Greetings all,
I hope you are finding ways to find some peace amidst the chaos of the world. I find myself frazzled and easily provoked these days. It can be difficult to imagine ever feeling safe or hopeful during dark chapters of our lives. Taking time to relax and meditate can feel like a luxury, but it is essential for our resilience, so that we emerge from the challenges we all face.
I have been less successful at keeping up with a dedicated meditation practice of late. I feel a great deal of resistance to sitting still or not engaging in something that is either 'productive' or just distracting. Recently I settled into a longer meditation session and it not only helped me to reset my body a bit, but also opened up some insight about how I view myself in relationships.
Relationships, whether they are familial, friends, romantic partnerships, or career based, have a major impact on our development as individuals and on our overall level of satisfaction with life. It can be tempting to look for someone to rescue us when we feel overwhelmed, or to play the hero in other people's lives rather than handle our own struggles. I've fallen into both traps over the years. Lately I've been so overwhelmed by the cruelty of our times I've been wanting to be saved by someone. Simultaneously I've been caught in the mindset of, "Why would anyone waste their time on someone like me? Mess that I am what do I have to offer anyone?"
Well during meditation, an observation popped into my awareness. In the past, when I've had transformative relationships I haven't been rescued. I've been listened to, I've been accepted, and I've been made to feel enough just as I am. The strides forward I made, were driven by my efforts with some kind support from others. People didn't give me the qualities I needed, they brought them out of me. Those qualities of confidence, dedication, compassion, and competence were already there within me. I just sometimes needed someone else to see them in myself. I didn't need to be rescued, only recognized.
Why am I telling you this? Maybe like me, you've been struggling. Maybe you haven't felt strong enough, or brave enough, or talented enough. Maybe you've not been able to see your good qualities amidst the fog of near constant tragedies that are hitting daily. Maybe like me you've forgotten the good you have brought and still bring into the world. Maybe you feel alone and despair that you don't have anything to offer. Our culture tells us we are flawed beings that need to be saved. It tells us we aren't worthy...it's a lie.
I challenge you to remember yourself at your best. Those qualities still live in you, waiting to be brought forth, whether by circumstance, personal epiphany, or by the loving recognition of good people. Come, stand once more in the light.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
