Moving Through How Could This Be

 

The shell shock has lessened. Maybe you are moving through “how could this be” into “this is real.” This movement through is not into complacency, but in a gotta-roll-up-my-sleeves-and-get-to-work kind of way. Now is not the time for standing still or running away. Now is the time to step up and take a stand. 

What’s next? How do we step up? How do we take that stand? Start small — reach out to friends and family. Not as an act of commiseration, but as a way of really connecting to one another. This is a time to listen and be heard. To defuse some of the angst and recognize that we are all in this together. To engage in what I call contemplative conversation. Although it is a simple concept, it does take a bit to master.

When chatting with someone, really listen to them with the whole of your being. Relax your body into the conversation. Be aware of what the person is sharing while being aware of how that sharing is impacting your mind, emotions, and body. To engage in full body listen is to be fully present. And, that is hard! 

When questions or judgments pop into your mind, gently set them aside. Realize that premature questions or judgments just get in the way of the flow of the sharing and your understanding of what the other is sharing of their experience. 

When there is a pause in the conversation, and there will be; take a moment to gather your thoughts. Allow your comments and questions to rise to the surface. Let your inner wisdom, your intuition, guide you in your response. Share your understanding, your experience. Ask questions. Engage on a deeper level. 

What have I discovered when I converse contemplatively? Instead of reacting to what is being said or leading the conversation in “my” direction or filling the silence with platitudes, something magical happens. We come to a greater understanding of each other and the topic of our discourse.  Perhaps even find a glimmer of light that brings us step by step down this path of new.

The shell shock is receding for all of us.. I don’t have all of the answers; neither do you. What we do have is each other. Through our contemplative conversations we can begin to heal and discover a way forward by connecting individual wisdom to each other and tapping into the wealth of the collective wisdom. 

Van(essa) F. Hurst is an intuitive, a mystic, and a contemplative. As a spiritual director she journeys with seekers on the ultimate quest — a stronger, more durable relationship with their sacred. She is the author of five books and believes that through our lived experiences, we become the people we are meant to be.  Reach out to Van for spiritual director or intuitive mentoring.