Thresholds - a point of departure or transition
“Resolve: a firm determination to do something.
To settle or find a solution to a problem or a dispute.
To decide firmly on a course of action.”
I’ve made my share of ‘resolutions’ over the years, and not just at this time of year. Practically every week I set myself up with a new resolution and plan, often related to my writing practice. "This is the week I will figure out a system to support my writing ... blog, newsletters, book, songs ... with ease and consistency."
I confess, seldom has the resolution approach stuck longer than a week … or even a day sometimes. I get distracted or bored or a shiny new thing to ‘resolve’ takes over.
Yet, I have achieved things in my life, some important-to-me things too. I'm thinking about my childhood dream of a little place in the country which I've now had for over 31 years. I'm thinking about wanting a barn, thinking it was for horses, but it turned out to be for people. (Intentions do shape shift!) This barn has now been welcoming friends, clients and musical gatherings since 1999. There was my intention of having a bunch of different part time jobs ... and bingo, that pretty much describes what being self-employed means. There have been travels to some pretty neat places, songs written, and shared and a rich community life to be proud and honoured to be a part of.
I wonder what’s makes the difference?
Over the holidays, I was musing about thresholds, that in-between place. I liked the idea of a threshold not being about figuring things out, but instead, pausing in the mystery and thoughtfully responding to whatever arises. Letting some intuition play. Being aware of my thoughts and feelings and attending to the internal sensations, images and voices that show up in my inner landscape. Just like we do in our Practice.
A threshold is the moment of liminal space between that which once was and what is to come …
a pause in which a transition is given the space to unfold …
it is a time of becoming.
Thanks to the weekly self-care Practice I have the process, the tools and the community to help me be in this pause place. (Support systems are important too after all.) Just the other week, during our Practice I rediscovered this Rumi poem hinding behind my printer. It led me this concept of circling what I love.
Move within, but don't
move the way fear would
have you move.
Walk to the well,
drink deeply.
Turn as the earth and moon turn,
circling what they love.
Whatever circles,
comes from the centre.
~ Rumi
(though it seems it's a mash up of
two different poems)
Despite the tangled knots I get into, I do love writing. Well, I love words and stories. I am humbled by the power that those shared stroies hold ... to connect us and our ideas and creativity and possible ways to make our world better, kinder, more equitable. I love that writing helps me discover and tune into what I think and feel. I love that expressing what I think and feel contributes to my well-being and could contribute to the well-being of others as well.
Look at that ... talk about integrated layers and valuing the process! Very meta. I wrote to figure out what I felt and thought. Check. I write to open up to new perspectives, questions and possibilities. Check. I write to understand something useful for myself and maybe, just maybe, for you too. Double check.
Maybe I am on my way to becoming that easeful writer! One post at a time.
***
I begin this year once again grateful for my many privileges, including that I get to give and get support through this warm and growing Living Aligned community. Thank you for being a part of it.
Turn as the earth and moon turn,
circling what they love.
Whatever circles,
comes from the centre.
I will indeed keep circling what I love this year. I hope you will as well.
Warmly,
Linda
PS If you want some support for whatever threshold you are crossing ... there are several new and familiar possiblities this month: Visioning workshops, Transition workshop and/or Learning Circles, the Arts-based Self-care Practice and private 1:1 Coaching options available for you. Find out all about them on my website program page.