Be an adult: Listen.

I talk a lot about yin and yang in the healing arts I teach. Maintaining balance in our lives is crucial to our health (mental, emotional, physical). It allows our spirit to have consistent space to thrive so we speak and act from a wise space.

I haven’t always felt so wise lately. More angry and sad.

But this symbol is a description for a way of living a flowing life so we aren’t stuck in emotions, thoughts, or attached to physical sensations. It reminds us that there is no black and white to our lives.

And yet here we are. 

We’re faced with another great divide in our country that illustrates the real dangers when the interdependence of black and white is made unstable.

When yin is overcome with yang the imbalance creates havoc whether it’s reflected in the body (health and wellness), economic structure (rich and poor), politics (left and right), or humanity (racism, xenophobia).

And when we ignore it or are distracted from it for long periods? As we have in the United States?

Well, here we are.

I’ve felt a lot of conflicts inside. We strive to move things back to peace as we know it. As it was.

But it hasn't been peace for so many others. And if we really want balance? Those of us who were comfortable, are going to be uncomfortable. 

It’s not time to dig deeper into our personal stances, as much as our history leads us to do. 

It’s not time to only listen to what we want to hear. 

It’s not time to take one side and only offer its pictures. 

It’s time to listen. Especially white people. Yes. We have benefits in this country that people of color don’t. It’s simply the truth.

And it’s time to listen.

Listen without building a mental argument in response while someone else is talking. To listen while noticing our own internal reactions, creating space and breathing to maintain our own centers. To listen and be an adult by backing off when it’s getting too intense inside. 

This is the time to hear what may be uncomfortable. 

And it’s time to be okay with being uncomfortable.

On social media, we have to read, notice inner reactions and allow them to be there, still centered in the sage people we are: listening. The need to react, to comment in support or not, loses its importance when we’re in the space of trying to truly listen. 

Connecting to the person is much more important.