For the final session of my recent Workshop for Living I was asked to speak about change in relation to the practice we’ve been working with, Cosmic Grounding, which involves visualizing your body, your connection to the Earth, and then the moon, the solar system, and the wider body of the universe. It is, simply put, a way to experience oneself as belonging to the body of existence. We all have our own ways of doing this: gardening, hiking, swimming, biking, birdwatching, stargazing, watching the breeze in the trees as you stand at the window sipping your coffee. I hope that my words on this topic are a balm for you, beloved.
The person who asked for this was speaking from the experience of personal change; they are in the thick of the sandwich generation years, caring for both parents and children now and feeling toward the future where the children will leave for college and the parents will no longer be here in physical form. This generational change takes place for all of us in our own ways if we live long enough. These changes are huge, entailing both loss and liberation.
I think that change is also a useful lens for relating to our shared historical moment. It’s a neutral lens, and in suggesting it I do not intend to play down the horrors we are enduring. My hope is that by offering the possibility of using the lens of change not as your only lens, but as one of your options, you might find the capacity to endure what is happening with less suffering, and that we, each and together, might find the capacity to turn the wheel, to choose a better path, moving more surely than ever toward a world whose foundations lay in care for each of us and for all things.
So, change is afoot. Change is always afoot. Change is often painful because there is the loss of what was on the way to what is and what will be. But, life is change. The nature of life is change. Change is natural, and leaning into this naturalness is a salve, a medicine. One way to make peace with change is to know our belonging. I’m going to express that today in the words of Ram Dass:
“Imagine two waves, a smaller one and a larger one, traveling across the ocean. Suddenly, the larger wave sees land approaching and gets upset. He cries to the smaller wave, ‘Oh no! Up ahead – waves are crashing and disappearing! We’re going to die!’ The smaller wave, somehow, is unperturbed. So the larger wave tries to convince her, to no avail. Finally the smaller wave says, ‘What would you say if I told you that there are six words, that if you really understood and believed them, you would see that there’s no reason to fear.’ The bigger wave protests, but as the land approaches, he becomes desperate. He’ll try anything. ‘Fine, fine, tell me the six words.’ ‘Okay,’ the smaller wave says, ‘You’re not a wave, you’re water.’”
Cosmic grounding – or whatever our personal way is of connecting to the life of the Earth and the life of the Cosmos, of knowing ourselves as belonging to all-of-this – helps us to remember that we are water; as I sing in my prayersong: I am the life of the universe dancing. I belong to this. The more we know that we belong, the less we fear change in all of its forms.
Another blessing of cosmic grounding, of whatever it is that connects us to the more-than-human life of the Earth and the cosmos, is that connection, that belonging. In belonging to the life of the Earth we can feel into the cyclical aspect of time: right now where I live most of the birds are building nests. Soon there will be fawns squirrel and rabbit kits and what we like to call at my house “derpy baby bird season” where the hungry freshly fledged birds understand what a birdfeeder is but have no fear of humans so they will fly up to eat inches from your face while you are still hanging the feeder at dawn. The fruit trees are in blossom and soon everything will blossom and we will turn off the heat, open the windows, and frolic in the long light of summer days.
The life of the Earth is a cyclical process and from this many cultures have gained a cyclical understanding of time. If we lean into the experience of time as cyclical – into the knowledge that autumn and winter are natural, that growing up and growing old are natural, that tragic seasons in the world come and go, and that death, too, is natural – this intimacy with the naturalness of change can help us to experience the impermanence of all things as part of the cycle of life, as another form of belonging. In this way, we can bering cherishing and determination to shaping our lives and our world with devotion to what we hold dear.
We are the life of the universe, dancing. We have great power within us – within our individual lives and between us, collectively. The first step toward our agency, into our power, is remembering that we have it. Belonging offers both peace and power.
Change involves a lot of feelings. Meditation, friendship, and whatever else connects us to the wild life and greater body of existence – these offer us support in feeling our feelings. Life is change. Change is life. We are the life of the universe, dancing. We can do this. We are this.
----
The spring session of Cosmic Grounding will run from April 18 - June 20. 10 weeks in which to bask in good company and gentle guided meditation. Participation is easy, nourishing, and very flexible. I'd love to support you in your precious human life. Full event details.
One student says:
"As an instructor, you give off a presence of not needing anything from us that I find incredibly restful. It made me feel comfortable keeping my camera off, because in the rest of my life I do a lot of performative listening to ensure that people know they are heard, and it takes energy."
Resources
We Are Not Alone
Did you know that whale biologists have observed sperm whales supporting one another in birth? Two independent groups of whales were observed gathering, floating in the sea together, and the biologists wondered what was afoot; this was unusual behavior. Then there was blood, and fear of an attack – and then a small head and fluke, and the sudden realization that this was a birth. Afterward, the whales swam in careful formations to lift the little calf to the surface so they could breathe. Exquisite.
A Shot for Heart Health
I'm going to let the summary of this study speak for itself, because wow: "A shingles vaccine might double as a powerful heart protector. In people already at high risk, it cut major cardiac events by 46% and deaths by an impressive 66% within a year. Scientists think preventing shingles may also stop clot-related complications that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The effect is so strong, it rivals the benefits of quitting smoking." This seems like a good time to remind you that another study last year showed this same vaccine to have a powerful affect against dementia as well. The shingles vaccine often comes with a strong response; I had a fever for a couple of days. I also spaced my shots too far apart when I was living internationally and have been advised that I need to get both shots again if I want the full benefit, and I'm going to happily sign up to have that fever again, because a couple days of feeling yucky is an absolutely wonderful tradeoff for lesser risk of death and dementia in my book.
Generational Change and Compassion
If you've been reading me for long, you probably know that I adore Carolyn Hax, who writes an advice column which is drenched in wisdom and compassion. Recently the Gen X mother of a young adult daughter wrote about her own mother, who is belatedly bereft about how she raised the Gen X mom. Gen X mom is over it, doesn't want to hear it, and Carolyn's reply speaks beautifully to the tragedy afoot here. The shift from conditional love to unconditional love as the foundation of parenting, and therefore of people's lives, is an incredible thing to be living through – beautiful as we look forward; tragic as we look backward. Kind words on this topic here. Gift link.
The Delight of Vicarious Napping
An artist in residence at Angeles National Forest managed to capture up-close video of a bear digging a bed and curling up for a nap. He lazes, stretches, hooks his front paw into his back paw and relaxes allllll morning, which has been condensed for you into some of the most relaxing 15 minutes of video I've had the pleasure of enjoying. I hope you enjoy it, too.
Local Event: Feeling Good and Feeding Neighbors
Saturday April 18 I will lead a Thai Yoga Massage partner workshop 1-4pm at the Hive in Port Hadlock-Irondale. Thai Massage combines pressure, percussion, Buddhist lovingkindness practice, and yogic movement in a gentle, approachable way. Please come with a partner. We work fully clothed. No skill is required other than the ability to be on hands and knees on padded ground. By donation; all proceeds donated to the Jefferson County Foodbank. If this isn’t for you but you’d like to support our neighbors, you can donate to the Food Bank here. Simply drop me a line to register, or to let me know you'd like to matchmake you with a partner!
Resistance
Workers Over Billionaires
That's the slogan of the folks organizing rallies, marches, and shutdowns for May 1, May Day, which is honored every year as the International Workers' Day holiday in many parts of the world. May 1 is also the old Celtic holy day of Beltane, the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. And it's a Friday! I will be taking the day off from work to commune with life. Want to join me?
Inspiration
This week, Rebecca Solnit said on Facebook, "In my experience, the people who say 'no one is doing anything' must not be doing anything because if you are engaged, you see the people who are engaged, and millions are." Apologies; I saved the words but can't find the post. Her new book is out, The Beginning Comes After the End, and between the last sentence and this one, I bought a copy to read on the plane next week. Want to join me?
Supporting Me So I Can Support You
This is entirely human work – my work, done by hand, with my own mind and heart. I do not use AI in the creation of what I offer you. I don't have one. I invest at least half a day each week in creating this for you. It's a labor of love; I currently earn about $15/hr. If you enjoy my work you can give me a raise! You could make a one-time donation of thanks of any size. You could upgrade to a paid subscription for as little as $5/month.
If you shop from Bookshop.org from links in this newsletter or my bookshop I will receive a commission of 10%. If you buy ANY book after starting at that link for my shop, I'll receive a commission even if those books aren't in my shop.
Sharing my newsletter is also a gift: to lift my voice, to spread my reach.
If you are a supporter, thank you; I am honored and humbled by your willingness to support my work in the world, and you have put food on my table.
