Purpose in Responsibility
Who doesn’t face challenges? Who doesn’t experience pain of some sort?
Whether it’s emotional pain, physical pain, existential pain… as far as I know, I’m yet to meet someone who has not experienced one (and probably all three).
It would seem that pain and suffering are pretty much part of the package deal of this life incarnate.
Loss, grief, sadness, pain, anger … it all appears to be a necessary part of this human life.
Something that I’ve been seeing clearly, in myself, in clients, in friends recently is that anything other than a deep acceptance and knowing of this truth, that we are all in this together, that most likely we all experience these times of discomfort and pain.. Creates more suffering.
The “pursuit of happiness” messaging that underlies our consumerist society, the turning away from challenge, the sweeping under the rug, the bypassing, the unwillingness to feel, the avoidance of discomfort.. All so often compounds the suffering.
Because there is no avoiding it… as one of my son’s books says “we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, we have to go THROUGH it”
And yet.. The way through can be gruelling, uncomfortable, dark, confusing… and as a collective, the tools and skills we need to go through it haven’t been very obvious and readily available.
I like the definition of Responsibiliy as “ the ability to respond in the way you choose”
To remember that we always have this choice.
And what if there is no formula for how to respond to a challenge… For how to move through it?
Each unique challenge may just be an invitation to be with it in beginner’s mind, or even no-mind to discover, to learn what might be a new way to respond.
For some people a challenge invites them into a specific action, a get-up-and-go in a way that the person has never responded before, breaking a lifetime or even many generations of habitual responses.
Sometimes a challenge will invite non-action… stopping, listening, feeling… which may also be breaking long-held habitual responses
With the conducive inner environment, the best response reliably arises from within.
One such helpful posture is acceptance of the truth of suffering… in saying “Yes” to the reality of what is here,”yes” to the reality of the feelings, “yes” to the invitation of the challenge, I have seen reliably that time and again, magic can unfold.
Unlimited creativity to respond.
Courage to move through, to feel deeply.
Gifts of growth, new perspectives, new insights, knowing oneself more deeply
And such purpose can emerge through this ability to respond to challenge in your own empowered, unique, creative way.
Because here in this challenging moment, this might be just what you’re here to do. For yourself, for your family, community, for the world and the next generations.
Today I’ve been feeling inspired with the idea of exploring and practicing this in community.
The idea of gathering a small group of people to journey with for 8 weeks..
In person, starting early September 2024
By donation / pay as you feel.
To use the IFS model of healing, mindfulness, meditation in practices, enquiry and sharing, together in a group to support each other through our individual challenges.
To support each other in Self discovery, insight and growth.
Please drop me a message to register your interest.
