Musings by Dr. Julia Colwell

Creating the future – FACT: Face, Accept, Choose, Take Action

I was focused on the newlywed couple when I wrote this, but now, a I tune into those of you choosing a conscious path, I feel my heart open with love and gratitude that you’re out there.

This is for every one of you.

I’m in a yurt in Paonia, Colorado. We drove up yesterday and saw the court decision striking down the constitutional right for women to choose whether to keep a pregnancy. My jaw was clenched, my stomach and chest sickened and contracted into a big NO the whole 4 and a half hours. My sleep was troubled as my mind went over and over—HOW COULD THIS BE??

Juxtapose this with why I’m here, to officiate a wedding with two people I adore. As I’m fielding my own reactivity (and the accompanying doomsday stories marching glumly through my head), I’m bridging into the words I want to say to these young and determined people who are diving into a sacred circle of commitment later today. I can feel my reluctance to shifting, but then remember my commitment to living from Above the Line. (Ah, there’s life, throwing me the next challenge to walk my talk.)

Welllllll, ok, ok, I recommit.

[Big breath, moving, opening…]

So–what picture can I imagine about who we are collectively from that blessed territory of Creative Brain?

When politics around us captures our attention and describes reality through its lens, it can seem like we’re de-volving as a species. It can seem like, as much effort as folks put out to create progressive and equitable change, the dominant forces will persist and drag us backwards to our basest instincts.

But standing here in this beautiful meadow, looking at your faces, so glowing and strong and loving and determined, I just can’t hang on to that story. I’ve had the honor of witnessing each of you (and many of you out there watching) follow a completely different path, one that has nothing to do with righteously wronging someone else, or incorporating the poison of blame, or choosing to exist in a sea of fear.

What I see takes my breath away: Two people so bravely choosing the lesser-known way, one where each step is a conscious choice, made from your own authority through the wisdom of your body and connection to your heart. This path isn’t for the faint-of-heart. It’s one of wild adventure, where you can’t rely on stodgy old reactive patterns to reassure you with their predictable ideas of what’s wrong with the world, other people, or yourself. Those are all booby-prizes, ways to reassure ourselves that we’re not just lost in a roiling sea of chaos.

Today I feel expanded and alive and ready for the future. Because I see it right in front of me. There’s nothing to fear about our world, because you are inhabiting it. And I know you know that your relationship with each other is the main crucible for the alchemy you are mustering today. You are prepared for how every trigger from the other is another chance for you to move further and further out into the expanded realms of who you came in to be, so glorious and illuminated in your essential selves, blasted to the next level by the powerful love you share.

I offer you each, you all, my blessings and love for this crazy journey you’ve chosen each other for. We have nothing to fear. You are doing this together, from love and connection. The world is for you. Your community is with you. We link arms with you as you weave yourselves with life and create something none of us even knew existed.

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At the EPI, we commit and recommit as many times as it takes. This path is meandering, challenging, thrilling, and totally enlivening. I am blessed to be walking it with each of you, whether we’ve met or not.

Blessings to you, as you discover how to have your biggest, most powerful life!

Julie