On the day we spoke, Ratnadevi was preparing to move her mother into palliative care. And this was just one of the many relationships with impermanence in her life.
Together we are all facing some pretty significant encounters with impermanence. We have a climate crisis, the invasion in Ukraine, and we are in different phases of the pandemic. As we contemplated some of the darker scenarios for our planet and our people, I asked her, “Is it a wrong view to have hope? Is it wrong view to think that we might somehow find a way to move forward? Or that the earth might heal?”
She reminded me of the importance of making peace with the truth of how things are. And when we can establish this kind of peace, we can still live joyfully in the midst of everything that is going on. In order to reach this mindset, we do need to let go of our fear. To let go of our resistance to what may or may not happen. We are walking around with a sense of sorrow.
So many of us are in a state of grief, that we can say that there is a universal element to this pain.
Yes, we got a little dark. We did not leave it there. So do not be afraid to listen, because we did discuss the role of hope. And of moving forward.
Ratnadevi left us with a reminder to imagine deep compassion, that welcomes the sorrow. And to consider what the world would be like if it were to be covered in this all-encompassing compassion. The way to help create this world full of compassion. Go forward in the best way that you can. Find small achievable steps and take action.
Shortly after our discussion, Ratnadevi’s mother died. And now, the anticipated has become a reality and Ratnadevi continues moving forward, in her resolute and mindful manner. And as she does, please join me in wishing her peace and strength.
Visit Ratnadevi at her website: www.livingmindfulness.net
And purchase her recently released book, Bringing Mindfulness to Life here: https://playspacepublications.com/bringing-mindfulness-to-life/
And the music we listened to is Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzOmPUu-F_M