Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong but we take leap after leap in the dark. ~ Agnes De Mille

 

As we step through the portal of 2013 and open into the empty canvas of this next new year I am finding myself filled with a great excitement.

 

But what’s curious to me about this excitement is that it’s not entirely personal. It’s not just about me and my life. And it’s something that I haven’t felt in quite this way before. 

 

I have many wonderful creative projects and events planned from now until the beginning of 2014. And I am grateful and happy to have a life that is so aligned with who I am at the core of my being.

 

Like many of you I strive to create a life that has heart and meaning. And that can be of helpful service to those around me. I am joyful… yes…. in my own private circle of friends, family, students and clients. And I feel hopeful and heartened that my work is having an impact beyond that small circle.

 

But I experience that joy against a constant backdrop of frustration, anxiety and often despair at what is happening in the larger world. 

 

Every time I hear about another act of environmental devastation, or another mass shooting, another assault on women’s rights, or another piece of legislation that supports the rape and pillage of the world something inside of me closes down. Contracts in resignation. Shrinks into a place of powerlessness. Numbs out from a sense of defeat.

 

My native optimism would keep me moving forward, knowing that bringing goodness into the world, in all it’s many forms can only be a helpful and positive thing.  

 

But so many of the other larger issues seemed to be stuck at best and moving steadily downhill worst.

 

I wanted so much more. Not only for myself and my immediate friends and family, but for all beings in the world. That longing for the cessation of unnecessary suffering, for equality, for universal safety and a chance at happiness,  for enough food and water and health care and meaningful work for everyone is something that I have always wished for but have never felt was really possible. 

 

I never really gave up wanting these things. I just gave up thinking I could ever have them. 

 

But something has shifted for me in these last few weeks. I don’t know if it was that damn Mayan calendar or Obama being re-elected. I do know as an astrologer that old structures … both political and social …  are starting to seriously crumble. And through those cracks and broken down places, as Leonard Cohen says, is “how the light gets in. “

 

My excitement is directly related to a feeling of possibility.

 

A sense that a door has been creakingly opened that will allow some of these changes to begin to manifest. And that all we need to do is to have the courage and the willingness to walk through that portal into a new life and world that we are ready to create.

 

I also know that this change is not going to happen overnight. And that it might feel a bit daunting and overwhelming to even begin. But there are a few things I have learned about surrendering to the power of the creative process that can give you some direction and some tips on how to approach this process of changing the world 

 

Start with simply imagining how you would like the world to be. 

 

Play the game of  “what if?” Ask yourself ( and the Universe) some questions. Hold it lightly. This helps you to get out of thinking that you need to have the “how” all figured out before you can allow yourself the full on desire.

 

Here are examples of some of my questions:

What would it be like if women didn’t have to worry about and experience being raped … ever again?

What would it be like if we treated the land and all the animals who share the earth with us with an attitude of cherishing and respect?

What would it be like if everyone behaved towards each other with kindness and compassion?

What would it be like if everyone on the planet had enough food to eat and enough clean water to drink?

What would it be like if we were able to end random gun violence in the USA?

 

Let your imagination run wild with this. Watch how asking the questions opens up your creative responses to these issues as well as leading to a sense of spaciousness. And play. And hopefulness. 

 

Once you’ve identified the areas that are important to you ask yourself this SECOND  question without worrying about outcome or results.

 

“What are some things I would be willing to try that might help this version of reality come true?”

 

Remember: THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS to this question. There is nothing too foolish or too weird. Don’t judge whatever you come up with. Anything you choose is completely valid.

 

Just like with any creative project ( you’ve got to write those words, to make your mark upon the canvas)  the next step is actually DOING something. Creation doesn’t happen without some action being taken. 

 

And your only criterion for deciding which action to take is this:  Does this thing that I want to do have juice and energy for me? Do I feel energized and inspired as I contemplate going towards it? Maybe it scares me, maybe it’s a bit out of my comfort zone, but does the idea of doing it excite me or turn me on and thrill me a bit?

 

And finally, just like when you’re in the creative process, how much are you willing to simply hang out in the mystery?

 

Don’t be afraid to not have a clear sense as to HOW your ideas or actions might be helpful. Not knowing where your efforts are going to lead you is all part of the game of creation. You don’t have to have it all figured out because you simply CAN’T have it all figured out.  All you really need to do is to take the next step. To follow the breadcrumbs. It’s OK not to know anything except what your heart is telling you it needs and wants.

 

We need a new story.

 

Heck… we need LOTS of new stories.  But any creative project requires us to have faith in our capacity to experiment and to make it up as we go along. No one knows what this new world is going to look like. Or what it’s going to entail. All we know is that we all have to participate in creating it. And we all have to be willing to do things we have never done before.

 

This means trusting in your own intuition . And letting go of your belief that you can’t or don’t make a difference. The thing you don’t want to feed is the belief that NOTHING I DO MATTERS. You don’t want to give into the idea that these problems are just too big and out of my league.

 

That by itself is part of the old story that we all have to be willing to change.

 

You have a gift. You are powerful. You are necessary. You are a CREATOR. And together we truly can make a HUGE difference. And bring into being a world of greater kindness, empathy and integrity. A world that puts our hearts before our heads. Where we all get to be treated with respect and love. And that makes space for each and every one of our creative voices to be valued and heard.