No Need to Contort Yourself

A young woman contorts her body under a desk. Her chin touches the floor and her body bends backwards so that it forms an arc with her feet also on the floor in front of her head.

Dear friends,

Yesterday was the first day of a writing class focused on liberating ourselves from the blocks that get in the way of our full and free expression, whether in writing or some other way. 

Last week I was hired to facilitate for a group that had to scrap the original agenda for a planned meeting and pivot quickly to tend to other needs that had arisen. With fewer than 24 hours between the request and the meeting, I had to scramble to get some things together; thankfully I have some well-honed tools and skills at the ready these days.  

As I was preparing to facilitate, I pulled out Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle. It has been awhile since I had picked up this trusted friend of a book. I came across this passage I had highlighted:

Jesus says, "You are the light of the world." I like even more what Jesus doesn't say. He does not say, "One day, if you are more perfect and try really hard, you'll be light." He doesn't say "If you play by the rules, cross your T's and dot your I's, then maybe you'll become light." No. He says, straight out, "You are light." It is the truth of who you are, waiting only for you to discover it... No need to contort yourself to be anything other than who you are.

Whatever your belief system, I hope you can lean into these words. You don't need to contort yourself, fit yourself into some box, follow a planned agenda that no longer serves you, or act the way someone else wants you to in order to claim your luminosity.

You are the light of the world. 

Period. No asterisk with exceptions. 

During the first writing class someone read aloud what they'd written during a 10-minute free writing time. The person's writing exposed pain and anger. Hearing their clear expression, even that of pain, was beautiful. Their light radiated through their honest and unfiltered sharing. 

You are the light of the world. 

Whether you are experiencing joy or sorrow, pain or comfort, anger or peace, you are light. My hope for you is that you see it. 

Shine, bright one, shine. 

~~~

If you struggle to access and see your own light, I hope you'll join me in March for a 4-week Nonviolent/Compassionate Communication class. This practice has helped me reconnect to my own light and to express myself with authenticity; I've witnessed many others have similar experiences. This 4-week online class starts March 9. Whether it's a refresher or a first time with these skills, come join me! 

Another powerful way to connect with your own light is through Heart Portraits. These intuitive art pieces literally show you the beauty of your heart. They are perfect for marking special occasions, times of transition, and, really, anytime. 

You are the light of the world. 

With gratitude for the ways you shine, 
Cory

P.S. In response to the above, a friend sent me. Listening to it felt like being curled up in a warm blanket and I thought you might appreciate it, too.

The Dark, Too, Blooms and Sings

Dear friends, 

Today is Winter Solstice, which marks the official transition from autumn to winter. Today is the shortest day and longest night of the year. An apt time to think about darkness. 

A few days ago I was given the "gift" of COVID, of slowing down nearly to a stop, just after setting up for another Holiday Bazaar for the weekend. This meant not participating in the Bazaar myself, finding people to be at my table for the first day and missing the second. Thankfully, the worst of the sickness could have been much worse and it passed quickly- I am on the mend. This unplanned pause, which happened not long after a very different leap in the dark, has given me time to reflect. 

Wendell Berry writes:
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings. 
 

On this longest night we are invited to know the dark,
to recognize its mystery and fertility,
to savor it around us and within us,
to accept its invitation

to slow down,

to be still,

and to listen for its song.  

What do you hear? 

Just as love lives in light,
love lives in darkness.  
Love lives. 

Knowing that we often discount the gifts of darkness, the presence of love in darkness, I offer these questions:

What has darkness taught you about love? 

What does your own darkness teach you about love? 

How do you love the darkness within and outside of you?  

These are questions I am asking myself as as I ask you. I'd love to know what you discover. Perhaps I'll share my own answers, too. 


~~~
If you're wanting to reflect on the darkness and light of the last year, consciously transition to the new year, and do so with others, I hope you'll join me on December 30 for Mapping Life: Moving from 2022 to 2023. Find more information about it and 2023 classes here. 

If you're still looking for unique gifts, I hope you'll consider gift certificates for Heart Portraits and Sketches, Reiki, and Readings for Remembering. Every session is truly one of a kind. Gift certificates are 10% off through this Saturday, December 24th. Prices will be going up in January, so now is a good time to buy for others or yourself for next year. With missing the Holiday Bazaar, I brought back my 25% off Cards for Remembering sale, also through Saturday. 

Whether any of the above speak to you or not, I wish you well on this shortest day and longest night and hope that you encounter the gifts and the love in the darkness.

With curiosity and care, 
Cory

You Are the Light of the World

You are the light of the world.

I see you looking around, eyes wide and quizzical, eyebrows raised, finger pointing at chest.

“Who…me?”

Yes.

You.

You are the light of the world.

“No, no. No, not me. Let me just tell you all the bad things I’ve done. Let me tell you all the ways I’ve f***ed up, the people I’ve hurt, the times I’ve been hypocritical, downright mean and nasty, the times I yelled at my kids, my partner, my parents, my friends, my co-workers, my neighbor, the customer service guy, the cashier, myself. The times I’ve lied and cheated, and the times I’ve rested in my own comfort while others suffered.”

You are the light of the world.

“I’m sorry, but the more you say that the louder the NOOOOOOOO becomes. This is getting a little ridiculous. I thought you knew me. I now know you don’t.”

You are the light of the world.

“Please stop.”

You are perfect. Perfectly imperfect. Broken and whole. Light and shadow.

“Those are opposites.”

Sometimes the opposite of a profound truth is another profound truth.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuh.”

*

*

*

*

You are the light of the world.

*

You are light.

*

You hold darkness, but you are not darkness.

“I…am…not…darkness.”

You hold pain, but you are not pain.

“I am…not…pain.”

You hold grief and doubt and fear and anger, but you are not grief or doubt or fear or anger.

“I am not grief or doubt or fear or anger.”

You are the light of the word.

“I am the… I can’t. How can I be the light of the world when I feel so ordinary?”

You are ordinary.

And you are the light of the world.

Extraordinarily ordinary.

Ordinarily extraordinary.

Your light shines just like the light of every other being.

It shines with its own particular luminescence.

Your light shines in its own particular way.

You are doing your own particular work.

“Well, that feels true. I don’t always like my work, though.”

You don’t have to.

Even though you have hard days and

even though you cover your light or someone else tries to obscure it,

You are the light of the world.

“Hmmmmm….”

*

You are the light of the world.

Will you try,

just try,

to believe it,

and see what happens?