“The journey to the Spirit World is a long one, my friend. But when you die, that doesn’t mean that this is the end.”
-Buddy Red Bow, Lakota

I woke up to these words yesterday in the form of a Native wisdom meditation I receive in my inbox daily.

I took them as an “attagirl” from Brent and a blessing on the day of Lamentations of the Sea’s release. And a reminder of just how big and vast this world is, so many more things we may sense but can’t always see.

We are not alone, and I take comfort in that as we go into the weekend and find myself thinking about where our world is right now and grappling with what I want my own thoughts, behaviors, and actions to be.

There is so much anger, so much rage, so many people ready to start steam rolling you with opinions before you begin to speak. So much free roaming hate. So much so much– I keep having this internal sense that energetically, gasoline is being poured everywhere, and all it will take is for someone to light a match.

The intuitive, empath, spiritualist in me, who always seeks to bring balance to the whole, just keeps trying to hold space for understanding, love, and peace. Even as I process my own reactions of sadness, sorrow and fear for what may be.

It is the best any of us can do right now- just keep trying to be who we need to be, feel what we need to feel in the face of all this change.

What I keep coming back to for myself is the idea that any action, whatever that idea that takes seed in your heart, then grows into an idea, then causes you to take a step may be- is that action without intelligence, wisdom, and purpose is simply reaction, and it doesn’t seek to change much in this already chaotic space.

I feel called in my life to walk a path of peace; my soul seems to require it. Which certainly doesn’t mean passivity, it just means that in any behavior I contribute to the world- (and boy, I am not saying I do this perfectly, just ask my husband who gets to live with all my imperfections!)- I feel called to think about how that behavior serves the causes of the greater good, love, and spirit.

Feel called to use discernment in how I articulate my thoughts and choose to go about being a positive change in this space.

As I’ve looked at the legislation just passed on immigration, spent my week shaking my head at many of the decisions that have been made for the country, observe the divide among us- seemingly deepening and widening- I don’t have a clear sense of my long term response.

But I do have a sense of my response today.

Keep showing up for the people in my life that I care about. Keep showing up for myself. Keep peace inside of myself even while acknowledging my legitimate, unpeaceable feelings- we are whole, there is space for all we feel. Remember that true peace cannot be legislated, mandated or dictated- it must start within the heart.

Use my words wisely, kindly, compassionately. Words to provoke thought and not to inflict pain. Words to offer a measure of love and not a measure of hate. Words to give and not to take. Words to teach and not tear down. Words to build and not break.

And stay wise and open and continue to look for places to be a space holder for love and positive contributor of change.

Since I started with a Native wisdom today, I will end with one that has been nourishing my heart throughout the entire morning. I wish peace to you this Saturday, wherever you may find yourself.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”
-Chief Seattle, 1854

Mitakuye Oyasin “All My Relations”
-BethAnne