Open and release

When being so open to the universe and to all that is around one, it is important to remember that not everyone has the same intentions, goals, desire or insight that another might. When I began as a bodyworker, I often forgot to set up barriers. Barriers that would block out negativity and allow me to remember to separate myself from opposition and force me to be sucked into the negativity or allow situations I viewed as negative to consume myself.

I would find myself staying hours past my shift at a the rehab hospital counseling families and listening to their struggles, which were extremely real. I suspect that this service was helpful to them, but it was beyond my role and beyond what my mind or body could handle. The people I was with were not particularly negative, but the combination of their struggles collectively consuming my life was a negative experience and hence my output was not impeccable. It did not take long for me to realize this situation was toxic.

As much as we are all one with the universe and one with each other, we do not all process together or experience together. We have to respect each other’s journeys, experiences, perspectives and be able to meet somewhere in between.

As I have begun this opening process, I realized immediately after my first post that I was so much more open, but I almost immediately also realized I was more vulnerable and more susceptible to placing myself into a situation that compromises my goals for full presence. I needed to call my own attention to remaining grounded and allowing negativity that was not mine to own, to pass by.

Honestly, I am impressed with the growth over time that I have made. In many ways, my current job is more emotionally taxing with much greater responsibility to families and children, but I am able to keep healthy boundaries so that I can help them to my absolute best. I am also grateful that I was able to recognize when the barriers came down and I began to open myself up, that I still needed to be aware of what was happening around me and to not allow myself to move toward the negativity. And when I did, I realized how simple it was to release myself from the bounds I created based on others.

Today I have included a video of the song “I shall be released” as I feel it accurately represents part of what I felt during my releasing process. This performance was created for the “to write love on her arms” concert series. Their cause is beautiful and is one I connect to on many levels.

Today is the day… open yourself and release

I Shall Be Released

They say ev’rything can be replaced
Yet ev’ry distance is not near
So I remember ev’ry face
Of ev’ry man who put me here
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released

They say ev’ry man needs protection
They say ev’ry man must fall
Yet I swear I see my reflection
Some place so high above this wall
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released

Standing next to me in this lonely crowd
Is a man who swears he’s not to blame
All day long I hear him shout so loud
Crying out that he was framed
I see my light come shining
From the west unto the east
Any day now, any day now
I shall be released

Copyright ©1967, 1970 by Dwarf Music; renewed 1995 by Dwarf Music