You, Your World, Planet - A Reflection Practice
© Jenn Shallvey
Shared from the recent newsletter - a reflection practice.
You are one and one of many. You are a part of the whole and the whole. Your perspective is the way you see you in this world. Your choice. How you are as a part of this world does not change. There is no disputing you are one of many people on the planet. There is also only one you. No one else like you.
In this reflection practice you are invited to contemplate this spectrum of existence. You by yourself as one, you and your circles of connection and you as one among all.
Already it is likely you are hesitant perhaps even resistant to such an exercise. This will be your first revelation. What of this proposition challenges you? Afraid to consider yourself as only one? Overwhelmed by contemplating the multitude of people other than you on this planet.
On the other hand maybe you are excited by the perspectives. Celebrating all the multitude of people on this planet means there are so many possibilities of how to be. Celebrating you as one of these people in your own little world makes you realise how special you are as well.
Maybe you are somewhere in the middle.
Lets play then with some reflections.
Firstly before you start be mindful of your readiness to play. This exploration is best done when you are not rushed, upset, worried nor holding any stress in your mind. So one suggestion before you start is to engage in a self care clearing of your energy meditation/practice. If you do not have one then adapt the following to suit you.
Start by holding the intention of letting go of all that no longer serves you or others. Then sit and breathe until you feel a calmness. As you breathe see your breath coming in as light and going out clearing and taking with it all you release. You can enhance the clearing by seeing yourself breathing in and out through your heart and as you do expanding further your sense of your heart surrounding you with love. Smile. Feel the calm. Then ground yourself into your presence in the space you are in. See your feet anchored on the ground and imagine the light flowing through you down deep into the earth. Breathe again into this anchoring space and feel yourself present.
With yourself in a clear and grounded state then step into the reflection practice.
Part One: The Me Only Perspective
To participate in this part of the practice it is essential that you are not disturbed, are in a place and time of day with no sounds and noises from people. You may need to pick a quiet time of the day such as late at night or very early morning. The only sounds in your world will be nature and your own breath and heart beating. It is just you.
In this part of the exercise you are invited to fully sense and be with just you. For the reflection imagine that you are the only person on the Earth at this moment. Just you. You are perfectly safe, relaxed and at peace in this place. Imagine that you are the only one in this place. All you know is you. There are no other influences, no other ways or directions from others. Just you.
In this moment you have you. All of you. The only expecatations are your own. The only thoughts are you own. The only feelings are you own. The only inspiration is your own.
Sit with this experience of you alone as a singular being on this planet. What do you notice. Scan your thoughts, feelings, senses, inspiration. Observe and notice what stands out first. Notice what does not bother you at all. Consider these questions:
What is it about being me that makes me happy, brings me joy, excites me about living life?
How can I express me in this moment and feel whole, authentic and real?
What is beautiful about my relationship with the world in which I live that I wish to honour and acknowledge right now?
How am I held and supported by the world around me?
What can I do to give back and show appreciation for this world in which I am me?
Part two: Me plus more
Now imagine you are able to share this world with others. In creating the community and world in which you want to live who would you have in your creation. Imagine that you can add one more person. Who would that be? Then imagine you could add another. Who would that be? Keep going until you feel you have a natural stopping point.
Notice the community of others that you see and desire to be in your immediate world.
Consider these questions:
What is it about these ones that I choose to imagine them connected with me?
What are the shared qualities and experiences that bring us together?
How do these others bring out the best in me?
How do these relationships hold me more in this world?
What can I do to give back and show appreciation for these relationships?
Part three: Me in the world
Now we are going to expand our sense of connection to all. We will come from the other end of the perspective.
Firstly for this part of the practice it is best to be in a place where there are lots of people. The more noises, sounds, movements the better. The more representation as possible of others in all shapes, sizes etc if also great.
As much as possible ensure that you run through the clearing and anchoring of your energy as mentioned above before engaging.
This part of the practice is to notice everyone without judgement, criticisms, evaluation, assessment. Simply notice each person as a fellow human being travelling on the earth at this time with you. Most likely the people you see are to you all strangers. You may see a familiar face. You might even encounter a person you know. Be prepared for that encounter should that occur.
Assuming you are seeing people you do not know simply observe.
Consider the following
Notice how many people you see.
Notice the different characteristics and observable attributes.
Notice the energy.
Then reflect on the fact that each of these people is also a unique individual just like you. Consider how each might have gone in doing the first two exercises of ‘Just me’ and ‘Me plus more’ that you did above. If they are strangers reflect on how they did not cross into your circle nor your likely theirs. You are living breathing beings sharing the same part of the earth but still do not know each other.
Now expand out your awareness to imagine the people that each of these people are connected to and how that expands. It goes beyond this immediate physical location. It goes beyond this geography of town, city, state, country. Each person you see in this moment is connected to people all over the planet.
See each person as a circle of connections overlapping and linking to other circles of connections.
Notice how you fit in. What are your connections? Where are your overlaps? How do you connect and expand your self across your town, city, state, country, planet.
This is far more than a database of contacts on a social media platform or a game of six degrees of separation. This is real life crossing of points of humanity. You are connected to others in this world more than you could imagine. This is more than the six degrees of connection too. This is about sharing and feeling your sense of humanity with others as a human being.
Now bring this together
Consider you alone – your uniqueness in this world.
Consider you plus more – how you intentionally co-create communities around you
Consider you in the world – how you exist as one of many on this planet.
You are a unique human being who is sharing this world with many other human beings. Your presence is of value and important to a part of this world. Your impact and connection to the ones you do know goes far beyond what you know. Without even realising it your existence makes a contribution in some way to the rest of the world just by being you.
If you do not believe this then ask yourself why?
If you do believe this then ask yourself why?
Enjoy!