Reflections from a midlife journey
Finding some peace this season
When I allow for space, I allow awareness and awareness is everything. Because with awareness comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes liberation. And where you’ve achieved liberation, you’ll find peace.
Tend the body first
In our culture, we do an abysmal job of respecting our bodies. We treat them like servants when in fact they’re benevolent sages. Unfortunately, we rarely take the time to listen to and heed their wisdom.
I know why. Because doing so often means doing the opposite of how we’ve been conditioned. And that scares the shit out of us because we fear “falling behind.”
In good time
There is no falling behind. Although the world moves in chronos (sequential) time, our souls operate in kairos (opportune) time. There is only ever the right time for you.
Fuel your fire
Your internal fire is what keeps you showing up in the world to be the person you’re meant to be and to do the work you’re meant to do. When your fire dies, your light goes out. You grow cold and ineffective, of little use to yourself or anyone else.
Filling the well
I’m going to go out on limb here and hazard a guess that you give … a lot … but to everyone and everything else but yourself. It is a common misconception that giving to others is selfless while giving to ourselves is selfish. However, I have learned that if my personal well is running dry, I have very little to give to others.
Resting and hiding
It's human nature to put up our defenses when we feel we are under attack. Many times, though, the instinct to protect ourselves comes from our lizard brain, which is responding to a thought we're having in the moment that may or may not be true. Our lizard brain assumes the worst, so we hunker down and close ourselves off for fear that we'll be seen and judged for our vulnerability. We go into hiding.