On Ease, Denial and Toxic Smoke

We can all use a bit more ease in our lives, as it invites us to relax into the adventure of life.  However, as ease becomes a guiding value, the relationship between ease and denial must be clear.

When things are going well, it may seem easy to overlook a challenge as to not upset the apple cart.  But…

When denial is present, ease is not.  Instead, ease requires acceptance.  

Denial may offer an experience of ease for a short time, but over the long-term, denial exhausts us and creates dis-ease. Consciously or unconsciously, energy is expended pushing something down or away.

Acceptance, on the other hand, says, “Okay, and this too.”  It invites us to include all parts of our experience, and this integration fosters ease.

Let’s apply this idea to a practical situation.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve recently had issue with winds where we live carrying the smoke from burning garbage into our neighborhood.

Locals have told me that this year’s abnormal weather has caused the area’s regular northwest winds to blow in the opposite direction, causing the smoke that normally blows inland to sit over the coast.

With a young daughter, I have grown increasingly concerned about the quality of the air we breathe during the times the winds bring the smoke our way.

Because so much has been going well for us here, I struggled to allow myself to acknowledge the reaction I was having to the smoke. We were going to be leaving in a couple months anyway.

But my gut kept stirring, and I let myself go into my experience. I felt the feelings, acknowledged the fear and helplessness, and got into action. I educated myself and talked with my husband and other members of the community.

I realized that only when I fully accepted the reality of the smoke and my reaction to it could I start taking action from my power. And to my surprise, changes for our family lined up pretty quickly.

We will transition another area in Baja in a couple weeks. I trust that our sweet neighborhood here will be a place we return. The community is working on the garbage issue and the winds likely won’t be the way they were this year in those coming.

And for now, we get to try on a new adventure where the surf is much better this time of year.

Onwards!

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