WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER
Story as Contemplation and Action, New Lenses on Contemplation from BIPOC communities, Transformation Needs A Warning Label and more...
Hi, Y’all.
It’s June. I find myself asking how that is possible?
May took an unexpected turn for me. From sitting in meditation on May 2 and having the words PROJECT 444 drop into my awareness, to then afterward considering what that meant for me, and within hours creating the basic structure of my 4-month program to help women write, heal and share their stories. Project 444 was born.
Before I could say, “Say what?” I had partnered with my dear friends at Soul Hugger and together we created a free 4-day writing challenge for women called WRITE 444, and we were off to the races!
The challenge was an incredible ride that pushed and stretched me as I created a 4-day experience for the women who attended, while also creating, managing, and promoting my brand new longer program. All of which had only been imagined 3 weeks prior!
As I look back, I am amazed at what we were able to achieve and share with those who attended. And I am indebted to my soul sister Wanetah Walmsley who partnered with me and encouraged me every step of the way. You might remember that Wanetah and I have a history of strong collaboration together. We built a Production Company ( Four Women Films) and produced my short film, DANDELION, together. She also played me in the film, so we’ve got some powerful history together!
We were able to reach 150 + women with the challenge and as of June 4, I kicked off my 4-month program. Now, I have 17 incredible women inside the community as we companion each other through writing and sharing our healing stories! It’s so beautiful! All in just over a month!
And now, here we are in June. Yesterday, I began a weeklong intensive with Padre Richard Rohr and my teachers from The Living School from the Center for Action and Contemplation as together we dive deeper into Cosmic Incarnation. What does it mean to live at the intersection of the human and the divine? Matter and Spirit. Heaven and Earth, together. What does it mean to live out our stories inside a community of stories inside a larger cosmic story?
This appears to be the work I am currently being called to embody, that of spiritual companion to women in writing and healing their stories inside a larger community of stories inside the Big story. Story as a vehicle for contemplation and action.
CONTEMPLATING NEW PERSPECTIVES
In contemplation, we learn to bring the mind down into the heart and to see the world, others, in fact all that is more contemplatively. To see with the eyes of the heart. We seek to live from a contemplative stance. But the other side of the teaching of the Center for Action and Contemplation is about action and learning to bring that contemplative stance into a hurting world.
Most people, when they imagine a person in contemplative practice, think of someone sitting, eyes closed, in quiet. Yesterday, I was struck by a different perspective from one of the Center’s staff members who identifies as Black and Queer. They said this, “ There's a conflation between a contemplative practice and contemplation. For many people. contemplative practice means contemplation, and that's fine. But there's also another way of thinking about contemplative practices … a lot of the times, I have the question… there's nowhere that it ever says that contemplation means being quiet and sitting? But for some reason, the dominant culture has decided that's what that is. And the question I wonder is, ‘who benefits’ when we say that contemplation is about sitting still and working on your own stuff, who benefits when we don't allow it to be more than just sitting still, and we don't allow action to be part of it?” - Gigi R.
Who benefits when we only take the perspective of the dominant culture? I think we all know that answer.
“We realize that the contemplative tradition also has things it doesn't know. And it doesn't know that it doesn't know. And they come up in 100 different ways. And a lot of them relate to race. And so all of the students who are part of the Black Indigenous People of Color community …these things come naturally to you. Many of us ( White students and teachers) were, you know, raised with generations of intention to not understand and not see the things that you very naturally see.” - Brian M.
Let me see with new eyes, the eyes of the heart.
WARNING ABOUT TRANSFORMATION:
During our first symposium with The Living School in July 2021, we were told to expect a lot of upheaval in our lives. Transformation comes at a cost. I’m feeling that. It’s been a mix of events I am deeply grateful for and also some that have shaken me to my core. Here are just a few:
In Jan of 2021 - I made the decision to do the work of healing my story.
In Feb of 2021, I was accepted into The Living School with Richard Rohr and embarked on a 2-year commitment.
In March of 2021, I found the long-lost sister I’d been searching for over the last 30 years. P.S. She currently lives one hour from my house.
In April of 2021, I met her and her side of the family for the first time on Easter Day. I also launched a 12- week Circle experience with 12 women to explore spiritual and creative exercises as we heal our story.
Fall and Winter of 2021 - Spiritual upheaval, confusion, dismantling, and deconstruction continues.
In Jan of 2022, we bought a house and moved to Loveland, Colorado.
In Feb of 2022, I launched this weekly newsletter and further deepened my commitment to my writing practice.
In April of 2022 - unexpected family bombshells went off, but on the plus side, our eldest daughter moved from Dallas to Loveland and is staying with us for a while.
On May 2, I received my next spiritual assignment, Project 444.
On June 4, I launched Project 444 with 17 soul sisters inside the community.
And this week, I am immersed in another week of intensive training and wisdom from The Living School.
We haven’t even hit the one-year mark of The Living School yet. As the kids say, “Oof!” :)
Alright… I’ve got to get back to my Living School intensive which is about to start soon.
Much love ‘till I see you next week,
xo Mary
3 THINGS WORTH SHARING:
The film: Operation Mincemeat. Based on a powerful true story during World War II, it is “set in 1943 as the Allies are determined to launch an all-out assault on Fortress Europe. But they face an impossible challenge.” It is equal parts intrigue and love story and starts some of my favorite actors. Stories about this generation are endlessly fascinating and inspiring to me. I’m sure in great part due to my grandfather’s and father-in-law’s experiences in WWII.
We’ve only been in this house since January, so everything that springs up in the backyard is a beautiful surprise. May I present Exhibit A?
This poem is from Irish poet and philosopher, John O’Donohue.
“There are no manuals for the construction of the individual you would like to become. You are the only one who can decide this and take up the lifetime of work that it demands. This is a wonderful privilege and such an exciting adventure. To grow into the person that your deepest longing desires is a great blessing. If you can find a creative harmony between your soul and your life, you will have found something infinitely precious.
You may not be able to do much about the great problems of the world or to change the situation you are in, but if you can awaken the eternal beauty and light of your soul, you will bring light wherever you go. The gift of life is given to us for ourselves and also to bring peace, courage, and compassion to others.”
Excerpt from ETERNAL ECHOES
www.johnodonohue.com
