Care versus Cure

Hello dear ones,

What a summer we are having! Quarantining, social and political upheaval, climate crisis–unprecedented times for our whole world, which make for lots of unknowns and possibilities for metamorphosis.

The other day, myself and couple of our community members were mulling (online) about this word metamorphosis. It came up when we were wondering what other words we could use instead of saying “the new normal”.

Metamorphosis, in the wise words of one of my dear sisters:

“Like butterflies. Transformation into something beautiful. Let’s all work together to make things better. With our neighbors, with our friends, our family. Kindness towards strangers. Patience with ignorance. Helping each other instead of waiting for government agencies to help….I can’t do much about world affairs but I can start right here at home, and try to set a good example.”

There is no going back. There is no normal. Things are always in a state of flux or change. In a recent reading of the amazingly pertinent The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, the author states, 

“All that you touch
You Change.

All that you Change
Changes you.

The only lasting truth
is Change.

God
is Change.”

So in our daily lives, how do we deal with so much change? I don’t know, as I am navigating it differently each day. I seem to do ok for awhile, and then have a “Covid Crash”, where all I can do is cry, curl up on my couch and sleep…and also alternatively, seek comfort in a whole pint of ice cream.

One thing is clear is that really there is only groundless ground, as Pema Chödrön details in her Buddhist wisdom books, When Things Fall Apart and The Places That Scare You.  Embracing the joy, embracing the pain, embracing the anxiety….moving towards what is actually happening seems to level it out and bring me back to a sense of calm even in the midst of the storm. Magic.

So it’s not a matter of trying to CURE anything….in myself, in others, or in the world. It’s a matter of CARE. Caring for myself these days means not running away from what is changing (although that pint of ice cream can be really good self care in some instances), caring for others by listening and accepting differences and being kind, caring for the world by showing up and doing what is calling me (and I can’t do it all! I have my own unique gifts to serve the world and what a deep pleasure it is to go down that path. Thank you to my daughter for reminding me of this this week!).

I have and have had many teachers in my life. These days I am not looking to them for the cure anymore, the final places where I have everything figured out for what bothers me….but instead, endeavoring to understand the personal mythology of my own life and learn from it. This is my own true north now, the deepest way I know of walking through this world with self care. 

Caring versus curing…being fluid versus normal…curiosity versus judging. And remembering that when I fall into old patterns, to be caring, fluid and curious about that too!

Wishing you all the best this week and always as we navigate these new waters.

Much love,

and gratitude for each of you in this amazing community <3,

Lizabeth