All Comments By Mary Thomson

Perhaps to let go in nature is to recognise that in nature their are cycles and times of destruction as a part of these for example in the falling of leaves in autumn and the bursting open of a seed in spring… some that lead to growth and others that lead to nourishment. Thank you for your reflections. I really vicariously enjoyed the oneness of yoga in the sand and the experience of the sea.

I made up a word ‘onemany’ to describe what you perfectly describe as oneness in manyness!!

My immediate response to this was a series of situations in which I volunteered to do things I was afraid to do. I seemed to do this a lot growing up. One example was having a nasogastric tube (a tube through my nose to my stomach) inserted in nursing school in front of my class. A memorable experience in many ways and not just for me. It took me outside of my experience into seeing things from different angles. When I read this and look at the picture what springs to mind is the separation of the orb and the fullness of it all that being broken open would open one up to. This is what happens when one lets go and is open to an expansion of consciousness - it’s less of ‘letting go’ in my mind as opening up and seeing things differently in order to be connected to the whole.

We had an experience one night. My dad stopped the car to chase after a man running after a man. Only later did we find out that somehow the man gave my father the knife and all three knelt to pray together. Things like this happened a lot with my father.

Be the light, use creative love to share hope in darkness ! What a beautiful story

In embodied presence and choosing to return to this when I noticed I had got lost in thoughts, I experienced an amazing sense of love at the centre of my being - my core support the skeleton supporting my body. I witnessed habitual tensions and was able to consciously choose to relax. I witnessed pain and experienced how it shifts and changes. I’m not big on naming things as it tends to become a ‘thing’ to do - I prefer to become aware of their nature. However ‘Non conceptual awareness’ invites one into the mystery of being and awakens the senses or reveals the sensations that are there. Cultivating the ‘don’t know’ attention with curiousity opens a door to what is, with new eyes, ears and senses. It unveils the pure essence of life and invites one to engage deeply in its heart. A powerful opportunity to reconnect to one’s body, core, to life, to heart and to be, just be.

I have had countless moments of deep happiness and pure joy in nature. I like to start my day by going outside and bringing a sense of awe and appreciation to my first moments of the day. I like to pause throughout the day to feel my heartbeat, notice my breath, move my body /stretch, simply be, in a space of calm and meet myself

I have been fortunate to have people who were able to witness my pain and allow me space to give it voice. This has been a most healing experience. I served as a nurse listening, listening and listening - holding space for people to share their pain. I have memories though of times I gave advice (where it felt right) in a way of suggestion and opening for discussion to facilitate holding a space for the families I worked with as a health visitor to find their voices and share.

Oh wow. I am learning how it is dyregulation that often causes the impulse to cram one’s days with things orcequally to sit by and let life slip away in days doing very little. This is often trauma or fear related. Fear of failure and disappointment, fear of rejection and so on can cause people to behave in this dysregulated way. Meditation and self awareness, compassion and kindness, connection and a meaningful sense of purpose and belonging; as well as addressing the trauma and fears, behaviour and avoidance are part of the solution I’ve found. Simplify, commit to a cause or direction, serve with love, give with kindness and focus on the things that matter are ways that have helped me to focus on what is important. Read and educate myself, take time for reflection and rest, give things a go even if I’m afraid. It’s actually often not as scary as one thinks. Seek help if you need to. Focus on the good. Love and live while you are alive!!!

As a nurse I was able to hold space for people I all kinds of liminal situations/space. I was consciously available for this as well. Being kind and generous in the attention I give to others is really important to me. I have a friend who is a nurse too and we worked together with families in the community for a long while. When I became very unwell for a period of time she’ showed up every few days after work to bring me food, do some dishes and hold space for me as I experienced the liminal space of transitioning from decades of stored trauma to beginning to talk about it. This has helped me to gradually release the hold this had on my body ( always held in a state of tension and preparedness). I am so grateful to her. She never said I had told her things when I found myself repeating myself. She listened and cried with me. What a generous gift of love and kindness she showed me. 🙏💛

When looking for something we are likely to dismiss other things more easily and therefore not really see them.

I am amazed at the serendipity of this reading - for me at least. I spent last night struggling to sleep due to terrible physical pain, and no position I tried helped. This gradually led to some rumination about my life and then some thoughts of regret followed, and some mental and emotional pain set in. I woke however to a beautiful light this morning at 4am (letting my dog out) and the air outside had a freshness of autumn (even though it’s technically summer- which can be a bit of an illusion at times in the UK). Birds singing and an otherwise quiet calm stillness surrounded me, and filled me with a peace that took me into a much better head and heart space (despite still being in physical pain). I felt alive and grateful, in awe, and then utterly joyful. The sky had a sense of promise, the plants and trees a sense of aliveness that brought comfort to my tired being. I went back to bed, and with pillows and this peace I was able to sleep more. Sat here in my living room a bit later I decided today I would hold my first Awakin circle and simply invite a few friends to join me. Even if today it’s just me and my dog I’ve felt called to do this for some time so I will. I have and will also attend other circles to drawn on, grow from and with, and intend to engage with others holding Awakin circles, as I discover exactly what I am called to - be it weekly / monthly and at what time etc. I looked up the most recent reading and found this joy of a reading. Not easy to think of the painful experiences of others as I have always felt called to bring comfort and help to heal people in need. I know what it is to experience trauma and I have born witness to terrible trauma - both as a nurse and simply as a human being. My personal experience is that in being hurt, cracked open and broken, all I could do initially was close in and protect my space- but eventually I became able to reach for that which sustained and held me (and in turn to offer l... [View Full Comment] I am amazed at the serendipity of this reading - for me at least. I spent last night struggling to sleep due to terrible physical pain, and no position I tried helped. This gradually led to some rumination about my life and then some thoughts of regret followed, and some mental and emotional pain set in. I woke however to a beautiful light this morning at 4am (letting my dog out) and the air outside had a freshness of autumn (even though it’s technically summer- which can be a bit of an illusion at times in the UK). Birds singing and an otherwise quiet calm stillness surrounded me, and filled me with a peace that took me into a much better head and heart space (despite still being in physical pain). I felt alive and grateful, in awe, and then utterly joyful. The sky had a sense of promise, the plants and trees a sense of aliveness that brought comfort to my tired being. I went back to bed, and with pillows and this peace I was able to sleep more. Sat here in my living room a bit later I decided today I would hold my first Awakin circle and simply invite a few friends to join me. Even if today it’s just me and my dog I’ve felt called to do this for some time so I will. I have and will also attend other circles to drawn on, grow from and with, and intend to engage with others holding Awakin circles, as I discover exactly what I am called to - be it weekly / monthly and at what time etc. I looked up the most recent reading and found this joy of a reading. Not easy to think of the painful experiences of others as I have always felt called to bring comfort and help to heal people in need. I know what it is to experience trauma and I have born witness to terrible trauma - both as a nurse and simply as a human being. My personal experience is that in being hurt, cracked open and broken, all I could do initially was close in and protect my space- but eventually I became able to reach for that which sustained and held me (and in turn to offer love and kindness, care and compassion in my nursing and other service to others). From connection with others can come joy and even in the most tragic of circumstances I have experienced, witnessed and contributed to such joy as to make the terrible pain bearable, a teacher and a healer. In connection with others who were open to holding both pain and joy together I found freedom and liberation from suffering (and the broken-hearted ness that can come from being broken in some way). As a laughter yoga leader I share the power of laughter. As a Specialist paediatric nurse I have used the power of silliness and playfulness, coupled with laughter to facilitate the release it can bring from suffering to the families I worked with. Joyful ness is a powerful healer As a human being I have been released from all kinds of rumination, suffering and pain through laughter - as well as gratitude, forgiveness, and the wisdom that comes from experience, reflection, connection and presence. I am so full of gratitude for this, and this reading. 💛 [Hide Full Comment]

This raft analogy really spoke to me about what I may need to put down and let go in order to experience with a fresh ability each new moment.

I had an old lady knock on my door looking for work. I was 17 and had a tiny flat. I didn't have money myself and I didn't need a cleaner. I offered her tea instead and promised to ask my church if we could help her raise her grandchildren having lost their parents to AIDS. My Church was able to support her with a regular sum which she collected regularly and we would eat together and she would tell me about her life. She gave me so much more than I could have given her. She became my surrogate grandmother and I feel so sad we lost contact when I moved home after I had an accident. I had put her in touch with a locsl church as a place to go for help .

Wow. We need to share, care, repair, prepare, bare (motives, values and wise action); and bear (with each other) as much we dare!

I know the pod is finished but Im still getting through it slowly. I don't have an abundance of energy, but I am learning to move at a different pace. Now, so many people seem to be rushing compared to my pace. I am surrounded by abundance - of people who I love, plants that revive me, birds, kindness, beauty,.. I see it everywhere- it is all around me.
I see poverty on people's faces - poverty of joy in some, physical poverty for others. i love to find a way to bring some joy, laughter and smilesto people. I wish I had pomegranitesor even half, but I have more than I need. I think it might be easier to give what measly thing one has left than all one's wealth though.

I was sitting watching a bee the other day,then spotted a butterfly, and moved on to browsing among the flowers in my garden...then a squirrel trying to get some of the bird seed, birds following, a cat, the trees and plants, the blue clue sky, the sun shining while disappearing in and out between the clouds, and the moving clouds puffy puffs obscuring the sun,... and then sensing, with absolute wonder ...that I am living amongst all this...

Wow this comment touched me when I read about mother and baby meeting having been together the whole time. Very interesting thought.

Just reading this was like meeting the koan of life- that the purpose of life may well be a koan. I doubt I will look at life the same now that I've read this. I love Rachel Naomi Remen's writing. Kitchen table wisdom is one of my favourite books.