Beyond the deluge, there is refuge...
and it lives somewhere between where we hold hands.
Beneath, beyond the deluge… we can find refuge.
I lives somewhere between where we hold hands.
…
There is a flooding happening right now - an abuse of the power the sea has seen before.
This flooding is called fascism.
Even within waves of weaponizing our fears, a steady stream of disinformation, an overflowing cup of executive orders, a whirlpool of hate, a contortion of control, a facade of only one way forward… we are still here - breathing, buoyant beings.
Water is so often my symbol and substance of refuge, but sometimes it feels murky, heavy, relentless.
When their beliefs flood the margins, when their greed taints the tapwater…
We go beneath, beyond, between.
We grab hold of what is near - reaching for our roots, our communal branches, our supportive structures.
We find a hilltop to climb to a vista from where we can see the bigger picture.
We find a shore on which to rest and notice the subtle patterns in the sand.
We remember the senses they are trying to flood and give them some reprieve or refocus.
What does not seem sufficient is actually what is most needed…
When they trigger your trauma, your desire to fight or hide, it’s part of their plan to be the authority of your autonomic nervous system.
We can regain autonomy by not fighting the flooding but following the flow of these feelings - by holding space for the sensations and shedding all but the basics.
This overload intercepts our embodied instincts and intuition. So we must practice returning to this, again and again…
Authoritarianism is riptide - we hear about it, we know about it, we are warned of it… but we don’t realize we are caught up in its pull until our swimming isn’t getting us anywhere. If we panic, we struggle more. If we shift to the side and face our senses rather than the shoreline, we can evade and find other ways without escaping our embodied needs.
If the deluge is their weaponization of water’s fluid wisdom into a force of sweeping consumption, then our refuge is in reclaiming our feelings, our sensations, our aliveness.
These metaphors are a metaphor for the layers of existence we are swimming in - some a true reflection, others a veil to peer behind.
Seek refuge within from where you perceive it all. Spend time reclaiming your attention to the information only you can sense.
Let’s seek autonomy before answers.
Let’s let creation cure control when we do it together.
…
In deep gratitude for being here,
p.s…
Really what I can’t wait to share is the practice community space I’m creating around what inspired the Embodied Ecosystems deck concept, practices and whole world…
a space of remembrance for those of us who are socio-ecologically entangled & concerned…
where we can meet consistently yet sustainably to to co-regulate & practice sense-making through embodiment...
where we can co-resource and regulate within the current contexts through communal & personal resilience - so that we have more choice amidst change.
rooted in deep ecology, somatic resourcing, cyclical mindfulness, astro-tarot, & embodying enoughness.
• • •
Recent supports & influences:
This. Song.... it's so powerful when you don't know a single word in a language being sung/spoken, but you understand. you feel it. you sing along anyways.
Currently reading (amongst many other books as always) On Tyrany: lessons on surviving and resisting authoritarianism with The Art Monastery’s book group
Finished reading Way of the Rose and it really affirmed a lot and felt connective.
The Hopi Prophecy (2): "There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from you attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we've been waiting for." - attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder, Hopi Nation, Oraibi, Arizona
I watched that animated movie Flow on HBO and at first I thought it wasn’t anything special but it really touched me and I felt very resonant with the fearful cat and the grasping lemur. 😂 It was sweet and relevant in a simple subtle way.
I had a place-based astro reading with Alex of Ishpiming Astrology last week and it was really supportive in the midst of my Saturn return on my IC. Their writing always awakens me and their work connects me.
Also had a session with Maz George of the Kindling Kind this week and yeah support from others is really where it’s at. I feel grateful when I invest in myself.
I’ve also been building out an online art gallery of both new & old (but likely unseen by many of you) pieces for your viewing pleasure soon. :)
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