This journey of life isn’t always smooth and easy.  This physical world that we move through each day isn’t always butterflies, rainbows, and sunshines. Sometimes, it can be really, really hard. Life’s lessons are no joke. They can bring us to our knees, in tears, in despair. All of a sudden, our whole world change. We are in shock, in disbelief. We wonder what is going on? Nothing, nothing makes any sense at all. And we are, once again, reminded of the impermanence, cruelty of life. We are rendered speechless, desperately catching our breath, trying not to suffocate in the pool of helplessness. 

No joke, indeed. The hardest part of being a human is coming to terms with this human nature. The law of this physical world. What happens to us, to our friends, to our family, or to our pets, are ultimately, never truly under our control. We might have been living in a way where we frantically trying to control everything, to manipulate situations, and/or to make sure others are cooperating with our ideas of how things should go.  Until one day, this illusive veil lifted and we are suddenly exposed – to life’s bluntness and cruelty. We are naked in the jungle, at the mercy of the tigress. We can fight, protest, howl to the moon, or scream at the theatre of irony.  But ultimately, we can only let go and surrender. Perhaps our knees bent, perhaps the grasses tingle our skin, and we humbly listening to the wind, to the orchestras of nature, while vulnerably opening our pores to all that is. We let go of control, and pray. The irony is that while it takes tremendous strength to surrender, once we do, our whole perspective shifts. Surrendering does not mean giving up, to surrender is to accept whatever it is, at the present moment, and to be with the experiences as they show up. 

A strong, sensitive heart loves deeply, unconditionally. This is love without expectation, giving without negotiation, forgiveness without condition. I love this quote from Mother Teresa, “Work as though every thing depended on it, and leave the rest to God.” To me, this is a simple, yet poignant mantra. Pouring our love, faith, and creative energies into life’s endeavors, we are doing our part of the work. While at the same time, there is an unseen part bubbling in the background, in the space of emptiness. There is this hidden energy that we are always co-creating with. This is the omnipresent energy of source, of eternity. 

In retrospect, these excruciating stages of life are often meaningful and essential, it might have served an important purpose in our journey. Though at the time we do not understand a tiny bit of it. For these dark, difficult periods force us to grow, to mingle with our shadow in the moist, shady womb. We are encapsulated in the cocoon and have no choice but to interact with the uncomfortable, disturbing parts of life, of ourselves, which we usually avoid in waking consciousness. This is the stage of metamorphosis, this is a necessary vessel for growth and transformation.

Yet even in the womb of darkness, we can still remember to breathe. To move through the daily necessities of life, to care for oneself and others, and to connect with friends and loved one. Personally, I find it crucial to engage in some form of practice in keeping energy moving through my body during these trying times. Taking a walk, getting a massage, acupuncture, or reiki, doing yoga, or just getting up and stretch our body are some of the things we can do to move our energy. It doesn’t have to be fancy or sophisticated. We just have to get moving, and keep going at the pace that we can.

Being a human is a vulnerable endeavor, so be gentle, with yourself, and with others.

Blessings to all.