Presence…Why? because all the strength I need is in the NOW. When I dwell in the past or future, I go there alone because God Is. As Meister Eckhart said, “God is Isness.”
Thank you Carol for bring up how essential presence is.
This is the second time in the last few weeks you answered a question with presence.
I had not thought of presence as an answer to either question.
Thank you, Carol, for reminding me of the power of now!
Carol and Mary– reflecting on both of your wisdoms, I realize that it is essential for me to have something that grounds me, and what grounds me is Presence. ♥️
It is essential for me to have something in my life that grounds me.
I feel grounded and a sense of security
from my home, my husband, and from grounding my day
with ritual each morning by answering the question of the day.
It is essential for me to feel a sense of purpose.
I’ve done a lot to keep my Mom from slipping into a depression.
That’s been important to me, but doesn’t fully satisfy my need for purpose.
But maybe helping my my Mom and focusing on being grateful in the moment
is satisfying my need for purpose for now.
It is essential to my spirit that I have someone in my life
that I can love and express my love to.
It is truly essential to me to maintain my humanity and my ability to love rather than becoming inhumane and numb.
When I say this, I am thinking of the writings of Etty Hillesum, who was able to maintain her humanity and ability to love under truly extreme circumstances. She died in Auschwitz in 1943 at age 29. When she was still living in Amsterdam under Nazi occupation, she wrote,
“Sometimes I feel as if a layer of ashes were being sprinkled over my heart, as if my face were withering and decaying before my very eyes, and as if everything were falling apart in front of me and my heart were letting everything go. But these are brief moments; then everything falls back into place, my head is clear again, and I can once more bear and stand up to this piece of history that is ours. For once you have begun to walk with God, you need only to keep on walking with Him and all of life becomes one long stroll– such a marvelous feeling.”
“We go too far in fearing for our unhappy bodies, while our forgotten spirit shrivels up in some corner. Our lives are going wrong, we conduct ourselves without dignity. We lack a historical sense, forget that even those about to perish are part of history. I hate nobody. I am not embittered. And once the love of mankind has germinated in you, it will grow without measure.”
(An Interrupted Life, pp 180-181)
I cannot imagine being so spiritually evolved.
Etty Hillesum was a living saint.
The last three sentences quoted are especially mind blowing to me.
My only hint at understanding her level of enlightenment
is to think that at some point a person makes the jump from having great love
to becoming the love.
Still, just astonishing.
This is where we all meet. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has the same basic material requirements. We are all the same in this way.
As I lay awake this morning, ruminating over what will happen here in the U.S., in the near future, and what I will do to survive if my worst fears happen, this is a good question. Beyond my basic material needs of food, water, shelter, breathable air, and security, it comes down to connection. It turns out, that I need to be connected. And I don’t think it’s just me. The fantasy of the rugged individual, is just that, a fantasy. And a very dangerous one at that.
Sorry to be so dark this morning. My methods for coping with this looming anxiety are wearing thin.
I have heard that connection is the opposite of addiction. It was suggested to me that I connect with others. Thank you for your reflection Charlie. No need to apologize about “dark”………..without dark there would be nothing for light to shine through.
Charlie T — am so glad that you verbalized connection– because that is exactly how I have been trying to cope with these anxiety-producing times- by building connections and trying to help strengthen the communities that I am part of.
Connection (with myself and with others)
Love (to myself and to others)
Having fun (by myself and with others)
If I was able to engage with any of these values in my day, I know I am living my life instead of just letting it pass by me.
Spending quality time with our loved ones around the holiday season is essential to me. I’m not against gifts, but I feel that we put too much of a premium on the ladder to the point where it eats into the former. Stress makes it harder to enjoy life.
There’s a meditation exercise that talks about the JOMO and FOMO mindset. The former stands for “joy of missing out” while the ladder is “fear of missing out.” It looks like we’re going alone with the JOMO mindset, but we’re actually not. FOMO is desperation and attachment leading to us making poor choices.
No problem, Mary. It’s very easy to act out of desperation in this social media age. Having clearer goals helps steer me away from going down that rabit hole.
Well, from a very practical standpoint, insulin. Without it I would die as I live with T1 diabetes. Joseph used the word, “essence”. I believe our essence developed is foundational to our relationships. From that standpoint, being in the out of doors is essential to me. Moving in the out of doors is just how I am built.
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Love
Being close and supportive to my children, having good relationships with family and friends. Living near the ocean, my faith and being out in nature,
“”It is only in the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye”.
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
from ‘The Little Prince’
Laughter, love, a sense of belonging, music, honesty, great conversation.
The love of my husband, family and friends.
Presence…Why? because all the strength I need is in the NOW. When I dwell in the past or future, I go there alone because God Is. As Meister Eckhart said, “God is Isness.”
Thank you Carol for bring up how essential presence is.
This is the second time in the last few weeks you answered a question with presence.
I had not thought of presence as an answer to either question.
Thank you, Carol, for reminding me of the power of now!
Carol and Mary– reflecting on both of your wisdoms, I realize that it is essential for me to have something that grounds me, and what grounds me is Presence. ♥️
Right! How very grounding is being presence!
It is essential for me to have something in my life that grounds me.
I feel grounded and a sense of security
from my home, my husband, and from grounding my day
with ritual each morning by answering the question of the day.
It is essential for me to feel a sense of purpose.
I’ve done a lot to keep my Mom from slipping into a depression.
That’s been important to me, but doesn’t fully satisfy my need for purpose.
But maybe helping my my Mom and focusing on being grateful in the moment
is satisfying my need for purpose for now.
It is essential to my spirit that I have someone in my life
that I can love and express my love to.
Sending joy and peace to all
“But maybe helping my my Mom and focusing on being grateful in the moment
is satisfying my need for purpose for now.”
I believe it uplifts your mother as well,
dear Mary. ♥
Yes it does.
Thank you Sparrow.
♥️
It is truly essential to me to maintain my humanity and my ability to love rather than becoming inhumane and numb.
When I say this, I am thinking of the writings of Etty Hillesum, who was able to maintain her humanity and ability to love under truly extreme circumstances. She died in Auschwitz in 1943 at age 29. When she was still living in Amsterdam under Nazi occupation, she wrote,
“Sometimes I feel as if a layer of ashes were being sprinkled over my heart, as if my face were withering and decaying before my very eyes, and as if everything were falling apart in front of me and my heart were letting everything go. But these are brief moments; then everything falls back into place, my head is clear again, and I can once more bear and stand up to this piece of history that is ours. For once you have begun to walk with God, you need only to keep on walking with Him and all of life becomes one long stroll– such a marvelous feeling.”
“We go too far in fearing for our unhappy bodies, while our forgotten spirit shrivels up in some corner. Our lives are going wrong, we conduct ourselves without dignity. We lack a historical sense, forget that even those about to perish are part of history. I hate nobody. I am not embittered. And once the love of mankind has germinated in you, it will grow without measure.”
(An Interrupted Life, pp 180-181)
WOW!
Beautiful
Thank you, Elizabeth.
I cannot imagine being so spiritually evolved.
Etty Hillesum was a living saint.
The last three sentences quoted are especially mind blowing to me.
My only hint at understanding her level of enlightenment
is to think that at some point a person makes the jump from having great love
to becoming the love.
Still, just astonishing.
Thank you, Elizabeth!
Thanks for sharing this quote.
This is where we all meet. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has the same basic material requirements. We are all the same in this way.
As I lay awake this morning, ruminating over what will happen here in the U.S., in the near future, and what I will do to survive if my worst fears happen, this is a good question. Beyond my basic material needs of food, water, shelter, breathable air, and security, it comes down to connection. It turns out, that I need to be connected. And I don’t think it’s just me. The fantasy of the rugged individual, is just that, a fantasy. And a very dangerous one at that.
Sorry to be so dark this morning. My methods for coping with this looming anxiety are wearing thin.
I have heard that connection is the opposite of addiction. It was suggested to me that I connect with others. Thank you for your reflection Charlie. No need to apologize about “dark”………..without dark there would be nothing for light to shine through.
Love that about that about “connection”
Beautiful sharing, Charlie.
Charlie T — am so glad that you verbalized connection– because that is exactly how I have been trying to cope with these anxiety-producing times- by building connections and trying to help strengthen the communities that I am part of.
Very well said.
My memories. My memories bring me back to joy in difficulties and being my experiences that help me improve myself.
My Ngoc, very well said. I can tell that you’re a very sentimental person.
Healthy relationships with humans, nature, a higher power, and self.
now, THAT!! …is essential! Well said.
Connection (with myself and with others)
Love (to myself and to others)
Having fun (by myself and with others)
If I was able to engage with any of these values in my day, I know I am living my life instead of just letting it pass by me.
Beautifully said, Jenifer!
Spending quality time with our loved ones around the holiday season is essential to me. I’m not against gifts, but I feel that we put too much of a premium on the ladder to the point where it eats into the former. Stress makes it harder to enjoy life.
There’s a meditation exercise that talks about the JOMO and FOMO mindset. The former stands for “joy of missing out” while the ladder is “fear of missing out.” It looks like we’re going alone with the JOMO mindset, but we’re actually not. FOMO is desperation and attachment leading to us making poor choices.
Thanks Loc Tran!
As a person who has trouble with FOMO,
I’ve never considered JOMO.
I will use this to relax my FOMO mind.
No problem, Mary. It’s very easy to act out of desperation in this social media age. Having clearer goals helps steer me away from going down that rabit hole.
JOMO vs FOMO…. thank you for sharing. Its very helpful to me 🙏
Lauryn, no problem. I saw that on the Soothing Pod App. I feel more connected with JOMO.
Well, from a very practical standpoint, insulin. Without it I would die as I live with T1 diabetes. Joseph used the word, “essence”. I believe our essence developed is foundational to our relationships. From that standpoint, being in the out of doors is essential to me. Moving in the out of doors is just how I am built.
Water, food, shelter…
All were given to me for years without me acknowledging or thanking those responsible.
Thanks to all…