60 hours in Jerusalem, part 2
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.”
– C.S. Lewis
The next morning, after something you might call fitful sleep, I made my way to the rooftop deck of our hotel.
We were just inside the Jaffa Gate and had a stunning view of the Old City. It was quiet. So quiet I was tempted to forget what was happening. But that deep quiet had a feeling of waiting.
Despite this, I felt HOME. Home in a way I’ve never felt before. Like I belonged there. Like an ache in my soul was (somewhat) (finally) satisfied. Like I kept seeing and sensing… something… out of the corner of my eye, beckoning, waiting… but just out of reach and recognition.
I’ve been in plenty of places where humans reach towards God. Spaces filled with generations of mediation. Altars where endless offerings were made. Monuments that defy physics. And this felt different. Like the inverse was happening. This was a place where God reached down to humans.
And I understood how human hearts could twist this immense feeling of longing and belonging into eagerness to control and possess. This is kindling for conflict.
To possess, you pull apart, separate. Possession says: “This is mine, not yours.”
To control, you exert force, gain the upper hand. Control says: “I decide.”
Both impulses carry an undercurrent of fear, the perception of threat. Fear says: "I must protect."
Unchecked, fear feeds anxiety and promotes vigilance. More mental and emotional energy exaggerates the perceived threat. Now there is more need to protect and possess and control. The vicious cycle picks up speed. All you need is a single spark for a conflagration.
Unless. Until. You throw a wrench in the wheel. You halt the run-away train. You pour cold water on the kindling. How do you do that? It begins with knowing your nervous system.
There are techniques big and small. Bold and quiet. Internal and external. To use them wisely and skillfully, there will be a virtual workshop on 12/7.
When you know your nervous system, you have a spacious, compassionate seat to understand what’s arising inside of you. With awareness, you can respond rather than react. You get to be the change you wish to see.
The virtual workshop will include lecture, Q&A, and practice. The live session will be recorded and stored with resources for ongoing study. Register Here.
This is just in time for the holidays. Let’s be beacons of peace and calm and clarity for friends, family, co-workers, and community.
May your practice bring hope,
Alison
