Pleasant Surprises

On showing up to life when you don't want to, and the power of prayer and connection:

Sometimes the experiences of our past can create self-fulfilling prophecies in the present and future - often ones we don’t want, when our energy is fear and apprehension. 

There is something to be said for pushing yourself through the barrier of resistance and showing up to new experiences. There is something to be said for getting out of the inertia of isolation and aversiveness to connection. There is also something to be said about prayer. 

Sometimes you’re in a shit headspace and your anxiety is high, you don’t feel like going and you’re like what the fuck. So you do your best to suit up and show up, and before you do, you say a prayer. Something a little along the lines of:

“May I bring joy to the lives of others in this experience. May I bring love and connection and happiness to this event/evening/(wherever you’re going but don’t want to go). May I truly connect with others tonight.”

Then you go and HO.LY.SHIT.

A dinner you didn’t have energy or an appetite for turns out to be the best meal you’ve had in YEARS. You actually finish your whole plate, which you never do anymore, because of the amount of stress you’re under, the appetite instinct is always stunted.

Not now.

The conversations with people you either didn’t know or barely knew turn into meaningful in-depth exchanges to where three hours feels like ten minutes. You’re so engaged in your surroundings you don’t give a shit about stepping outside for a smoke or checking your phone. You laugh, your guard is down, and you are you — meaning truly yourself, no shrinking out of fear of being too much, no hiding behind a guard of steel for fear of fill in the blank. 

Cheech and Chong moment: This ties into the Kundalini Yoga Immersion. One of the things that came to mind was the responsibility of the self to SHOW ones self — the responsibility we have to show our soul, the gift we came here to share. “you are you” - standing in that authenticity is doing exactly that.

You’re completely sober but almost feel like you’re intoxicated or maybe “trippin” because the experience is fkng awesome. You cant figure out why the food tastes this good either. You turn to the person next to you and say, “am I trippin or is this food unbelievable?” They say, “no youre not trippin, this is really really good!” Both of you clean your plates and wind up splitting more.

You are reminded that most of the neurotransmitters responsible for your mood and motions (90%) are in the gut, not the brain, so maybe its this delicious high quality food that is making the mood so elevated. 

But really, it’s everything. It’s the vibe. It’s the people. It’s the conversation. Its the openness. Its the expressed gratitude coming out of everyones mouth.

Its occasionally looking up from your conversation at the rest of the people at the table and feeling appreciation and happiness at the sight of seeing them enjoying themselves too.

This gives great joy, to see people happy. ESPECIALLY when you care about the people— of course we want our loved ones to have the best times and to be happy and smile. It is such a gift to be able to see that. 

Yes indeed, there is suffering everywhere on the planet. What a tremendous blessing and testament to the human spirit it is, to see a group of people come together in spite of it all and share a meal, conversation, smiles, laughter, and hugs.

What a blessing and testament it is to the resilience of the human spirit, and the triumph of Love, when people come together for the purpose of connection.

I am surprised to see it, because in my travels and years of life, at least in the last handful of years, mostly since 2020, it’s rare to see people connect authentically. It’s rare to see people not constantly on their phones. It’s rare to see people who are genuine, kind, open and honest with one another, especially when they don’t know you very well.

To be treated with kindness for no reason — you didn’t have to prove some shit or be some spectacular thing to gain said kindness, it is just freely given - thats the real shit, and a result of people who are at least for the most part happy. 

This is why it is said to pray for the wellbeing of all, especially those who suffer or who act cruel toward others… because happy people, kind people, people who feel at least mostly fulfilled with their lives, automatically treat others with kindness. They don’t treat you like a stranger, even when to them, you are one. You quickly become not a stranger. 

Its funny that the only way I know how to compare feelings of happiness or strong levels of gratitude or wellbeing is “whoa weird this almost feels like im intoxicated or high” because thats my only other barometer for being like whoaaaaaa this is a really good experience, but sometimes when things are super awesome in life, you’re like wait, am I crazy, am I high or something? What is this feeling? And then someone may remind you, hey, you’re not crazy, thats just called being happy, and you may not be used to it, but welcome. Welcome to the party. We’re glad youre here. 

Everyone deserves this. And the world and all its inhabitants are better off in every way, the more people who can experience this. May we endeavor to of course have the wisdom and discernment of boundaries, but may we move with applied kindness and compassion. The quantum field is enriched for it. 

Love to you. The final article on Moksha/Liberation from the WSR is coming this weekend. XO