I recently wrote about dealing with the presence of darkness in these times and received some thoughtful follow-up requests to share more about what it means to accept the fact of darkness in the world and for practical advice on how to do this in daily life. So just how do we accept the presence of darkness? What does such acceptance mean? What do I do? First, I admit that darkness exists in this world. Accepting darkness is not to embrace it, not to hold it and not to approve it. It means only to acknowledge it is there, that darkness is a reality in our … [Read more...]
Coping With Darkness Without Conceding
We have now spent most of this year facing the physical, economic, emotional and psychological threats and consequences of the COVID pandemic, along with the parallel crises of social upheaval and protest against the inequities of racial injustice, and the ever heightened polarization of our divided nation as we watch the sacred tenets of our American experiment in democracy attacked and depreciated on a nearly daily basis. We are all exhausted. We are indeed navigating a very difficult time. I feel and hear and know the anxiety and the loss that so many of you experience. I want to … [Read more...]
Finding Calm in the Storm
This last year has been and continues to be a challenging time for everyone. I have been giving some thought to what we can each do to maintain our own energy--and energy hygiene--so that we may stand each in our strength and integrity, and support ourselves and others. We each hold the possibility, and the opportunity, to make positive change, and it can happen in simple and subtle ways. It can be summed up as: share your self light. This of course means that first you need to recognize and nurture your own light. And how do we do this when we are stressed by outside events and … [Read more...]
Coping With Conflict All Around Us
We are overwhelmed at this time with conflict and suffering: internationally and at home, political, racial, economic, environmental...and I have been silently observing and wondering how to address all this. Today I read a thoughtful piece by David Spangler that offers some sage suggestions on how to cope with the onslaught, and I am moved to share his perspective with you. Thank you, David. The Spirit Amongst Us By David Spangler These are heart-heavy days. Nearly every day, the media bring us news of more suffering, more deaths, more anguish in the world. One … [Read more...]