Do you share your goals and dreams with everyone around you? Or do you keep your desires quiet until you have something to show? When does one approach make more sense than the other?

When it comes to getting things done in life, who we share our goals with and when we choose to share them can make a big difference. This is one of those topics that doesn’t have an easy answer, there are worthwhile arguments for either approach. Understanding the key choice points along the way can be very helpful.

You have probably encountered a person or two in your life who talks endlessly about all of the great things that they are going to accomplish, but never seems to get anything done. Back in my formative years growing up on a ranch in Colorado someone like this would have been called out for being “all hat and no cattle.”

On the other end of the spectrum, you have folks who play their cards so close to their vest that you never really know what they’re up to until they surprise you in one way or another. Effectively speaking the language of results is a worthwhile trait. However, when someone is too tight-lipped it can also be a mask for hidden fears. There might be a very valuable talent inside that just needs some outside encouragement to see the light of day.

In general, the path to manifestation goes something like this. Everything begins with a thought. Some thoughts literally appear like the proverbial light bulb over our heads, charging us with excitement and inspiration. Other ideas form and are met with a ‘meh’ in our minds and are left to recede back into the background of unformed consciousness.

This is where the first important decision point occurs. Is the thought worth saying out loud, if only to yourself? Ideas in their infancy are much like seeds in a garden. Some are strong and fortunate enough to find good soil, water, and sunshine. Others simply rot away into the compost or are eaten as nourishment for something else.

When you have an idea germinating in your mind, you might test it by simply hearing how it sounds when you say it out loud to yourself. You may want to see how it looks written down or sketched. The universe starts to pay attention when you commit pen-and-ink to paper. Even the most rudimentary doodle is a signal in black-and-white that the seed of your idea may indeed sprout.

Assuming your little sprout of an idea has got you excited enough to move forward, the next decision you make is possibly the most important. Do you run around and shout it from the rooftops? Do you confide in your closest friend? Or do you zip your lip and keep a tight lid on it until you have something to show?

A few words are in order here about what is known as ‘morphic resonance’, a term coined by Rupert Sheldrake. If you are having what seems to be a totally new, novel, and unique idea, chances are that somewhere someone else is too. There are innumerable examples of inventions or cultural advancements happening nearly simultaneously in different parts of the world.

That’s why staking your claim in the land of intellectual property can be so important. Whether it’s registering a website domain, trademarking a brand name, or getting a copyright for a written work or piece of music, there are times when you’ll want to plant your flag and get on the record as the one who made history.

But not every idea or impulse that you may have is going to be some world-changing invention. Much more often it’s something mundane like starting a fitness program, learning a language, or landing a prize job or project. These are the kind of things that require you to carefully evaluate the balance between blabbing right off the bat or making private progress first.

If you are like me, you’ve had that experience of getting really excited about something and telling everyone you know about it only to have it not come through. Later on, when you’re asked about it, you have to explain why it didn’t work out, (and you may find yourself wishing you’d have never mentioned it in the first place).

When you are standing at the cusp of creation, the non-linear universe is ready for you to take action. There is an almost magical way that doors will open and opportunities will arise once you commit to an idea and move it into the physical realm. That’s why it’s sometimes safer to ignore the odds and skip the statistics when your gut has a hunch that your heart believes in.

So the real choice to ponder at this stage of the game is the difference between the danger of dissipation and the advantage of accountability. In certain circumstances, it makes much more sense to quietly develop an idea or get some work done before ever mentioning it to another soul. If it’s a situation where something exciting is hinging on the decision of another person or organization, waiting until the ink is dry is often the best bet.

When it comes to personal development or self-improvement, you might find it wise to wait until the people around you notice some results before revealing what you are up to. On the other hand, there is nothing like having someone hold you accountable to ensure progress. The two aren’t mutually exclusive if you use discernment, the trick is in deciding who gets to know what and when.

When it comes to making yourself a better person, here’s a reality to keep in mind. Not everyone who is close to you is going to be happy if you succeed in making the change. They may pay lip service to your goals and verbally encourage you, but deep down they may have a hidden fear that they will lose you if you become the person you hope to be. So consciously or not, they may seek to sabotage you with a sideways comment of doubt. After all, they may share the same aspiration and if you succeed while they don’t, it will only highlight their weakness.

Fortunately, in the modern world, we can be part of virtual communities or specialized in-person groups of like-minded individuals for support and accountability. You can wait until your friends or colleagues remark upon your improved attitude or physique while having the ongoing encouragement of an intentional peer-group cheering you on from the start of your journey.

Being the Libra that I am, many of the questions that I ponder are looked at through the lens of balance. Rather than seeing this as a stark polarity between total transparency and serious secrecy, I feel that it is a question of discernment. We’ve all heard the phrase that “actions speak louder than words” and witnessed the truth of it. At the same time, nothing is created without first a thought, and then a word, so there’s that.

As the creator of your reality at the center of your universe, how you nurture your garden of life is up to you. The seeds of your ideas can only become the fruit of your actions if you take care with your words as they flower. You, and only you, get to decide what comes out of your mouth, so choose wisely and water liberally with love and kindness and you are sure to reap the harvest of your dreams.

With love and light till next Monday, have a great week!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine

This week’s Dance First Members Spotlight shines on Banafsheh Sayyad and her signature movement practice Dance of Oneness . Drawing from an extensive background in Sufism, Persian dance & ritual, Tai Chi, and flamenco, Dance of Oneness is rooted in tradition yet universal.

Renowned for her innovative movement vocabulary and high artistic and educational standards, she translates the Persian alphabet into gestures and movement, dancing out words and poetic stanzas mostly taken from the works of the great mystic poet, Rumi.

Here’s what Julia Richardson, a student from California has to say about the Dance of Oneness experience: “I’ve taken numerous dance, spirituality and wellbeing workshops and classes in LA, the Bay Area and in Europe and Banafsheh’s coaching style is totally unique. She has a way of teaching joy. It is beautiful to dance with her and learn how to access an organic femininity within my movement, centered and natural. It brought out the best of me in my dance both as a child and a woman.”

Coming from a long lineage of pioneering artists, she embodies the performing spirit of her father, the legendary Iranian filmmaker, theater director and actor, Parviz Sayyad, hailed as the Charlie Chaplin of Iran, the most famous Iranian of his time.

She is one of the few bearers of authentic Persian dance in the world, an innovator of Sufi dance previously only performed by men and a pioneer in contemporary Persian dance, all geared towards empowering women and men through sacred embodiment.

One of the ways she integrates ancient traditions with modern movement is through her collaborations with world-class musicians in a live setting. Tony Khalife is a master of the guitar, tablas, and traditional Persian percussion who accompanies Banafsheh in a variety of workshop settings. Her facilitation in combination with his musical mastery is an experience not to be missed!

This fall you have two amazing opportunities to embody Dance of Oneness. First, on the West Coast at Esalen in Big Sur, you’ve got the 5-day “Ecstatic Gratitude” workshop with Tony Khalife happening November 24th to 29th.

Then, for our East Coast friends, it’s time to head to the Menla Mountain Retreat Center in the Catskills of New York to “Whirl in the Quantum Field of Oneness ” a 5-day Workshop with Banafsheh, Andrew Harvey, Jim Garrison and special guest Calen Rayne happening Dec 13th to 18th.

Transformational leader, author, and current US presidential candidate Marianne Williamson has this to say about Dance of Oneness: “Banafsheh uses dance as a holy ritual. Her dancing is more than a feast for the eyes, it’s a joy to the spirit and an opening of the heart.” 

Learn more about Dance of Oneness, get on Banafsheh’s mailing list, and reserve your spot at one of her dynamic workshops at www.Banafsheh.org

Ecstatic Gratitude with Tony Khalife
Nov 24-29, Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA

Whirl in the Quantum Field of Oneness with Andrew Harvey, Jim Garrison, & Calen Rayne
Dec 13-18, Menla Mountain Retreat, Phoenicia, NY