This was a very grounding read for me, gifting me with a unique lens on this momentous collective juncture in time. The way you repeated "there are no wrong choices" struck such a chord in me. Especially since you went on to elaborate precisely why that was, which IS (at least for me) because so many of have witnessed the harm of the "undiscerning will" that we have become paralyzed out of fear that we will add to that. But that can leave us stuck at the "choice points" (what a brilliant choice of words you used). We too easily forget the power and necessity of creation, both outside of ourselves and within. Sometimes all we can do is "feel our way forward" and you honored the importance of this action so beautifully. Thank you and I restacked!
A friend recently described some of my recent posts as "self-therapy", and I found that to be an apt description. This was not part of my planned sequence and arrived suddenly as an answer of sorts to a question within myself: why do some aspects of my life unfold with such resonant clarity while others offer mixed signals or no clear path? The TLDR version would be something like "if there was always a clear path to follow, then you would not learn to lead."
The English language is somewhat limiting, and what I mean by "will" is not at all "willpower" or a desire to control or dominate, but instead something akin to "active choice", as contrasted with "receptive choice" or discernment.
I laughed OUT LOUD at your use of TLDR which I had to look up!!!!
Really resonated with the question about why are some things in life so clear and smooth while others are so murky and rough. It could apply to everything--on the micro and the macro. And your proposed answer is such a good one, which is that the lack of clarity can have a very constructive design necessitating active choice (learning to lead is another good way to say it).
Will and discernment much like the sun and moon, absence and presence, life and death require each other for wholeness. In fact, they make each other whole.
And the essay that you linked to was incredible. I so so appreciated meandering there!
Saving all of this to ponder further on. I feel like I've barely touched beneath the surfaces of this beauty.
I was drawn to this piece today Markael as water had very much been my medicine this past couple of weeks. I am reminded and remembering that flow is as much about trust as allowing as we trust the stream to flow in to the river and into the sea. We may not know the exact route it will take or when it may change course, but we know it will arrive at its destination.
Both witness and will ❤️🔥 this whole piece is a very helpful contemplation for me. I’m wondering where does instinct fit here.. does water have an instinct? Instinctual flow is what I long for.
Where does instinct fit in? What is instinct? A mystery. To know, to choose without thought, without conscious discernment and will. Hannah and I have both been asking ourselves about the meaning of mixed messages, choices where resonance and dissonance exist simultaneously, where discernment is unclear. Perhaps the answer lies outside the realm of conscious clarity, closer to the realm of instinct.
This was a very grounding read for me, gifting me with a unique lens on this momentous collective juncture in time. The way you repeated "there are no wrong choices" struck such a chord in me. Especially since you went on to elaborate precisely why that was, which IS (at least for me) because so many of have witnessed the harm of the "undiscerning will" that we have become paralyzed out of fear that we will add to that. But that can leave us stuck at the "choice points" (what a brilliant choice of words you used). We too easily forget the power and necessity of creation, both outside of ourselves and within. Sometimes all we can do is "feel our way forward" and you honored the importance of this action so beautifully. Thank you and I restacked!
A friend recently described some of my recent posts as "self-therapy", and I found that to be an apt description. This was not part of my planned sequence and arrived suddenly as an answer of sorts to a question within myself: why do some aspects of my life unfold with such resonant clarity while others offer mixed signals or no clear path? The TLDR version would be something like "if there was always a clear path to follow, then you would not learn to lead."
The English language is somewhat limiting, and what I mean by "will" is not at all "willpower" or a desire to control or dominate, but instead something akin to "active choice", as contrasted with "receptive choice" or discernment.
This follows, to some extent, on a framework that came to me last fall: https://dendroica.substack.com/p/on-cocreation-and-codependency
Anyway, I am grateful to hear that this also resonates for you!
I laughed OUT LOUD at your use of TLDR which I had to look up!!!!
Really resonated with the question about why are some things in life so clear and smooth while others are so murky and rough. It could apply to everything--on the micro and the macro. And your proposed answer is such a good one, which is that the lack of clarity can have a very constructive design necessitating active choice (learning to lead is another good way to say it).
Will and discernment much like the sun and moon, absence and presence, life and death require each other for wholeness. In fact, they make each other whole.
And the essay that you linked to was incredible. I so so appreciated meandering there!
Saving all of this to ponder further on. I feel like I've barely touched beneath the surfaces of this beauty.
I was drawn to this piece today Markael as water had very much been my medicine this past couple of weeks. I am reminded and remembering that flow is as much about trust as allowing as we trust the stream to flow in to the river and into the sea. We may not know the exact route it will take or when it may change course, but we know it will arrive at its destination.
Both witness and will ❤️🔥 this whole piece is a very helpful contemplation for me. I’m wondering where does instinct fit here.. does water have an instinct? Instinctual flow is what I long for.
Your work has such depth, I’m going to be re-reading this multiple times today and savoring every word before I respond further. LOVE this topic.
Where does instinct fit in? What is instinct? A mystery. To know, to choose without thought, without conscious discernment and will. Hannah and I have both been asking ourselves about the meaning of mixed messages, choices where resonance and dissonance exist simultaneously, where discernment is unclear. Perhaps the answer lies outside the realm of conscious clarity, closer to the realm of instinct.