These Are Tough, New, Breaking Times That Still Carry Old, Risky Belief Systems
I hear throughout my work, experience in my own challenging life, and, of course, especially over these past couple of weeks, about the central struggle to be able to survive from a place of clarity and centering. These really are tough, new times that still carry old risky belief systems with ongoing divisions amidst breaking global systems.
In the past two weeks two of my daughters who live in NYC made tough decisions as Hurricane Sandy fast approached that fortunately were best for them, to separately stay and come home – and then, for the one who came home – when and how to return, which in turn brought to a head whether or not to stay in school there. My 93 old father necessarily decided to move to senior housing, which will shortly break up the household that he has shared with my older brother since 1969, who is very compromised in where he can now go.
Here’s My Own Current Related Story And Gifts
I am pivotally involved in these crises as I continue additionally to explore expanding work options with key decisions, “take care of business”, and live my life in the midst of it all. Additional occasional daily life challenges like breaking appliances, emergency dental surgery, respiratory virus with laryngitis (not a surprise re: the mind-body connection!) are all “bunched together” . . . so my life now is quite intense – and happening in the face of the election results in a most troubled, divided, crisis-ridden world in this hyped-up year of 2012.
Here are my current understandings about the meaning and results of it all, and how to “deal” . . . which very much include, as usual, key paradoxes that one way or another demand acknowledgment and choice:
The Three Central Elements That Are Your Necessary Foundation of Understanding to “Float”
1. Balance is balance is balance . . . so what stays essential is including, ongoing, a little ease, breathing room, body moving, self-care, support, sustenance in any and all helpful ways to “keep pumping the gas” and leveling out energetically and emotionally.
2. Streamline is the order of business – so whatever really can objectively wait needs to. One way or another global crises on an individual and planetary level (and all the stages in between!) means transformation – which means how things are is profoundly changing and “there’s no going back”. I have placed in my bedroom where I see it every time I go into my bathroom a plastic framed drawing by Mary Engelbreit that I’ve had for years of a little girl carrying a stick with a tied bundle and a little suitcase walking down one of two roads at a crossroads. The path she’s taking – her back is to the viewer – reads “Your Life”. The other path that she’s walking away from reads “No Longer An Option”; and the caption above reads Don’t Look Back.
3. In order to accomplish the above we need to come to an integrative place of completion and emptying,with all parts of ourselves – body, mind, heart, gut and spirit, so to speak – that then naturally returns us to a place of authentic clarity and a “clean center”. Where we feel and experience challenge is where the cutting edge of our transformation that wants to emerge as our higher level of becoming exists.
A Simple, Central Meditation/Journaling Exercise
I invite you to close your eyes, take several deeper breaths, and enter your own imaginary center, where your spirit, higher mind and free-flowing intuition exist . . . and ask your center to speak to you about your current challenges and the greater meaning of them through focusing in turn on the above three elements. Listen unconditionally and openly, and then where you feel complete for now, open your eyes and record/draw whatever happened.
Keep listening – and caring in all ways to support your greater, transforming self in an endless present! And please keep me posted on how it all goes – we are truly and only – for always, in this together; as President Obama said after it was announced he won the election, what is written as part of the Great Seal of the United States includes the phrase E Pluribus Unum, which means “out of many, one”.
Greater, Higher Change Brings Greater, Higher Awareness and Personal Power – and the Real Means to More Greatly Trust Yourself
To me this phrase really says, out of many, one Greater Self/Spirit . . . all one infinite connection emerges. Intense, challenging, transforming times are their own alchemy to “pressure” the “lead” parts of our lives and our lesser, breaking selves to transmute and emerge as gold.
I truly believe this is the vision and purpose of our times. I feel we are all well challenged and meant to fully participate in this amazing odyssey; and receive greater outcomes in stronger and better ways.
Namaste, Marjorie
