Ellen Luksch
Divine Inspiration with Photography
- March 15, 2010
This video is a gift. It invites us to pause for a moment and remember the beauty of life and the preciousness of each moment. A big thanks to Rosemary Nichols (one of our students) and co-creator of www.DreamoftheHeart.com who created this especially for Life Mastery Programs. Her love of photography inspired this reminder for herself and we are happy to share it with you:
Emotional Awareness: Alchemy
- January 25, 2010
Alchemy
Place every feeling that arises
in the mortar of your awareness.
Raise the heat of your attention
as you breathe.
Trace the patterns of your sensations.
Watch as the base metal dissolves:
Thoughts try to coagulate meaning,
Ideas insist on their validity,
Vibrations intensify,
Panic may arise,
as an option.
Breathe deeply,
and observe as illusions melt,
wisps of smoke,
chimera.
Notice the glimmer round the edges.
Feel the energies unleashed and flowing.
Breathe deeper.
Accept, allow, release.
Continue the expansion that
concentrates pure peace.
This is the gold worth mining.
This is the treasure that you are.
ecluksch 01/14/10
Spiritual Transformation: Your Divine “Avatar”
- January 24, 2010
I have seen the movie Avatar twice. Both times there was much applause in the theatre and even a young group of people voicing their approval from the back. It seems to be quite a phenomenon and is playing to sold out theatres where I live after three weeks. It also appears to be inspiring many points of view generally and among the young people I work with specifically.
As often in such genres, good is confronting evil once again. The evil is clearly drawn with healthy doses of greed, hostility and ignorance. The good is misperceived as “less than” and subjected to a healthy dose of torment. And in the middle of that old formula is a theme of union, the Na’vi people are capable of joining their consciousness to the natural world all around them, to their ancestors and to the planet they inhabit. One human gets to fully explore this possibility through the use of an “avatar”, a genetically engineered Na’vi body that can be inhabited by his human consciousness.
I wonder, can we as viewers allow ourselves to see our humanity reflected through all of the mirrors of the characters and the emotions that we experience in this film? We cheer for the Na’vi and feel a reflection of our own communion with our mother Earth or the reflection of our desire for a greater sense of union with our planet and with each other. We leave the theatre feeling empowered, or asking questions, or incensed or with a sense of longing. The movie even falls flat for some whose critical thinking gets hooked into noticing the flaws of plot. These are all aspects of ourselves. We are the Na’vi and we are the “jarhead clan”. We feel, we criticize, we attempt to control, we have trouble letting go, we surrender, we are jealous, we grow, we love and we are connected to each other in so many ways.
When we allow ourselves to see all these aspects of ourselves, we can begin to move away from seeing other points of view as “weird” or “dumb” or “less than”. Can we even move to embrace all these aspects of ourselves rather than idolizing some and demonizing others? Can we really begin to move toward union by seeing the root cause of our separation: our rejection of aspects of ourselves? Our self- rejection then projects our disowned “self” out onto others. “They” are the problem and they need to be fixed. If they cannot be “fixed” then they need to be cast out or annihilated. And so we project our internal drama out into the world over and over and over once again.
At the root is the fear of not being enough; of needing to adopt a certain identity to count, to matter, to be worthwhile. I am if I can prove you are not. And that is what we say to all those “less than” parts of ourselves. I am worthy if I can control my fears, my anger, my jealousy, my “weaknesses”. I can feel superior and perceive my group, my nation and my planet as superior. What is out of reach, though, is a deeper sense of worth and belonging, a sense of connection to the force of Life that flows through everything, even Colonel Quaritch. He is a reflection of the darker side of our own fear and of our need to manage and control so we feel safe. He is the security officer. He simply takes it to the extreme so that we can feel the tension of living on fear and observe the results of that dream of separation. Perhaps, the more we take responsibility for our angry feelings and the need for control in our own mind through the process of acceptance, the less need there will be for the external mirror. Unity is the result of creating union within, from accepting all that we are with compassion and forgiveness.
Finally, a word about the longing many people feel for an experience of unity and communion like that of the Na’vi. You are that which you long for. You have a remarkable heart that emits an electromagnetic field that is experienced by everything around you: plants, animals and the earth itself. Your heart is an intelligence waiting to be tapped. It is your link to communion with yourself and your surroundings. When that heart field is filled with unconditional acceptance of all that we are, that heart field is unified and all of Life feels that energy. This website is filled with heart wisdom and a community that delves deep into the possibilities that are experienced when we surrender our notions of less than/better than and open to the flow of Life that we are. When we surrender our opinions and drop deeply into the wisdom of our hearts and feelings, we embody the Avatar of our awareness and union is the result. “I see you” takes on a whole new meaning.
Spiritual Transformation: An Early Morning Visit
- November 22, 2009
Early Morning Visit
You wake me
In the middle of the night
Whispering something beyond words
That sets my soul to dancing.
I lie here in the same bed
In the same room
Feeling not the same at all.
The air shimmers.
“I am alive.”
Stones start speaking.
Roses fall tumultuously
From the lips of saints.
My mind turns inside out.
I am lost inside my own bewilderment.
My heart whispers reassurance
And leaps toward total abandon.
You wake me
In the middle of the night
Calling me by my true name,
“Beloved”.
ecluksch
Please join me for a Solstice telegathering and poetry sharing on Monday evening, December 21st, 2009 from 8pm-9pm. We will savor poets musing on the mystical path of love and abandon presented by the likes of Hafiz, Rumi, Mary Oliver and some homegrown offerings of my own. The last 20 minutes is open for a poetry slam where anyone can offer a poem of their own or read one of their favorite inspirational poems from any spiritual tradition. Let’s get together and share some intoxicating verse to transport ourselves to sublime sweetness in preparation for our holiday gatherings and winter repose.
The cost is free except for the cost of the call to you. Dial 218-486-1600 and enter code 920454 and join our evening of divine inspiration!
Emotional Awareness: September Dreaming Weekend
- August 31, 2009
A core group of people gathers to “Dream” monthly. They are committed to exposing the lies in their belief system that keep them from full self-acceptance. They are committed to living in communion with their authentic feelings. They have spent a year or more watching how their minds interpret their reality and learning how to shift those interpretations in a direction aligned with their integrity and their heart’s desire. I love watching as the walls come down and the honest expression of self is shared in the group. There is a “feel” to it as people no longer hook each other’s attention with old stories and identities but venture into new arenas of relating and loving. You can actually see the changes over time in people’s demeanors and in the light that pours out of their eyes.
As they settle into their chairs to review their lives with new awareness, they surrender to the process of being fully present with all that arises in their reflection. It is not an intellectual process but a deeper noticing that is practiced and mastered. They find that they have a witnessing mind that lives outside their automatic responses and the reactions to old emotional memories. They learn to open to that larger point of view that provides insights and a range of experience unknown to them before. These people are Dreamers and they are committed to the practice of dreaming their life with conscious awareness and experiencing their full potential to dream from the point of view of love.
Charlottesville is offering a Dreaming weekend on September 25-27. We are Dreaming at our new house in Afton (20+ miles west of Charlottesville, Virginia). We begin Friday evening at 7:30 pm and end at noon on Sunday. The cost of the weekend is $225.00 which includes Saturday dinner and casual lodging (bring your air mattress). For more information go to www.DreamoftheHeart.com or call Ana Mariza at 434-284-1733.
And Here is Ellen Luksch..
- July 27, 2009
It occurs to me that it is all quite simple: life is a place where we hang out and experiment with creating our masterpiece. We choose the subject of our painting, add the color of our emotions, decide how much passion will compel the brush and either surrender to the flow of inspiration or to the critic in our head who worries over each stroke! It takes a good deal of effort for many of us to break out of our addiction to believing that voice in our head. We think that it defines us. Who we are. What we believe. What possibilities we can explore…
The Four Agreements, Life Mastery and all the beautiful mirrors of my mentors, friends, family, students and the natural world have blessed me with an amazing journey I started in earnest eight years ago as I learned not to believe myself! It has been a ride that has changed everything, meaning how I experience my emotions, my mind, my body and even my breathing! There were lovely adventures prior to this one, but this is the one that has given me access to a deep sense of home in my heart and a presence in my daily life that is alive with awareness and connection.
I live and practice in Charlottesville in the heart of the Blue Ridge in Central Virginia. It is a beautiful, mountainous, lush landscape that inspires me and is now the home of Dream of the Heart. Along with my beloved dreaming sisters, Rose and Ana, I have supported a community of courageous hearts who are learning to redream themselves. We have weekly wisdom groups and monthly dreaming weekends that are unending opportunities to explore, experiment, inspire each other and trust in the perfection of everything. There is an energy of communion and creation that multiplies exponentially as we gather with common purpose. We are committed as well to mentoring the many young people ready to embrace their authenticity through work in the charter middle and high schools and beyond. I am particularly in love with exploring the possibilities of connection between humans and horses. My horse, Sunny, has taught me volumes. He is always perfectly clear about how I “feel” to him and about whether my mind is getting in the way. He and other horses have been assisting people of all ages to question their assumptions and try new approaches through our equine assisted programs at Galleywinter Farm.
Visit our website, http://www.dreamoftheheart.com/ for ongoing events.
Developing Intuition: Green Dream
- July 10, 2009
Be the stillness.
Be the one looking out from behind your eyes
And only that.
Find the space that shimmers between you
and every tree that you pass
As you navigate this green dream.
There is no other cathedral with such grand sweeping arches.
You can smell the holiness,
More precious than frankincense.
Standing in the middle of the wood,
Know you are surrounded by thousands of allies.
They are all whispering wise counsel to your heart.
E.C. Luksch June, 2009
Spiritual Transformation: What am I really?
- July 08, 2009
Creation Chant
My footsteps keep the time
Of the heartbeat of the Mother Earth.
My womb (will) feels the time
Of the dream that I am dreaming now.
My heart beats the time
Of the rhythm of the universe.
My essence sees the light
Of the source of all creation.
What am I really? When I let go of my attachment to my mind-made identity, possibility floods the space in between. From the point of view of my heart…all things are possible and most especially a peace that passes all understanding. I am so grateful for the awareness that allows me to witness my thoughts, accept the emotional energy of the moment, place my faith in the desire of my heart and trust that the creation of my reality will be a masterful response to the love and acceptance that I am. The greatest desire I have is to know myself in each moment as a unique creation of Life and enjoy my own artistry of creation as an endless dialog with the mirror that is God.
When I hold myself in the space of witness, I allow myself the opportunity to detach from identification with my belief structures and my emotional reactions to those beliefs. I simply am the observer. If I keep practicing, I begin to notice that this witness position has an energetic signature. It is the place where I access what is true and that place has a felt presence when I put my attention on it. Holding deeply to that presence, there is no reaction to anything I observe because what is true has no fear of the falsehoods carried by my beliefs. What is true never feels limited by what is untrue. It is the continuous practice of maintaining awareness and choosing the presence of the witness that allows me to grow greater faith in that presence as I watch the old beliefs that hooked my attention fade and new possibilities surface.
The Four Agreements Group in Charlottesville VA
- June 05, 2009
The Four Agreements Inspired Group in Charlottesville, VA
Dream of the Heart Weekly Wisdom Groups
With Ellen Luksch, Rosemary Quade & Ana Mariza McGroarty
Every Tuesday at 5:30pm & 7:00pm, By Donation
Charlottesville Healing Arts Center, 355 W. Rio Road in Charlottesville, VA
Two groups are currently available at 5:30 pm and at 7:00 pm. The wisdom groups assist individuals in bringing the “Four Agreements of Don Miguel Ruiz” more fully into their daily lives. Don Miguel shared a transformational vision supported by practical tools for building awareness. The philosophy offers powerful guidance to move ourselves beyond the limiting beliefs and patterns that direct our lives so that we can reclaim our authentic nature and experience the full potential of our ability to dream our lives through our hearts with love, joy and abundance. New members are always welcome. Reading the books is not required but will greatly enhance your experience.
Please RSVP to: Ana Mariza McGroarty at 434-284-1733 or marizananda@hotmail.com.
For more information, please visit http://dreamoftheheart.com/
True North
- February 15, 2009
TRUE NORTH
For ages, you have dropped crumbs
On the path to find your
Way home.
The center of creation
Placed a compass in your heart.
No matter how far you wander,
You can feel your way to True North
Walking in any direction.
All the distractions
Of this world become a mere murmur
Keeping time for the
Love chorus that is your
True being.
ecluksch 2/14/09
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