I have no choice
But to carry on
Grieving the loss of you again and again
And giving praise for you at the same time.
Thank God for love.
Thank God for grief.
Thank God for this open heart
Scattered across the sea.
~ Ariana K. MacPherson
I have to admit, June was a hard month. Here, in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the darkest, coldest, and wettest time of the year. We are not complaining about the rain because this water is the elixir of the gods, rescuing us from disaster, but it is cold and wet nonetheless.
On top of the cold, dark, and wet it has also been heavy and sad. We hadn't made it far into the month when reports of families being separated at the US / Mexico border started to emerge. When this kind of tragic news begins to make its way into my consciousness, it always seems to start with a trickle. A slow, steady drip of what I can almost immediately tell is another piece of soul wrenching news I do not want to be real. In all honestly, it takes me a few days to be willing to hear it completely. To sink into the reality of it. And this was no different. In fact, it was one of the worst yet. Simply the thought of children being torn from their mothers' and fathers' arms still brings a knot to my throat. And I will say it again: as far as I am concerned, this is not a political issue. It is not a Trump problem or an Obama problem, a Republican problem or a Democrat problem. This is a manifestation of our spiritual disease that goes back centuries.
My heart breaks for the many millions who have been wrongfully and tragically imprisoned, enslaved, and murdered on American soil. It is so easy to feel helpless. It is so easy to be filled with despair in the face of such large-scale, systemic injustice. But there is hope. There must be hope, has to be hope, and at the end of the day, there is only hope. Hope in the many millions of Americans (and beyond) from both and all sides of the aisles who stood up to say "This is quite enough. This we simply cannot take." To raise posters in protest, to donate money, and to spread love. What a call for healing! For how can we ever heal this broken world unless we start off by healing ourselves? I do not believe it is possible. In fact, I believe that the only way we can heal this world is by healing ourselves.
The only way we will put an end to wrongful imprisonment, racism and white supremacy, the patriarchy in all its various manifestations, the destruction of our planet, the opioid epidemic, school shootings (the list goes on) is by healing the spiritual wound within each of us so that we can replace whatever fear is filling our hearts with love. When this love becomes the dominant force in our world, the world will be as new.
I pray for love. I pray for justice. I pray for unity. I pray for healing.
Let’s continue to heal ourselves so that we can be channels of love.
In my experience, soul healing cannot happen alone.
Join me for our July Women's Circle where we will explore the themes of love + fear as they relate to our own journeys to connect with each other, ourselves, and the Divine. I will share from my own experience, lead the group in some breathing and meditation, and provide opportunities for journaling and sharing, as well as a chance to touch base on any intentions set last month during the June Circle.
I will also be introducing a new series on love + relationships. Drawing on a lifetime of experience trying to run away from my own pain by running into the arms of a lover, I will share what has worked for me on my own path of healing from divorce, betrayal, and years of losing myself to others, and provide safe space for you to share a with each other as you navigate this scary and intensely healing path. Critically, we will explore how to use these losses and betrayals as opportunities to move towards ourselves and towards God, rather than continuing to run.
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