I hadn’t planned to write today, but the larger forces brewing compelled me to stop and send this message.  In the eye of a tornado, is a place of calm.  At the bottom of a churning sea, there is stillness.  Within us all, is a centering place of peace, where turbulence cannot be felt.

I groggily emerged from my bedroom this morning from intense dreams that lingered around me like a fog, was immediately presented with a mauled hawk wing (a sacred and irreplaceable tool in my work) that my roommate’s cat had found despite my efforts to conceal it, received a last minute cancellation from the client I had prepared the space for that was the reason the wing was there in the first place, and erupted in reactive anger at a perfect-storm-moment, when all of the above transpired simultaneously and the words “they’re just being cats” triggered me.

After a few moments behind closed doors, I witnessed an uncannily speedy assessment process unfold as soon as I sat down and had one second of willingness to release the anger.  Seemingly separated parts of myself began quickly calculating:  “I’m angry, I don’t want to be angry, I have a reason to be angry, blame blame blame, shit…, please help me, what would You have me do?”

Within seconds, I heard the instruction to forgive, and I responded.  I forgave myself, and I forgave those involved.  I went to my housemate to apologize for my behavior, and listened as she explained her own trigger reaction.  We hugged, acknowledged that we never intended to hurt one another, and I made us lattes.

In all of five to ten minutes, the tornado had passed.  Shortly after, I heard from several clients and friends that they were also experiencing unstable emotions; were reactive and having difficulty getting grounded and finding a focus. It brought to mind the intense experiences we are collectively sharing – such as the recent mass murdering of innocent children in an elementary school – and the sharpened awareness that we are in times of planetary movement and energetic momentum that are greatly affecting us all.

I take heart knowing that my dedication to a spiritual practice afforded me the ability to more quickly eliminate the discord I was generating today, and I offer it as a reminder that we each have that power.  Everything taking place in our lives, from the seemingly insignificant to the more obviously meaningful, offers the chance to escalate the darkness or reach for the light of consciousness to embody another choice; a higher choice; a choice of unity born of love and forgiveness.

We are days away from Winter Solstice, December 21, 2012….. a day of planetary and galactic alignment that can be the threshold place.  The eye of the storm where, from our centering place of stillness, we determine whether we will continue to be part of the destructive forces of life, or part of a peaceful, harmonious world of possibility.  What a profound opportunity we have to consider, and what a powerful choice we have to make!

May we have the courage and intelligence to use every portal offered, to make the choices that bless the world and bring forth the miracles this holiday season is all about.

Blessings and Gratitude to you All,

Nancy