Nice to meet you, Metacrisis
Facing these times through the eyes of Love
These days, it’s all the buzz. Humanity needs a new story.
Not just the USA or the Middle East or the 1% — we all need a new story. The metacrisis is global. In a relatively short period of time, our species will go extinct or face dystopia — unless we change our minds and choose a new story based in love.
Facts don’t change people’s minds; stories do. Feelings do — we change our minds when we’re pulled from deep within by the pulse of Love itself, to choose another way.
Here’s something we could consider “bad” news:
Usually for humans, enormous pain is required for us to transform ourselves.
Been there, done that. In February 2021, I apparently needed a massive brain tumor as a messenger of pain to end my 40+ years of food and sugar “addiction”. Tried and tried to resolve my imbalanced relationship with food. Flopped. Flopped again. Enter, brain tumor and months of unexpected severe pain that followed.
That settled it.
Got the memo.
Thank you, pain.
“We live in a world of outrageous pain. The only response to outrageous pain is outrageous love.” Dr. Marc Gafni, co-author, A Return to Eros
For humanity to turn the tide, each of us — and I’m talking to you and me right now — needs to choose love over fear right now. And again. And again. That is how we will create a future on this generous, strikingly beautiful planet. A livable future will appear before us when we choose, again and again, love over fear.
Now here’s something we could consider “good” news:
The only responsibility you’ve got is to choose love yourself. Now. And now.
And some more:
What we focus on, grows. Pay attention to what you want to feed.
When we keep our thoughts in fear about how we’ll survive or who’s to blame or which planet could we move to as backup…
We feed fear.
We feed a gory future nobody wants to live in.
We feed more of the same — a species who’s asleep at the wheel, still believing we are separate from each other, from nature and the divine.
Personally I find great relief in accepting that the only mind I can change is my own. And — that puts the ball in my court. I must step up. I cannot wait for or depend on other people to heal the Earth for me and my child.
At Leaning into Light, we stand for Love.
Love: the greatest superpower known to human consciousness
Love: the sense of awe when witnessing nature’s splendor
Love: the feeling of bliss and communion with “other”
Love: the Light in the belly of God
In this story, we treasure each other. We accept that humans are part of nature. We remember that we aren’t separate from each other, that we’re all interconnected. We accept that God lives within us, and we respect people’s choices with the world’s vast offering of religions.
In this story, we accept that we are held by something much more powerful than we will ever understand — and that we are partners with that vastness, Source, Spirit, God, Love — we cannot sit by, idle.
In this story, we go to bed surrendering with the “holy or the broken Hallelujah”, Leonard Cohen’s famous song, in our hearts. We know we will mess up, we can be forgiven, and ultimately we are not in control.
Here are some prompts to support you to lean into light today:
Who in your life best supports you to step into your power — to choose love over fear? Text them to set up a walk date this week.
What simple daily practice gets you into your heart and out of your head, where fear tends to live? Is it hiking and singing? Yoga? Church? Go do it! And write it on your calendar for the coming week.
What is one thing you are doing these days to embody a choice for love over fear? Are you speaking up more courageously, taking risks that people might not like you? Are you eating more mindfully? Are you setting aside more time for self care, because you deserve it, it helps and you matter? GOOD JOB. Now acknowledge yourself for that. Say, “I acknowledge myself for…” and finish the sentence. Loving yourself with kind words is a fantastic way to create world based in love over fear.
Thirsty for some more juice?
Today, many bright minds are engaged in bringing a new story to humanity. The word regeneration is buzzing around, presenting possibilities. Here are some links you might find uplifting as you step more fully into your unique role in bringing about this new story based in Love.
Women play a colossal role in advancing human consciousness, so I’ll start with a marvelous artist friend who creates Magdalena Magazine. Find it on IG: @magdalena_magazine.
Creator Michelle Magdalena Maddox says, “Magdalena Magazine is a catalyst for furthering the Regeneration and Climate Action movements. We explore the stories of change makers, dreamers, wanderers, and healers as they lead us forward, all on 100% recycled paper!”
Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation is a 2021 book with this offering: “Regeneration is a radical new approach to the climate crisis, one that weaves justice, climate, biodiversity, and human dignity into a seamless tapestry of action, policy, and transformation that can end the climate crisis in one generation. It is the first book to describe and define the burgeoning regeneration movement spreading rapidly throughout the world.”
Last, here’s an inspiring talk from TEDxSydney from Damon Gameau: Retelling the story of humans and nature. Gameau’s bold masculine heart speaks loud and clear. He is the award winning filmmaker and produced the 17-minute short film, Regenerating Australia.
In bright times and in times of war, I am loving you~ Jessica Rios Founder, Leaning into Light devotee of frisbee, coastal fog and cappuccino foam