I’m really excited to share with you some new resources I’ve discovered in the last couple weeks!
If you’ve been reading my musings, you’ll know that recently, I’ve been expressing my calling as an invitation to Find Your SEA Legs. I’ve been inviting all of us into the greater freedom that comes from expanding our capacity to be truly present with ourselves and each other – regardless of the ‘weather’ within us or between us. Contributing the unique gifts each of us brings to life requires this kind of presence; it depends on our ability to Stand, to Express, and to Accompany ourselves and each other in calm and in storm. There is, of course, no one way to do this, and …
I’m always exploring at the edges (my edges) to see what else is possible!
I’ve discovered two new programs being offered by people who’ve contributed to my own learning and growth over the last few years. Richard Schwartz (originator of Internal Family Systems), and Sandra Kim (founder of Everyday Feminism, and Everyday Liberation). The third discovery is a new Lenten resource from Transform Network (a collective who “live and teach at the intersections of faith, healing, and justice”). …….. Have a look at them with me!
 |
 |
|
Awakening to our Self that’s already right there
– at the core of our being … |
|
I was first introduced to the work of Richard Schwartz and his Internal Family Systems (IFS) model early last year. From the beginning, I really appreciated this fiercely non-pathologizing, clear, way of understanding the challenges we humans face. And along with this, the strong stance for each of us nurturing the relationships between the various parts of us, and what he calls our Self. I’ve particularly appreciated Dick’s powerful personal sharing of his experience in coming to recognize and work within this model as it has emerged over the years. This, combined with my own practice of the power of open-hearted presence (witnessing, soothing and mentoring) of the less comfortable and often prickly parts of me has allowed me to show up in very challenging situations with far greater compassion, curiosity and confidence than I’ve ever had.
In this new program, Dick is teaming up with a teacher new to me – Loch Kelly, a meditation teacher. They’re calling this 5 week online course Accessing & Living From the Self. I’m looking forward to experiencing the methods Loch has evolved and seeing what happens as I add these to my practice!
In 2016 I participated in Sandra Kim’s Compassionate Activism program. Like Dick’s, from the beginning, Sandra’s perspectives and content, as well as her teaching style were very resonant for me. In the evolution of her own journey of Zen Buddhism-based healing and spiritual growth, she recognized the way her trauma was driving her to social justice work – and driving her into the ground. Like the experience of so many of us, in an attempt to keep her safe, those traumatized parts of her were telling her lies about who she was, and who she needed to be.
As she continued to practice healing the pain that prevented her from embracing the wholeness of her messy humanity, Sandra began to experience the freedom to embrace her full humanity with all her pain, fears, joys and dreams. And, embrace the wholeness of other people’s messy humanities, including those who hurt her. This has deepened her commitment to come together and co-create a different future grounded in compassion and justice.
Sandra has expanded her work to include how she’s built caring, self-governing communities grounded in inclusiveness, agency, and humanity. As a next step, she’s inviting us to is a webinar on March 13 – this link will take you to more info and registration “The 3 Common Ways Social Justice Organizations Are Unintentionally Oppressive – and how you can transform that.” I’m looking forward to joining her!
|
 |
|
Cover art – Father Forgive Me
by Heather Tolbert |
And finally, though having a Lenten Devotional practice isn’t one I’ve engaged for a number of years, as soon as I saw this gem appear, I knew it was something for me to say “Yes” to.
First of all the name – that word Resipiscence – was SO deliciously intriguing! In looking it up, I discovered it was a word from the 16th Century with Latin roots. It’s from the word resipiscere – to recover one’s senses. More fully, “a change of mind or heart, reformation, a return to a sane, sound, or corrected view or position”.
A couple years ago, I shared in one of my Musings about the challenge of living and acting from powerful presence in chaotic times. In addition to exploring my response to the chaos of that moment, I also shared a bit about my first experience of awakening to the pervasiveness of my experience of privilege in being a white woman who was born and grew up in Barbados.
As painful as that beginning of awakening was, I’ve always remembered with deep gratitude, the way my friend’s courageous speaking opened my eyes to how easy it was for me to not see the experiences of others. Vahisha Hasan and Nichola Torbett have curated this wonderful resource of reflections on the Year B, Lenten lectionary by over 40 contributors who are diverse racially and ethnically, as well as in their gender expression, sexual orientation, and theological perspectives. As Nichola notes “We need all of it. We need to hear from everyone, and we need to find a way to move forward together.”
Resipicence is available in spiralbound, as well as well as a downloadable Ebook. If/as you feel drawn, do check it out! It has been (is being) for me part of my ongoing journey of resipiscence.
I’m so appreciative of the wide community of support that’s available, and that we can offer to each other, and I’m excited about the possibilities embedded in these opportunities I’m sharing with you today. If you’ve felt any resonance here please reach out, I’d love to hear from you – let’s strengthen our SEA Legs together!
One way of creating (or perhaps expanding) our connection is to join me and some of our Realizing RICH Relationships community Tuesday February 27, from 8-9 ET. It’s our usual 4th Tuesday of the month no cost, At Home with Maralyn & Friends call – the EVENING version.
Remember, you only need to register once for these calls, if you’ve not yet done so and would like to, click here.
Photo credits:
Resipiscence book cover art – Heather Tolbert – Instagram @FromThe Ashes106