Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Reflections on Our Tender Hearts and This Time of Deep Mourning


There Is Much to Mourn

Today I am wearing black. And I know that I am among millions of human beings in our country and worldwide who are grieving. Deeply. Because we are all connected in our experience of horror and heartbreak. And we do not need to mourn alone and in isolation. We truly need each other. And we need to create safe, compassionate, and sacred spaces where we can gather and share our shock and despair, our anger and fear, our tears and confusion, our prayers and hopes, our compassion and love, and our wisdom and visions for healing ourselves and our world.

I am not going to minimize the darkness of this time we are now being propelled into. Last night I found myself telling my husband that a catastrophic collapse is upon us. This is true. And I believe that it is important to speak the truth and, as best as we can, not turn away. It is also true that we are being asked to hold so much. So much...

Our most dire crisis, the human caused warming of our planet, will be fueled as policies determined to drill baby drill into our Earth Mother will be rolled out and expanded. And this will vastly increase the violent climate disasters ― these are not "natural" disasters ― worldwide. The sixth major extinction that we are in the midst of will also expand and claim the lives of millions more human beings and those of other species. Climate refugees will grow exponentially across our country and other nations as livable spaces shrink across the globe. Water and food shortages will expand and more and more will go hungry and starve. Resource wars will also grow among desperate people trying to stay alive ― and also fueled by the elites whose greed compels them to seek hold over ever increasing power and wealth.

And that's just the climate crisis. 

Added onto that is the shredding of whatever threads that were left to hold our democracy together. Poverty will also continue to increase through economic policies and the implementation of Project 2025 ― all of which will benefit the most wealthy. Gun rights will continue to be prioritized over the rights of children to feel safe and stay alive. Programs and funding connected with healthcare, childcare, education, social services, and human rights will be cut and decimated. Wars will increase globally ― just look at Putin's far ranging and horrifying agenda and the green light he will get from a Trump presidency. And, of course, given Trump's relationship with Netanyahu, the genocide in Gaza will continue uninterrupted. And the dehumanization of the Other will also grow exponentially under a Trump administration: of immigrants and refugees, people of color, women, the LBGTQ community, progressives, the defenders of women's rights, Palestinians and Ukrainians, and anyone who acts out of consciousness of a highest good ― which is in direct opposition to the core beliefs and policies and agenda of those who will now be in positions of the greatest power in our nation. I could go on...

We are indeed in a period now of deeper collapse ― moral collapse, democratic collapse, political collapse, environmental collapse, economic collapse, and collapse of the structures and values which enhance and strengthen a social safety net and well-being, connection and community, and empathy and compassion and love. 

This is the truth ― hard, hard truths that will be important for us to do our best to not look away from. But first we must grieve and allow the tenderness of our hearts to be honored and held with the deepest compassion and love.

And there is truly much to mourn. This is indeed like a death, like many deaths. It is that big. We truly need each other. And we need to strengthen ourselves to make it through all that is coming with the most courage, integrity, truth, resilience, compassion, wisdom, and love that we possibly can.

* * * * *

All photos are by Molly
Out of the Ashes

Ultimately, over time, out of the ashes new life can be birthed. Together we can work individually and collectively to channel our pain and trauma in ways which cultivate and embrace and act upon new visions. We can grow and expand communities of solidarity, activism, and love. We can work to strengthen our tender hearts, remembering the wisdom of Rumi: Our greatest strength lies in the gentleness and tenderness of our hearts.

As we are able, it is my belief that it is important to listen to the voices of wisdom which illuminate... 

  • how we got here, what are the crucial lessons that need to be learned, and how we can rise up out of this landscape of destruction
  • how we can grow the light of love and wisdom within ourselves stronger and brighter 
  • how we can give voice to the problems we face and a diversity of visions for their solutions
  • and how we can be empowered and healed through coming together in deep and ever growing places of solidarity and love
Today I posted four different pieces which, in my perspective, are important to share again here. These reflect both how we got to this place of such devastation and horror and heartbreak AND what is needed within us both as individuals and collectively as we move forward. There is deep wisdom here.

In sharing what I am called to speak to today, in no way am I saying that there are any easy answers or that there is any smooth path through the intensity of pain that we are now experiencing. It is huge.


Love Is Always the Most Powerful Medicine

Among my many prayers is that we will find our ways through this dark time together. I pray that we will find the inner and outer support we need to lessen, heal, and unburden ourselves of old pain and trauma ― a process that I know frees up the energy, wisdom, compassion, and love that we need now to face and hold the burdens and challenges of our times.

I do believe in our human capacity to evolve. I have lived great transformation and healing myself and witnessed it in countless others. And now our numbers need to grow. Ultimately, it is my deepest hope that we humans will channel the devastation we feel today into greater love and visions and actions on behalf of the highest good of us all. 

There is this inner alchemist within us all that is one aspect of our sacred essence, our Self, which holds the capacity to birth what is needed out of the ashes of darkness. There is this Light within us. And it is this Light that will get us through what we are faced with today and in the long days ahead.

None of us knows how everything will turn out. All we can do for now is come together in solidarity with others, speak our truths and be witnessed with compassion and kindness and love, create safe spaces where we are able to bath in beauty and what most nourishes our bodies and minds and souls, and tend to our hearts and the hearts around us. 

And may we not lose sight of gratitude. As Francis Weller has wisely said, "The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them." Francis goes on to say, "Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close."

Love is always the most powerful medicine. May we wrap ourselves and each other in the deepest compassion and love.

We are all family, all related, all interconnected.
With love and blessings,
💗
Molly

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