Choice!

We have an amazing power. Choice.

When Gandhi spoke of being the change we want to see in the world, there was a presumption of choice and the power in it.

Still, we often think of choice in large and grand ways. Every moment is a choice. Many of our choices are almost on auto pilot. Conscious living does not pre-suppose serious, dreary living. Our choice to be happy, our choice to live healthy, our choice to laugh and learn, and our choice to forgive... all can be liberating and deeply joyful. So many choices, and their collective power and result can be our destiny.

My choice today is to go inward. In my prayers and meditations today, I kept hearing that my path lies within... and I am hearing much is "under my nose". As a planning guy, it is interesting to hear this... challenging even. Yet, I am understanding that having goals does not run contrary to living daily. I am understanding that having authentic goals is cool, and living and learning and listening daily gets me not to where I want to go but where I need to go.

What does this all mean? I have my vision. But, I now choose to live one moment at a time... as best I can, observing, learning and acting upon. AND letting the rest unfold.

So, today I have. So be it. More to follow. ;-)

Barry L. Green

Choice?

Maybe it is me, but I am noticing a deep need around me... a deep need to insist on "choice". Which side are you on?

Some years back Rik Emmett, formerly of the band Triumph, wrote a song for his CD Absolutely. The song was called Middle Ground. I had forgotten that song for quite a while, but it was and is an athem for me. You should check it out.

I find that we are asked to choose between religion and science. We are asked to choose between creation and evolution. We are asked to choose between liberal and conservative, government and opposition. I choose not to choose between. I believe that authentic religion and science explain two sides of the one reality... and that they must agree. I believe that evolution is real but that so is creation... two reflections of physical and spiritual realities. I choose not to take sides as if I were part of one camp versus another. I have chosen to leave my political life years ago. No more.

I grow weary of this Cartesian-Newtonian view of the world. Choose. Black vs white. Right vs wrong.

Do I believe that some things have abosolute truths? Oh yes. Still, I believe that much of what we consider to be the "realities" we are expected to choose between are simply constructs forced upon us by the forces of extremism.

We are individuals, and we have paths... and we have experiences. Living our lives is not about one day waking up and knowing clarity in all things. Our faith, our perspective, is challenged by our experience.

Why do I say this?

I had an amazing couple of conversations last week, with 2 dear and wise friends. Since then, I have found myself living my life more as process, and authentic to my spirit. Tonight I MC'd an event for Skills Canada and then headed off to karaoke. In both, and during today, I found myself listening for my deeper voice and acting upon it.

We are created unique.

We are expected to be our best, OUR best and be respectful of others. I more deeply understand the golden rule this day. I more deeply understand that unity comes from us being who we are at our best and allowing others to be the same.

Do I have the answers? Not a chnace. But, I am not expected to have them. I am expected to LIVE and LOVE, truly.

I choose my faith. I choose to live. I choose to love.

As I prepare for sleep, I am left with the thought that I am here to love and shine...courageously and fiercely. I choose to answer that call.

How about you?

Barry

Naw Ruz.... and Letting Go :-)

Friends, here begins the next leg of my personal journey and journal.

It is a New Year for me. Having just completed the 19-Day Fast of my Baha'i Faith, I found myself on a journey inward unlike anything I have encountered thus far in my life. I do not try to be dramatic. The questions I posed to myself in prayer and fasting were difficult and deep... and, at times, scary. They were not scary in terms of horrible or horrific. They were scary because they challenged my attachments.

In my praying and fasting and reading the work of Martha Beck, I kept coming back to this notion of attachment. Then I had a dream last night that was clearly all about the "letting go". CLEARLY.

In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda says to Anakin "fear of loss is the path to the dark side". I believe that he is talking of attachment; the kind of attachment that is born of comfort... and not the comfort that is heavenly... but the one based on avoidance of fear and uncertainty.

I had not realized how insidious that fear could be.. how subtle. For all intents and purposes, I have been striving and working towards new goals and dreams. I have been moving on a path of "success". Still, I was not realizing that I was somehow not letting go of old attachments.

During this past Fast and into Naw Ruz (my new year), I prayed and meditated. I had cool conversations with great honest and audacious and loving friends. I allowed myself to just experience... the way a child experiences, without preconceptions. I opened mt heart and head to observance, pure. At times it was daunting. At other times, mesmerizing.

Without belaboring, here is what I found myself writing this evening... and upon completion, I smiled... the kind of smile unforced and deep.

Barry Lewis Green

I am a Baha'i... living, praying and reaching, devoted to Baha'u'llah... a pilgrim literally and figuratively. I find my joy in Salsa and singing... in football, cartooning, writing, creating, archery and improv. I find my joy in peaceful mornings and starry evenings, in ocean views and on drives... and with my dog companion Panda. I am a virtues student. I am a man of house and home, and the open road by car and cycle. I serve the world in founding Lhu Global and Lhu Local, and in my work as an educator at College of the North Atlantic. This is me, now. This is who I am.

My suggestion?

Spend time with you. Meditate. Pray. Listen. Experience. Then, articulate you and your true joys... those things where you "remember" who you are. When I engage in these activities I have noted, I lose myself in time. They are moments of bliss for me.

What are yours? Who are you?

In my passion for unity, I contend that the truest unity starts with us each finding ourselves and knowing that we all count... we all bring something cool to the table.

What will you bring?

Love, honour and unity folks.

Peace.

Barry G.

PS

Check out my hUmaNITY blog at www.theunityguyblog.com.

So Close.....

Days away...

The new Lhu Global site is up at www.theunityguy.com and the new Lhu Global blog (hUmaNITY)is up at www.theunityguyblog.com.

We are officially launching this Saturday, March 20... and I am thrilled.

It's all about unity.

With Day 13 of my Baha'i Fast, my reflection and focus are sharper. I have had a look at my goals and tweaked for greater authenticity... more to follow... for now, I encourage you to check out the site and blog, and even subscribe (dare I say).

This Saturday is Spring to Life! Speaker Showcase and I am MC... come out to the Sheraton, St. John's and enjoy a day of greatness.

Go to www.nlaps.ca to register. Going to be cool. ;-)

Barry

A Unity Guy's Prerogative

I'm baaaaaaaack!

Well, the new Lhu Global site is up at www.theunityguy.com and the new Lhu Global blog (hUmaNITY)is up at www.theunityguyblog.com.

Due to delays with the sites, Lhu Global is now officially launching on March 20, 2010... and I am excited. The work ahead on fostering the coolest, deepest unity, is my passion.

That being said, I thought it wise and appropriate to maintain a personal blog here at Wholiness, filled with thoughts and ideas along my personal journey. I hope you stay tuned and sign up for hUmaNITY as well.

That is it for now... it's going to be cool though.

Peace.

Barry

Transition

This is short and sweet... and a sign off.

Today is my 50th birthday, and I am celebrating a life past and one ahead. Within days, I will be launching a whole new website and blog, aligned with my authentic passions. There will be a link from the new blog to these as archives. But there will be a new blog, and I will advise once launched.

For now, I simply offer 2 things.

First, my 2010 goals remain and are on track.

I am fully launching Lhu Global now on March 20, 2010.
I will complete my personal M.B.A. by December 31, 2010.
I am going on Pilgrimage to Haifa December 20-28, 2010.
I have prepared and am using my Prayer Room daily through 2010.
I am continuing to master Salsa, and picking up new dances throughout 2010.
I will be purchasing a Honda Shadow 750 in June 2010.
1 have prepared and will be using my Green Room studio weekly through 2010.
I will commence my application for CSP during the Spring of 2010.
I will maintain a House and Home in accordance with my spirit in 2010.
I will learn conversational Mandarin by December 31, 2010.

Second, in journaling this morning, I identified 8 things to characterize my SECOND HALF. I call them my F8 (fate)... faith, fierce, friendship, focus, fitness, fun, fantasy, and force. I will walk with faith, live fierce, cherish friendship, practice focus, be fit, have fun, enjoy fantasy (imagination), and manifest force (impact). Feel free to use your F8.

Until soon, stay tuned!

Barry

Change and Changing....

Change is neither good, nor bad. It is. It just is.

Barry L. Green

Change. We react to it. We debate it. We fight it. We embrace it. Often times, we forget that it is not unlike a river flowing. The water keeps moving while the river remains. It is part of the flow of things. When we understand the importance of the flow, we start to live, truly live, with change.

Now, changing is something a little different. It is our reaction, or our action. We change. Or we die, maybe slowly. It is really about growth. It truly is about evolution and, sometimes, revolution. Change with a purpose... to not only survive, but thrive.

I write this with my 10 in '10 in mind.

I write this with my Hard Walk in mind.

Part of my Hard Walk was to start praying and listening and acting upon what I "hear". Truthfully, there have been days of late where I centered on some pains. To be very honest, I am a blessed man. But we, too often, can still be tempted to focus on what we do not have. No less for me, than any of us.

In going through this time, I was and am reading Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck. I stumbled across the notion of fear, grief, anger, and joy as 4 points of a compass... my own personal take on the material, if you will. If we understand what brings fear, grief, anger and joy to us, we get closer to our essential self, our authentic "us". As I pondered on this, it occurred to me what I was "hearing"... and it came back to my 10 in '10.

My goals and milestones, and yours... should center around what brings us joy, real and sustainable joy. Martha Beck suggests that finding our deepest joys move us quickly to our North Star, our purpose. I agree.

So, I looked at my '10 in 10. And, I have chosen to evolve.

So, without further adieu, I introduce you to my authentic, joyful '10 in 10.

1. Lhu Global

My work, my service, my legacy. As of February 20, 2010... Lhu Global will be born... with 3 key components... Lhu Global, Lhu Local and my work with College of the North Atlantic... all centering around my passion for unity, leadership, youth and spirit. This work is about moving us all from the motions to the mission, understanding our capacities and talents and how to bring them together for collective prosperity. This work is deeply personal and joyful for me. February 20, 2010 is the birthdate, and my 50th. A new website, new blog, and more are coming. This is a BIG joy.

2. Personal M.B.A.

Hand in hand with my work is my personal MBA... Master in Barry Advancement... I have selected my own curriculum and texts and am studying to strengthen my expertise and understanding in unity building, moral leadership, youth engagement and spirit. This is a year long process with sights on December 31, 2010, culminating in commencing an international course in community development in 2011.

3. Pilgrimage

I have been accepted for Baha'i Pilgrimage to Haifa Israel for December 20-28, 2010. This will be a ground shaking time for my life, and I have waited so very long.

4. L.O.V.E.

I have established a prayer room, a "home" to pray, meditate, study Sacred Writings, with candles and couch and pillows and prayer rug. Sanctuary. I will use this space daily to "listen" for my heart of hearts. Year long to look back by December 31, 2010.

5. Salsa

To "master" Salsa with my wonderful dance partner, Raven... to enjoy the passion and "smooth" of Salsa, the joy of dancing and to cut the floor with magic. By and through Summer of 2010.

6. Shadow

To purchase and ride "my" Honda Shadow 750... by Summer 2010. Joy in waiting since childhood.

7. Green Room

I have created a Green Room I call my Pseudio, my studio... a place for my creativity... out of here I will create my Cartoonumn and other projects yet unimagined. Another year long process for December 31, 2010.

8. CSP

I will commence my process for achieving Certified Speaking Professional by March 31, 2010.

9. House and Home

I will consolidate house and home as sanctuary, a place of Barry... to invite friends to spend quality time within, by and through Spring 2010.

10. Mandarin

I will learn conversational Mandarin by December 31, 2010.

And so, my markers are adjusted, for greater joy. There is still work, to be sure. But, I suggest these 4 points of compass are something to consider. Look at those things that create fear, anger, grief and joy. Better yet, pick up the book Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck. I continue to read.

Engage and enjoy the day.

Barry

PS

This may be the last or second to last entry in this version of my blog. As noted, a new blog is in the works... will advise.