Day 22 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in DirectionWe are heading for another major Sacred Cow and her siblings, and they just love to keep us stuck in the mire of doubt, fear and cynicism:

“Without the Status Quo in charge, the world would fall into chaos and be destroyed.”

This “big one” sets the playing field up so that the others can spread their misinformation and thinly veiled threats throughout the pasture, keeping people like us corralled into a scenario of doom and gloom. This manure creates thoughts in our heads, like these:

~ “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
~ “You obviously don’t understand.”
~ “You’re lost.”
~ “What if you make a mistake?”

Those kinds of thoughts don’t lead us in a new direction, they take us right back to avoidance of our own power and being willing to settle for less.

“It’s too hard. We don’t have a chance – we’re screwed.”
“I’m stuck, we’re stuck, the whole world is stuck. Let’s face it, there’s no way out”.

We aren’t stuck; we’re heading in the wrong direction. Let go fo your personal, familial and cultural agreement to be lead around by the Status Quo. Tip the cow and make a new commitment to a change in direction. Not just any change, a real change that has freedom, peace and prosperity at its core.

Rheanni Lightwater Ccpyright 2006

Day 23 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction

The Status Quo is like a Hydra and lately it’s behaving as if several of its heads have been cut off. It has been weakened by the people who have already woken up to what’s going on and started to speak out against it. However, the Hydra is able to grow back its heads and the grab for power continues all around us. This has happened countless times in the history books of our planet, only to have the sovereignty of the people violently squelched or put back to sleep in a bed of apathy.

That is the reason for tipping today’s Sacred Cow:

“Those who are in Power are above the Law”

Use today’s game to call up and release any collective, family or individual agreement that supports that assertion. Imagine the agreements as ancient, out of date contracts. Set fire to them and watch them burn into nothingness. Tip the Cow for accountability.

Rheanni Lightwater © 2006

Day 24 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction
 
It’s an important day on your journey and the Status Quo has called out “Old Reliable”, the Sacred Cow that always knows what to do when the going gets tough:

“Find a scapegoat to distract attention and defer responsibility.”

This age-old custom of sacrificing an individual, group or race is affectionately called “the blame game” and is responsible for entangling humanity in most of her Civil Wars. She has a very seductive quality that we have difficulty resisting. Yet, in order for us to manifest the change in direction we desire, it is imperative that we keep the transition as smooth as possible. Indulging in scapegoating today has the potential to bring your momentum to a halt.

You can disentangle yourself from this insidious tradition by releasing your personal, familial or racial agreement to participate in the scapegoating game. Tip our Sacred Cow to make sure that “Old Reliable” can’t use your energy to stop your progress.

Rheanni Lightwater © 2006

Day 25 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction

What does your instinct tell you about the direction we are heading now? Can you trust what you’re feeling in your gut? Our Sacred Cow for today wants you to ignore that gnawing feeling and

“Stay the Course.”

Yep, Ol’ Nellie just wants you to sit back and hand it all over to the Status Quo.

•  “Leave it to us. We understand what’s going on and you don’t.”
•  “We know what’s good for the country.”
•  “Don’t trust your instincts, trust us.”
•  “Love ain’t the answer – guns are.”
•  “Them people over there just want to kill us, so let’s kill them first.”

What might we do instead? One of the best examples of instinctual love that still remains today lives in young motherhood. Look at what they endure, yet in spite of all the rancor and turmoil on the planet somehow their love survives. They love their children, their husbands, their community – they do the best they can. For me, they are the symbol and embodiment of hope for the future.

My instinct tells me that if we “stay the course”, even that will be destroyed. In the name of motherhood, I hope you’ll join me in tipping this cow.

Rheanni Lightwater © 2006

Day 26 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction

Many Sacred Cows work together in teams to create confusion, betrayal and what is commonly referred to as “no-win situations”. Take for example yesterday’s Sacred Cow: “Demonize the form and function of Nature whenever you can”, which basically condemns all of our natural urges. A person has a difficult enough time handling the ramifications of that without making themselves sick.

However, add that to today’s Sacred Cow:

“Demand perfection – all the time.”

Now you’ve got a no-win situation. By the Status Quo’s own commandments we are creatures of imperfection and sin. Yet, on the other hand, we’re supposed to spend all of our time trying to avoid punishment by being perfect. For most of us the result is generally just being way too hard on ourselves with an unconscious expectation of punishment.

In the circles that strongly believe in both Sacred Cows, the result is a lot of confused people struggling against themselves. Logic and common sense get twisted and perverted. The specter of punishment takes its position front and center as the enforcer of power. Those who want to get to the top put so much pressure on themselves that eventually they implode, or the situation around them explodes.

We’ve seen a lot of that kind of thing lately. I say it’s time to mercifully detach from the trap and Tip this Cow today.

Rheanni Lightwater © 2006

Day 27 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction 

The tide is turning and when that happens it’s important not to become overly confident and careless. The flow of Nature and Man are intimately connected in ways we have yet to fully understand, yet Nature isn’t always working against our aims, as we are so often led to believe. With the proper respect it is possible to harness her power for our benefit and learn to travel with the flow, rather than against it. That’s why we’ve chosen today to Tip the Sacred Cow grazing hungrily behind the scenes of the Status Quo’s ingratitude and folly: “Demonize the form and function of Nature whenever you can”

Day 29 of 30 Days to Creating a Change in Direction –

Today’s Sacred Cow is one that every bully, batterer and opportunist hides behind:

“Authority is something that comes from the outside, not the inside.”

I know a little something about this because I spent the better part of my life giving other people authority and ignoring my own. As a result, these are the messages I listened to:

• “You are to blame for my mistakes.”
• “You have no right to think that (do that, say that, have that, be that) because I said so.”
• “How dare you hope for something better?”
• “I know better than you.”
• “Do it my way, or hit the highway.”

Even though the whole thing really made me angry and I rebelled against them, all those statements were still running my life. Until I came back in charge of myself, I was lost, afraid and hopelessly in denial.

How did I win back my personal authority? I released my agreement that I would ever allow myself to buy into being bullied again at any time, for any reason. Perhaps you know someone that could really use letting go of today’s Sacred Cow Tipping. Please feel free to pass it on. 

Sacred Cow Tipping Day #30

Have you ever put off doing something because you’ve imagined that you aren’t “good enough”, that people will laugh at you or that what you have to offer needs to fit in with society’s definition of what is acceptable?

Somehow I doubt that you and I are the only ones who have felt that way. So I have decided to begin the countdown with some very special Mama Sacred Cows. These bovines sneak around behind the scenes supporting the premise that our worth and value is determined by something outside of us.

Think of all the Baby Sacred Cows that are beholden to that premise:

• “The clothes make the man”
• “Mother knows best”
• “Make your Papa proud of you”
• “Nice guys finish last”
• “Good girls don’t act that way”

I could go on listing them for hours. To find their hoofprints all you have to do is look in the news, watch TV, talk to your friends and family or go to the store. They are literally everywhere, so let’s round them up in basic groups and take them down as efficiently as possible, shall we?

Day 30 -

“Approval from the outside world is more important than inner direction.”

I know that you know at least one other person that would really like to tip this Sacred Cow. Do us all a favor and drop them a line – playing only take 5-10 minutes and it’s totally free of charge.

Rheanni Lighwater © 2006

I just joined a great women’s group that offer’s dynamic learning experiences. It’s called Women’s Voices and is operated by Charlie Romney Brown. The premise of Women’s Voices is to develop friendships and initiate community involvement. Most meetings are held at private residences on Mondays, 4:30 – 6:15 PM.

Santa Fe is new to me (my husband and I just moved here in July), and I really appreciate the opportunity to get to know women of like mind while learning new and exciting things.

The Fall 2006 Schedule is already underway; however, here is a list of the topics through the remainder of 2006:

The Lannan Foundation: Jaune Evans, Executive Director will talk about Lannan’s philosophy and plans for the future on Monday, Nov. 6th.

Art Table: Kay Nunn and Jim Fitzpatrick will debate the effect of visual images – the anti-Muslim cartoons and Our Lady of Guadalupe’s computer generated images effect – on the public on Monday, Nov. 13th.

The Community Foundation: President Billie Blair will discuss the Foundation’s projects, the selection process and the future on Monday, Nov. 27th.

Treasures From Around the World: Fund-raiser cosponsored by Women’s Voices and Singer Rankin of World Women Work. You are invited to view and purchase items at the Hotel Santa Fe on Monday, Dec. 4th.

Solstice Project at Chaco Canyon: Anna Sofaer will explain here groundbreaking research and show her film, narrated by Robert Redford on Monday, Dec. 11th.

There are also Seminars that offer further learning experiences:

Worrying Successfully: Stopping Stress Dead in its Tracks while Remaining Youthful in Body & Spirit on Saturday, Nov. 4th, 9-2 PM at Santa Fe Soul Healing and Health Center, 2905 Rodeo Park Drive East, Bldg. 3.

Global Blocks: Lebanon History and Future on Wednesday, Nov. 15th, 6:30 – 10:00 PM at the Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo de Peralta.

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Other Rip-Offs: Saturday, Jan. 27th, 2007.

If you would like to RSVP or receive more information about Women’s Voices, please email Charlie at womensvoices@comcast.net or call 424-0884, #2.