open your heart

Actionable Steps into Friendship for All

THE THEORY OF FRIENDSHIP:
Use music (Last.fm), film (YouTube), story(blogging), photography (Flickr), movement (MeetUp.com) and poetry (Twitter) to shape YOUR unique space of reverie (dream experience). See your social content as a dream, a symptom of a deeper truth you are working to discover, a fantasy summoning you to your destiny. See your messaging in social network status fields as creative journaling. See social interaction as moments and occasions in life when you are creating the law of your own being. Grow this independence!!

“When you are presented with the possibility of seeing your situation as a vocation, you will remember your heritage as a destiny.” ~Robert Romanyshyn

Engage in a journey whose steps include slowing down (so you can listen and hear), learn to linger in the moment (engage in threads) and adopt an attitude of hospitality (all are welcome!). This approach will turn you towards what has been left by the side of the road (the hidden mysteries BEYOND transparency!!) Learn to breathe!!!

ACTIONABLE STEPS (IN SIMPLE TERMS):
Imagine that today is the first day you step into your absolute perfect dream. Let’s say it starts with a song you hear on Last.fm (http://www.last.fm/). Go ahead! Go over to that site and search for some music you like. And then find some music that is similar that you may have NEVER heard!

Now imagine that as you are listening to that music, you see a few other people like that song as well! Become a member of Last.fm and friend some of those people. Chat them up! Find them on Facebook also. Become their friend there as well!!

Try this same journey out with video (http://www.youtube.com), photos (http://www.flickr.com) and an activity you have always wanted to do with other people (http://www.meetup.com).

How are you feeling? Has anything changed? You’ve just made a bunch of friends around specific shared interests, right? Cool!!

Now head over to Listorious (http://www.listorious.com) and plug in words like you would at Google. You are going to see a whole bunch of people who also share your interests and who are REALLY famous on the Internet for knowing so much about that topic!! Start up a Twitter account and follow those people. You’ll be able to learn so many new things about your interests this way!!

Now find those same people in Facebook. Like their Pages and, when the timing is right, invite them to be your friend! (Be sure to write a really short but unique note to accompany your invite!). How are you feeling now? Does your world seem larger with possibility? Awesome!!

Clarissa Pinkola Estes, author of “Women Who Run with The Wolves” captures something very wonderful about discovering relationship:

“Having friends who regard you as a living growing criatura (creature), being, just as much as the tree from the ground, or a ficus in the house, or a rose garden out in the side yard… having a lover and friends who look at you as a true living breathing entity, one that is human but made of very fine and moist and magical things as well… a lover and friends who support the ciatura in you… these are the people you are looking for. They will be the friends of your soul for life. Mindful choosing of friends and lovers, not to mention teachers, is critical to remaining conscious, remaining intuitive, remaining in charge of the fiery light that sees and knows.”

Your social graph is fertile soil for the creature in you, the living spirit that wants to deepen into relationship and community with others and YOURSELF!