Such beautiful writing Sarah. And thank you for the link to that interview. It’s powerful.
My heart breaks for you, witnessing your mom in her defeat, and I am even more glad that my life has crossed yours in this cyber world, so I may witness your courage.
Sarah this essay is powerful and lovely. Thank you. The things you mention about never considering oneself good enough are certainly things that I struggle with. I love your proposal think of those in this different way -- that by honoring my talents, I am honoring my life, and life in general, and to do otherwise is to disrespect life itself. Wow.
I'm so glad it resonated! And for me, that is what is most powerful--to turn against ourselves is to turn against life--and it gives me a huge incentive to interrupt my pattern of self-criticism when I think about it like that.
I think that anyone who wants to express creatively and use their emotions/ passion (not just their cognitive perspective) to do so has to use their heartbreak as their guide. There’s no other way to have creativity and emotional experience in the same space. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experience with this 💖
Such a brave and truth-telling soul you are, Sarah! Conrad (my shaman) told me once in response to a set of dreams I had, that to do the work of a shaman (and we are all shamans), you must be willing to be naked before the world. Vulnerable, passionate, uncompromisingly honest with yourself and with all of life around you. What breaks my heart is to encounter someone who gives up, and gives in to their demons that strip them of their agency and joy. If they could only realize these are their teachers. Think of the poem The Guest House by Rumi, which speaks so eloquently for itself, so I won't quote it here. What makes me feel most alive are the moments when I can feel the blessing of The Sacred within, connecting me to The Sacred in everyone and everything around me. Yes, Joy is a fundamental force in the Universe, not a mood or emotion. It is always available to us. I choose Joy each morning when I awaken and let it permeate my day. I'm steeped in Joy that I am still here in my incarnation, and I broadcast that Joy out in a wish for all the world to experience this Joy.
I love this Lissa--thank you. And it's so true that when we feel filled by the Sacred within, it makes everything make sense and actually makes it easy to feel gratitude and access joy.
Also, I'm so glad you brought up that Rumi poem, The Guest House--I thought I'd post it here so folks could read it:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
"mission to heal myself, to grow, to be brave when I'm scared, to have faith in the future, and to embrace my particular existence as fully as possible."
So love your writing and this message resonates. To me, passion is what I'm called to do because I'm empty not doing it. It's aligned with my soul, values, purpose and True North.
Mission is what breaks my heart but also is aligned with my values and heart center.
I think through both I truly express myself. Heartbreak absolutely informs all that I do and it has shown a path for me to clear out all that isn't aligned with my passion and mission.
Your mission is so very important and the world is a better place for you walking this brave path. ❤️
Thank you Janine. I love what you say here--that heartbreak shows a path for you to clear out all that isn't aligned with your passion and mission. Heartbreak does offer the clarity to remember what matters in this life. I admire how you are handling yours!
Yes, Ms. Bush. I have found that the best thing, maybe the only good thing, about heartbreak is that it leaves the most exquisite scars. Read closely, it becomes a roadmap to the future, towards redemption, perhaps wholeness itself. Thank you for reminding me to keep moving forward.
Such beautiful writing Sarah. And thank you for the link to that interview. It’s powerful.
My heart breaks for you, witnessing your mom in her defeat, and I am even more glad that my life has crossed yours in this cyber world, so I may witness your courage.
Your art is rich with heart.
Your soul is lovely.
oh, thank you so much Teyani. I am genuinely touched.
Sarah this essay is powerful and lovely. Thank you. The things you mention about never considering oneself good enough are certainly things that I struggle with. I love your proposal think of those in this different way -- that by honoring my talents, I am honoring my life, and life in general, and to do otherwise is to disrespect life itself. Wow.
I'm so glad it resonated! And for me, that is what is most powerful--to turn against ourselves is to turn against life--and it gives me a huge incentive to interrupt my pattern of self-criticism when I think about it like that.
I think that anyone who wants to express creatively and use their emotions/ passion (not just their cognitive perspective) to do so has to use their heartbreak as their guide. There’s no other way to have creativity and emotional experience in the same space. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experience with this 💖
"There's no other way to have creativity and emotional experience in the same space." Powerful observation! Thank you back. <3
Such a brave and truth-telling soul you are, Sarah! Conrad (my shaman) told me once in response to a set of dreams I had, that to do the work of a shaman (and we are all shamans), you must be willing to be naked before the world. Vulnerable, passionate, uncompromisingly honest with yourself and with all of life around you. What breaks my heart is to encounter someone who gives up, and gives in to their demons that strip them of their agency and joy. If they could only realize these are their teachers. Think of the poem The Guest House by Rumi, which speaks so eloquently for itself, so I won't quote it here. What makes me feel most alive are the moments when I can feel the blessing of The Sacred within, connecting me to The Sacred in everyone and everything around me. Yes, Joy is a fundamental force in the Universe, not a mood or emotion. It is always available to us. I choose Joy each morning when I awaken and let it permeate my day. I'm steeped in Joy that I am still here in my incarnation, and I broadcast that Joy out in a wish for all the world to experience this Joy.
I love this Lissa--thank you. And it's so true that when we feel filled by the Sacred within, it makes everything make sense and actually makes it easy to feel gratitude and access joy.
Also, I'm so glad you brought up that Rumi poem, The Guest House--I thought I'd post it here so folks could read it:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi
translated by Coleman Barks
"mission to heal myself, to grow, to be brave when I'm scared, to have faith in the future, and to embrace my particular existence as fully as possible."
So love your writing and this message resonates. To me, passion is what I'm called to do because I'm empty not doing it. It's aligned with my soul, values, purpose and True North.
Mission is what breaks my heart but also is aligned with my values and heart center.
I think through both I truly express myself. Heartbreak absolutely informs all that I do and it has shown a path for me to clear out all that isn't aligned with my passion and mission.
Your mission is so very important and the world is a better place for you walking this brave path. ❤️
Thank you Janine. I love what you say here--that heartbreak shows a path for you to clear out all that isn't aligned with your passion and mission. Heartbreak does offer the clarity to remember what matters in this life. I admire how you are handling yours!
Yes, Ms. Bush. I have found that the best thing, maybe the only good thing, about heartbreak is that it leaves the most exquisite scars. Read closely, it becomes a roadmap to the future, towards redemption, perhaps wholeness itself. Thank you for reminding me to keep moving forward.
Thank you for sharing that—I love the idea of our exquisite scars as being our roadmaps toward redemption—so beautiful.
I've been writing about cracks and what grows. So much synchronicity!
I love that!