Joy As Foundation

Calling upon a previous post — on joy. From Sadhguru, a teacher to one of my teachers.

Because joy gives birth. Because it’s contagious. Because it is a discipline — to come to know that joy lives side by side with sorrow and plethora of other challenges, and yet still access and invite joy.

There are people in my life that live joy as radical act. Seems to come with age, as conscious choice. But for some, joy just is.

I’m grateful.

Life flowing. Joy flowing. Life learning. Joy learning.

One Arrangement Becomes Another

In her poem, Two Kerosene Lanterns, included in the publication above, Jane Hirshfield writes a poem about a cat in rearrangement.

The cat walks the narrow shelf beneath the window
where many delicate things are arranged — polished ammonites,
a dried starfish, three turtle netsuke,
a few curls of birch bark, two long-unused kerosene lanterns.

As if on their own, two hands fly up to cover the person’s face,
to cover the eyes already closed.

The crash, as it must, arrives.

The hands lower slowly.
The cat sits on the floor in the room’s middle, calmly licking one paw.

The law of cats is simple: one arrangement becomes another.

People are strange.

Um, yes. One arrangement becomes another. In the poem. In our life plans. In our work endeavors. It’s good to be reminded.

Next time I use Open Space Technology, I might need to add the “law of cats” — to welcome some surprise.

One arrangement becomes another.

Belonging is Biological

Refreshing back to a poem I wrote in 2020. I was musing about belonging, as I often do today. So much of the human journey and path that compels is about creating and inviting belonging. Belonging with people. With place. With life flowing and changing.

Offered today for some inspiration.

Belonging Is Biological

It occurs to me
that human beings seek
belonging.

It’s not just emotional comfort,
though that can be just right, some times.

Belonging is biological.
It is inherent need,
just as is water, food, and rest.

It’s the belonging of being on a team,
or a committee,
or in a community,
or a family,
or sometimes a random moment of sharing a park bench with a stranger.

It’s the belonging, not just for talents exchanged,
but rather, where we discover
and grow our gifts,
our inherent and innate gifts,
so as to offer them,
and to be witnessed as contributory.

Belonging isn’t transactional,
though that can be helpful.

Belonging is irrepressible biological 
human instinct and contribution
that brings irrepressible and life-affirming fulfillment.

It occurs to me that that matters
and underlays so much of what is contemporary
deep human discouragement, and,
deep human yearning and fulfillment.

Restoring Sanity — Margaret Wheatley

What a treat to listen in to Meg Wheatley yesterday. She offered a zoom session — 300 ish people in the one I joined — to share some context for her new book that is available March 19th. Have a peek. Have a purchase.

Meg is one of my oldest friends. She’s been a mentor, a guide. She’s been a sushi-buddy. She’s been a fellow lamenter and a fellow celebrator. She’s been a boss, a colleague, a spiritual guide. She been someone to have tea with regularly.

I loved what she shared in yesterday’s call. Her awareness of her approach in her early days of consulting — “What is the problem? Let me fix it for you.” That evolving to an orientation she has now held for years that I relate to as the center of my work — “What is possible? Who cares?”

Meg highlights practices. Facing reality. Creating consciously committed community — islands of sanity — that awaken generosity together. And kindness. And joy.

Meg’s voice has been important to a lot of people. Definitely true for me over these years. Glad to celebrate her 12th book.