I hope you've had a blessed week. I'm still reintegrating into my life from the peak experiences on my travels. I'm doing my best to bring those insights into my daily existence and embody them. An old saying goes, "Enlightenment is not found on the mountaintop, but rather in the marketplace." Meaning, it is easy to be all grand and wise when you're all alone in your meditation hut, but society is where the test of your training will be.
Unlike many people on vacation I bought very little on my trip. The little figurine above was one of the exceptions. She was one of several in a gallery my friend Jodi and I walked into. For some reason when we're together we shop. We just find the coolest things when we go anywhere. The little statuette is titled 'Self Blessing'. I bought her as a reminder to be good to myself. Too often I am rushing about getting things done, using my talents to help others, while neglecting to channel my own energies in service to my needs. Taking time to renew my own resources has been viewed as selfish or indulgent. Time away from the rush and my normal environment has shown me that it is a necessity.
When I left on my trip I was in pain. I was exhausted. I was pretty much done with people. I had nothing left to give. This was entirely my fault. I let myself get pushed into that pattern. Now that I have returned I am pushing back. So even if it is just a minute I am taking the time to bless myself. I am putting myself first in prayers for that moment. I had forgotten there was a difference between being of service and being a servant. So now I am committed to giving myself a good turn when I can. If I don't treat myself well how can I expect anyone else to?
Why am I telling you this? Well, self care can be hard to come by in our society of productivity and the competing demands of multitasking. A quiet moment has been made into a luxury that we best not take because we've been told we're replaceable. I say fuck that. Yes we have obligations, and we should honor them. However, never confuse another person's comfort with their needs. We cannot live up to everyone's expectations, and shortchanging our health and sanity to try is foolish. So I suggest you begin blessing yourself each day, maybe more than once. Say no to what you have to in order to really take care of yourself. Will you always be able to do that, probably not, but I am quite sure you don't avail yourself of your personal veto power anywhere near often enough. In the meantime, bless yourself before you wreck yourself on the rack of societal expectations.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
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