There isn’t much more that delights me than when seemingly opposing perspectives collide into a greater oneness.
For various reasons, some of which I'll share at a later date, this Christmas season, I’ve taken it upon myself to more deeply understand & immerse myself in what this season is about.
I’ve studied & practiced in yogic tradition, & in the past, I've connected with my blood heritage traditions.
All have been fruitful. All point to the same thing. I don’t understand how more people don’t see this.
Seemingly contradictorily, even atheists are pointing to the same all-loving God we all crave.
“In the midst of winter, I found there was within me, an invincible summer.” Albert Camus (Existentialist & Absurdist)
(I was atheist for a year or so in my teen years - probably a fairly common occurrence in our individual development as humans. And y'all in the PNW winter - if an existentialist can find an invincible summer within, so can you!)
Sometimes I start singing a song that I haven’t heard in a while - it comes out of nowhere.
The other day, I started singing O Holy Night while I was getting ready for the day. It’s a beautiful song, but I didn’t know much about it.
Talk about worlds colliding - a stunningly reverential Christmas poem, written by an atheist, composed by a Jew.
This kind of thing upsets many people - the song was apparently banned for a while because it wasn’t Christian enough.
But Love can’t possibly be banned. Love is beyond human will. This is a funny thing about humans. We can't control what is beyond our control. And that is almost everything.
Apparently as well, this song was sung by a Frenchman in war in 1871 on Christmas Eve - instead of continuing to war, he stood up above the trenches and sang. The Germans responded with singing in return, and they had a ceasefire for 24 hours.
This is what Love does.
Love is the Invincible Summer within an existentialist.
Love is poetic reverence written by an atheist.
Love is soulful chords written by a Jew.
Love is vulnerable singing when one could be easily shot down.
Love is meeting vulnerability on common ground.
This is what God is.
Too many people get caught up in definitions - whilst definitions are important, they are not as important as the Divine Love that unites us all, beyond your beliefs and what seemingly separates us.
Let your beliefs collide with someone you seem to disagree with - and see that you are both reaching for the same Warmth and Holiness.
Love, True Love, melts our defenses.
This is what Christmas is about.
Emmanuel. A Jewish name in many Christian songs.
God with us. Love with us.
What does this reflection have to do with embodiment?
If your somatic/embodiment work doesn't empower you in Truth, wrap you in Divine Love, steer you toward Wholeness, Remembrance, Liberation, Peace... it is incomplete.
This is what has become beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt clear, what real embodiment work should do.
To help you know the Invincible Summer within you, and how to move and breath from this space within, in all that you do in the world.
And to help you amplify this same brilliant luminosity in those you cross paths with each day. With even those whom you seemingly have nothing in common.
We are all divine children here.
Paradoxically unique and united.