One of the many things I have learned, am now able to better internalize and metabolize since following your work is how much suffering, unnecessary suffering, is caused by holding fast to how it is or isn’t supposed to be. How much wider the view when we (I) release that grip. Because how it’s supposed to be by definition is never how it actually is. And I am now beginning to understand how even the grandest illusions my mind creates are another kind of cage, the moment I lock in on something I am locking myself in too. Much gratitude to you Andrea from another belly surfer still doing the thing. 🙏❤️🙏
Tami, I agree and find that letting go of rigid expectations can indeed free us from unnecessary suffering, opening us up to a broader and more accepting perspective.
It's a powerful realization that even our grandest illusions can become cages if we cling to them too tightly.
I must say, your gratitude and growth really shine through your words. Thank you for sharing with us your journey, Tami 🧡
With all of the collective tumult in this time of massive transition and transformation, posts and poems like yours and the call for us to accept and understand the conditions of life and learn to ride the waves is the calling of our time. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful poetic life with all of us, and for doing the work. It makes a difference. Somewhere another heart must be beating louder than it has been before and feel yours beating as well.
Of all the teachers in my life, you touch my heart the most. I think because you are living so rawly what you are teaching. Powerful words always from the heart and straight into mine. I printed out the The Untethered Soul (my favorite book) lesson in relaxing my hands and saying "I let this go" so I have a reminder every time a big feeling shows up. Thank you for you. Thank YOU for being here. Big love.
Yes!!! I actually got a tattoo of leaves carried by the wind to remind me: TRUST, let go and feel, and TRUST!
(Entirely unrelated, I adore both Liz Gilbert and Glennon and Abby and reading you all mention each other is like watching a favourite show about a friend group where all characters are amazing 🧡)
I read, "A static ocean would not sustain life, nor would a challengeless existence," as a "changeless" existence, and I gotta say... it's equally true, as I move through the process of navigating a change I did not see coming.
I went on a surfing trip with a bunch of other cancer folk after my first diagnosis and the obvious and difficult lived metaphor of trying to "get back up" on the board was an incredibly rejuvenative (and hard won) lesson. Love "waves are part of the design", glad you're doing well!
I really resonate with the idea of relaxing into the thing, instead of clenching or resisting (as I have done for years with a history of pelvic pain and other weird health stuff). This has started to be my new practice. Thanks for being a beacon of light for us all. ❤️
I love love love this post. it's helpful to me, me who is dealing with grief for my mother who died recently and grief for my own old, painful, entropic and possibly ill body. This essay and your poetry is wonderfully helpful to re-orient myself and not feel so much like a victim of circumstances. I want to embrace this life as best I can. You help remind me it's possible, do-able, and even wonderful even with the challenges.
Once again, speaking beautiful words to an experience I felt deep in my bones but could not express nearly as vividly and movingly as you did today. Thank you so much. I feels as if I just left the water with all three of you, feeling refreshed, full of salt, seawater, sweat and tears, tired to the bone but SO HAPPY. Thank you.
Love love loved reading this. I read it shortly after leaving the detox house where I teach clients about their nervous systems & how to increase their capacity to hold the big scaries. Today we played with inviting more of our bodies to help hold the hard stuff. Much like you said, it feels counterintuitive to let it take up MORE space. But there’s something about allowing more of the body help in the “digestion” process. Our bodies are extremely brilliant magical intelligently evolved beings. Thank you for your words.
One of the many things I have learned, am now able to better internalize and metabolize since following your work is how much suffering, unnecessary suffering, is caused by holding fast to how it is or isn’t supposed to be. How much wider the view when we (I) release that grip. Because how it’s supposed to be by definition is never how it actually is. And I am now beginning to understand how even the grandest illusions my mind creates are another kind of cage, the moment I lock in on something I am locking myself in too. Much gratitude to you Andrea from another belly surfer still doing the thing. 🙏❤️🙏
Thank you so much for your beautiful words. This made me so happy to read.
Guess we must avoid our self made cages! Right on, Tami!
Tami, I agree and find that letting go of rigid expectations can indeed free us from unnecessary suffering, opening us up to a broader and more accepting perspective.
It's a powerful realization that even our grandest illusions can become cages if we cling to them too tightly.
I must say, your gratitude and growth really shine through your words. Thank you for sharing with us your journey, Tami 🧡
With all of the collective tumult in this time of massive transition and transformation, posts and poems like yours and the call for us to accept and understand the conditions of life and learn to ride the waves is the calling of our time. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful poetic life with all of us, and for doing the work. It makes a difference. Somewhere another heart must be beating louder than it has been before and feel yours beating as well.
Thank you so so much for this!
Of course. Thank you so much for sharing yourself and encouraging others to open their hearts to life.
Of all the teachers in my life, you touch my heart the most. I think because you are living so rawly what you are teaching. Powerful words always from the heart and straight into mine. I printed out the The Untethered Soul (my favorite book) lesson in relaxing my hands and saying "I let this go" so I have a reminder every time a big feeling shows up. Thank you for you. Thank YOU for being here. Big love.
BIG LOVE back to you!
Surfing with Abby... I can't imagine anyone better to "fun" you through the fear.
Right?!
I thought the same thing! I want to be on their team. 💙
Yes!!! I actually got a tattoo of leaves carried by the wind to remind me: TRUST, let go and feel, and TRUST!
(Entirely unrelated, I adore both Liz Gilbert and Glennon and Abby and reading you all mention each other is like watching a favourite show about a friend group where all characters are amazing 🧡)
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Yes! Listening to WCDHT and being part of Liz and Andrea's substacks makes me feel like I'm part of a secret friend club.
I read, "A static ocean would not sustain life, nor would a challengeless existence," as a "changeless" existence, and I gotta say... it's equally true, as I move through the process of navigating a change I did not see coming.
Oh wow. Yes!
very much appreciate all your words, always - but especially these words, today. xxx
I went on a surfing trip with a bunch of other cancer folk after my first diagnosis and the obvious and difficult lived metaphor of trying to "get back up" on the board was an incredibly rejuvenative (and hard won) lesson. Love "waves are part of the design", glad you're doing well!
I really resonate with the idea of relaxing into the thing, instead of clenching or resisting (as I have done for years with a history of pelvic pain and other weird health stuff). This has started to be my new practice. Thanks for being a beacon of light for us all. ❤️
I really needed to read this today. Thank you Andrea 💙💙💙
I love love love this post. it's helpful to me, me who is dealing with grief for my mother who died recently and grief for my own old, painful, entropic and possibly ill body. This essay and your poetry is wonderfully helpful to re-orient myself and not feel so much like a victim of circumstances. I want to embrace this life as best I can. You help remind me it's possible, do-able, and even wonderful even with the challenges.
Thank you for your kind words Gayle. I so appreciate them.
Once again, speaking beautiful words to an experience I felt deep in my bones but could not express nearly as vividly and movingly as you did today. Thank you so much. I feels as if I just left the water with all three of you, feeling refreshed, full of salt, seawater, sweat and tears, tired to the bone but SO HAPPY. Thank you.
You are a TREASURE!
How nicely written. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks for the reminders and smiles this morning <3
Love love loved reading this. I read it shortly after leaving the detox house where I teach clients about their nervous systems & how to increase their capacity to hold the big scaries. Today we played with inviting more of our bodies to help hold the hard stuff. Much like you said, it feels counterintuitive to let it take up MORE space. But there’s something about allowing more of the body help in the “digestion” process. Our bodies are extremely brilliant magical intelligently evolved beings. Thank you for your words.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️