Comedy of Errors

Comedy of Errors ©2017 Joan M. Newcomb, CPC

Yesterday I had another unbelievably difficult time with technology. Last week I tried upgrading something that I'd done a month ago, and the results were a mess. So yesterday I tried again, and the morning was very productive. But the afternoon was another comedy of errors.

At some point I realized how hilarious the scenario was. I mean, I teach Consciousness Techniques, which allows you to manifest reality "easily and effortlessly". But trying to create a video and powerpoint took a mountain of effort and hasn't yielded anything worth publishing yet.

Does that mean my work is full of shit? Does it mean that we're not in a huge shift of Consciousness? 

Nah. It means that Consciousness has no ethics about playing the game here on Playground Earth. It means that even when it's all effort, it's all good.

Now, I as my body-personality had a schedule and a deadline for this project. As Consciousness, I didn't. 

When I went through this a month ago, it was equally bizarre. Sometimes the software worked, sometimes it didn't. I ended up using two different devices with three different versions of the program, which sometimes had one ability and then it didn't. And then I create a workaround using something completely different.

I assumed today would be easier, because I did all the things that ultimately worked in the end last time. Except today was kind of the same thing. And I ended up running out of memory on my laptop and deleted a bunch of things that maybe I'm going to need tomorrow when I work on this again.

But all of this is a wonderful metaphor for life as Consciousness in a physical body. The more Consciousness comes into form, the more unexpected things happen. Things show up that shouldn't be there. Things that should work one way, don't. 

It doesn't mean that I've gone backwards in my development. It doesn't mean that I'm operating unconsciously. 

It may mean that I'm in too much effort, that's for sure.

This happens when we thing we're spiritually enlightened. When we think we already know it all. When we expect life to have hierarchies and levels. 

Consciousness relishes all of it, Consciousness inhabits all of it. 

What to do when things like this happen? Don't resist what is. Let it go. Send a parallel self to work on it. Step into a parallel universe where it's already done. Allow reality to reorganize differently. 

And I'm going to sleep on it and see what unfolds tomorrow.

Amusement, Fear, and Consciousness

Amusement, Fear, and Consciousness ©2017 Joan M. Newcomb, CPC

I've been telling groups that as Consciousness we're amused by Donald Trump and I'm afraid I'm going to get stoned by an angry mob afterwards.

I totally get it. Because at one level, there's nothing funny about the destruction happening to our country, our healthcare, our national parks, our national security, women's rights, people of color, lbgtq, I could go on and on.

It's infuriating, and it's terrifying.

At that same level, it's become so bizarro world in the news, the only response is hysterical laughter.

The amusement I'm talking about isn't that kind of laughter. But nor is it 'let them eat cake' kind of laughter, either. It's not flippant, it's not denial.

Consciousness amusement is expansive, like the sky, like the ocean. It's embracing and encompassing. It's neutrality and compassion at the same time.

I'll confess that I couldn't have written these words a few months ago. I was too enraged. I did not like the parallel universe I found myself in on November 9th. And it shook my confidence about the work that I do.

You know the reactions, fight, freeze, or flight? I had the first two while wishing for the third one. Fighting is my way of not getting paralyzed by fear.

Fear is a body emotion, bodies take everything seriously, bodies aren't going to make it out of this lifetime alive. Bodies feel the impact of the news.

We're not neglecting or abandoning our bodies by allowing amusement, by relaxing in. It's allowing Consciousness to be more present in physical form. Bodies find this comforting. (Because, hey, a body without Consciousness is dead).

So back to amusement. I know we're collectively coming through this, that we're surfacing to a new level, because these words are being written.

As Consciousness you exist both in this physical world, and outside of it. The greater part of you exists outside of time and space. The viewpoint is more than the bigger picture of your individual life and this point on your timeline. The greater part of you sees all lifetimes and all possibilities.

If you could take your life as it is now and hold it in this bigger context, what would that be like for you?

If you knew that nothing was ever lost, including loved ones, what would that be like for you?

If the story of your life had infinite possible plot twists available to you, what would that be like?

Consciousness' experience of this world is appreciation, joy, wonder. Amusement, because it experiences no loss. Amusement, because it takes nothing seriously (not to be confused with disrespect or disregard).

Over the months, a lot of spiritual people have said the only antidote to what's happening is love, to send Donald Trump love. I couldn't do that from the space I was in before.

Now, I can see how.

As Consciousness, you love this world as it is your creation, your playground, your fishtank, your children, your physical home, your plants, your pets. There is loving neutrality with the world and with how storylines unfold.

And, I firmly believe, no, I know because I see it happening, that as greater Consciousness comes into form, as we're so strongly experiencing now, that things can change quickly (sometimes in an instant).

The current story can be reversed or rewritten at any moment.

(I'm writing this on a Tuesday, to be published on Friday, so I'm very curious to see what unfolds by then).

Just as people radiating love into the world have impact (as much impact as phoning Congress and marching), so does allowing yourself to be amused. It's an avenue for greater Consciousness.

There's room for all responses, as they work on different vibratory levels.

Notice if, in the midst of the onslaught of news, you have glimmers of amusement. That's the greater You breaking through.

Relax into those glimmers and watch them expand into your life.

Play with this and see what happens!

Going Home And Staying Present

(c) 2010 Joan M. Newcomb, CPC

I am visiting family back East this week (& next).  It's always interesting, even leading up to the trip.  The last few weeks I felt as if I were standing off stage, amidst the hanging velvet drapes & also the hanging scenery.

To me this represented dense & heavy old patterns.  Not just memories, but also concepts and ideas from the past.  Things I know I've outgrown, but are coming up from deeper layers in order to be cleared.

Have you ever noticed going home and the house ad all the furniture seem smaller? It's not just because you're an adult, but also because you've expanded energetically.

The challenge is going home but staying in the present moment, retaining the changes that have occurred since living there.  How do you keep your current energy level amongst old energy?

It takes staying conscious and also staying amused!  What ever you can do to stay conscious - perhaps it's silently reminding yourself that you are Spirit in a body,  or you are Consciousness expressing itself through personality and form.  To me it feels like a shift from the lower part of my awareness to a higher place.

When you're in that higher place, you automatically become amused.  You get amused at yourself as you start to revert to your old ways.  You're amused at all the memories that come up when you see relatives or places from your childhood.  You can be amused that part of you wants your mom to make your favorite foods while at the same time wants to run screaming from the house.

Taking breaks is also helpful, even if it's an extended trip to the bathroom or a walk around the block.  When you're by yourself, it's easier to remember that you're X number of years old, you're a highly paid executive, or you've been divorced for nearly ten years.  Anything to bring you into present time helps.

This time I decided to do something I've ever done before: rent a car.  The reason it had never occurred to me during prior visits is that when I left home, I didn't drive.  I've been having to remind myself that it's 30 years later and I have *plenty* of experience behind the wheel!  I can handle freeways and even parallel park!

Going home but staying present is very validating.  It gives you the opportunity to validate the enormous amount of growth you've experienced.  You can more easily recognize and acknowledge the things you overcame to be who you are today. 

If you don't have any plans to return home any time soon, you can still use these same suggestions to be present, conscious and amused in your regular day-to-day life!

Try this for a week and see what happens!

Christmas Sanity

(c) 2009 Joan M. Newcomb

A common question people ask me is how to handle someone who's driving you crazy.  There's the woman who's brother-in-law is always over at their place, working on their machines (and messing them up).  He owed them money and her husband, although vexed, never asked to be paid back.

Then there's the elderly man who's adult child and spouse moved in with him and have taken over the house.

Or the employee who's coworker is so toxic, she chased off his predecessor.  She's nasty to everyone but perfect on the details of her job, so the bosses look the other way.

And many who are visiting relatives for the holidays who, much as they love them, cannot stand to be around them for very long.

 The common theme I found when looking at each of these situations was - conflicting assumptions and expectations.

The woman expected her brother-in-law to be responsible and accountable, although he's never shown any evidence of being capable of it!  She's expecting her husband to set boundaries even though he never has in all the years they've been married.

The elderly man's children assume they are being helpful by cooking all the meals (of foods he doesn't eat).  He expects them to clean the bathroom after they use it.  Nobody's telling anybody their preferences or asking for anything different.

The employee expects the coworker to be professional in her communication and opinions. (And expects his workplace *not* to be dysfunctional!)

And we have *loads* of expectations and assumptions about our relatives (and ourselves)!

For one thing, we can't assume we know where the other person is coming from.  People have funny ways of dealing with their feelings during the holiday.  Someone who is grieving inwardly may be angry outwardly.  Someone who is fearful may act controlling.

We can't assume people will act the way we do.  They may not have years of therapy or learned to talk about their feelings.  We can't expect them to know what we're thinking or what we want.

However, just as it's a mistake to assume someone's behavior will miraculously change since the last time we saw them, it's also a mistake to think someone we haven't seen for years will be the same as before.  We go back to the family reunion with a chip on our shoulder and discover that Uncle Pat quit drinking three years before and has become humble and kind.

We also have expectations of ourselves, to remain normal in the face of everyone else's projections and assmuptions!

We can you do to maintain (or regain) sanity in the midst of all this holiday havoc?

Try to have a sense of humor about everything.  When you get into a space of amusement, you have a fighting chance of not being sucked into the drama.  As you gather with family, imagine yourself to be in comedy movie.  When you go to work, reframe it as a sitcom rather than a soap opera.  Recast those key members and different characters in your mind.  This gives you a chance to detach, to step out of the story line.

It's amazing what happens when you have no expectations.  You have more space to be yourself.  Others have more space to be themselves.  They may still be nutcases, but they don't bother you any more.

You intuitively know when to speak up for yourself and when to quietly turn your attention elsewhere.  You let other's comments roll off your back.

It takes practice, of course.  Try this for the next week (but don't expect perfection) and see what happens!