Living Your Dharma and Not That of Another’s
The Discernments of Social Media as Modern Day Conscious Beings
(Click below to hear the full audio version of this blog post)
I think of myself as original as I do you. Originality is my inherent birth right as it is yours. My overarching resolution is to always rest in my origin, to be my inherent nature. I desire this for you. Originality is a voice, not an echo. I desire to be a Voice. I am sure you do too. I desire an honesty of being and to tell the truth. I have faith you do too. I am heir to being on the forefront, the cutting edge, a trail blazer, an original voice, just as are you. I would like for my purpose to be well received. I am sure you do too. I would like to do this without being putting down for it. But if so, i would hope I am true to myself, never fake, above all else. I would hope this of you too.
“You were born an Original. Don’t Die a Copy.” John Mason
And so, I ask you as I’ve asked myself, what is your overarching resolution of all resolutions? What do you do to keep your original nature prioritized? Where does it come from? How do you experience it? Listen for it? What do you stay away from so its not distorted? We will explore these ideas more thoroughly in the package offered for January.
I grew up with country music in my family. My Grandmother used to ask me to sing country songs all the time when guest came over. She thought I was going to be the next Patsy Cline. One of my favorites was Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash, I think because they were themselves, weren’t sell outs, sang to my Soul and didn’t apologize.
“Figure out who you are and then be it on purpose.” Dolly Parton
As a very independent female identified, free-spirited entrepreneur of life, in a pretty different field than country music (although who knows, I’m not done yet), I too have a strong conviction to be mySelf, see & live my truth in co-alliance with Spirit. I’m more inspired to see Originals and learn from originals when I am In Spirit.
We are not a flat label, statistic, joke, open target or fad liked by social media, not a carbon of our parents or victim to the assumptions or opinions of others or karma. I love when Dolly says, “I am not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I am not dumb and I know I am not blonde.”
Substance, tears, sweat and blood is within our personal battles and tremendous victories. Our personal experiences are a critical launching pad for genuine interconnection. One of my favorite Dolly song is, “I wear a coat of many colors.” and as her brother would say about her, “It’s like trying to catch lightening and put it into a bottle.”
You embracing or telling your journey for yourself and another embracing theirs, without any need to own one another’s is integral to our healthy, thriving, colorful eco-system, where fertile, colorful influences reside. In Reiki, what we call a “mixing of energies”, is unhealthy. It’s where we tend to grab onto other things we see, impose our dogma on them, give our power away to what we focus or wish we had something of another’s, as though theirs was more valid. This only leaves our process and originality neglected.
It’s easy to forget just how original we are and then naturally begin copying what we see. We’ve all done it. If we are overly saturated with unbelievable imprints coming at us, being told how it all is, it can make it all the more difficult to recover our birthright for ourselves or feel confident revealing it. From replicating our parents at birth to the current social trends, meme’s and algorithms online now, this is where Dharma comes in, which is a timeless concept that continuously evolves as life evolves. It is not a statistic. Our original function is innate.
“It’s better to fail at originality than to succeed in imitation.” Herman Melville
There is a teaching from the Bhagavad Gita that I offer for inspiration to this new cycle and year. It mentions what “Dharma” is not. Dharma is a Sanskrit word with no direct english translation.
Related words are: Pillar. Purpose. Ethic. Function. Order. Conduct. Code. Virtue.
Root: Dhr= established, rooted, firm. To uphold, support, sustain.
This verse from the Bhagavad Gita is one of my favorites. It reminds me to be in-dependent, to not purport what others are suppose to be, take others ideas, inflate myself or to cower and shrink from my own value or purpose.
BG 3:35 śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt
sv-anuṣhṭhitāt swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
“If I can hold God’s attention, I can hold the worlds.” Dolly Parton
Shine. Often we are not happy for or put down others doing this if we are not doing it ourselves. Encouraging other’s talents frees you. It adds to life. It gives us an unconscious permission to find the audacity to be our original selves and to simply appreciate the support we have had in getting there. Nothing more is owed.
“We grew up believing that through God all things are possible. I think I believed that so much that I made it happen.” Dolly Parton
Cherish true support. It is rare to find and priceless to receive. No one is stopping you yet your believe in You is vital. No one can go on your Self discovery but you. To be audacious means we are up for all of the bold risks in the treasure hunt because it can be risky, knowing no one is to blame if we are not living our truth. Also, no person gets false credit for our work.
That we recover the treasures of life
Where you stumble
There lies your treasure
The very cave you are afraid to enter
Holds the treasure that you seek
Traits of our Original Self: (or what I call Higher Self)
✓ It is under no influence. It is free standing from external forces.
✓ It will always tell you the truth without judging you.
✓ It offers the greatest power and form of energy without ever taking from you
✓ It will not make you do anything but will offer the best advise when asked
✓ It wants more life for all and less to none, which includes you.
✓ It knows and clearly remembers all of your past experiences
✓ It resides within you & only needs YOUR attention, not others
✓ It has access to Universal wisdom and sees in the BIG picture
✓ It respects the process of your personal feelings, which are worthy
✓ It respects the intelligence of your logic while coercing compassion
✓ It is never threatened. It is not governed by fear but Love.
✓ It is deeply fulfilling & thriving, honoring your free will to choose
✓ It is orderly, timeless and always there
“Real things Sage. They do not age.”
Michelle Baker
“Negative thoughts arise from a self centered attitude & in forgetting things are not as they appear. Negative emotions are very much based on appearances. “ HH The Dalai Lama.
As modern day, non-contrived conscious beings, can we monitor when we easily become persuaded? What happens if we no longer glorify the 2 dimensional? Offering information instead of advise, showing instead of telling, we may more easily watch for things that aren’t really meant for us, less likely to find ourselves “using” things and telling or announcing things we don’t yet understand. It may be more important than ever to cite our sources as dharma and ethic or even better yet, have long standing, intimate experiences with our sources if we too want to be respected. Not all things are as they appear.
“I don”t like to give advice. I like to offer information because everyone’s life is different, everyone’s journey is different.” Dolly Parton
You are a very real, moving, breathing piece of unique art with scars & triumphs. In our Origin, we are a warm, in the flesh, dynamic and ever flowering human with feelings, sensitivities and rare, unusual traits. No one can do it like you, so please do it. No one does it better. No longer covert, unlock your precious originality this new year. Dig really deep to pull something out now that you won’t regret missing later. Ask your original Self if this is it. It is never too late, ever, no matter what anyone tells you. Why do you care what they tell you? We yearn for what is organic and real from YOU, not another, not a copy. It keeps our lives exciting. This year, please do YOU. Happy New year! Be original!
Meditate instead of replicate!
“Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Judy Garland
Maybe you’ll put on a little Dolly to remind you. Swan Michelle
WAIT! THERE’S MORE and the information couldn’t be more important at this time. KEEP READING HERE.
To get the entire published essay & 6 other gifts listed below,
SWAN DHARMA DELUXE is a monthly membership where you can and unsubscribe anytime you want. This month’s theme will include:
1. Higher Self Meditation – guided 10 minute meditation to do every morning (audio)
2. Purification Practices Recipe: Make a Bath Broth Ritual for the month of January. (Pdf Downloads)
3. Swan Dharma Deluxe Video: 1hr long and includes –
✓ Hear an Energy Medicine check list and go to on “Making Original Decisions” with a guided felt sense meditation.
✓ Recitation with correct Sanskrit pronunciation of Bhagavad Gita Verse 3;35, with focus on Dharma.
✓ Chant- OM Mani Padme Hum, it’s dharma, realms and meaning *original melody written by Swan Michelle played on harmonium.
✓ An extensive and entire break down of Om Mani Padme Hum, each syllable, it’s realm relation, location & explanation of what this Mantra is
✓ Explaining the Bath Broth Purification Ritual for the month and deeper meanings.
4. Mp3 audio version of Om Mani Padme Hum. Original melody by Swan Michelle for your playlist
5. Completion of the essay – There are 2 more pages to go that only Deluxe Members receive access to where it gets a bit more juicy.
6. Audio Version of entire Essay: Unlimited access to the audio version of the entire 20 minute essay read by the author, Swan Michelle