Daryl Wood's Blog

A few days ago while reorganizing my book shelves I picked up Reflections in the Light by the renowned author Shakti Gawain. Shakti is best known for her work with creative visualization and this book offers Daily Thoughts and Affirmations. I decided to find the day and read what I hoped was an inspirational passage. March 22 was titled “Desire, belief, and acceptance.” The short paragraph read:

“Creative visualization will work successfully for you if you have the desire for, belief in, and acceptance of your goal. You must have a strong and true desire to have or create that which you have chosen. The more you believe in your chosen goal, the more able you will be to create it. And you must be willing to accept and have that which you are seeking. Together these three elements form a clear intention to manifest your dream.”

I took a few moments to reflect and wondered why I was guided (because I do believe we are guided on some level to these intersections) to read this passage. What I knew for sure was that I am not in a mindset to be setting goals. I have not worked since September of 2023 when Doug required my 24 hour caregiving. After he died in November I found myself adrift in a sea of uncertainty which still persists in some ways. How was I going to create or manifest a goal when I simply had not idea what goal I would want to pursue? And given my new short attention span, setting a goal could be futile. And then, this reminded me of the exercise in the TED* program I teach where you focus on your vision (goals are set to move you towards your vision) describing all the aspects of it so you can keep it alive in your mind and heart. I loved teaching this work and have done it on my own over and over again. Create a vision with a desired outcome, unattach and move towards it.

But now I was annoyed that the verse I’d randomly chosen seemed inappropriate for my circumstances. Until I paused (another TED* reminder) and considered that maybe this was exactly what I needed. And if it was, what could I possibly get from this lesson? The answer came sooner than I expected. Of course I could set a goal. The day ahead was just starting and I had things I wanted to accomplish. Nothing big but things I knew would either make me feel better or at least feel useful. I knew that typically my emotions were hijacked by surprise triggers so keeping it small and manageable would work in my favour. And then a light bulb went on. “Of course … Baby Steps” We talk about Baby Steps all the time in the TED* program, highlighting the significance of slowly building on a solid foundation as you keep an eye on your vision. I’ve done that unconsciously SO many times these past 19 weeks as I’ve kept myself moving through life under new and often challenging circumstances. I did little things as best I could and I have accomplished a lot. While some things look big to others each movement started with a Baby Step: “I’ll just make that phone call” or “I’ll let them know I need help.” and “I’ll ask if they know someone who wants this.”

So perhaps Shakti’s message was what I needed to remind myself that I haven’t lost touch with the work I so loved and have lived for over a decade. It warms my heart to know I am using what I’ve learned to help myself through this difficult time. And that’s what I have watched my incredible clients do in their own quests to reach their visions.