S U P P O R T B A L A N C E R E C O N N E C T I O N I N T E N T I O N Whats Happening Now? Pema Chdrn L I F E P U L S E A C R O S S A M E R I C A A U G U S T 2 0 1 5This Months Theme Change vs. Transformation Is the caterpillar the butterfly? Is the acorn the oak tree? Are you your true potential? Are these experiences of change or transformation? Often we believe change is getting rid of, replacing something old with something new. Transformation, on the other hand, is using what is already there and creating something more expansive, more mature. We can do this with our thoughts, our emotions and our spirits as we embrace the process, the journey. The Buddhist teachings are fabulous at simply working with whats happening as your path of awakening, rather than treating your life experiences as some kind of deviation from what is supposed to be happening. The more difficulties you have, in fact, the greater opportunity there is to let them transform you. The difficult things provoke all your irritations and bring your habitual patterns to the surface. And that becomes the moment of truth. You have the choice to launch into the lousy habitual patterns you already have, or to stay with the rawness and discomfort of the situation and let it transform you, on the spot. We get misled by the ads in magazines where people are looking blissful in their matching outfits, which also match their meditation cushions. We can get to thinking that meditation and the spiritual path is about transcending the difficulties of your life and finding this just-swell place. But that doesnt help you very much because that sets you up for being constantly disappointed with what happens every day at breakfast, lunch, and dinnerall day long. The Healing Wave is a monthly offering from TheHealingWave.org. Please feel free to share it, or print it out. Comments, suggestions, and contributions are welcome. Please email Anne at anne@thehealingwave.org. Continued on page 2 THE HEALING WAVEAUGUST 2015 2 Whats Happening Now? Continued from page 1 Instead of being resigned to your fate, you could get curious about whats going on. You could take an interest in the irritation thats rising up in you, and you could be curious about how other people are reacting. We tend to be so stupid about what actually makes things worse and what actually makes things better, because we dont explore our experience carefully enough. One of the main things I work with personally is saying to myself: This is how I am right now. I have a very short fuse and Im losing it. Then I ask myself, Do I want to strengthen this habit so that a year from now my fuse is even shorter? By sticking with and reinforcing our habit, we could get really professional at making our fuse shorter and shorter. Ten years from now we could have the worlds shortest fuse. As I started to get older, I figured I ought to get smarter. I noticed that I had the habit of easily getting irritated and angry. I asked myself honestly, Do I want that? Does it feel good? And the smart answer was, No, it doesnt feel so great. So I was left with a choice: Did I want to strengthen it or find a way to shake it up, weaken it, and infiltrate it in some kind of way? If you can sit quietly after difficult news, if in financial downturns you remain perfectly calm, if you can see your neighbors travel to fantastic places without a twinge of jealousy, if you can happily eat whatever is put on your plate and fall asleep after a day of running around without a drink or a pill, if you can always find contentment just where you are, you are probably a dog. Jack Kornfield Head vs. Heart Once Upon A Time . . . Oh, the stories we tell! The images we create! And we believe them! Our stories, and our patterns of behavior have been working us for years. As Pema Chodron says in this months article, the more we stick to our story, the more proficient we become in accepting it as reality. And as Byron Katie asks: Is it true? Is it really true?this being a wonderful mantra to keep in mind as I examine my reactions when my emotions dont reflect the reality of an experience I am having. In these cases, my head often takes over with a story. Hes doing that because . . . It must mean I did something wrong . . . They always . . . She never . . . This fear is what leads to pain, illness and separation. But you know, if I quiet my mind for a moment and ask if its true, my heart always knows the answer. And then, I am left with a choice. The next step in our transformation always begins with a choice. Anne Bachop works in the Harrisburg, PA area. She has her own healing practice, and offers lectures and workshops focused on awareness, connection, and healing. The Healing Wave Anne E. Bachop, PhD Brennan Healing Science Practitioner anne@thehealingwave.org Handle every stressful situation like a dog: If you can't eat it or play with it, then pee on it and walk away