Awakened Wisdom for Daily Living

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2011-10-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Ancient Wisdom. Modern Applications.

Hello,

Thank you for visiting and for your interest in Awakened Wisdom for Daily Living.

I have just released an 8-week live and recorded tele-program on this very topic.

To stay current with our latest blogs, as well as to get information on this and our other experiencial learning programs, please visit the Awakened Wisdom website at www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Patrick J. Ryan

Awakened Wisdom Experiences

Ancient Wisdom. Modern Applications.

The Dream of Soul and Life Purpose

2009-10-07T15:14:00.000-07:00

Joseph Campbell, the highly regarded teacher of mythology, wisely pointed out that for the first half of a human’s life the ego runs ahead in search of experience and wealth. During this time, the Soul takes a back seat, patiently waiting for the ego to do its thing and to gather in what it needs. The Soul serves the ego by letting it run much like a wild hungry dog in search of adventure and wealth of whatever the ego is collecting. It could be money, other resources, or experiences.

Then there comes a time when the Soul turns its gaze onto the ego and says, “Thank you for forging ahead and for having the experiences you have had. There is a greater meaning to all of this though, and it is time that you, ego, sit back and serve me, the Soul, as I fulfill my bargain with the Universe and express my life purpose.”

The Soul works us from within, and so there comes a time in our human adventure when it gets activated and demands that we follow its yearning. For some, this time occurs at a young age. We recognize these people as “old Souls.” When we are around them we feel a deeper, fuller connection to the Universe. Others may not have this experience until the last few short moments of their physical lives on Earth, when suddenly at the end of it all they awaken and realize something important is being realized.

Still others experience this time at midlife, and it is often manifested in what we call midlife crises. I prefer to call these midlife awakenings. This is a time when, under the pressure of the Soul, many people start to ask questions about what this life is really all about. It is a time when people look at the houses, cars, boats, and shoe collections and realize that as nice as those things are, they aren’t providing much meaning to their human existence.

If we are lucky, we are willing and still able to respond to the call when it comes. If we do, we let go of the attachment to the ego’s treasures, which can often confuse our families and friends, and we allow our Selves to respond to the Soul's call and to seek out some meaning in our otherwise productive lives. The Soul is grateful to the ego for having amassed all the resources and assures the ego that these things will be put to good use. The ego has been creating foundations, which are pools of resources that can now committed to a use that is generally altruistic in its intention.

The yearning of the Soul to be out in front at this stage becomes a major influence on our life’s dreams. Many of the things that used to seem important suddenly fall away from our desires. The Soul has better and more important things in mind for you now. The Soul works on us in mysterious ways that we often experience as a longing, a yearning that arises from deep within. This stirring causes us to be restless. It calls us out of our comfortable life. It beckons us, calls to us in our sleep. It shakes us in the waking sleepwalk of our regular life. It will haunt you, follow you, and pull away the illusions of your life that ego built. It will not allow you to sleep any longer. When it calls for you, you will at least know; whether you answer or not is another question.

Watch for my book coming out this November:
Awakened Wisdom - A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance
************************************************
Patrick Ryan
Chief Waker-Upper

Check our website, www.awakenedwisdom.com for the next AWE event!!

The Yearning

2009-08-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Yearning
We come from a Oneness, the Universe, and our heart holds a wisdom, distinct from the wisdom of our mind, that yearns to keep us connected to this Oneness. As the heart yearns, it speaks to us in the language of the heart, which is beyond words. The heart moves us according to its own wisdom with a pull, moving us towards something. This is the yearning.

As we experience the pull of the heart, we feel drawn toward something while our mind attempts to understand. Our mind gets drawn into the aching, the pulling, and it really wants to understand. The mind is sometimes spun around in its attempt to interpret what it is that will satisfy this yearning of the beating heart. When the mind does not understand, we may think that we are disconnected from the Oneness. This may lead to a sense of separateness or aloneness in life. These are just concepts that the mind creates.

So the heart pounds out its life call like a drum beat in the distance, reminding us that something more, is out there somewhere and we start to yearn. The yearning of the heart could be coming from the Oneness or Universe, calling you towards your life purpose. Or, it could be the voice of your Divine Essence, that is the source of wisdom within you that guides you along your journey. It is important to notice what we are yearning for.
At times it can be tricky as it may seem the yearning is taking you into seemingly perilous waters, and yes it may do so, in order to fulfill some unwritten contract with the Universe that requires you to engage with some healing of your heart. Just as easily, it may lead you to an easy part of the path that is filled with lightness and fun. Each part of the path, difficult or easy is important and guided by heart wisdom.

The heart wisdom demands that you engage with all parts of the path so that you may fully appreciate the beauty of full and open connection to your Self and the world around you. It may be that our ability to know joy is directly proportional to our willingness and ability to dive deep into the yearning for love and connection - even when the waters seem murky. And, of course, we must also be aware of the tendency of Distorted Self, that is the one in us that messes with our mind and heart, to distract us from our soul’s path. Distorted Self would have us believe that to feel such a deep longing is ultimately not survivable, so you are better off disconnecting from the pain of the unrealized longing, whether that’s through keeping yourself overly busy, using drugs, or engaging in some other form of avoidance. After all, according to Distorted, any form of pain is to be avoided and cannot possibly be good for you. Or on the other side, Distorted might tell you that it is only through your attachment to pain that life can have meaning. Neither of these ideas comes from the wisdom of your Divine Essence.

Again, it is the heart that yearns and lets us know that something more is possible. The mind responds to that yearning, seeking out an answer, and the heart and the mind pull at the fabric of our body creating the tension of restlessness. Perhaps every situation we encounter can be placed between two possibilities: One is to move towards the ecstatic joy of connection — fully open, heart connection to Oneness, the Universe; the second possibility is to know the pain of separation. And in between those two absolute extremes is where most of us live our lives.

Our Divine Essence is that aspect of ourselves that is the portal and connection to the Universe. It is the doorway between our life in this body and being the Light of the Divine. We came from a Oneness. That experience of being fully connected to it preceded this embodied life. We have this life in which to remember the Oneness and get reconnected to it.

Letting Go and Homeostasis

2009-06-15T13:18:00.001-07:00

Imagine that you have your hands full, literally. There you are in your very busy life moving fast to keep it together and your hands are full holding tight on to everything that you have created. For the most part you like your life. And maybe you’d like to see just a few things be different, or perhaps you even wish something really big and important in your life was different than it is. Either way, you are so busy holding all of this together. Then sometimes in a stolen moment you might allow yourself to cast a wish out to the Universe - I wish that…And yet your life quickly jerks you back to its persistent reality that demands your attention to keep it all together.

Wow, what busy work, this keeping it all together! Consider this possibility - that all the while as you are running through each day, the very things that you don’t have yet and are wishing for deep down may very well be trying to come through for you. But guess what, they can’t get in, because you are too busy grasping at the old things and you are stuck, merely wishing that things could be different than they are now.

Homeostasis at work.
We humans are funny creatures. We get attached to things and conditions in our lives like sap to a tree. This is homeostasis at work - a property of the universe that supports a system to seek and maintain a stable condition and keep things the same. Nature experiences homeostasis of course, in order for systems and species to survive, and we humans rely on it to maintain the world we inhabit. It is a force we must be aware of if we desire to create a change in our life.

I hear from people all the time who have been trying to create something new in their life and feel discouraged when it doesn’t happen quickly enough. All discouragement is in these situations is homeostasis using your emotional system to keep you in line, to keep things they way they are. Imagine that all these elements of the life you are currently in are organized in a particular way and they are content to watch you there in the middle of it all wishing, wanting, working to make it change, frustrated that it seems that everything is resisting what you want. The resistance is not your imagination. Rather it’s the world around you simply doing its job. The world is not against you. It is not trying to create an adversarial situation to make things more challenging just for it's fun and amusement. It is just the energetic fields of "reality" holding the orbits of the people and the circumstances together in the established and familiar way.

It’s a powerful force, homeostasis, and therefore in order to create a meaningful change in your life you must influence the world around you and challenge it. You must be willing, even daring to change the ways things are. You may have to be persistent, creative, and courageous to be successful. You might be inspired by vision or perhaps frustrated by a situation. Either way you are called when creating change is what is needed. Consider the possibility that the world you are in is wanting to change and it is knocking on the door of your consciousness asking you to be the one to carry out this work.

Snap and its all different
Imagine one day it all breaks free, sometimes in a shocking way. It might even feel violent in the apparent suddenness of how it all happens. Perhaps your job is yanked out from under your feet. When you look back at it, after the initial shock has worn off you realize that you saw it coming and yet you’d gotten yourself attached and resisted responding to the early signs. Oh, those early signs. All those times that the world you are currently in whispered in your ear - hey, look around, see what else is out there, and try something different. Or all those times you tolerated some part of your life that was not working well but you were too busy or scared to address it. Instead you kept looking the other way hoping that it would work itself out somehow. And all those times you told yourself, I am too busy today but I will take care of that tomorrow…until one day it took care of you by jolting you out of an old reality that could hold no longer. When this kind of change happens it is like being caught in an earthquake. All the stored energy is released in one big jolt and everything around you that was not well secured is thrown around and broken free.

The world around us is beyond our control so any energy put towards controlling is not the best use of you. Imagine instead that at all times you are fully supported by the Universe. Imagine that there are new things that are constantly trying to come towards you and pay attention to the messages that you get. Notice the wishes and wants that occur to you. Notice the comments that are spoken to you and pay attention to what is trying to come in and to what is trying to be released.

The serenity prayer says it best:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

What can you do?
• Look for what needs attention and tend to it like an important garden in
your life. Keep it vibrant by loving and nurturing it.
• Notice where the struggles are and ask yourself, what is going on here?
• Ask if a struggle is something that is a good use of your energy. If so then keep working it, if not then let it go cleanly and responsibly.
• When you want to create a change look at the entire system of
people and things around you and address the system as a whole.
• Be persistent with what you truly want. It is coming to you and it takes the time it takes. Not everything will move according to your schedule and many things will.
• Get help, get lots of help. Let people in, let the people around you know what it is you are trying to create and allow them to help you. They will love you for that.
• Stay flexible and open about how what you want will look and how it will happen.
• Understand that interruptions and surprises are normal and not personal, nor are they signs from the Universe - except when they are. Sometimes an interrupted or delayed idea is just the Universe saying it needs a bit more time to germinate.
• Trust your heart, appreciate your mind, and nurture your body. You will need them all.

Returned from Laos and Cambodia

2009-05-13T17:23:00.001-07:00

I have just returned from a trip to Cambodia and Laos. I went there along with a colleague, Kyoko, to offer training to some local people. The recipients of the training were people that work with youth. It is our hope that the training supports the development of the next generation of leaders in the region.
I had fun meeting everybody and also experiencing a variety of great food. One particular dish was ants, which I would describe as crunchy and spicy.
I was last in Cambodia almost 14 years ago and it was remarkable to see the explosion of growth and development that has taken place there.
In Laos the last day of the training coincided with the beginning of their New Years festival also known as the Water Festival. During this time it seems that the only rule that applies is that everyone must get soaked and stay soaked for at least three days. The energy of the past is washed away to allow a fresh and “clean” start to the coming year.
It became a game of stealth to attempt to move around Vientiane knowing that I would be getting drenched by buckets of water thrown on by well meaning partiers while trying to save my camera from the same fate.
Even my final ride to the airport in an open tuk tuk was riding through a gauntlet of well wishers throwing water using every conceivable container they could find. There is nothing like arriving at the check in counter at the airport soaking wet from head to toe.

Many thanks to the engaged Buddhist movement and SEM (Spirit in Education Movement) and Jar, our friend and South East Asia contact who organized the trip, SRPD in Cambodia and PADETC in Laos for sponsoring us.

Sawaidee Bee Mai (Happy New Year) Everybody
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

A Life Well Lived

2009-05-13T17:21:00.001-07:00

Imagine a life in which you managed to rise above the fears and concerns that tend to linger faithfully in the background, haunting us with their song of intended safety and urgings to keep the status quo. What if you could shut out the voices that tell you all about what you CAN'T do, the ones that work to diminish the fullness of who you are?

You know the voices I mean. Imagine for a moment, that you integrated those voices in a good way, so that they no longer gripped you but rather just informed you about interesting and relevant conditions to which you should pay attention. And now, as you are no longer held in false constraints you are free - free to listen and respond to the wisdom of the moment, free to wonder what is possible in creating more beauty and dreams, and free to respond to the yearning of your heart that knows more is always possible.

Your wisdom informs you through every beat of your heart and through every thought of inspiration. Your wisdom informs you through your body which responds to the world around you as a drum responds to the vibration of the room at rest; it is waiting for the drummer to pick it up and bring its beat to life. You must of course be willing to respond to this wisdom. You must be willing to risk shaking up your world and the world of those around you and ask, What is needed? You must also be willing to risk losing that which seems precious to you. Holding on to anything is futile. If something is still right for you it will stay, and if it is no longer serving you, your holding onto it will only delay the inevitable. Worry not, because you were never in control of those things anyway.

Allowing good things to pass along through your life keeps the spaces open for other good things to come in, and come in they will if there is space - an opening. You must be willing to engage in the dance of life with flexibility and compassion and as you move you may dance in-joy. Stay in the game and turn it over at the same time. Turn it over to this great universe in which we live. Invite the universe in and listen to the call. Like the call and response of a great drum circle. It’s the call that informs you that NOW is the time to move. Now, is the time for you to commit to take one more step towards that dream that is relentlessly calling you into it.

And why not? Did you think it could wait for another day?

Awakened Wisdom Goes to Egypt

2009-04-01T17:36:00.001-07:00

Hi folks,
I am happy to be able to tell you about the first offering Awakened Wisdom presented in Egypt this spring. In cooperation with BLDNA, an Egyptian NGO, our mission was to design a training that would support the BLDNA members in developing and integrating their respective leadership styles with each person’s own idea of a community project they will implement in order to raise the Egyptian society to a higher level.

I was thrilled to present the Ennea Leader Styles to these generous and courageous participants. Based on the Enneagram, the Ennea Leader Styles required each person to be willing to look not only at his or her own brilliance but also at where their styles break down and begin to work against their best intentions as community leaders.

Every person that attended took to the work whole-heartedly and the result was a brilliant experience of personal and professional development. The range of projects that is being initiated now is inspiring. These include ideas such as orphanages for children, a center for mothers, and housing for low income families to name a few.

For me it was gratifying to be able to offer the Ennea Leader Styles workshop in Egypt because this workshop is based on the Enneagram through a leadership context. It is believed that the Enneagram originated from this part of the world and so it was a particular privilege to bring it back full circle to the land of its origin.

I found everyone in attendance to be amazingly generous in energy and I was moved by the willingness of all to get real about identifying their personal work that must be taken on in order to be successful with their project. In particular I want to thank Wael Borhan who extended the invitation to Awakened Wisdom to come to Egypt for such an important assignment. Wael and his family, friends and colleagues personally took responsibility for the success of this event. Everyone was gracious towards me as I learned first hand about the high standards of generosity and hospitality of the beautiful Egyptian people.

I also want to thank Lina Nahaas from Dubai, and Mike Roberts from Germany, who came along and offered their uncompromising support to the event. Their partnership was most helpful as we managed the moment-by-moment unfolding of this three-day event. I am looking forward to returning to Egypt again and continuing the deepening of the Ennea Leader styles.

What is the Ennea Leader Styles workshop?
In short, this three-day workshop is an introduction to the nine fundamental styles of leadership as experienced through the context of the Enneagram and integrated with the Awakened Wisdom philosophy. It is a training that unlocks the mystery of how to be a great leader, by supporting everyone in identifying his or her own particular, individual leadership style. When we understand how to express our authentic leadership fully, the results we can achieve are limited only by our willingness and our imagination. And the more we understand about our styles the more our willingness and imagination is opened up to greater and greater possibilities.

If you would like to bring this powerful training to your organization or community, please contact us to discuss.

Now I am off to Cambodia and Laos to offer training there.
Journey well everyone,
I hope to see you soon,

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

What is it to be a great leader? What is it to be human?

2009-04-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

There you are in the center of who you are; in a way you are trapped by all the ideas that you have made up about who you are. You are trapped by the habits that you have created, and you are trapped by a life of living from an ego structure. It is the work then, of being human, to find your way through and past all the STUFF that separates you from living your full brightness all the time.

Finding your way is not an easy task and though it is possible to find your way home while blindfolded and groping your way along in the dark it is unlikely it will work quickly or well. It is much more effective to have a structure and a system that can provide a guiding affect to support you as you journey towards being a human freed of all your “stuff.”

In the center of who you think you are is your essence. That is the light of who you are. Your essence has been there all along it is just covered in veils of behavior that bury it deep and hide it from you.
We are each on a journey to reveal that essence to ourselves and in that revealing we discover a way of being in the world that honors the magnificence of who we really are.
When we touch into that light we shine brightly on those around us and in turn the people around us are then moved to show up at their best.

That is leadership at its finest. Walking a walk that supports all those around in developing themselves as well, while you accomplish the fulfillment of your vision.
Check out our new programs that are all intended to support you in revealing the best of who you really are.
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Getting to Know the One in Me that Reacts.

2009-03-02T03:59:00.000-08:00

Getting to know the One in me that reacts.

One day I was walking along a crowded street in India. It was my first time visiting this country and I was shocked by much of what I was seeing. It all seemed so chaotic and the condition of some of the people was deeply disturbing to that part of me that wants everyone to be fine.

I was getting hooked by it all; my defenses were closing me down. When those particular defenses go down I get what I call tunnel heart. I am seeing it all and I am not allowing it to impact me, I am not allowing it to get in. It is a defense for a very sensitive, empathic heart. As I noticed my reaction to the experience of walking through this sea of intense humanity I wanted to learn how to walk with an open heart. How could I allow all this to touch me and still maintain, I wondered.

I choose a perspective that went like this: Imagine that every person here represents an aspect of who I am. Notice who and what is hard to look at. Notice what hurts. Notice who or what causes me to get angry or sad or happy. First – just notice.

I was opened from this and suddenly around myself I saw five thousand faces of my self. Every one became a part of me and I of them.

And I then allowed each person that I was noticing to represent a part of me. The beggar allowed me to face the beggar in me. The Sadhu became the Sadhu in me, the taxi driver the same and even the policeman, and on and on for each one that came to my attention.
As I experienced each one I also got to experience that part of me that reacted to the sight, sound, smell or touch of these individuals.

When we say, “I am uncomfortable/angry/happy here.” We are not really being accurate. It is more accurate to say that an aspect of you is uncomfortable/angry/happy here. Then it is possible to get the paradox of the moment - that one part of you may be angry, another part of you sad, and yet another part of you excited about any given situation.
The more we can learn about these aspects of us the more we can heal and integrate them into the wholeness of who we are.

The next step is to get curious with the one in you that is reacting. For example, if a beggar approached me and I felt uncomfortable I then got curious with the one in me that was uncomfortable.

I would ask to that part of me:
What is it about this beggar that makes you uncomfortable?

What is it that you are afraid of?

What is needed to stay open here?

Pay attention to any thoughts that occur during this process.

This is helpful in any day of our life. Perhaps someone at work pushes your button a lot. It is really not about him, it is YOUR button that is getting pushed, not his.

Instead of making others wrong for pushing your button try this:

Bless them first with loving-kindness. Open to that person, AND to the one in you that got triggered. And ask yourself:

- What is it that bothers me here?

- How am I creating this reaction?

- What does this part of me need in order for it to be healed?

Anytime people trigger us, it is never about them. It is about what is waiting to be revealed in us. So in my mind I say to those who trigger, “Thank you for triggering my anger/sadness/frustration and for showing me where my work is.”

At times like this, ask yourself – What is it time for me to heal/let go of/forgive?

It is great to be a human. We have so many opportunities to grow ourselves.

No one said it was going to be easy.

Patrick Ryan
Chief Waker-Upper

Awakened Wisdom in the Middle East

2009-02-04T20:15:00.001-08:00

January of 2009 was a most interesting month. Among many other events, I was blessed to be able to present the Awakened Wisdom work to two incredible groups of people in the Middle East - in Israel and Dubai. Both gatherings were filled with extraordinary people who really allowed themselves to touch deeply into the questions of what is needed for we humans to live Awakened lives. Blessings to all who attended.

When I was preparing to go to Israel as the first stop on my trip to the Middle East, the military action in the Gaza strip was full on. I left with a prayer that the fighting would stop when Awakened Wisdom was there and thankfully that is what happened. On the day I arrived a cease-fire was announced and the day the workshop started all the troops had pulled back. May this blessing continue!! As a backdrop to the event the ceasefire added a preciousness to the experience. I found that I was especially grateful that all those who attended could have a time of dreaming into a future that would be filled with peace and hope and love for everyone. Thank you Einav for your amazing energy and for holding the ground and making this event possible.

From Israel I headed off to Dubai where I was once again blessed to be able to work with another group of creative and open, hearts and minds. The people who attended this event were from a wide variety of European and Arab countries. Once again we journeyed through the Awakened Wisdom process and moved closer and closer to each other and by extension to all humans everywhere. The people dreamed, cried, hoped, and planned how to move forward in a more Awakened way. Thank you to Lina for her magic in gathering in the people for this event.

I love diversity and all the beauty that comes with it. I still marvel at how at the end of the day we are all so much the same. We laugh, we cry, we love, we get angry, we learn, we grow, and we move our lives forward one day at a time. Every one of us wants to live a fulfilled life and each of us will navigate our own way through a myriad of challenges and opportunities. As for me I am grateful for the tiredness I feel in this moment. It is a tiredness of being well used in these last few days. Stay tuned, as the next few months will take Awakened Wisdom and I to the USA, Canada, Spain, Egypt, Laos, and Cambodia for a more growth and exciting adventures.

And please do join us at an Awakened Wisdom event near, or far, from you.
Rumor has it that the magic is real.

Awakened Wisdom Heads to Israel

2009-01-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

So here we are entering 2009 with so many mixed signals coming in from around the world. Most recently we have an escalation in the challenging situation between Israel and the Palestinians. We have an on-going economic crisis (or opportunity, depending on how you view it) and we have new leadership taking over the United States of America, which wields a powerful global influence. It is a most important time to be staying resourceful and awake.

As a new level of violence in the Middle East breaks out again, Awakened Wisdom is scheduled to head over to that region. As I believe everything in our journey is synchronous, I ask what is the reason AWE is going to the Middle East at this time? What part can I play according to my wisdom? What contribution can AWE make? It is with great humility that I will intend to bring the spirit of peace and reconciliation to the people of these troubled regions.

In general I prefer not to tell people what they “should” be doing, or thinking. I prefer rather to remind people that we are each amazing beings who need not be afraid if we stay resourceful, flexible and willing. If every one of us can stay out of blame and judgment and instead keep our intention of creating peace, beauty, and life giving energy then the seeds of such violence would not have soil in which to take root. What is needed to make this happen? We need to be awake.

To be awake means to be grounded in your highest wisdom or Divine Self, and to respond to the unfolding of the world around you in ways that are wise, resourceful, and creative. Being awake does not mean that life is easy or that it goes the way you want. It means that you develop yourself through the experience of the moment you are in. As we respond to life’s challenges we continually shape our character. The one we are now, in this moment, is the result of who we were in moments past. And who we are now in the moment sets up who we will be in future moments. It is never too late to set a new course or to bring out the best of who you are. What is important and oh so challenging, is to bring the best of who you are forth into each and every moment of your life.

What is needed to be fully awake?

1) First what is needed is the willingness to forgive. As long as the actions of the past are used against people in the present then the opportunity for peace is slim. It is easy to cite the past as a case for present moment actions, as justification, as rationale. It is easy to judge and blame. What is more challenging is to set all that aside and ask, what is needed now for us to live in harmony here and then truly listen for the wisdom to reveal itself. Divine Self is always willing to forgive. Divine Self is always willing to live in harmony.

2) Second what is needed is the willingness to listen. Both sides of any conflict have “good” reasons to justify their feelings and behaviors. And, it’s easier and feels more solid to act from a defended position. What feels more risky is to act from the Divine Self to be willing to listen, to really listen to each other and see where our pain and grief are common. Witnessing each other in our pain, in our grief, is a powerful step towards healing. Even if you think you have “heard it all before” that is not the point. It is the act of listening, with open ears and an open heart that is so powerful. To listen without defending your position, to listen without a position at all, is a courageous act.

3) Third, what is needed is to look into the situation and ask your self, what have I contributed to creating this situation? We all have an impact and we all contribute to what is going on right now. The more willing we are to own our part of the situation, the more likely it is that something different will become possible.

4) Fourth, what is needed is the willingness to be flexible. The more firmly positioned we get on a certain point, the less likely it is that we can find a solution that is workable for everyone involved. The last thing to get stuck on is principle. Stay willing and flexible and ask, what is needed here for the best outcome for everyone?

No matter where we live in the world, as we each stay willing to examine the wounds we carry in our own souls and heal them, the brighter our contribution will be to issues that seem far away and so much bigger than us. As you sit here right now, in this moment, you are having an effect on worldly matters. Are you willing?

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

We Each Have the Power to Create

2008-12-05T22:19:00.000-08:00

Even in these strange and trying times, we are each blessed with the opportunity and the responsibility to live consciously and create powerfully. Even as global economic and social systems are being redesigned before our very eyes, each of us can step up to make a difference. Today's wealth was created through old systems that are giving way and new ideas and opportunities are emerging. The ideas that will carry us into the future will have to offer sustainability for all involved - including our planet.

This transition is shaking up all the old ways of thinking; yesterday's experts are today's beginners. People's lives are turning upside down; old jobs are being lost as new ones will be created in more sustainable, people and earth-friendly industries.

Now more than any other time we are faced with the truth of our connectedness to one other.

There is no self-serving policy - for any nation - that can hold out much longer. We are inter-related in every way. And, while this will one day be recognized as the most amazing blessing, in the meantime it terrifies some. (Love to you!) The days of "Us vs. Them" will eventually play out its time.

Terrorism is an extreme example of a destructive "us-them"ideology. Terrorists strike out with misguided actions, using old ways of force and destruction to attempt change. Though this time of such intense violence will pass, it will likely be a painful time for all until it does. When we learn of terrorist action, we grieve both for loved ones we've known personally and those we may only read about in the news. When terrorist actions erupt, we all become victims of the violence, of broken hearts, and of the desperate thinking of people who have become divided and disconnected.

Thankfully, in even greater numbers and at the same time, good people are doing amazing things in the world. They are creating beauty with open hearts, supporting the development of new ideas, and showing others how to find their way in to a fulfilling life. Overall I am finding that hope and resourcefulness are prevailing and believe it is possible for each one of us to take a role to assure they will prevail. Together we can set a course for recovery, not just for ourselves but also for others.

Here's how it can work. You can start each day, by recovering your own connection to the resourceful One you are, the intelligent One you are, the beautiful One you are. I call this One the Divine Self in you. You can begin a daily practice of moving from judgment and doubt to beauty and possibility. In order to do this it is helpful to create some practice that opens up your mind, your heart, and your body to the beauty of this and every moment and to the truth.

Take time each day to review your behaviors. Are you often slipping into doubt, criticizing our self or others, or assuming a victim role? Each of these behaviors distorts what is really going on around us. It turns what we are experiencing into lies, and then we use those lies against others or ourselves. Any idea or thought that puts you or someone else down is a lie. Falling into this way of thinking happens all too easily when we aren't paying attention and taking the responsibility to move past such lies. When we are connected to our Divine Self, such lies do not take hold.

From our own place of Divine connection and grounding, we can more easily look out into the world and assist others as they discover their own path - their gifts and genius that take them closer to their own unique expression of the Divine Self. It is important to note that in this work of getting reconnected to the Divine Self, we need never find ourselves alone. Alone is yet another lie. It is created from an aspect within us that uses the illusion of aloneness to hold us down. In truth, we are never alone.

From the place of personal recovery, look out into the community of your choice and ask, "What is needed here?" and "What part can I play in providing that?" Something, however small or large, will occur to you when you ask these questions from your Divine Self's point of view. Ask these questions with friends, family, and colleagues, and ask from a place of openness. Notice who resonates with your ideas and who would like to join you in creating new ideas from the inspiration of Divine Self.

Next move from the inspiration of those ideas to the creation of what is needed. It may be as simple as calling people and having brilliant conversations, or it might require the gathering of resources and leadership to build something new in response to what the world needs now. Whatever the case, allow yourself to move towards it with ease and delight and trust that you have been gifted with a part to play in this new unfolding story of the world today.

We each are blessed with the opportunity and the responsibility to live and create according to Divine wisdom. We must learn how to walk this life in ease, delight, and joy. That is our Divine purpose.

So walk on and I look forward to hearing more of your stories about how you are creating your own most amazing life.

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Thank you United States!

2008-11-06T12:49:00.001-08:00

Thank you United States!!
Can you feel the sense of relief from all around the globe since the US election? There is a beautiful opportunity now, to recreate the way the US will be in relationship with the rest of the world. I trust that now is the time, a new time for all of us. A time for healing. It's a time for all of us to look out past our immediate interests and consider what is needed for the greater good of all.

One good thing that may come from the global economic situation is that we get to see in an undeniable way, how we are all so connected and interrelated.
I believe that we now have a world leader that will be able to bring the planet together rather than blow it apart. Barack Obama is that leader. Obama will need all of our support because the problem is not his, it is ours. It will take all of us, globally, to turn the tide around into waters that create healing and openness rather than the fear and separation that has been flowing for the last eight years.

In a strange turn of events, the State of California has voted on a clause which, if followed through on, would take away basic human rights from a minority group of people. It is the right for gay and lesbian people to get married. I was stunned that this proposition passed. One step forward, two steps back. That conversation will now be front and center, at least in California. What can we do?

It is very difficult sometimes to understand another person’s point of view when it is so different from our own. It is even more difficult when we get afraid and shut down our willingness to hear one other. The willingness to listen deeply and fully is one sign of an awakened human. So, lets stay open, remember to breathe deep, stay grounded in our resourcefulness and out of fear, and lets discuss this.

As Rumi so beautifully stated...
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

We must all be willing to meet there, please join me.
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com
************************************************
Patrick Ryan
Chief Waker-Upper

Who is doing your voting?

2008-10-20T21:17:00.001-07:00

Hello!

Well here we are again, about to choose the next generation of leadership in the United States. As a Canadian residing in the US, I do not get to vote so I have a unique perspective on what is unfolding. It’s an interesting time in the world right now, and as I’ve been traveling about the world lately I appreciate the opportunity I’ve had to hear so many different perspectives on the changes taking place. The current global economic challenges are trading headlines daily with the US election process, and the entire world is keeping an eye on the United States as it all unfolds.

Obviously running a presidential election campaign is stressful. One gauge of a great leader is how he or she responds to stress and how he or she continues to manage a campaign under pressure. After all, if you can’t manage your own campaign in a good way, how could you be expected to manage the role of President of the United States of America and its attendant global responsibilities?
Consider, both candidates in this US election said very clearly early on, that they would not stoop to the pressure to include negative campaign ads In their strategy.
Low and behold, both have. Why is that?

Election strategists tend to agree that negative ads can and do work, and some might insist the use of such ads is necessary to win. But what do we gain in a campaign that’s “won” with negative ads? Negative ads do “work” in that they prey upon our often-present underlying fears and cause us to doubt our deepest voting instincts. The fearful side in each of us is always on the look-out for things to be afraid of so, yes, negative campaigns can “work” if they gain power as THEY feed on our fears.

During the presidential debates, groups of undecided voters are hooked up to electronic equipment, which indicates when they are either attracted to or repelled by a candidate. The meters flip quickly into attraction when candidates speak about solutions from a resourceful and wise aspect of themselves; when a leader is able to stay clear and grounded in his or her wisdom, this in turn activates the wisdom of those observing. If an undecided voter were to stop right there, and vote from this place of wisdom, we’d likely end up with a candidate who has some pretty sound ideas.

However the converse is also true; when candidates start bashing their opponents, approval indicators start dropping as undecided voters start to feel conflicted. The candidate who goes down the road of negativity is counting on this, for negativity is contagious. If a candidate can get voters to cast doubt on his rival’s character and abilities, the vote may sway. When candidates campaign from this lower aspect of their nature, they activate it in others. And those who are not grounded enough in their own wisdom may get pulled down the road of negativity.

We can hope, but not expect that our candidates will always refrain from using negative ads. When one candidate starts, another may feel obliged to respond and defend – a seemingly inevitable and vicious cycle of negative ads ensues.

So what can we hope for in a voting nation when negative ads are calling out to us? We can hope for discernment.

We have two basic inner aspects of our selves through which we can choose a candidate. Awakened Wisdom teachings describe these aspects as the Divine Self and Distorted Self. Simply put, Divine Self is the resourceful, creative, empowered aspect of who we are, while Distorted Self is the fearful, critical, judgmental aspect of who we are. We each have our own personal version of these two aspects lurking within us.

As you step into the voting booth you have an important choice. You can vote for what you believe is the highest and best solution or you can vote from fear.

Whichever aspect you put in charge of your voting will determine what you’ll create in this election and in your life. If you vote according to your Divine Self, (a choice based on your best wisdom given all the insight and information you have) it is likely to attract positive results for all. (FYI - Making a Divine choice can also still feel risky. It may include agreeing to short term risks in hopes for long term, or more broadly reaching benefits, not just for yourself, but for others.)

If you allow fear to guide your vote, you are choosing to put your own Distorted Self in charge. Such a fear-based choice would continue to create more fear, resentment and scarcity. It would attract a leadership style that would be operating through the same fearful energy that has empowered it. If a presidential candidate wins through fear and negativity, these energies will no doubt overshadow the entire presidency. We have been trudging through a long stretch of fear-based leadership; we have a choice to shift this energy. The world is watching the United States as it chooses its next leader.

I cannot tell anyone which way I think he or she should vote. I am however, reminding people to choose well - through wisdom rather than fear.
When you do vote, ask your self these two simple questions:
What is most needed in the Leadership of this country at this time?
Which candidate is most likely able to create that?

I will state that it seems time for all nations to learn to create again from wisdom, trust, courage, and openness. To do this now, Americans must be willing to let go of creating from fear. That doesn’t mean being naïve, it means operating from Divine wisdom. This is the kind of wisdom that knows real, from imagined dangers and is willing to hold out for long-term sustainable prosperity versus short-term gain.

Any idea or action that does not add beauty to the next generation is not a good idea for the day at hand.

Thank you for hearing this Canadian’s two cents,
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Awakened Wisdom at work in London

2008-10-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

The London Awakened Wisdom workshop took place this last weekend. It was a fulfilling event set in the beautiful grounds of the Maria Assumpta center in Kensington.

I found it very interesting to have an opportunity to apply the Awakened Wisdom teachings against the backdrop of the financial crisis that is especially hitting Britain now. We got to look into this situation according to the Awakened Wisdom philosophy, and through that perspective a general sense of well being and optimism prevailed.
Everyone in attendance reported their delight, about being able to renew their relationships to their Inner Wisdom and to check in on their life dreams and purpose.
And what fun - to gather with people that came from as far away as South Africa, Denmark, Dubai, Switzerland, and then of course there was the marvelous UK contingent. Time and again, these teachings hold to be cross-cultural, so everyone is able to relate and find their own Awakened Wisdom within them.
One of the most frequent pieces of feedback I get is about the simplicity of the ideas and that despite the simplicity, they still create a deep and profound shift in how the participants learn to live their lives.
Thank you to Pemma, Sue, Karen, and Kate. Without your help this event would not have been as successful.
The next Awakened Wisdom event is in Toronto in November. I look forward to seeing everyone there.
Check out the Awakened Wisdom website for details.

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Awakened Wisdom in Los Angeles

2008-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Awakened Wisdom event took place this past weekend and by all accounts it had a big impact on those who attended. I am always thrilled to hear to what extent this workshop/urban vision quest is changing the way people are living their lives. It really is like hitting the reset switch - to start living according to an older wisdom we all know deep inside. It's a wisdom we easily forget as we get caught in the daily rush and chaos.

Most of the ancient and great teachers, such as the Buddha, agreed that being handed knowledge was useful up to a point but it never replaced the need to have your own experience. That is what makes this workshop so powerful - it lets you have your own experience. It does not pretend to tell you about ideas as if you don't already know them. Rather it pulls out and presents existing ideas in a fresh and accessible way - a livable way. This workshop takes you through experiences that allow you to get your own learning, according to where you are at in your own journey. Thank you to all who attended the event this weekend, for your openness and for playing full out.
Now I am off to London

Economic crisis, or inevitable shift?

2008-10-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Wow.
Can you even follow, all that is going on in the economic world news these days? Many people are asking - how do I keep my spirit up and my life moving forward when nearly every news story is threatening doom and gloom?

Let's look at some of the Awakened Wisdom principles of living an awakened life and see what they tell us.

1) From a Good State of Understanding. Consider the idea of cycles and timing. The world is taking a big economic in-breath right now. So many years of rapid growth and vigor are now being followed by a time of rebalance and correction. Many of the practices that were put in place to accelerate the world economies have now come back to bite us. I don’t hear anybody arguing the point, that it was the greed of some people inside financial institutions and the greed of the financial system itself that held the accelerator pedal down. Greed over sensibility never works out. So of course now the cycle is playing out. It is time for a correction. A primary problem with most financial systems is that they generally have short-term profit as their guiding principle; artificial acceleration of the drive for profit will inevitably lead to breakdowns. It is not sustainable.

2) A Good State of Intention has us look at what is truly important to us now. We get to use this time to realign with our deeper underlying intentions - in our jobs, in the organizations that we are running, and in our personal lives. When intention is only guided by the energy of the mind, it cannot help but lead us into trouble. Now is a time to bring some heart intelligence back into the system. Mind intelligence, when balanced with heart intelligence, will activate great creativity towards objectives that are more sustainable than those of the old system that seems now to be collapsing around us.

3) A Good State of Words. The words we choose, in the stories we tell ourselves about what is happening now, are setting up our present state of mind. When we speak to our selves, our families, our colleagues, it is important that we speak from the resourcefulness of Divine inner wisdom, rather than from uncertainty or fear. If you are feeling confronted by the current situation then certainly tell that as part of your story. But as you cast yourself as a character in your story, be sure to tell about your resilience and your creativity and how you are finding a way through this time. The media, driven by profits, is telling plenty of dreadful stories that permeate and influence our state of mind. Be discerning about what stories you are listening to. Seek balanced views.

4) A Good State of Being reminds us to look into the relationships of our life including the relationship that we have with our self, our families, and our colleagues. At the end of the day, it’s how you’ve been in these relationships that really matters. For many it is a time to slow down as the storms pass by, to nurture your physical well-being. A good physical well-being will support your emotional being as well. If you are experiencing anger or fear about what is going on in the world at this time, first notice that then ground yourself in your Divine inner wisdom. Spending time in away from the fray, in nature if possible, is one of the most powerful ways to do that.

5) A Good State of Purpose reminds us to look deeper into why we are chasing whatever it is that has us so compelled at the moment. Every now and then we get completely distracted, chasing after a ball that no longer serves us. Step out of the chase for a moment and look again at what is truly important now. What is worthy of your attention according to your heart wisdom?

6) A Good State of Effort. Notice what doors ARE opening now. Trust, and walk through them with ease and delight. In challenging times it is especially important to keep breathing easy and move according to the current of the river in which you find yourself. Sometimes it is time to row harder (though still with ease and delight) and sometimes it is time to pull your paddle out of the water and coast a bit. Relax and consider - what is the right amount of effort for you at this time?

7) A Good State of Practice. When the world around us is shaking, it is easy to put aside your daily practices. Yet this is the most important time to maintain them. Look into your physical practice and take care of your body. What spiritual practice is needed now? This is a good time to practice daily appreciations for whatever you DO have that is truly important in your life right now.

8) A Good State of Doing. Staying engaged in the action of your life is important. Compare the amount of action you’ve been taking with the situation you are now in. As the Northern hemisphere moves towards winter it is time to prepare to slow down for a while. We humans were never meant to run full out forever. Perhaps this is a time to embrace slowing down, finding a different pace that is congruent with the ebb in which we may now find ourselves.

It is easy to move through good times and enjoy life. In challenging times we find out who we really are. This is a good time to notice the wisdom of your heart and to clean up your house of old priorities that no longer fit or serve you.
Even the world economic systems are not immune from this wisdom.

Be well,
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

San Francisco Gets Awakened

2008-08-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!
What a weekend. The latest offering of Awakened Wisdom’s, Claim Your Awakened Life Now! just happened in San Francisco, and all of the people in attendance have been reporting that they were deeply impacted by the event. I am pleased about that, because having an impact is why I do this work.

I was particularly moved by this group of dynamic people, and the way in which they showed up fully, to play and explore their personal genius, (whatever that might have been) as of August, 2008. As is the case with these events, this one attracted people from many regions, and phases of life. Each had something different to bring, and take away from, the workshop. You see, we humans are amazing beings. We keep learning and growing as the world around us moves itself forward, so it is important that we look into the mirror with fresh eyes and heart, over and over again, and continue to ask, Who am I now?!!

It is from this place, of diversity and personal ingenuity, that we all dreamed and designed together this weekend. Many people reported old dreams stirring again, that renewed vital energy around them. Others discovered freedom from old ideas and are moving now in new, more vibrant directions, that resonate more strongly with their hearts, bodies and minds.

Thank you to all who came, and to those who brought friends, even without fully understanding what it was, that might happen in these three days.
The nature of this work is beyond words, and I am still learning how to talk about it myself. All I do know, is that magic happens and lives are shifted.

Presence in London

2008-07-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

I am in London today, after delivering a three-day workshop that by all accounts went quite well. I found myself with some time that wasn’t otherwise booked, so I decided to take a walk. I enjoy walking around London and am always fascinated by the people and old English style shops, pubs, museums and bridges.
As I walked I noticed how enjoyable the time was, and I found myself thinking about presence. I was thinking about how important it is to be present, about how much we miss when we are not present, and how challenging it is to stay present. And, as I thought more about this, I tripped on a curb. Of course I recovered, and brought my attention back to thinking about presence, as I continued my walk.
As I passed a shop, someone said something to me, though I wasn't sure what it was, as I was so busy thinking about presence. This person turned away, and so I carried on my walk, thinking about presence.
I had to cross a street, which is always tricky for me in London, as the traffic is moving opposite to what I am used to. I choose to trust, that while I am busy thinking about presence, those cars will surely see me. A car honks. Is it really necessary to honk the horn like that just because a pedestrian is on the street? This car had plenty of room to get by. Now I've lost track of my thought on presence.
Ah yes, I was contemplating how challenging it is, to do just one thing at a time in this busy culture we have created. I decided to note this down on a pad of paper as I walked along, thinking about presence. I write and wonder why is my writing so messy whenever I write as I walk along?
Soon I was lost, and had to stop thinking about presence so that I could reorient myself to my hotel's location. But I realized I didn’t want to return to it anyway, and had forgotten for a moment that I had plenty of time to just walk along and think about presence.
As I continued walking I saw an interesting looking person with wonderfully wild clothes and an unusual gait. As I walked along watching him, I bumped into someone else, remembering again, I'd lost my thought about presence.
So I had to start over with a new one. What does it mean to be present anyway?
I wondered. Aren’t we always present to something? And isn’t that enough?
Good thing I brought my cell phone, as I forgot I'd meant to call someone. Now if only I could remember where I put his number. Oh yeah, I forgot it in the hotel room.
Where am I anyway?

Living an Awakened Life

2008-06-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

To live an Awakened Life, is to live life through connection to Divine Self, that is the pure essence of who we are. This requires us to be willing to open and connect fully, to everything that is present in the moment. That means really opening to the full emotional experience of the moment, the full body experience and the full mind experience. This sounds like a good idea, and yet in order to do this, we risk imagined consequences such as the possibility of connecting to unpleasant sensations. Many people move through life creating their experience through fears though most of those fears are imagined. Creating a life in this way will most assuredly result in living in overly cautious way, building a smaller life.
Breath deep. What emotion are you in at this time? What part of your body is speaking the loudest? What thoughts are occupying your mind? Are those thoughts real or imagined?

Examine each thought, especially your concerns. Ask yourself, "Is this a real danger or am I imagining it? A real danger is literal, not imagined. So get clear about the difference. For each concern ask yourself, "What is truly needed with regards to this concern?" and then choose your actions accordingly.
You will discover that most of the concerns you hold are imagined; they are not good reasons to hold back, from making the choices, and living the life you really want.

Being Present

2008-06-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

We often rush through our days, checking off to-do's, phoning and driving. We think about what is next, or worry about - what if?
It's as though the systems of today’s world are designed, precisely to test our willingness and ability to be present.
What is it to be present?
Being present, simply put, means being in the moment, and aware of what is being experienced at that time. It's being aware of your emotional, physical, and mental states. You need not DO anything to be in the moment. You just need to BE. And, to be aware.
One simple way I do this, is to use my breathing to connect to the moment and then to myself, in that moment.
I put my attention on my breath. I let go of distracting thoughts, and check in with my body. Where am I tense? And what is the emotion I am experiencing at this moment?
From this connected state, I am much more resourceful. It allows me to have an overall better experience that day.
Perhaps you have your own tips, for being present?

Awakened Wisdom in Japan

2008-02-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

Awakened Wisdom in Japan,

The workshop, Claim Your Awakened Life Now!, was just offered in Japan. I am very grateful to J., Mika, Kyoko, and to all the others who helped to organize and to promote the event.
It was an exciting experience to be a part of the offering and receiving of the Awakened Wisdom program. I am especially grateful to Mika and Kyoko for their beautiful translation.
Many people who attended told me that they felt that this marked the beginning of a new time, a new era, in Japan. I feel it at a global level that a beautiful awakening is unfolding and everyone who attended came in service to this.
I am very pleased to see how the message of Awakened Wisdom crosses over cultural lines and touches people heart to heart.
I learned much from this event and I return home, to rest and to assimilate the experience into my being.
Thank you as well to others who shared meals, conversations, hopes and dreams, while guiding me through my first time in Japan, at least in this life.
I hope to return for a more advanced offering and so for those who asked me to consider that, stay tuned for future announcements.

Go in Happiness,
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Awakened Wisdom in Israel

2008-02-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

Awakened Wisdom in Israel,
The Claim Your Awakened Life Now! workshop was recently offered in Israel. I want to thank the partners that organized it and all the beautiful people that attended.
In order to tell this story and keep personal identities confidential I will refer to the good people involved according to their gender and their cultural background. To the extent that adds to the illusion of separateness, I apologize. I don’t know how else to tell the story.
It was set in an amazing retreat center in the Negev Desert. The setting was very simple and that allowed us to really blend in with the sacred land and to drop more deeply into the experience of what it is to be human.
As much the intention of the gathering was to offer and receive the Awakened Wisdom work the Universe through its Divine wisdom had an additional plan for us all. In order to unfold that plan the Universe inspired some Palestinian people to join us as well. This added such a rich fabric to an already beautiful plan.
The Jewish culture and the Arab culture are taught not to trust each other and that is the message that members of each group receive at a very young age. At the level of soul to soul such agreements do not exist.
Without exception the humans that attended this event wanted to move past the illusion of barriers that separated them. Blessings to you all for that!
The first challenge that showed up was when we received a message that the Israeli border guards in the interest of performing their duty had delayed the Arab participants from entering Israel. The gift of that is that it inspired the Jewish people to send love and prayers for the Palestinians to get through. It also, I believe, created the journey for everyone in this event to be more at the level of a vision quest. Through that the journey of our souls in this event was opened up to a much deeper level.
Thankfully the prayers and the wisdom of the border guards shone brightly and they allowed our Arab friends to pass through and to arrive safely.
We all came together on the land and the weaving of intentions, hopes, and Oneness began in earnest.
I have seldom felt so blessed as I was to be able to witness and to hold the space for these amazing and open people to do their work.
Two moments touched me deeply, both moments happened at about the same time at two different places in the desert.
In one moment, I looked over and saw a Palestinian woman and a Jewish woman standing face to face, heart to heart, with each other in conversation and the light that was exchanging between them was so bright that I knew that great healing was taking place.
I then turned and looked into a different direction and saw an Arab man and a Jewish man sitting on the edge of a small rock rise in deep conversation with each other. Again the light of love was opening and I knew that the work these people were engaged in was on behalf of all of us on the planet that feel separated from any other.
I watched as their minds, full of teachings and stories about why they should not trust each other struggled to move forward. I watched as their hearts, filled with desire to connect and know the full experience of each other, had them lean in as they learned to trust each other a bit at a time. Thankfully the wisdom of their hearts prevailed over the concerns of their minds and in the end the people left the event hugging and casting wishes for more of this in the world.
Blessings to you all for your desire to move forward as one people, for the courage it takes to set aside the cultural conditioning, and for the willingness to heal the memories of times past that are painful.
I am in gratitude to the Universe for using us all in this way, to forward the dream that all humans will reclaim their Oness with the divine.
Thank you to you for reading this.
Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Adventure in Barcelona

2007-12-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

Today I am writing from Barcelona,

Yesterday was my first day in Barcelona. I have three days to relax between leading two different workshops. It was a very surprising start to my visit here to get robbed before I even had breakfast.

That event really gave me the opportunity to experience the application of Awakened Living.

At first I was in denial, I couldn't believe it had happened. I was trying to convince myself that maybe I had misunderstood what had happened but alas I could not deny the fact, I had been robbed. I knew I had to look at this face on.

Then I got angry. I got angry at myself for allowing this to happen. I got angry at the crooks who take advantage of kind people. In this case the crooks impersonated being kind to get closer to me, to take advantage. I allowed myself to experience the anger.

I then went through a stage of asking the Universe what I could do to lessen the damage here. I cancelled my credit cards, I filed a police report, and got philosophical about it all. Making the best of a bad situation.

I wandered around for a day with barely enough money for a meal, it brought back memories of when that was a fact in my life, a time long ago. Then I observed myself falling into a depression. I had a hotel room and I didn't want to leave. I felt like sleeping all the next day. I was falling. A time to recover, to choose, to stay resourceful.

I kicked myself out of bed and asked the Universe to give me a good day. I asked to meet someone nice, I asked for a different experience than I had been having. I noticed I was nervous but I headed out for a day of tourism anyway.
I had arranged for some money to be wired to me, thank you American Express for coming through as advertised, where one of my other banks said I had better be able to prove i got robbed or I could be in trouble.

Thanks to the wonderful waiter at a nearby restaurant who as I sat down, warned me to watch my bag, and when i told him my story, he really listened and then was just nice and made such a difference.

Please be kind to a stranger today.

I finally found myself to a place where I could do a loving kindness meditation for the robbers, for the police, for myself, and with that I felt all the negative energy of this event wash away.

I am grateful for this event for revealing to me where I still have work to do and I could have done without it.
This is a small thing in the world today, it just happens to be the day I had.

All of this happened in roughly twenty four hours.
What a day.

Journey well and be safe,
Patrick

Awakened Gift Giving

2007-11-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Today I am writing from Istanbul:

For many people around the world this is a time for planning the gatherings of families and friends. A lot of this energy is focused around the Christmas time celebrations.
The irony is that we often allow ourselves to get so stressed out over the details that the point of this time all gets lost in the mail.
Exchanging gifts has long been established as a custom for the Christmas time. Every news broadcast is talking about the spending reports of shoppers each day and forecasting the season like a sporting match that we must win by spending more. The message is to spend lots and save the economy. – ouch!

Here are a couple of other ways to go rather than getting caught up in the consumer game.
Donate money to a charity that represents something you believe in and then give out cards to the the people on whose behapf you did that for instead of gifts.
Here are a couple of possibilities:
Red Cross – Always doing good work out there
World Vison – Look for the gift catalogue and give a goat or a well for water.
US Campaign for burma - http://www.uscampaignforburma.org/ needs your support

Let your gift dollars create important social change on the planet.

Be well

Clean and clear agreements

2007-11-12T11:35:00.001-08:00

Agreements?
We are in many agreements with everyone that we have relationship with. Every time we make a promise or an intention with another we have created and agreement. This applies to the agreements that we have made with our selves as well.
How many times have you promised to yourself that you would exercise or read a book or some other thing only to let it slip away?
If a friend of yours kept promising to meet you somewhere and never showed up you would stop trusting their agreement. Well this is the same thing that you do to yourself. Every time you make an agreement another part of you hears it and may doubt you according to your record.
What can you do?
1) Clean up incomplete agreements with people around you including yourself.
2) Re-evaluate the promises that you have been making and not following through on. It may be that it is time to release yourself from those, “good ideas.”
3) If upon reevaluation you still feel that the promise is important to you then get help from someone around you to support you in following through.
4) Get real about what you are going to do and then do it.
5) Reward yourself for your successes, have compassion for your failed attempts, and keep clear and clean about what is needed.

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

The Power of Words

2007-10-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

The power of words

Words are powerful. It seems that we all know that and yet it seems that few of us have a word behavior that could really stand up to a well meaning scrutiny.
Our behavior with words becomes a standard operating procedure until something comes along or happens that causes us to reexamine how we are doing.
It is helpful to have some guidelines for the words we use.

1) What is the underlying intention beneath the words. It is important for us to be highly conscious of not just what we say but what we intended by what we said.
Sarcasm is a classic example of how intention and words are not always in alignment.
All to often someone says something like, "Excuse me," when something that they perceive as wrong happens and if these words are spoken with sarcasm what they are really saying is quite different then the literal meaning.

2) Beauty - Do all your words create beauty when they are spoken. I myself have a life long habit of complaining that I have been working on correcting over a long period of time. It doesn't matter how good the reason for complaining seems to be because complaining itself does not create beauty.

3) Courage - Do your words evoke courage. Courage is of the heart. It is contagious and it connects us to our inner resourcefulness. The opposite of courage is fear. Words that are filled with fear shut down our resourcefulness and creativity.

4) Compassion - Imagine always speaking about others and yourself from a compassionate place. The opposite of compassion is shame, blame, and guilt. Imagine that you extended a compassionate view to yourself and all those around you. What would have to shift in your words to your self and others to reflect compassion.

I could go on and I am curious about how you are doing in the choice of words that you are using on a daily basis.

Often we become blind to our word habit. It would be interesting to make a game with a friend to tap your arm every time you use words that are not consistent with the above guidelines. Try it for just one day and see where the opportunity is for you to grow your word habit in a good way.

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Want to do the right thing!

2007-10-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

Want to do the right thing!

What does it take to do the “right” thing?
This is a complicated world we live in. It seems that the more information that I have about what is going on around the planet the more challenging it is to know what the right thing to do, say, or think, is.
An example of what I am talking about is the purchasing decisions I make. As I watch the news, blogs, and other sources of information I am bombarded by requests to not buy from one company or country and to support another.
Two big areas of concern for me are human rights issues and the environment.
Sometimes it is a challenge not to become overwhelmed and helpless in the face of complicated and many sided issues and from that helpless place I want to turn away or distract myself from thinking through what the impact is that I am having on the world around me.
It seems that there must be a point of balance that allows me to sometimes buy a product from a company or country that has a poor human rights record for example and at other times to say, No, without feeling like a hypocrite.
It seems to me that absolute rules box us in, in a way that is not helpful.
I always try to do the right thing I just find that it is not always clear what that is.

The threshold of Awakened Organizations

2007-10-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

The threshold of Awakened Organizations

I am noticing a shift in what I will call the Awakened Factor of organizations. By Awakened Factor I mean the extent to which an organization is willing to create practices and policy that consider the well-being and sustainability of the people who work there, the client base it serves, as well the planet itself. Of course what remains a reasonable and important question for organizations is how do they make a profit from this emerging way of being. After all no profit; no sustainability of the organization itself.
To a large extent this shift is consumer driven. It might seem to some organizations that they are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. More and more organizations are being held accountable for their decisions and consumers vote with their spending dollar.
Whatever the reason for this shift, and there are many reasons, people that work in these organizations are finding more and more support for making Awakened Decisions.
One challenge that these leading edge decision makers are facing is how to break out of the old paradigms of thinking and problem solving in order to find new ways of thinking when looking for new products as well as solutions to supply of resources and human power.

What is needed for your organization to break out of it’s old ways and join this emerging way of operating?

Who else is asking these same questions in your organization?

Aung San Suu Kyi, an honorary Canadian citizen.

2007-10-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

The CBC in Canada is reporting the following story with regards to Aung San Suu Kyi:

From the CBC website:
"Parliament on Wednesday unanimously passed a motion to designate Burma's democracy advocate, Aung San Suu Kyi, an honorary Canadian citizen.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper presented the motion in the House of Commons, calling her a "symbol of the desire of the Burmese people for political freedom."
Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been held under house arrest in Burma — also known as Myanmar — for the past 18 years by the military junta governing the impoverished southeast Asian country.
"All Canadians know that what is happening in Burma is an attack on the values we hold dear … and an attack on the values of civilization itself," Harper said, following a standing ovation."

Effectively I am not sure how this helps Burma in the short run but I am very glad none the less that this has happened.

Almost everyone I speak to is frustrated by the sense of helplessness about being able to help.

By the way, where is the money that these corrupt Burmese generals are syphoning off of the Burmese people.
Shouldn't we be able to trace that somewhere and freeze it. That would get their attention. As the old saying goes, "Follow the money!"

The amounts of money that must have been gathered after all these years of corruption must be huge and I doubt that they are keeping it in Burmese banks.

Somewhere out there is a banker who knows were this money is.

Well at the very least I just want to encourage you all to keep sharing information, keep talking about it and praying.

Somewhere out there is a solution.

Living Awake

2007-10-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

This website is about living an awakened life. That includes our time at work in our careers as well as how we live our personal life.
Here are a few ideas on how to recognize when an awakened life is happening:
- you are living mostly from a resourceful perspective
- you are able to move your life forward
- you make choices in life that honor all those around you
- your day to day choices create beauty
- you are supportive of those around you
- your life is balanced
- your relationships are clean and bright

How are you doing?

What else would you add to this list?

What are the challenges you experience in living an Awakened Life?

Burma needs us now!

2007-10-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

I was once a Buddhist monk in Burma. That was in 1995-1996.

It was an amazing experience to be taken into such an ancient culture and to be offered such old and wise teachings. I have an old karmic link with this amazing land and the people there.

I was most fortunate to be able to meet Aung San Su Kui in her home during a brief period of time when she was released from her house arrest. She is a brave and humble woman who is among many other things a symbol of hope for the Burmese people. She is affectionately referred to as, "the Lady."

When I met with her I asked her what was one thing that anybody, from anywhere, could do to support the people in this troubled time.
Her response was clear and simple. She asked us, the people of the world, to send Meta to the people of Burma. Meta is most closely translated to mean, loving kindness.
This is the place for us all to begin in working to free Burma from one of the cruelest and greediest military juntas on the planet.

The Power of Prayer

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence of the power of prayer. The affect we have when we call in help from the other side. Many traditions have different ideas on what prayer looks like and of course there are as many different views of who or what we are praying to as there are gathering places for people.

The one common theme amongst them all is that prayer works.

So please join us now according to the wisdom of your tradition.

I ask you now to send out a prayer, or a cry, for the people of Burma.
Pray for a peaceful solution - now.
Pray for wisdom to somehow cause the military to lay down their guns and to resist the greedy generals that are using force and brutality and intimidation to keep the soldiers in line.
Pray to have the monks freed from their capture.
Pray that the generals in charge realize that the course of violence, slavery and greed is ultimately doomed to fail.

And, as well as pray add your voice to the global protest that is rising now.
Avaaz.org has a petition going that will reach people that can make a difference.

Please do sign it:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?cl_tf_sign=1

From the AVAAZ.ORG website:

Burma: From the Avaaz.org website

Stand with the Burmese Protesters
After decades of military dictatorship, the people of Burma are rising – and they need our help. Marches begun by monks and nuns snowballed, bringing hundreds of thousands to the streets. Now the crackdown has begun, but the protests are spreading...

When the Burmese last marched in 1988, the military massacred thousands. If the world stands up and supports their struggle, this time they could win. We're in a race against time-- targeting the dictatorship's main backer China in a global advertising campaign, delivering the petition to the UN secretary-general and sending the Burmese our support via radio--

To Chinese President Hu Jintao and the UN Security Council:

We stand alongside the citizens of Burma in their peaceful protests. We urge you to oppose a violent crackdown on the demonstrators, and to support genuine reconciliation and democracy in Burma. We pledge to hold you accountable for any further bloodshed.

Sign the petition here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?cl_tf_sign=1

Journey Happily

Patrick Ryan
www.AwakenedWisdom.com

Welcome

2007-10-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, here I go into the world of blogging.
It is my hope that you will find this blog relevant, provocative, informative and entertaining. We all have an impact in every moment on the people and the world around us and I am going to be using this blog to affect the world according to what my intuition and wisdom tells me is needed.

I expect to cover a wide range of topics from current affairs and trends to how to live life in a highly conscious state of being and have fun and joy in the journey of it.

I have created www.AwakenedWisdom.com as a site that will eventually be a source of inspiration and wisdom, gathered from wise beings everywhere, intended to guide us along a life well lived.

Thank you in advance for playing along.

Patrick