October and the Women's Integral Conference at Omega Institute

October brings with it a need to re-evaluate the desires and dreams of the past objectively. These desires may be quite sincere but the energy of October brings with it many bizarre events and the feelings of becoming disoriented and confused. Because of this there is a huge need to temper fantasy with practicality and grounded perspective. Tensions are growing and when energy is moving this way it is important to be in the moment and to make subtle adjustments as you go along. All the plans you may have in your head may not pan out the way you had perceived, dreamed, or wanted.

Yet, the ability to stay present with such chaotic life force is a tremendous skill worth learning and integrating. As the world continues in the Mayan calendar of Cauac there will be no choice but to remember to make subtle shifts as the increase in energy expands our understandings and awareness’s. Cauac is the time period that we entered into in August of 1988. It is called the quickening. It is the time when the expansion of consciousness is tremendous and the speed of our society increases requiring all of us to make many adjustments in order to accommodate the tremendous energy coming into each of us. This continues until 2011 approximately. When you look just at the increase of technology, this increase is easier to understand. Computers and all of our electronic gadgets are infinitely more varied and complex. Information is being shared at a previously unknown rate. All of us are feeling the increased pressure, as we are being required to do more and more in one day than any of us ever predicted.

On some levels this is wonderful but on other levels there are those of us that are feeling overwhelmed with learning how to harness the power of our mind and then balance it with the practical applications of our desire nature. Learning to sort truth and worthwhile causes from the imaginations and fantasies is a great challenge this month.

The cards also indicate a potential conflict in the Middle East between the separate political and religious forces and governments surrounding Iraq. We may see the influence of Iran and Saudi Arabia begin to joust for more powerful positions within the Iraq conflict. Finding how to balance this energy will feel like navigating a canoe in rapids. Canoes do not work well in rapids. They do better in flat lake water. Therefore to navigate such a situation it will take the strength of a buffalo and the agility of a deer. This will require a tremendous effort with no guarantees, which is what the U.S. people want at this politically charged time.

The energy of October is highly transformative but we need to use all the tools available to us at this time to navigate these treacherous waters. Somehow with all this energy we also need to somehow keep out hearts intact and open to how we can share and give love to others.

Ask yourself the question, “What can I do this month to show and express my love to everyone?” This is a loaded question. Take notice of everything you do and become very aware of the subtle actions that you are doing that are showing your love and caring or are not allowing that love and caring to be received and perceived by others.

If every action you could do were a reflection of your love and devotion to your family and all of humanity, how would you energetically give that gift? How would you move through life if everything you did could show your caring and sensitivity to everyone around you? What would it take for you to become that present even if others are suffering and not receiving you?

It would require you to be so aware of your being and to know your truth and intent so completely that you would be unafraid of what others might think. You would be able to make those small adjustments and feel your love moving through every action and word.

Give it a try this month and see if you can become more of who you really are. Find those ways to express and share that totality with others. If we could get one percent of the world to become more aware of giving their gifts and love what a wonderful place earth could become. It could inspire everyone to open and become the gift they are also.

Woman’s Integral Conference at Omega Institute- Finding Your Golden Shadow.

The conference at Omega Institute was wonderful!!! The weather was cool the first few days but then it warmed up and was fantastic. I even had a small mouse visit me in my dorm room. I had to go to the Guest Services to check to see if they had live traps to catch and release him outside to where he belonged. They did and sure enough the next night the trap snapped shut and I had a pet mouse for the evening.

The next day I took him back to Guest Services and they released him out by the lake. This is a much better place for a mouse.

The workshop was on using Integral techniques created by Ken Wilber’s model from the Integral Institute and the work by Genpo Roshi with his Big Mind integration techniques. These systems use some voice dialogue techniques but it takes them to the next level.

The teachers were amazing. We had Diane Hamilton who is a student of Genpo Roshi what has become a highly respected teacher of Zen in her own right. She lives right here in Salt Lake City and works with the Zen Center of Salt Lake City. She was amazing and so able to handle the emotional intensity of a large group of women with power, grace, and focused clarity. Then we had Sofia Diaz , a Hatha Yoga teacher who has traveled and explored sacred dancing from India and she also teaches women’s groups in a variety of modalities. She was dynamic and a bucket load of energy. Her ability to move energy through bodies was nothing short of fine art. Then, we had Willow Pearson, a psychotherapist, music therapist, and a founding member of the Integral Institute since 1998. This group of women came from such a variety of backgrounds but it somehow worked. There were of course a few glitches as always happens when you get a large group of women with a tremendous variety of skills and levels of perspective and awareness together but it was the most fun I have had in years in group settings.

We did Yoga each morning at 8 AM and then meditation using a mixture of Zen and Integral Big Mind techniques. They we did processes and exercises to bring what we were learning into the feminine brain and patterning. They have done a tremendous amount of work in looking at the differences as to how men and women learn and grow. This retreat was specifically for how women tend to learn bodily, experientially, and through praise. It was quite fascinating. We danced and cried, expanded and let go of our old constructs. It was wonderful.

We did work on integrating shadow aspects and the most revealing to me was the work on the Golden Shadow. As an adept in many personal growth workshop and breakthrough processes, I have done a tremendous amount about integrating shadow but the Golden Shadow was something that struck me in a wonderful way.

Below is a poem I wrote about my experience in this process.

Golden Shadow

Do you feel the wind of golden wings, Caressing your heart from in between? Into duality you are thrust, To encounter conflict, shoulds, and musts. But deep inside a part knows, All that’s above connects below. It has always been a circle you see. What is up comes down to be. From a distance God tries to show, The golden light you hid below. In other’s eyes you seek and pine, For the parts you yearned to find. The door is open if you would just try, To find the power from the sky. She waits so patiently knowing you are near. She has always whispered in your ear. Why was it that you took so long, To awaken when you heard her song? Ever singing in your head, But so much louder when you slept in bed. In that place you could relax, The mind let go and forgot to grasp. In the dream you danced and flowed, Rejuvenated by feelings glow. But now you’ve come to the threshold of truth, Embraced by her light that knows she is you. Which humor twinkling her starry eyes, You merge with her and the old self dies. The illusion you believed is no longer true. You move in the light of the feminine moon. Temperamental with emotional flow, She expands the wildness and passion lets go. Your Golden Shadows expand the bounds, Of untapped resources recovered and found. What a gift to dance in the light, Of so many Golden Shadows merged in flight. A light so bright the sun was dimmed During those moments of the feminine.

The Integral Institute has decided to bring an Integral Workshop to Salt Lake City next Feb 8-10, 2008. I hope others can come and have as wonderful time as I had at this event.