Hello my friend,
Last week I watched a gorgeous celebration of Dick Van Dyke, a 98th birthday special taped in December last year. Delighting in my own memories of his talent and gifts of joy, I witnessed his ripples throughout the decades in the tributes from friends and colleagues. I could feel his thousands of ripples from his accomplishments. Ripples are the aftermath of our actions, our way of being, our way of relating, our way of giving. Ripples reflect intended and unintended consequences of our choices.
What happens after our actions?
What ripples are felt by other beings and the world around us?
What ripples are you making? What ripples am I making? I wonder…
Like Mr. Van Dyke’s ripples, today I’m writing about “good” ripples, the ones that leave a lasting impact of goodness. I bow in gratitude and dance in the rain for my good fortune and ripple receiving. The people named here have impacted my life, and I’m certain the lives of many others. Ripples from these embodied souls living an activated purpose – energizing what matters most – have touched me.
I’d love for their “good” ripples to move you too.
Commanding the Space with a Whisper
At a time when unhealthy raging anger destructively smears slime and putrid swamp stench indiscriminately, I turn toward those who masterfully wield swords slicing silk, just so, healing with the slightest wound.
Mary Bell left her physical form body years ago, and yet, her ripples reach the horizon as the camp she founded in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina remains a healthy summer destination for hundreds of girls. Mary Bell was the camp director when I attended during my youth and a couple of formative teenage years. Her tiny 5’2” stature and slow soft southern speech could be a recipe for meek and mild. Hardly meek and stealthy sharp, Mary Bell was unflappable capturing the attention of campers and staff alike. All she had to do was whisper.
Each summer camp began the first night with friendship building, [a tiny practice you can check out here: 4 Corners of Love – a 5 Minute Try-It], welcoming each camper into her vast fierce heart. “Just” her presence radiated safety, genuine connection and self-worth. As campers our only action was to receive her love nutrients and let them soak in.
Meals in the Dining Hall were seasoned with songs led by Mary Bell. Songs about nature, challenge, creativity, love, connection, strength, and courage. In the forest cathedral gentle songs rang through the pines along with Mary Bell’s favorite poetry, heartful stories, and spirit penetrating timeless wisdom.
Mary Bell saw the jewel of each camper and conveyed her seeing to bring out the best in us – well beyond what our young eyes could see in ourselves. At summer’s end during the closing fire ceremony, pine bows were bestowed upon campers who demonstrated the heart, mind and spirit of the camp. Campers chosen by Mary Bell and the staff of counselors, offered their pine bow to the fire, along with a wish for the world.
Powerful sustaining Mary Bell whispers ripple in my heart, mind and spirit. I feel her potent whispers in the thousands of women she encouraged during her decades of ministry… rippling wide.
Where are your powerful rippling whispers?
Humility Fed with Curiosity
Ted Klontz may be thinking about ripples as he leads a potent workshop on death and as he soon reaches a milestone birthday in the 3rd third season of his life. Participating in his Touching Mortality circle a few weeks ago, diving deep, he called us courageous and I simply felt blessed. The topic scares many of us; but Ted is the rare person capable of tending this flame and journey we humans travel.
The last time I participated in one of his programs was over two decades ago at Onsite located in the rural areas of Tennessee. At that time he was the owner developing a money healing program with another colleague. A topic near and dear to my heart, I assisted with the spark of the program – jump starting the pedals for future development and rippling. My reward for assisting was a week on the land and in circle with a group of strangers peeling my layers of callused skin begging for removal and revealing and healing. One of many “it hurts so good” experiences that bushwhacked the forest ground for my sojourn.
Ted was rippling impact well before I met him and his ripples have only gotten bigger, wider, and deeper since then.
Ted’s potent ripples steep in his humble curiosity, devotion to the land, and respect of all people – a way of being I rarely experience or see or read about in today’s field of interactions.
Thank you, Ted. May your birthday be filled with sweet ripples returning to you.
How does humbling curiosity serve your ripples?
Clear Living and Clearing the Lies
Last year in March I met a charismatic young woman. She feels vibrantly young to me, as she begins her 5th decade of life, blazing a trail through generations of lies and paving a path for clear living. Her name is Cecily Mak, self described (I paraphrase) as a recovering overachieving successful silicon valley attorney. Cecily leads a growing parade by changing the alcohol paradigm with ClearLife. Her body of work is birthing, on fire, and revealing the hidden truths about the dangers of alcohol, how it affected her personally and how to educate ourselves for healthier choices. We are the lucky beneficiaries of her ripples.
If you seek a healthier and vibrant vessel – your wholebody – check out her work in the links below. Alcohol use is one portal to a rich, real and wholehearted human journey… [money is another portal for the same wholehearted human journey, I call integral wealth and Somatic Finance.]
Alcohol consumption is history for me. At my annual physical this month I will answer zero alcohol use. It is not a big deal, and maybe it is, in the context of clear living. No alcohol is a stepping stone to loving my body, mind, and soul wholeheartedly, to live undimmed, as Cecily says, and unabashedly healthy in service of why I am here on this earth.
Sufficiency is my jam and points me toward my healthiest vessel. Next are sugar and caffeine. My first ayurvedic cleanse in the late 90’s I was told 90% of our health issues significantly improve without use of alcohol, sugar or caffeine. I remember. My body shimmers with anticipation.
Clear living also includes what I feed my mind, and my heart too.
My mind is:
- releasing the pull of social media, news, and sitting entertainment.
- choosing meaningful use of my devices and where I place my attention.
- deleting the noise of unsolicited contacts, advice, courses, trainings, fear tainted.
- sourcing truth in ancient wisdom, sacred reading, nature and, yes, my wholebody.
- bowing to the indestructible essence abiding in my heart.
Abiding here, my heart drums deep and wild and true, shedding tears, stretching into vulnerable crevices, asking nature for guidance and sparking crazy eyes in the face of fear.
How does living clearly serve your ripples?
I welcome connections with wild explorers responding to Life, with a capital “L”! Ones who are clearing their eyes, opening vast hearts, generating kindness, beauty, grace, unbridled joy, strength and a better world.
We are still all in this together, rippling, rippling, rippling.
- What are you rippling?
- What do your ripples say about you?
- How do your ripples feel?
- What ripples are waiting in the wings?
Where I’m Playing
Can you stand one more rippler?
I’m joining the The Generosity Experiment brainchild of Chela Davison, my favorite badass, cool mom, stunning integral coach, and rocking it with her show – “a little bit much” – check out her upcoming show: A Little Bit Much – Ottawa Fringe.
Generosity holds hands with sufficiency, two of my favorite ways of being. So, yes, I’m playing in this experiment for sure.
Interest peaked?
Want to join me?
Click the link above!
I hope to see you at one or more of the gatherings. It’s gonna be rad (do people say this anymore?) and you won’t want to miss the fun, play, and Chela’s out of this world way of grooving with and loving people.
Oceans of joy, rippling,
~ gayle
p.s. Chela’s A Little Bit Much – Show Trailer on YouTube is hysterical. Language warning for tender ears.
p.s.s. more rippling…
