I was recently speaking with my sister who told me of walking on a beach in her town in Rhode Island and remarking at the seemingly unnatural color of orange as the sun began to set. She later learned it was due to smoke that had drifted east from the California wildfires! One of countless, poignant reminders that we are all connected.
It seems we are faced with a fundamental choice in times like these: further tighten down, “protect” me and mine from you and yours, or find the courage to surrender, even embrace that we are all in this together.
We have a great deal of evidence that the first choice does not work in any sense. The process of tightening down is painful, full of effort and strife, and it can never give us the promised “protection.” We are, after all, Life, so we are only trying in vain to protect ourselves from what we are—a sort of autoimmune disorder writ large.
The second option—embracing that we are all in this together, even while it can take a great deal of courage—has much to recommend it. The process of surrender, of embracing, is relaxing, opening, often a great relief. It allows us all to get on the same side and hold hands to look at what Now.
This has been precisely the recent process in the project in Kantolomba. We would normally be in Bridge Walk season this time of year, hearing about and celebrating the particulars of the previous year of transformation. Yet our attentions—all of us, in Kantolomba and here—are on keeping everyone safe, making sure what is needed is provided and that food gets on the table (or in the lunch box as the case may be), that everyone has a mask, and that learning continues as much as possible. In one sense you could say we are blessedly stripped down to the essentials, a sort of divine reminder that Being Here, existing, is plenty.
Having that realization, that a traditional Bridge Walk season does not make sense this year, was one of those wonderful moments where the benefits of Awareness practice training kick in. There was no worry, no ruminating, no figuring out, no urgency, yet complete responsibility in the sense of checking financial forecasts, looking at what resources are available and what resources are needed and then just a tremendous sense of turning it over to Life. “Okay, Life, Here’s what we see…. We’re Here, ready…let us know.”
And indeed, it has let us know:
In the form of someone sending a check inspired by the story-writing project, an artist in Sangha sending photos of beautiful cards she has made for sale to raise funds, the idea to have a Sunday workshop in support of Kantolomba. So, it seems, this year we are “launched” on a non-campaign, a campaign of listening, where Life will simply let us know, through each one of us, what Now and Now and Now.
Please join us in listening. If there is a way you wish to/are called to participate please let us know: africa@livingcompassion.org
As of the writing of this, there are still some of those beautiful cards mentioned above, available for purchase.
Please know that we are wholeheartedly committed to finding ways to keep everyone in the loop so we don’t miss the best part of Bridge Walk season—hearing all the inspiring news! Watch for announcements of opportunities to hear more!
In Gasshō
Jen