The Power of Now

What does this situation need? ~Ted Lasso

There are moments in time that you know things will never be the same- you just feel it happening.  The way you see the world, yourself and those around you change in some way.  This is what has been in my heart lately.  In the days after the election, I felt fear, sorrow and rage.  I am not saying anyone is wrong for feeling anything different.  My experience is what it is. I held space for others who felt the same and did my best to not offend anyone who didn’t.  I may not have done it perfectly, but I did it as authentically as possible given the moment in time. I have never sought to divide us and haven’t really brought politics into our yoga space.  I will always believe in human rights (which includes bodily autonomy), but I don’t believe that is political. I believe we have made it political.  In all of my feelings, the moment I finally felt better was when a friend and I were on a walk and she said, “Oh!  You feel muzzled.” To be seen and witnessed and understood in that one moment allowed my spirit to lift and we had the most fun five mile walk kicking pine cones, breaking branches, holding hands and laughing all the while. Our conversation shifted to what could be the light that comes from the chaos… What little seedlets of glimmers can we find?  Once we were both allowed to feel both sad, angry and seen; we could tap into hope and unity. 

What has come from this for me is that there is a ripening, a time that we can no longer be quiet and hide our true nature.  There’s time to use our voice and put it out there. But for me, this isn’t about being angry and pointing fingers at a person or group of people.  It’s about getting very still and only listening to Truth.  My first Truth to emerge… get off of any platforms that seek to divide or fan the flames of anger.  Bye bye Instagram and Facebook and the newfeeds that keep me “informed.”  It has actually been so freeing!  I highly encourage it for your mind, your heart and your TIME! We had a business before social media and I truly believe we can continue to grow even more without it. My second Truth… connect with what you see in front of you.  NOW is the only Truth there is.  It’s like my aperture is both shrinking (stay focused on my family, our community, what is here NOW) and expanding (we are all ONE, there is in all actuality no separation, we have forgotten we belong to each other). Right now, I need to work out really hard.  Or right now, I need a hot bath and some tea.  Right now, I need a friend.  Right now I need to believe there are Ted Lassos, Roy Kents, Rebeccas and Beards out there in the world. The power of NOW is liberating.  Each moment just asking, “What does this situation / this moment need?”

I didn’t realize I had already been doing this. The past three weeks all my nervous system asked for were things that brought me comfort.  Ted Lasso, warm tea, talks with kindred spirits, lots of breath work, yoga and journaling.  So when I got to the episode where Ted asks this question, the answer immediately came.  What does this situation, this moment in time need?  Community, Spirit and Connection came through loud and clear.  I know we aren’t all on the same page of things.  I know we all follow different values and beliefs.  However, I also know that we are all connected and underneath the fears, the rhetoric, the division; we are all ONE.  It’s the basis of every spiritual teacher and teaching worth their salt.  How do we attend to this in our daily lives and our community?

I truly believe that the idea for the (re)Connection events came about prior to this unfolding because it is something we all need.  We need spaces and times to rest together, to create together, to come together with curiosity and engagement, to be witnessed and seen.  At the same time, behind the scenes, I have been crafting trainings and workshops that center around transformation of consciousness- offerings to help us wake up to the big Truth of connection (to each other and spirit) in order to help us find joy in our lives right NOW. I hope you will join me in getting curious about waking up to this moment in time and to each other, whatever it may bring.  

So I ask you...  What does this situation need from you?  I invite you to ask yourself that question multiple times a day… or even just as you wake up and fall asleep, or when big emotions arise.  Maybe your situation requires more curiosity, less othering.  Maybe it requires you to leave social media or turn off the news that keeps you afraid, isolated or alone.  Maybe your situation just asks you to take a breath in awareness.  All we can do is look at the exact, precise moment in front of us (this precious NOW) and listen to the call of our hearts.  It’s the quiet still voice that remembers.  It won’t lead you astray.

We truly have no idea what the future holds.  Whatever it may be, I know we each have to do our part to wake up a little more each day.  To shine our lights a little brighter.  Maybe this can change the collective from one of fear to love, from division to reunification.  (If you aren’t feeling it, that’s okay.  We have room for you too!  Just bring your full humanness, your authentic self into the room and let’s breathe and move together.  There is no right way to be, to feel, to believe.  Just be yourself and show up.)  It doesn’t matter what “side” you are on, my soul loves you just the same. Let’s all do our part to see each other in our seemingly divided human forms and also see each other on a soul level where there is no separation. This space of ONEness is the only one that will remind us the Truth of who we are. Maybe this is exactly what this situation needs…

In Love, Peace and ONEness ~ Liz