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This is the print-friendly version of the December 2009 Newsletter -
Online Issue # 23
December 2009 Newsletter
Online Issue # 23
In this Issue:
See also, the print-friendly version of this newsletter (all the articles are on one web page).
Look for the next issue in April.
The Front Page
Genius at Work
“It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.”
Gertrude Stein
1874-1946
In late July, this Gertrude Stein quotation appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune in one of my favorite features: you don’t say by l.k. hanson. In case you don’t get the Star Tribune, you don’t say appears every Monday in a box on the Opinion Exchange page. Hanson selects and illustrates a quotation, like the one above. Being a person who likes to ponder things, I find rich material in these weekly creations.
In my work I’m fascinated by the sparks of genius I encounter. I intentionally watch for them, so I see a whole lot more than anyone would ever believe. It might seem to some that I do not grasp what genius is—something quite extraordinary, spectacular, rare—a one-in-a-million sort of occurrence; it certainly isn’t something you expect to find in ordinary people the way I seem to do.
I believe we all have our moments of genius, even if genius isn’t our everyday method of operation, the way we are day in and day out. Returning to Gertrude Stein’s words, genius isn’t the way a genius appears day in and day out either: sitting around doing nothing.
Everywhere I look I see people doing, often multitask doing. Most of us are busy, busy, busy—way too busy. Even people without 40+ hours of paid work report how busy they are. So busy, they wonder how they ever had time to work that much. All this busyness appears productive, but what is it producing? And is it producing what is truly desired?
Sitting around doing nothing appears suspect: aimless, unmotivated, lazy, unproductive, something we should apologize for doing, or not doing. How could sitting around doing nothing be associated with genius? Who would dare to enter into this experiment to find out?
Isn’t taking time to be, rather than to do, what vacations are intended for? Even then, it’s difficult to stop and be; the momentum of life propels us forward long after we stop. Not only are our lives busy, our minds are even busier, making it truly difficult to come to rest. Our thoughts are often speeding along hours after we need to be asleep, restoring ourselves for a new day.
It’s startling to admit how much of our activity isn’t generating anything new, helpful, or particularly interesting. It’s a lot of repetition: thoughts, conversations, behavior, plans, ad nauseam. There is so much to do, and do again, that we don’t have much room in our lives to create what is new to us. Our best ideas might never see the light of day in our rush to get it all done.
So, when I sit with someone who is taking time to stop, even briefly during an appointment, I know there is probably a backlog of thoughts and emotions waiting to be heard. There are fragments and snippets likely glimpsed before, but never given full attention. They constitute a real mix, everything from old grudges and disappointments, to hopes and dreams, to sparks of genius, waiting—like the next audience in line—for the movie theater to empty and everyone to move forward.
One of my responsibilities when I work with someone is to listen for the inner genius that reveals itself, and when the moment feels right to return to it and give it full attention. Over the years I’ve become more trusting of being able to recognize genius in a person. Often it’s the unique example that grounds a telling story, or a particular choice of words I’ve never heard before, or an aliveness that suddenly animates a conversation, or a life, that seemed to be going nowhere. Sometimes I sense it before my client does; sometimes it’s a mutual knowing. However it happens, it feels like we struck gold, oil, water, and the divine, all at once.
Daring to stop, remaining still enough to hear your own breath, gazing into the unknown expanse—all look like doing nothing. Sitting, breathing, and staring into space are likely prerequisites for meeting your own genius. Only after you’ve accomplished that, does it make sense to be busy, busy, busy making real what thrills your heart and soul.
With gratitude,
Laurie Mattila
Good Books
What Matters Most:
Living a More Considered Life
by James Hollis
Gotham Books, 2009
hardcover, $26.00
“We do not serve our children, our friends and partners, our society by living partial lives, and being secretly depressed and resentful. We serve the world by finding what feeds us, and, having been fed, then share our gift with others.”
-James Hollis
I read Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, an earlier book by James Hollis, when it came out five years ago. This fall when I picked up a copy of What Matters Most and noticed that Hollis was the author, I remembered how much I had valued his thoughtful wisdom and fascinating insights. In addition to writing and teaching, Hollis continues in private practice as a Jungian analyst.
In the preface to What Matter Most, Hollis states he will not be focusing on the standard list: “friends and family, love, honor, good work, reputation and the like.” Instead, he offers an “eccentric compilation” written to engage readers in considering what matters most for them.
Notice how these select chapter titles/ subtitles act as invitations for consideration:
That Life Not Be Governed By Fear
That We Learn to Tolerate Ambiguity
That We Consider Feeding The Soul
That We Step Into Largeness
That We Write Our Story, Lest Someone Else Write It For Us
In each chapter, Hollis offers ways to encourage readers to show up for their lives, in spite of difficulty, uncertainty, disappointment, and suffering; because there is also imagination, creativity, beauty, truth, and courage. Working with life stories and recounting dream memories, Hollis illuminates the soul’s deep and guiding wisdom.
Once again, I found Hollis to be an absorbing writer-teacher-storyteller. I appreciate his willingness to occasionally use himself as an example, as well as his unwavering respect, awe, and wonder for the dream material offered by his clients. He frequently comments, “Who would make this stuff up?”
The exquisite way Hollis unravels dreams, to get to their deeper meaning, is lovely to observe.
I See Your Dream Job:
A Career Intuitive Shows You How to Discover What You Were Put on Earth to Do
by Sue Frederick
St. Martin’s Press, 2009
Hardcover, $19.99
“Your life is on purpose. There are no accidents. Every event, circumstance, and relationship has been nudging you to follow your true path and do your great work—which is the only path to real success and abundance.”
-Sue Frederick
I See Your Dream Job is the first book I’ve discovered written by a career intuitive. From talking with clients, I know that many people consult with psychics at some point in their search for the work they are meant to do. Frederick is in a unique position to write this book, making the tools of her trade accessible to readers seeking to discover their life purpose.
If you aren’t open to, or interested in, ancient wisdom, astrology, numerology, symbols, and inner guidance, you can skip this book. On the other hand, if you find these topics fascinating, whether or not you understand them, I See Your Dream Job offers a step-by-step process that might allow you to see things from a perspective that dots the i’s and crosses the t’s for you. It probably won’t reveal anything you don’t already know, but it will remind you how much you do know and what perfect sense it makes.
Once you confidently own and affirm the truth of who you are, Frederick suggests how you can move forward and initiate desired change. I See Your Dream Job could be an important step in trusting yourself to do what you were put on earth to do.
One More Recently Published Book
Infinite Possibilities:
The Art of Living Your Dreams
by Mike Dooley
Atria Books / Beyond Words, 2009
Hardcover, $25.00
“We have our dreams for many reasons, not the least of which is to make them come true.”
-Mike Dooley
Last December I mentioned Mike Dooley’s trilogy, Notes From The Universe. His latest book, Infinite Possibilities, quickly became a New York Times Bestseller this fall. Prior to publication, the information was only available in audio format. Thousands of Dooley’s readers and supporters swooped up the first several printings, putting the book on backorder as soon as it was released. Infinite Possibilities is on my list of books to read.
Practice Page
“Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.”
-Chinese proverb
Here’s something for you to think about, write about, talk about, wonder about, and try out.
Once we enter December, the race to the end of the year picks up the pace. Who hasn’t experienced genuine relief knowing a particularly difficult year is ending? For however long it lasts, we feel the pull toward a new year: a fresh start, a blank page, a brand new beginning. Maybe it’s the clarity and crispness of the unspoiled that calls to us. We get to begin again.
Challenge:
Notice any themes that call for your attention as you head into 2010.
Before you begin to automatically fill up your days, what do you want your focus to be this year?
Is it your desire or intention to have 2010 be The Year of Dancing Marvelously and Often? What about The Year of Feasting on Fresh Food? Or maybe The Year of Living True? Making A Difference?
Can you see how easily this is becoming a listening-writing experiment?
Listening-Writing Experiment: The Year of....
Even people who dislike lists find themselves drawn into the wordplay of listening and listing. It’s a simple writing experiment that can lead to valuable insights, quickly and playfully.
Consider the year 2010 and your hopes and dreams for yourself and the world. Try playing with the following format for this experiment: The Year of.....
Begin to list possibilities as they occur to you, one after the other. You don’t need to critique anything. Just keep the flow of ideas open and write everything down.
Examples of Themes:
The Year of Inspired Generosity
The Year of Going Social
The Year of Earning My Worth
The Year of Working for Pets
The Year of Fearless Travel
The Year of Befriending My Soul
The Year of Living The Moment
The Year of Cultivating Community
After you’ve listed everything that comes to you, set your list aside. You can always add to it later if you want.
On a fresh page, begin to focus on any guidelines or truths you want to live by in 2010.
Examples of Guidelines:
I will not rush.
I say what I mean and I mean what I say.
I’ll let you know if I’m interested.
Yes!
Let go and be the flow.
Because I like it.
Does this matter?
Is it worthy?
Who will benefit?
How do I feel?
Now scan your themes list for the theme of the year that most clearly resonates with you. Try adding it to the guidelines you just created. How do they seem to fit together?
At this point, you might want to pair your list of guidelines with another theme or two to see how you react. Or, you might decide to customize your list of guidelines to fit one particular theme.
Whatever you do, this is a beginning. It’s a way to begin consciously approaching 2010.
Maybe you’ll be energized by considering possible themes for the year. Maybe writing clear and simple guidelines will feel inspiring. Maybe something unexpectedly wonderful will occur to you, if not right now, perhaps later.
Remember: Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.
Maybe listening is a green tree; maybe you are the singing bird.
Wishing you only the best in 2010!
Laurie Mattila
© December 2009
Upcoming Calendar:
Discovery Writing: Creating A FutureSM
celebrating 15 years of listening-writing
For NEW Students:
Discovery Writing: Creating A Future
For 15 years Discovery Writing has been helping people to hear and trust their own knowing, in order to create a life of their own choosing.
This six-session class uses a simple “listening-writing” process as a way to explore what you truly desire; it is also a path to follow in creating your future.
View the online flyer to learn more about Discovery Writing: Creating A Future
Winter Schedule 2010
Wednesday evening ( 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. )
January 20 February 3, 17 March 3, 17, 31
Saturday morning ( 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon )
January 16, 30 February 13, 27 March 13, 27
Spring Schedule 2010
Monday evening ( 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. )
April 12, 19, 26 May 3, 10, 17
Friday morning ( 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon )
April 16, 23, 30 May 7, 14, 21
Fall Schedule 2010
Tuesday evening ( 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. )
September 21 October 5, 19 November 2, 16, 30
For FORMER Students:
2010 Discovery Writing Yearlong Group
It’s time again to consider joining the next yearlong Discovery Writing group. As a former Discovery Writing student you are welcome to join the 2010 group, either for the first time or as someone returning.
We’ll meet for the first time in January and then monthly through December, always on the 2nd Wednesday of the month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at my office in St. Paul. The cost is $125 per quarter, payable in any month of the quarter. The group requires a one year commitment and is limited to 8.
If you have any questions about the group, please call me. I’ll be happy to talk with you about what to expect. Once you decide to participate, contact me to add your name to the group, and then go ahead and pencil the 2nd Wednesday evening on your 2010 calendar.
2010 meeting dates, listed by quarter:
January 13, February 10, March 10
April 14, May 12, June 9
July 14, August 11, September 8
October 13, November 10, December 8
Each year, I see how this group benefits from the experience of previous groups and goes beyond what has ever been. The process evolves and so do our lives—sitting around the purple table—listening and writing. Let this be the year you show up, and make listening to and living your life a priority.
About the Newsletter
This newsletter is created several times a year for my clients and students, and anyone else interested in listening to and trusting their own deep knowing. It is designed to support your process of discovery and growth, and to bring you up-to-date about my practice. It offers encouragement, guidance and resources for you.
You will find new issues posted on my website in the months of April, August and December. I hope you add my website to your favorite places and check back when the next issues are scheduled.
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