| As I'm talking with you today, I'd like you to relax | | | | So how do we make our connection known to us |
| and consider a radical idea for our times: | | | | and stop pretending that we are mere islands, |
| You know more than you think you know! | | | | surrounded by nothingness and discouragement? |
| And, you know more than you're letting on to | | | | Here are three paths that I use to keep my |
| others. | | | | connection foremost in my mind, whenever I feel |
| No, I don't mean that you're deliberately | | | | the illusion of disconnection coming on: |
| concealing your own knowledge, at least not in a | | | | 1. I stop and relax and actually feel the physical |
| purposefully detrimental sense. | | | | sensation of the world around me: the wind on |
| What I mean is that you, and all of us really, are | | | | my face, the sunshine on my shoulders, the birds |
| pretending to not know what our life direction and | | | | chirping and cat stalking. I let these experiences |
| purpose is. | | | | sink into my mind and realize that I am a vital |
| We pretend in order to protect ourselves. | | | | part of all that surrounds me, as I see and feel it |
| Protect ourselves from what, you ask? | | | | happening all around. |
| Good question. The answer is a challenging one, | | | | 2. When the going gets tough, as it often does |
| but you did ask. | | | | for all of us (me included), I relax back into the |
| We are protecting ourselves from our own | | | | awareness that pretending is a game, an illusion, |
| power. | | | | and one that I'm done playing. I reclaim my power |
| That power is intimately linked to the power | | | | back from the illusion, and feel my center filled |
| inherent in The Universe, of Goddess, or God, or | | | | with this power as it flows back into me. I actually |
| Spirit, or The Force. I don't care what you call it, | | | | feel it, physically, this power, as it moves through |
| but we're all linked to it. | | | | my body. No lie, it really happens. |
| We're part of the network, the matrix of all we | | | | 3. And finally I use logic, just like Mr. Spock. I pull |
| see around us. | | | | myself into the most logical stance I can take, |
| And we pretend that we aren't connected. | | | | and that is to ask myself, "How can one part of |
| How do we do this? Well, in many ways. We | | | | the The Universe, namely me, somehow be |
| pretend when we feel discouraged or depressed, | | | | separate from all the rest of The Universe? It's |
| which is a particularly isolating feeling. | | | | not possible. There can't be one separate piece of |
| It's not possible to be isolated when we're | | | | this grand scheme of things, me, and the rest of |
| intricately connected to The Universe. Doesn't | | | | The Universe that I'm embedded in every |
| work that way. | | | | moment, going on about its merry way without |
| We pretend when we see our own lives being a | | | | my being within it. It's just not possible. So, I must |
| struggle, whether financially, or in relationship, or | | | | be intimately connected to The Universe. And |
| with our own self-image, and we come to the | | | | therefore, not alone." |
| conclusion that our life just isn't working. | | | | And if I'm not alone, then I have a very different |
| It's not possible to be separate from how well | | | | experience of my life, one of deep and abiding |
| The Universe works, as we are such a part of It. | | | | connection all the time. I can feel my expanded |
| We pretend when we feel alone. Disconnected. | | | | self in constant connection with all other people, |
| Lonely. Pretending in this way is hard on us, as it | | | | with Nature, with Spirit. And, when I don't |
| denies every piece of evidence that is shouting | | | | necessarily feel this connection, I can relax back |
| out to us about how much a part of The | | | | into it simply by remembering one of my three |
| Universe we really are, all the time. So we really | | | | steps above, and following them. |
| have to work hard at this illusion to make it | | | | So even when I don't feel connected, I can know |
| convincing. | | | | that I am connected, as this feeling of isolation or |
| I don't mean to be too direct here, or too harsh. I | | | | loneliness is simply a signal to reconnect. That |
| do it too, at times. And I have to remind myself | | | | makes my expanded self pretty darn smart, as |
| too that I'm a part of this great big beautiful | | | | it's always going to remind me of my connection |
| Universe, in all Its glory. | | | | to The Universe, one way or another! |
| Sometimes, that is a harder task than at other | | | | And that's Sustainable Spirituality! |
| times. I'm sure you agree. | | | | |