Presence Archives - Living Upward

Imagine the Possibilities

Susan — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 22:10:32 +0000

Be still and notice the thought in your head. Yes, that one. It usually begins with “I can’t,” “he shouldn’t,” “the world is a mess.” Now hold onto it before the next thought rushes in. Be curious. What does it say about you and your perception of the world? Does it limit you and the choices you make? Thoughts often do.

I encourage you to question it, turn it upside down, expand it, shrink it, say goodbye to it. It was a helpful thought once. It may even have saved your life. So be kind to yourself but be brave too and stretch beyond your critique or expectation. It’s there you’ll find the freedom and confidence to welcome the new possibilities that each and every moment have to offer.

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Courage and Vulnerability

Susan — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 21:17:20 +0000

Living Upward at the Rodeo

https://www.living-upward.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Courage-and-Vulnerability.m4a

As a photographer living in Santa Fe, I was intrigued by the cowboy persona. I would wrangle my way behind the scenes at the annual rodeo to capture their energy and swagger. Overtime I discovered so much more.

I was in the pen, next to this rider when he mounted the bull, carefully settling on his back, feeling the tension and mood of the animal. The cowboy was fully present with sharp senses and honed awareness. His body was alert and yet quiet, ready with an ease that would need to match the effort of the challenge.

The chute opened and out they came. After so many years of mental and physical preparation, the cowboy had nothing left to plan or predict. This moment of intense fear now required only his calm and steady presence. In a spirit of complete acceptance, he simply moved with the bull. He did not panic, nor did he resist. Clearly it took courage to ride this beast but also to surrender to his unpredictable journey and its outcome.

In watching their dangerous dance, I realized that neither the rider nor the bull was in charge. They had to work the challenges out together as partners in this wild and exhilarating adventure.

So if we want to live upward today and every day, this cowboy would tell us to follow his lead; think less, live in the moment, accept it as it comes, don’t resist and do your best. Have the courage to surrender to what you can’t control and remember you and the bull are in this together.

And when it’s over, stand up, dust yourself off and shout out with joy!

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No Rush

Susan — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 22:30:44 +0000

I have mixed feelings about the end of Summer. I’m tired of the heat and endless supply of zucchinis. I grieve the loss of sunlight, and yet I’m in a hurry to feel the cool crisp air on my face and to fall asleep buried under a warm and weighty pile of blankets.

But living in COVID times has slowed me down, and I find I’m content this year to linger in this season of late summer. I listen to hummingbirds dart across the yard in search of the last of the nectar that will fuel their journey south. Rosehips have ripened on the rose bushes, and I wonder will this be the year I harvest them to make my own tea. And strangely, I linger even in the anticipation of change that fills the air. And as I do, I happily keep wearing my sandals.

Miraculously, I feel no rush, no need to change what is. I’m happily steeped in the fullness of the moment and the sensory pleasure it brings. And I find I’m grateful too, for the potency in each moment. I want to weep for joy at the light and shadows formed by the lowering arc of the sun, and the last of the unbearably delicious peaches from our tree. I’m grateful for summer’s bounty and the delight I feel in sharing it with others. And, did I mention my sandals?

And here in the these late summer moments I discover there is nothing to complain about, nothing to reject or resist, or rush towards. I have only to relish this time of year and enjoy the slow and steady meander back to my sock drawer once again.

What about you? Where will you linger and what will you savor, right now, in this awesome moment and in moments to come.

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