Possible: Conflict Revisited will be one theme for this post. But first, Summer Solstice is here! I love the ring of it, the associations, the potential, the possibilities! The sun is at the peak of its shining influence on our precious blue-green planet; it’s the longest day of the year, the slowest sunsets, and we enjoy the easy, breezy promise of summer sweetness and congenial gatherings. While I don’t love sunscreen, I treasure being able to be outdoors without the need for many layers. Let’s breathe deeply, take walks, perhaps bike rides and swims, and enjoy to the hilt this time of exuberance and bounty.
Here’s a bit more about the astronomical aspects of Summer Solstice. You might also like to check out some of the early traditions around Lammas, the Celtic name for this key event. Celebrate!
Recently I was mightily inspired by a short TED Talk by Angus Harvey, one of the authors of Fix the News, a newsletter I treasure for its offering of inspirational, promising good news — happening right now all over the planet.
After listening several times, I decided that Possible: Conflict Revisited would be a fitting theme for Summer Solstice and going forward. Here’s another reason for focussing on what’s possible. Early in my training in collaborative conflict resolution at the Justice Institute of BC (a course that was life changing for me, my family, my work, my life), I came across William Ury, one of the key creators of collaborative conflict resolution. Ury has now written a new book called
Possible: How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict. It is possible to thrive in these very days we are experiencing, as full of conflict and challenges as they are! To get a flavour for this potential, I suggest you listen to even the first ten minutes (after the intro), of this podcast interview between Ury and Tami Simon, the founder of Sounds True. Ury considers himself a possibiiist. Become curious, take reflective breaks, learn to listen….
Possible: Conflict Revisited 🙂 I suggest that each of us in our own way, and in our own lives, put energies toward focussing on what’s possible… for our health and well-being, for our communication and families, for our work in the world for our futures.
So much of what we hear is tragedy and doom and horror and disaster and grizzly projections. They are not to be discounted or ignored. Still, when we are in conflict or things are difficult, if/when we focus on our differences and our problems, we usually stay stuck, differences and difficulties harden and grow, and things often fall apart. When we focus on what’s possible, on what’s working, learn to build bridges, look where we want to go, the world all of a sudden is completely different,. It doesn’t just look different, it IS different, full of possibilities. Wishing you all the best for summer solstice. Have a delicious and healthy, happy fruitful, and joyous summer. In the face of all that is, let’s put our attention on what’s possible.
Focussing on the good, the uplifting, the possible, the opportunities, sending appreciation for all you do, and thanks to those who share their insights and inspirations with me!
Warmly,
Jill
Since the last note in May, here are some new and reprised posts that might interest you:
• A Resounding Yes to Life. A Resounding Yes to Life is the last thing I sometimes feel, or feel like saying! Still, when I recently came across an offering from a fellow named Douglas Harding, an English philosophical and spiritual writer, (who founded The Headless Way… an intriguing path to our True Nature and deep freedom), I laughed and felt a resounding Yes. Check it out!
* The Power of Positivity.The power of positivity is not about being a Pollyanna and denying dark sides, challenges, hard emotions or actions, our own or others’. It’s actually a matter of where we put attention, about our focus and our thinking.
• Dancing with the Dark Side: What about pain…physical, emotional? Struggles, challenges? I talk about a Dance because this deep work can be done with curiosity, openness, and even lightness… not the sinking, hopeless, sense of being caught in quicksand, a jungle, a dungeon… Let’s dance! More on this topic soon.
As a concluding inspiration, here a collection of remarkable photos from Earth Sky:
Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity. BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, and growth. Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume. Your feedback, forwards, tweets, likes are most welcome. 🙂
