Taking A Pause to Meet Yourself Fully

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Dear Ones,

With all the events unfolding in the world right now, I am curious how you are feeling. I see posts on social media that range from relief and self-righteousness to anger and fear to hopelessness and despair. I hear narratives that come out of that emotional energy - “I told you so!”, “It is their fault.” “They are to blame.” Or even, “It is all for the highest good.” (which all may be true).

There may be plans of action to fix whatever needs to be fixed, to challenge whatever needs to be challenged, or an unconscious bypassing into an imagined future. Energy moving up and out - Beautifully intentioned, but also possibly a way to get away from the discomfort of what is arising in us. If I can fix this, I don’t have to feel what I am feeling. I know this strategy well, and many of you do, too.

What if there is space to pause before moving up and out into action or even higher perspective? If there is permission to stop, and turn in to meet what you have been avoiding because it feels too uncomfortable or overwhelming or familiar? What if it is possible to meet yourself fully in this moment because isn’t this what some part of you wants - to feel seen and heard, held and supported just as you are? Don’t we all have a part that wants this?

I invite you, right now, if you are open to this, to notice the support that is here - the ground, the sky, gravity, breath, heartbeat. If it feels right, you can allow awareness to sink in, deeper that the stories in your head, to notice sensations in the body - places that feel tight or soft, warm or cool, numb or energized. I wonder if there are emotions connected with these sensations which carry a familiar intensity. You may notice the tendency to move away from these sensations by following the thought stream - planning, interpreting, giving meaning - and the invitation now is to stay with sensations. For this moment, with compassion and tenderness.

As Awareness stays here - More sensations may arise with different emotional energy, yes, this is just right - this is what has been avoided. what if, for a moment, the sensations don’t mean anything at all? they are waves of energy, and there is space for them to be just as they are.

As you pause here, sensing this energy with no story, something new may be discovered - not by the mind - something may be revealed from a deeper mysterious well of wisdom. And there is permission to rest here as this is received fully.

Now I am curious, what if whatever is aware of all of this can stop, rest, sink back and down, deeply absorbed in the very core of this energy, so there is no longer a sense of a separate you that is aware - there is just awareness itself? No inside or outside, no self and other, no past or future………just This. Now. Pure presence. Silent, empty, whole, still………

What if everyone is this same pure presence? All those who appear to be other, who appear to be wrong, who appear to be enemies. What does this feel like in this moment?

I am curious what kind of action can naturally arise from here? Action that may be nourishing, responsive, open hearted and wise. Inclusive of everything, bypassing nothing. What can it feel like to trust this pure presence deeply, allowing it to create a world of peace?

I would love to hear your experience of this.