WHAT IS YOUR OATH?

With millions, perhaps over a billion other sweet souls last week, I watched the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. Barack Hussein Obama as he stood, appearing confident and calm, his hand poised on a bible that belonged to his hero, Abraham Lincoln, to take his oath of office. Sworn into the highest office in the country, we could hear a ground swell of gratitude, encouragement, support and sheer joy filtering up from the millions who endured the bitter cold in our nation’s capital to participate on this auspicious day.

This was more than an extraordinary moment... a time when we can begin to realize that we ARE all in this together, we are ALL capable of inaugurating ourselves into a life where kindness, love and compassion is the only path worth taking.

On my walk this morning with my dogs, I listened to a familiar line repeating in my head: That which we see in others, we also have within ourselves. At this time, most of us see true greatness, unlimited potential, and extraordinary leadership in President Obama. We only see it in him because it already exists in us. Nearly 2000 years ago another extraordinary human being traveled across the scorched earth in Palestine whispering a similar message to those who walked with him. You are the Light of the World. Not only I, but you… We are the light of the world.

Please think about leaving behind the old paradigm of “I got mine, now you go out and get yours.” Please think about setting aside any delusional thoughts of disenfranchisement where your votes aren’t counted, you don’t matter, or any false beliefs that your electoral or civil privileges are only available for the elite.

What oath can you make today? To step up… step out… reach higher… let go of what no longer serves you?

What oath are you willing to make today? To own the magnificence of who you are… To discover the wise leader––ready, raring to go––within you… Are you willing to connect with other powerful souls and co-create the world you imagine?

What oath are you willing to make your own?

You have nothing to lose.

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. -Alan Cohen

...author of 22 popular inspirational books and CDs, including the best-selling The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Change #1 Changing the World?

Quote #1

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing him/herself.

––Leo Tolstoy, (9/9/1828 – 11/20/1910) a Russian writer widely regarded as one of the greatest novelists. His masterpiece, War and Peace, depicted 19th-century Russian life at the very peak of realist fiction.

Inevitable Change

Over the next 21 days I am going to be sending out daily thoughts on change from the world’s most extraordinary past and present minds, those who have touched me deeply over many years, as gentle (sometimes not so gentle) reminders of the inevitability of change.

Monumental change, unlike we have seen in decades, is currently being felt around the world; from the ferocious winter weather to the ping-pong economic status, to the disconnection some of you may be feeling from your family and friends.

We only have this infinitesimally short time to do our work (our play?); to make our unique mark, to know that our breath makes more of a difference than foggy air against a mirror; to allow ourselves to be touched, and touch the hearts of another; that in doing so will fill in even the smallest cracks we created from our bleak, unacknowledged pain; a pain that wants to be healed now.

All of it is here, serving as a compass heading to return us to….. Our Center.

This is a kindly challenge to all of you, a call to hearts, to take the next 21 days to deeply contemplate, if it pleases you, what these words mean to you, how they affect you, and what you’re willing to do about it right now.

You have nothing to lose.