Living Into The Unknown
It appears my personal work, of late, remains living into the unknown. If you've been following my recent newsletters, you know that this resulted in an extraordinary adventure in Costa Rica last summer. During which, I led my first retreat from that unknown moment-to-moment seat.
(An empowered Costa Rica Retreat participant)
My workshops have been running in this manner for several years now, but the seven-day gig put my trust in the process to the test. Witnessing the transformation of each participant, affirmed the value of living into the unknown. While I consciously created a container for whatever might be needed, the shifts folks made were uniquely their own, worked from a place of self-empowerment. And as the needs arose, the means appeared. Magical, if you will.
During my personal retreat time, I learned that my next step to manifest my highest and best use (and to make a greater financial contribution to my family - an additional intention I held in the weeks leading up to and during my journey) included closing The Consciousness Collaborative.
I did this with no plan. I didn't have a "what comes next" line item on my list; I simply trusted that this one step would propel me toward manifesting my intentions. The result, so far: my coaching practice (and my income) has doubled since the end of July. How? I don't know exactly, and I'm okay living with that mystery. I believe embracing magic and a willingness to live into the unknown factor in strongly! Those practices created a space for growth, that no other actions have thus far. And I LOVE what I am called to do each day. Brimming with gratitude, I accept this path. Kind of cool, eh?
So, just keep it up, right? Yeah, the funny thing is, I easily forget the steps when I get caught up in something new. How do I know this to be true?
Last year, when the first deadline arrived for the Costa Rica Retreat, all of the participants had already signed up. There were several others who danced with the idea between that first deadline and the final deadline, but not one of them actually came.
This year, that first deadline has come and gone, and only after it went did I realize, "Huh, just one person signed up so far. Isn't that curious?" And then it dawned on me, I haven't done the steps of getting still, setting an intention, and surrendering control of the outcome specific to the 2015 retreat. Aha...in my excitement about living into this new space, I forgot what led me there! Then I laughed, got still, welcomed both internal and external support, and what follows is what came to me.
Through my stillness, I realized that my intention was, as yet, unclear. When the retreat was brand new, I began with an intention. I'd never led an international week-long workshop before, so combined with my conscious intention, that created an energy within me that invited folks interested in experiencing that newness. This next retreat will be fresh in its own way, but what is my growing edge this time? What might participants feel attracted to, simply because where I am, and what I offer at this time, aligns with their personal growth and journey?
Knowing that my journey provides a mirror offering a glimpse of what may be relevant to future participants, I asked myself, what precipice did I stand on this past July? The answer came quickly, and lest there be any confusion, the universe provided a variety of road signs in an attempt to point me in the right direction.
Interspersed with my stillness practices, I was bombarded by quotes with a thematic message. They came from Facebook, websites I visited, delivered to my email box, and even one at TJ Maxx! Here's a small sampling of them:
In each case, I feel that sense of taking the leap and the net will appear. It's Embracing Magic with a kind of courage and daring, that allows me to take a step with absolutely no idea what might come of that action - while simultaneously trusting in my essential self to know that I will be okay with whatever happens. In some way, this one step helps to manifest my intention, even though there is no apparent way to connect the dots.
It's very easy for me to get caught up in "doing it right" or "making the right decision." And what I'm continuing to learn - not just in my head, but in my whole being - is that I can't do it wrong. Whatever lesson I learn from each step I take is part of what I need, and I truly welcome that learning (even amidst my grumbles). I want to live into my best possible self, and as another recent quote said, "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." To me, this means I can embrace the storm, as well as the sunshine and calm waters; because, I can never actually know what's coming next, no matter how much I wish to. What I can do, is trust and jump in!
With this prose, I extend an invitation to you. If you would like to learn a practice of living into the unknown - while creating the safety to do so, one step at a time, join me for the 2015 Costa Rica Retreat. Experience a world of unknowns, and feel empowered in the process, allowing you to take the body memory and practical tools home with you, to live it day to day. I've already bought my ticket and reserved the space - leap in and the net will appear, right? Wanna jump with me?
With love and gratitude,
Joanne Lutz