The Art of Flying is a Co-Pilot called Faith.

The Art of Flying is a Co-Pilot called Faith

by:  Monica Macha

My personal definition for flight is “ triumph over adversity”. The art of flying is a masterpiece I call love.   The masterpiece of love in my life trumps the turbulence.  Human instinct for survival instills an “auto pilot” response to life.  An evolved human will find the “art” in their own life to take over the controls.  This is a skill best achieved with the help of a co-pilot called faith. The art of solo flight is an expression of singular achievement.   It is I who take the risk to soar with faith, knowing I will land safely.   

I share a glimpse of my turbulence and the resulting masterpiece in hope you will “fly” with faith.  Your masterpiece is hanging in a museum of love.

My first flight from the nest landed me at a crime scene.  I felt the embrace of Christ when I landed, and knew He was my co-pilot.  I was young, yet I knew where to find joy.  It was outside, and inside my imagination.  Fly with faith.  Find your joy.

    

The second flight made me stand up for my rights.  I found the courage to say no.  This is a great skill to learn.  I can count on me to love me.  Masterpiece material. Don’t let anyone take your seat.

The third flight was on the anniversary of my first. It is an interesting coincidence.  I flew from a car over a cliff and survived.  I had a purpose.  It takes patience to trust faith.  Don’t die. You have a purpose.

The fourth  flight brought me to my family.  My wish for home was coming true.  My pilot was too busy for me.  I needed my own itinerary for joy.  Pilots fly a lot. 

The fifth flight taught me flight plans change.  Love does not hurt.  If it does, choose a different destination.  Flight plans can be changed.

The sixth flight led me to a business dream that ran out of fuel.  Sometimes failure leads to a better destination. Planes and people run out of fuel.

The seventh flight taught me, even when you have nothing you have something.  “Own what you know and know what you own”.  Take inventory.

The eighth flight nourished me with a new business.   This new business is an expression of creativity that reflects my message of triumph.  It feels good to be full.  Land in an Oasis.

         The ninth flight flew me to joy.  It is filled with

         the art of love.  I have trust and love for myself. I

         have a co-pilot called faith.  Fly first class.

          The tenth flight taught me the value of sharing my story. Use your 

         life experiences as a personal guidebook for travel. Guidebooks help other people navigate.  Share your story.
The eleventh  flight took me to my favorite museum. I love 

museums for their silence and beauty. They remind me of churches. My museum is exquisite.  I bet yours is too.  Visit Your Museum of Love.

Do not give up.  Creation is the language of love.  Love does not hurt.  Choose to fly. MM

Mother Love For A Daughter

This precious gift was given to me 16 1/2 years ago.  She makes my heart ache with joy.  Ava, my gift from God is a walking, talking angel.  I fail at annoyance with her, and when it arises, I am despondent with remorse.  Yet, I remain strong in my boundaries. We are Mother & Daughter first, friends is an earned privilege for both of us, and I treasure it's presence in our relationship.  I lost my Mother as a child. Ava's conception was an immediate "knowingness" of birthing a daughter, between two sons.  A sign from my own Mother, and from God, the miracle of life.  Valentines Day is my remembrance of "LOVE" for my relationship with the people who inhabit my world.  Wishing all Mothers & Daughters the gift of LOVE...

MM

PS...Sons require another LOVE post.  It's coming..

Each part has a story?

T

This pile of treasure from the past has a unique and timeless story. Vintage Chanel chain mixed with glass rosary bead, German hand tied red flowers, vintage coins and filigree.  This becomes my script for unique and one of a kind jewelry creations.  One of my favorite aspects of working with vintage findings is the beauty which reveals itself in the story of it's past.  I believe we all have a unique story to tell with a message of transformation! MM  What's Your Story?

Father Knows Best: Or Does He?

June 17, 2012

Father Knows Best: or Does He?

By: Monica Macha

Fathers have a mystical presence of power surrounding them.  They are born with the warrior and the knight archetype.  It is their birthright. Lurking in the background of this powerful birthright is the playful boy.

Hidden in the playful boy is a heart filled deep with sensitivity and romance.

I love learning about men.  I treasure the analogy of the warrior and the knight, because it gives me insight into the behaviors of the men I adore.

When I pay attention, and listen to the men in my life I receive glimpses into their complexity.  This complexity is comprised of their mystical power, playful boy, and sensitive man.

I endured the unbearable loss of my own father at the age of 10.  This loss shattered the framework of my safety, and my trust in the male archetype. The event surrounding my father’s death is violent.  The violence of his death lingers in a surreal reality left in the recess of my mind.

It took many years for me to heal the damage in my own psyche about men, if I could trust them, and if I could trust my own feelings about them.  It took marrying “my dad” and losing him again, for me to alter my perspective on loving men, and loving me.  I healed my heart through faith and hard work.

In God’s great wisdom I am blessed with two exceptional males who are still boys, with one on the cusp of entering manhood.  They teach me daily about the male archetype, the glory of its gift, and the weight of its responsibility.  I remain wary of the grown men I have loved.  I continue to love them, as I love me with an open heart, and a spirit of admiration.  

I struggle with men who have not been initiated into the rights of manhood.  The initiation of a boy into manhood through the experience of healthy male role models in their lives is imperative. This age old initiation impacts their ability to enter fully into themselves, and the relationships they will experience throughout their lives.

This made me question my fathers, father, whom I did not care for or trust as a child. It made me question my ex-husbands father whom I did not care for or trust, as a grown woman.  The irony between these two unrelated men is the experience of their lives.  The similarity in their destructive psychological pain, exhibited in the external destruction of themselves and their families.

I choose to honor my ex-husband and the other grown men in my life, who were not fully initiated into manhood by a healthy father, coach, minister, or relative.  I want my feminine energy to be a balm of love for them.  I remain diligent in my quest to raise my sons to be exceptional and fully matriculated men.

I remain diligent in the journey of self-love, so that I might create and attract a healthy exceptional man to share my flight with.

Monica Macha.

Is It Time to Prune Your Family Tree?

IS IT TIME TO PRUNE YOUR FAMILY TREE?

Excerpt from:  Compassionate Divorce. Healthy Garden.

By Monica Macha  

June 12, 2012

Once upon a time there was a man and a woman.  The man and woman joined their family “trees” and made new branches called “babies”.

The two family branches become one.  The new branches begin to grow.  Love nourished the tree.

The seasons went by quickly.  The new branches of the tree grew strong, but the trunk of the tree began to weaken.  The leaves would not grow back.  It felt sad.

The family tree was not receiving the nourishment of “love” it needed.  The trunk and leaves would not grow strong.  The mother and the father trees that became one tree felt sick inside.  The sickness did not mean the tree would die.  It did mean the tree needed to be pruned with love.

Love feels like sunshine.  It is kind, gentle and warm.  It does not use angry words or actions to harm.  It uses light and warmth to create growth.  It takes away the hurt.

When the family tree is not growing new leaves, it is time to re-plant it.  If the trunk is bending with sadness it is time to prune.  Pruning a tree means saying goodbye to the parts that are no longer growing.

Once the tree is pruned it has a new shape.  The family tree looks completely different.  The new shape of the family tree can feel strange at first.  It takes a few seasons for the new roots to get the nourishment it needs.

When the family tree is pruned with love and compassion the new shape of the tree reveals secret surprises.  The surprises feel happy.  The surprises look like a garden.  The surprise of a flower bloom reveals its beauty.

A garden is made up of many different types of trees, bushes, flowers, and insects.  A healthy garden needs to be weeded, and nourished with sunshine.

Does your family look like a garden?

What type of tree or flower would you be?

Trees and gardens are very important for our world.  Without the trees “people”, the families that make of the different trees and gardens, the earth would be lonely.

We can create healthy people with healthy family shapes by choosing to nourish ourselves with love. Love feels like sunshine. 

It takes courage to change shape.  It takes strength to choose a new environment that best supports growth.

In loving support of your healthiest garden possible with lots of sunshine.

Monica Macha

Mixing Fun In With Accessory Therapy

The hard work of authenticity requires a healthy dose of fun in the mix.  One of my passions is the architecture of shoes & handbags.  It provides me with the observation of excellent design and the reward of escape.  I like to imaging the scenario I would be wearing them in..it's usually a hip restaurant with a great vibe.  MM

The Art of Listening

           A Quick Guide To:  The Art of Listening

                                 By Monica Macha

My personal definition for art is “a loving and holy expression of self”. Art is a language I speak.  Listening is an expression of art.  Using the analogy of art I am able to focus more on the subject of listening.  Language and meaning are mysteriously and continuously in search of expression.  When I listen with empathy I discover a fleeting glimpse of comprehension. 

A primary need of the human condition is to understand and be understood. Active and artful listening requires focus, discipline, and humility.  When the art of listening is executed well, a feeling of respect, and an acknowledgement of value are rendered.  I call this Love.

M. Scott Peck defines the Art of Listening as bracketing, the temporary giving up or setting aside of one’s own prejudices in order to experience the speaker’s world from the inside.  I equate the term bracketing to being in the present moment.  I can think of nothing more dynamic than a conversation with active listening and expansion of self-resulting in a new direction of topic.  A shared microcosm of discovery becomes electrified by the gift of being understood and understanding.

I am the mother of my team and my dream.  My team has learned to speak, and write with clarity.  They are teaching me as I teach them the art of listening with clear and mindful intent.  It is my dream to communicate my language of art with empathy and understanding.  It is the Art of Listening. 

1.    Listen with your heart not with your head. 

2.    Be in a museum of quiet while focusing on the art “listening”.

3.    Breathe deeply and relax your body.

4.    Wait for the opportunity to ask an effective question.

5.    Maintain eye contact.

6.    Paraphrase the internal meaning with the external words.

7.    If you interrupt (this is what I am famous for) ask forgiveness, and return to #1!

8.    If you feel rejected or ignored try the art of listening.

9.    Listen consciously without external noise.

10. Schedule a time to listen.

11. Practice listening every day, in your day-to-day interactions.

12. Listen for the story.

13. I find the stories to be the best part of listening.

14. Listening helps me hear me.

15. Artful listening feels good.

16. Mindful listening helps me know your gifts.

17. I feel holy when I “hear” someone speak.

18. I love me more when I take the time to listen.

19. Listening can be done without words.

20. Listening is an act of compassion.

Monica Macha

June 9, 2012