Stirfry. Yummy. Made earlier this week. With my friend Quanita. To go over rice. Green onions warmed slightly. Zucchini from my garden, sliced and cooked only a little, to preserve firmness. Chicken. Mushrooms. Green peppers. Carrots. A bit of teriyaki sauce. A bit of sriracha sauce. Some garlic. Salt, pepper. I love cooking this kind of meal. Because it is yummy. And, because of the feel of pulling things from the fridge, just to be creative. I love the stir of it all, not really knowing what it will grow to be.
So, learning of the last few days. First, let’s say it’s good to return to being with someone in a face to face way. This was design time. Friendship time. Planning time. Learning time. Connection. Most of it in relation to our upcoming Fire and Water leadership retreat, The Journey, Facing of Ordeals. CoVid modified, yes. But oh, how sweet to be with human, not just on a screen.
I have learned over the years, many times now, of the tangibility of “field.” It is the connected space, the connected energy of people in a space together. It’s format. It’s structure. It’s play. It’s circle-based process, lightly held. I have learned over the years, many times now, that when connected in such a way, it changes the insights that I have in quite substantial ways — yes, who we are together is different and more than who we are alone. It’s like the sourcing get’s richer. There are more ingredients in the pan contributing to the stir of it all. I have learned over the years, to really value the moment of it. Because when a “field” is released, when it’s time to go our varied ways, it’s like my brain changes. I become an ingredient again, rather than a stir-fried whole.
OK, that’s fun imagery to play with.
I’ve learned to pay extra attention to what arises when together. Thoughts. Insights. Questions. Metaphors. Images. Wonders. It so matters that any of us learn to track, or perhaps surrender, to the whole of it. I would say this is some of the core evolution of story of our times — this reclaiming commitment and practice of wholeness. I often find I get great summary principles, values, or practices — that then nourish me for the next steps (days, months, and sometimes years).
This time, here’s some of the learning. I think of it as a simplicity that comes only through some complexity. These are essences from which one can always expand with practice and experiment.
- Willingness to encounter self, each other, and circumstance is of utmost importance.
- All of life is a stirring together.
- The stirring helps us to access, and to come into more relationship with the 95% of reality that is mystery.
- Encountering mystery brings us into relationship with life itself, which enables us to both receive and contribute in much more life-affirming ways.
I’m glad for the time this week. For remembering these feelings of being alive. For connection. For learning. I’d suggest it is what we are all up to in our respective communities and organizations. Stirring together.