You Don't Need to Know How
Why Willingness is Everything
Sometimes we get stuck thinking we have to know the outcome. Or know how to do something before we start. Or we believe we need to feel like doing something in order to get it done.
The truth is all we need is willingness.
The willingness to show up.
The willingness to try.
The willingness to try again.
The willingness to keep showing up.
Happy Willing announcement: through puppy chaos, moving, moving again, and being mostly off grid I finally managed to complete the Wild, Willing, Wise book club podcast. There are now 11 episodes posted for your listening pleasure of me reading from my newest book. IT IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK! I had so much fun reading it, and was reminded why I wrote it: to give us all a simple, fun, light-hearted but deep support for challenging times. There were many times that I stopped as I read and thought, “oh, I sure needed to hear that!”
Listen to the podcast while driving or walking or get a copy of the book and follow along. I know folks who are listening to the book club audio and doing the exercises in the Wild Willing Wise book with friends and small groups. You can listen solo or gather a little group : ) Let me know if you enjoy having the audio version.
Listen to all episodes here:
https://heatherash.substack.com/s/heatherash-book-club
Add RSS to your favorite podcast feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1347029/s/145684.rss
I just finished teaching a week-long apprenticeship retreat up at Warrior Heart Ranch. Three years ago we were walking through acres after acre of burnt forest, some of which was still smoking. Today the scrub oak and wildflowers are creating a carpet of green and spots of bright color underneath the black sticks stretching 40 plus feet toward the sky.
At the time of the fire, I didn't know how we were going to continue. I remember asking a few people after that first walk through the devastation: “What do you think? What do you feel the land wants?”
The message we all kept getting was: keep going. Yes for restoration and more humans coming to work with the land. Yes for healing. Yes for creating beauty. Yes for making lemonade from the ashes.
I didn't know how I was going to continue with so much devastation. But I was willing. And that willingness brought in the right people and resources. That willingness kept me going when I was exhausted or scared or confused at what to do next. That willingness kept me asking for help and learning as I went along. That willingness helped me say “we'll try again next season” when most of the seeds we planted didn't make it.
Willingness is our courage to keep going with an open heart because we love something fiercely.
Tomorrow I'll be packing up to leave for two months: New York, Mexico, France, Scotland. I'll miss my tent home, being in the wilds of New Mexico, and my puppy dog Mystic. And I'm also excited to be on the road, see friends, have adventures, and teach in some of my favorite places.
One thing I am making time for tomorrow: going to my local No Kings march.
What is the point of one protest in the midst of so much harm?
It is about the willingness to stand up for what we believe in.
To be willing to put our bodies in support of what we care about.
To be willing to say no to power over and yes to power of the people.
To be willing to be counted.
To be willing to be nonviolent and perhaps put ourselves in harms way.
To be willing to be part of a tide, no matter how long it takes, that flows toward honoring all beings and saying no to bullies.
Whether you choose to attend a march or not (and there are many of them, check it out: https://www.nokings.org/#map
A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events.
Here are some inspiring sign ideas! If you can’t join live you can repost pictures from your local march on your feed. Which one is your favorite sign? Mine is:
“Only butterflies should be monarchs”
Let’s keep showing up for what we love and being willing to stay in for the long haul, no matter how daunting.
Thanks for the beautiful picture of the land you tens and the flowers!!! Thanks for going to the No Kings March! I was there in my heart we just Finished Venus Risings 2 week Duel Program and graduation ended after the protest was over! Have a great trip! Come see us on the mountain in WNC !