Sunday, July 3, 2011

What Are We Choosing?

In a dance class, when the music starts and we all move together, a natural synchrony occurs.  People start to breathe and vocalize at the same time. We are all individual cells in the body of the same dance.  Spiritual traditions (and also quantum physics) tell us that even though we appear to be separate, we are all connected on a deeper level all the time.

I was all “blissed out” after class and was at the grocery store.  There, I was “reflexively friendly”*(see definition below) to a woman whom I wanted to ignore.  She had offended me and I decided I wanted to hold a grudge.  I know—not exactly a “higher self” decision.  However, sometimes it really feels good to hold that grudge.  It can make me feel really “right”.  I saw her and said “hi” and smiled before I realized exactly who it was.  (D’oh!)

As I was cursing myself, I thought, “WHAT am I doing?!!?”

First, this woman probably only just barely knows I am alive.  Second, if she even remembers we had “words” (doubtful) she probably blames me as much as I blame her.  Third, who cares??!!??

This made me realize how ridiculous holding onto animosity is.  It takes so much energy to hold onto resentment, and for what???  It’s like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Although my relationship with this woman is certainly distant, she is “one of us.”  We all have a spirit that is separate from our personality, what we show to the world.  If we can try and see the truth of this spirit in one another it would go a long way to creating harmony between us and also harmony within ourselves.  Kindness is generally met with kindness. 

And so the dance goes on.  What will we do with it?  Will we use it to harm or to heal?  It’s our choice. 

*Reflexive friendliness:  an involuntary reflexive condition developed as a child, when one must have manners even when one’s hair is on fire.  (“Yes sir, yes ma’am, my hair is indeed on fire.  May I please be excused? Thank you.”)

1 comment:

  1. Your transparency is so great, Sue. So few woman are able to let others see the real stuff thats goes on inside of us...yet we all struggle with the same issues and its so great of you to get real with it all.

    It's true, that it feels good, albeit temporarily, to hold a grudge, but the truth is that when we hold one, it holds us in captivity. We become imprisoned by the very thing we think we gain power over by holding onto it. When we let go of any resentment and give it over to the powers that be, choosing to love, as you have pointed out so often, we are loving ourselves ultimately, and are the ones who become free from the negative power that tried so hard to keep us all bound up.

    Thanks so much for sharing your innermost thoughts with us, and for pouring so much love out in your classes.

    With admiration,

    Elayne

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