Author: clfuu

“Today, transcending boundaries is hard work. For one thing, I’ve created more of them since I was young, and I’ve built them higher and stronger than they once were. For another thing, I’m much more self-righteous and much less humble than I was then. Sometimes, when I am at my best, I remember that the ‘other’ I distinguish myself from could be me in another time, another place, another circumstance. Then, I remember the words of a colleague who observed that it is ‘my racism, my sexism, my homophobia’ that I am called upon to address. So, I take a few deep breaths and begin to release the fears that are the boundaries between me and my fellow humans.”
-Rev. Yvonne Seon

Take a few deep breaths and begin to release the fears that are the boundaries between you and your fellow humans.

Decomposition transforms death and detritus into nourishment for other beings. It breaks down unusable structures and leaves behind rich, vibrant, healthy soil in which other things can grow.

How can you transform something ugly or toxic into something nourishing today?

“For me, that my people became, created, and imagined from a position of unfreedom is a source of deep pride, not shame… What better evidence of human beauty and resilience could there be?”
-Imani Perry, from Breathe: A Letter to My Sons (p. 21)

Look for evidence of human beauty and resilience today. In yourself. In your ancestors. In the world around you.

 

“Pleasure reminds us to enjoy being alive and on purpose… Pleasure—embodied, connected pleasure—is one of the way we know when we are free. That we are always free. That we always have the power to co-create the world. Pleasure helps us move through the times that are unfair, through grief and loneliness, through the terror of genocide, or days when the demands are just overwhelming. Pleasure heals the places where our hearts and spirit get wounded. Pleasure reminds us that even in the dark, we are alive. Pleasure is a medicine for the suffering that is absolutely promised in life… Pleasure is the point. Feeling good is not frivolous, it is freedom.”
-adrienne maree brown, from Pleasure Activism, pp. 437-8, 441.

Do something today that gives you pleasure. Derive pleasure on purpose. Know that you deserve it.

Today’s meditation is from Tim Atkins, who writes:

The process matters more than the product: this is a universal truth in art and creativity, and it transcends every artistic medium, from architecture to YouTube videos. No matter what form the art takes in the end, no matter what artistic medium you use, the process of making that art changes who you are, as a person. How we’re changed differs from person to person, but we are fundamentally changed by embracing our creativity—no matter our creative outlet.

May we all take the time to fully immerse in our creative potential, no matter the medium. May we all be reminded that the process matters, not just the final outcome.