Photo taken by wise women, Katrina Campbell last week in Calgary. Follow Katrina on instagram at km_bella
The heart breaks open
A dried branch bursts into bloom
Light comes pouring in.
- Mirabai Starr, Wild Mercy - Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics
Dear Wise Women,
This week we close our 12 week journey together and it is my deepest hope that you have felt seen, heard and held by this sacred community. It is also my hope, whether you continue with a wise women circle or not, that you sense that you are at the beginning rather than the end of a lifelong magical journey.
Many weeks ago, I invited you to view yourself as a midwife to the great re-birth…the manifestation of Heaven on Earth. Together we have been rising up to choose wonder over why, love over fear, and presence in every moment. We have bravely embraced true forgiveness, integrity, compassion, kindness, and gratitude in order to surrender enough to raise our vibration and shift us to a higher dimensional way of Being…to push off the shore into the middle of the river.
And now we hope! For it is the energy of true hope that will move us from the Old to the New, from the Dark to the Light, from the Collective Consciousness to Unity Consciousness…to Resonate in Love.
“It is a misnomer that hope is idealistic and saccharine. In actuality, hope is the energy of life filtering through the honesty of all its impediments. In our modern era, we endure a culture of hiddenness and denial, which has left most people frantically searching for the true energy of hope.”
- Mark Nepo, “Drinking from the River of Light: The Life of Expression
But, here’s the thing… true hope requires vulnerability. Otherwise it’s just a wish - something ethereal that we say while blowing out our birthday candles and then continue controlling our outcome. True hope is not a wish. True hope involves more of us and our soul…a life of hope feels risky.
“Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
- Brene Brown, “The Gifts of Imperfection”
And it is with this understanding of the” vulnerability of hope” that I find myself better able to understand what Pema Chodron means when she suggests that we “abandon hope”. Could it be that she is calling us to release the false hope that we have been conditioned to believe in - the type of hope that comforts our egos, keeps us safe and prevents us from being vulnerable? Could true hope be something quite different all together?
“If we're willing to give up hope that insecurity and pain can be exterminated then we can have the courage to relax with the groundlessness of our situation. This is the first step on the path... if we totally experience hopelessness, giving up all hope of alternatives to the present moment, we can have a joyful relationship with our lives, an honest, direct relationship, one that no longer ignores the reality of impermanence and death.”
- Pema Chodron, “When Things Fall Apart”
Pema suggests we give up on hope as a wish or a longing for things to be different than they are, and she offers us an even better version of hope - a joyful, honest and direct relationship with our lives and the present moment. Such presence IS the pathway to the New Earth and is how we actively “hope” for a better world and a better way.
It is only by fearlessly accessing the vibrant energy of NOW that we align with the highest frequency that will transform our lives and life on our planet.
Wise Women, we are needed and NOW is the time! Dig deep. Show up. Have courage. Hope. Believe. Trust. Ask for help. You are not alone. Surrender to the divine plan. Surround yourself in white light. And know that all will be ok.
OK
I don’t know how its all going to turn out
my small life
or the future of humanity
I want to know though.
Will I be OK?
Will my children be OK?
Will the dolphins and whales be OK?
Someone please tell me
guarantee me
assure me…
and then, maybe, just maybe,
I’ll surrender
give up my need to control
and push off the shore.
Pardon me, what is is that you are saying?
“I am sorry, but that’s not how it works”
“You have to believe and hope that all will be OK
without knowing exactly what OK looks like
OK does not mean everything will stay the same
OK does not mean that the change will always be easy or pretty
So if that is your definition, I’m sorry but I can’t tell you all will be OK
But, if you are willing to see OK as the unfoldment
of a truly Divine Plan
then yes, I can assure you…
it will be OK
better than OK”
OK, I say.
- Patti Wardlaw
P.S. Here is the card I drew moments before my Monday Morning Circle, so fitting…you really can’t make this stuff up!
