......the election

Yogis,

As the election begins to draw to a close, I reflect.  I felt the tension in the air, saw the worry so heavy on those around me, heard the harsh words and tasted the bitterness.  But as with everything in this journey of life there is another side.  The teaching and growth that inevitably comes from a challenge.  Even from this one…….

“Hate” was a word so casually thrown around these last several months.  We uncovered within ourselves, our country and our world the divisions that still remain among us.  Color, gender, religion, economic status, appearance.  So deeply rooted that we must keep unearthing and shining a light on each of them, for hate grows from fear, and fear revels in the dark.  Every action we take, every word we speak comes from one of two wells buried deep within……love and fear.  Only when we draw them to the surface – when we voice them out loud - can fear be calmed and love wrap its arms around it.  The election did the digging and shone some mighty spotlights providing us the gift of seeing.  Resist the urge to bury them back down.  Let’s step closer and look.

During this same time the new African American History museum was unveiled in DC.  I have listened to those who have visited. Whites, for once in the minority, as they travel together with those of color, witnessing our combined history. From the early days of slavery to our current president….yet we have so far to go.  Fear of differences.  Fear of the unknown.  Let’s step closer and look into each other’s eyes. 

A video arrives in my path that highlights the greed we all have for more, which must be fed with oil.  The Native Americans desperately trying once again to keep their ground sacred as bulldozers clear the path to make way for the Dakota pipeline.  “It's about our rights as native people to this land. It's about our rights to worship. It's about our rights to be able to call a place home, and it's our rights to water.”  Friday I see we are arresting them.  Instead we should be embracing them as their elders hold much wisdom on honoring the earth.  Another unveiling. Let’s step closer to listen. 

And because one of the candidates happens to be a woman, I watched as the continued, yet often unconscious stifling of women was brought to the forefront.  Interruptions, analysis of her appearance and whether she smiles enough. Not only by men……no we do it to each other as well.  Yet here we sit at the brink of change.  Excitement for some and fear for many others.  Fear showing its face as hate.  No longer discussed behind the curtain but out in the world for all to see.  Instead of pushing it away, let’s step even closer to feel that.   

Perhaps the day will come where we can all be who we are without fear.  As a woman I have leaned into my femininity, letting go of the fear of being perceived as weak.  I welcome these raw discussions and rants we have all watched as they cause us to face what we believe.  What we then do with it is up to each of us.  I choose not to fear, but to live fully in my female power of intuition, of compassion, of sensuality, of creativity, of kindness because it is my strength…..not a weakness.  My birthright.

“Come down here so I can kill you, the man said to the moon, for you have stolen my wife. The moon laughed. Every woman is my wife first, he said. So in fact you stole this wife from me. This only made the man angrier and he climbed the tree to the highest branch and pulled at the raffia string. It would not move so he began to climb the string toward the moon. Soon his arms grew heavy and though he had climbed far from the tree he still was no closer to the moon. Let go now, the moon said. And the man, who had no more strength left, let go and fell directly into his canoe and paddled home to share his wife, as all men did, with the moon.” 

― Lily King, Euphoria

Let us all let go and share this incredible space we live in with each other.

Standing under the spotlight of the moon,
SARAH