These are a few of the heartbreaking things
Gaza, abortion bans, trans violence
*Sung softly to the tune of “These are a few of my favorite things…”
Gaza, abortion bans, school shootings, book bans, trans violence.
Palestine, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan.
Human trafficking, teen suicide, domestic violence, rape, the opioid epidemic.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things
Climate emergency, wildfires, animal extinction, factory farming.
Plastics in the ocean, cults, destruction of the Amazon.
Systemic racism, poverty, white supremacy, patriarchy.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things
What do we do when:
When the dog bites is genocide
when the bee stings is a wildfire that devastates your community
when I'm feeling sad is your friend's (or your own) depression and suicide attempts
is it okay to simply remember my favorite things so you don't feel so bad?
And the converse: is it okay to shame and judge others so you feel more righteous?
These are a few of the heartbreaking things
War. Poverty. Repression. Kidnapping. Terrorism.
Shaming. Judgment. Divisiveness.
Fear of doing it wrong. Frozen overwhelm. Spiritual bypass.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things
Signs of Spiritual Bypassing
https://blog.mindvalley.com/spiritual-bypassing/
What breaks your heart?
Stop and feel it. Don't think about it, avoid it, expect everyone else to fix it.
Feel. Breathe. Be with your discomfort, your pain. Turn towards.
If it feels too big, go slow. Set a timer. Call a friend. Wrap yourself in a blanket. Talk lovingly to yourself:
Hi sweetheart, I know this is hard. I know your heart hurts. Stay with it for minute. Breathe. Let the tears come. Let the hopelessness, the fear, the rage come. It is okay to feel. Honor your emotions, and then let yourself get empty. Make space inside. Let go, gently.
Dear ones, the world is painful. Humans are cruel in so many ways.
And humans are also creative mavens of love and wild, wise wonders.
Don't side with the cruelty. But also don't deny it. Choose to acknowledge both aspects: we have all been cruel at some point to ourselves or others. And we have all been heroes, cheerleaders, and way show-ers at some point to ourselves and others.
Slow down. Feel the heartbreak. Feel the brilliance.
Tune into what is yours to do.
Put one hand on your heart, and one hand on your belly.
Take a breath.
Say to yourself:
Hi dear one. What creative way can I take action today? Where can I offer a hand, a dollar, a heart to someone in my neighborhood?
Where can we make a phone call, educate myself, boycott, donate to a larger cause that tugs at my heart?
And what do I need to keep spaciousness in my own life so I am sustainable, connected to my intuition, and continue to embrace the joys even in the midst of the sorrows?
Sweet ones, we can't do it all.
And we can create great change, a little bit at a time.
Don’t turn away.
For a very, very long time we humans have been killing, hurting, and demeaning each other.
We have been stealing land, stealing children, stealing from the earth.
We consider ourselves so evolved, yet we destroy so much.
It's heartbreaking.
One ongoing horror is what is happening in Gaza. Israel, with arms from the United States, has steadily been bombing civilians, refugee camps, children since October 2023. The long-term friction between Palestine and Israel has turned from conflict to humanitarian crisis to genocide.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things.
A reminder:
Shame will not motivate you to act in sustainable, creative, and effective ways.
Blame does not create healing and repair ruptures.
Guilting ourselves and others does not stop wars.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things
How do we do it differently?
First, let’s not diminish the importance of increasing our connection and care in the areas closest to us. Lovingly tend to your sick child. Get to work on time so you can pay your mortgage. Bring soup to your neighbor who has cancer. Talk on the phone with a friend who is suicidal.
Do your art. Walk in nature. Laugh at silly movies.
Take action, BOTH in your neighborhood and beyond your borders.
Donate. March. Write letters. Educate yourself. Hug those you love. Dance wildly.
It is not either, or. It is both, and.
Here is a suggestion to stay engaged without burnout or avoidance:
Three actions every week, one local, one global, one self-care
Volunteer. Donate. Pick up groceries for a neighbor. Call your senator. Make art. Replenish your inner battery. Reduce your use of the precious, and limited, resources of water, electricity, etc. Support a local business. Help send someone to school. Google how can I help… Lean into organizations that are on the ground in the areas you want to support.
Set aside time each week/day/month to take action in your local community and your global community, AND to replenish yourself.
Drink lots of water, rest, and resource yourself. Find joy where you can. Don’t guilt, shame, or blame yourself or others. Let’s use creativity, intuition, compassion, fierce love, and tenderness as our guides.
My actions this week:
Local: Calling a friend of mine whose husband died suddenly last month to see how I can best support her. Helping to set up an online wake?
Global: My morning prayers this week are for those negotiating for peace…. that the talks initiated by Qatar lead to a ceasefire and influx of humanitarian aid to Gaza. That there is creative repair and long-term peace between Palestine and Israel.
Self-Care: Long walks and tea with friends in upstate New York.
Remember, beloveds: both, and.
We can’t hide from the hurt and harm happening around us. And we also can’t allow ourselves to drown in our / others anger, fear, or struggles. We need to foster creativity and sustainable, willing action. We want to learn how to hold the long view AND take action in the short term.
These are a few of the heartbreaking things.
May our hearts break open to more fierce love, more wild compassion, and more willing action towards the local, and global, vision of equality, freedom, and happiness for ALL beings.
Other Out of the Fire articles for further reading:
Make Lemonade from the Ashes
It only took one day after the wildfire for the bright optimism to start: “There are pine trees that need fire to grow!” “It will come back quickly!” “Now you can start over!” I’m one of the most optimistic, cheerful, easy-going, and curious people that I know.
The White Deer
This week I was going to share with you the joy of creation happening up on our land outside of Santa Fe. The labor of people coming together in love in service to a vision. The laughter and hard work. I was going to share pictures and progress. To celebrate with you. To jump up and down in glee with you.
🌹🌍📿♥️
🤗❤️🔥