And today is another day....here is something a friend of mine reposted, written by Venice Williams:
You are awakening to the
same country you fell asleep to.
The very same country.
Pull yourself together.
And,
when you see me,
do not ask me
"What do we do now?
How do we get through the next four years?"
Some of my Ancestors dealt with
at least 400 years of this
under worse conditions.
Continue to do the good work.
Continue to build bridges not walls.
Continue to lead with compassion.
Continue the demanding work
of liberation for all.
Continue to dismantle broken systems,
large and small.
Continue to set the best example
for the children.
Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy.
Continue right where you are.
Right where you live into your days.
Do so in the name of
The Creator who expects
nothing less from each of us.
And if you are not "continuing"
ALL of the above,
in community, partnership, collaboration?
What is it you have been doing?
What is it you are waiting for?
Venice Williams is Executive Director at Fondy Food Center, Cultural & Spiritual Midwife at CLARA Healing Institute and Co-Founder/Producer at Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative
And now is also the time to breathe. I can't help but think about the Yeats poem The Second Coming or Joni Mitchell's version Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Now is when I must stand up strong. I will continue to love....to choose respect and compassion. I will speak out when I see injustice. I will continue to say the emperor has no clothes!
Thx for the words of wisdom and Comfort, Carrie. It does help so much to have the sense of being part of a caring community.... , that, and a faithful dog near my feet..
Finally realized part of why TGIFriday went bankrupt, while Portillo was still busy near closing time, besides old and new. Listen to the music...one plays typical hectic and frenetic modern music unhelpful for breathing calmly, while the other plays slow old 1920's style music. Even the staff at Portillo move slower, explaining long drive thru lines. Inside, customers are happy to sit, eat simple affordable food (hot dogs), talk, breath, and enjoy each other's company with no rush.
Easy to breath, as only about 12% of us will be angry, disappointed, or grieving. Half of us do not register to vote. Plus half of us registered do not vote. With about 25% of us voting, perhaps 5% more for a President election, only half will lose.
The majority of our neighbors do not really care, as too busy working to keep out of more debt and raise a family. Only two choices for unilateral power, rather than shared executive power proportional to votes earned, which is what we should all want for our nation's executive power. Most of our neighbors only care when personally hurt by policies, economy, etc.
Very easy for me to breath, as God wants us to share power equally and inclusively, so happy to write-in "All of the Above". Not to mention my President vote in non-swing state will not change state electoral votes. Still voting in other competitive races and referendums, esp. local leaders and policies, as well aware voting (esp. local) is the exception for most of our neighbors.
It is discouraging the lack of participation in our country, because it is how we let our voices and hopes for the democratic system be known. There are layers of reasons why people do not vote. Some is practical, they can’t afford the child care needed to take the time to vote, they are working two jobs to just make ends meet. Some is a learned or encouraged cynicism and sense of powerlessness…what does one voice matter or if I hope I’ll get hurt. And many many more reasons. And yet, voting is personally deeply empowering and incredibly important for the common good. I live in a non-swing state, but you are right, our votes matter in local and state elections where laws affect our daily quality of life. And yet, our electoral votes went to Obama in 2008. New polls show non-swing state Iowa now in play. It empowers me and it matters to the common good that I mark my ballot and declare what values I chose to support. I hope everyone in swing states get out and vote like their personal and community quality of life depends upon it. I hope everyone in non-swing states vote…for the common good, but also because voting honors our deepest most cherished values, and claims our own agency and voice. Thanks George for encouraging we all claim our voice and agency.
Thanks for this, Carrie and everyone here. As an LGBTQ+ trauma-informed clinician, it is sometimes difficult to hold onto my own Calm, my own Breath, within the current atmosphere. This past week has been long and stressful for so many of us, and now the next one is about to begin.
I recently read a passage from Naomi Klein's book _Doppelganger_, who was discussing feedback on her prior work. She quotes feedback from John Berger: “When people and societies enter into a state of shock, they lose their identities and their footing. Hence, Calm is a Form of Resistance.” [emphasis added]
Naomi goes on to say: "Calm is not a replacement for the motivating righteous rage of fury at injustice... but calm is the precondition for focus, for the capacity to prioritize. If shock induced a loss of identity, then calm is the condition under which we return to ourselves."
No matter what happens with the election or anything that comes afterward, I'm personally trying to practice reminding myself that I can only do what I can do. I can drop another stone into the river. Sometimes the only stone I can carry is my presence, usually in roughly 60 min increments. I don't always get things "right" (inside or outside sessions), but I'm doing what I can, when I can, the ways I can... and still I'll drop another stone.
There is so much in this comment I want to lift up. I read Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein and it is a powerful read! I loved the two quotes you pulled from the text, and underlined them myself when I read the book. I’m holding you in the Light as you personally navigate these difficult times, while you continue to help others navigate them as well. Helpers need and deserve tons of support too. Bless your good heart for your presence in the world and the work you do. Trump (a know sexual predator and bully) promotes and embodies a callous dismissal, dehumanization and threat to wide groups of people ; women, persons of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, diverse spiritual traditions . This triggering and disorientation is true for all of us, but it is particularly difficult for people who have experience with trauma, misunderstanding, discrimination and threats of violence. Thank you for the stones you drop in the river….real change only happens one person at a time. Healing and wholeness does happen, but one non-linear step at a time. Again…a deep bow of gratitude my friend for your life and witness, your compassionate work and personal courage.
The "three feet" practice has been an enormous consolation to me. "Carrying the world" on your shoulder (kudos to the Beatles) has no benefit to me or to others. However the election turns out, we are still the people God calls us to be, and our responsibility is to keep on keeping on keeping on (Curtis Mayfield).
I like that you name 'Oh, honey' as a practice. Most of us have experienced an open heart in our lives as a lovely surprise: when we fall in love, when we pet a furry dog, when the sunset colors surprise and overwhelm us a bit, even. Opening our hearts can also be a choice. We can work at choosing to keep our hearts open even when hurt or frustration comes our way. We can let the experience ride through us, knowing it only hurts briefly, and returning to open heartedness. The choice is 'which do I want to be, closed or open?' Election fears and the hurts some of us will feel in it's aftermatch is another place to practice and re-question ourselves, 'which do I want to be, closed or open?'
Parker Palmer talks about “The broken open heart”. In the course of a life we will all experience heart break (large and small). When our hearts break we can choose to let it break apart in a million sharp shards of shrapnel…or we can allow our hearts to break open to a great capacity for empathy and understanding. If we practice allow our hearts to break open in every small disappointment or grief, then when the big ones come we are more “in practice”. I think my “oh honey” practice helps a bit on that daily personal level, to acknowledge what is disturbing or worrying or breaking our hearts in that moment, and then giving ourselves the kind of love and compassion that keeps our hearts subtle and open. Yes, I love your wise comment and your wise question “which do I want to be, closed or open?”
Once again, Carrie, you and I seem to be on exactly the same page. Here is a brief reflection I wrote on how we can maintain a contemplative calm over the next few days with the election looming over us. Thank you as always for your insights, your wisdom, your creativity and your love. I hope my reflection , "Fear Not, The Sun Also Rise," proves comforting for readers of A Gathering of Spirits.
Thank you Judith for this beautiful post. I encourage everyone to read this encouraging essay. I’ll be posting a link to it in my next news letter. It was just what I needed to read my friend! Thank you for knocking on doors…for the wisdom and encouragement in this post.
Thanks, Carrie, so glad my humble reflection spoke to you and that you think it will prove meaningful for others. I'm grateful for your sharing of your insights and your inner light. As your song says, "Lean in toward the light!"
It felt good to be told to breathe and knowing that I am not the only one. Here's to our collective breath and the hope it brings for the future. I am spending the day ironing, watching dance and art shows and breathing. I want to spend the next couple of days in calm expectation that America will do the right thing for itself and the rest of the world. We need to maintain an America that is already great, could it be greater.......yes of course so let's get on the right course for that on Tuesday and put this pain and heartache to bed. Love you Carrie and this Gathering of Spirits, thank you for giving us a place to rest awhile xxxx
We are breathing together…grounding in love. I really appreciate that you did things that are daily and inspiring. I also believe we will lean into love and not into fear in this next election. Amen my friend…amen
No doubt that this is a difficult time, but I think there is hope that springs from our common humanity and a belief that what unites us is more important than what divides us. We can hope that in the future the rhetoric of "us vs. them" will be replaced by a recognition that all American concerns need to be heard and respected. We can hope that the epidemic of disinformation and misinformation perpetrated by social media will be tamed. And we can hope that the two party system may morph into a system that better represents all Americans, or at least is more aware and engaged. I think rank choice voting is a step toward this, and maybe the electoral college will eventually go away.
The electoral college could go away if executive power were shared proportionally to votes earned, allowing more than two parties/candidates to have executive seats/votes, so women, minorities, and disabled could all be regularly represented in executive decisions. Rank choice is still unilateral winner-takes-all and excludes everyone else.
Carrie - your concert at Swallow Hill was wonderful. You bring such joy to the stage and it fills the room. I keep going back to that feeling as we get closer to Tuesday. So thank you. At the show you mentioned reading Joanna Macy’s work. I had just finished reading Active Hope and was so enjoying the words of the song that you sang right after you mentioned her. However, I missed the title. Would love to know so I can listen again. Wednesday I will be in two different airports. It will be interesting to feel the atmosphere and continue to breathe through it all. Thank you to this community.
Thank you Cecilia, It was such a lovely and warm evening at Swallow Hill. I'm glad you were there in the circle! I believe I mentioned Joanna Macy before a new song called "The Last Days of Summer In The Anthropocene." It is not recorded yet, and I believe it was the first time we performed it live. Thank you for letting me know it touched you. Yes, "Active Hope" is a wonderful book for our times. It will be a new day on Wednesday. I hope your flights and travels are filled with celebration.
Thank you for the name of the song. I look forward to hearing the recording one of these days. I’m in the middle of an art project and wasn’t feeling very creative. There was something in the song that sparked the creative fire again - so thank you for that. Glad you performed it for us for the first time. Now I’m wondering what the words were that had me smiling and saying to myself “oh now I get it.” And/or maybe it was the beautiful energy in the room.🙂
I dreamed about the election last night. It was one of those weird dreams of thoughts floating in and out. This proves to me that I am more nervous than I thought. So I thank you so much for your beautiful and thoughtful writing. I also know it is going to take quite a few "Oh Honeys" over the next few days too. I am so thankful for this community and for friends and family who are kind and thoughtful. On election night my husband and I are going to dinner with our best friends and then we are gathering in the chapel at my Church to pray, reflect, breathe, and take communion. The chapel dates back to 1869..a very troubled time in the USA. What better place than this lovely, old chapel to come together as one community. Have a kind and thoughtful week Gathering of Spirits.
Beloved community of kindred souls, when we believe we have everything we need, we model for ourselves and others… may we stay heart-centered, courageous and kind
And today is another day....here is something a friend of mine reposted, written by Venice Williams:
You are awakening to the
same country you fell asleep to.
The very same country.
Pull yourself together.
And,
when you see me,
do not ask me
"What do we do now?
How do we get through the next four years?"
Some of my Ancestors dealt with
at least 400 years of this
under worse conditions.
Continue to do the good work.
Continue to build bridges not walls.
Continue to lead with compassion.
Continue the demanding work
of liberation for all.
Continue to dismantle broken systems,
large and small.
Continue to set the best example
for the children.
Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy.
Continue right where you are.
Right where you live into your days.
Do so in the name of
The Creator who expects
nothing less from each of us.
And if you are not "continuing"
ALL of the above,
in community, partnership, collaboration?
What is it you have been doing?
What is it you are waiting for?
Venice Williams is Executive Director at Fondy Food Center, Cultural & Spiritual Midwife at CLARA Healing Institute and Co-Founder/Producer at Kujichagulia Producers Cooperative
And now is also the time to breathe. I can't help but think about the Yeats poem The Second Coming or Joni Mitchell's version Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Now is when I must stand up strong. I will continue to love....to choose respect and compassion. I will speak out when I see injustice. I will continue to say the emperor has no clothes!
Thx for the words of wisdom and Comfort, Carrie. It does help so much to have the sense of being part of a caring community.... , that, and a faithful dog near my feet..
Finally realized part of why TGIFriday went bankrupt, while Portillo was still busy near closing time, besides old and new. Listen to the music...one plays typical hectic and frenetic modern music unhelpful for breathing calmly, while the other plays slow old 1920's style music. Even the staff at Portillo move slower, explaining long drive thru lines. Inside, customers are happy to sit, eat simple affordable food (hot dogs), talk, breath, and enjoy each other's company with no rush.
Easy to breath, as only about 12% of us will be angry, disappointed, or grieving. Half of us do not register to vote. Plus half of us registered do not vote. With about 25% of us voting, perhaps 5% more for a President election, only half will lose.
The majority of our neighbors do not really care, as too busy working to keep out of more debt and raise a family. Only two choices for unilateral power, rather than shared executive power proportional to votes earned, which is what we should all want for our nation's executive power. Most of our neighbors only care when personally hurt by policies, economy, etc.
Very easy for me to breath, as God wants us to share power equally and inclusively, so happy to write-in "All of the Above". Not to mention my President vote in non-swing state will not change state electoral votes. Still voting in other competitive races and referendums, esp. local leaders and policies, as well aware voting (esp. local) is the exception for most of our neighbors.
It is discouraging the lack of participation in our country, because it is how we let our voices and hopes for the democratic system be known. There are layers of reasons why people do not vote. Some is practical, they can’t afford the child care needed to take the time to vote, they are working two jobs to just make ends meet. Some is a learned or encouraged cynicism and sense of powerlessness…what does one voice matter or if I hope I’ll get hurt. And many many more reasons. And yet, voting is personally deeply empowering and incredibly important for the common good. I live in a non-swing state, but you are right, our votes matter in local and state elections where laws affect our daily quality of life. And yet, our electoral votes went to Obama in 2008. New polls show non-swing state Iowa now in play. It empowers me and it matters to the common good that I mark my ballot and declare what values I chose to support. I hope everyone in swing states get out and vote like their personal and community quality of life depends upon it. I hope everyone in non-swing states vote…for the common good, but also because voting honors our deepest most cherished values, and claims our own agency and voice. Thanks George for encouraging we all claim our voice and agency.
Beautifully said. Thank you.
Thanks for this, Carrie and everyone here. As an LGBTQ+ trauma-informed clinician, it is sometimes difficult to hold onto my own Calm, my own Breath, within the current atmosphere. This past week has been long and stressful for so many of us, and now the next one is about to begin.
I recently read a passage from Naomi Klein's book _Doppelganger_, who was discussing feedback on her prior work. She quotes feedback from John Berger: “When people and societies enter into a state of shock, they lose their identities and their footing. Hence, Calm is a Form of Resistance.” [emphasis added]
Naomi goes on to say: "Calm is not a replacement for the motivating righteous rage of fury at injustice... but calm is the precondition for focus, for the capacity to prioritize. If shock induced a loss of identity, then calm is the condition under which we return to ourselves."
No matter what happens with the election or anything that comes afterward, I'm personally trying to practice reminding myself that I can only do what I can do. I can drop another stone into the river. Sometimes the only stone I can carry is my presence, usually in roughly 60 min increments. I don't always get things "right" (inside or outside sessions), but I'm doing what I can, when I can, the ways I can... and still I'll drop another stone.
There is so much in this comment I want to lift up. I read Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein and it is a powerful read! I loved the two quotes you pulled from the text, and underlined them myself when I read the book. I’m holding you in the Light as you personally navigate these difficult times, while you continue to help others navigate them as well. Helpers need and deserve tons of support too. Bless your good heart for your presence in the world and the work you do. Trump (a know sexual predator and bully) promotes and embodies a callous dismissal, dehumanization and threat to wide groups of people ; women, persons of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, diverse spiritual traditions . This triggering and disorientation is true for all of us, but it is particularly difficult for people who have experience with trauma, misunderstanding, discrimination and threats of violence. Thank you for the stones you drop in the river….real change only happens one person at a time. Healing and wholeness does happen, but one non-linear step at a time. Again…a deep bow of gratitude my friend for your life and witness, your compassionate work and personal courage.
The "three feet" practice has been an enormous consolation to me. "Carrying the world" on your shoulder (kudos to the Beatles) has no benefit to me or to others. However the election turns out, we are still the people God calls us to be, and our responsibility is to keep on keeping on keeping on (Curtis Mayfield).
I like that you name 'Oh, honey' as a practice. Most of us have experienced an open heart in our lives as a lovely surprise: when we fall in love, when we pet a furry dog, when the sunset colors surprise and overwhelm us a bit, even. Opening our hearts can also be a choice. We can work at choosing to keep our hearts open even when hurt or frustration comes our way. We can let the experience ride through us, knowing it only hurts briefly, and returning to open heartedness. The choice is 'which do I want to be, closed or open?' Election fears and the hurts some of us will feel in it's aftermatch is another place to practice and re-question ourselves, 'which do I want to be, closed or open?'
Parker Palmer talks about “The broken open heart”. In the course of a life we will all experience heart break (large and small). When our hearts break we can choose to let it break apart in a million sharp shards of shrapnel…or we can allow our hearts to break open to a great capacity for empathy and understanding. If we practice allow our hearts to break open in every small disappointment or grief, then when the big ones come we are more “in practice”. I think my “oh honey” practice helps a bit on that daily personal level, to acknowledge what is disturbing or worrying or breaking our hearts in that moment, and then giving ourselves the kind of love and compassion that keeps our hearts subtle and open. Yes, I love your wise comment and your wise question “which do I want to be, closed or open?”
Once again, Carrie, you and I seem to be on exactly the same page. Here is a brief reflection I wrote on how we can maintain a contemplative calm over the next few days with the election looming over us. Thank you as always for your insights, your wisdom, your creativity and your love. I hope my reflection , "Fear Not, The Sun Also Rise," proves comforting for readers of A Gathering of Spirits.
https://judithvalente.medium.com/fear-not-the-sun-also-rises-c3bc6060cbf0
Thank you Judith for this beautiful post. I encourage everyone to read this encouraging essay. I’ll be posting a link to it in my next news letter. It was just what I needed to read my friend! Thank you for knocking on doors…for the wisdom and encouragement in this post.
Thanks, Carrie, so glad my humble reflection spoke to you and that you think it will prove meaningful for others. I'm grateful for your sharing of your insights and your inner light. As your song says, "Lean in toward the light!"
Thank you!❤️🦋💕
It felt good to be told to breathe and knowing that I am not the only one. Here's to our collective breath and the hope it brings for the future. I am spending the day ironing, watching dance and art shows and breathing. I want to spend the next couple of days in calm expectation that America will do the right thing for itself and the rest of the world. We need to maintain an America that is already great, could it be greater.......yes of course so let's get on the right course for that on Tuesday and put this pain and heartache to bed. Love you Carrie and this Gathering of Spirits, thank you for giving us a place to rest awhile xxxx
We are breathing together…grounding in love. I really appreciate that you did things that are daily and inspiring. I also believe we will lean into love and not into fear in this next election. Amen my friend…amen
No doubt that this is a difficult time, but I think there is hope that springs from our common humanity and a belief that what unites us is more important than what divides us. We can hope that in the future the rhetoric of "us vs. them" will be replaced by a recognition that all American concerns need to be heard and respected. We can hope that the epidemic of disinformation and misinformation perpetrated by social media will be tamed. And we can hope that the two party system may morph into a system that better represents all Americans, or at least is more aware and engaged. I think rank choice voting is a step toward this, and maybe the electoral college will eventually go away.
The electoral college could go away if executive power were shared proportionally to votes earned, allowing more than two parties/candidates to have executive seats/votes, so women, minorities, and disabled could all be regularly represented in executive decisions. Rank choice is still unilateral winner-takes-all and excludes everyone else.
Carrie - your concert at Swallow Hill was wonderful. You bring such joy to the stage and it fills the room. I keep going back to that feeling as we get closer to Tuesday. So thank you. At the show you mentioned reading Joanna Macy’s work. I had just finished reading Active Hope and was so enjoying the words of the song that you sang right after you mentioned her. However, I missed the title. Would love to know so I can listen again. Wednesday I will be in two different airports. It will be interesting to feel the atmosphere and continue to breathe through it all. Thank you to this community.
Thank you Cecilia, It was such a lovely and warm evening at Swallow Hill. I'm glad you were there in the circle! I believe I mentioned Joanna Macy before a new song called "The Last Days of Summer In The Anthropocene." It is not recorded yet, and I believe it was the first time we performed it live. Thank you for letting me know it touched you. Yes, "Active Hope" is a wonderful book for our times. It will be a new day on Wednesday. I hope your flights and travels are filled with celebration.
Thank you for the name of the song. I look forward to hearing the recording one of these days. I’m in the middle of an art project and wasn’t feeling very creative. There was something in the song that sparked the creative fire again - so thank you for that. Glad you performed it for us for the first time. Now I’m wondering what the words were that had me smiling and saying to myself “oh now I get it.” And/or maybe it was the beautiful energy in the room.🙂
I dreamed about the election last night. It was one of those weird dreams of thoughts floating in and out. This proves to me that I am more nervous than I thought. So I thank you so much for your beautiful and thoughtful writing. I also know it is going to take quite a few "Oh Honeys" over the next few days too. I am so thankful for this community and for friends and family who are kind and thoughtful. On election night my husband and I are going to dinner with our best friends and then we are gathering in the chapel at my Church to pray, reflect, breathe, and take communion. The chapel dates back to 1869..a very troubled time in the USA. What better place than this lovely, old chapel to come together as one community. Have a kind and thoughtful week Gathering of Spirits.
Its good to hear your plans for election night in a place that has weathered troubled times before.
Beloved community of kindred souls, when we believe we have everything we need, we model for ourselves and others… may we stay heart-centered, courageous and kind
☮️🎶🫶🏽