Creativity, Wellness and Belonging

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.

 Toni Morrison.

In the past eighteen years I’ve written a dharma essay each month and sent it out to my readers. My intention in writing is to be of service, especially during trying times like these. Those in power are purposely trying to overwhelm us in order to create confusion and inactivity. Our challenge is to take ourselves in hand and re-regulate our nervous systems. In this vein I’d like to share a list of things that have been helpful to me.

Creativity

“Movements are driven by music and visual art. It is often just taken as entertainment but art can produce knowledge, knowledge of the sort that can’t be conveyed in a political speech. Art is actually crucial, art is at the forefront of social change. Artists allow us to grasp what we cannot yet understand.”  Angela Davis

Find your unique voice and use it fully. Continue to enjoy your life and express yourself through whichever art door you feel called to enter. In these dark times we need expressions of joy to help us remember what we hold dear, the vital importance of freedom. Paint, dance and sing your way to the other side. Express your grief and anger through art.

Wellness

“Our task as humans is to find the few principles that will calm the infinite anguish of free souls. We must mend what has been torn apart, make justice imaginable again in a world so obviously unjust, give happiness a meaning once more to peoples poisoned by the misery of the century. Naturally, it is a superhuman task. But superhuman is the term for tasks we take a long time to accomplish, that’s all.” Albert Camus

Take particularly good care of yourself and those around you. It’s important to stay informed but hard on the nervous system to marinate in the news. Once you know what is happening in the world each day sit with that, feel it, don’t deny the doom and gloom but remember there are also good things happening in the world, they just don’t make good press. Meditate, exercise and stay centered.

Belonging

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take side. No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior.

Elie Wiesel

Some of our friends and neighbors are being threatened. When this happened in Nazi Germany some allies risked their own lives to save the lives of their Jewish neighbors. Be an ally to any Hispanic or trans person in your environment who is under threat. Let them know you are an ally and be ready to stand up for them. We are one community. We nurture and protect one another. No one can take that away from us.

For those of you who would like to join with others for meditation practice I’m offering free meditation support each Monday at 9AM PST starting March 3. Please join us in the warmth of our community. We will meditate for 20 minutes then you can either stay and participate in what Zen Peacemakers calls council or go on with your day. In council we provide a safe space to say what is in your heart. Here is some reading on how council works: https://zenpeacemakers.org/projects/center-for-council/  Council will also be explained before we practice.

We need to love and support one another, now more than ever.