Hello Brilliant Ones,
Here’s my shortest post ever:
I love you.
Thanks for reading!
Rebecca
PS: Of course I have a bunch of fun resources for you. Choose what you want!
- Short (less than 6 minutes) Eclipse Meditation for the next 24 hours and beyond:
2. Mindfulness Walk video — Join me in my favorite grove and along the Pacific Ocean:
3. The writer and poet, Terry Spencer Edwards wrote this reaction to Charlottesville. It has been shared all over the world. (Terry’s poetry was featured on my blog.)
Here is something I wrote before going to sleep last night. I hope there is a little something in it to fortify you.
I Am
You may think your threats have caused me to retreat into a corner in fear. You are wrong. My back is straight. My resolve is pure. I know who I am and whose I am. You cannot bruise my spirit even as you attempt to batter my body.
You may think your ignorance and hatred belittle me. You are wrong. I am the progeny of kings and queens. My ability to live, and move, and breathe, and adapt, and love, and struggle, and succeed, and influence, is intact and especially nourished in the face of opposition. I steady myself on the shoulders of my ancestors who instruct me to run on and work while there is yet light.
You may think your strategy is clever and your whispers and whistles are imperceptible. But I hear what you don’t even have the courage to utter. I see you clearly, with or without cowardly coverings. My gaze is steady, unflinching. I have the courage not to look away and pretend. You are who and what you are and I am who and what I am. Despite your calculation, I know without doubt, that I am beautifully and wonderfully made, unfettered by the evil you seek to attribute to me.
You may not believe I belong here. You are wrong. My roots are inextricably bound to the soil of this land, seeds planted from the beginning of your version of this country, watered by the tears, sweat, blood of those before me and even up to this moment, enriched by the bodies buried deep in the earth but never far from the surface of my consciousness.
You may think you can make me hate. You are wrong. I don’t deny my sadness and my anger in the face ignorance, immorality, inhumanity. After my moment of emotion, my moments of resolve, hopefulness, faith, and audacious love dry my tears and redirect my frustrations into quiet fortitude and authentic connection, shedding light in the places of isolation, terror, and cowardice you seek to create.
I am held together by experience, expertise, history, education, in and out of the classroom, and the moral fiber of a proud people. Never mistake my kindness and forgiveness for weakness. I cannot be brushed aside. I am here.
You may espouse a false doctrine that contorts to an unrecognizable version of your fear-based belief. If you call that narrow vision faith and truth, you are wrong. Fear and faith cannot dwell in the same space. My beliefs are not anemic, immobile, not passive. My faith humbles me enough to kneel and instructs me to get up. You may think I am bowed down. You are wrong.
5. Here’s Brene Brown’s research-based response to what’s showing up in our world — it has always been there, but the events in Charlottesville have shed yet another spotlight on it.
6. This On Being broadcast with the late John O’Donohue on the inner landscape of beauty has helped me over the last few days.
7. Untamed the Wild Soul’s podcast with Rare Media – A conversation on Creativity, Productivity, Health and Rituals. Here’s the blog post which connects to multiple platforms so you can listen on the device which best suits you.
8. Crack the Egg: Finding Joy Amongst Conflicting Emotions: I referenced this past post in the Mindfulness walk. Note that the meditation by Sheila Pai is no longer available but you can find a whole host of meditations, poetry, interviews and more on my SoundCloud page.
Rebecca Inspires Now 