“There is no need to build a labyrinth when the entire universe is one.”
~Jorge Luis Borges
I’ve been appreciating how easy it is to drop into other peoples’ lives, to witness what others are going through. The media makes this instantaneous. The world is at my fingertips. Literally. Unfortunately, so much of the media is focused on hype and inciting fear. Our brilliantly attuned survival instincts pick up on this. Stress levels rise, fear and anxiety creep in, a sense of hopelessness and despair can overtake us. I see this as I watch the news. It doesn’t feel good!
The fear triggers my desire for things to be different. Have you ever had the thought, “If only the world operated the way I think it should, we’d be OK?” If you have, you are not alone! I really want reality to go the way I think it should! If it did, then I could be happy and relax and feel yummy and safe, secure and happy! This is a deep human desire, arising from the imprints in the soul of being a happy contented infant. Why wouldn’t I want this??!! My ongoing labyrinth walk is revealing how deeply attached I am to being someplace I’m not, how badly I want the world to be what I think it should. How I yearn for that safe happy place! Who wants to feel annoyed, frustrated, deep grief? Right? However, by rejecting what feels difficult, I am rejecting what is actually happening in my experience. This rejecting means I’m cutting myself off from my own openness to myself, to my experience, whether I feel it as positive or negative. This limits my ability to BE.HERE.NOW. And to welcome where I actually am, including what may not feel good. My 3 key takeaways have come in handy lately. Here they are again for you, in case you forgot!
1. Pay attention to where you are in the moment. Present moment awareness of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and body creates a foundation for you to be true to your experience where you are. Be curious about where you are: if you are frustrated, let the frustration be there and feel it in your body, same with any other emotion. This is not about acting out and attacking others if you are angry or upset. This is about being with yourself where you are because that’s where you are. Something my Dad said a million times. Thanks, Dad! (His anniversary is Feb 22. This newsletter is dedicated to him.)
2. Have compassion for, patience with, and acceptance of the parts of you that that are hard to be with. There are many forces driving us not to be where we are. Staying with this practice takes a gentle holding and a firm commitment. Suffering comes when we resist our actual experience. This is a tough one to understand, but it’s true. 3. Be open to receiving the lessons all of life offers. Life is an amazing gift we are given in each moment. Our human tendency is to split the good from the bad, what we want and don’t want, what we may consider spiritual from the mundane. These habitual patterns separate us from experiencing life in each moment as miraculous, filled with beauty and arising out of a loving ground. I am deeply convinced of the importance of each of us looking within, taking the plunge into the depths of our Being. It is here that we discover a deeper truth, the Truth of our Nature, our beauty, our inherent value; the essential preciousness of our souls. Our happiness, inner freedom and full expression of our authenticity depend on us showing up for life, for our inner labyrinth walk, moment to moment. This is a path and practice that chooses us. That calls to us to walk it. You do not have to take this journey alone. Having a guide is essential. May you find your guide.
Here's a video I made about walking the labyrinth
In compassion and love,
Monique
This time is asking us to live with clarity and courage. Here are three ways I can support you:
· Sunday morning meditation – Sundays at 9:30 am est on zoom. (no charge)
· Moving Forward with Clarity and Courage – A 6 month Coaching Package – 2 slots open
· Spiritual Insight Sessions - 10 session series to start – 2 slots open.