art  by  Cynthia  

 Spiritual  Instruction  Module:  Cynthia  Winton-­‐Henry  

 How  to  Play,  Get  Recognized  and  Credentialed    as  a  Creative,  Dreamer,  Healer,  Worrywart  &  

Wisdom  Worker    Your  Soul  Credentials!                 2  You’re  Not  Sick,  You’re  Sensitive!  Recognizing  the  1-­in-­5     4    How  to  Make  Sensitivity  More  Fun           6  Playing  with  Initiations               8  Initiated  by  the  Nature  of  Life             9  Initiation  Inventories  for  One-­In-­Fivers           15  Credentialed  to  Serve                 18    In  this  module  I  play  with  shifting  the  picture  from  labeling  people  as  overly  sensitive  misfits  to  recognizing  and  initiating  them  as  part  of  the  “  One-­‐In-­‐Five,”  the  Gifted  &  Sensitive  Wise  People.  Then  I  give  some  suggestions  about  how  to  proceed  if  you  are  one.  

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Your  Soul  Credentials!      Believe  What  You  Notice!  Humans  are  streaming  more  data  than  ever  from  our  unparalleled  data-­‐rich  media  driven  lives.  Some  suggest  that  we  are  in  an  evolutionary  surge.  Others  say  it’s  the  end  time.  Whole  populations  need  sensitivity  tools.  Oprah  to  the  rescue!  Meanwhile,  the  struggling  sensitive  person  gets  diagnosed  and  pathologized.  Not  surprising  when  we  are  prone  to  agitation,  violence,  addiction,  and  depression  when  we  are  overwhelmed.    Not  fun.  Not  fun.  Not  fun.  Why  not  make  sensitivity  more  fun?    The  Challenge:  With  no  recognition  or  credentialing  it  is  hard  to  see  the  path  of  a  mystic,  psychic,  soul-­companion,  or  saint  much  less  become  one.  A  lot  of  us  get  so  discouraged  that  we  treat  our  life  as  a  series  of  failures  instead  of  necessary  initiations.  We  compare  ourselves  to  “norms”  that  don’t  apply  to  our  level  of  sensitivity.  During  the  first  half  of  life  we  wonder  if  we  will  ever  be  of  service,  because  wisdom  training  is  a  long  process  that  gives  a  person  grey  hair  and  wisdom  wrinkles.    In  the  second  half  our  vulnerabilities  take  a  greater  toll.    The  Hope:  I  believe  that  recognizing,  accepting,  and  training  sensitives  is  on  the  rise.  Intuitive  pioneers  today  write  about  wisdom  initiations.  Authors  talk  about  soul  characteristics.  And  certainly,  if  geeks  can  become  successful  and  well  regarded  for  inventiveness,  sensitives  are  next  in  line  to  be  regarded  for  intuitive  insights,  ability  to  make  connections,  anticipate  outcomes,  and  envision  creative  solutions.    The  Latin  root  for  credential,  credentia,  means  “trust”  or  credence.    According  to  Miriam-­‐Webster  “trust  results  from  assured  reliance  on  the  character,  ability,  strength,  or  truth  of  someone  or  something.”      Trust  is  an  embodiment  of  consistent  and  competent  practice.  For  instance,  I  trust  myself  to  do  crazy  artist  things.    When  we  garner  trust  our  sensitivity  credentials  are  formally  and  informally  bestowed  on  us.  .  •    Through  self-­‐honoring:  When  I  realized  nobody  else  could  say  I  was  an  artist,  I  gave  myself  that  name.    •  By  teacher  or  mentors:  Flora  Wuellner,  a  trusted  author  and  guide  called  me  a  Psychic  Neuro-­Surgeon  over  lunch  one  day.  Once,  when  InterPlay  and  me  needed  a  boost  I  asked  professor  Doug  Adams  to  honor  me  with  a  certificate  as  Arts  Minister  of  the  Year.  

 •  By  groups  that  see,  celebrate  and  support  our  capacities:  Companions  from  Body  and  Soul  Dance  Company  and  Wing  It!  Performance  Ensemble  blessed  and  encouraged  me.    

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•  Via  ongoing  recognition  from  those  who  respect  your  service:  My  first  ten  years  of  teaching  I  collected  thank  you  notes  in  a  special  basket.  

 •  Through  regular  expressions  of  gratitude  and  payment:  I  asked  my  first  playmates  to  pay.  Investing  in  my  gifts  they  told  me  I  had  something  of  value.    •  In  systems  of  learning.:  degrees,  awards,  and  ceremonies:  My  ordination  process  was  a  powerful  time  of  recognition.    •  In  direct  encounters  with  the  Divine:  I  had  one  on  my  knees  in  college  and  another  on  a  trail  with  campers  in  the  mountains.  Over  the  years  such  direct  connections  helped  me  develop  my  relationship  with  Mystery  and  Love  as  my  means  of  sustenance.      Particularly,  if  you’ve  been  credentialed  from  “on  high”  or  struck  by  a  direct  experience  of  true  love,  coming  out,  or  the  magic  of  suddenly  recognizing  a  gift,    and  weren’t  too  unnerved  you  may  not  need  as  much  group  endorsement.  With  or  without  divine  endorsement,  I  know  that  humans  need  accountability  and  connection  for  reassurance.  We  are  not  designed  to  carry  soul  work  alone.  Therefore,  it  is  best  if  we  are  “credentialed”  in  multiple  ways.  Sensitive  people  must  have  supportive  teachers,  mentors  or  family  members,  supportive  groups  and  learning  environments,  meaningful,  recognized  work  and  a  sense  of  “higher”  support.  If  you  do  not  have  any  of  these  then  creating  a  connection  in  any  one  of  these  areas  is  a  great  place  to  start.      

You’re  Not  Sick,  You’re  Sensitive:  Recognizing  the  1-­in-­5’s    15-­‐20  percent  of  us,  One-­‐in-­‐Five,  are  highly  sensitive  people.  Wikipedia  says,  

“Highly  sensitive  persons  (HSP)  have  an  innate  trait  of  high  sensory  processing  sensitivity  (or  innate  sensitiveness  as  Carl  Jung  originally  coined  it.  According  to  Elaine  N.  Aron  and  colleagues…  highly  sensitive  people,  who  comprise  about  a  fifth  of  the  population  (equal  numbers  in  men  and  women),  may  process  sensory  data  much  more  deeply  and  thoroughly  due  to  a  biological  difference  in  their  nervous  systems.  This  is  a  specific  trait,  with  key  consequences  for  how  we  view  people,  that  in  the  past  has  often  been  confused  with  innate  shyness,  social  anxiety  problems,  inhibition,  social  phobia,  innate  fearfulness,  and  introversion.  The  trait  is  measured  using  the  HSP  Scale,  which  has  been  demonstrated  to  have  both  internal  and  external  validity.  Although  the  term  is  primarily  used  to  describe  humans,  something  similar  to  the  trait  is  present  in  over  100  other  species.      

If  you  are  highly  sensitive  you  stream  higher  than  average  levels  of  beautiful  and  horrible  data.  You  have  great  imagination,  intellect,  creative  abilities,    and  a  curious  mind.  You  work  hard,  are  a  good  problem  solver,  extremely  conscious  and  

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compassionate,  intuitive,  caring  and  spiritual.  You  have  strong  aesthetic  awareness,  and  respect  nature,  art  and  music.  You  experience  profound  and  intense  sensations,  access  important  information  from  the  unconscious  mind,  a  depth  of  understanding  and  feeling,  an  ability  to  be  objective  and  see  the  big  picture.    If  your  sensory  stimuli  and  empathy  are  tuned  way  up  it  will  easily  overwhelm  your  physical  system.  Neither  school  nor  religion  teaches  you  how  to  manage  this.  Consequently,  you  have  most  likely  felt  awkward  and  a  bit  of  a  social  curse  with  one  part  of  you  feeling  normal  and  the  other  part  feeling  “complicated.”  You  probably  balance  a  variety  of  extremes,  feeling  like  both  an  angel  and  a  devil,  knowing    things  in  strange  ways,  struggling  with  regulating  your  energy,  and  strangely  sensing  more  going  on  in  the  big  picture  than  people  talk  about.    Earth’s  earliest  peoples  had  ways  to  see,  name,  and  initiate  these  sensitives.  Wonderful  examples  of  this  are  shared  in  Malidome  Some’s  The  Healing  Wisdom  of  Africa:  Finding  Life  Purpose  Through  Art,  Nature,  Ritual  and  Community,  Robert  Wolff’s  Original  Wisdom  about  first  peoples  in  Malaysia,  and  Daughters  of  Copperwoman  about  Native  women  on  Vancouver  Island  by  Anne  Cameron.    Do  you  recognize  yourself  in  these  attributes  from  sensitiveperson.com?  

Attributes  of  Highly  Sensitive  People  Emotion  HSPs  are  often  acutely  aware  of  other's  emotions.  Sensitive  people  learn  early  in  life  to  mask  their  wonderful  attributes  of  sensitivity,  intuition  and  creativity.  

Physical,  HSPs  may  have  low  tolerance  to  noise,  glaring  lights,  strong  odors,  clutter  and/or  chaos,  tend  to  have  more  body  awareness  of  themselves  and  know  instinctually  when  the  environment  they  are  in  is  not  working  for  them.  

Social,  introverted  HSP  may  feel  like  misfits.  They  actually  enjoy  their  own  company  and  are  totally  comfortable  being  alone.  Both  introverted  and  socially  extroverted  HSP  often  find  they  need  time  alone  to  recover  after  social  interactions.  

Psychology,  HSPs  compensate  for  sensitivity  by  either  protecting  themselves  by  being  alone  too  much,  or,  by  trying  to  be  'normal'  or  sociable  which  then  over-­‐stimulates  them  into  stress.  

Work  HSPs  are  often  overlooked  for  promotions  even  though  they  are  usually  the  most  conscientious  employees.  They  are  excellent  project  oriented  employees  because  they  are  responsible  and  thorough  in  their  work.  

Relationships  HSPs  may  be  confronted  with  their  unresolved  personal  issues.  They  can  however,  offer  their  partner  the  gifts  of  intuitive  insights.  

Cultural  HSPs  do  not  fit  the  tough,  stoic,  outgoing  ideals  of  modern  society  portrayed  in  the  entertainment  media.  

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Childhood  wounds  have  a  more  devastating  effect  on  HSPs.  It  is  important  for  them  to  heal  past  hurts  because  they  can’t  just  forget  and  go  on  in  denial.  

Spiritual,  sensitive  people  have  a  greater  capacity  for  inner  searching.  This  is  one  of  their  greatest  blessings.  

Nutrition,  HSPs  may  need  more  simplicity  in  their  diet.  They  may  be  vitally  aware  of  the  effects  of  food  on  the  health  of  their  body  and  their  emotional  stability.  

Roya  Rad  alludes  to  the  challenging  aspects  of  character  initiations  for  the  highly  sensitive  in  her  Huffington  Post  article.  We  need  to  learn  to  

tolerate  imperfections  we  see  in  the  depth  of  others.     connect  while  having  clear  boundaries  as  to  when  to  say  no  and  how  far  

to  go  with  something  and  someone.    become  assertive  and  have  regular  "me"  times.    give  and  receive  love  realizing  that  “loving”  has  to  have  a  balance  point.     understand  that  self-­‐sacrifice  that  leads  to  emotional  deprivation  is  not  

healthy.   be  vulnerable   face  problems  rather  than  run  away  from  them   relate  positively  to  life  and  learn  from  experiences,  realizing  that  in  some  

of  these  challenges  lies  great  opportunity.      find  meaning  in  life,  as  a  primary  need  to  help  others  be  happy,  bring  

their  creative  side  out  and  make  this  world  a  better  place  for  all,  even  if  a  small  step.    

Ways  to  Make  Sensitivity  More  Fun    Here  are  the  facts  of  life.  Fact  1:  Life  initiates  us.    Fact  2:  Nature  exposes  us  to  extremes:  dark-­‐light,  horror-­‐beauty.    Fact  3:  Death  is  immanent.    Fact  4:  Life  isn’t  safe.    Fact  5:  The  human  baseline  is  set  at  fight  and  flight.      Since  pain  and  suffering  will  happen  and  sensitives  experience  it  acutely,  fight  and  flight  are  not  sufficient.  We  need  a  third  option  that  involves  learning  to  track  and  co-­‐create  with  life.  In  both  Buddha’s  school  of  detachment  and  Jesus’  gang  of  compassionate  forgivers  you  can  see  wisdom  practices  for  an  alternate  path.  Stories  about  Buddha  and  Christ  reveal  that  even  they  had  to  be  initiated  into  their  wisdom.    If  you  are  a  lucky  One-­‐In-­‐Fiver  you  gather  strength  and  tools  in  a  family  and  community  that  sees,  celebrates,  and  honors  them.  You  are  assigned  or  find  a  sensitivity  mentor,  usually  someone  known  to  the  family.  Sadly,  many  times  the  

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opposite  occurs.  You  are  in  a  harsh  family  or  culture  until  somehow  sensitivity  directs  you  elsewhere.    In  the  meantime,  you    rely  on  the  idealized  morality  disseminated  through  religion,  education,  and  family  morays.  Rituals  like  the  Hindu  diksha,  Christian  baptism  or  confirmation,  Jewish  bar  or  bat  mitzvah,  acceptance  into  a  fraternal  organization,  secret  society,  religious  order,  or  graduation  from  school  or  recruit  training  may  empower  us.  but  don’t  guarantee  the  tools  needed  to  help  you  embody  said  ideals.      Disembodied  idealism  sets  up  confusion  for  sensitives  who  intuit  their  personal  capacity  for  higher  levels  of  embodiment.  Our  inability  to  organize  our  sensitivity  and  be  of  service  often  backfires  into  shame  and  blame.  Shame  on  me  that  I  cannot  be  what  I  sense  I  can  be.  Shame  on  us  that  we  don’t  do  what  we  say.      At  this  point,  some  sensitives  engage  a  shadow  side.  Shadow  play  is  a  counter  intuitive  means  of  self-­‐empowerment,  the  flip  side  of  character  formation.  We  can  purposely  take  on  the  negative  side  of  our  gifts  and  show  up  as  Cultural  Disaster  Zones,  Schemers,  Hotties,  Control  Freaks,  Crazies,  Busy  Bodies,  Sickos,  Virtue  Police,  Fear  Junkies,  Power  Addicts,  and  Lost  Causes.  If  we  survive  this  version  of  initiatory  process,  we  find  that  controlling  our  persona  is  tiresome,  whether  we  try  to  be  holy  or  too  hip  for  holiness.  Body  and  soul  refuse  anything  less  than  full,  magical  multi-­‐dimensionality.      

 The  good  news?  Whether  poorly  or  delightfully  initiated  we  are  always  on  our  path.      Questions  for  Reflection  What  school,  religious,  training  initiations  have  you  been  through?    Did  they  strengthen  or  colonize,  take  you  over?    Which  initiations  were  meaningful  or  meaningless?    If  you  could  do  it  different  would  life  be  different?  When  were  you  were  initiated  informally,  outside  of  a  recognized  institution?  Was  it  in  nature,  by  a  mentor,  friend,  a  visitation,  or  just  by  life?    Playing  with  Initiations    Wikipedia  says  “initiation”  derives  from  the  Latin,  initium:  "entrance"  or  "beginning,"  literally  "a  going  in."  Initiations  are  both  entrances,  exits,  and  processes.”  Artists,  mystics,  psychics  and  healers  generally  go  on  a  journey,  a  kind  of  vision  quest  to  claim  their  transcendent  worldview  and  develop  gifts.  Playing  with  dreams,  art,  sacred  activism,  soul  work,  and  travel  ignites  and  propels  the  initiatory  conversation.    This  is  fun  except  for  the  accompanying  anxieties,  passions  and  confusion.    It  is  hard  to  enter  into  a  new  phase.  Sometimes  a  development  initiation  sneaks  up  and  catches  me  off  guard.  At  these  times  to  play  with  life  is  to  ask    

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“If  what  I  resist  persists  (will  always  be  present),  what  am  I  resisting  and  can  I  embrace  it?”      “If  I  am  stuck  in  an  either/or  is  there  a  third  way  of  looking  at  my  experience?”      “What  am  I  attached  to  and  can  I  relax  that?”    

Sometimes  I  just  need  to  recognize  that  certain  underlying  questions  and  sensitivities  are  forming  a  pattern.    Am  I  or  have  I  ever  been  led  to  see  or  hear  in  new  ways?  What  particular  moments  did  my  mind  or  heart  open  to  another  reality?  What  is  my  experience  of  mysticism  in  my  family,  work,  or  community?  When  did  any  conscious  mystic  practices  and  initiations  begin  for  me?  Can  I  trace  any  of  the  development  of  my  unique  forms  of  knowing?  What  dream,  idea,  art,  expression,  voice,  or  gift  is  original  to  me?    Who  supports  the  integration  of  my  creative,  mystical  skills?    What  cultures  have  shared  some  of  their  mysteries  with  me?  What  have  I  studied  and  practiced  to  heal  and  become  stronger?  What  set  backs  and  initiations  have  strengthened  me?  How  do  I  relate  to  whatever  guides  me?  What  is  the  mystery  of  life  about  for  me?  How  do  I  relate  my  mysticism  to  my  ability  to  reason?    In  my  ups  and  downs  I  like  to  find  the  more  playful  ways  to    

• self-­‐sooth  instead  of  self  medicate  • cultivate  a  healthy  ground  of  being  instead  of  shaky  ground  • find  wise  teachers  instead  of  narrow-­‐minded  ones.  • Develop  supportive  community  lifestyles  instead  of  settling  for  loneliness  

and  confusion.    In  times  of  transition,  growth  and  change  I  use  creativity.  Creativity  keeps  me  in  the  present  moment.  It  opens  my  mind.  I  noticed  in  writing  down  my  mystical  experiences  and  sensitivity  challenges  in  “Chasing  the  Dance  of  Life”  and  “Dancing  on  the  Dark  Side  of  the  Moon”  I  can  better  name  and  claim  my  initiations.      If  you  can  doddle,  paint,  or  write  your  memories  you’ll  find  helpful  ways  to  play  with  your  life.    

Initiated  by  the  Nature  of  Life    To  be  a  player  it  helps  to  know  how  life  plays  and  what  the  rules  are.  In  some  strange  ways  life  is  not  limitless.  It  has  five  natures.  The  nature  of  innate  character  strengths  and  limits,  the  nature  of    purpose,  the  nature  of  connection  

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with  land,  family,  community,  and  nation,  the  planetary  nature  of  time,  energy,  and  space,  and  the  nature  of  a  power  greater  than  ourselves.    It’s  good  that  developing  expertise  in  any  one  nature  taps  into  similar  truths  in  other  areas.    Nature  is  one  interrelated  system.    1.  The  nature  of  character  strengths  and  limits  Life  gives  each  of  us  nuanced,  innate  limits  and  powers.  Since  I  am  as  liable  to  limit  my  personal  power  as  to  abuse  it,  I  overcompensate,  hide,  and  sometimes  honor  my  limits.  Discovering  that  self  understanding  is  where  I  have  greatest  influence,  I  employ  personal  development  instruments  like  the  Enneagram,  Myers  Briggs,  and  Focused  Energy  Balance  Indicator  (FEBI)  to  be  “initiated”  in  areas  that  need  affirmation  and  attention.    I  took  the  Birkman  Needs  Assessment  in  my  early  thirties  and  discovered  that  on  an  empathy  scale  I  was  98  out  of  100,  way  too  empathetic.  On  the  scale  for  Material  Needs  I  was  a  1  out  of  100,  way  too  low  for  living  in  the  world.  Empathy  and  generosity  are  among  my  gifts.  Knowing  the  difficulty  that  my  “disposition”  created  in  my  life,  I  noticed  that  some  of  my  most    challenging  initiations  result  from  resisting  life  while  good  leadership  is  defined  by  one’s  willingness  to  overcome  resistance  to  our  own  and  other  people’s  gifts,  limits,  and  reactions.      I  am  glad  I’ve  played  hard  and  been  initiated  in  a  broad  set  of  choices  and  possibilities  for  living  with  my  limits  and  strengths.      Questions  for  Reflection  Have  you  developed  your  innate  gifts,  arts,  skills,  and  character  strengths?    Have  you  found  the  limits  of  your  energy,  strength,  and  character?    Have  you  managed  too  much  or  too  little  energy?  Can  you  play  without  o8overwhelming  yourself  or  others?    How  do  you  balance  power  without  turning  it  against  you  or  others?    Have  you  purposefully  or  unconsciously  submerged  or  disregard  gifts?  Have  you  endured  and  transcended  conscious  conflict  in  you  and  with  others?    Do  you  play  with  your  limits  and  strengths?    2.  The  nature  of  purpose  (See  SIM  on  Divining  Purpose).  Many  teachers  talk  about  an  inner  force  that  drives  us  toward  something  we  long  to  manifest,  learn,  or  embody.  It  doesn’t  seem  to  matter  if  we  feel  up  to  it.  Purpose  is  always  there.  But,  when  we  know  what  it  is,  we  can  playfully  and  powerfully  accelerate  our  ability  to  create  what  we  want.    The  bad  news  is  that  clarity  of  purpose  also  initiates  us  into  the  shadow  side  of  longing,  exposing  us  to  what  we  don’t  want.  If  my  purpose  is  to  foster  freedom,  I  also  learn  ways  that  I  block  freedom.  This  gives  me  ample  opportunity  to  detach  from  judgments,  take  care  of  myself  AND  open  to  life  on  its  terms.  In  other  words,  more  initiations.  

 

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 Questions  for  Reflection  Are  you  moved  to  embody  a  quality?    Is  your  purpose  physical  like  creating  home?    Have  you  experienced  and  embraced  the  opposite  of  what  you  want?  Have  you  ever  asked  what  your  purpose  is?  Do  you  sense  some            underlying  vision  or  purpose?    Clarity  of  purpose  initiates  us  into  both  the  shadow  and  bright  side  of  our  longing,  teaching  us  what  we  do  and  don’t  want.  Do  you  play  with  purpose?    3.  The  nature  of  land,  family,  community,  and  nation.    Our  own  people  and  place  on  Earth  claims  us.  Our  connective  nature  demands  that  we  engage  in  the  mundane  and  inspiring  requirements  of  tending  land,  home,  family,  and  the  body  politic.  We  may  balance  or  resist  the  initiatory  pull  into  the  arts  of  cultivation  and  harvest,  when  to  risk  and  when  to  protect,  and  how  to  work  with  the  effects  of  order  and  disorder.    Questions  for  Reflection  What  forms  of  service  or  commitment  have  you  been  drawn  into?    Were  your  gifts  invoked  even  when  you  didn’t  want  to  be  of  service?    Were  you  able  to  respond  in  a  way  that  worked  for  you?  Do  you  play  with  service  to  land,  people,  and  politics?    4.    The  nature  of  time,  energy,  and  space  We  must  learn  to  respect  Earth’s  conditions,  understanding  the  consequences  if  we  disregard  planetary  welfare  and  their  correlations  to  the  human  body.    

Core  Conditions  • Time  • Energy  or  Effort  • Space  • Mass  

The  elements    • Fire  • Air  • Water  • Earth  

Principles  of  Permaculture  1. Observe  and  interact  2. Catch  and  store  energy  3. Obtain  a  yield:  Ensure  that  you  are  getting  truly  useful  rewards  as  part  of  

the  work  that  you  are  doing.  4. Apply  self-­‐regulation  and  accept  feedback:  We  need  to  discourage  

inappropriate  activity  to  ensure  that  systems  can  continue  to  function  well.  

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5. Use  and  value  renewable  resources  and  services:  Make  the  best  use  of  nature's  abundance  to  reduce  our  consumptive  behavior  and  dependence  on  non-­‐renewable  resources.  

6. Produce  no  waste:  By  valuing  and  making  use  of  all  the  resources  that  are  available  to  us,  nothing  goes  to  waste.  

7. Design  from  patterns  to  details:  By  stepping  back,  we  can  observe  patterns  in  nature  and  society.  These  can  form  the  backbone  of  our  designs,  with  the  details  filled  in  as  we  go.  

8. Integrate  rather  than  segregate:  By  putting  the  right  things  in  the  right  place,  relationships  develop  between  those  things  and  they  work  together  to  support  each  other.  

9. Use  small  and  slow  solutions:  Small  and  slow  systems  are  easier  to  maintain  than  big  ones,  making  better  use  of  local  resources  and  producing  more  sustainable  outcomes.  

10. Use  and  value  diversity:  Diversity  reduces  vulnerability  to  a  variety  of  threats  and  takes  advantage  of  the  unique  nature  of  the  environment  in  which  it  resides.  

11. Use  edges  and  value  the  marginal:  The  interface  between  things  is  where  the  most  interesting  events  take  place.  These  are  often  the  most  valuable,  diverse  and  productive  elements  in  the  system.  

12. Creatively  use  and  respond  to  change:    

Laws  of  Physics  • Inertia:  an  object  in  motion  will  stay  in  motion  unless  acted  upon  by  an  

outside  force  • Force=mass  x  acceleration  • Reciprocity.  “Every  action  has  an  equal  and  opposite  reaction."  • Gravity:  the  attractive  force  between  a  pair  of  masses.    • Conservation  of  Mass-­‐Energy:  The  total  energy  in  a  closed  or  isolated  

system  is  constant,  no  matter  what  happens.  and  the  total  of  both  mass  and  energy  is  retained,  although  some  may  change  forms.    

• And  Conservation  of  Momentum,  Thermodynamics,  Electrostatic  Laws,    and  the  Invariance  of  the  Speed  of  Light.  

 Eight  Body  Wisdom  Principles  of  InterPlay  1. Practice  Using  Easy  Focus:  Life  Doesn’t  Have  to  be  so  hard.  2. Notice  Body  Data,  Body  Knowledge,  Body  Wisdom  3. Trust  Inner  Authority:  You  can  believe  what  you  notice  4. Move  Toward  the  Physicality  of  Grace  5. Exformation:  Let  Go  of  Icky  Stuff  6. Body  Wisdom  Practices:  Practice  What  You  Want  More  Of  7. Incrementality:  Enjoy  Taking  Steps  8. Affirmation:  Move  with  Appreciation.    

Questions  for  Reflection  Where  have  you  learned  about  Earth  Wisdom?    

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What  happened  when  you  ignored  time,  space,  or  energy  conditions?  Where  do  you  most  easily  cooperate  with  Earth  Wisdom?  What  physical  practices  teach  you  respect  for  Earth  conditions?  Do  you  play  with  Earth?    5.  The  nature  of  a  power  greater  than  ourselves.  This  power  arises  in  an  anointing,  awakening,  call,  theophany,  revelation  or  synchronicity.  A  Higher  Nature  may  activate  us  to  attune  to  a  “call.”  This  is  often  accompanied  by  strong  emotions  like  love  and  a  desire  to  respond  in  greater  service.    Questions  for  Reflection  Have  you  experienced  a  vision,  voice,  or  sensed  a  need  to  do  something  for  your  own  good  or  the  good  of  others?  Was  this  higher  force  aligned  with  your  purpose  or  someone  else’s?      Do  you  listen  for  calls  and  spiritual  suggestions?    Are  you  open  and  responsive  to  synchronicity?  Do  you  play  with  a  higher  power?  ___________    Life  pushes,  pulls,  grows,  dances,  destroys  and  challenges  us  to  remain  true  to  our  soul.  This  is  ongoing,  not  once  and  for  all.  If  we  can  stay  awake  to  life  and  play  with  it  we  realize  that  we  continuously  fail  and  succeed.    Playfulness  makes  this  journey  more  intriguing  and  fun.      If  you  are  lucky  enough  to  be  a  mystic  then  connection  with  something  bigger  will  sustain  you  no  matter  what.  If  you  are  lucky  enough  to  be  creative  your  natural  ability  to  plug  into  a  source  of  generative  energy  will  carry  you.  If  you  have  forgotten  that  you  are  a  mystic  or  creative,  maybe  it’s  time  to  reframe  your  struggles  as  initiations  and  start  playing!    

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Initiation  Inventories  for  One-­In-­Fivers  from  Wikipedia  (Wik)  and  the  Online  Etymology  Dictionary  (  OED)  

 Highly  Sensitive  People  need  practices  to  minimize  discomfort  and  chaos  and  maximize  joy  and  love.  Those  who  are  successful  develop  virtues.  Wikipedia  says  “virtues  are  characteristic  of  a  person  who  supports  individual  moral  excellence  and  collective  well-­‐being.”  Virtues  are  not  feelings  as  much  as  choices.  For  instance  you  may  not  feel  courageous,  but  others  note  your  courage.      In  the  inventories  below  Check  boxes  by  innate  sensitivities  characterizing  your  experience.    Circle  boxes  that  you  long  to  embody.  They  may  relate  to  your  purpose.    This  is  not  a  test.  It  is  a  means  of  noticing.    Innate  Characteristics  

Self  control  

Temperance  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  pleasure   Good  temper  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  anger   Ambition  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  one's  goals   Curiosity  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  knowledge   Frugality  (Thrift)  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  material  lifestyle   Industry  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  play,  recreation  and  entertainment   Contentment  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  one's  possessions  and  the  

possessions  of  others;  acknowledgement  and  satisfaction  of  reaching  capacity.  

Continence  -­‐  self-­‐control  regarding  bodily  functions   Meekness-­‐  ‘disciplined  calmness”    &    “disciplined  strength”  (Thank  

you  Susan  Pudelek)  

Self-­efficacy    

Courage  -­‐  willingness  to  do  the  right  thing  in  the  face  of  danger,  pain,  significant  harm  or  risk  

Patience  -­‐  ability  to  delay  or  wait  for  what  is  desired   Perseverance  -­‐  courageous  patience,  integrity   Persistence  -­‐  ability  to  achieve  an  objective  regardless  of  desires  

 Regard    

Fair-­‐mindedness  -­‐  concern  that  all  get  their  due  (including  oneself)  in  cooperative  arrangements  of  mutual  benefit  

Tolerance  -­‐  willingness  to  allow  others  to  lead  a  life  based  on  a  certain  set  of  beliefs  differing  from  ones  own  

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Truthfulness/Honesty  -­‐  telling  someone  what  you  believe  to  be  true  in  the  context  of  a  direct  inquiry  

 Respect    

Respect  -­‐  regard  for  the  worth  of  others   Self  respect  -­‐  regard  for  the  worth  of  oneself.   Social  virtues:  Politeness,  Charisma,  Unpretentiousness,  Friendliness,  

Sportsmanship,  Cleanliness    

Kindness    

Kindness  -­‐  Regard  for  those  who  are  within  an  individual’s  ability  to  help.  

Generosity  -­‐  Giving  to  those  in  need.   Forgiveness  -­‐  Willingness  to  overlook  transgressions  made  against  

you  by  repentant  persons.   Compassion  -­‐  Empathy  and  understanding  for  the  suffering  of  others.  

 7  Christian  Virtues    

prudence   justice   restraint  or  temperance   courage  or  fortitude   faith   hope   love  or  charity  

 Gutsy  Women  soul  qualities,  Lisa  Sarasohn  

vitality,     pleasure,   confidence   compassion,   creativity   intuition   purpose  

 The  Virtues  Embodied,  Noel  Davis   Serenity;  It  is  being  at  ease  with  oneself,  conscious  of  being  blessed,  It  is  the  

reassurance  of  one’s  capacities  and  living  with  that  clarity  and  focus.  It  is  true  contentment  with  who  one  is,  the  living  from  self  worth,  free  from  having  to  try  hard  to  feel  better.  

Humility:  It  is  being  your  right  size  in  the  universe  aware  that  all  is  gift  and  passing  on  the  gifts  one  has  received.  It  is  living  from  one’s  limits  and  asking  for  

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what  one  needs.  It  is  being  a  channel  of  blessing,  free  from  the  constant  need  for  approval  and  being  needed.  

Equanimity:  It  is  being  in  exquisite  harmony  and  balance  with  one’s  whole  environment,  in  tune  with  its  energies.  It  is  being  the  splendor  of  life  in  movement,  action,  word,  and  dress.  It  is  embodying  elegance,  tastefulness,  and  originality.  It  is  sensitivity  to  life,  beauty,  and  the  artistic.  A  sense  of  the  appropriate  arrangements  and  the  unrivalled  aspect  of  the  original.  It  is  Freedom  from  a  life  of  longing  to  be  discovered  and  loved  for  one’s  true  wealth.  

Detachment:  It  is  the  freedom  to  share  what  is  most  precious  to  oneself.  It  is  letting  go  of  all  that  is  not  essential,  a  flowing  freely,  an  openness  of  mind  and  spirit,  an  emptying  that  has  one  full  to  overflowing.  It  is  an  awareness  of  ones  true  needs  and  the  living  of  traveling  light,  the  less  is  more  in  essential  living.  

Courage  It  is  the  fearlessness  and  strength  of  living  from  one’s  own  inner  authority,  free  from  having  to  defend  oneself.  It  is  standing  one’s  ground  believing  one  is  loved  and  loving,  free  of  the  need  to  check  out  where  it  is  safe  and  secure  to  be  with  others.  

Sobriety:  It  is  living  fully  in  the  present,  satisfied  and  open  to  the  ordinary,  both  its  joys  and  its  hurts.  It  is  living  the  real  of  oneself,  ruins  and  all,  free  from  the  need  for  intoxication,  being  high,  falsely  optimistic,  numbed  to  pain  and  problems.  It  is  the  essential  OK  experience  of  being  loved,  loving,  and  most  of  all  loving  oneself.  It  is  the  experience  of  a  deep  and  lasting  peace  in  the  midst  of  the  present,  without  the  need  to  trip  off  elsewhere  to  find  it.  The  power  of  the  higher  self  is  right  there  within  oneself.  

Innocence:  It  is  being  childlike,  without  guile,  disarmingly  truthful,  spontaneous,  and  playful.  There  is  a  simplicity  about  it  that  is  without  calculation  and  self  consciousness,  free  of  power  play.  It  is  soft  centered  and  soul  engaging.  

Essential  action:  It  is  being  sensitive,  clear,  focused,  decisive  in  action  in  doing  what  is  needed  to  be  done  without  distraction,  hesitation,  procrastinating.  What  needs  to  be  addressed  is  addressed  and  the  right  action  flows  with  ease.  It  is  done!  Completed!  The  needed  energy  is  self  engaging.  

 

Credentialed  to  Serve    Gifts  and  purpose  may  lead  us  down  paths  with  no  name  or  job  description  that  can  feel  and  look  odd.  We  might  call  ourselves  performance  artists,  advocates,  wanderers,  consultants,  coaches,  ministers,  entrepreneurs  or  plain  old  confused.  In  one  poem  I  called  myself  a  Choreo-­‐transducer.  I  had  to  learn  to  claim  practices  as  vital  to  my  identity.      Remember  that  we  earn  credentials  as  sensitives  

• From  the  recognition  of  a  teacher  • By  groups  in  rituals  that  see,  celebrate  and  develop  our  capacity  • Via  regular  recognition  from  those  who  respect  our  service  • Through  receiving  regular  expressions  of  gratitude  and  payment  

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• In  systems  of  learning.:  degrees,  awards,  and  ceremonies  • And  in  direct  encounters  with  the  Divine.  

 Circle  titles  that  describe  your  practices  and  actions.  Check  any  boxes  indicative  of  your  journey.  Are  there  other  titles  or  practices  that  should  be  on  the  list?     Cultural  Creative  is  initiated  as  one  with  a  more  artistic  worldview.  Coined  by  

sociologist  Paul  H.  Ray  and  psychologist  Sherry  Ruth  Anderson  to  describe  educated,  leading-­‐edge  thinkers  that  includes  writers,  artists,  musicians,  psychotherapists,  feminists,  alternative  health  care  providers  and  other  professionals  with  a  serious  focus  on  their  spirituality  and  a  strong  passion  for  social  activism….Core  values  are  rooted  in  authenticity  and  action  consistent  with  words  and  beliefs.  

Engaged  action  and  whole  process  learning;     seeing  the  world  as  interwoven  and  connected   Idealism  and  activism   Globalism  and  ecology   The  importance  of  women   Altruism   Self-­‐actualization   Spirituality  

Includes  

love  of  nature,  deep  care  about  preservation  and  natural  balance.   strong  awareness  of  planet-­‐wide  issues  (i.e.  climate  change,  poverty  etc.)  and  

a  desire  to  see  more  action  on  them   being  active  themselves   willingness  to  pay  higher  taxes  or  spend  more  money  for  goods  if  that  money  

went  to  improving  the  environment.   heavy  emphasis  on  developing  and  maintaining  relationships.   heavy  emphasis  o  helping  others  and  developing  their  unique  gifts.   volunteer  with  one  or  more  good  causes   intense  interest  in  spiritual  and  psychological  development   see  spirituality  as  an  important  aspect  of  life,  but  worry  about  religious  

fundamentalism.   desire  equality  for  women/men  in  business,  life  and  politics.   concern  and  support  of  the  wellbeing  of  all  women  and  children.   want  politics  and  government  to  spend  more  money  on  education,  

community  programs  and  a  more  ecologically  sustainable  future   are  unhappy  with  the  left  and  right  in  politics   optimism  towards  the  future.   want  to  be  involved  in  creating  a  new  and  better  way  of  life.  

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are  concerned  with  big  business  and  the  means  they  use  to  generate  profits,  including  destroying  the  environment  and  exploiting  poorer  countries.  

unlikely  to  overspend  or  be  in  heavy  debt.   dislike  the  emphasis  of  modern  cultures  on  "making  it"  and  "success"  on  

consuming  and  making  money.   like  people,  places  and  things  that  are  different  or  exotic.  

 ❑ Healer  one  who    heals  or  attempts  to  heal  from  Old  English  hælan  "cure;  save;  make  whole,  sound  and  well.”  (OED)  The  World  Health  Organization  (WHO)  defines  traditional  medicine  as:  "the  health  practices,  approaches,  knowledge  and  beliefs  incorporating  plant,  animal  and  mineral-­‐based  medicines,  spiritual  therapies,  manual  techniques  and  exercises,  applied  singularly  or  in  combination  to  treat,  diagnose  and  prevent  illnesses  or  maintain  well-­‐being.  “  “Three  factors  legitimize  the  role  of  the  healer    

their  own  beliefs,     the  success  of  their  actions  and     the  beliefs  of  the  community.  (Wik)  

❑ Hag  Fully  initiated  female…at  one  time  meant  "woman  of  prophetic  and  oracular  powers"  OED)    …Later,  the  word  was  used  of  village  wise  women…If  the  hægtesse  was  once  a  powerful  supernatural  woman  (in  Norse  it  is  an  alternative  word  for  Norn,  any  of  the  three  weird  sisters,  the  equivalent  of  the  Fates),  it  might  originally  have  carried  the  hawthorn  sense.  Later,  when  the  pagan  magic  was  reduced  to  local  scatterings,  it  might  have  had  the  sense  of  "hedge-­‐rider,"  or  "she  who  straddles  the  hedge,"  because  the  hedge  was  the  boundary  between  the  "civilized"  world  of  the  village  and  the  wild  world  beyond.  The  hægtesse  would  have  a  foot  in  each  reality.  Even  later,  when  it  meant  the  local  healer  and  root  collector,  living  in  the  open  and  moving  from  village  to  village,  it  may  have  had  the  mildly  pejorative  sense  of  hedge-­‐  in  Middle  English  (hedge-­‐priest,  etc.),  suggesting  an  itinerant  sleeping  under  bushes,  perhaps.  The  same  word  could  have  contained  all  three  senses  before  being  reduced  to  its  modern  one.”  Wik.  

❑ Mystic    from  the  Greek  meaning  "to  conceal",  and  its  derivative  mystikos,  meaning  'an  initiate  in  who  is  in  pursuit  of  communion  with,  identity  with,  or  conscious  awareness  of  an  ultimate  reality,  divinity,  spiritual  truth,  or  God  through  direct  experience,  intuition,  instinct  or  insight.  Mysticism  usually  centers  on  practices  intended  to  nurture  those  experiences,  may  be  dualistic,  maintaining  a  distinction  between  the  self  and  the  divine,  or  may  be  nondualistic…According  to  Belzen  and  Geels,  mysticism  is  "a  way  of  life  and  a  'direct  consciousness  of  the  presence  of  God,    'the  ground  of  being'  or  similar  expressions.  …Mysticism  can  be  distinguished  from  ordinary  religious  belief  by  its  emphasis  on…unique  states  of  consciousness,  particularly  those  of  a  transcendentally  blissful  character.  Wik.  

❑ Oracle  Initiated  in  the  ability  to  speak  messages  from  the  divine,  from  the  Latin  ōrāre  "to  speak."  …a  shrine  where  an  oracular  god  is  consulted,  a  prophecy  (usually  

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obscure  or  allegorical)  revealed  by  a  priest  or  priestess;  believed  to  be  infallible,  an  authoritative  person  who  divines  the  future.  (Fine  Dictionary)  …Walter  Burkert  observes  that  "Frenzied  women  from  whose  lips  the  god  speaks"  are  recorded  in  the  Near  East  as  in  Mari  in  the  second  millennium  BC  and  in  Assyria  in  the  first  millennium  BC.  In  Egypt  the  goddess  Wadjet  (eye  of  the  moon)  was  depicted  as  a  snake-­‐headed  woman  or  a  woman  with  two  snake-­‐heads…In  Greece  the  old  oracles  were  devoted  to  the  Mother  Goddess.  Wik    ❑ Psychic  from  Greek  psykhikos  "of  the  soul,  spirit,  or  mind,"  from  psykhe-­‐"soul,  mind”(OED).  Real-­‐world  people  are  initiated  in  gifts  of    

Apportation  -­‐  Materialization,  disappearance,  or  teleportation                      of  an  object    

Aura  reading  -­‐  Perception  of  the  energy  fields  surrounding  people,  places,  and  things.    

Automatic  writing  -­‐  Writing  produced  without  conscious  thought.     Astral  projection  or  mental  projection  –  An  out-­‐of-­‐body  experience  in  which  

an  "astral  body"  becomes  separate  from  the  physical  body.     Bilocation  or  multilocation  –  Being  in  multiple  places  at  the  same  time.     Clairaudience  -­‐  receiving  messages  in  thought  form  from  another  frequency  

or  realm.  It  is  considered  a  form  of  channeling.   Clairvoyance,  second  sight  -­‐  Perception  outside  the  known  human  senses.     Death-­‐warning  –  A  vision  of  a  living  person  prior  to  his  or  her  death.     Divination  -­‐  Gaining  insight  into  a  situation  via  a  ritual.     Dowsing  -­‐  Ability  to  locate  objects.     Energy  medicine  -­‐  Healing  by  channeling  a  form  of  energy.   Faith  healing  -­‐  Diagnosing  and  curing  disease  using  religious  devotion.     Mediumship  or  channeling  –  Communicating  with  spirits.     Precognition,  premonition  and  precognitive  dreams  -­‐  Perception  of  events  

before  they  happen.   Psychic  surgery  -­‐  Removal  of  diseased  body  tissue  via  an  incision  that  heals  

immediately  afterwards.     Psychokinesis  or  telekinesis  -­‐  Manipulation  of  matter  or  energy  by  the  power  

of  the  mind.   Psychometry  or  psychoscopy  -­‐  Obtaining  information  about  a  person  or  

object.   Pyrokinesis  -­‐  Manipulation  of  fire.   Remote  viewing  -­‐  Gathering  of  information  at  a  distance.   Retrocognition  -­‐  Perception  of  past  events.   Scrying  -­‐  Use  of  an  item  to  view  events  at  a  distance  or  in  the  future.   Telepathy  -­‐  Transfer  of  thoughts  or  emotions.   Transvection  -­‐  Bodily  levitation  or  flying.   Dreamer’s    supernatural  communication  and  means  of  divine  intervention,  

also  able  to  unravel  dreams.   Communication  with  Animals  

 

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❑ Saint  (Wik)  Initiated  to  embody  an  exceptional  degree  of  holiness,  sanctity,  and  virtue…  Jewish  Tzadik,  Islamic  wali,  Hindu  rishi  or  guru,  and  Buddhist  arahat  or  boddhisatva...  (see  also    Folk  saints).  The  English  word  saint  is  a  translation  of  the  Greek  (hagios),  derived  from  the  verb  (hagiazo),  which  means  "to  set  apart",  "to  sanctify"  or  "to  make  holy."  Anthropologist  Lawrence  Babb:  asserts  “Saintly  figures  are  "focal  points  of  spiritual  force-­‐fields",  exerting  "powerful  attractive  influence  on  followers  but  touch  the  inner  lives  of  others  in  transforming  ways  as  well.”…John  A.  Coleman  S.J.,  Graduate  Theological  Union,  Berkeley,  wrote  that  saints  across  various  cultures  and  religions  have  the  following  family  resemblances:  

exemplary  model   extraordinary  teacher   wonder  worker  or  source  of  benevolent  power   intercessor   a  life  often  refusing  material  attachments  or  comforts   possession  of  a  special  and  revelatory  relation  to  the  holy.  

❑ Shaman  a  practitioner  who  has  access  to,  and  influence  in,  the  world  of  benevolent  and  malevolent  spirits,  who  typically  enters  into  a  trance  state  during  a  ritual,  and  practices  divination  and  healing.  (Wik)  Shamans  are  said  to  treat  ailments/illness  by  mending  the  soul.  Alleviating  traumas  affecting  the  soul/spirit  restores  the  physical  body  of  the  individual  to  balance  and  wholeness…The  restoration  of  balance  results  in  the  elimination  of  the  ailment.  

❑ Spiritual  director/Soul  Coach  Serves  people  to  deepen  their  relationship  with  the  divine  and  to  learn  and  grow  in  their  own  personal  spirituality.  The  person  seeking  direction  shares  stories  of  his  or  her  encounters  of  the  divine,  or  how  he  or  she  is  experiencing  spiritual  issues.  The  director  listens  and  asks  questions  to  assist  the  directee  in  his  or  her  process  of  reflection  and  spiritual  growth.  Spiritual  direction  develops  a  deeper  relationship  with  the  spiritual  aspect  of  being  human.  Wik..Soul  is  derived  from  a  verb  "to  cool,  to  blow"  and  hence  refers  to  the  vital  breath,  the  animating  principle  in  humans  and  other  animals..    

❑ Spiritual  Leader  

maintains  personal,  professional,  and  spiritual  balance.     guides  a  transformational  faith  experience  (conversion).     motivates  and  develop  a  congregation  to  be  n  outpost"     develops  and  communicate  a  vision.     interprets  and  lead  change.   promotes  and  lead  spiritual  formation   provides  leadership  for  high-­‐quality,  relevant  worship.     identifies,  develop,  and  support  volunteers  and  leaders.     builds,  inspires,  and  leads  a  "team"  of  both  staff  and  volunteers.     The  ability  to  manage  conflict.     navigates  successfully  the  world  of  technology.     a  lifelong  learner…run  smarter,  not  faster.      

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Alban  Institute  http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=9274  

What  do  you  notice  from  reviewing  these  inventories?  What  support  do  you  think  you  might  need?  What  gifts,  limits,  and  desires  do  you  need  to  balance?  Might  you  need  affirmation  and  recognition?  How  much?  Do  you  want  to  live  a  path  of  greater  service?  How  can  sensitivity  be  a  part  of  that?  

 

 

For  more  information  and  resources  visit  CynthiaWinton-­‐Henry.com,  Mystic  Tech,  Cynthia@interplay.org.