LindaChubbuck | Linda Chubbuck

April 7, 2015 Empowerment, Healing, Intention, Song 1 Comment

What Tatiana & Maxim Can Teach

You know how sometimes the Universe – or God or FP (as Pam Grout calls the Field of Potentiality) – points things out to us in a way that’s somewhere between funny and mind-blowing? I had one of those yesterday.

After hearing a transcendent and inspiring talk for Easter Sunday, inexplicably I fell into a pothole of anxiety around money … a favorite pothole of mine, which sometimes seems to have been around my whole life.

Anyway, I got a new angle on it… as a young wife, many years ago, I was in a situation where my partner let me down financially. I came out determined never to let that happen again. I became super-vigilant, with a bootstrap attitude: “If I want this done right, I’ll have to do it myself!”

Despite healing on many different levels in relationship, that one I must have missed.

My husband and I often work on healing issues together – a mixed blessing – ha! As we were driving home, I brought this issue up and he offered to help me process it. I agreed.

When we got home, he led me through a process around money that brought up tears and a longstanding sense of “I can’t trust my partner! I can’t trust God.. I can’t trust myself!”

You can imagine how far that has got me… lots of issues of mistrust arise in my life, lots of months and years of “doing it myself” and not being happy with the way that plays out (I can’t trust myself either, remember?).

So the work I did focused on trust. I want to be a woman who trusts her partner. Who trusts God/Unseen Divine Love. Who trusts herself – both to do the right thing and to let go and let others do their part.

I can – sort of – feel what this feels like. After the process and the tears, I felt a kind of openness to something new.

Within an hour, I was checking Facebook and came across a video. Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov figure-skating. I watched spell-bound at the beauty of their synchronized and unbelievable dance. Suddenly, he lifted and threw her in the air. High above his head, she spun 3 times, came back down and he caught her… all on ice skates. The dance continued.

Chills came over me. “I could never do that. I’d have to trust that he wouldn’t drop me! She could be injured, paralyzed for life even if he dropped her! I could never do that!” As those thoughts spun through my mind the word Trust surfaced. She trusts him implicitly. She does her part. He does his.

Their entire dance is built on skill and trust. She must relax into his arms and allow herself to be thrown – and caught. Repeatedly.

Trust.

I’ve watched it three times now. They won Olympic Gold for this dance in 2014. Every time he throws her up I think “trust.” I see it in my mind. This is what Trust looks like.

I don’t know if the Universe could have given me anything that would better illustrate Trust than this. Along with the power, beauty, intention, and success in which Trust plays a part.

I’m lacing up my skates. Are you ready to skate with me?

Watch Tatiana and Maxim’s figure-skating program here.

March 20, 2015 Coaching, Empowerment Post a Comment

Yeshua: Staring at Your Feet

Note: This is the first ever published of the guidance I have been receiving since 1993. Recently Stan and I have been listening daily, recording most sessions. This came in early March and is unedited except for moving one paragraph to make the ending complete. The name of the being(s) has been given to me as Yeshua. It is unfailingly loving, wise, and always encouraging of expansion. — Linda

We tell you now that you under-use the power of intention and the power of gratitude, both of you – that you too easily – and we don’t mean this as condemnation but as feedback – too easily stare at your feet, and your last two or three footprints and and ask why and stir around the mud that you’re standing in instead of looking to the horizon and practicing deep heart gratitude for the horizon and the planet and the vision you’ve been given.

Dust off the mud, and don’t worry about why you slipped on that last footprint, the one just before this one. Just dust off the dust and scrape off the mud, and continue.

See yourself looking across out at the ocean with the beauty of mountains rising out of the nearby shore. Or the horizons awaiting you. Spend your energy there, don’t look at your feet and spend your energy stamping around there.

Look to the visions you are creating and look to the landscape you’re in right now with great gratitude. Even the lake yesterday was spectacularly beautiful was it not? Did you see its beauty? Yes. And it was just a simple midwest lake in winter. There is so much more but we want you to see the beauty in the simple things, too.

We want you to spend your moment by moment energy in gratitude for what is here, right this moment and in excitement about the life unfolding before you. You have no idea how that will change your lives, how that will change the outcomes.

And again, we mean no judgment here but Linda spends time with lists and lightweight anxieties about the day and the management of her life and household and those she loves, and Stan spends time with the Royals and the Chiefs. And all the teams.

Those are unimaginative ways to spend your powerful creative energies, do you understand that? Both of you?

They are lacking in energy and vision and lacking in joy, both of them lacking in joy.

You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to get beautiful, transcendent, loving, glorious, dream fulfilling thoughts through to frightened, separated, shut-down humans who are absolutely convinced that they are alone in the world. Can you understand that?

We want you to hold on to the visions of the outcomes you want and to spend time today outdoors, cleaning and clearing, enjoy the physical work, enjoy that you’re both strong and healthy, enjoy the warming temperatures, enjoy this beautiful fenced backyard that you have, and see your community in your vision.

Gratitude and Vision – and allow the vision to stir your excitement.

March 3, 2015 Coaching, Empowerment, Harmony, Healing Post a Comment

Seduction of the Downward Spiral

Yesterday Stan and I participated in the Great Password Challenge.

Not that we signed up for it. It sort of snuck up on us both. He was changing his POP email accounts to IMAP, in honor of getting a new iPhone 6, to synch his devices, if you know what I mean. (If you don’t, don’t worry about it… read on.)

By mid-afternoon, I heard his frustration in his neighboring office, and offered my assistance. He had been changing the passwords to try to meet the demands of the system. By then, his email accounts had all quit working, giving him error messages.

In periods of frustration and problem solving, Stan often goes into a sort of shut-down, while I usually remain calm, if inwardly irritated. Yesterday, using our highest spiritual practices, we made it through 3 hours of password hell, without intense anger, language, even irritation with each other. A downright miracle.

By half-past suppertime (I declared Chinese take-out) we had his 3 primary email accounts all functioning again, both incoming and outgoing.

We high-fived! We congratulated ourselves and each other! We thanked God/the Universe for the Angel Tech helpers we had asked for. We also noted the great sense of accomplishment that comes when we overcome a challenge.

But then… as I sat down for supper I felt really grumpy. I wanted something – actually someone – to blame. I became – after the fact – angry at Stan for his part in getting this all tangled up. He in turn became self-critical and defensive, then angry at me.

The seduction of the downward spiral was pulling us both, right there over Chinese hot-sour soup and crab rangoon. I really wanted to slip over the edge and make it His Fault. Man, so tempting!

It’s the lure of the Dark Side, the vortex of suffering and blame. A Course in Miracles talks about the “attraction of sin and guilt.” There’s something in me that, sometimes, even with all I know, wants to go there. To put my tongue where the tooth just came out. To play “ain’t it awful?!” or “it’s his fault.” Or the ever popular, “Poor me… look what I have to put up with!”

But it seemed kind of a waste. We had both made it through a really challenging time without sinking in vibration, dropping in mood. Why would we spoil it now, when we had the option of enjoying a sense of accomplishment and a peaceful evening ahead?

As I sipped my hot-sour soup, I spoke of how tempted I was to blame. Stan dipped his crab-rangoon in the sweet and sour sauce and told me of the pull he felt to beat up on himself. We looked at each other with awe.

“We don’t have to go there, do we?”

By the time we we got to the Hunan Shrimp, we let the Downward Spiral’s gravitational pull move on past us both.

As John Milton said, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”

February 23, 2015 Coaching, Empowerment Post a Comment

How Do You Ride the Rapids?

Have you ever run a set of rapids? In a canoe, a kayak, or raft?

Whether you’re the helmsman or just along for the ride, you can sense the rapids just before you hit them. By the time you hear them, there’s no turning back. The choices are where – and how – to go through them, and the state of mind in which to go.

Terrified? Calm? Alert? Confident? Present?

Sometimes you might make it through the rapids on sheer luck. But more often, the way you arrive on the other side has something to do with the choices you (or your helmsman) made right in the middle of the rapids.

For me, there are hard times in life that show up now and then, and when I’m at the edge going in, I realize, “Oh, &#$%@! Here we go…” Entering the rapids.

The next thing I tell myself is this (not always in words mind you): this is going to require every milligram of spiritual wisdom you have gained over the years. You cannot forget to love, to trust, to surrender, to have faith… to see a wonderful outcome.

I feel as if I’m riding the rapids and can afford no distraction, no self-pity, no indulgence.

No weakness. At least not now. (Later I’ll have the massage, devour the chocolate, watch Downton Abbey…but don’t distract me now!)

This feeling and awareness can be launched by events such as: 1) the realization that I’m driving on ice; 2) my husband’s bout with cancer a few years ago; 3) the need to confront someone I love with an issue that needs clearing between us…and more. You get the idea.

Someone sent me this quote today, from Brian Johnson, The Optimizer: Nassim Taleb echoes that wisdom in his genius book Anti-Fragile, reminding us that “Wind extinguishes a candle and energizes fire.” (Here’s Brian’s website.)

If I go through the rapids cowering in the canoe, afraid to do my part, even if on the other side I survive it, I have lost power rather than gained it.

If I go through the rapids fully alert, watching for boulders, leaning, steering, paddling if it’s mine to do, and survive it, I come through with a faith in myself and my abilities. I am prepared for equal and greater challenges. I can choose to be the fire, not a candle to be extinguished.

Think Malala.

How do you go through the rapids in your life?

February 19, 2015 Coaching, Empowerment, Healing Post a Comment

The Usefulness of Crises

For my new (and old) friends, this will look like a confession. And so it is.

I announced to “the world” this week that “my vision is healed.” Yes, within my home, up to 20’ or so, all the double-ness is gone and things look unified to me again. I’m wearing my contacts.

But, yesterday, I went outdoors…traveling, though not driving myself. I was dismayed to see the world still looking double, at that longer range.

Now the other 9-10 times my vision has healed over the years, this is the normal progression.. up close gets better first, then gradually, far away heals as well, till all is unified.

But this time, the stakes are higher. This time, because of the blog, I have “others” watching me. Did I lie? Was I premature? Am I a fake, a charlatan? This morning, all these accusations are running around the back corners of my mind, barely loud enough to hear, but making me uneasy nevertheless.

Which brings up the issue of doubt.

Which, in turn, brings up the usefulness of crises.

I’m not going to explore doubt at the moment. I’m sure you all have your own stories about it, and know what I’m talking about. What I’m going to explore is how, sometimes, in a crisis (or what we perceive as a crisis) all doubt disappears and we are capable of super-human focus and accomplishment.

Remember the stories of a small woman able to lift a car off a child in a moment of need? I can relate. I feel the strength in me to do that.

But after the child is safe, how strong is that woman? Can she maintain a strong-state-of-mind? Will she take any of the wonder of that moment, any of the obvious physical achievement, and change her life? Will she change because of it?

Or will she go back to her normal?

In nearly all natural (or man-made) disasters around the globe, we gradually hear the stories of tremendous love, purpose, generosity, coming-together, healing, and selflessness that appears in those aftermaths. Humans are capable of these behaviors and qualities.

But in “normal” times, we as a people can be quite self-absorbed, uncaring, and isolated.

Might we “need” a crisis to discover qualities we hadn’t been using? Strength. Decision. Expansive love. Compassion. Crossing racial/ethnic/religious boundaries. Faith that things can be better and the effort to move in that direction.

On the personal level, do I need a crisis to realize my thoughts impact my health? To become aware of them? Do I need a crisis to focus my will? Is my faith, my awareness, so ramshackle that it falls apart and I go back to doubt and low-grade fear as a way of life?

I say NO. I’m once again releasing this moment of doubt, letting it go, and letting my mind be easy. That Strength, that Expansive Love, that Healing, is not “of me” anyway. All I really have to do, once again, is get out of the way.

February 17, 2015 Empowerment, Healing, Song 20 Comments

I Can See Again

Just before Christmas, after losing some sleep and other things I termed “stressful,” my vision – for the maybe 10th time in my life – went double. I was upset and afraid, because suddenly I could not drive… every person I was talking to became double… movies were impossible unless I covered one eye completely… and more.

Christmas night I cried with fear and frustration. Why was this happening to me again? What did I do wrong and what could I do about it?

As I caught my breath from crying, I heard the Voice that I hear… “you are terrorizing yourself with your thoughts about food, blood sugar, your body. You tell yourself that food is more powerful than your thoughts – but it is just the opposite.”

It was stunning and I could recognize the Truth in it. But I didn’t really know what to do about it.

So I began wearing my eyeglasses (instead of my contact lenses) so I could use the plastic (stick-on) prism that allows the images to come back together. I could drive again. But my view of the world was slightly blurred from the prisms, and I dislike wearing the glasses for many reasons.

January went by. At times I cried about my vision.. would it ever heal? What should I do? I visited my MD, who strongly encouraged an MRI – a brain scan. She also tested me for MS. I passed, so she did not push me to a specialist there. Each prospect triggered a touch of fear in me, though I remained convinced there was nothing seriously wrong with me.

I passed the MRI with no abnormalities. No dark diagnosis hung on the horizon.

Still, my vision remained double, and I wore my glasses from morning till night. I theorized that my blood sugar was so sensitive, my metabolism so touchy, that eating sugar or processed foods, or losing sleep… or getting too upset – all of those could put my system so out of balance that my eye muscles “snapped,” or “went out.” This process happens to diabetic patients sometimes with their vision, and that’s the best explanation I had ever had. To keep this all from happening, I have diligently managed my eating and stress.

Here, I could write a book. But I won’t.

Fast forward to February…. six weeks after it began.

I wrote this in my prayers the morning of February 4.

— You have terrorized yourself with your thoughts about your body and food, declaring that food is MORE powerful than your thoughts. It is exactly the opposite… but as with all things, your thoughts have “made it so.” Your body obediently overreacts to many foods now. And you hold the fear of that all the time.

Are you ready for an undoing?

YES! Please undo this for me. I have no wish to diminish my Trust by making small thoughts. Help me. Once again I give this fear to You.

My fear is this… that sugar and processed foods are like a toxin to my body and it goes into kind of a chemical shock-state when I eat very much sugar. I am afraid of that state and afraid of overdoing it. I am afraid of the power – the negative power – sugar has in my life. I am afraid of sugar’s poisoning effect.

******

That day I began to affirm – off and on throughout the day – “I have a strong and stable metabolism. I can handle anything.” And “my eyes are unified and stable – I see clearly.” After the fearful thoughts were outed, it became easier to state the affirmations and actually believe them.

During this time, I came to a line in A Course in Miracles: “Be sure of what you want, and doubt becomes impossible.”

I want clear Vision in all senses of the word. I want a Guided Life.

For two weeks or more, as best I can, I have just been peaceful with my eyes and my body. I have taken no extraordinary measures. I have eaten well, but not perfectly (some sugar, some processed food). I have refused to talk to myself in any way that is disempowering. I have done my best to resist going into fear or worry, or demands for timing/healing now. I have avoided “why?!” and “how soon?!”

Ten days went by. I refused to go into fear, however small or subtle. Last Saturday I even had 2 small pieces of cherry pie and ice cream – sugary! – at a birthday party. I could feel the fear of the consequences starting in my body/mind, but reiterated to myself.. I have a strong metabolism. I can handle all kinds of things! My body is strong and stable and my eyes work together perfectly.

Sunday I went to a gathering with a psychic. Everyone else asked questions and I could feel the impulse to ask “How do I heal my eyes? Why aren’t they healed yet? What should I do?” But it seemed somehow disrespectful. To myself. To the healing process already happening. By now, I could feel that healing was happening. I knew it. So I asked nothing.

Today, I woke up and my eyes are so together I was able to put on my contacts. I am celebrating! There’s only one house across the street… only one Stan… only one of the paintings on the wall.

I am elated. But also, I’m in awe.

I did not heal myself. I did not ask God to heal me and He did. I asked to release all the things that blocked Truth. And, that happened.

I can see again. Joy!!

February 12, 2015 Coaching, Empowerment 1 Comment

Incoming

I’m as compulsive as anyone about checking my inbox…. despite the fact that probably 90% of the incoming emails are groups, promotions, activist invitations, etc. Still… there might be that one important or awesome email…can’t miss that one!
Last night I pored over the paintings by Akiane along with her story. By four years old she was drawing images of people and sometimes angels that she said she saw. By 6 and 7 those images had become dynamic, realistic and unbelievable. By age 8, with color paints, she painted Jesus. Her Prince of Peace, 36” x 48”, is stunning, along with the poem that goes with it, and commands thousands of dollars for the original.

Her story, of seeing heaven but living on earth, is sincere, evidenced by the paintings she continues to create, as well as her rich and unusual poetry. She receives visions from heaven and puts them into paintings.

Reading Akiane’s story, I’m (again!) brought to remember. What is real? What matters? What is true?

What am I paying attention to?

I feel so fickle at times… one day I know I can hear guidance from holy sources that is unfailingly wise and loving. Two hours later I’m consulting my to do list and not listening at all. My incoming box has all my attention.

Which Incoming am I tuned in to? Today I’m tuning in to the softer, but wiser Incoming Voice/Guidance. Reversing the focus.

The noisy, visible, demanding world is receding, while I “listen,” and write, and hear.

Check out Akiane’s work here: http://www.akiane.com/store/

February 4, 2015 Empowerment, Harmony Post a Comment

Limiting Thoughts

I’ve spent some time trying to rid myself of Limiting Thoughts. A lot of time actually.

But in my bath 2 days ago I had the most amazing revelation come to me.

All Things are Limiting Thoughts.

Water is Water and not Ice. Feather is Feather and not Coal. Blue is Blue and not Purple. I am ME and not Someone Else.

But the Life Energy – which is the same thing I call God – is unlimited and everywhere and forever.

For reasons beyond my comprehension It packages itself in a Gazillion forms to create this diverse Universe. To play and experience.

And what I actually, really, am, IS That same Life Energy/God. I’ve limited my Self into this particular body, for these several years, and this particular spot on the planet and these particular companions. And here I am.

If I were Unlimited, truly, I must be invisible and everywhere. But I have chosen Limiting Thoughts to make myself here and now.

Are my thoughts Big Enough to love well? To live fully? No? Then I will stretch them, stretch the limits.

At the moment, I’m profoundly grateful for the part of God that has limited Itself into the shape and form of my MacBook Pro. As well as the Table underneath it. And for the part of God that has limited Itself into my husband. And my children… and my grandchildren. How amazing is that?!

I love Limiting Thoughts. How colorful, how rich we are to experience the diversity of Limiting Thoughts in our world, in our circle.

Never again will I curse a Limiting Thought.

But I might push those Limits out now and again.

January 24, 2015 Empowerment, Healing Post a Comment

Who knew? Puppies and Principles

When my children were in grade school, we got our beloved Liska, a white Spitz puppy. She looked – and pounced – like an Arctic fox and was a fabulous companion and playmate in our country home.

Of course she always knew when we were preparing to head out for a walk down our country road – what dog doesn’t? But there was another stranger thing. Sometimes I would be finishing the kitchen cleanup and think to myself, “I need to give Liska a bath.” At the moment she would be dozing nearby. By the time I finished the cleanup, she was nowhere to be found.

Normally responsive to my calling, she uncharacteristically did not come to me. Nor could I locate her visually anywhere. Hmmm…. what happened?

No bath of course.

Eventually she’d reappear. When this happened repeatedly I looked harder. I found her on the floor deep under our queen-sized bed, in the middle, too far for my arm to reach. She never went there normally, but there she was.

As I pondered all this, I realized she was picking up on my mental intention to bathe her – which she didn’t like. So, when the “intention” faded out, she resurfaced.

I had to find a way to keep my mind clear of thoughts of “bath” and just pick her up. That was challenging, but over the years, I managed to do it often enough that she was usually nice-smelling. It still amazed me that she could read my mind in that way.

Fast-forward to now. Stan and I find ourselves raising a lovely white Spitz (officially American Eskimo miniature) puppy, now just under 4 months old. Desperate to solve problems, be good doggie parents and eventually have a well-mannered companion, I’m reading two puppy books and watching films.

Here’s what I have learned so far. In All Dealings with Puppies, you must:

1. be clear and unconflicted in your intent
2. project only a calm, assertive energy (manage your energy); use body language as well
3. praise acceptable behaviors, ignore most unwanted behaviors.
4. use words only after these conditions are met.

Do you see it?

When I read this list, I can substitute Your Life, for Puppies. These are the same principles I’m working on in the rest of my life.

Who knew?

Well, probably Cesar Millan for one… and the Monks of New Skete. But I sure did not.

Raising a puppy – successfully- is a profound spiritual practice. With immediate feedback. Unlike Life, which can be a bit slow, a puppy is a downright instant biofeedback machine.

Upset? Angry? Nervous? Puppy is unsettled, frenetic, chewing and biting.

Calm, assertive, loving? Puppy is cooperative, relaxed.

Puppy can “read my mind,” just like Life does.

Wow. If I had known this I would have saved myself a lot of grief and got a puppy years ago.

August 6, 2014 Empowerment, Harmony, Healing Post a Comment

Feedback

You know how it feels when somebody’s sound system is not right and there’s a painful screech? Ouch!! That’s how much I like feedback. Not just in music performance. In my personal and professional life too.

[custom_frame_left] [/custom_frame_left]See, when I was young, I was surrounded by people who knew what was best for me, and regularly told me so. More than my parents, it happened with my friends, who were quick to inform me of what I was doing wrong and what I should be doing instead.

I grew up anyway. Surprisingly, I didn’t become a card-carrying hippie/rebel/bra-burner. At least not openly.

But I went into the closet. I didn’t want to know what anyone else thought of me, or thought I should do. If they tried to tell me, to give me feedback, I flinched. Then I left.

Oh sure, by the light of day, I know we are all connected, we are all one (spiritually, energetically, even biologically). But hey, this is my life here! Don’t try to tell me what I could do differently. Or better. I can do it myself!

This morning I’m wondering. As an entrepreneur, how do I know what my prospective clients want if I don’t ask for feedback? As a mother, how do I know how what my kids need from me if I don’t ask for feedback? As a wife and partner, how do I know what is working and not working in our relationship if we don’t ask each other for feedback?

Feedback was tied up in a package with shame when I was young. I survived, determined to shut out that shame and manage on my own.

Now, to live connected, I’m guessing I must open the door and learn to take the good with the bad. Aaagh!! Can I hear what people want, what people think, and sort it out? Can I be sturdy enough to withstand the occasional shame trigger, to sift through to the gold of interacting at a deeper level with others? To move into partnership? Community? Interaction?

The feedback screech tells me something is wrong, out of balance. With help, the problem can be solved and the result is something powerful and beautiful. Maybe it’s worth it.

What do you think? 🙂