June 21, 2007

Happy Summer Solstice! This month we're talking about lights-on living, inspired by the rich long light of summer.

Thank you for your inquiries about how facilitating the conference from that luscious, Voluptuous Bodhisattva place went. Well, ladies: over the top, joy-wise! The three days were a feast of sharing, silence, and play. I had the best time ever facilitating. How awesome and delightful, the power of womanly pleasure.

What I loved most about showing up from that VB place was that it gave permission to everyone else to light up, too. We were downright incandescent. A potent reminder that the finest way I can serve the world is to live a lit-up, deeply pleasured life.

I was so inspired that I came home and signed up for a class in Improvisatory Dance on the Trapeze, something I’ve always wanted to do, even though I get woozy looking over cliffs.

Check out the new column below on resources. Please send in resource titles and urls that light you up--what wealth we have to share with each other.

With love and pleasure,

FEATURE ARTICLE: Lights on, ladies!

Marie, a subscriber, writes, "Does 'lit-up' mean being manically supercharged? If so, forget it. I'm not a Christmas tree."

Thank you, Marie, and thank all the heavens that we're at an age where we can say what we mean!

Being lit up isn't reciting affirmations ad nauseum or pumping yourself with positivity. Lights-on experiences are more candlelight glow than Las Vegas neon. For yours truly, lying in bed with cats and husband, listening to David read aloud...Bare hands in rich, loamy dirt, creating beauty in my garden, blissfully alone with robins, roses, and the wind...Swoon-worthy food and wine, and delicious conviviality with our monthly dinner group...

Here's the kicker: what lights you up lights up the world. One of my favorite quotes is from Buddhist scholar Howard Thurman: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

As a voluptuous, deeply spiritual woman, here's how I render it: The world urgently needs us magnificent, lit-up boomer women. From the epicenter of our pleasure we can rock creation.

Ever been "helped" by a grim do-gooder? Ever been helped by someone lit up from within? Getting served by someone luminous in body and soul, even a parking garage attendant, makes this woman light up too, and happy to pass it along! No telling how far the ripples of our own radiance spread out into the world. That's the joy and the magic of lighting up. Isn't it a wonder that just being our own deeply pleasured selves can help the world in ways we will never know?

Clients have asked, "if I'm THAT pleasured, why would I care about anyone, or want to change anything?" "Because," I respond,” when you are lit up, you are in love. And what love does is overflow.” What craziness is it to believe we must be outraged or heartbroken to make a difference? Do we really think that the happier we are, the unkinder and lazier we become? Let’s get this straight: the more lit up we are, the more our own kindness and caring flourish.

Lights-on living is truly win-win, gals. We get to feel great, and we then get to offer ourselves to the world from that bounty. I ask you, how good can it get?

So what is it that lights you up? Not what lights up your lover, best friend, mother, self-help guru du jour, or even the Dalai Lama. Doing what anyone else says should light you up is like swan diving right back into that slimy cesspool of a second-hand life.

No, sister--what lights you up? What makes your skin tingle and heart soar? What, in the doing of it, opens you wide to the sweet grace of the present moment?

Make a list of what lights you up. You'll have a customized menu to order from whenever you’re hungry for a dollop of delicious delight. Get open-mindedly curious about what deeply pleasures you. No censoring: nothing is too small, too brief, too naughty, too nice. My lights-on list ranges from painting my toenails (iridescent crimson just sends me) to meditating to delights that David would blush for me to describe. This past Saturday I spent the morning in bed, reading Eat, Pray, Love...ahhhh...and from that luscious, filled-up space had a wonderful time in the afternoon helping friends box up belongings for a major move.

Here's a question for you to luxuriate in: How would your life be enriched if you did something every day that made you ahhhh from deep in your belly and soul? How might topping off with pleasure enhance work, family life, friendships, volunteering?

Try it out and see: We're cheering you on, sister. The world needs you.

RESOURCES
Each issue I’ll recommend resources. They’ll have the exclusive and highly coveted pink lotus rating, 1-5, depending upon the amount of pleasure they offer.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUDIoN-_Hxs   All I can say about this video of Woman's face in art is wow, wow, wow. Treat yourself to this luscious three minutes of celebrating Woman. Each time I watch it I fall head over heels in love with us all over again.
Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living, by Roger Housden. Richly personal and spiritually illuminating essays on the wonderful pleasures of being foolish, imperfect, ordinary, idle, and not-knowing. A scrumptious feast of unconventional wisdom.

 ABOUT Pleasure and Soul
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This newsletter and all content within it is Copyright(c) Melissa Gayle West 2007 except where otherwise noted. All rights reserved. I encourage you to share this newsletter or reprint material from it in other electronic or print publications, provided a link to http://www.MelissaGayleWest.com and copyright information are included in the credits. Please send a copy of the publication.

COACHING SESSIONS WITH MELISSA
If you would like to:

• Experience deep and authentic pleasure in your life
• Create a life that sings for you, free from struggle and efforting
• Free yourself from damaging cultural myths about growing older that limit your aliveness, creativity, and unique genius
• Making a meaningful difference in this time in your life
• Deepen your spiritual journey in a way that reflects who you are now
• Reclaim curiosity, gratitude, and wonder for your journey

Read more about how you can benefit from private coaching with Melissa: http://www.MelissaGayleWest.com
If you're interested, contact Melissa at Melissa@MelissaGayleWest.com, or 206.427.1325

Melissa Gayle West
106 NW 104th St.
Seattle, WA 98177