Sept 9, 2015

I’m totally awed by videos floating around facebook right now showing people radically accepting refugees into their country.

I was sharing my awe with my husband this morning who has not yet seen the video I had.  He asked me what it showed because he had heard a news flash yesterday of the right-wing media slamming Germany for stupidity at welcoming young male troublemakers into their country.  Whoa! I was struck by sadness at that limited perspective making the news. I said I see young males – yes AND couples, children, older men and women being moved to tears and smiles as they are welcomed with food, song and cheers by crowds of Germans.  I feel the refugees sigh with relief that maybe safety is more than a dream.

SOMETHING FEELS GOOD TO ME AND SOMEONE ELSE CALLS IT BAD.

I know these types of stories are everywhere. Something feels good to me and someone else calls it bad.  The felt sense that came up in me is so familiar, I wanted to share it here.  As we build our ability to live from Self-in-Presence, Focusers find themselves more often than not in situations of acting from a sense of trust, compassion, openness and acceptance with something that is not yet known.  In this case, who knows what the future holds for Germany to welcome these refugees?

I ONLY NEED THE NEXT STEP…

From Self-in-Presence, we do not need to know the exact details of how the future plays out.  We only need how this next step feels. It felt right to all those people who showed up at the train station to be welcoming now.  They follow through and of course, somewhere will be people witnessing who are merged with their fears and insecurities.  From the viewpoint of an inner critic that is not integrated with Self-in-Presence, trust of the unknown is not OK.  In fact, this trust might feel darn right life-threatening to that other person. The more fear, the stronger their inner critic will lash out. I call this ‘The Resistance’ and in this case, it comes from outside of us.

AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, EXPECT OUTER RESISTANCE.

My message is that those who are making changes and feeling flow in their lives – expect Resistance. Those witnessing, even loved ones, may not embrace your happiness and trust. It does not mean they do not love or appreciate you, it only means in that moment they reacted, they were not aware that their inner critic was in charge.  It circles back to you now again … can you BE Self-in-Presence with the criticism. And then, from Self-in-Presence, what is your next step in the relationship? You have many choices here, they could be anywhere on the spectrum from accepting this person the way they are to withdrawing from the relationship.  Key is to make your choice from that integrated place of wholeness we call Self-in-Presence. From here, your whole body will feed good about your choice and you will always know you did what was right for you at the time.

Our culture is fear based. Turning that around will take time and we are the pioneers. Kudos to each of you for every moment you hold your own truth when the resistance begins…