TavBlog Emotion/Listening Summer 2021

This may have gone unnoticed, but I haven’t managed to complete a blog for the last couple weeks (Emotion and Listening Weeks, specifically). We are now at the beginning of Values and Ideals, and since I haven’t fleshed out the previous two subjects in blog form, this seems like an organic opportunity to introduce the powerful energies derived from the intentional blending of two or more of the 12 ORM Concepts. This is most easily done once you have a good baseline grasp of each concept for yourself, but as always, I’m not here to tell you what you can’t do. During Emotion Week, I had just finished writing two decent paragraphs on a topic that made me feel both excited and uncomfortable, when I felt/watched my own emotions move out in front of my objectivity on my ‘chosen’ subject matter. I say ‘chosen’ because this particular train of thought has been creeping into my consciousness, unbidden, since last spring. It’s a very pleasant and far-fetched thought, so I usually give it some playful consideration and energy, and then move on to the more pressing issues of my day. As I began writing about this lovely ‘daydream’, I noticed that my feelings began to quickly gain intensity and move from light-hearted supposing, toward the space of intentional energy and I wasn’t prepared for it when the idea tried to grow beyond my imagination.

My Soul Energy seemed determined to figure out how to manifest a meeting with Apple TV’s phenomenal character, Ted Lasso, so that he might ‘discover’ and promote Our Raw Material. Seriously--as much as I want it to be, this is not a joke--this was my actual recurring thought/daydream. My Ego was like, Ummm, let’s hold up here, please? ---this is going to sound a little (or a lot) looney and instead of inviting people to willingly embrace this life-changing practice, it will most likely develop deep concern about my mental state, which will detract from the ideal promotional situation I am seeking in the first place. We (my Soul and Ego) are rounding out the process of working through it as I sit here, and the decision about whether to find a way to write about it is moving in real time from hanging in the balance to becoming the very words you are reading.

My individual focus from both Emotion and Listening have been paramount to uncovering the deeper connection that lies at the root of my ego-laden hesitations on discussing the matter. Spending quality time with my feelings and listening to the voices of both my ego and my soul have allowed me to set aside my ego’s reactive ‘fears’ in pursuit of imagining an Ideal condition that may or may not ever find purchase on earth. The very thought of it really happening brings me great joy from deep within my soul as I feel our collective breath release its tension, a little at a time. I remind the concerns of my ego that even if I am ‘ridiculed’ for putting energy towards such a longshot possibility in the first place, my soul intentions are what really matters in this situation, and I can now say that I am very clear about which voice supports my soul and which supports my ego.

Emotion Week had me thinking a lot about how easy it can be for a single uncomfortable thought to move like the wind from something that I was otherwise soulfully happy about - the direction of the content - to my ego being afraid to risk putting it out there. The idea seemed presumptuous and greedy, and I had both excited and sickening feelings about claiming these thoughts out loud for Our Raw Material. I made a few additional notes with sporadic insights during Listening Week, but didn’t write a blog. This idea continued to weigh on me, but I didn’t know how to proceed with it. I have wrestled with my Ego/Soul Scales on being comfortable and/or confident with my interpretation of this specific subject matter… Is it a sign that I should pursue a meeting? Is it worth just putting it out there as a possibility? Is it just a line of thinking that I enjoy imagining? The truth is, I don’t know - it could be any of those things and more. Ted Lasso speaks this language naturally--it’s just a part of who he is out loud, just like it is a part of each of us in some fashion. Sometimes it lies underneath the structure our egos have produced for our protection because they don’t yet recognize it as a helpful part of who we are. As I detangle these complicated roots and listen for guidance on ORM’s possibilities, I can feel my soul’s intentions breathing on the heels of my ego’s deepest hidden fear in life - my fear of success.

Sharing a collective thought out loud with intentions for a soul gain, not an ego gain, can be a delicate dance. For me, it requires some considered space and thought to properly execute it to my own satisfaction. Last week, the universe, In its grand wisdom, had placed me in a position to be headed to Michigan for the long-anticipated wedding of two very dear friends. Not only would I get to spend some time contemplating my ‘thought block’ around writing about wanting to meet Ted Lasso, I would also be able to spend most of Listening Week in the presence of some of the most amazing women I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Originally brought together by our love of disc golf, we have formed an abiding bond that spans across our country. They (we) are affectionately known as Team P (the P stands for Penetration). Penetration, defined, is: to pass into or through; to enter by overcoming resistance; to see into or through; to discover the inner contents and meaning of; and--my personal favorite--to affect profoundly with feeling. When several of us are gathered together, we increase the energetic vibration around us.

These women are each Sorcerers (movers of energy) in their own lives, in various ways. Our slogan, or battle cry, is Penetrate This! We bring a pioneering spirit to disc golf, and to life. We break down barriers. We clear the way for a good time no matter what we encounter because we each intend to make the most of spending time together. We value the incredible moments we have gotten to share with each other, whether they be serious heart-felt matters or the deepest of belly-laughs as we each enjoy recalling the dumbest stuff we have seen each other do. The fully accepted Wholeness that exists within Team P is far-reaching. I don’t know each of them at a deep personal level, but I don’t have to. I trust that the ladies I do know will only bring in strong sisters and I am confident that there is not a single one of them I couldn’t call on in a time of need. Their strong, sexy, sisterhood has been revealed and their vulnerabilities are shared and accepted, (even if exploited), with deep love and humor.

LIstening to my own emotions and noticing how they attach to my values and ideals has helped me overcome the initial hurdle of putting an ideal, though unlikely, thought into the universe about growing the practice of ORM through a soul-centered television character. Did I share this specific idea with the members of Team P? No. But I did share the notion that our ideal thoughts can help create our future reality, and we expounded on that quite a bit. To be fair, our negative thoughts possess the same power, but I’m hoping if we are able to find awareness in the choice, we might start to put a little more intentional effort into the spaces where our thoughts ramble aimlessly. I’m once again recharged and ready to place value in the ideal thoughts that move the practice of ORM into public knowledge, setting my ego fears aside for the moment, but knowing they will return at some point, because that is their natural flow.

The ORM magic continues to grow and the experiences and revelations related to the practice have reached beyond our initial expectations. I am humbled and amazed every single day. It is with those feelings of confidence that I am making the decision to share what I began to write two weeks ago, before my ego fear stopped me. I do not share this because I find it brilliant, but because it supports my values and ideals and comes full circle on the emotion and listening concepts I aim to offer for all of us. Here goes:

Yesterday, a friend sent me an Apple News article to read. I don’t have a subscription, so when someone forwards an article, it generally goes unread for a reason as dumb as I’m annoyed that I can’t just click a link (because, you know - it’s SO much effort to go find it on my own). She urged that I would love this particular interview. In all the years I’ve known her (with one exception) she’s never weighed in on how I would feel about a thing - she’s just flat out asked my opinion. The one time she insisted on making me do something “because I would love it” was my introduction to the Jason Sudekis brainchild, Ted Lasso. At her insistent behest, I watched the show and was blown away by the words coming out of the title character’s mouth. It was as if he had been practicing Our Raw Material and his words sounded like familiar music designed for my ears.

I have always felt a connection to Jason Sudekis, largely because he is from Kansas City and unabashedly shares his love of his hometown (not unlike several other celebs from KC who I would enjoy mentioning right here, but won’t). Through Ted Lasso he has been able to turn the best and purest essence of Kansas City energy into a coaching philosophy. At the time I binge watched the series with my friend last spring, I entertained the ideal idea of trying to reach out and share ORM with him somehow. It’s message dovetails so perfectly with Ted’s and it seemed like a natural course of energy toward these concepts. Imagine Ted Lasso somehow discovering this ancient thought practice and bringing modern awareness to the power that comes with recognizing things from the Soul’s perspective, in addition to the Ego’s opinion (say from a dream, or a homeless guru, or an antique artifact...)

The GQ article about Jason (and Ted Lasso) renewed my interest in getting ORM in front of him. It’s a great article and he is a fantastic person who seems to embody the baseline principles of ORM as his personal philosophy, prompting his willingness to share them with his character and the world. At one point he describes the feeling you get from ORM practice: “It's a very interesting space to live in, where you're living in the questions and the universe is slipping you answers,” Sudeikis said. “And are you—are any of us—open enough, able enough, curious enough to hear them when they arrive?” Isn’t that worth thinking for? After a solid review of my own thought patterns in the last weeks, I can see that I have come full circle on my own Wholeness and I’m ready to go write my values and ideals lists for this ORM Cycle, having finally shared the thoughts that just last week felt too embarrassing to publish. Thanks for listening and thanks for practicing Our Raw Material.