Thank you for your meditation today. I too woke up weeping yesterday, with grief that reminded me of a dream I had shortly after my mother's death many years ago, a grieving for a conversation that would no longer continue, and for possibilities that would not happen. I remembered your practice of writing morning pages, which I had started doing until I got very busy doing so many things before the election. I wrote some pages and remembered back then taking a poetry class and discovering new possibilities and continuing the conversation with my mother by reading the poetry that she loved. During the meditation on the elements my mind kept going to the mountains in Colorado where my ancestors (grandparents) built a cabin 85 years ago and a picture of my mother there while she was pregnant with me. I feel like I understand more now how she felt after the 1968 election (and why she was always reading The New Yorker even though we lived in New Mexico). Thank you for helping me continue that conversation.
I love that you honored the moon! Those planetary patterns are extraordinary. The universe has so much to teach us if we'd only listen. In the last six months or so I've been experiencing the felt sense that, I'm the visitor in this life and on this planet. And in my meditation group this morning a few others were sharing this same sense. Walking into our space for meditation, everyone's there waiting for us to arrive. The cushion, the chairs, the books on the shelves. It's helping me to remember to listen and make the space to receive what's being offered. Somehow this brings me comfort and equinimity. I cannot abide all the polarization especially from those I usually listen to. "How did this happen" All the blaming and pointing fingers. The things I *should be doing before Jan. 20th. Groups I should join, where my $$ should go, what should be protested. I don't have the band-width and my nervous system cannot even......I've got 2 beautiful adult off-spring living on the margins and I keep up my strength for them when called. I don't think I've ever felt more "both/and" in my life. It feels absolutely necessary. And I am so grateful for my practices.
Thank you Sebene. Thanks for avoiding the hot take and feeling your feelings before writing. Mary’s words in this comments resonate so much. There’s a contingent within my communities that seem stuck on the pearl clutching sky is falling despair that feels so easy right now. But that does nothing for me. I’m here to do the work. To be in community. This chaotic time is giving me plenty of opportunities to get to know my shadows anew. I find the work both delicious and excruciating. Your words always reassure and excite me. Let’s keep going ❤️🔥
I was most especially touched by the picture you shared of the patterns planets make with their orbits. Astonishing beauty.
Whenever I stub my toe in my ego, and get sucked into time despair or overview insight hoping, I go back to a meditation offered by Tara Brach…. “This too belongs”.
As ever, your writing is one of few nourishments my inner self feels good about turning to in our current moment/era/time-space. So, thanks. My favorite passage (very high bar!): "I often refer to this paradox as sacred because paradoxes, by revealing that two seemingly contradictory things can both be true, point to something ineffable about existence. Mystery and its myriad possibilities begin to surface when we allow for the paradoxes at the center of life itself. This is why I insist the revolution will not be desacralized (and because every Indigenous teaching says so, duh). We cannot rely solely on secular systems to get us through this. That materialistic modernity gig is up." Philosopher Jacques Derrida came up with the term "differance." It means, opposites bother differ from, and yet intrinsically defer-to, the other. Reminded me of that.
I too came across the word Thrutopia last week via a podcast with Manda Scott (a novelist). Worth a listen, she is really great. Podcast: Sounds of SAND, #108 11/07/24, Thrutopian Dreams: Manda Scott
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Thank you for your meditation today. I too woke up weeping yesterday, with grief that reminded me of a dream I had shortly after my mother's death many years ago, a grieving for a conversation that would no longer continue, and for possibilities that would not happen. I remembered your practice of writing morning pages, which I had started doing until I got very busy doing so many things before the election. I wrote some pages and remembered back then taking a poetry class and discovering new possibilities and continuing the conversation with my mother by reading the poetry that she loved. During the meditation on the elements my mind kept going to the mountains in Colorado where my ancestors (grandparents) built a cabin 85 years ago and a picture of my mother there while she was pregnant with me. I feel like I understand more now how she felt after the 1968 election (and why she was always reading The New Yorker even though we lived in New Mexico). Thank you for helping me continue that conversation.
Andrea thank you for sharing these post meditation reflections of your heart and memories. Beautiful. 💓🫶🏾💓
I love that you honored the moon! Those planetary patterns are extraordinary. The universe has so much to teach us if we'd only listen. In the last six months or so I've been experiencing the felt sense that, I'm the visitor in this life and on this planet. And in my meditation group this morning a few others were sharing this same sense. Walking into our space for meditation, everyone's there waiting for us to arrive. The cushion, the chairs, the books on the shelves. It's helping me to remember to listen and make the space to receive what's being offered. Somehow this brings me comfort and equinimity. I cannot abide all the polarization especially from those I usually listen to. "How did this happen" All the blaming and pointing fingers. The things I *should be doing before Jan. 20th. Groups I should join, where my $$ should go, what should be protested. I don't have the band-width and my nervous system cannot even......I've got 2 beautiful adult off-spring living on the margins and I keep up my strength for them when called. I don't think I've ever felt more "both/and" in my life. It feels absolutely necessary. And I am so grateful for my practices.
Thanks Mary. The both/and feels more balanced to me. I’m glad you have your meditation kin. 💓💓💓
Thank you Sebene. Thanks for avoiding the hot take and feeling your feelings before writing. Mary’s words in this comments resonate so much. There’s a contingent within my communities that seem stuck on the pearl clutching sky is falling despair that feels so easy right now. But that does nothing for me. I’m here to do the work. To be in community. This chaotic time is giving me plenty of opportunities to get to know my shadows anew. I find the work both delicious and excruciating. Your words always reassure and excite me. Let’s keep going ❤️🔥
Thanks Trisha. Well, I avoided a hasty hot take! Still a hot take 😂! Thanks for reading Trisha. 💓✨💓
Bless that Moon of ours.
Do you read Will Dowds Lunar Dispatch Stack? I think you’d enjoy his work. https://substack.com/inbox/post/151479523
I was most especially touched by the picture you shared of the patterns planets make with their orbits. Astonishing beauty.
Whenever I stub my toe in my ego, and get sucked into time despair or overview insight hoping, I go back to a meditation offered by Tara Brach…. “This too belongs”.
So few words, so much insight.
Many hugs to you Sebene. 💕
Thank you Teyani. Yes someone introduced me to his work a few months ago. It’s wonderful. The cosmos is awesome inspecting isn’t it? ✨💓✨
As ever, your writing is one of few nourishments my inner self feels good about turning to in our current moment/era/time-space. So, thanks. My favorite passage (very high bar!): "I often refer to this paradox as sacred because paradoxes, by revealing that two seemingly contradictory things can both be true, point to something ineffable about existence. Mystery and its myriad possibilities begin to surface when we allow for the paradoxes at the center of life itself. This is why I insist the revolution will not be desacralized (and because every Indigenous teaching says so, duh). We cannot rely solely on secular systems to get us through this. That materialistic modernity gig is up." Philosopher Jacques Derrida came up with the term "differance." It means, opposites bother differ from, and yet intrinsically defer-to, the other. Reminded me of that.
You're very kind Andrew. Thank you. And that makes me think that the other only exists if I believe in the self... Thanks for reading and writing!
I too came across the word Thrutopia last week via a podcast with Manda Scott (a novelist). Worth a listen, she is really great. Podcast: Sounds of SAND, #108 11/07/24, Thrutopian Dreams: Manda Scott
Thank you Michelle. Yes, I think maybe that’s where Diana Harper got the word from. I’ll be sure to reference her next time! 💓