Gifts of Uncertainty – Part 1

This New Moon, I draw upon teachings of a beloved mentor, Joanna Macy. She is a scholar, eco-philosopher, and whole systems thinker who brings a breadth and depth of perspective needed now. She nourishes me and my intent is to share the nourishment!

In my work I support people in waking up to what has been silenced, anesthetized, or sanitized in their lived experience. And I support people in awakening to the wisdom that is ever present to guide, repair, and illuminate a path forward.

Our singular and collective body is being savaged. The pain of that insight can be a gateway of fearless communion with the living world. Our pain and our love for this world is the same. As Joanna suggests, we do not need to pathologize our pain, rather it is a measure of our humanity and nobility.

It means we give a damn.

What are some of the gifts of uncertainty?

1. The present moment is a gift of uncertainty: only in this moment can you feel what you feel and respond accordingly.

2. A fresh recognition of the power of intention is another gift of uncertainty. In other words we don’t wait until we are “in the mood” to do something. It keeps us on track.

3. Befriending our pain whether it’s physical or psychic and the mystery that it holds, is another gift of uncertainty.

4. Recognizing our solidarity and interdependence with all life. We are not alone. This is a gift.

5. Appreciation for the immensity of time.

6. A need for simplicity: discernment. What is mine to do?

In this blog post, I’ll take on two of these gifts and leave others to future posts. I am right there in this contemplation along with you and welcome the time it takes to consider the nuance of each gift.

The Gift of the Present Moment

This is self explanatory: only now can we feel what needs to be felt and only in the present moment can we respond. Longing for “the good old days” (which actually never were) or projecting our fears into the future leads to inertia.

A Fresh Recognition of the Power of Intent

What is our motivation for acting or not acting? This is another gift. Too often the power of intent gets tangled up with controlling outcomes. We have no control over outcomes. The complexity of life doesn’t guarantee an outcome. Intention helps us to remain patient. We have no idea how or when our seeds of intention will push their way into the light. We can trust our intention.

In this era of instant communication, it is easy to lose track of the fact that no matter how rapid our technology, life on earth continues to move at the speed of an epoch, not a sound bite. Slowing down, being present, knowing that what we need to know waits to reveal itself in our life, that’s good medicine.

What other gifts of uncertainty come to mind for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.