The Value of just Being

What an amazing time to be alive during these times. While every generation of humanity had its own unique social movements, attributes and collective consciousness, I’m still convinced that we are standing on a precipice, a precarious place in which we bear witness to our potential as creative beings on this planet to bring healing and harmony or on the flip-side destruction and chaos. What a diverse range of consciousness that can be expressed in so many human ways: ethical standpoints, spiritual or religious beliefs, political views, artistic expression, and so on…. In the midst of all this diversity however, we must remember our common unifying threads of humanity if we are to live on this planet together and if we wish for our next generations to have their basic life needs met.  What are the common threads? Having a “heart-centered” perspective can come in handy to really feel into this question because our ego and mind’s perception can be shaded with beliefs that separate and divide. To Love and feel Love is the highest expression of humanity and our greatest power we possess. The many expressions of Love- forgiveness, compassion, empathy, charity, connectedness, selfless service- have the power to Unite Humanity. With a heart-centered perception we can see that there many people in this world that are in dire need of Love- to feel connected, to feel Safe, to feel Loved, To forgive past grievances. However, its just not that simple. In our thought-driven, fast paced world we live in, we must consciously make space for the healing that Love can bring! Sometimes its not so simple for people who are basically just doing what they can to survive day-to-day, trying to not be killed by bombs or trying to find shelter or food to eat. Even still, even people like you and I still seem to feel like “there’s never enough time.” 
Making space is exactly what it means: Making Space- Stopping whatever you are doing in your life to really make space to contemplate, to feel deeply, to reconnect with the deepest parts of your Self that perhaps you forgot about or stopped listening to as a result of societal pressures. Its interesting what people do make space in their lives for, which may not serve their highest good, which perhaps disconnects them from their own lives and world, such as drugs, social media, movies, etc. Sometimes the easiest and most effective way of “making space” is going for a walk out in nature. Disconnection from nature may arguably be humans’ most grave problem, resulting in so much disharmony and imbalance of our relationship with Nature. Great respected spiritual teachers will emphasize the importance of Meditation as being the almighty salve. For me personally, I create this sacred space by keeping a home altar has which has tools that remind me of what is truly important and which can assist me to reconnect with my higher self. I am so grateful to have a home. Yet even while I was in nomadic phases of my life, no matter what, I still kept an altar (my “travel altar”). For me these tools are: candles (non-toxic, all natural wax!), incense (sage, palo santo, copal, frankincense) personal photos and inspiring art, crystals and sound healing instruments (singing bowls, and bells). Having a ceremony is a very effective way to bring insight, healing and love, if that is what your intentions are. The way our capitalist society is, there isn’t much space allowed  or honored for ceremony. The only time you might hear that word is when its used with the word “wedding.” However, the powerful healing tool of ceremony is thankfully becoming more common within our subcultures of seekers. We are steadily reclaiming this rite as a means of healing, transformation and empowerment. And for some, such as indigenous peoples, ceremony has been a way of life from the beginning.  How unfortunate that in westernized culture, the empowering practice of ceremony has been marginalized to areas of religion and otherwise judged by misunderstood minds as ceremony being either cult-related, or “new age-y” or something that can only be performed by someone else with some sort of “credentials.”  It almost seems like one must be a societal outcast to a certain degree, if one chooses to empower one’s self and seek healing from within, for in our capitalistic world those kinds of things should cost you, right? And people DO pay a LOT of money to participate in healing ceremonies, hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars for a single ceremony. What are they REALLY paying for? Time for Re-connecting to Self. And hey, you could spent hundreds of dollars on a new article of clothing if you wanted too- Im not sure how much that would connect you to your Self. 
The aspect of gathering and connecting with others is also a very important piece for healing too.  We need the reflections of others sometimes to truly see ourselves. We need a safe place to witnessed and accepted as we are. Ceremonial gatherings can be that kind of place. I recently attended a festival gathering in Santa Fe called Unify Fest to share my music. The intention of this festival was unifying humanity. There were artists,  teachers and musical performers from all around the world in the fields of yoga, indigenous wisdom, healing, wellness, and the like. It was a profound experience to attend such a gathering with this intention- it felt like a non-stop three day long ceremony, and indeed there was an opening and closing to this ceremony/fest. There was a sacred fire that was kept the entire duration of the festival brought in the indigenous wisdom. I gained so many reflections and so much inspiration from these three days.
I guess what I am really trying to say is the more space and time you create for connecting to your true Self- that is beyond all thoughts, all judgements, all fears, doubts, insecurities- The More you connect to the vibrations of Love, in and from the Holy temple of your Heart, The more you can be filled, the more there is to be shared. The path of the Bodhisattva is not merely to liberate your Self from suffering- Its to attain enlightenment with the compassionate desire to Free others as well.
“The Ocean refuses no river.” Just as every raindrop will as some point find its way to be one with the ocean, so will our small limited perception of self- whether it me in this time or another- find itself re-united with the infinite One consciousness. Getting little sips of this vast consciousness is enough to make one thirsty for more. To be an embodiment of Love is the highest Human expression. May we have the willingness to Be the Love, to Be the vessel which can be filled with our own soul’s wellspring of wisdom and Love, til our Being overflows to all Beings we come into contact with.
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Swaha
​Paintings by Autumn Skye