Dear Gatherers,
It was a week of highs and lows. The weather in LA was exquisite, NY experienced a day without any Covid-19 deaths, my son and his girlfriend arrived for a visit and CA locked down once again due to the rise in infections. One day I was enjoying an exquisite sunset on the beach while my son and daughter frolicked together in the ocean and the next day I was crying at my desk as I read an email announcing that schools here would not be open in the fall. A moment of joy. A moment of despair.
As Virginia Woolf says, life is a series of "moments of being". Some exhilarating, some devastating. Moments that make up a life. It is important to remember that it is not the circumstances themselves that dictate the quality of our lives but rather our response to those circumstances.
Meditation is a meaningful tool to learn to go inside, get quiet and become comfortable with whatever is happening in the moment. We want to learn to slow down, breathe, feel our feelings (knowing that's all they are) and choose how we want to respond to the events around us. We want to embrace the challenges because they are always moments for growth. And we want to be present to all the wonders and delights happening around us every day. One of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver writes in her poem entitled Moments;
There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled.
Like, telling someone you love them.
Or, giving your money away, all of it.
Your heart is beating, isn't it?
You're not in chains, are you?
There is nothing more pathetic than caution
When headlong might save a life,
even, possibly, your own.
So to all of you- go headlong into your life. Immerse yourself in everything and you will become more fully alive.
Join us at The Gathering for our new class on Wednesdays at 5 -5:45 PT/ 8- 8:45 ET for meditation and reflection.
We look forward to continuing to see you on Sundays from 4-5:15 PT/ 7 -8: 15 ET for our signature Gathering where we meditate, write, reflect and share!
The mission of The Gathering is to help women find the calm, clarity and connection that was lacking in my own life.
I hope to see you at a Gathering soon.
Together, we can embrace all that life throws at us, breathing through it and feeling the support and love that's always there.
Please share this with one or two women you know who might need a little nurturing.
With love and light,
Nora