard and the easy choices.

Does this mean it's going to be a lot of work?  Yes.  Will it be worth it?  Yes. 

Being responsible doesn't mean you have to do everything alone.  You are the manager, the boss, the captain, the president.  You can ask for help, even ideas and suggestions.  But no matter how skilled the help, the final decisions and the final responsibility must be yours.  Because it is your dream that's coming alive, no one else's.

PerthroR, the energy of others denied.  We need look no further than our own hands, our own strength of will, our own mind, to set our goals in motion.  Our way.

I hope you have a great month!

-Lila

LIR 11314 - PerthroR

Yes, your news if life changing!  Keep going!  Ride that wave of energy to further production.  You'll have even more to celebrate later.

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This one may have been speaking directly to me, so I hope it was beneficial to you as well.

I received good news yesterday, and it was so tempting to follow the old pattern of celebrating with some downtime; just drop all my projects and read a book.

But really, the news received was just the first step in the process.  There's so much more to do. In fact, because of the news, there is now a deadline for all those other things to get accomplished.

So tomorrow, the day I was planning to take as a day of rest, will be soon enough to sit and relax and relish my future possibilities.  Today (and yesterday) there's plenty of work that really would like my focus.

('Course, I did take five minutes to dance around the room.  *G*  There's gotta be SOME celebration.)

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LIR 11414 - Kunos off the cloth

That underlying anxiety?  The feeling of pressure?  That could be the fear or the hope of too many choices.  Put the anxiety aside and focus on the truths of today.  YOUR truths.  Deep breath, and, go!

I hope you have a great day!
-Lila

112513 - PerthroR

Today the choices are yours.  No outside influence or sudden influx of energy will affect the situation.  What works best for you to keep the momentum?

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"What works best for you to keep the momentum?"  It's an interesting question.  My immediate response is, rewards.  Rewards work best for me!  ("Gimme what's in the bag!")  And this is true to an extent.  I often say to myself, "nope, can't have/read/eat/watch/play that until you've finished this."

But, that is both the reward system and the practice of making my consumption, in whatever form, also have value.  And, frankly, the reward system is just a form of doing something that I'll be glad I've done to get something that makes me happy.  So, there's a deeper propulsion.

Yesterday, the most difficult thing was filling out a job application online.  
  I have been working from home for a long time, and sometimes the thought of being out in public again is, um, well, frightening.  On the other hand, if I keep just staying in the house, it'll become more and more difficult to leave it.  And I want to travel!  So, yes, in the midst of winter, I am practicing getting out of the house.

Which includes having an outside job.

First, I fixed up my resume.
Then I decided which job to apply for.
Then I filled out the online application.

Good Ness!  What a chore!!  I didn't even think about copying and pasting from the resume, because the smallness of the boxes made me think my writing space was limited.  And of course, there was the availability section, which meant a thorough examination of my schedule for the next 3 months.  AAAAArrrrrrggggghhhh.

So, what propelled me through the process, and through actually hitting the send button?

Because it will get me what I want.

Examining my actions of yesterday, and this morning, and previous and future intentions, the base line is this.  I do what I do because it gets me what I want.  From washing dishes to folding laundry to laughing at my SO's jokes, I do what I want because it makes me happy.  And I want, more than anything else, to be happy.  If I want to feel productive, I get out of bed.  If I really want to stay in dream land, I snuggle down.  And both those feelings make me happy, at specific times.

Productivity, respect, self confidence and self worth all aside, the feeling that helps me keep the momentum is "What makes me happy?"

Like rushing through this post so I can do the daily reading, dress up & be on time for a lunch date.  That makes me happy.  *G*

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila

11913 - PerthroR

Today's answers come from inside.  Whatever the outside offers, look to your truth, your skills, your feelings to provide what you need.

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For me, this rune was about energy.

Have you heard of energy testing?  It is the method of making decisions based on your body's reactions.  For example - hold something (a cd) in your hand and have someone else push gently upon that arm.  If the arm dips, it means one thing; if the arm stays strong, it means another.  

One can also self test.  The most common method I've seen has you use both hands.  With one hand you form an "O" with your thumb and forefinger, having the tips touch.  The index finger of the other hand rests inside the circle of the first hand, in the curve between thumb and finger, so the starting position resembles a backwards 'Q'.  The testing motion is a slide of the index finger from left to right (or right to left)... from the curve to the joined tips, two or three times in rapid succession.   Picture or say the name of the cd (or object, or question) and see if the finger breaks through the circle.  Breaking through means one thing, not breaking through means another.

I have heard, for most people, if the arm or the circled fingers hold strong, the item or decision is the one that's right for you.  If the arm dips or the circle opens, the decision is negative.

However, when I followed these rules in the past, I have never been happy with the results.  How do I find out?  Go to an energy worker?  Do lots of exercises?  Or perhaps...

...figure out how it works for me!

There are some things I know that I like.  Unicorns, dark chocolate, Alice Cooper.  (Yes, I did type Alice Cooper on purpose.)  So, I tested those first.  And the index finger slipped smoothly out of the circle.  Milk chocolate & musicians I'm not so fond of hearing, the circle did not break.

I listed authors whose books I like (Nora Roberts, Lois McMaster Bujold, Robert Heinlein) and authors I find difficult to read.  Positive was out of the circle, negative stayed trapped within.

I went on to food, which all matched except one - I have no idea why my energy thinks it likes liver!

With this guide, I asked questions about what I really wanted to know - mostly, activities to focus on for the next little while (runes are very positive - yay!), and places I might like to be.

When I went to lunch with my friend, I used the test to see what my body wanted to consume.  I am happy sad to report I did not gorge on appetizers, but the drunken noodles were terrific!

Now, as I've been typing this, I get more varied answers.  Positive things are within the circle, negative without.   Five minutes later, it changes again.  Time of day?  Focus?   A side affect of Drunken Noodles?  The generality of the question?  Knowing I'm just playing?

It will take some time and practice, learning my own language.  But the important part is -- The answers ARE within myself.  I know all I need to know.

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila