It’s hard to find other rainforest minds.
They’re not usually hanging out at the mall. (Well, OK, maybe you hang out at the mall.)
They don’t wear identifying clothing. They don’t carry slide rules. (Well, OK, maybe you wear your Star Trek tee shirt.)
And people will get suspicious if you spend all day every day at your local library trying to spot one.
How do you find them, then?
In my last post, I gave you a few ideas.
But I’m thinking that I may need to say more about your Pips. (not to be confused with ‘peeps’) It’s kind of a big idea that I threw out there willy nilly. I know you’re smart and everything but you may need more clarification on this one.
OK?
Let’s say that you’ve taken my advice and found a friend at the Sierra Club meeting or at your art class or at the community garden. Let’s say that you’re now taking Argentine tango lessons and have danced with a few rainforest souls who have friend-potential written all over them.
Congratulations!
But what about those inevitable times when sensitive humans are nowhere to be found? What then?
That’s when you call on your Pips. (as in Gladys Knight and the Pips)
Your Pips aren’t actually living people, though.
They’re your spiritual back-up singers. They support you when you need it. They remind you that you’re loved no matter what.
You find them in your imagination. Or in your heart. Or in Nature. Or in your religion.
Maybe you call them guardian angels. Or spiritual guides. Or trees.
Maybe they’re the feeling you get when you’re hiking in the redwoods. Maybe your Pips are in the night sky.
But if you haven’t found your Pips yet. Here’s what you can do:
* Get out into nature. Feel the energies of the Spirits of the earth. Build a relationship with them. If you need help with this, look into participating in a quest like the ones at Animas Institute.
* Write in your journal and begin a dialogue with your Pips. You can find ideas in Christina Baldwin’s book Life’s Companion–Journal Writing as Spiritual Quest.
* Take a class on developing your intuition.
* Start a meditation practice. Over time, your Pips may show up spontaneously.
* Read about guided imagery and use CDs and books by healthjourneys.com that teach you how to use visualization for healing and for finding an inner advisor–your very own spiritual wisdom.
* Get good psychotherapy so you can work through any psychological obstacles to your self-confidence and to your connection with your innate goodness.
And remember, finding other rainforest-minded souls isn’t easy. Be patient. They’re out there.
Listen carefully.
They’re singing your song.
Shoo bop shoo bop, my baby, oooooooh.
____________________________
To my blogEEs: I hope this helps explain what I was trying to say in my last post. Let me know if you have questions or if you need more clarification. And keep listening.
photo 1: CC www.flickr.com/x/t/0093009/photos/popculturegeek/5134034851/
This post is part of hoagiesgifted.org blog hop. See link below–
July 26, 2014 at 11:22 am
Wonderous as per usual…don’t you find that you change the spelling of words sometimes because they seem wrong …like wondrous I mean who spells it like that 🙂 wow yes I know what you mean..I have been doing that for many moons…it keeps me here…and I am friends with trees! When you tune in you can be friends with them…but what’s weird is I am closer with some trees more…like we are best friends but I am friendly with most trees! They are so wonderful…and I am now engaging with a new gifted counsellor…he is amazing…I keep wondering if he is angel because he seems to know me and everything so well…extraordinary …because my usual counselling experiences were like the pre Robin Williams Good Will Hunting counselling scenes if you remember …skyrockets in flight afternoon delight…ah…afternoon delight .:) but not as enjoyable
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July 26, 2014 at 10:58 pm
I’m so glad you’ve found a good counselor, CA. They can make such a huge difference.
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July 27, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Thank you for these two posts, Paula. Ever since I was small, I had an imaginary friend. I said Good-bye to her when I was 12 and I’m not sure why. It’s not really sad, perhaps it was part of growing up.
Now that I have a property with a yard, I can go outside in my own back yard to connect with nature. My original plan was to grow food, but over the past 6 years that has changed. Most important, inside and outside the house, has been the Spirit of the Place.
I believe that each place has a Spirit. When I don’t know what to do next, I call on that Spirit, and then I listen for some guidance. It’s not probably special to anyone but me and to my husband who also lives here. But I definitely get the sense of being guided and directed.
One time, work was done on the pipes connecting the house to the sewer lines. That work took out 5 garden beds I had created. Some of the direction was obvious: We used old fencing to build raised beds, and had a load of garden soil delivered.
About 3/4 of the soil went into the beds, and 1/4 of the truckload remained. There was no plan. I stopped, and asked the Spirit of Place what to do with that soil. The direction I sensed created a new garden spot that is also functional. It created new beauty in a previously ugly spot and with minimal work. Amazing.
Other times, more typical times, that same Spirit leads me to sit by the little fountain on the patio and knit. How peaceful.
BTW, the word “God” to me is simply shorthand for whatever a person believes in that is beyond what the senses can experience. We all believe in something. It does not have to be attached to any religion. I get a lot from Native American spirituality. Buddhists do not believe in “God” but definitely do in spirit.
Spirit is real. It is what gets me through.
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July 27, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Me, too. Spirit gets me through. Whether I’m actually aware of it or not. Thank you for sharing about Spirit of the Place. I’m guessing that a lot of readers will be able to relate.
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July 31, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Paula, thank you so much for these posts. I really look forward to seeing “Your Rainforest Mind” in my inbox! Love the name. Nature has always been my refuge. It cleanses my spirit like nothing else can. We speak to each other frequently (no words necessary).
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July 31, 2014 at 5:25 pm
I appreciate your letting me know, Lynn. Thanks.
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July 31, 2014 at 7:07 pm
I think of trees and beatiful places quite a bit. Jon krakauer wrote about evert ruess in the grand canyon area as an addict of beauty outdiors and also the mccandles kid
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August 1, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Great idea about viewing supports, spiritual, personal or in the natural world, like back-up singers. Interesting imagery to think of it like that!
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August 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm
Thanks, Gail. I also enjoy reading your blog. http://giftedchallenges.blogspot.com. Always full of important information about gifted children.
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August 27, 2014 at 10:50 am
My Dad not only carries a slide rule, but also a convex lens, to light cigarettes or in case of some other occasion that might require fire!
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August 27, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Yay, Dad!!
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September 14, 2014 at 7:32 pm
It is a revelation to discover another therapist who appears grounded and also spiritually oriented. So often there is a divide between psychology and the life of the spirit. Social work nicely bridged the gap for me. So so glad I found this blog!
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September 14, 2014 at 8:38 pm
Me, too!
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October 6, 2016 at 11:59 am
Loved the article. Wish I was in Oregon. I have not been able to find any decent therapists in Frisco, Tx. Do you know of any? Thanks.
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October 6, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Kate. You could start here and click on the link for the therapist list. If there’s someone anywhere in Texas you could contact them for suggestions: https://rainforestmind.wordpress.com/2015/08/27/how-to-find-a-psychotherapist-who-loves-your-rainforest-mind/ Also check on hoagiesgifted.org for their list of professionals or for bloggers in Texas.
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