Hello tribe. Today is the first day of meteorological spring (for those of us in the northern hemisphere). This fact got me thinking on a subject that I've been considering for the past few months. We have a thread where we can go when we're suffering, lost, or worried and need support, which is beautiful. But why not have the opposite as well: a designated thread where the sole purpose is to share positive developments in our lives (or in our circle of family and friends) so that more people may join us in our joy.
Collective celebration, even in the darkest days, is highly potent. When many people join in to help you affirm an accomplishment, the quantum field of your individual reality gets strengthened because your individual perception becomes collective reality. This virtuous cycle of psychic co-creation can then lead to further positive developments. Eventually, you may even have a miracle on your hands ?. So, rather than passively waiting for exterior conditions to begin aligning with our dreams, let's actively use our small victories as tools for midwifing into being our dreams.
Reminder. This isn't a place to highlight the successes of a celebrity, politician, or any broad trend in the news. This thread is just for you. If you, or someone in your life, has accomplished something positive or long-desired, however humble, then share that development here. Our collective celebration will be the universe's stamp of certification on that accomplishment.
Who wants to get us started?
I like this thread.
Tonight I clicked on one of those facebook meme sites I'm on. This one is focused on God messages. And along with the message, two letters I had written came up. One from 2012 where I asked God to fix my life. Where I said I would tie a knot on the end of my rope. Which I did for the next seven years after that.
It was a very concrete confirmation that I made the right choice to start over and leave a bad situation. Mercury Retrogade probably brought those messages to me, feeling as if they had washed up on shore with the tide.
The other from this past February where I sought to counsel and comfort someone else.
Turns out my words to stay in the present and be grateful for all you have, and not dwell so much on what you lost... those were the words I needed.
That and a message to use one hand to help yourself and the other to help others.
I feel the excitement of the Democratic process. I considered a run for office. I volunteered for Madeleine Dean and got to work a rally in Philly as a volunteer and hear President Obama speak. Although I was in ill health, I pounded the pavement for the Dems and my candidate won. She is an awesome rep for that district she serves.
One more political high point- I am an artist and Nancy Pelosi has one of my Wonder Woman prints. I had the opportunity to hear her speak and was all set to meet her, but my dog had taken ill and I left my work with her chief of staff instead.
Thanks for the uplifting thread @coyote
Yes, Ghandigirl! There are so many small threads that have coalesced to create these positive changes in your life. I feel like if we take some time to write or think about small positive developments in our lives, be it privately or on this forum, we become more aware of our blessings and lay the groundwork for further improvements.
I should have written in my first post that collective celebration is highly potent, especially in the darkest days. One of the most subversive things we can do is let ourselves and the people around us feel joy while the dominant cultural landscape is telling us in 100 different ways: "Panic! Be angry! Worry nonstop! Hate the enemy! Doom is coming!" I'm sick and tired of being dour all the time. I've spent the better part of the past 18 years in that mindset. It's time to move on to something better.
I went a bit overboard with this thread's title, and now it takes up lots of space. I can't edit it now, so if you want to make the title more succinct, then go ahead.
I haven't been on this forum for days because life on my end has been keeping me busy to say the least. Most of them is quite hectic, such as my class is transfering towards online turorials, getting some food and basic needs (which is eaiser said than done), while at the same time watching the movement of Melbourne slowly dying.
But I got my first bike today. While the reasons for me getting it was not good (It's about making sure that my parents don't move out of the house as much when it comes to going to the groceries and such), for me it felt like I've made a big step towards gaining some sort of independance and growth.
Well, I'm an artist and for most of my life I've been told that my future is limited and at times people around me like to crush my hopes for the future, saying that it's too unrealistic for someone who is not smart and should be treated like a kid glove. The bike discussion with my parents is one of the latest things that they said it isin't a good idea and my mother said I'm too delicate to ride on something like that, despite the fact that riding a bike has a bigger gain than riding a car or public transport at this time.
So I went out and bought it on my own accord, because their 'safe' ways seems like a death trap to me. I've rode it and I've enjoyed it. A little too much, to the point I didn't realised my limitations with my current consitution, forgeting to eat and got dehydrated. I've ended up feeling sick and threw myself up a little at the bike path. Fortunately, there's a lady who helped me by giving some water and a short company, a reminder that there's some good in the world. I did manage to finish my journey back to the studio. Although via by train instead.
Despite all of that, I'm very excited to ride my bike again. Some how I felt like there's some things in life that I could do, despite my mental status, giving me some hope that I can live my life without the fear of my impairment in the mind.
You are more than your disorder.
The bigger part of you is timeless, and has no boundaries.
You are more than your thoughts. You are the observer of your thoughts, the one who can say, "Stop. That's not helping." Or, "What hurts? What do you (I ) need?"
The bike sounds great. I wish you have the use of it in the best of health. Thank you for taking care of the elders in your family.
I second everything @ghandigirl said. When you start looking at the symptoms of your disorder as mere objects of your consciousness, you can begin to shift those symptoms. I'm also delighted by your decision to take up bike riding. I've always been a biker, and when my neurodegenerative condition started ramping up 10 years ago, the difficulties I had riding a bike were the yardstick that indicated what capacities I was losing. Now I'm training for a charity bike ride that will take place in September, and I'm determined to make biking the yardstick by which I will measure my increasing strength and vitality.
This is all to say, just go for it! Craft your own narrative. You do YOU.
My thoughts lately have been a clash of conflicting priorities. I'm not sure yet what are the most important tasks I should be focusing on while industrial society's meta-narratives are torn to shreds in real time.
Yet one facet of self-knowing stands central in my awareness, and it's been growing stronger over the past 4 months: I don't have any nostalgia for the past. I have personal memories that I am fond of, but I'm not pining for "the good old days." My best days are ahead of me, and of this I am certain.
I feel incredibly blessed to have this knowledge of my future, when most people my age are turning cynical. Right after the New Year, I met up with an old friend from high school who I hadn't seen in more than 6 years. When we were talking about our other mutual friends, he asked me whether I found it weird that not so long ago we were kids in grade school and now we're all working and living in different states. The way he posed the question, I could tell he was speaking from a place of disappointment: "Now we're all servants to the grind." I had trouble putting into words that i don't feel that way. For me at least, the progression from childhood then adolescence (when I was drinking the Kool Aid of our collective societal nightmare) to young adulthood (where I'm remembering my soul purpose) feels gratifying. I'm being led to experiences that will make my previous 25 years look like a silent black-and-white film.
That's my gush for the day. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you tonight.
Today I am beginning again to embrace sobriety. I was sober for 21 years, and more recently for 4 months.
I am feeling stronger, calmer, and ready to breathe deeply again and have no false vision.
I am proud of myself for even trying during this pandemic. I feel being sober is the last piece in the puzzle I am building of best practices to ensure I stay illness free.
Keep workin' it @ghandigirl, you can do it, we have faith in you!
Today is my hubby's 19th NA anniversary, if he can do it so can you!
And I apologize for my many references to alcohol on here, I'm not an addict, and if it wasn't for Chardonnay I doubt my daughter would have survived to adulthood.