A Beautiful Walk Inside You ~ Rumi

Through this blood veil, the lover sees a beautiful walk

Reason says, There are only six directions: north, east, south, west, up, and down.

There is no way out of those limits.

Love says, But I have many times escaped.

Reason comes to a marketplace and begins haggling prices.

Love wanders away with other business to transact, something to do with incomparable beauty.

There are secret things happening.

Hallaj listens to whispers and walks off the speaker’s platform onto a scaffold.

Dreg-drinkers have love perceptions that reasonable men fiercely deny.

They say, we cannot go barefooted in that courtyard. There is nothing but thorns through there.

Love answers, The thorns are inside you.

Be silent, and pull what hurts out of your loving’s foot.

Then you will see gardens with secluded rose bowers, and they will all be inside you.

Shams is the sun obscured by this cloud of words.

Maybe he will burn the overcast off and let love clear and brighten.

Why Poetry?

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Core Ideology : It’s a Big Deal

Originally posted Strategy Stream 8/25/11

Within each of us is the ability to influence and make the world a better place. 

Core Ideology typically means the Mission, Vision, & Values of a business entity.  The ideology then acts as a communication to stakeholders, from employees to investors, about what the company will always hold to –the guideposts from which to act.

The Mission, Vision & Values of an entity can be created by a solo-prenuer and then shared with others as his / her empire grows, or the ideology can be created by partners, board of directors and / or a mixture of who the business entity representatives are at this crucial setting down of the declaration of who the company is.

An influential study by Collins & Porras resulting in the book Built to Last written in 1994, makes the case that companies that go on beyond the founders have done so by standing by the initial core ideology.

It is noteworthy that in the majority of these company’s statements about ideology, there is a common thread of inspirational loftiness and intentional well-meaning.

There is a fundamental ideal or “knowing” of an ability to influence, adjust and make the world a better place.

At the core or essence of each of us is this knowing.  There is that center, that divine spark that has access to the infinite and the ability to master the material.

It is this essence, coupled with a business core ideology, that not only will drive your business to wild, fulfilling success,

the combo contains the unique ability to be a powerful Source of Good; championing a philosophy that positively influences.

Here’s Strategy Stream’s Core Ideology

Here’s Zappos’ Core Values

Here’s Whole Foods’ Core Values

Here’s an example of someone who has taken her philosophy and shared it in a simple, compelling, marketable way

Read more about creating a core ideology that makes a difference in the world in the eBook Becoming a Source of Good

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Walking the Line

On one hand, you want to stay deeply in touch with your inner self – the part of you that has a philosophy about what you want to do and who you want to be. On the other, you want to run a successful business.

An intangible part of you – your spirit – is trying to work with a tangible part – your business sense.

Unfortunately, some advice that’s currently available about those two parts seem to be contradictory.

If you want a healthy spirit, the advice is as intangible as the spirit itself. You might be told to get in touch with your inner desires, or to spend time meditating, or to try new experiences.

There are no guidelines and no rulebooks. There is no way to measure whether you’re doing “well” except by paying attention to how you feel.

If you’re trying to create a thriving business, however, the advice is often nothing but measurements. You have files to complete and to turn into the appropriate addresses, checkboxes to mark off, linear paths to goals. You’ll often see business books that suggest 7 steps or 12 steps – it’s easy to tell whether or not you’ve achieved the goal laid out in each chapter.

Business success is about achieving something tangible – spiritual success is about achieving something intangible.

Running a business where the intangible and the tangible coexist is today’s challenge.  The good news is there are more and more people talking about how to do this.  It takes a community to make it happen and a vision to shift the consciousness of business.

Tell us about how you are doing it or how someone you know is.

We will keep you posted here about people who are walking the line with grace and ease.

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Be the Guiding Light

Though pretty much everyone wants to be a force for good, few have seriously questioned themselves on what exactly that means. It’s not surprising; figuring out who you are at your core in relation to your business can seem a difficult task.

But, formalizing your core values and beliefs is an essential part of creating a business that is a force for good. When things start moving quickly and decisions need to be made, your core values and vision are your guiding light.

The guiding light you hold consistently presents to the world who you are at your core and that you love this core. It is essential that you lovingly present the core of yourself; otherwise, it will be impossible to ask others to love you and what you are doing.

Take a moment to ask yourself some leading questions about the guiding light of your business. If you’re not in a reflective space right now, you may want to come back to this exercise later when you have some time to put real thought into it. So consider…

- What/who is most important to you in the world?

- Why did you choose to get into this particular business?

- What values (e.g., trust, honor, love, and hospitality) are most important to you?

- When was the last time you were a powerful influence for good? What elements were involved in that situation?

- In your wildest dreams, what legacy would you like to leave behind?

Use your answers to these questions to establish a brilliant and inspiring core business ideology. It may shift and change, and that’s okay. You will probably rewrite your business ideology multiple times before you settle on a version that seems right to you. Be sure to include what influence you would like your business to have and what values you would like your business to personify…

and Shine On.

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Mighty-Ocean-in-the-Drop

The great poet Rumi said, “You are the mighty ocean in the drop”. A reverse from the usual phrasing of this imagery – often we’re told we’re “only a single drop in a mighty ocean”. What does it mean to be the ocean in the drop?

At its core, this line of poetry means that you, yourself, are a magnificent and powerful force. You have everything you need contained within you.

This is hard for some of us to believe.

To become a powerful force for good, many people believe they need outside influences to make them better. They need to learn from a great teacher, for instance, or they need to pile up the accolades and accomplishments so that others take them seriously.

Not so. The ocean within you inherently swells with immense power.

You have everything you need and are capable of achieving everything you have hoped. The key is acknowledging and loving this simple truth: then you are authentically loving yourself and can project this love out into the world.

You are the center of a powerful creation, and as such you have a responsibility to honor the ocean within you and bring it to the forefront of everything you do – especially your business. Your business may be the best tool you have to influence the world – and yet, if you do not acknowledge that you have that source within you, that tool could go to waste.

You owe it to yourself and all you will influence to honor the ocean within you – and learn what it is you are truly capable of accomplishing.

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Shift Your Business Perspective

What if your business could create happiness, love, and purpose with the same agility and certainty that it creates expanding profits, new customers, and new innovations? It’s a question that isn’t often asked in business, because intangible qualities like love aren’t easily measurable (and measures are the language of business). Most people don’t believe the tangible, everyday needs of business coexist with the intangible.

Oh, but they do.

The truth is just because the current language of business does not acknowledge intangibles, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Your business is an embodiment of who you are and what you believe – every time you expand your business, you also expand the knowledge and empowerment of yourself. When you are fundamentally coming from a place of love and purpose, you automatically are shifting your perspective of business.

When your business blends with your own personal philosophy, decisions become easier. You are able to access support not typically considered in traditional business models. Goals are set and achieved without struggle. Your strategies are driven not just by necessity but by passion. Your focus never wanders. You walk forward with absolute certainty that you are supporting the highest good. Not only does your business become a channel for success – it becomes a channel for your expanded inner self and an expanded model of what it means to be doing business in today’s world.

Pic originally uploaded : Riapereira || Shift Perspective || More about pics

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Eye of the Beholder

 

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

To paraphrase Marianne Williamson……

Remember you have a physical set of eyes and a spiritual set of eyes.

WIth your physical eyes you see the material world and act accordingly, based on what you see. Typically, this is the set of eyes we use when we plan and take actions in our businesses.

But, as we all know, there is more to life than the material world.

With your spiritual eyes, you can see beyond appearances. Instead of allowing appearances to determine what you think is real and reacting to it, you can decide what is beyond the appearance and calmly continue to invoke what you choose.

This practice permits the real you to come forth. Every time you choose to act from a balanced perspective of both material and spiritual, every time you invoke rather than react, every time you choose love over fear –you get closer and closer to the real you and the real world.

By doing so, you cause a change in what you see.

The real you is not a body at all, but rather a spirit…an energy…an idea in the Mind of God or Divine Spirit. The real you is a being of light, and therefore has no material density.

The real world is simply love. The real world is not dangerous, violent, or chaotic.

As you align more and more with this truth of your being and the world, this higher reality will permeate all aspects of your business,

and your life.

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The Law of Receiving: 3 ways to create the space to receive

Following are three easy ways you can let the universe know you are ready to receive:

1) Make it as easy as possible for the universe to deliver

The universe will try to find a way to get you what you want even if you sit at home with your wish. Someone might just knock on your door and that’s the person or client of your dreams. But that may happen after a while, say, ten years time.

So it is better to really open up to all the possibilities of getting your desires manifested. You should truly show to the universe that you are ready: brighten up, create a business a plan, go out to meet your future partner & clients.

2) Have the right mindset

Make sure you have no limiting beliefs left in you that might prevent you from getting your desires.

Deep down, for example, you may feel that money is actually bad, or that it makes people worse off or that you are not ready to be wealthy.

Deep down you know that with wealth comes much bigger responsibility and you might not be ready for that. Yet you are not willing to bring this fact out of your unconscious mind. So you get all kinds of problems and situations preventing you from the free flow of abundance.

If this is the situation you are in, you should remember that these limiting beliefs are all created by you and they can be overcome. However, you will need to really question yourself about what kind of limiting beliefs may be holding you back.

Or you can use another method for eliminating limiting beliefs, which are positive affirmations. Affirmations should be repeated daily and you should select a completely opposite statement to that of your current limiting belief.

3) Be specific

When you know exactly what you want, the universe can create definite plans as to how the thing that you want will manifest in your life. So if, for example, you want to manifest a house, then you should know where the house will be located, how many rooms it has to have, how the garden will look like and so on. You should see it as clearly as you can in your mind so that it would look real to you already.

When you are specific about what you want, you clear up your vibration and therefore you emanate the vibration to attract that specific thing in your life.

Examples of how you can use the law of receiving

To manifest money – be ready and expecting all kinds of income sources, people giving you money and finding money on the street. You should say to the universe: ‘I am completely ready to receive plenty of money into my life’ and be happy and truly ready to receive it.

To be happy – say to the universe that you are completely ready to receive happiness and be aware that it can come at any time. Look out for clues and signs of happiness so that you would know that you are on the right track.

To become focused/goal oriented – every day write in a notebook (or a separate gratitude journal)how grateful you are for the universe for your ability to become better and better at focusing and accomplishing goals. This acts as an affirmation and starts a change in you.

Final observations and advice on the law of receiving

When you do not notice the results of your intention, do not get frustrated. Sometimes it takes time for your desire to manifest, and that is absolutely normal. You should keep being ready no matter what you do because your desire can reach you at any moment.

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. The same applies to the law of receiving. As soon as you are completely ready to receive your desire, it will come in no time. As if it was always there, just waiting for you to be ready.

Sourced from: Simona Rich http://www.personal-development-coach.net/law-of-receiving.html

Image of “Metatron, Receive”
Acrylic and gold gesso on canvas, 5 x 5′
© 2010 James F. Jereb
All Rights Reserved.

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Find your answers, not the “right” answers

 

Strategic Thinking

I discovered Men with Pens several years ago and have been on-goingly impressed. I am truly excited to now be working with them (look for my new web-design in 2011!) Their renegade style coupled with substance resonates with me.

A recent post on the MWP blog hits the mark regarding the importance of doing your business, your way. Following is a excerpt:

If you want to build and grow and succeed in business….you need to stretch your thoughts and think beyond what you’re being told to do.

Get those textbooks from all the experts, sure – but use them as a springboard, a starting point.

Muse, ponder, ask questions, explore. Contemplate what’s being done and what could be done differently, or better. Think about what works for other businesses and compare that to what might work (or won’t fit) for yours.

Don’t assume the experts have all the perfect answers and template instructions to success – they only have the perfect answer of what’s worked for their business. You can replicate some of what they’ve done, sure, and you’ll achieve a certain measure of success, yes.

But imagine what might happen if you went beyond what they did.

Find your answers – not the “right” answers.

Poke at the “what ifs” and explore calculated risks. Try out new ways of pulling in clients or getting raves that no one has done before. Be untrendy and reject what’s cool. Look instead for what’s smart or efficient or effective. Chase money and results, and leave extra work and expenses in the dust.

If you want to succeed, you have to question the “rules” and the “musts” that other people tell you. You need to improve on textbook methods and rote strategies to reach even better results. MWP Post “Are You Barely Passing with Your Business Philosophy?“

Remember the basics, look deep within and design your own strategies for success!

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Find the Real World ~ Bexar Update

March of this year I posted the following with a favorite Rumi poem:

Find the real world, give it endlessly away
Grow rich, fling gold to all who ask
Live at the empty heart of Paradox
I’ll dance there with you, cheek to cheek
Your Dawn in me I’m drunk, stammering
A thousand thousand words go dark
Lightnings are dark to us to this:
Identity’s boundless worlds-wide blaze. Why Rumi?

The pic is a photograph of a sculpture made from circuit boards, glue, and paint titled “Lofty” by Bexar Oliver.  My husband and I have commissioned Bexar to do a small sculpture for us –we choose what old electronics to give him and he creates an integrated piece  –cool!

!! UPDATE !!

Bexar’s work, “Lofty” pictured here, has been selected as one of three Houston Arts Month Finalists!! The winner of the Houston Arts Month contest will be featured on the cover of the Official Houston Visitors Guide and a regional newspaper insert distributed to 1 million households.

You can vote for Bexar to win by clicking the link below. Be sure and hit the submit button!!

<http://www.visithoustontexas.com/houston_arts_month_contest_voting>

(You can see the sculpture Bexar did for my husband and I in my Facebook page notes –it really is amazing)

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