All Hail the Lizard King!

All hail the Lizard King! What the lizard wants the lizard gets.

Who is the lizard king? Why it's you of course! Each of us has a lizard brain inside of us, that primitive protective psyche housed deep in our brains. The lizard takes over whenever our fears are triggered. You can talk all you want about living your personal calling, but the lizard will do whatever it takes to nix the idea. No love, generosity or creativity exists in the lizard brain, only survival. The lizard is ancient and intractable. The lizard always wins.

I've been on a post-surgical sabbatical from work over the last six weeks. I've had time to let go of work while still having the safety net of an income. The lizard struggled for the first few weeks before quieting down. Then it happened - my creativity unfurled. I began a self-inquiry into what makes me happy. I remembered how much I like to write. I wrote a poem for a friend. I journaled. I began taking better care of my health and wellbeing.

You'd think the lizard would be into that last item, but you'd be surprised how the lizard chirps out, "we don't have time for that, we have to workworkwork!"

The struggle between good and evil might be better stated as the struggle between my higher self and the lizard. When I take time to breathe, to center myself in my heart and listen, I sooth the lizard and open a door. When I release the tightness in my body through movement, I bring my focus out of the lizard brain into my higher brain. When I allow myself time without the distraction of the lizard I can answer my calling and fulfill my purpose.

What do you do to overcome your lizard brain?

Spirit, help me to breath. Spirit, help me exhale. Spirit, with each breath bring me into my higher self that I might channel you through my mind and body. Amen.

Majeeda Rosa

P.S. If you want to learn more about the lizard brain and how to work with it, I recommend Seth Godin's Linchpin: are you Indispensible?

What are you worth?

How do you judge your self-worth? From my dear friend Sheila:

What value do I have?  I’ve spent my entire life asking, "What's my self-worth?"  As a child I valued myself based on grades, number of friends, achievements, awards, recognition.  My self-worth came from what others thought of me.
 
As a young, married adult I determined my value as a person based on my husband’s opinion, my ability to complete a college degree, the job I was able to obtain.  My self-worth came from what others thought of me.
 
As the clock chimed and I faced my 30th birthday, I yet again found myself asking, "What am I worth?"  I based my worth on the career I had, the paycheck I earned, what people thought of me as a mother, what people – even those I would not want in my life - thought of me.  My self-worth came from what others thought of me.
 
Then it happened, I was laid-off.  After a decade in my job, I no longer had any value… any worth.  Without a job, I was not bringing money into the household….. I didn’t provide any value…any worth.  
 
Ah, but that’s where I was wrong.  I stopped, I slowed down, I took the time to look around.  My value was not gone – my worth had not changed.  I had simply misplaced it.  I found it – in the smile of my child, in the purr of my kitty cats, in the sloppy dog kisses from my beagle boys, in the strong hug of my husband.  My worth, my value is not based in dollars…in cents… in the opinion of others…. in awards… in accomplishments….but in spirit, in faith, in family.  My self-worth comes from me.
 
One of my favorite prayers by Reinhold Niebuhr:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

~Sheila Mae~
 
 

Shadow Court

Here Ye, Here Ye! Court is now in session. Only the truth and nothing but the truth will be upheld in Shadow Court…

Shadow Court?

Everyone has a shadow side, that part of themselves that they don’t like or feel shameful about. Our shadows are made up of those emotions and actions that are considered unacceptable by our own judgment, whether influenced by our family or friends or society in general.

Some of these shadow selves are misjudged or misunderstood.

“Will speaking up please step forward? You there, what do you have to say for yourself? Nothing?” Speaking’s face burns as she mumbles something in the bailiff’s ear, eyes turned down. The bailiff says to the judge, “Speaking up is pushy and rude…not ladylike. She's been punished for it in the past.”

Ahhh…magic words, “in the past.” It’s amazing how much the past plays out in Shadow Court. When I go to Shadow Court (aka examining aspects of myself that cause me discomfort) I have to ask, is what I’m looking at REALLY what I’m looking at? Is this truly a villain? How long ago was this “definition” of the offending shadow aspect set? Does this definition serve me now? If it does then what’s a better way of demonstrating it?

Maybe there’s a bit of both good and bad here. For instance, speaking up can be aggressive or it can be assertive. What does it look like when it’s aggressive? What should it look like? How can it align with and support my values? How will I know I’m crossing the line?

The cross-examination continues...

The courtroom is packed tonight. I see arrogance sitting next to defensive, and insecure is waiting by the door. Interrupting keeps talking over conflict avoidance in the second row. Selfish and thoughtless don’t even realize the other is in attendance while judgment looks around with accusing eyes. Unmotivated laziness just said screw it and stayed home.

The docket is full, and tThe courtroom drama is thick tonight.

Lord, help me perceive what is real and what is not. Where shadows exist let me shine light so that all illusions are taken away. I want to grow in spirit and oneness.

Majeeda Rosa