Monotasking=Living from Divine Direction=Oneness

What I know so far:

Monotasking does not mean just doing one thing at a time, but about being and doing from a singleness of purpose.

1.  Montasking and multitasking are names for the way in which we use our energy.
2. To be a successful Monotasker requires a willingness to receive Divine Direction.
3.  Divine Direction is Spiritual Energy (thank you Richard Rohr for bringing me to this awareness).
4. Spiritual Energy cannot be managed, maneuvered or manipulated.
5. When I find myself trying to manage (people and things), maneuver the to the way I think I want things or manipulate life to my way, I am no longer in Divine Direction and I have disconnected from the Divine's freely given Spiritual Energy.
6. Breathing, paying attention and praying help me receive Divine Direction.




 

More on the Rhythm of 'One'

As I work with the idea of Mono-tasking, I share with my sister my new awareness.  I think I am developing an new concept. She tells me there is research on the ineffectiveness of multi-tasking and how we may be wired as humans to be mono-taskers.  So, while a new discovery for myself, not a brave new discovery, that will rock the world...I am quite happy to be one of the hundredth monkeys...

I've spent the past few days observing how I move through life. What helps me ground and focus, what takes me out of my centeredness?  How do I move in and out of mono-tasking?  What happens to 'me' during multi-tasking frenzy?  Do I have times of multi-tasking ease?  Hmmm?  I notice there I times when I am single-focused, as in writing, and I can stay focused and get up and change the laundry (a benefit of working from home???) and come back to my writing.  Then there are times when getting up to change the laundry leads to making more coffee, checking my email, letting the dog out... I am off and running to wherever the next awareness of the outside world takes me. How does this happen?

When I am in contact with my most inner self I am able to stay on task with my priorities.  How to do this?  All the great teachers and mystics from the past have the same messages of how to do this: Pay Attention.  Breathe.  Pray. 

I don't suppose it matters which one I start with, and this varies depending on what is happening at the time.  Sometimes I catch my breath and remember to pay attention. Sometimes what causes me to pay attention leads to a pray.  I do know that paying attention to my breathing usually leads me to a prayer (whether "Help!" or "Thanks!"). 

 Hildegard von Bingen is one of my favorite christian mystics. Over Thanksgiving,  I took some time to read a new historical novel Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen [Mary Sharratt]about her life.  Hildegard came to know when her life moved more easily, regardless of her difficulties or physical pain, when she aligned with her understanding of the Divine (By the way, God manifest in feminine form in her visions) and the Divine moved from the core of her physical being. 

The Circle of Self work offers a path and process for living life from our inner most self: our center, our core, our place of connection to the Divine).  My vision intention and goals for each moon cycle are a learning process about the flow of my life and my part in this flow.  I remind myself life is a process and a path of becoming.  When I am an active part of this path, when I use these tools and this support ACTIVELY a rhythm and flow emerges.  I am 'at one' with myself and the Divine. From this place of being I move from a place of single focus (mono-task) which allows for holding more and doing more and staying connected to my 'mono'.

 

Releasing Old Patterns-Waning Moon

What are the old patterns I am releasing? How to release a pattern?  What is required?  I think about letting go or releasing is there a difference? For example, I keep getting caught up with words running through my mind, and yet refusing to commit them to writing.  How do I let go of whatever habit I have that keeps me from committing to my writing more fully?

I have an image of an untethered voice in my head—running wild, when I pull it in close for examination, if it is not controlled; I fear it might beat me to pieces! If I sedate it, what do I want to do with it? Examine it for????  OK.  Now I have found what is causing all the upheaval: there are external distractions (like the lion with the thorn in his foot that the mouse took out), an external irritant that I can remove.  Is that all or are there other dis-eases, in-juries, dis-orders which need attending? 

Dis-ease:  Where am I not at ease in my life?

In-juries:  Where am I judging, making rulings, giving directives, awarding damages or handing out punishments?

Dis-orders:  What has gotten out of order in my life?

Over the next few days I’ll share what I uncover as I further explore these questions. Even in the process of this explore, I come back into rhythm.

Intuition and Transparency

I feel as though I am playing a game of connect the dots!  Tonight I went to a cocktail hour business lecture in Chicago.  The speaker was Therese Rowley, the author of a new book "Mapping a New Reality: Discovering Intuitive Intelligence".  The forward is written by Caroline Myss, a mentor and one of the chairs on my dissertation committee.  Therese   spoke on Intuitive Intelligence in the business world. Therese is an intuitive reader and psychic medium with a MBA from Northwestern (a pretty well respected business school).  The evening started out with the sponsors introducing their businesses: insurance and financial planning.  Both are well known in the northern suburbs and the insurance company is an internationally known company.  Both men talked briefly about having value-based businesses and about the need for transparency in the work place for clients as well as employees.  Then Therese stepped in and spoke about the same themes introducing the need for intuitive skills as a vital support for developing a value based business and for creating true transparency in your work. 

I'm summarizing her lecture in a few sentences:  Intuition is a type of intelligence.  It develops by practice and use, same as any skill.  The way your intuition will manifest depends on your life purpose (IE-some might communicate with dead people, some might see past lives, some will know how to find lost things and people, some will see illnesses, some will get information on the future etc.).  A person can not have intuition if under the influence of fear or if they have an agenda or ulterior motive. Developing and honoring your intuition is necessary if we want to have transparency in our lives.  I thought it was serendipitous to have transparency come up tonight and used in connection with business, and I saw an image of a triangle appear in my minds eye during her lecture (the presidential debate, last nights round table and tonight's lecture).   I am the common denominator in bringing these three experiences together-there is some information or awareness for me, but I don't know what I don't know about that, yet.

So, I will invite intuition to help me know.  I'm going to use a few intuitive supports Therese suggested and I'm sharing them with you,as they are simple and VERY effective.
1. Be still.  Stay still.  Stop what you are doing and listen whenever you have a strange feeling, a hit, goose bumps, or get a thought such as 'I wonder...'.  We have to pay attentention and listen to hear our intuition.
2. Focus on your third eye area, which is in the middle of your head, not your forehead.  Straightdown from the top and middle of your head and behind the eyes.  Focus from that space.  Breathe from that space.  This has an immediate calming effect and you can, with even a small amount of practice you will notice more clarity.

Off to bed with an intention to know how all this fits together for me. 

Transparency and Imperfection

What a difference my experience tonight was from last night!
Last night watching the accusatory, aggressive, look-good-at-all-costs, shade the truth debate between two men and tonight sitting in a circle of 20 women sharing parenting imperfections, talking about the importance of transparency with one another and our children, and honoring the differences between us.  Okay-the future of the country is not on the line during our meeting, as it seemed to be last night. Although... maybe one of us at this gathering has birthed a future president-and that would mean good things for our country, given the transparency and forthrightness of the group.

Last night I came home from watching the presidential debate exhausted and discouraged.  Tonight I came home from hearing Jennifer Grant lead a discussion on imperfect parenting, inspired and hopeful. Jennifer is an author, speaker and a member of our Episcopal Community.  Check out her new book: Momumental