In the last blog on Connecting an Idea, we explored the dimensions of Length and Width. To come into our Length, we connect with our dignity by extending our roots into the ground and lengthening up our spine, creating more space between each pair of vertebrae and up through the crown of our head, moving in the direction of the heavens and what inspires us. To come into our Width, we are sensing into the realm of social relationships and connecting with our belongingness and capacity to create community by including others. These are foundational dimensions of a centering practice that can help us be present in the moment and more mindful of ourselves, others, and the environments in which we operate. Let’s turn now to two additional dimensions: those of Depth and Care.
Depth reminds us of what lies behind us – our life history, our experiences, education and training, the people who have had our back, and the people and events that have helped make us who we are and brought us to this moment. We can consider Depth in the broader context of our lives and/or in the context of the past year. To sense this aspect of Depth more keenly, we might bring our awareness to our back body – the back of our head and neck, the space between our shoulder blades, the mid and low back, the back of the hips and legs and heels.
Depth includes the present moment as well as the past – where and who we are, what we are experiencing now, and awareness of our current perspective and context – the place this moment holds in the grand scheme of our lives. To experience this aspect of Depth, we can bring our attention to our insides, our internal organs in our bellies and chest, we can imagine our focus traveling from our back body through the soft middle of our inner landscape and to the front body where we meet the world moving forward.
Depth also includes what lies in front of us and ahead, all the possibility that the future holds and what draws or pulls us forward…which leads to the final dimension of Care – that which matters most. Care might be a principle or truth, a cause near and dear to us, a personal goal or mission, or someone we love. We can connect with our Care by bringing one hand or both hands to our heart and bring our focus to what or whom is most important to us.
When we continue to center ourselves by building on Length and Width and adding Depth and Care, we can bring gratitude to the present moment – remembering those who have supported us, guided us, loved us, inspired us. We can bless them and, in doing so, bless ourselves. If you have practiced Yoga in any of its various forms, you may have ended a practice with the sharing of Namaste, perhaps with hands in prayer position and a slight bowing of the head and/or upper body. Here’s one version from someone who embodied dignity and peace so well:
Namaste. I honour the place in you where the entire universe resides… a place of light, of
love, of truth, of peace, of wisdom. I honour the place in you where when you
are in that place and I am in that place there is only one of us.
– Mahatma Gandhi
We can look for and honor our common ground. We can connect intentionally with our shared humanity… that which draws us together rather than that which divides us. We can also remember that each of us has people and things that we care deeply about… things that draw us forward and inspire us to be our best selves. We have so much more in common that we know, if we just take the time to be curious, to inquire, to see ourselves in each other and to appreciate our unique qualities and contributions to this world.
The Divine in me blesses and honors the Divine within you.
Wishing you the hope, warmth, and wonder of the holiday season
to carry you gently through the end of this year and into the next.
See you in 2020!
