See this rather mundane picture?
A short while ago while waiting for my return flight from Amsterdam to New York, I had a few extra minutes. So I located a quiet spot and found myself looking out the window at the busy airport scene. An interesting thought occurred to me. How can anyone doubt that well-being-ness is the dominant vibration of our world?
I can hear many of you chastising me with questions like: “How can you make that statement with all the insanity and suffering that is happening around the world? Are you crazy or just in massive denial?”
My reply, pretty sure I am probably a little bit crazy, but I am not in massive denial.
Look closer at that picture. Really take a good look.
Relaxing in my seat, I began to think about all the people who at that very moment, were making my trip home possible: the truck drivers, the baggage handlers, the employees of the airport stores, the ticket agents, the pilots and air stewards, the people who clean the planes and the restrooms, the food delivery people, the fuel for the planes, and the list just goes on and on.
And this rather astonishing thought pressed into my mind: thousands upon thousands of people were involved in getting me home! Think about it. The cooperation that is shared by all of us, every moment of every day is mind-boggling – think of our infrastructures that deliver clean water, electricity, remove our waste, the roads, and the cars we drive!
And this cooperation is constant, in the human realm and in the natural realm.
Our bodies are breathed, our hearts are moved, our planet stays in its orbit – in perfect proximity to our sun and the other planets, gravity keeps us from floating into space, and the list of what is going really well goes on and on. Do we make it a practice to appreciate these things?
And this brings me to my second point. How we choose to frame our moment by moment experiences, deeply affects our well-being-ness levels.
Another quick story.
Of those who made the trip (that’s six out of fourteen of us, at the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of Amsterdam), all of them were staying downtown in the cool part of the city and I was disappointed that my sister and I were on the outskirts. That disappointment could have (and almost did) negatively impact my stay. But I made a conscious decision to re-frame my experience. Taking the trams and the buses to meet up with family turned into an adventure! We were able to experience the locals and the neighborhoods in a totally different way, that I would have missed entirely.
The point being: we can look at any situation, any experience, and see it through the lens of curiosity and growth or through the lens of disappointment and fear. The knowledge that we have the power to frame our experiences is crucial to our well-being. Our emotions are our GPS system that are constantly informing us as to which direction we are leaning.
When we choose to focus and feel into the UNWANTED – the problem, the issue that is really upsetting, the sorrow & pain – we vibrate energetically to that same angst, feel awful AND contribute more of that unwanted energy to the world.
When we choose to focus and feel into the WANTED – the solution, clarity, peace, kindness, we vibrate energetically to that feeling AND we contribute more of the desired energy to the world.
If you are called to take action in the direction of the solution, go for it!
If you are called to complain and wallow in the misery, go for it!
It’s your choice. Which one do you prefer? And the question is how can I get there – to the wanted – when I feel really overwhelmed with the energy of discord?
Recently I was in a position where I had to make a decision to confront, or not to confront, a person who has created a lot of negative drama for some family members. I went through a pretty rough day, expending a lot of emotional energy, hoping to gain clarity on the best action. Even writing about it in this moment, a bit of shaky residue bubbles in my body, that’s how strong it was. But I made the decision to speak my truth. It wasn’t easy but after I did it, and relief was my emotion, I knew I had made the right decision. Our emotions are our GPS system that are constantly informing us as to which direction we are leaning.
Breath work, movement and meditation are my pillars of strength. These tools make my life immeasurably more calm, playful and expansive. I’m here to share some of these tools with you.
With much love, Patty
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