Sunday, November 27, 2016

Choose Only Love

Evelyn Anglim, a gifted psychotherapist and an exquisitely beautiful soul, passed from this world two weeks ago. I didn’t know her well, but was touched by the shining light of her spirit and know, without doubt, that that light lives on. It lives, among other ways, in words that embodied her approach to this yin~yang world of ours, words that can guide us now. “Choose only love,” Evelyn urges us. “That’s why we’re here.”

Choose only love. These words resonate deep within me and reverberate across our wounded nation, extending further to wrap the entire planet in a warm embrace. Many good~hearted people are struggling now. As the crudest qualities of the human psyche play out on the national stage, a mix of feelings rise up~~paralyzing fear, dark despair, a maddened rage.

How DO we choose love and only love within such a climate? As beings committed to a spiritual view, what IS a skillful and worthy response to hate? These are questions that have been asked across the ages, questions we must ask ourselves anew, now and repeatedly as we move into an unfolding future. And we must trust that answers will arise. This morning, these are the ones that come to me.

Choosing love means first honoring our own reactions to what is occurring. Turning away from pain does nothing but allow it to seep into our souls unobserved, dampening our light. 

Fear is the emotion that gives rise to hate, and choosing love requires us to continually transform our own fear as a necessary step in finding a constructive response to the outer turmoil for, as Einstein put it, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” 

This sentiment encourages us to zoom out. Fear is myopic. What we need now is a larger vision, the long view of the human story, one that recognizes and participates in the evolution of consciousness underway.

We see now but a snippet of a much greater narrative, one that includes all that is miraculous in the human spirit as well. We are more, far more, than our baser impulses. Choosing love means remembering this. Of course we must also act, but always with humankind’s highest potential in our minds and hearts, held there by a fierce tenderness. Evelyn urges us to choose love, but she does not mean a trite or saccharine love. No, our love must be full~bodied, large enough to hold both our darkness and our light.

If you would like to join with others to find a way to live through these challenging times with souls intact, engaged, and shining, please contact me at silvermountain@mac.com. I will put something together and be in touch soon.

We can, indeed, choose only love. Even now. Especially now. It is, after all, why we’re here.

Blessings on us all during this time of transformation. And blessings on you, dear Evelyn, wherever you now reside. 

In love and great gratitude,

Leia Marie

NOTE: Please make sure you see John Anglim's comment (Evelyn's brother) below. An essential addition!