| You know & feel it. You have a wisdom that is in | | | | that the more we sink our chi into the earth, the |
| the special gifts that only you can give to others. | | | | more energy rises up from the earth and flows |
| These gifts are what I call "The Wisdom of You." | | | | through our bodies. So, when you want to call on |
| I believe that you and I may offer almost the | | | | the trait of Groundedness, allow your life energy |
| same words or actions to others, but only your | | | | to flow as Earth Energy. |
| way will speak to some people. Some people can | | | | Another trait is Faith. This trait may begin with |
| only understand what you offer by the way you | | | | excitement and a strong belief that we will be |
| offer it... by the way they can connect with you | | | | able to share our wisdom and that others will |
| and maybe not me. If you don't share your | | | | value within it. As most of us know Faith may be |
| wisdom, those same people may never "get the | | | | challenged along the way and we may even lose |
| message". I was an elementary school principal for | | | | our way at times. If our faith is strong, we will |
| ten years of my 30-year public education career. | | | | fairly quickly get back on course and continue to |
| Every year I would greet every class of students | | | | move ahead. A life energy that supports Faith is |
| with a message about why they were in school. I | | | | Fire Energy. When our life energy is flowing up |
| told them that, yes, they were here to learn | | | | and forward we are able to remain focused on |
| reading, math, and all the other subjects; | | | | our intentions and others feel this and pay |
| however, most important was for each of them | | | | attention... as we "know the way". Fire Energy has |
| to begin learning what their gifts were so that | | | | various intensities and the raging fire at time is a |
| when they were grown they could give them | | | | bank of coals waiting to flare up again. Use the |
| back to the world. Many children do have an idea | | | | flow of Fire Energy to support your Faith in your |
| of what their unique gifts are and they can be | | | | wisdom and how it will serve others. |
| encouraged to develop them, trust in them, and | | | | Perseverance is what gives you courage to take |
| use them. Now that I am a professional coach, I | | | | action. As Meg Wheatly points out, the Chinese |
| work with some people who have let life get in | | | | translation is "patience". To persevere involves |
| the way and know what their they special | | | | knowing how to call on patience to make it |
| wisdom is and now want to begin sharing it more | | | | through the tough times. The flow of life energy |
| openly in their lives. This desire usually comes with | | | | that supports this trait is Water Energy. When our |
| a realization that sharing your wisdom is "living | | | | life energy is flowing back and down, we can "go |
| your bliss", to use Joseph Campbell's phrase, and | | | | with the flow"... whether fast or slow, and find the |
| they are not living in that place. These folks then | | | | gift in all of our experiences along the way. By |
| begin to have questions... fears and doubts... | | | | shifting our energy flow to Water Energy we can |
| around stepping forward and declaring their | | | | accept what comes our way, allow it to be, and |
| wisdom and staying the path to share it. Oh yeah, | | | | then move along in the direction of our intention. |
| there are all those things about how to get | | | | Fearlessness allows us to be open to what comes |
| started... like where, when, with what and, of | | | | without being so attached that we can't |
| course can they really make a living by sharing | | | | appreciate the learning that comes with it. We can |
| their wisdom; i.e. will any body pay them for what | | | | avoid defensiveness and remain curious... it is not |
| they share? | | | | "all about us"... it never is. Allowing our life energy |
| This article is about what is needed to stay the | | | | to flow back and up in Air Energy takes us to a |
| course, both while you are figuring out all those | | | | place of curiosity, even wonder. We look around |
| details, and, even more importantly, once you | | | | more as we are less focused and more |
| begin and things don't go as fast as you would | | | | interested in everything that is going on. We may |
| like. I chose 5 words and a corresponding life | | | | even see new possibilities that were not there |
| energy that supports each trait. These words | | | | when we were in Fire Energy or even in deep |
| suggest traits we will want to cultivate as we | | | | Earth Energy... where we believe we have all the |
| move in the direction of sharing our wisdom. The | | | | answers. (No energy flow is better or worse than |
| trait words actually came from Meg Wheatly's | | | | others, all have a positive use and a not so |
| latest book: Perseverance ©2010. | | | | positive use. When we pay attention to when |
| The first trait is Groundedness. We know our | | | | things are not serving us and those around us, we |
| wisdom... know it well, and we believe that part of | | | | can learn to shift the flow and change our |
| our life purpose is to share it. Even when things | | | | connection within ourselves and with others.) Air |
| are not going well, we can quiet our minds and | | | | Energy serves us well when we feel we are too |
| feel our connection with this wisdom. From this | | | | attached to the way things need to be for us. |
| place of knowing, we can reconnect with the part | | | | Last, but certainly not least, is the trait of Joy. |
| of us that supports our moving forward and | | | | Joy comes from within us... no one can give it to |
| staying the course. One of the ways for our life | | | | us. Joy supports our intentions, allows us to truly |
| energy to flow supports this feeling of | | | | celebrate everything that comes our way and is a |
| Groundedness. There is a life energy, called "chi" | | | | wonderful clue that we are on the path to sharing |
| flowing through each of us. The direction and the | | | | our wisdom. Center Energy, where life energy is |
| intensity of its flows affect our thoughts, | | | | flowing all around us and within us in every |
| emotions, and how we move. So, if we | | | | direction, allows us to be in the moment where all |
| intentionally shift our flow in different directions | | | | is as it should be. It supports a mood of peace. |
| we can support the emotions and thoughts we | | | | To support the flow of Center Energy, pause and |
| choose to support our intentions. The feeling of | | | | balance your feet beneath your body, allow your |
| groundedness is stronger within us if we allow our | | | | head to be in that "sweet spot" where you do |
| life energy to flow down and slightly forward. I call | | | | not feel it's weight, breathe slowly and just be... |
| this Earth Energy. We can support this flow of | | | | and feel the joy that comes from feeling your |
| energy by intentionally feeling the connection with | | | | connection to all of life. |
| the ground through our feet and by leaning slightly | | | | I encourage you to enjoy and share The Wisdom |
| forward as we sink our energy deep into the | | | | of You! |
| earth. My 12 year study of Tai Chi taught me | | | | |