Tag: peace

where to begin…reflections on a consequential period

Carrie Cannady

It’s been so long since I posted anything here. I decided to check to see when I last offered something in this space. Surprisingly, it’s been nearly a month, December 26, 2020.

Since that time, I’ve attempted to write several times. Each time, I felt a bit unsettled and wasn’t sure why. Today, I attribute that feeling to what was happening in the larger environment (community, country, planet, heavens). So much seemingly chaotic and volatile energy…and I knew I was feeling a bit off. I just didn’t quite put it all together while I was in it. I read a lot of people who are tuned into the zeitgeist, and clearly the energies were intense. I suppose because we are in the Winter here and still stying close to or at home to remain safe in the ongoing and devastating pandemic, I attributed my unsettled inability to string sentences together in a meaningful fashion, to the seasons we were in.

Below is something I started writing a few days following the attack on the US Capitol. Having had a career in public service (in the federal government here in the US), this experience was shocking and deeply upsetting. Today, I’m glad that I did not delete it. There are some who have been talking about the first “three Wednesdays in January” as being fairly consequential and I wholeheartedly agree that indeed, they were. In fact, I feel we will be living with these consequences for some time to come.

So, I offer the following as reflections on that period leading up to and including the inauguration of a new President and Vice-President.

~ ~ ~

The days have been challenging, and sometimes extremely long and painful. As one who is deeply aware of my sensitivity, I’ve found my nervous system a bit under siege in the past few years. Even knowing all that I know, sometimes it’s hard to get back to center and be calm when what is swirling all around me is anything but calm.

I’ve examined through much contemplation what is at the core of my discomfort. At first I didn’t believe it was fear. It certainly wasn’t the angry fear that is projected over and over before our very eyes. And yes, I am human. What has been most difficult to reconcile is the deep sadness of what so many do not know – about who they really are.

Reflecting, now I know that there is some fear, born out of compassion, for those closest to me and rippling out from there, who are not aware of what is real and what is not. I’ve had to come to terms with the reality, over and over again, that they are where they are and there is nothing I can do…or should do…to convince, cajole or otherwise attempt to help them see a different way of viewing or leading their lives.

We are human, and fallible. And in our human fallibility, we often don’t take responsibility for things we’ve done, words we’ve said and choices we have made, which resulted in deep hurt in others.  We even reject love when we are deeply lost in the beliefs we hold tightly to while listening to the voices (inside our minds and other humans outside) which seem to “egg us on.” We hold tightly to all of that out of fear…of the unknown.

~ ~ ~

As I watched in horror the images from the attack on the US Capitol (January 6, 2021), I felt so many different feelings. Apparent anger wasn’t one of those. What I realized I was feeling was deep sadness, and concern for all of those affected…and even compassion for the wild-eyed insurrectionists who seemed to have strayed far from their moral compass and were inflicting injury to humans, and destruction to the symbol of a democracy which has striven to “form a more perfect union”.

What is apparent to me now is that I share something with all of them. I have a fundamental belief in the Constitution and what it is intended to do and be, as a living document, for our society (in the US). They do, too. The difference between us? When I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, I did so with an open mind and heart, grounded in the belief that even in our human experiences together, we can find ways through our differences.

We are learning more and more about those who participated and now know that many of them had sworn an oath to the Constitution, too. They believed it was somehow being ignored and that they needed to fight for it. Incited by a so-called leader, and fed lies to support their intentions, it is easy to say they “lost their minds”. In fact, when we narrow the walls of our beliefs and therefore our choices and actions, we lose sight of the bigger picture. We choose to not learn that the world is bigger than the smallness of that to which we have chosen to expose ourselves; our minds, our hearts, our thoughts. We fear what we do not know, or choose to not look at or otherwise explore that lies beyond the walls of our individual fortresses of mind.

For those who participated and who had themselves sworn an oath to the Constitution, that oath seems to have been conflated with a blind, unspoken oath to an individual, who had no interest in them; only what they would do at his behest, which would ultimately and only benefit him.. There is much written and observable about the individual, his mental health, his choices, habits, his past experience with business and not governing. I will not repeat any of that here.  I seek to only offer a different way of viewing what is occurring in our country right now. This is my view through the lens of my experience.

Giving up ourselves, our hearts – ignoring our very souls – leaves us vulnerable to the voices of those who seek to only make things better for themselves. Betrayals are the outcome of such a giving up or abandoning of self. Our experiences of betrayal – however painful  – are truly betrayals of self. We have ignored the still small voice of love deep within which seeks to guide us in this life; and instead listen exclusively to the voice of fear that seeks to offer a small and narrow path toward the expression of grievances. Listening to that constant drumming inside, coupled with the voices of others who echo our grievances only emboldens us further. And then we have the experience of betrayal.

Our comfort zones both protect and harm us.

A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there.*

~ ~ ~

Where do we go from here?

The remembrance ceremony the day before the inauguration was a moment of acknowledgement…of lives lost, of the pain of the seeming intentional ignorance of what had been needed to bring us back from the edges of more loss of life, sadness and ongoing suffering. It was a moment of remembering where we were before the pandemic ravaged our nation and just how dark and dismal the future looked for a while. Tears fell for grief, honoring and remembering and….for hope.

The inauguration was, for me, a day of quiet celebration – the inauguration of a new President and Vice-President – filled with some lovely and disturbing images. And these are the times we are in. Holding my breath through a lot of the ceremony, I was finally able to breathe, as the day went on and there were more images of honoring those lost to war, looking forward, acknowledging the people of this nation, those we’ve lost and steps into a different way of approaching the challenges before us. A wise, experienced and deeply compassionate, empathetic leader brings something we haven’t experienced in a while.

It is quite clear that the road ahead will be a lot like traveling a mountain road on the way to the view at the top. There will be curves, bumps, sudden rock or landslides, and yet we must keep our focus on the road ahead…the hill we climb.**

May hearts be opened to our shared humanity.

May minds be opened to consider that which has been previously rejected.

May a deep sense of shared humanity and the love we each have within us be resurrected to lead us into a future that is more peaceful.

May we work together, side by side, diligent in our intention to prepare the ground for those who will follow us – our children and our grandchildren.

May we all be blessed and know in our hearts the Source of the miracles contained in these blessings.

 

 

 

*  This quote is attributed to many different people – authors and other speakers alike. 

** A nod to Amanda Gorman’s beautifully written and articulated poem. You can see and hear her read it here, if you haven’t yet enjoyed this beautiful writing.

live this question

Carrie Cannady

Have you ever read something that just won’t let you go? It happens to me frequently. Passages in a book which resonate or stay with me are written in a book journal that I keep. Not every book that I read has passages that I wish to commit to memory – or to my book journal – but those that do are written in a book that I return to from time to time, to remember and reflect. It’s a great way to carry in your heart the essence of a book long after you’ve read it and put it on a shelf or passed it along to someone else. Writing these passages in a journal is a meditation itself.

I have several books, that I’ve collected over the years, which offer daily readings. I keep them and move from one to the other throughout the course of a year. I feel I receive wonderful reminders, ideas for contemplation, appreciation for things I had forgotten, etc. And by moving from one book to another, I have an opportunity to hear from different voices – authors who have devoted significant time in their lives to creating the passages, sharing the wisdom and awareness in these books.

The passage below is from a book that I discovered a few months ago. The December 21 entry is one that I feel drawn to and have read twice a day nearly every day since. I feel that it captures so much of what I am feeling now, and have been for quite a long period of time. I had not found words to describe the way I felt and what I knew –  the challenge of finding a middle place to be with all of the sorrow, suffering and devastation that so many are experiencing.

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

– Percy Bysse Shelley

I am an incorrigible optimist. I’m aware of the threats that surround us, but I haven’t lost my faith. I haven’t lost my hope. And I haven’t lost my confidence that people working together harmoniously can bring about a change for the better in the world that our children will grown up in.

It’s not for governments to improve our lives. It is for each individual to ask himself or herself, “Should I continue to make things which destroy life, or can I lend my expertise and my experience to benefit life, to help life?”

We get discouraged because we don’t see life as it is. We feel we can’t make a difference because we don’t see things as they really are. When we see life as it is, when we see people as they are, all sorrow will fall away, all suffering will come to an end. This is the great message of all religions. When we see life as it is, all sorrow falls away.

From – Words to Live By: Daily Inspiration for Spiritual Living, by Eknath Easwaran: December 21, p. 380.

I find so much here.

I care deeply about so much and I find the times we have been in for the last many years, and in particular the one we are in now, to be painfully difficult when I consider all who have been or are hurting. I am often drawn to the news to see if things have happened to support those who need it most. And I know that I must step away from it. I cannot unsee things I’ve seen and I cannot forget much of what I’ve read, as it relates to the pandemic, the multitudes of losses of life, income, homes, access to necessities in a country that supposedly is so wealthy. 

As I focus on the second paragraph of the above writing, I feel as if there are many answers there for each and everyone of us. Will all, who have the power and resources to help large numbers of people, find this question and take it to heart? Not likely. However, all of us who read this, might consider asking it of ourselves and then asking the question of four or five people that we know, and then asking them to do the same. I wonder what could happen if we all asked ourselves:

“Should I continue to make things which destroy life, or can I lend my expertise and my experience to benefit life, to help life?”

I already know there are many who will shrug this off as being useless as they are not involved in anything that destroys life. I would argue that each and everyone of us participates in an aspect of this when we do not care for ourselves, or we utter a judgmental word or phrase to ourselves or antlers about yet another human. There are many things we do that contribute to destroying life rather than benefiting or helping life.

Yes…it’s one of those questions. One that has a different answer each and every time we ask it of ourselves.

Let’s keep asking it anyway. The changes we make as a result of asking are so very important. And if we are serious about “…bringing about change for the better in the world that our children will grow up in,” how can we not attempt to ask ourselves this question, again and again and again?

We must live the question.

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.
― Rainer Maria Rilke

 

Photo of Blackwater Falls near Davis, WV, by Locos Photos.

 

 

 

essay – reflect

Carrie Cannady

As we approach the Winter Solstice, I feel it is a good time for reflection. Typically we, who write in these spaces, often tend to write on or before or shortly after the new calendar year. In looking back, I’ve written here in at least one of each of these.

This year feels different. In fact, I feel that writing just before the Solstice, and beginning to review and reflect on the last year – no, for me, the last several years – is the proper time.

It is said everywhere, in conversations with mask-covered faces, or screens across the many miles and time zones, or splashed across the news and social media, that 2020 is unlike any we’ve seen. And when something else unusual happens, we say, “Well, it’s 2020.” I have said it myself, even as I know that deep inside my version of what 2020 seems to have become for so many, is a period much longer than one year…and actually resulted in preparing me well for this one.

As we move toward the Winter Solstice and the beginning of the natural new year, reflecting on what we have seen, felt, learned; where we have offered a hand or resources to the many who find themselves suddenly lacking various necessities – whether food, shelter or someone to listen to them – feels even more compelling and important than ever before.

~~~~

The last several years in my country have been extremely challenging. I’ve only recently begun to appreciate the heightened level of my anxiety and my hyped up nervous system for what it was. It’s as if I now see, in retrospect, how my body was responding to the various conditions here. Feeling as deeply as I do, I was unsure at times just how much of what I was feeling was mine and how much of it was from the collective anxiety that so many are beginning to admit now, to having felt. Although we are not fully beyond threatening and possible challenges, I do feel we are moving toward healing. There may still be a few more bumps in the road…and we are still on the road toward something different. For that I am deeply grateful.

I’ve wondered, at times, at the amount of anxiety and stress that I have carried in my body. Some of it, I could chalk up to having spent my career in public service. Many of those years I worked “close to the flame” as a trusted leader once said. The closer to the flame, the sooner you burn out. That, indeed was true for me. One particular administration was extremely challenging to work in and led me to plan an early retirement at age 50. As I watch former colleagues and friends begin to leave their service now, I understand.

Leaving when I did created an opportunity to  become more aware of my extreme sensitivity, and just how thick the armor was that I wore in my 30s, 40s and early 50s. Another type of freedom awaits, we we begin to peel one level of armor off at a time. Embracing feeling…rediscovering the safety of vulnerability… and finding our courage.

~~~~

The pandemic has created so many opportunities for us to have a long, deep look at ourselves and just how we react or respond to our environment and the changes therein. How many have taken the opportunity this has  – and still is – offered is unknown. I have watched as many have resisted, and done everything possible to keep their lives in the mode of their individually created normal, while others have softened into the change, following the suggestions made by epidemiological experts to adhere to new, different and seemingly unusual guidance. Why do any of this? Because we are being asked to care for and consider safety for ourselves and of others as well. The collective of humanity…ALL of us…is counting on the other.

It comes as no surprise then, that our country is in a pretty sad place. All of our seemingly well hidden secrets have been laid bare. Mind you, these secrets were not secret to those who have suffered for years and years and years while many more climbed the wealth ladder, stepping on the fingers of so may who kept trying, against all odds, to make it up one or two rungs, in order to create a different life for themselves or their families. And here we are…

Many still resist what we are seeing. Seeing the reality rather than participating in the myth is an opportunity to make necessary change. How many really see the opportunities before us, and how many are continuing to resist?

~~~~

It is clearer than ever that we cannot teach anything that others are unwilling yet, to see and learn. In fact, when we finally come face to face with our own suffering, rather than continuing to outrun it, we fall to our knees, or we reach out, or we scream in pain hoping that someone will hear us.

This morning, as I do most mornings, I read a daily meditation, written by Fr. Richard Rohr. This morning the title of his daily writing, “Letting Go is Liberation”, feels timely. For the many who are afraid of letting go of the reality they’ve created, deeply fearful that something might be lost, this title offers a different way to consider what letting go is really all about. He is such an amazing writer and I appreciate the majority of what he writes. As I continue to heal much of what I was exposed to in the religion of my early life, I experience most of his writing as transcendent of dogma and more universal, and welcoming and healing.

In this piece, he offers six kinds of liberation. You can find today’s meditation here. You can also sign up to receive them each day on the same page. It’s worth a few moments of your time to read and reflect on where you find yourself. There is always more to realize (real eyes).

~~~~

As we move closer to the Solstice, I feel it is also important to consider the deep and long shadows that we have an opportunity to take a look at. I recently offered a short post on the shadow here. Shadow work is so important. I also saw the quote in my inbox this morning:

“The keys to freedom are in your shadow.”

 – Danielle LaPorte

Finally, the upcoming Solstice is unique. The Great Conjunction, as it is called, also occurs on that day. As the planets, Saturn and Jupiter enter the constellation of Aquarius (Air sign), and in so doing offer an opportunity for a beautiful spectacle in the sky, maybe…just maybe, we will all begin to liberate ourselves from so much of what we continue to drag around, and open our hearts to look deeply into our shadows – or continue to do so – and breathe, deeply.

Blessings to all for whatever holiday you honor and celebrate. May the new year bring us all more love, peace and expressions of compassion to other sentient beings.

With gratitude to Loco’s Photos. I remain grateful for the permission to share these amazing and beautiful photos.

 

 

essay – thoughts and observations about hate and healing

Carrie Cannady
No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
  – Nelson Mandela

The quote above is from Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela.

~ ~ ~ ~

The country I live in, like many others across the world, is seeing it’s ugly underbelly of fear, hate, and violence in full view, as it seeks to be seen and while seeming to take center stage. Anyone who lives here or watches from afar, has seen it becoming more visible. It has always been there, and many of us (me included) had or have been so busy minding our lives – working all of the time, raising children, tending to families, etc. – that we may not have been as aware of the deep pain of ongoing and systemic racism, income inequality, and all manner of rule making and policy development that codifies and grounds the practices which both underlie and underline the existence of all of these.

If the pandemic has done anything, aside from the devastating loss of life and income with the concomitant grief of so many losses, it has provided the opportunity for us to slow down and look; to observe what is endemic to our way of life. The loss of life at the hands of those who have “sworn to protect and defend” has been occurring for far too long, and is now seen in ways it never was before. The advent of technology – put so easily into our hands – has changed everything. What had been hidden is visible. Along with that visibility has been an uncovering of the laws which protect those with the power, when their use of force is inappropriate or too much. It’s reminiscent of the laws that award power largely to the white male establishment (patriarchal power) at the expense of humans of color, women and children of all races, and those who live on the very margins of our “democratic” societies.

How is all of this related to hate?

Let’s first recognize that hate has its roots in fear. Hate is a derivation of fear; an expression of the same. Then, as we reflect on what we have seen, heard, and read some clarity emerges. Fear of the loss of power is playing out in full view today. Fear of the loss of power and control; fear of the exposure of what is and has been hidden, are just some of the examples so visible. Could this be the outer reflection of what is within us?

~ ~ ~ ~

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of policemen in my community at an annual dinner sponsored and provided by a local foundation. Many of us from the community participated in serving meals to officers – “serving those who serve”. A few members of the community were invited ahead of time to make some remarks.

My Dad had served as a police officer until he died in another community in another state. So, participating as a volunteer member on two community teams as a part of their implementation of community-based policing, at the time, felt like an opportunity to give back and in so doing, to honor my Dad’s service to his community. Although I no longer have a copy of my remarks, I know that I sought to honor and thank the officers and their families. In addition and regarding safety in particular, I recall this phrase with great clarity, “When fear meets fear, the outcome is never good.”

Today, I know there was so much I simply did not know about the overall structure of laws in this country regarding qualified immunity, among other long standing laws designed to protect officers. I have no regret about my involvement with my local police agency or my sentiments about it or my words of gratitude and encouragement when I spoke. I grew up in a police family – and that comes with many, many thorny issues – and I know the dangers officers face, the cost of that chosen profession, borne by them and their families…and they are all human. And so are the people who die at their hands – human.

~ ~ ~ ~

My reverence for life is real and fundamental to my being. And it is often a painful place from which to observe the growing and increasing light being shown on the underbelly of crumbling societal structures.

It is easy to sit on one side or the other of what we are seeing in our collective experience. It would be easier still, to shame, blame or otherwise criticize these conditions and those involved. Yet, to do so is to be lost, caught up in the very fear, hate, and accompanying anguish that all involved are feeling – even if they can’t quite connect to the experiences in the same ways those of us so clearly see as we objectively observe them. Condemning it does nothing to change it – or to begin the healing process at the core of the pain associated with the outcomes of these seemingly intractable societal realities.

What exactly IS possible?

The easy answer is to remember our hearts. Is pain there? Yes. Indeed, the pain that we may no longer feel, because we have chosen to bury it, is still there. It is awaiting our return to see, feel and heal it. Until and unless that happens, we remain locked into our minds with deep festering wounds.

The journey from our overthinking and fear-based mind, to our soft and loving, yet aching heart, is very short, as measures go. However, the journey – the work and our commitment to it – can be longer and fraught with remembering past hurts, questioning (“why me?”), and downright resistance. Who wants to go there anyway?

Well…as we look around, among our family and friends, our communities, cities, states and nations, it is easy to see the vivid and real outcomes of living the resistance to going within to face, embrace and heal all that deeply aches in our hearts…and may even have manifested elsewhere as dis-ease in our bodies. And yet….this is the work of our lives.

It has been said, that in my country, we collectively elected our shadow in the previous general election. The shadow self is that part of us that we have consciously or unconsciously disowned.

“We’re often afraid of looking at our shadow because we want to avoid the shame or embarrassment that comes along with admitting mistakes. We feel that if we take a deep look at ourselves, we’ll be too exposed. But the thing we should actually fear is not looking at it, for our denial of the shadow is exactly what fuels it. One day I looked at something in myself that I had been avoiding because it was too painful. Yet once I did, I had an unexpected surprise. Rather than self-hatred, I was flooded with compassion for myself because I realized the pain necessary to develop that coping mechanism to begin with.”
— Marianne Williamson,

The quote above is from The Shadow Effect, by Deepak Chopra, the late Debbie Ford and Marianne Williamson.

~ ~ ~ ~

Generally we are terrified to take that first step to having a deep, long look at ourselves. We tell ourselves that we are too busy, can’t find the time, or cannot do it alone. And…we do NOT have to do it alone. It’s never quite as dark and ugly in there as we thought it was, once we take those steps.*

Our shame about past choices, actions, and spoken words, is so great, we often cannot find a way to forgive ourselves and we therefore are unable to offer forgiveness to others. Ignoring our aching hearts creates ripples that we are not fully aware of. The implications of not doing this work are significant – for our health as individuals and for the health of our families, communities, nations. Indeed the healing of the planet (our natural resources) will not occur in the ways we may intend (the thinking self) until we make that journey into our hearts to heal (the feeling self). Head and heart are important partners, when they work in partnership.

“Feeling is the language of the soul. If you want to know what’s true for you about something, look to how you’re feeling about it.”
 – Neale Donald Walsch

The quote above is from, The Complete Conversations With God, by Neale Donald Walsch.

~ ~ ~ ~

By virtue of being human, we are born with and from the light of our Creator. When our light dims, we are experiencing separation from that awareness of what and who we are. We all have this light. Some of us have experienced what feels like the dimming of this light, and the ensuing darkness of the emotional clouds which feel like they have completely extinguished this light. And yet, like the sun, it never stops shining. It is always there, shining bright with the love that is who we all really are.

As we continue to observe the situations, conditions and events from which we can no longer avert our eyes and hearts, let us all consider our own darkness. Doing so creates the opportunity for us to take that first step toward acknowledging what aches in our hearts; to embrace with love and acceptance the child, young adult, or adult within who is hurting; and to continue the journey to the heart of our being.

From that place, we can begin to heal ourselves, and all that is hurting in the world outside of ourselves  – our families, our communities, our cities, our states, our nations.

Love is always there…waiting for us to return to being that which is our true nature.

This heart was drawn and colored in by one of my grandsons years ago. The artistic creation of a child – representative of the heart of the child within all of us.

 

*Without the therapists, spiritual directors, and many other healers with whom I have worked, my journey might have been far more difficult. Having traversed the challenging road back to myself, I offer a compassionate listening heart to those who are curious about the journey for themselves. I refer, when necessary, any person to the appropriate experts if their needs are well beyond a what a listening heart and soft inquiry can provide.

disorder

Carrie Cannady

Dear Readers, I hope this finds you today, in a place of relative calm in a world that feels so out of “order”. The world does feel “out of order”, more or less chaotic at times, and the future is anything but clear. I do feel, however, that out of all of this will grow, albeit slowly, new seeds which are being planted now.

For the last three weeks, I’ve been reading a series written by Fr. Richard Rohr, of the Center for Action and Contemplation, on the topic of “order, disorder, reorder.” There have been several daily writings in that series which have inspired me in deep ways and given me much to contemplate and consider. Today, what he shared resonated in a different way. Perhaps because I am a mother and my sixth grandchild was born earlier this month. What is quite beautiful to me in reflecting upon the entire piece, is that one doesn’t have to have given birth in order to understand the powerful metaphor presented. In fact, the period we are living in at this time, has felt like a period of labor…before a child is born. We are all living in this right now, whether or not we see it through this particular point of view.

Fr. Rohr shared an excerpt from Valerie Kaur’s most recent book, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love. I offer it here for your reflection and discernment, if not clarification of where we all find ourselves in August, 2020.

“The final stage of birthing labor is the most dangerous stage, and the most painful. . . . The medical term is “transition.” Transition feels like dying but it is the stage that precedes the birth of new life. After my labor, I began to think about transition as a metaphor for the most difficult fiery moments in our lives. In all our various creative labors—making a living, raising a family, building a nation—there are moments that are so painful, we want to give up. But inside searing pain and encroaching numbness, we might also find the depths of our courage, hear our deepest wisdom, and transition to the other side. . . .”

The spiritual journey, that road we walk in order to find and heal ourselves, can feel like a long series of “labor pains”, until we transition…we let go…we find our freedom from fear. Does that mean we are finished? We have made it to the top of the mountain and we can live an easier life? No. It’s a bit like caring for our children. The joy that comes when we receive them is challenged by fear when they are hurting and we cannot seem to “fix” it; or when they begin to test the boundaries of rules and safety that we create (or impose) and we grow concerned for them as they enter the big world of unknowns. Yes, the ups and downs there are very similar to the ups and downs we continue to face as we live our best life and walk our spiritual paths.

What changes, then?

The way see, what we see, from a place of love, peace and acceptance within, is different. We develop a different lens through which to view and experience our life’s challenges. The challenges don’t stop coming. The ways we respond – rather than react – do change.

As we live in this period of disorder, I feel the very best we can do is care for ourselves, so that we are well equipped to help others. Not all of us can be out in the world, on the front lines as so many people are. That, by itself doesn’t mean we cannot help another. We do it every day. The words we say or write either help or hurt. The choices we make either support or separate – ourselves or others. It’s all connected, anyway. Chief Seattle’s quote – which I’ve used here before – really gets to the heart of just how much impact everything we do and say affects the collective.

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.  – Chief Seattle

The disorder has within it, the seeds of reorder. Truly we are planting them every day.

What we choose today is creating tomorrow.

With gratitude to Loco’s Photos.

 

If you or anyone you know is struggling to come to terms with the chaos we are living in and could use a compassionate “ear with a heart attached”, please have a look at the Compassionate Listening page on this site.

looking forward

Carrie Cannady

I recently came across a wonderful set of cards that serve to both highlight and showcase the beauty in our world, as well as to inspire with thoughtful words for reflection and contemplation. Each card has a theme printed on a picture of a natural setting and on the reverse, a thoughtful message.

This morning, as I was enjoying my morning tea, and reading some articles and catching up on messages sent, I came across an inspiring quote (shared below) which lifted me and reminded me that even though the times we are in feel very dark, we will rise to something even better…in time. Following guidance provided in the box of Beauty Cards, I shuffled them and then pulled one from the middle of the stack. The minute I looked at it, the synchronous message in the quote I had seen earlier came into clearer focus.

The Beauty Card, “Looking Forward” had this message: “From your now moment softly turn your inner gaze to what lies ahead. Imagine a future for yourself that is filled with joy, beauty and wonder. Ask yourself: what’s the best thing that can happen?”

I’ll be honest here. When I first awoke, I felt a little tug of despair and sadness at all that is happening in our world. So many people are dying, and so many more will, from a virus that we still do not know everything there is to know about it. People are dying from violence, desperation, and so many other reasons. It feels as if fear, anger and hate are so pervasive, that seeing love, light and hope can be difficult.

Yet, I am reminded by what I really know in my heart, validated by the card I pulled this morning and the quote below, that we will move forward to a brighter and better time.

We are living the myth of the Phoenix falling from its perch into the fires of transformation. Much of our familiar world will indeed be reduced to ashes. And yet, the promise of the Phoenix is that it will rise again – it always rises again. And so will we.

– Caroline Myss

Looking forward also means, learning and acknowledging the past. By taking responsibility for ourselves – our words, our choices, the way we regarded others – and acknowledging the ultimate sacrifice of others, we have the opportunity to be more clear eyed and open hearted about our visions and answers to the question posed in the card: “What’s the best thing that can happen?”

Today, I wish to offer gratitude to the many whose bodies have been lost to COVID-19, the senseless violence that pervades our society, and those who have left their bodies at this time for other reasons. I know their souls have returned to the great beyond (or true home) and they are with us –  always with us – as we may wish to call upon them.

As has been said following the death of John R. Lewis following the years of sacrificing his body as he stood for the fundamental rights promised in the founding documents of the United States, “we will take it from here”.

Indeed we will. We will rise again.

moving at the speed of life

Carrie Cannady

There is so much to see. Really, there is!

 

Our obsession with speed, with cramming more and more into every minute, means that we race through life instead of actually living it. Our health, diet and relationships suffer. We make mistakes at work. We struggle to relax, to enjoy the moment, even to get a decent night’s sleep.

 – Carl Honore

I was out earlier this morning, driving to make a couple of quick stops before returning home. I happened upon a car accident, actually an accident involving two large pickup trucks. I couldn’t quite figure out what happened to cause an accident that resulted in what I was observing. As I continued on, I noticed the volume and speed of vehicles, as if we had returned, completely, to living life the way we were before the pandemic found its way into our country.

I reflected upon the quiet, calm, and significant reduction in traffic while everything was shutdown a few months ago. In those early days, there were very few cars on the road. However, some of the few that passed me were moving at a fairly high rate of speed, likely because they could. It was as if the speed limit signs, the stop signs and yield signs were non-existent.

As I continued to watch the road, mindful of the speed limit, the traffic signs and the common courtesy of allowing someone into a lane or moving so they can enter the roadway, I still saw drivers in different sizes and types of vehicle not following the “rules of the road”.

I started to wonder…do they not see the signs? Or did they see them at one time and are no longer aware of their presence or why they are there? Do they not see them because they are thinking about where they are going, or the bills that haven’t been paid, or the loved ones who are sick? Are they talking on the phone and so engaged in the discussion that they are oblivious to the traffic around them, and therefore not aware of the traffic signs?

We had an opportunity during the quarantine period to slow down – if not stop – the busyness in our lives. Time to reflect. Time to ask ourselves questions about our priorities, our habits, our roles, our commitments, our past choices…our futures.

What did we learn about ourselves? What did we learn about our communities? Our countries? Our participation in any of these? Our responsibilities as individuals and citizens of a larger group – our families, our communities, our countries, our world?

If traffic is a metaphor for where we are now, I wonder what we will create going forward?

Is this truly living? Are we satisfied that the ways we are moving through our days are the ways we want to lead our lives?

Is there an antidote?

Nature. It isn’t in a hurry. It has seasons. Seasons of birth, growth and expansion, slowing down and preparing for rest, and finally the rest. Then we do it all again. The cycles of life have so much to show us, if we slow down and consider the moment to moment teachings. Whether you contemplate the trees, the flowers, the birds, other animals, there are cycles inherent in the lives of them all.

What might happen if we slowed down?

What if we considered that our old habits are slowly robbing us of the sacred gift of our lives?

What if we chose to lead our lives more authentically, more thoughtfully, with more love in our hearts?

What could we REALLY see, if we slowed down to look…and listen?

Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

With gratitude to Loco’s Photos.

fault lines

Carrie Cannady

A fault line is defined as:

  • a line on a rock surface or the ground that traces a geological fault.
  • a divisive issue or difference of opinion that is likely to have serious consequences.

Perhaps we are all familiar with the divisions in the politics and communities within our respective countries. And make no mistake, it’s everywhere – to some degree. However, I can’t say I’ve often heard people speak of fault lines, except in the context of earthquakes (see the first bullet point in the definition). I’m sure it’s been used…just not as frequently as to become vernacular to describe current conditions. That may be intentional so as not to fuel a collective belief that many long standing issues, now coming to the fore in this pandemic, are intractable. As challenging as they are, the conditions we are living in are not impossible to change or otherwise overcome.

However, I feel as if the very foundations upon which our countries were organized; the supporting democracies upon which our systems of inclusive government were formed; and the norms and mores which provide a relatively comfortable structure for our communities, are all cracking open along the bedrock of our common ground – the earth.

As hard as this is to see, understand, and accept, it is essential to our very survival and our ability to let go of the past and to support the development of a new world – a new way of being – that we see it, take responsibility for it and step into the possibilities which are there…waiting for us.  The old structures are crumbling. Those “in power” are attempting to hold on as tightly and intently as possible. It’s so easy to see and extremely difficult to watch…all at once. Narrowing the lens, fault lines are opening in our communities – and our families.

This morning, I realized there are four living generations in my family. And there is a deep fault line that runs through two of them. I have hope that the younger of the four are seeing – or are beginning to see – what is happening and may even know deep within themselves that they will not choose a side. Their “side” is the future. Although they range in age from 19 to “waiting to be born any day now” and are influenced by their parents, they have curious, creative minds that will carry them into a new future.

Our responsibility is to lay the groundwork for a future we will not see. Although I am hopeful that I will live to see the dawning of these necessary changes, I know I will not see them at high noon, in full bloom. My hope for the generation of my grandchildren is that they will carry the new and improved world into their sunset…and the generations to follow will inherit a much better place where equality among all sentient beings is the norm and not the exception.

As leaders of our lives, we do not have to wait for the leaders-in-title to take the first steps. In fact, they demonstrate every day that they are not embracing their title as leader to support the people. Many of them have failed miserably to step outside of their individualist and cronyist focus, and are blind to what is needed by the masses.

So, where does that leave us? Empowered to step up and step in. In caring for ourselves, we have a full vessel of love to offer to others.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.*

Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. Why? Because human beings are the most dynamic link to the divine on this planet.

– John Lewis

💟☮️

 

*attributed to Theodore Roosevelt

tending our gardens

Carrie Cannady
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.
 – Mother Goose

The world is changing. Our communities are changing. Our individual lives are changing. How are we tending our gardens in the midst of all of this?

Of course, many have taken up gardening this year, since we have been staying at home. There is something life affirming about planting and growing a garden, whether in the ground or in containers. Flowers, plants, herbs, so many options! If you have ever transplanted a house plant – one which has been growing in the same pot for years, and you notice that it just doesn’t seem as vibrant or perhaps isn’t growing the way it used to – then you may well know what “root bound” means. Most of us recognize weeds when we see them…even if they are beautiful plants or flowers growing in a place where we didn’t intend them to grow.

All of this has created an opportunity to reflect on the gardens in our lives. Now, I’m referring to the space in our hearts, the space in our minds – our interior spaces – and our social media spaces, our families, our friends and our communities – our exterior spaces. All of these are either well tended with love, grace, acceptance and an awareness of what to let go of, over the passage of time; OR they are allowed to grow weeds, become root bound, holding fast to those thoughts, ideas or ideologies which we think are comfortable and yet we are not really experiencing any growth or expansion.

Holding on to the old beliefs, the habits of mind and alignments with outer things and people which may not align with our interior spaces can create great suffering. Living in fear of changes over which we have no control can create great separation, perpetuate great division and leave loved ones behind. Often, those in the midst of this don’t even realize what is happening.

As we consider our interior and exterior spaces, perhaps taking a few moments to contemplate, to question ourselves about what we are “growing” (or not), in our spaces might help us take steps toward a more peaceful, love filled life and way of being. Facing our deepest fear is an important step to cultivating a rich “soil” where love, peace, compassion and acceptance can grow.

Love and peace to all in these times of great change.

💟☮️

stand for or stand against?

Carrie Cannady

Standing against creates resistance.

Resistance creates heat.

Heat creates inflammation.

Inflammation is an early step in the healing process…or,

untreated, unseen, unsupported, can lead to infection.

Infection, if left untreated, can lead to death.

I recently put my toes back in the pool of social media, specifically Facebook. A two and a half year hiatus was necessary for some essential healing of wounds that stunned me, and reminded me of many lessons I had forgotten about the realities of life in these times. That time provided the necessary space to hone my observation skills and to deepen my listening to myself and to others.

I have been watching myself and others as we have navigated the pandemic and all of its multiple challenges. Layer on top of that, the racial injustices in my country, and it appears that all of the fissures which have been in place in our societal foundation are now cracked wide open. I, for one am grateful that so many have awakened to the inequities that are pervasive in this country, and from what I can see are also present in others as well.

I am not in the streets protesting. I AM supportive of all who are. I am finding ways to provide support from where I am. We are at a necessary tipping point. Evolution is an imperative and we will either go with it or our resistance will create harm for ourselves and others. I am listening, I am reaching out to my friends who are black or brown and even though I thought I knew a lot, my eyes have been opened to so many aspects of their experiences that I couldn’t have possibly known…had I not inquired.

If we are not listening, and only talking as we attempt to defend our positions or beliefs, we cannot learn anything. Listening is scary. Why? We may see and learn something about ourselves. Our old assumptions and beliefs are challenged. We fear that deep dive into who we think we are.

There is no better time than RIGHT NOW, to listen. Listen to yourself – your fears, your assumptions. Listen to your friends. Listen without defending. Just listen. Reach out. Reach out to those in your life who do not look like you. Ask them how they feel. Ask them to tell you their stories. Listen without judgment. Do no interrupt them to try and defend a belief that you have. Remember…you are listening to THEIR story. Defending yours or your positions is disrespectful, at least.

Having gone back to social media, I see very clearly, the emotions on many sides of the issues before us as a human family. The fear is pretty intense…and sadly those who are showing it aren’t aware of it. When folks have chosen to post memes and old articles that appear to defend their positions, I used to get upset, wondering how anyone could be so separated from the realties of our collective humanity. Now I feel compassion for them and sadness at the same time.

As leaders of our lives, we choose. We choose what we believe. We choose how we listen, what we listen to and what we think or say in reaction. React is what many are doing.

As leaders of our lives, we choose. Standing up with those who are standing for their lives, is a gift of love and respect. Responding is what many are doing.

We will either work together and take the necessary steps to right the inequalities and injustices across the world which have served the few rather than the many, or we will all go down together.

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

 – Martin Luther King, Jr.

I pray that light will get in; more eyes will be opened, more hearts and minds will open and we will find a way forward to honor all members of the family of beings which inhabit this planet, including Mother Earth herself.

May the fissures which are now BIG cracks, open us all to a new way of being – together, in true community. May the light begin to shine in the darkest places within ourselves – our perspectives and beliefs, so that we see old things with new eyes and can bring our best to the challenges of our times.

There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.

 – Leonard Cohen

Stand for love.

Stand for light.

Stand for healing.

Stand for ALL.