Susan Piver | Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

Monday here at A Thousand Shades of Gray is “Something Good,” Tuesday is “Three Truths and One Wish,” and now Wednesday is “Wishcasting.” This is something I first read about on my heART Exchange art swap partner’s blog, Dryada Journals. When I followed the link to the site of origin, I realized it was Jamie Ridler, a creative living coach whose work I had already admired–just another case of synchronicity, auspicious connection, the universe saying “yes.”

Jamie started a blog devoted to wishcasting and made her first post there on February 14, 2007–Valentine’s Day. On her current website, Jamie Ridler Studios, she’s continued the practice. She describes it this way, “What would happen if every week you made a wish? What magic might start to stir? Wishcasting Wednesday is a safe haven for wishes, a fertile field in which to plant wish seeds and have them witnessed and tended lovingly. It’s a place where magic begins. Make a Wish: Dare to dream. Every Wednesday here at Jamie Ridler Studios, there will be a wish prompt to inspire you.”

Today’s wishcast: “What do you wish to remember?”

Picture from Jamie's Post

I wish to remember my innate kindness and wisdom. I wish to remember my basic nature, the “real” me, the truth, my Self that is like the sun. Weather comes, clouds and storms, and can make it seem like it’s gone, but it is always there, even when I can’t see it. In the same way that the sun is a universal truth, so is my basic goodness.

I wish to remember that I am enough, and I am whole. I am not a problem to be fixed, or a project to undertake. I am not broken. I am wholeheARTed. I am worthy of love, as I am. I don’t have to prove myself, be perfect, or put on a performance. I can simply be who I am.

I wish to remember to be here now, to remain present and mindful. This is where life is, this is where I can be with my breath and the steady beat of my heart. This moment is, it is perfect and it is always available.

I wish to remember that I am already awake. This is a theory I’ve heard about in my study of Buddhism–that we need not strive to become enlightened, but rather we simply need to remember that we already are, in this very moment, awake.

I wish to remember that gentleness is my superpower, (thanks to the beautiful and generous Susan Piver and her Open Heart Project for this reminder). It is through my kindness that I am strong, through my open and tender heart that I am courageous, through love that I am a warrior.

We already have everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves—the heavy-duty fearing that we’re bad and hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds—never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth and brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake. ~Pema Chödrön

What do you wish to remember?

It’s Monday, so it’s time for me to tell you something good.

Just a cute baby owl. That is all.

Friday Birthdays. When your birthday is on a Friday, like mine was this year, there’s a universal rule that you get to celebrate the whole weekend. On Friday, a good friend took me to lunch, gave me a sweet gift (two actually, one was wrapped and the other was her telling me the nicest thing I’d ever done for her and how much it meant), lots of birthday wishes on Facebook (one of the top five reasons to have an account), one sweet email wishing me love and thanking me for a gift I had given that was “life-changing,” a present and phone call from my mom, and more presents from my aunt and boy (Eric made me a book with a secret compartment, so cool!).

Then on Saturday, another good friend took me to lunch and gave me a handmade gift (she’s an amazing artist, so even her cards are something special), and a phone call from my brother and another good friend. Sunday morning, we found that the mail had been delivered late in the evening, so there was a package from my brother and nieces, and another card from a good friend who always says the nicest things, Sunday morning yoga, and lunch at Mount Everest Cafe, where our favorite waiter didn’t even ask us what we wanted to start, he simply brought us out a chai and a glass of Fat Tire as soon as we sat down. It was an awesome birthday weekend.

Picture by Philip Bragg

Shantideva Quote: “If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?”

The Open Heart Project. I have a confession to make. I have been struggling with my meditation practice lately. Then I read about Susan Piver’s Open Heart Project on Jennifer Louden’s blog. Susan Piver is a student of the Shambhala tradition, which is also where my meditation practice started, so to begin, she comes from a place I understand. She’s shared a series of videos, meditation instruction and guided meditations anywhere from 5 to 40 minutes. Using these videos to focus my own practice has been so helpful.

Wishcasting Wednesday. This is something started by creative living coach and blogger, Jamie Ridler. She explains it this way: “What would happen if every week you made a wish? What magic might start to stir? Wishcasting Wednesday is a safe haven for wishes, a fertile field in which to plant wish seeds and have them witnessed and tended lovingly. It’s a place where magic begins.” I am going to add this feature to my Wednesday blog posts.

A New Post from Hyperbole and a Half. This is actually more than a month old now, but I somehow had missed it. I had thought/worried about Allie on and off over the past few months. She’d posted she was working on a book, but then disappeared, and knowing what I know about freaking out and freezing up even/especially in the face of something big and good, I wondered if she might be in trouble. Her latest post is called “Adventures in Depression,” and as always, it is heartbreaking, true, and funny. Sometimes I wonder if she realizes how brave and wonderful she really is.

Rachel W. Cole, and her list of suggested reading. I am so excited about her coming out to Fort Collins to do a Well-Fed Woman Mini-Retreatshop, (Sunday, February 19th, 12:30-3:30 at Om Ananda Yoga Studio–more details to come soon). On her website, Rachel shares her list of “11 Books that Changed My Life,” and you can also link to her much longer, full list of recommendations. I am starting with “Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything” by Geneen Roth.