If not Equal, then Level

             Merry Equinox to one all All!  Okay, maybe not ALL.  But in this time of chaos, what you won’t hear from me is anything topical, medical, global, nor political.  None of that in this space right now.

             It’s everywhere else, it doesn’t need to be here.  Instead, we’ll be focusing on Care.  Care for ourselves.  In whatever form that takes.

             Care for others, if we are able.  Again, in whatever form that takes.

             There is to be no judgment at this time.  We can’t afford it.  We are all doing the best we can with what we have.  To say that Our Way is “better” than someone else’s is to cause the biggest hurt.

             We don’t know how others are coping, we must look only within.  We must be more gentle than ever.  We must be kind.  Patient.  And filled with LovingKindess.

             I’m not negating the fact that many of us are in pain and discomfort, and that we shouldn’t experience our feelings.  While we acknowledge these emotions, we have to remember about permanence.  Nothing lasts forever.   Not even horrible and weird uncertainty.

             We have control over how we react.  And how we move forward.  Or, how we may be sitting still.  We have control over how we breathe.

            During this moment, let us allow ourselves (and each other) to Be.  To breathe.  To have some space and some healing.  It can only help.

 

 

.

 

Co-Creation

             The other day I had a fantastic conversation with my grandbaby.  Well, all chats with her are fantastic.  Also, she’s not a baby anymore (just ask her).  She’s three.

             What we were discussing most recently though, was change.  I told her it was part of our growth, but that many of us struggle with it.

             It’s a challenging topic, not just for old Nanas and preschoolers.  This idea that nothing stays the same can be very unstable, and unsettling.

             Since my primary life lesson seems to be Release, I often have a hard time with the Letting Go portion of it all.  I’m constantly on the look-out for tools and strategies to help me get my brain in the proper place to understand, to feel at ease.

             I came across an inspirational concept which really rang true.  It talks about how WE are not a work of art, our life is.  The physical bodies we wear are like paintbrushes.  All of them are different, but each of them is important, in its own unique way.

             Our art, is our life.   And we create that masterpiece by using the tool we arrived here with.  It can be pointy or wide or heavy-handled or delicate, it can be any color found in nature, or it can be decorated by human hands.

             All paintbrushes have a finite amount of usefulness.  They change over time.  They do, eventually, wear out.  This does not change what it is they have created, though.

             The basic concept is that we don’t need to focus on the paintbrush, we should be paying attention to what we’re creating with it, not how the tool itself looks or what shape it is.  It does its job, the task of making our lives, our art.

             It does its job, as long as it is taken care of.  Without the tool, we can’t craft the creation.  But remember, the tool is NOT the art, it’s the tool.  The art is the art.  Our life, what we do with it and who we become, THAT is the masterpiece.

             This one really spoke to me.  I’m giving it to you, share it.  Go out into the world and make gorgeous, important art.  Use your paintbrush, clean it regularly, store it properly, and always remember, it’s the tool we have, so treat it well.  Even if it stops looking the way it once did.

 

 

 

.

Adjusting and Reconciling

             As we work on adapting, evolving, and doing better, our progress can be tracked.  What can also be monitored is our setbacks.  Both are perfectly common.  And yet.  One is clearly more desirable than the other.

            Or is it?  I mean, sure, falling down isn’t the way to success.  But maybe when we put them together, they add up to more, and it really is?

             When we talk about recovery or improvement we don’t always acknowledge (or even mention) the challenges.  It’s as if we’re thinking we can only share the “good” parts of our journey, not the struggles.  Wait, isn’t it possible though, that all pieces are positive?

             Those stumbles and fall-downs and roadblocks and detours?  They can be enormously educational.  And, it turns out, just as “good” as all the other experiences along the way.

             Right now we have been asked to look at

timing.

             Because even though we aren’t able to see the big picture yet, we are being reassured that we ARE on the right track, we ARE making progress, we ARE heading in the correct direction.

             I was in a situation yesterday.   It was super “normal” and very average for an afternoon of running errands.  But, it went ugly in a fast and unexpected way.

             Two end-aisle displays, on either side of me as I stood in line, just refused to be ignored.  I began to feel nauseous, sweaty, and hyper aware of my body (specifically of its shape, size, and age).

             It was too much.  I left.  I walked out.  I chose to save my mental health.  I went to the car.  Where I sat, in the rain.  It was so cool there, and refreshing.  Nicely overcast and gray, very soothing.  I slowed my breathing, focused on IN and OUT.

             I reminded my inner critic that I had value, that I was worthy, that I had as much right to be there as any of those other people.  (That the advertising in all of those products and images were fucking lies.)

             As I began to feel safe and centered, it occurred to me that this entire event had a purpose.  I was able to see the arc, the spiral, the activity of what had happened.

             This lesson dropped into place, exactly when it was supposed to.  As do they all.  As does our entire life here.  The timing, as they say, is divine.  Not necessarily because of outer sources, but because of our own inner strength and power.

             It’s us.  We are in charge of our blueprints, even if we’re not in control, we do have value.  We do have worth.  And we see that, just when we need to most.

 

 

.

 

Theoretical Entirety

             What are our influences?  Who impacts our decisions?  Where do our compulsions and preferences come from?  Nature/Nurture is the forever question.

             Being spiritual people, we need to add that cosmic element as well.  We must factor in the physical alongside the esoteric.

             It’s impossible to dissect though, the debate of who we are and how we got this way.  Of course that doesn’t stop scholars, scientists, religious leaders from doing exactly that.  Do we need to?  Maybe just a peek.

             To examine this age-old issue, to gain some understanding, is precisely where the Universe has directed us.  But, by altering our perception, we are asked to focus on

the whole self.

             In other words, it may not be to anyone’s benefit to try and break this down.  Recognize and acknowledge, thank and honour?  Yes, absolutely!  But assign blame or take credit?  Nope, won’t really help.

             What will suit better, and where we can gather more insight, is to treasure our layers.  When we take notice of the combined bits and pieces of who and what brought us to this place, we appreciate the depth and the richness of our entire being.

             Blend in our past lives, add those who parented, mix with friends and greatly admired favorites.  It takes all of this, plus so very much more, to craft someone as unique and special as we are.

             There is no need to strip ourselves down, we’ll learn more and advance farther by seeing the entirety of us, the compilation of the ingredients.  It takes so much to assemble each complex individual, and every single component has value.

             We are not our list of disorganized inner compounds and outer impressions, we are a whole and complete being, made up of many parts, all of which have combined to bring us to this place, wearing this body, and experiencing these feelings.

             It’s intentional, deliberate, and full of purpose.  In our gratitude we can witness the gifts and lessons which have brought us to this point.

 

 

 

.

Feeling and Freeing

             A little over a week ago, I had an interaction with someone who was incredibly angry.  Now, rage?  I understand it.  Been there, lived that, still trying to shake it off.

             So, his mood was a familiar one to me.  But during that moment, and it was truly just a quick flash of almost-no-time, I was made aware of how useless this type of energy expense can be.

             We do need to feel all the feelings, but what I understood in that split-second was more about what we can gain from NOT engaging to such a strenuous degree.

             Here’s what the Universe would like us to focus on.  Once we make the connection, then it’s appropriate to

Step Back

             The observing phase is next.  All of our emotions are valid.  But none of them can be sustained.   And there’s a reason for that, we’d get sick!  Actually, we often do.  We don’t always know why, could it be that we’re trying to keep up a false feeling front?

             We can draw on our inner well of peace.  We can stop, allowing ourselves to . . .  Be.  We can assist our body by utilizing our mind.  By slowing down, calming our breath, we are able to take that Step Back and make the necessary observations.

             Of course this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t experience the emotions.  It’s simply an excellent way to not be overwhelmed by them.

             Engage.  Connect.  Then, we can Let Go.  Honouring (but not retaining) how we feel will assist us, enabling us to see from a perspective of knowledge.

             It might not be easy, but like so much which we can learn from, it’s pretty damn simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.