Mesa-Top Musings: an “off grid” adventure in New Mexico

Recently I recalled a scene in a popular movie from years ago, where this guy from New York City goes to the Deep South.  He is in a hotel room and the air is warm and humid, the night is still.  He can’t sleep until he puts in a cassette tape of city sounds and noises.  Heavy traffic, horns honking, sirens whizzing past.  He settles into bed and happily drifts off, having filled the unwelcomed silence.

That scene was one of the most memorable in the entire film, and has stayed with me mainly because I was more incredulous than amused when I saw it.  No way could I relate to his preference. I have a friend who moved from the East Mountains back to the city because even though her husband loved the two acres on which they lived, she couldn’t stand it.  It was too quiet and she felt isolated.  Last year they sold their property to move back to Albuquerque.  I just sold our two acres, which wasn’t far from theirs, and bought 48 acres south of Santa Fe. 

There are obviously lots of folks who love city life, with all the cultural activities, great restaurants, night life, and shopping, shopping, shopping.  While I very much appreciate many of these amenities and conveniences, I like to visit then head back up to the top of our mesa.  With all of my heart I want these vast reaches of open space, the stunning vistas, the wildlife, the black night skies with countless stars so bright and so close they seem within reach, and the deep and absolute silence.  And in order to have it we are currently, albeit temporarily, living in a camper – with our three dogs.  A Standard Poodle, a Wire Hair Fox Terrier and a little Jack Russell Terrier mix who “found” us and decided to stay.  To say the space is cramped is a bit of a humorous understatement.  Everything takes longer and is more involved, each task and activity of daily living has more steps.  It is a great exercise in patience and feels like a spiritual practice, sharing such a confined space, that blissfully comes with forever views.

Our camper has a slide-out which contains the dining table and cushioned benches.  Today our poodle and wire hair fox terrier took a nap, side by side, underneath the table where I work on my laptop computer.  I thought it was worth a picture; and the picture, to me at least, is worth the proverbial thousand words.  While the boys were happily snoozing under the table, our little Sophie, the Jack Russell mix, was draped across the cushioned bench opposite me, supervising my work. 

There are those who truly enjoy living in a quadraphonic world, with multiple sources of stimulation and the ever-present possibility of sensory overload.  In contrast and by choice, the majority of my day is spent not in surround-sound, but in surround-silence.  Throughout the day various birds provide momentary concerts; and at night we hear boisterous coyotes, and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of an owl who lives somewhere near. 

An “off the grid” lifestyle seems to appeal to some intellectually or conceptually, but few are willing to actually do what it takes.  Living simply is not easy, and putting in the infrastructure to be self-reliant is very expensive.  There are many costs, not all of which are monetary. Choosing to live this way understandably appeals to a relatively small number of folks.  We have encountered those who appreciate it as adventuresome and many who think we are courageous, crazy or a combination of both.  The decision and the conviction to pursue this dream is a direct result of my becoming an entrepreneur and an Internet marketer.  While that may seem peculiar, it is true.  What I have learned about mindset, personal growth and visualizing has emboldened me.  Coming to understand the profound truth that “in order to have something you’ve never had before, you must do something you’ve never done before” has been transformative.

As Abraham Maslow has said, “One can choose to go backward toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” At this point in my life, I am embracing this wisdom in a way I never before would have considered.  

It is said that New Mexico doesn’t have spring, it has wind.  As in rip-roaring gusts that can re-arrange your clothes and threaten to literally sweep you off your feet. Yesterday was like that.  Today it has been completely still, becalmed.  A stillness that is so calm and peaceful, I am overflowing with wonder and gratitude.  Until I lived here I didn’t think much about wind. Certainly would not have imagined it as one of the four seasons! In California we had windy days and about the most I would say, think or feel about them is that I didn’t like them.  Here it is different.  The wind is a force with which one must grapple.  It can be fierce and unwieldy and there is absolutely no getting around it.  But more than that, it has captured my attention and caused me to become aware, curious and respectful.

Wind in the desert has so many moods and voices.  On our mesa-top it can go from complete and profound silence infused with a deep stillness, to whispering through the trees, to howling winds of such velocity and volume that it is almost deafening and disorienting.  The winds can rip branches from trees, just as they can gently carry the melody of a songbird, or the scent of sage and cedar unknown distances.  The winds artfully re-arrange countless cloud formations with an elegant choreography that is captivating to watch.  And when the breezes are just so, the ravens appear and windsurf on invisible currents, frolicking to and fro as they dip in a free fall, only to make another ascent, climbing higher and higher into the bright blue sky.

This experience, this off grid adventure, is turning out to be its own season.  And it is a most joyful one at that, high up here where one can watch with unobstructed views as the sun rises over the Sangre de Cristos and sets beneath the Jemez.  In addition to those mountain ranges, we live in visually intimate proximity to the Sandias, the Ortiz, and the Cerrillos Hills. The expansiveness and spaciousness of our 360 degree views come with a breathtaking landscape that has been repeatedly visited by sun, rain and snow, and is alternately sculpted by wind and soothed by silence. This enchanting place we now call home, on the top of a New Mexico mesa.

“If You Could Help Yourself, Would You?”

Recently, I saw a solo ad for a business opportunity with a colleague of mine and the headline was, “If you could help yourself, would you?”  I thought it was a brilliant advertisement.  And very telling, because more often than not the answer is, “Well, yes but…”  In other words, “No.”

When solutions and opportunities

Photo & design by Linda Compton

are right in front of us, why do we so often insist on looking elsewhere?  Why do we immediately think of why it won’t work, or why we can’t do it, or we try to find something else, anything else, other than what is readily available? 

 If I could wish just one thing for those who are unhappy, feeling scared, stuck or unsure of themselves, it would be this:  Study with Bob Proctor.  He is one of the most dynamic, spirited and insightful teachers I’ve been with on my journey of life-long learning.  His teachings are so clear and practical and speak to us right where we live.  The reason I can make this sweeping statement with such confidence is that what Bob teaches is universal.  It is applicable to you if you are a human being with thoughts and feelings who lives in this world.  Period.  I learned more from Bob in a week-end seminar about the human mind and heart, than I did in my post-graduate studies in pastoral counseling.  And the insights continue to be many and meaningful as I remain committed to my on-going studies with him.

I’m sure you’ve seen the sign with the international circle and line through it that says,  “No Whining.”  For years I often wished I could find a more effective way to “speak the truth in love” to someone who is hurting, afraid, or perennially negative.  Today I know what to say.  Because the truth is no one needs to live like that. The fact is that we choose our thoughts; our thoughts cause our feelings; and our feelings determine our actions.  Each one of our actions, by universal law, causes an equal and opposite reaction, which subsequently gives us the results we have in our lives.  I have learned this from studying with Bob, who asserts, if you want to change your results then change your thoughts.  But more than that, I have experienced the transformative power of his teachings as I daily put into practice these laws and strive to live in harmony with them. 

To the naysayers, I would simply respond, “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”  Because frankly, if you honestly and wholeheartedly try it, you won’t be able to do anything but embrace it and grow.  If, however, you aren’t willing to try, then please don’t repeatedly pour out your woes to me.  I am in the empowerment and solutions business, and will go all out for those willing to try, to take action, to brave change. These are the individuals with whom I choose to spend my time and these are the people who energize and inspire me every single day.

Now, if you don’t want to accept responsibility for your thoughts, choices and actions, or if you are unwilling to hold yourself accountable, that is a different matter.  However, please realize that regardless of your attitudes, the immutable laws of the Universe are still operative.  The very purpose and thrust of nature is the advancement, fuller expression, and development of life.  As Wallace D. Waddles observes, “You naturally want to become all that you are capable of becoming; this desire to realize innate possibilities is inherent in human nature.  Success in life is becoming what you want to be.”  So if you truly want to gain sparkling insights into how to enhance your life and enliven your world, and you are open to transformational learning, then I invite you to join with me in the joy of deep discovery and heighted personal development.  Sign up now at http://bit.ly/Secret-to-YourSuccess

The Power of Choice and the Promise of Increase

“What’s it all about, Alfie?”  In this classic hit by Burt Bacharach, it poses the question, “Are we meant to take more than we give; or are we meant to be kind”?  Today, as then, it is all about one’s values and choices.

Shoot emerging from a pumpkin seed

But the kicker here, which can easily be misunderstood or overlooked, is that choice is a function of one’s awareness. Often the choices we observe being made would indicate a very limited or self-centered kind of awareness.  We see individuals making choices that indicate their intention is to take more than they are giving, and these choices lead to actions which are devoid of kindness.  Or they are not even really choosing; they are merely reacting out of habit or old patterns, to whatever circumstances present themselves from moment to moment.  Consequently, these individuals are clearly unhappy and don’t have any real awareness of what it’s all about.

It makes me sad when I see good people who are unhappy and unfulfilled in their personal and professional lives. Especially since life does not have to be this way. Because each one of us has the God-given ability to choose the way we live, and to shape our own destiny.  We have free will.  We have the capacity to develop great intelligence; to observe the precise and patterned wonders of nature; and to study the sciences, as well as the wisdom of theology, philosophy and psychology.  And if we choose to learn, and to align ourselves with the universal, spiritual principles which govern our universe, we can profoundly influence the course of our lives. In the same way a tender shoot emerges from its seed and grows as it was designed to, we can emerge from our defenses, our hurts, our fears and various limitations, and whatever else constitutes our shell, to become all we are designed and uniquely created to be.

It has always puzzled me why people who are unhappy with their present circumstances don’t make a change.  Is it really easier for some people to continually make excuses and to blame others rather than to be self-determining?  Why would someone prefer to be a victim rather than to take responsibility for their previous choices and actions, thereby empowering themselves to move forward?  Why would anyone choose to continually squeak about their problems, instead of acknowledging them and finding solutions?  I do understand the dynamic that ‘we don’t know what we don’t know.’  Meaning we can’t always address something if we are unaware of its causes.  But we do know when we are unhappy, and we can seek help and support.  I remember asking a pastoral counseling colleague many years ago about an expression she would sometimes use during conversations with me.  At the time the saying was unfamiliar to me, so I asked what it meant.  She explained that she didn’t have a lot of patience for people who didn’t take responsibility for themselves.  This is what she meant when she’d say, “I don’t suffer fools gladly.”  I understand her feelings.  I have a difficult time relating to individuals who are willing to complain and yet are unwilling to change. On the other hand, when they are ready to make a meaningful change, I am willing to be of assistance.

We have the power to choose, the ability to learn and the capacity to change and to grow.  There is so much for which to be grateful, and so much to offer others when we ourselves are filled to overflowing.  This is why I am passionate about coaching those who are motivated and want more for themselves, their families, their friends and their communities.  This is why I am committed to helping others become more aware of what it’s all about, so those who truly want to change their lives can make informed, and even inspired, choices.  Choices that honor and enhance life, give value and lead to increase.  As the universal, spiritual principles indicate, the universe is always for expansion and increase.  If we live in harmony with these laws we will experience happiness and abundance, and seek opportunities to give back.  Like the law of gravity, the other laws or universal, spiritual principles are operative whether we believe in them or not. And as the song says we’ll even be able to offer, “…something even non-believers can believe in.”

Buffalo Medicine and the Power of Gratitude

center of sunflower

 

A few days ago I reached into my purse, took out my wallet and removed a coin.  It was a quarter.  I was delighted to see that on one side it says Kansas 1861, and has the image of a beautiful buffalo. There are also three sunflowers, much smaller in size.  We, too, have an abundance of sunflowers, often called sunburts, here in New Mexico.  I think they are lovely. 

Both the great state of Kansas and the prominent river running through it, are named after the Kansa (Kaw) Indians who hunted bison across its vast plains and cultivated its fertile lands. Buffalo provided the major source of sustenance for the Plains Indians.  Meat for food; hides for clothing and coverings; and from the hooves glue was made. 

I am drawn to buffalo, and find them to be both stately and magnificent.  This past week-end we headed to Santa Fe to have  breakfast at Tecolote, one of our favorite restaurants.  I had atole (blue cornmeal) and pinon pancakes. They are my favorite!  And this time was no exception; they were fabulous.  

On the southwest outskirts of Santa Fe there is a small congregation of buffalo, often visible from the Turquoise Trail.  We saw them on the way to breakfast and, as always, seeing them made my heart sing.  

In native traditions, all animals are sacred; yet for many the white buffalo is the most sacred.  White buffalo often symbolize abundance. It is said in the Medicine Cards that, “The medicine of Buffalo is prayer, gratitude and praise for that which has been received.  Buffalo medicine is also knowing that abundance is present when all relations are honored as sacred, and when gratitude is expressed to every living part of creation.” 

In the teachings of Bob Proctor, the power and place of gratitude is reminiscent of this native understanding.  Gratitude keeps us connected with power; because when you express gratitude which is directed to and reaches God, then God (the Supreme Power or Great Spirit) in turn responds with a spontaneous movement toward you. This is how it is that the movement of our heart’s desire will always be toward us.  Gratitude alone can keep you looking toward the Infinite and keep you from falling into the error of thinking that supply is limited.  In other words, by focusing on and expressing our gratitude, we maintain the sure and certain knowledge that abundance is present.  Gratitude always draws our minds closer to the infinitely abundant Source, from which all blessings flow.  In one of his lessons, Mr. Proctor quotes from the most ancient of texts,  The Upanishads:  

Out of Abundance,
He took Abundance,
and still Abundance remained.                            

Being grateful and giving thanks is a powerful spiritual practice; and the more we express our gratitude, the more we become aware of all there is for which to be grateful.  And then, even more abundance comes to us and is made manifest.  Among the countless gifts for which I am truly grateful, I am deeply thankful for the power, presence and beauty of buffalo in my life.  And for what they symbolize.

Look Up Into the Night Skies: The Firmament is Telling Us Something

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.  

Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.  

 …The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul…      (excerpts for Ps. 19:1)  

Bob Proctor teaches that the laws of the universe are immutable, and that once we learn to live in harmony with them our lives will quickly change.  He clearly and succinctly explains how the 7 most powerful negative and 7 most positive emotions work in our lives, and more importantly, how we can control them.  Taken from Napoleon Hill’s seminal work, we are told that we cannot simultaneously hold in our minds both a negative and a positive thought.  This is literally true. Now, when I find myself experiencing a negative thought, or feeling a negative emotion, I immediately begin thinking about all of the things in my life for which I am deeply grateful.  I express my heartfelt wonder and appreciation for these gifts, blessings, accomplishments, etc.  Through practice and commitment this has become almost second nature to me now.   

I love the sun-splashed days here in New Mexico, and the feel of the air.  It is like warm satin on my skin and it simply feels delicious.  I love being outside with our doggies, and working in our gardens. And during this time of year we eat most of our meals out on the portal in our front courtyard.  But here, I also love being outside at night. While living in California, I used to almost always be inside at night.  For whatever reason, I was typically snug indoors enjoying a heated house and thankful not to be in the damp chill of night.   

Here, during this time of year, it is as if I am drawn outside by an almost magnetic force.  I love the air, and the clear sparkling skies; the silence and the radiant celestial bodies overhead. Because we live in the mountains, and our utilities are buried, we are surrounded by acres and acres of land with no power lines and no street lights. We experience what I affectionately refer to as bucolic blackness.  So, on clear nights (we have about 350 a year) the stars are bright and seem so close.  Their prominence in the night sky and in my little part of world seem to demand attention and elicit renewed appreciation and awe. They are truly glorious.  

There are celestial bodies and there are terrestrial bodies…There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.    (excerpts from I Cor. 15:40-41)  

So, I often find myself outside at night; looking up and admiring God’s handiwork.  I am learning more about those immutable laws of the universe, and living in deeper accord with that understanding.  It is enlivening and the sense of discovery and personal empowerment is remarkable. It is energizing beyond anything I have previously experienced.  

When I was younger, because my Dad worked in aerospace, I met several of the early astronauts.  Hearing their stories was always spellbinding for me, and fairly inconceivable.  Today, I have a much greater appreciation for some of those memories.  

Scientist Wernher Von Braun is known for his famous observation,  

“The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second.”  

Photo by Linda Compton

 

These immutable laws of the universe are omnipresent and they are active in our lives whether or not we are aware of them. Probably 98% of the population have no idea that these laws are available to us, let alone know what they are. They are not taught as part of any traditional education. Neither my degree in Philosophy, with an emphasis in Eastern Thought, nor my Master of Divinity degree covered these laws.  It was not until I became an entrepreneur and began an intensive course of study in “mindset” that I learned about the Law of Attraction and began studying with Bob Proctor.  Now, I am fulfilling my life’s dream and following the sage advice of Earl Nightingale who said,  

Get into a line that you will find to be of deep personal interest, something you really enjoy spending twelve to fifteen hours a day working at, and the rest of the time thinking about.
  

This is exactly what I’m doing, by being an entrepreneur and Internet marketer.  And much more than a line of work, as John Jackson says, “This isn’t what we do, it’s who we are.”  To learn more about the rare opportunity to work with Bob Proctor, visit http://bit.ly/SuccesswithBobProctor

Some Native Lessons from the Hawk

Photo by Linda Compton

Jamie Sams and David Carson have written an insightful book entitled, Medicine Cards: the Discovery of Power through the Ways of Animals. For the past 19 years, some dear friends and I have “drawn” a card at the beginning of each New Year, as a way to expand our self-understanding and awareness of the world around us. 

Animal Medicine is a powerful concept in the Native American tradition, and I continue to learn a great deal from these teachings about the meaning of how to “walk in beauty” and to “walk in balance on the Mother Earth.”  In the Native traditions, medicine refers to anything which improves one’s connection to “the Great Mystery” and to all of life.  Various animals have patterns which contain messages of healing for those who closely observe the lessons they convey. 

Hawk medicine holds great responsibility, and has a keen view of the world.  According to the authors, if Hawk has in some way appeared to you, “…you are to be aware of signals in your life – so notice and receive them.  Hawk may be teaching you to grab an opportunity which is coming your way.  On the other hand, Hawk may be bringing you the message that you should circle over your life, and examine it from a higher perspective.  From this vantage point you may be able to discern the hazards which bar you from freedom of flight.”  The lesson here to remember is that Hawk “has a keen eye and a bold heart.”

What hawk medicine symbolizes, for me, something I deeply wish for you.  I wish for you freedom of flight: or put another way – financial, time and geographic freedom.  My hope for you is that you’ll be able to soar in your chosen field; and to have a keen eye in order to see all the beauty there is to be found within and around you.  And I wish for you a bold heart in the face of all the challenges and obstacles life might present to you.

There are so many ways we can enrich our lives, deepen our understanding, and serve others.  The next time you see a hawk soaring overhead, or in a picture, or even hear one’s distant cry, think about its message and how it might be speaking to you.  Calling you to go higher, become freer, be bold of heart and keen in perspective.  It’s up to you.

Are you perhaps  missing signals in your life?  Or not paying close enough attention to stirrings within you which are signalling that it is time to make a change?  Now might be a time to pay  close attention.  Could you be better served by adopting a different view, and embracing a bolder heart?

Take Time for Beauty

Billi and I have driven to the Navajo Nation a few times recently. Each time I am there, I savor the vast and rugged beauty of the sacred geography. Some people refer to being on the lands of the Southwest as, “Terrain Therapy.” I wholeheartedly agree.

It is so important to take time for beauty. It is restorative and enlivening. One of the reasons I love to take photographs, is in order to share with others  the varied beauty of all that surrounds us.

Our warp-speed world can be dizzying at times. There is so much stimulation, and so much negative news, that I believe it is more important than ever to take time for beauty; and pause for reflection.

Look within and savor the beauty you find there; and be grateful. With each deep, sweet breath, may you take in the wonder of our world and the miracle of you.

Time is precious, it is limited, we don’t know how much we’ve been allotted. Take some, just for yourself; take some just for the sheer joy of tasting the beauty within and around you. 

As Bob Proctor teaches, there are immutable laws in our universe.  When we learn to live in harmony with these laws, we can significantly influence the course of our lives, and powerfully enrich our future.  It is a magnificent power, and ours is a marvelous journey. Let’s make it all it can be, and let’s make the choice to become all we were created to be. 

And remember to take time for beauty.