Giving Thanks for the Hard Stuff

On Sunday we had our Late Summer Earth ceremony in the park.  In Fremantle, where Wu Tao originated, we have been dancing in Booyeembara Park for 12 years every month!  Now that’s commitment! Actually, it’s more than commitment, its LOVE.  We genuinely love each other and gain so much pleasure from coming together to dance Wu Tao.

Late summer relates to the Earth element in Chinese Medicine and governs the Spleen and Stomach organs.  It’s the season of abundance and nourishment.  The earth provides us with everything we need to live on her.  During this season when all is in balance, the fruit are ripe and falling off the trees, vegetables are full and round and we enjoy luscious nourishment.  I love this season for the figs, pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant, watermelon and grapes!

The emotion that relates to this Earth season and element of Earth is gratitude and it’s nemesis is worry.  Now, it’s not so hard to be grateful for the abundance we receive is it?  For the goodness that flows to us in life. However, it is much more difficult to be grateful for the challenges we face, and these too, flow to us from Life.

You have probably heard my story of what I was facing when Wu Tao was being created.  The serious illness of my daughter Belle. It was at this time that I was invited to surrender to Life, accept and be grateful for all my experiences.  It was pretty hard I can tell you, but I did it, and this was the greatest teaching I have ever received and the one teaching I want to pass on to you through Wu Tao.

When the going gets tough, when life is bringing you experiences that are challenging. When you want to run away, hide or resist.  Whenever you are in pain, anxiety or worry, YOU have a fantastic opportunity to surrender, open and be grateful for what is flowing towards you.

Don’t be mistaken about this.  This is for you.  This is your learning opportunity.  Your healing gift right here.  If you can accept the challenge, receive it fully into your heart and spirit, knowing deep down that you are always loved, supported and cared for by life itself, you will come through this learning experience with full marks, 100% distinction!

What does it require of you?  Well, it requires that you TRUST!  You have to trust in Life more than you trust your little self or the world you see around you.  Life flows beneath the surface.  It’s always there guiding you home to who you are, your true nature which is Love.  (I hope you don’t mind all my capital letters!).

So on this hot summer’s morning instead of doing our ceremony around the so called ‘good happy stuff’ we’d received, we gave thanks for the challenging aspects of both our personal and collective experience.  It was so very powerful and deeply moving. Looking out into the world, observing what is happening on so many levels such as the degradation of our earth and  people’s attitudes and actions that cause  suffering to others etc,  it’s not easy to be accepting and grateful. It takes a certain kind of effort! We did our best.

A beautiful thing happens when acceptance and gratitude settles into one’s mind.  We get to feel love and peace. This is our true nature and where we can make a difference to our world.  We do this by radiating love,  resting in peace and TRUSTING that Love Is even when the world shows otherwise.

This knowing doesn’t mean we don’t act in the world to create positive change, but it does mean we act from a place of love, and not fear or anger.  We can be guided from the Love within us, AND make a difference.

So, whatever season you find yourself today, here’s a little practice you can do to anchor the loving qualities of the Earth element within you.

• Take some deep breaths.
•  Now bring to your awareness all the things, experiences and people in your life that are causing you to worry or fret.
• With each breath allow yourself to become completely accepting of all these things.  Imagine them flowing towards you.
• Let them come into you.
• Receive them. Accept them.
• Be grateful if you can, knowing that nothing can hurt you.
• You are safe because of who you are.
• You are a divine being of Love.
• Always connected to Life who loves you completely.
• Don’t judge yourself or anyone or anything.
• Just let it all be.
• Now,  if you know the Wu Tao Earth dance, put on the music and dance your prayer of acceptance and gratitude.

If you enjoyed this process then please let me know.

If you’d like to embody the life giving qualities of all the elements, then you might like to purchase our Meditations for the Elements Mp3. 

 

I love you!  Have a beautiful day.

Michelle