Authenticity, a rare jewel
I know it's Sunday, and I usually publish on Wednesdays, but this story needed telling. Also, I'm nine days away from departure, and my to-do list is longer than my anxiety threshold, so I may be on an irregular schedule for the next couple of weeks.
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Yesterday, I enjoyed a very special gift from a true magical fairy, my friend Sean Levahn. Maybe I should first tell you that I don't believe in magical fairies even though I love the Quendi and Titania, wife of Oberon, with her entire whimsical court. I only meet fairies in comic books, fairytales, and on the big screen. But Sean lives in Los Osos, and even though his ears aren't pointed, his heart is full of whimsy and a lot more care for humans than I could muster, and the skills to transport you to realms you'd never visit unless you board his sonic spaceship.
If you want someone to blame for my leaving, go ahead and blame him. Around Thanksgiving last year, his gongs dispatched me to an ancient temple on a majestic mountain. I leaned my full weight onto the massive wooden door while noting the impressive craftsmanship of whoever had the patience to carve the intricate designs all over them. I didn't bother with the black, rustic knocker well above my head. Just pushed on the rod iron handles and walked into a round room illuminated by a bright light beam coming down from the center of the domed ceiling onto a raised portion of the floor.
Like The Thinker, I sat there for a minute, contemplating my life and ideas for the future. I wanted a meaningful change and an adventure, which I've been planning for decades, but I wasn't sure when it would happen and what it would look like. All that dreaming and planning for a different life conflicted with everything I love about this life. There was also the uncertainty that I could pull it off and fear of things that could go wrong or that I may be making a huge mistake. So, I felt kind of stuck and confused while rationalizing continuing down the same path I've been on for decades.
Suddenly, I became aware of something like a dentist's chair behind me. It looked comfy, so I took my heavy head and tired body to it. As my back hit the backrest, the dentist's chair flattened into a table, floated off the floor, and slowly spun around 180 degrees. Then, it grew flower petals. "How cool," I thought as I found myself in the center of a giant daisy. The petals enveloped and wrapped me into the center of the daisy, and I became a cocoon. I felt nurtured and comfortable. When the petals opened and became a table again, I sat up, dangling my legs down toward the ground.
Something stirred behind me. I turned to look and, with amazement, saw beautiful blue morpho butterfly wings unfolding from my back, huge and floppy but also glorious, iridescent, and light. Then it hit me! "If I have wings, I can fly!"
I know what you're thinking. So, no. No mushrooms or any kind of substances were involved, just Sean and his magic sound meanderings. I am sure everyone who enters his Original Frequency space has a different experience. Some rest and take a nice nap. It's all good. We each get what we need, I suppose.
But what everyone will immediately appreciate is his authenticity. The magic is in his full appreciation and stewardship of sound and genuine desire to facilitate healing. What makes his sound journeys a unique and meaningful experience is HIM. Not the gongs. Not the singing bowls and the crystals. Anyone can do a sound bath. Even me. Just give me a few things to bang on, and you got yourself a sound bath.
Only he can take you on a sound journey that comes out of his soul and in total service to the person in his care.
And this, my friends, is the rarest jewel of all! Authentic expression.
In a world full of fakeness and bling, hold on to the real people wherever you meet them.
We have an evolutionary superpower to detect fakeness in others, but we don't always listen to it, distracted by wishful thinking and our own insecurities. The problem with fake people is that they eventually disappoint. They waste our time, resources, and emotional energy. They pollute our lives with unsubstantiated claims, hollow promises, and disingenuous affection.
We can't avoid every single fake out there, but we can minimize contact with them as much as possible, especially in opt-in types of situations.
Pay attention to verbal cues, body language, facial expressions, and even changes in tone of voice. For example, micro-expressions—those quick, involuntary facial expressions that flash on a person's face and reveal their true emotions—are something we subconsciously tune into. It takes paying attention to the other person and what shifts within us, making us uneasy about them or the situation. Our brains instinctually pick up on inconsistencies between what someone says and what they do and who they really are. The mismatch usually triggers uneasiness within us, even if we can't immediately pinpoint why.
Spotting fake people shouldn't be too hard. In a world where social media often encourages performative behavior rather than genuine expression, authentic voices easily get lost in all the marketing noise. Pay attention to the clues below to understand who you're dealing with and manage your expectations accordingly.
Consistency vs. Contradiction: Genuine people tend to be consistent in what they say and do. If someone's stories, values, or attitudes flip-flop depending on who they're with or their situation, consider it a red flag. Think of the guy who always talks his wife up when she's in the room but regularly bashes her when she's not around.
Depth of Conversations: Fake people often stick to surface-level interactions and might avoid deeper, more meaningful conversations. They may shy away from showing vulnerability or discussing anything that doesn't paint them in a positive light or betrays their ignorance to the world. Their opinions may sound disingenuous as they try to establish a particular image.
Eye Contact and Body Language: While this can vary greatly depending on cultural norms and individual personalities, sometimes fake people might have trouble maintaining eye contact, or their body language might not match what they say. However, take this with a grain of salt; some people might just be shy or anxious. Fakes may overact whatever part they play to seem more convincing. They may overdue their excitement, positivity, or anything that they think will serve to convince you to buy what they sell.
Attention Seeking and Validation: When someone constantly seeks attention and approval or fishes for compliments and changes their opinions or behaviors to get them, they are not their authentic selves. Genuine people generally feel comfortable in their skin and don't need constant external validation. They feel comfortable being uncomfortable and sincerely express their feelings and thoughts.
Listening Skills: Fake people show little genuine interest in what others have to say but pretend that they do. Except, we all know what it feels like when someone is not really listening to us. A genuine person listens, engages, and responds to others thoughtfully because they connect to others from a place of care. Of course, what makes psychopaths really good at captivating their victims is their ability to pay attention to every little detail and look for ways to exploit your weakness against you. So, there's that. But luckily, most people don't fall in that category.
Respect for Others: Pay attention to how they treat people from whom they have nothing to gain. For instance, someone who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is likely not a genuinely nice person. Think of the caring friend you have who everyone else complains about being selfish and inconsiderate.
Social Media Persona vs. Real Life: A huge disparity between someone's online persona and their real-life behavior indicates inauthenticity. Though many people curate their online presence to some extent, massive discrepancies can be an obvious sign.
Reliability: Genuine people tend to be reliable and keep their promises because they care. If someone consistently flakes on plans or fails to follow through on their commitments, it might indicate a lack of sincerity.
Frenemies: Those who become your friends because they want something from you but secretly don't care or even dislike you. You will know them by their putdowns and snarky remarks and the stories they tell about you behind your back. Sooner or later, they will betray you in some obvious way.
Remember, everyone can have off days or moments when they don't fully align with their "authentic self." It's a spectrum. The key is to look for behavior patterns over time rather than isolated incidents. And, of course, the most reliable way to understand someone is through direct, open communication, giving them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
Meanwhile, we should all shine the light on ourselves and see if we commit some or all of the offenses above. Let's try to honestly authenticate our flaws. It should be fun…
If you own a dog, you know what it feels like to be in the presence of authenticity. A dog has no agenda. Even when conning you to get a treat, the dog still acts genuinely doggy. You never get a funny feeling in your gut that your dog is about to run away with all your money or that it's telling you what you want to hear. The same is true about people, too.
On that journey six months ago, I walked outside the temple and sat on the edge of the plateau, floppy wings and all, looking out at an orange and pink sunrise. Then, an entourage of "old friends" showed up. I "met" them years ago in another vision when I went to the Amazon. Back then, they assembled to protect me. The King Cobra hoovered over my head like an umbrella, and the other animals surrounded me for comfort as if to assure me that everything would be OK. This time, they came to celebrate. The King Cobra lay his head peacefully on my lap, enjoying the early sun rays. I looked upon the world around me perched high above it and heard in my head, "It's a new down, it's a new day, it's new life for me!"
And my mind was made up.
The psychologist in me wanted to know why I was a blue morpho. I could've been a Monarch or a little white butterfly. I looked up the symbology of blue morpho butterflies and learned some interesting things about them. The more I learned, the more inspiring the vision became, and I felt the courage inside of me grow.
So, yeah. You should all blame Sean for me growing wings and flopping out of here.
If you want to experience his magic for yourself, check him out at Original Frequency in Los Osos.