I have always considered myself an “in-person” kind of person. Connecting with someone face-to-face and feeling the energy of a group of people in the same room inspires me. For this reason, anything online has never been a big draw for me - until now.
Like others, I am adapting to circumstances. Within a matter of weeks, I find myself doing a lot of online sessions: meditation courses, private sessions, workplace coaching across Canada, and even catching up with friends.
Never say never!
Another first for me? I recently participated in a 4-day retreat with over fifty people. The retreat was initially scheduled to be in Ottawa and then, due to Covid-19, plans changed to be online.
The retreat was on compassion and loving- kindness for ourselves and others. A very pertinent topic to explore at this time.
The retreat went deep, asking us to be present with our direct experience, while being supported by the other participants in small break out rooms. While we weren’t face-to-face, it proved to be very touching to connect and share with complete strangers using this platform.
Experiencing my own inner transformation, I got a visual of the whole world being on one big retreat and going through a huge shift and transformation. The difference is, it is not by choice, rather based on circumstance.
Like most retreats it is not always comfortable as we go inward to explore. Things come up to be seen and felt. But discomfort or not, this is why we do it – to shine light on the darkness.
Much light is being shone on the darkness in our hearts and in the world right now.
Can we support ourselves and each other with true compassion?
True compassion is when we meet our suffering with a gentleness, allow our hearts to be open, and learn to get in touch with gentle loving qualities of our own heart.
True compassion doesn’t want to remove the pain, it wants to be with the pain.
However, this is counter intuitive to how most were raised.
Most of us were told as children ‘don’t cry’, ‘get over it’, ‘suck it up’, ‘be strong’. This conditioning runs deep in our psyche and in our society.
It comes at a cost.
It creates a constant striving, working hard to get ahead, trying to be perfect, liked or accepted, focusing on the outer world in order to feel worthy, happy, successful, whole or complete.
This focus and need to stay busy is driven by our subconscious and keeps our old wounds from coming to the surface.
The striving will never stop until we stop and go inward.
During the present situation, being forced into self-isolation, emotions, feelings, and experiences from our past that have been in lock down for years may be coming to the surface.
The truth may be trying to reveal itself.
Perhaps you’re feeling deep peace and gratitude right now. You are liking self-isolation. Or perhaps this experience is really challenging and painful for you for many reasons. Maybe you feel ups and downs.
Can we meet ourselves where we are at?
Can we show true compassion to others?
Our soul longs to be awakened and realized. It has been waiting.
Now is the time.
In loving-kindness,
Diane