Do rocks have a consciousness?


 Be true to your nature, an individual, like a round and polished stone among the jagged throng!

That is what this little round stone said to me in reply to a question I had been asking myself.  Namely, "Do rocks have a consciousness?"  And what it said is the caption you read under the picture itself, "Be true to your nature, an individual, like a round and polished stone among the jagged throng!"  How do I know it spoke to me thus?  It was on a hike I made to Ponytail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge earlier this month.  I was planning on hiking to Triple Falls by way of Horsetail Falls, but there was a landslide that blocked passage to Triple Falls leaving me two choices.  I could continue on, to the Oneanta trail head and walk back down the Historic Columbia River Highway or, I could go back the way I came.  I debated for a few minutes and ultimately decided to go back the way I had come.  As I passed behind Ponytail Falls, I turned around to look at the falls one last time.  As I did so, I wondered if I might be able to get a better picture of the falls from down closer to the stream the falls fell into.  So, I backtracked yet again to get to the side of the stream, and as I was making my way down the bank, I was looking for solid footfalls.  That is when this rock stopped me in my tracks and spoke to me.  This rock had been calling to me the whole time, helping me with my choices in direction and even having me backtrack twice so it could deliver its message and an answer to my inquiry.

The small polished round stone spoke to me in another way as well.  As Joseph Campbell had put it in one of his talks, Nature creates in circles.  Nature's consciousness, if you will, is that of a circle.  We exist in a circle, as you can see by looking out at the horizon.  Campbell also referenced a 12th century idea that God is an infinite sphere whose circumference is nowhere and whose center is everywhere.  Alternatively, the consciousness of man is a square.  This is why we create cubical shaped homes and buildings.  Nature doesn't create such things.

This rock wasn't just saying the above to me, it was showing me that it is me.  It was a mirror of who I am and who I can be.  I am that polished stone, becoming more and more polished with the passage of time, among the jagged throng.  How powerful a message it sent me that I have a choice to be my own individual self, even while surrounded by the jagged throng.  The jagged throng, all the while thinking they know what is best, thinking they know what is right.  Even when all those about you are losing the precious moments of their life by living with the shoulds and musts and thou shalts rather than being authentic to themselves.  Cast off the thou shalts and to thine own self be true.  You are a gift in this world and in this time.

What other lessons can we re-learn from time spent in Nature, especially when combined with such contemplative questions?  Does the earth have a consciousness?  What is Nature trying to communicate to us?

For what questions has Nature provided you with an answer?

What questions do you ask Nature?  Answers are awaiting you if you are willing to be your authentic self and ask away.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. is now spelled N.V.C.

It was important for Marshall Rosenberg to write Non-Violent Communicaiton (NVC): A Language of Life to share his vision of how communicating in a non-violent way can aide human beings in getting needs met in a way that is beneficial for all parties involved. The key distinctions are that the current language of our culture is violent and not in alignment with communicating in a way that allows all parties in a conversation to have their needs met. Through first observing, then expressing feelings and then needs, and finally making a request that allows the other party to choose to respond in a way that meets their needs, can foster a connection that contributes to both sides getting what they want and need. NVC has opened a whole new world of communication that I see can foster a dialog that meets my need for mutuality and connection. Having read Dr. Marshall Rosenberg's book and attending the Worls School's class on Non- Violent Communication, I now have a new tool of communication available to me that will contribute to my being able to express what I have observed in a given situation. Once I have communicated the observations, I can then express my feelings around what it was that was observed. After having expressed my feelings, I can then share what needs I have around those feelings. I can then make a request of the other party that is applicable to the current moment and that also gives the other party an opportunity to then communicate their feelings and needs in a way that contributes to both sides having their needs met. While I struggle with the process around NVC at this point in time, my vocabulary around my feelings and needs has grown tremendously. I see this as a first step in eventually mastering the language of NVC. As I continue to develop my skill in understanding my feelings and needs, my ability to naturally express my feelings and needs in a non-violent way will flow more easily. Also, as my vocabulary grows and my needs start to become met more fully, I will have more space to inquire as to the needs of others in a way that is harmonious and non-violent. This possibility of being able to communicate in a way that meets my needs and also allows me to contribute to the needs of others getting met is incredibly exciting.

It's Rapport - No, Not Michael

How can establishing rapport lead to miraculous things occuring? I met a man last week in the local park playing catch with his dog. I had casually interected with this man before at the same park, but never got his name, although I did get his dog's name. I figured I would go and talk to him and his dog. We had a few minutes of general chit chat, and it was through this that I had apparently built some rapport with this man. I had introduced myself and he told me his name. As we continued to talk, he started to share a very personal story with me about how his son had committed suicide almost exactly a year ago. I did nothing special during his sharing other than to be fully there listening to him. He was emotional during our discussion, and felt some relief by the end of our time talking. We acknowledged that what had happened was a true miracle, for before I left on my walk I had written a scene change about wanting the Law of Attraction to reveal to me related to the Celebration of Life. I mentioned this to the man, and he revealed to me that he was going to be having a party to celebrate the life of his son in the next week. We hugged each other and on my way I went. This was such a powerful example of the Law of Attraction at work, but also how important building rapport is in allowing another person to open up and share things that may be very personal. The Law of Attraction totally allowed the manifestation of celebration of life for me in this instance. Often times, we have needs that we can get met through interaction with others. This was definitely the case for me, when I had an exchange with this stranger that was miraculous and reinforcing for me. None of this would have been possible if not for my first being fully present with this individual in a way that built serious rapport in a very short time. This interaction was so powerful, I literally had the shakes afterward and I had to note to myself the power of the Law of Attraction and the power of truly being there for someone in a way that establishes rapport. What are some examples in your life where you were able to establish rapport with another? What came up for you at that time?

Choose It or Lose It

Here is the mind-blowing good news - we can choose how we spend our time. Time spent in joy, or time spent experiencing any enjoyable emotion, affects the attraction equation by more than any other factor. Many people have spent so many years pleasing everyone but themselves that they have no idea where to begin exploring what it is that they want. Can you relate? The exploration begins and ends with emotions. I ask myself what brings me my greatest joys, and look to do those activities that have the most intensely joyous emotions attached. Allowing yourself to do something you love that you haven’t allowed yourself to do in a while will get you started on the path to sustainable enjoyment and creating and attracting more of what you want. It is that easy. How would you like to explore your ultimate potential? What can you do today to start you on your path?

Ask and It Is Given

Up until very recently in my 43 years of physical existence, I have struggled to ‘find’ my life’s direction.

Can you relate?

It is through studying concepts like those described in Ask and It Is Given that I have been able to discover that I have only to follow my internal alignment system, i.e., my emotions, as they are what provide my life’s direction. I don’t have to figure it out in my head and then set out to find it, because following my emotions is like putting myself on autopilot. Everything I want and need is already there, and when I do those things that I enjoy and I experience enjoyable emotions, I am by default following my life’s direction. My mind-body-spirit already know what my life direction is and my emotions around the choices I make lead me right where I have been longing to go.

How cool is that?

Who wants more of that? If you do, all you need to do is ask (and it is given).