“IN THE KNOW OR THE FLOW? – MY CURRENT FAVORITE QUESTIONS”

© Copyright 6-27-2007
By Dana Shino, The Purple Phoenix, LLC
www.thepurplephoenix.com

I love standing in the sunshine of something that I know. It’s warm. The birds twitter. The butterflies flutter. The creek gurgles. It’s cozy and fuzzy. But as much as I like being in the know I’m learning it’s a dangerous place to stay for too long. The ground erodes and gives way in startling, unpredictable moments, especially given the great energy shifts we are living through. It reminds me of Dr. Fred Wolf’s words in the movie, “What the Bleep Do We Know?” In his wild white haired, quarky personality kind of way, he succinctly put it: “Don’t be in the know, be in the mystery.”

What better thing to put us in the flow of the mystery than the question. This collection of questions (I’m not sure if I chose them or they chose me) help me remain in the mystery of my life while compelling me forward into better living. I’d like to share them with you:

• A long time ago (in a land far away), Oprah (yes, Oprah) bequeathed me with my first royal question tool. She was discussing a psychological topic with a professional guest when she described one of the tools she uses. She said that anytime something occurred that bothered her (like she couldn’t find her keys or the dog chewed on her shoe or someone forgot her birthday) she would ask, “What is it that I am to learn from this event? What is it that I am not seeing that I am supposed to be seeing?” And instead of standing in irritation or hurt or displeasure with the predicament or the world, she stood in the mystery of the question from an observation point. This tool has helped me unravel more patterns and mysteries in my life than I care to admit. Over the years, this question tool has also evolved a sister view point and tool of “What is it inside of me (possibly an unhealed part of me) that attracted this event/person/situation/item into my life?
  
  
• The first person I officially met in Durango, Colorado before I moved here was Carla Branson, owner of the local metaphysical shop, “Jungle Chic.” Not long after I moved into my digs, we joined one another for breakfast. Among the topics of conversation included my growing concern over ‘losing’ words. As a writer, this was a real conundrum for me. I was too young to lose words. I didn’t want to lose words. If anything, I was hoping to gain a few more. During our conversation, Carla asked me, “Well, which words are you losing?” She wondered if maybe there was a pattern. So, over the past year, I have mentally noted the words that won’t come to me of their own accord when I am talking or writing (but eventually come to me later). More often than not, the words I am losing are low level resonance words— they seem to be quietly slipping out of our consciousness! (Is it possible that Webster could forget to include ‘war’ in the dictionary?) Thanks Carla!
  
  
• I attended WomenFest 2006 hosted by the local Women’s Resource Center (http://www.wrcdurango.org/) here in Durango. Among the presenters was Anne Robinson, a Jungian Analyst (http://www.byregion.net/cgibin/users/profiles.pl?username=annelyst). Jungian Analysts are dream analyzers utilizing the practices and ideologies of Carl Jung. The workshop was filled. Who doesn’t love remembering and analyzing dreams?! Anne described an interesting perspective to observe our dreams. She said, “When you observe your dreams, not only pay attention to what is occurring in the dream, but also how you are emotionally responding to it. The emotional response is as significant as the activity in the dream.” Her question was this: “Are you emotionally responding in alignment to the dream or are you emotionally responding in an unpredictable manner out of context with the dream? Then, how does this reflect upon your life?” Not only does the question work in dream world, it also works in the physical living world! Thanks Anne!
  
  
• Earlier this spring, Karen Lovelien (http://www.soulularclarity.com) shared one of her basic, yet very powerful techniques with me. She walked me through her light work techniques of allowing and absorbing light energy into and through the body. The beautiful simplicity of the practice allows light to gradually wash into and through you as you surrender to it. When or if the light reaches blocks within your body, your being, Karen guides to gently ask this question to the blocked portion of your body, “What am I to know?” She also guides to ask this question: “What is it that you need?” Then listen to what is to be known and feed yourself with the energy of what needs to be given (kindness, respect, love, forgiveness, honor, recognition or more). The work with Karen has prompted me to become so much more aware of how the different parts of my body speak to me and where my ‘being’ is residing at inside of my body (My head? My heart? My solar plexus? My gosh darn big toe?) Thanks Karen!
  
  
• Tracy Korb, a local astrologist (http://www.sunsoulastrology.com/index.htm) and intrepid walking friend, shared a gold question nugget from her own astrology mentor. Since we both share the pathological unconscious habit of energetically cuing ourselves to working out others energetic details, this one helps keep us more present and honest inside our own bodies (and inevitably a lot more peaceful). The question goes something like this: “Where is my attention? Is it inside me focused on or about me? Or is it outside of myself focused on others?” Thanks Tracy!
  
  
• One of Bob’s favorite authors is Graham Hancock. Recently, Bob finished reading Graham’s most recent book “Supernatural.” It’s packed with interesting research, stories, evidence, facts and ideas about shamans, similarities in hallucinogenic trips, pre-historic rock art, aliens and many other fascinating topics. Bob has discussed several of the themes Graham raises in the book in relation to spiritual and psychic work— some of which I read. As I did so, I noticed one of Graham’s habits that Bob pointed out earlier. Graham doesn’t end his research and writing with conclusions. He ends much of his research and writing with continuing and open-ended questions.
  
  

So, ask yourself this. If each person on the planet responsibly embraced one quality filled, conscious, conscientious, compelling question to themselves each day (and acted on many of them), how do you think it would affect the planet?