We live in times that are speeding up. The level of chaos and despair is spiraling out of control. The Call is loud and clear, and yet, and yet, the best way we can answer that call is to do the thing that is most counterintuitive for most of us: Slow Down.
With all this chaos are rising more and more inspirational voices. The louder The Call becomes the more we rise up to meet that challenge. I find myself wanting to answer every calling voice, to step up in as many ways as I can. However, there is point at which my efforts become so dilute as to be ineffective.
In order to do my best work, I need to think deeply on which aspects of The Call fit best with my personal abilities. What do I bring to the table? Which of my skills are best suited? There need not be judgment here, nor do I need to box myself into one choice, but I do need to recognize that without self-care I won't have any resources left in which to rise up to the challenge of our times.
What is self-care? Self-care can be seen as Discernment, employing that internal observer that can, without judgment, assess a situation and the appropriate response from a place of slow calm. Discernment allows us to delve into the mystery of our own personal resources and to say yes or no to an invitation to action based on its appropriateness in our current life situation.
There are many Lightworkers now, publicly accessible people who are openly activating Light work by through teaching, writing, and doing activist work. My heart longs to help each and every one, but my inner Observer calls me back to my own center, whispering to me to discern each opportunity and it's alignment to my own path. Where can I be most effective? Is that part of The Call one that I have skills to meet? Are there parts of my own Lightwork that take priority right now? Am I taking the time to keep my own body, mind, heart, and soul in alignment before I reach out to contribute to something else? Am I remembering myself, maintaining my own container to work at its optimum capacity? Where do I need to push out of my comfort zone, and where do I need to concentrate on my strongest skills? Does the desire of my heart outweigh the skill of my hands? Should I answer my heart's call and learn along the way? What needs to change in my life to support that decision?
These questions can only be answered from a place of stillness. As tempting as it is to answer the dazzling call of the incoming Light, we must first address the still, dark place of our center and know the deep desire there. Choosing action from a position of slow strength gives us a solid foundation. This kind of solid base helps us to always be working from our center, our sincerest desire, and makes the efforts we do the most potent they can be.
Slow down and take a breath with me. Feel that breath fill you, nourish you, connect you, and center you. Look out on the world from within your own center. These eyes you use will see more clearly from a smooth flow. Breath out and feel that rejoining, reuniting with the whole. This way we can work in unity, this way we can effect real, lasting change.
Namaste
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