posted by @jeanne-mayell:
Someone in this community recently sent this to me, and it spoke to me. Hope it speaks to you:
@deetoo, was it you?
Nope -- it wasn't me. It's really beautiful, @jeanne-mayell. Words to live by, in these times. In all times. Thank you for sharing.
@anya, we will hold space for you when your hope is waning. We will do it for each other.
I hope you feel better soon, in all ways.
Raw honey is an ancient cure. I am taking it for my Gerd. I am also fighting illness. Music helps.
Jeanne, my heroes are RBG, MLK, and John Lewis, as well as John McCain. There are so many new posts on the forum that I can't possibly read them all, but your post drew my attention.
I believe I posted a video in the music thread with the video from John Lewis memorial/funeral service where they sing "We Shall Overcome" and a song for him about "Good Trouble" I might have only posted it on Social Media. It is worth reposting hear:
Bebe and Marvin Winans perform 'Good Trouble' at John Lewis funeral
@ghandigirl I forgot the raw honey. Thank you for the reminder.
I hope we both get better asap. Do you like Eleanor Friedberger or Sun Ra?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=RXjGS88pWbU
Colds and hope...
Colds
1. There is evidence that Zinc, which I consume in the form of lozenges, help shorten the life of a cold. Zinc inhibits viral proliferation in the throat and even the body. Also, saline nose sprays inhibit viral growth in nasal passages.
(One unrelated caveat, according to my eye doctor, is that a recent study indicates that the eye supplements that contain zinc have too much zinc in them that can damage vision.)
Hope-personal reflections
2. I am certain that dwelling in a negative miasma yields nothing good. However, before recommending hope, I would like it clarified as it relates to the current national crisis. I spent years telling abused women that hope was their enemy because it kept them stuck fruitlessly hoping that their abuser would change. I was gratified that the wonderful Dr Ramini include this warning in her videos and books advising people on dealing with narcissists.
So, if hope can be a wheel-spinning unrealistic Pollyanna-like expectation, like hoping
the newly scheduled incoming administration won't be so bad, what positive role can hope play in the face of enormous negative challenges?
I am grappling with that question for myself and yet, at a number of levels I do feel hopeful. Years ago at a wedding ceremony, the minister said something profound, "Love not demonstrated in action, is not love." I don't know whether that is absolutely true but it is at least good advice; if you love someone, show it. So, by corollary, what does hope look like in action?
A list that I made for myself:
Earth plane:
-Joining and working with groups that support democracy, voter access, open media, etc., challenging restrictions to our freedoms.
-Investing time and energy in our loved ones and developing and maintaining connections to others.
-Setting personal goals for improvement and working toward them.
-Contacting our political representatives whomever they are and voicing concerns, asking for action.
-Expressing our concerns about political trends with friends and neighbors.
Upper plane:
-Working on spiritual development
-Creating positive visions of the future in case we do, in fact, live in a quantum psychics realm in which thoughts become reality.
This list made me realize that hope has an object. For what do am I/we hoping? Meaningful change, positive emotional connections, and the big one for me.... a meaningful existence.
So in summary, in my view, earth-bound hope is good as long as it is embedded in clear-eyed assessments and backed by action. This election might lead to catastrophe so some catastrophic thinking can be expected but ruminating in pessimism can not do any good. So, while our immediate political future looks dark, I hope there will be effective resistance and a major change. While I am not a paragon of any sort of virtue, I have emailed all of my political representatives, sent money, and am contemplating my next steps.
On a spiritual level, I must hope that there is meaning to all of this and keep investing in both my individual our collective efforts to grow, develop and manifest positive outcomes. These times are not easy, self-care is essential.
Thank you, raincloud. I never thought of the sense of utter disenfranchisement that comes with living and working in a red state as accepting a perpetual state of abuse before. I had also planned to practice enhanced self-care--grow, develop and manifest positive outcomes, but I have been wondering what to do with the fear and anxiety that comes with being an "enemy within." I guess that's a sign of abuse, isn't it? Interesting. Thanks again, Gracesinger
@gracesinger Welcome back to the forum. EVERYBODY, Gracesinger was one of the original founding members of this forum. So glad to have you back. Gracesinger arrived back late 2016 when we needed to hold together. I am so glad you are back. I especially remember the prayers you gave us, prayers of healing both ourselves, and especially of those who were harming people.
This list made me realize that hope has an object. For what am I/we hoping? Meaningful change, positive emotional connections, and the big one for me.... a meaningful existence.
So in summary, in my view, earth-bound hope is good as long as it is embedded in clear-eyed assessments and backed by action. This election might lead to catastrophe so some catastrophic thinking can be expected but ruminating in pessimism can not do any good. So, while our immediate political future looks dark, I hope there will be effective resistance and a major change. While I am not a paragon of any sort of virtue, I have emailed all of my political representatives, sent money, and am contemplating my next steps.
On a spiritual level, I must hope that there is meaning to all of this and keep investing in both my individual our collective efforts to grow, develop and manifest positive outcomes. These times are not easy, self-care is essential.
Thank you for pinpointing with clear eyes a path forward.
@ghandigirl Lovely... yellow roses are my most favorite. You brought a smile to my face and a reminder of how loving the simplest things define our joy and reasons for living. Thank you :-)))))
Oh so talking about a path forward, leaving x and going to Bluesky is a step forward. In fact I have seen a bunch of people comment "this feels so much more relaxing/stress free/like the early years of Twitter". Which is interesting. So not being around angry fighting people is def a step forward.
Tara, I try to respond quickly when I am tagged, so I apologize that it has taken so long to answer your tag. Life happens. I wasn’t able get to my PC to write. I’m not exactly sure what it was I wrote that you read as not being allowed to express your fears here in the Forum. This IS a safe place to vent.
I see that @earthangel picked up my slack and wrote an eloquent response to your query. As an empath, I have to agree with all that she said and I won’t waste your time re-stating what was written so beautifully.
What I can do is to offer you some literal things I do as additional ways to vent, methods that do not contribute quite so literally to the miasma of fear that is attempting to take away our very right to peace of mind, health, happiness, and security.
I do my best to get the fear/anger out of my body. So, because I back up against the desert, I usually just go to the back of my house and scream, yell, bitch at the Creator—because the Creator can take my anger as well as my fear. Fear/anger are intrinsically linked. Sometimes I punch a pillow. The thing about this kind of intangible yet wholly horrific fear of the unknown; the fear of what “they” might do; the fear we are doomed; the fear of evil—is that fear is insidious: it returns. So rinse and repeat, yes? Godawful fear, more scary statements of aggression by t and cohorts, and whoa, the fear is not only back, it is worse. Aaaack, what do I do now? I have no magical solution for making it go away. YET, they are not yet in power, they just think they are. I have been blessed with some calm, some hope, and I draw that close around me like a warm, thick, quilt.
We have until January 20 before t and his handlers can actually DO anything, other than flood the aura of America with fear, and as dreadful as that is, it is EXACTLY where they want us: flooded with fear.
We walk a very thin tightrope between not giving power to the worst while finding ways to create positives, not only in our own lives but in the world we “seem” to be moving toward.
Balance for me is accepting the current reality, without giving it the power of fear. If you find release in posting then perhaps post, “I’m still afraid!!” That’s all you need to post. Everyone reading it will get it, and it won’t add to the empathic pickup quite so intensely.
Sometimes I find writing it all out with pen and paper, in detail and then burning the page (SAFELY) rather than typing it and posting it online, is a tangible way to acknowledge and then REMOVE a fear vibration.
This particular fear, sadly, isn’t a fear that is stopped like an angry animal. It is a fear to be diminished by choosing to acknowledge and then replace—even if momentarily—the fear with a positive moment. Ignorance is not a viable solution, so we do have to look at the news in some way, yet allowing fear to control gives THEM power. So: Acknowledge. Get it out of the physical body. Do something positive (sing, laugh, defy them with happiness!) And then, all over again. Rinse and repeat: acknowledge; get it out of the body; think/do something positive; and so on, and so on, and so on.
I found the following YouTube Choir Choir Choir with Patti Smith helpful. It just popped up I had never heard it before and now I sing it at the top of my lungs!
Make a great noise of Goodness! We can do it all again. Because we have for centuries. And now let’s do it again.
https://youtu.be/y6Wz3i_BYUc?si=1WIn9r5zXwZ61s8_
People Have the Power, written by Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith, and released as a lead single from Patti Smith's 1988 album Dream of Life. Lyrics linked below.
https://genius.com/Patti-smith-people-have-the-power-lyrics
I decided that I would share inspiring quotes and stories for a path forward in this thread. I mentioned a week or so ago, about hearing the words "resist" followed by "resistance is futile" followed by, "no it's not". I believe resistance is NOT futile. I continue to see the word resist popping up in many places while going about my daily routine. It is a reminder for me and perhaps a nudge for me to remind you to do the same. And so I will.
Let me begin with this quote from a meme, a throw back to Inauguration Day 2017 and where "the resistance" to the one who began occupying The White House began:
First they came for the scientists.
And the National Park Service said,
"LOL NO."
And went rogue, and we were all like,
"I was not expecting the Park Rangers to lead the resistance.
None of the dystopian novels I read prepared me for this.
But, cool."
Exactly a week ago at 1:27am I woke up in a severe asthma fit of coughing and wheezing. It frightened me a little bc I’d been inside that day and had no cold symptoms. I had to use a maintenance inhaler to treat it daily since then. Feeling it was the collective grief I was holding and experiencing, I looked for a reiki healer and didn’t use the familiar “looking for recommendations” option on social media. I knew that I had to use my intuitiveness to find the right healer. And did I! Thankfully this woman is next door in Wellfleet. What a gift I gave to myself. And I say this not w any arrogance but w empowerment that I relied on my guides to guide me in the right direction.
Needless to say, I didn’t need my inhaler both last night and this morning. The wheeze is 99% gone. As a psychic empath, the reiki healer also received many profound messages that I’ll be transcribing today from the recorded 90 minute session. Her visions of me as a peregrine falcon and a giraffe highlighted my ability to “see” above the fray, to rely on this ability, and to “know” what is needed for me to heal.
I believe this message is important for all as we navigate the additional hurdles and griefs that lie ahead. We can look inward to our innermost power to help heal ourselves, w the assists from others also. We also can see above the fray from a higher vantage point like the falcon and giraffe and know that “higher powers” always are there… within us and surrounding us. The sun is shining brightly today and I am grateful.
Thank you for sharing this experience with us. Love that you used your intuition to find a healer the messages your Reki healer told you. Glad you have a tape to listen to for all the interesting messages received during your session.
I’m not sure which thread this belongs in exactly but I have strongly been noticing in conversation with the folks around me that the election this time around has made them realize they want to think smaller, be less chronically online (because of how abusive the last time he was in office was to our souls with the onslaught of constant news breaks about absolute insanity), and focus more on close relationships rather than thinking big. Not checking out, but trying to have more levity in every day life and focusing on what they can control. Not turning a blind eye, but more-so finding ways to make a difference closer to home.
This is certainly how I am feeling right now about my path forward. Starting in 2021, I began to suffer immense burnout because of my career, but I believe some of my mental health challenges started as far back as 2015 when I was living in TN. Being a gal who has only ever lived in Los Angeles or NYC, and then TN - the election and being witness to what was going on around me really opened my perspective but deeply wounded my soul. I had to take significant time off of work to recover mentally and am now very happy with my new career with the Red Cross. If I don’t retreat some and not focus on things I can’t control, I’m afraid the inevitable abuse this time around will be even harder to witness. My feeling is that’s what a lot of us are doing right now (at least in my circle).
I don’t think this is a hit, but I think I recall Jeanne predicting people would have a smaller focus on their communities and less on the larger government.
Just some pondering I was doing today.
Most people I know ( family and friends) have all mentioned centering their attention to the local community to make make positive impacts this year. They want to make a difference near their homes or in their states. Some have mentioned getting involved in local charities hands on. Others by being involved in local politics and community issues. Also helping out at schools.
This appears to be a trend. Perhaps it is a message the collective is picking up from "beyond" as a way to "do something" positive. A whisper in the collective ear.
Did anyone happen to notice the Google search animation today? It opens up to a Moon cycle game that can be skipped, but the opening statement caught my eye. I thought I'd share, it seemed hopeful given our current situation:
"Tomorrow marks the Final Quarter of November's lunar cycle, or 'Half Moon.' The Half Moon is the turning point in the lunar cycle, shifting the balance between light and dark, like moves in a celestial game."
@lovendures I created a sign that sits above my computer and it says "do something" from Michelle Obama's speech..
"If we start feeling tired, if we start feeling that dread creeping back in, we've got to pick ourselves up, throw water on our faces, and do something!" ...