Transitions and Transformations, Part II

The World is Dead, completely gone;

Yet I will Live, serenely on.

I acknowledge that this doesn't really make any sense and that it ends with a preposition. It's a horrible poem! Yet, I received these words like a sudden cerebral or spiritual download when I was but seventeen years old. The circumstances? One of the most important people in the world to me was really disappointed in and angry with me, and rightly so, because I was being cruel with my words to someone who really needed and wanted my love and approval. In those shame-filled moments, hearing the testimony against me, I wished away my entitlement to emotions, caring, and vulnerability as if my life depended on their absence.

I tried for years to analyze this. What could it mean? My obsession with interpreting it faded as years passed, but my curiosity about it never did, as my mind would hit the playback button and bring the poem and the experience once more into vivid reality. Why on earth would these words be so important as to re-emerge over and over?

Nearly thirty years later, I've discovered my truth in them. They relate not only to my personal journey, but to our collective human journey as well. They portray a transformation in progress, bringing death, if you will, of personal and collective ego with the birth of spirit-identity.

I have had three really significant "noble friends" or "troublemakers" (terms borrowed from Carolyn Myss and Pema Chodron respectively) in my life. I have certainly served in this role for others as well, including these very same people. I'm referring to those who serve our spirit development, often in uncomfortable ways. They show us the aspects of ourselves that need work, or they challenge us to come into our power, or they offer other trials like that. Each of my noble friends has taught me about fierce love and then betrayal. With each, I had profound moments when I have fallen out of their favor, when I have sought their love and approval with all my heart. This approval seeking often came from an egoistic tendency more than from a longing for soul-deep connection. However, the fact that I'm a natural people-pleaser has made these experiences incredibly painful for me.

In each instance, I have experienced a bit of death, or transformation, from my people-pleasing, approval-seeking ego-self into what I call my spirit-self. My spirit-self strives for a unique voice and altruistic role in the world, for discovering and living the divine destiny that no one else can fill, whether or not others approve of what I'm doing. Fulfilling these needs and desires requires risk. As I enter my life purpose, some people resonate with me, my life, and my energy, and some really don't. I learn not to take it personally. I learn to live serenely on, increasingly detached from the collective world of ego that I've known, even as I become fabulously connected - richly and meaningfully - with more and more people in my life.

Speaking of the collective, this transformational "rebirth" happens on the global level as well. What's more egoistic that materialism, individual and corporate greed, corruption, and even throwing money at problems created by the ferocious avarice for money? As we witness the decomposition of egoistic aspects of life and the systems that support them, we have within grasp the opportunity to create ourselves anew, with spirit-driven ideals defined by our spirit-selves. We also have the opportunity to envision new systems and ways of constructing our cultures and societies. We have within us amazing capacity right now to serve as change agents. That change originates from within us, related to our own transformation. Yes, it's in the depths of our inner world, where first there is darkness, and later there is light - the Hero's Journey that awaits us all.

Although Ego and her best friend, Fear, still make routine appearances in my life, my own transformational journey promotes overall a sense of faith and trust in what is and what will be. This emerging faith in the face of my former fear-based thinking creates serenity and bliss, a profound sense of gratitude for all I experience in my life. This sense of well-being attracts even more of the same. I now feel fully prepared to step into an unknown future in perfect trust that all is as it must be.

Would you like to join me?

• What from your past haunts you, and what's the lesson here now?


• How can you release what doesn't belong to the present?


• What aspects of your life are you rebirthing?


• Who do you wish to be to promote your serenity?

Transitions and Transformations, Part I

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way. Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)

Does this seem familiar? Even for those who shelter their sensitive natures from the effects of the media and subsequent awareness of current events, there's no shortage of information outlining the paradox of our times. Stories of dismal consequences of war, resource shortages, global warming, and economic upheaval pepper the news like shotgun spew. Change, these days, not only seems constant, but comes in even more abundance.

In the rubble of broken-down political, economic, corporate and all manner of systems, lies the fodder for radically improved ways of being, a cultural revolution. More and more, I experience among my family, friends, colleagues, clients, and others, an increasingly calm acceptance of what's happening in our world. I'm not talking about complacency in the face of injustice, but rather a willingness to embrace what is. Even those I know who have lost their jobs, or experienced foreclosure and other hardships, are now finding that their lives hold more opportunity for love and partnership, for creative expressions, and for connection with others, where being too busy served as barrier before. Somehow, they not only get by, they thrive in many aspects of life.

My own life these past few years has mirrored this process. I've known transition, boy howdy, saying a painful goodbye to a beloved partner and life of fourteen years. I left a university faculty post that's been the most rewarding career of my life. At the same time, wondrous new openings have appeared - a new kind of unprecedented love, a remarkable home of my dreams surrounded by nature, and a new vocation that more closely aligns with my higher purpose in life. I now have the opportunity to create a new life paradigm, being of service, coming from my heart, and creatively living within the context of my highest values.

What do you sense is clearing away in your life?

What new avenues are open to you?

What do you want to create in this space?

And I've learned some things. Each day, I must choose who I will be regardless of what's happening around me. All my fears have emerged, provoking intense emotions and upheaval. "But I worked through that years ago!" has been a surprising new theme in my life. "Well, it looks like it's time to go deeper," seems the best passage to the new learning in old events and feelings.

What old patterns persist in your life?

Which ones serve you and which would you rather leave behind?

What do you want to do about it?

In this global transition, we have the opportunity to design and expand into new ways of being in the world. We may unearth and overthrow socialization, acculturation, and any other subconscious programming we've received and expressed that no longer serve us. Connection and collaboration may replace individualism and competition. Building fulfilling, joyful relationships may fill voids left by consumerism and other past-times of our former lifestyles.

Whatever it is, and whatever it may be, why not consciously create the life we truly desire right now? Why not invite transformation of our dreams and visions into reality?

Why Sage Spirit?

During a recent Reiki workshop that I offered, a participant looked at my business card with a picture of a wolf, and asked, "why the name 'Sage Spirit'?" The brief response is that, in my experience, coaching creates the space for the client's sage-ness or innate wisdom to come forth and guide life-building adventures. Often times, the converse is that ego runs the show, keeping us small and safe, rooted in predictable patterns. Of course there's a deeper inspiration for choosing "Sage Spirit."

Sage, my animal companion of fourteen years, lived with a brain tumor during her last several years that provoked intermittent seizures increasing in intensity as she became older. The first one permanently removed her hearing, and so we learned a new way to communicate using hand signals. Through it all, she would accept life each day, just as it presented itself.

Sage remained in her body long past her time to go because she knew that I still needed her. I felt her spirit slip away from me during her final seizure, three days of complete incapacitation. My selfish, anguished tears brought her back into her body. They fueled her determination to hang onto life in spite of her suffering. Once she committed herself to life once more, she channeled her perseverance into relearning how to walk, even with huge neurological barriers. What always remained, no matter what she faced, was her innate sweetness, her loving spirit, and her capacity to accept her life, whatever came.

Here are some of Sage's qualities that I wish to invoke in my life, coaching, Reiki, and writing:

• Kindness and loving compassion
• Sensitivity to emotions and energy
• Natural healing abilities (her tongue worked as well as any antiseptic, but her sweet energy alone worked miracles)
• Loyal but playful and always ready for adventure (especially camping and road trips to her closest friends)
• Cunning (she would use the back of my cross-country skiis for a lift, and she learned the gliding motion so well that I wouldn't notice for awhile)
• Resolve to live authentically in the moment

What better mentor for my work here on earth? Ah, and I have yet another named Myo, a two-year old Australian Shepherd who shares many of Sage's qualities. She, too, has become one of my greatest teachers. Mostly, because she is an alpha-dog, she has helped me to claim, honor, and express more of my personal power than before.

I'm sure I'll write more about Myo later, but this blog is about Sage Spirit. So, I've asked myself, "How can I enfold Sage's spirit into my life and work?" This is what has evolved in my creation of Sage Spirit:

My clients experience a spiritual nudge to make life changes that feel too big, such as changing jobs, residences, relationship styles, or partnership status. They may feel stressed, confused, fearful of the future, or unfocused on their dreams. Their bodies give them indicators of needing attention, such as changed dietary needs, increased or reduced exercise, insomnia, fatigue, restlessness, and/or digestive problems. Health and vitality seem to slip away, but they are unsure of how to respond. They sense that they are off path somehow, a little lost, and unsure how to re-align with, or even identify, their life's purpose. Perhaps they are diagnosed with chronic health problems, and traditional medicine offers only part of the solution, while spiritual exploration seems to be an important component to consider in the healing process.

As a life coach, I help clients to explore their underlying beliefs about themselves, their world, and their capacity to heal or transition. My clients define new ways of living joyfully, vibrantly, and abundantly. They create a life that's aligned with their authentic self and higher purpose. Together we explore their dreams and visions, create action plans, identify support structures, engage in powerful actions, and evaluate their progress.

I welcome your responses to the following coaching questions, either on this blog site, through email (denisesheehan@yahoo.com) or by phone (775.970.5476). Also contact me for your free coaching or Reiki sample session (local or distance sessions available).

• Where do you find inspiration in the plant or animal kingdom?
• How can you use your challenges and barriers as an avenue to express your true essence?
• Each day, each moment, we have the choice to fill our experience in ways that inspire our hopes or provoke our fears. What will you choose to place in your experience today?