Keep Showing Up
I am pleased to report that in the last few weeks we’ve had the opportunity – for the first time since late January 2020 – to do some in-person work. Masks on and spirits high, at the invitation of the Tacoma Housing Authority, several of us volunteered to do chair healings at the Hilltop Summer Splash event. It was a celebration of small businesses and community organizations in a place that is currently balancing the preservation of cultural identity with the inherent challenges of changes in the name of progress.
Though a few people had to be coaxed to try a chair healing (~15-minute method of grounding, clearing the aura, and balancing of the chakras), those who did were surprised — and some deeply moved — by feeling their own energy. One woman was so affected she went home and brought her fiancé to experience a healing for himself! Soul Seeds working in the community. Our long-held vision became a gratifying reality.
In a world where it sometimes feels more reasonable to throw up our hands in exasperation (or hide under our bed covers), being able to connect by reaching out and contributing what we can feels like the ability to exert an element of control when hopelessness or despair can overwhelm us.
Consider what you know how to do and where the need is. Then show up, even though it might be tough/uncomfortable/heartbreaking.
These feelings were certainly true for us when Nancy Rebecca (founder and Board president) and I went to the HYPE Center – a gathering place for young people who are homeless. Despite what the director had intended, there was no one there to greet us; no one to introduce us; no staff member in our session … and although there was initial interest, only three individuals attended. However, Nancy and I recognized – and in their own way, each one acknowledged – they had a deep experience with the meditation. They did connect with their inner light, even if it was for a moment. It could have been easy to become discouraged or disappointed but that would have made it about us and not about the young people. We’re scheduled to be there on alternate Thursdays at least through the end of the year. We’ll keep showing up.
This is the work of Soul Seeds – it pushes us out of our comfort zones, yet our service hearts call us forward. We’re going to keep showing up – learning, pivoting, growing – because our collective commitment is unwavering; your ongoing support motivates us. This is only the beginning of bringing Healing with Humanity forth. I cannot wait to see how this partnership unfolds. And there are more partnerships to come. We’ll take the learnings from each session to become ever more responsive to people’s circumstances and needs.
As Professor Wangari Maathai (the first female African recipient) said in her 2004 Nobel Peace Prize lecture, “In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now.” True in 2004 and even more of an imperative 17 years later. Where can you be that beacon of hope? How can you be of service? Where would you like to show up? And how? Step out. It’s time. The world needs your light.
Melanie Davis-Jones (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
In Case You Missed It:
The Energetic Coping Patterns of Fight, Flight or Freeze | Blog or Video by Nancy Rebecca
Resources:
September is National Suicide Prevention Month | Know the Warning Signs and Risk Factors of Suicide “Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background.” The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-TALK (8255).
Article on Pandemic Burnout from the Headington Institute includes link to a short self-test to discover your risk-level for burnout.
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) recognizes Hispanic Americans’ contributions to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. “This year’s theme: Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope invites us to reflect on how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope … a reminder that we are stronger together.”
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