Are You Doing Your Work?
After hot summer (Summer 2020) filled with protest, pandemics and propaganda, the social media world began to have influencers and specialists reminding us or telling us to ‘do the work’. We have seen it in spiritual spaces, reading groups and training course, masterminds and workshops. Do the work! But is simply saying do the work, enough to really start doing our work? Hell, what is our work anyway?
For people who have spent a lifetime doing their work, whether it is deep inquiry, therapy or embodied movement it is sometimes hard to imagine living a life where we have been detached from our wholeness, our spiritual selves or physical bodies. In most spiritual and religious spaces this has been used to support separation in the form of non-believers or enlightened folks versus those that are not enlightened or awakened. This of course is used to create pedestals, separation and elitism instead of reflection and connection.
Storytime. This one time I was sitting with a terminally ill family member and we were discussing faith. I remember asking her why some of my faith-filled and Christ believing family members were living in a space of denial and not faith to believe for a different outcome. Because I trusted the wisdom in this family member, I listened to her for whatever wisdom she was able and willing to impart. She reminded me that the bible shares that people grow in their journey from faith to faith and God gives to each [man] person a measure of faith for where they are at. The person who lives under a bridge may not be able to see how their circumstances are a reflection of the failure of systems and institutions in place when they are in survival mode and thinking of where their next meal is coming from. In the same line of thought, a person who has not experienced transformation while in relationships or situations may not be able to see or imagine a better situation or circumstances for themselves.
Doing the work is similar in the way when you begin to open your eyes to being a person that has been conditioned, indoctrinated or traumatized knowing or finding a place to start and start unpacking and unlearning can be difficult. This is where we need people, a community, a sangha, a mentor or teacher/guide to walk alongside us and help us to see what our work is and remind us to stay aligned with our work.
Quick side note, for us to begin working with others along our journey it is important to use our own spirit of discernment or faith to know who is really for us and aligns to our journey in this moment or time NOT who we want or imagine this person to be to us. It is also important to remember this person or group of people are not the ones that are supporting our triggers, traumas and conditioned thoughts or behaviors but aligning with our healing.
What hurts? What do you value? What are your values and what feels aligned for you? What healing work have you done for yourself personally and see or witness happening to your community or collectively that you would be able to contribute to or support? From your place of privilege or power, where can you impact serious transformation doing your work?
