How to Laugh and Rejoice in Difficult Times
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Phil: The end of this year leaves both of us feeling unsettled by the social divisiveness that extends right down to the question of what is true. Society only exists through shared agreements, and their absence creates a backdrop of tension that rumbles persistently like an approaching storm.
On top of the recent fires here in California, it is hard to avoid spiraling down into a black hole of pessimism, but we have a secret way to forestall this. It is our sacred space.
We come together every evening and leave all that behind. We rejoice in each other, we celebrate what is present. In this state of presence, the social issues are only constructs of the mind, and by setting them aside for a time, we can regain our inner balance and then carry it forth the next day to sustain us in the world.
If you’re not in a relationship, look for those things that bring you joy and nourish you. Coffee, jazz, your pet, the bridge column; whatever they are, bring them into your day and enter into them fully. For a moment, close the door against the outside world. Enjoy the rattle of beans in the grinder, the gurgles and burps of preparation, the heat of the cup between your palms.
So next year, stay strong, stay centered, stay well, stay open, stay alive.
Maude: We actively uphold union rather than division. We dedicate ourselves anew everyday to peace and joy in all our lives.
This year has been filled with divisiveness in the political arena, extreme events in the environment including fires, hurricane devastation, flooding and droughts, and many people suffering from one form or another of PTSD.
We actively uphold union rather than division & dedicate ourselves to peace and joy in all our lives Share on XMany of the things that get us so distressed are cerebral in nature. We worry about things we are thinking about. Many of these things are real and it is important that we are involved and trying to work to better the situations that concern us. At the same time, we must find ways to stay in the present, to breath and to live in the joy and beauty of each day and of our relationships.
Our solution is to be sure to take space in our day, every day, both alone and together, that is free from exterior stresses and anxieties. Time where we pay attention, all our attention, to each other and all that we are grateful for. We take time to laugh, to care for each other, to appreciate what is, and to breath the balance and reality of the experience of union. We renew our spirits and hearts in the sacred space of our commonality, of love and awareness. We stay in touch with each other’s feelings so we can buoy each other up when one of us is being dragged down. We lean on our relationships when the world tilts. We dedicate time to acknowledging that which is in balance, to that which furthers peace and to experiencing joy.
Let us dance into this New Year with the assurance that goodness will prevail and that laughter can heal the deepest of wounds. Let’s remember each other, love and care for each other. With this renewed spirit we can go forward to spread peace one relationship at a time!
Varya said “I enjoyed this post – I’m married with young children and the youngness of the children has made it very hard for me to enjoy the small things – even a cup of coffee! – but they’re getting to an age where I can. I realise it was those small things that kept me sane before kids. Now, getting them back, I feel a big contented ‘ahhh’ kind of feeling.”