Recently I was listening to a podcast interview of David Whyte at Sounds True and was inspired by the wisdom of this poet/teacher/mystic. He was talking about the essential conversation waiting in us to happen. What conversation do you need to have with yourself? What have you been negligent to explore inside? What have you been avoiding looking at? This conversation sits right at the edge of your growth and expansion, a crossroads of sorts. If you choose to not go exploring you will remain blocked or held up in some way; if you choose to explore the essential questions you will open up a vast amount of energy and potential.

Here are some indicators that there is conversation you need to have with yourself:

You have old patterns that happen over and over again
You get feedback from a variety of others that is familiar
You have an intuitive knowing that you have been ignoring
You can feel fear inside that indicates something scary needs to be explored
You sense contraction going on in your body, which lets you know you have closed down to something
You notice that your relationships all have the same barriers that hinder progress
You have self-talk that is negative, judgmental and very limiting
You find that your thinking sounds like a broken record full of the same old ideas
You notice that your immune system seems compromised and you often don't feel well
You experience you heart as feeling closed, numb and/or protected
You avoid taking responsibility for your own life and would rather blame others
You tend to isolate, avoid people, and find it difficult to connect deeply with others
You feel frustrated or angry often about life

Most likely with some self-searching you can add to this list. The important priority here is not adding to the list but to turn the light of insight on so you can expand your life and open yourself to all that is possible when you do so.

The way to find out what the conversation(s) on hold in you is, is to take some time to listen, to sense, to feel what needs to be looked at. Be aware that there may be some false questions that will show up just to avoid the deeper conversation. Be gentle and sense the nature of what comes up. There will be a clear feeling of this is important or this is not. Sometimes it may take dealing with the presenting questions and then probing deeper where the dark anchor on the soul is lingering.

(There is in me a deep longing to explore any anchors that are holding me back from what I want no matter how hard I paddle. I know that I have to give more time to this edge conversation and yet a part of me resists mostly through distraction and busyness. I will let you know where my conversation takes me. )

Peace Letter #90

Dear President Obama,

The oil is a mess at so many levels and you seem to be handling the situation well but there are many who are going to be hurt because their way of making a living will be significantly damaged. Please make sure the working people will be assisted as well as the banks, financial institutions and the insurance and mortgage companies were taken care of. No one will look after the needs of the people when they battle BP if you don’t.

Please consider bringing out troops home to help with the clean up and end the war effort.

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.

Join me and send President Obama emails of support and encourage the end of war and the other dysfunctional ways of government at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact