Election Shock is here
And our 1-Day Post-Election Retreat is here for you
With the force of thunder the news of Trump’s election struck. Fortunately, we have scheduled a Post-election 1-Day Zoom retreat for Saturday, November 9.
I went to sleep last night not knowing who would win the election, though things were leaning towards Trump. I woke this morning and decided to wait a bit before finding out what happened.
I waited to get the news, was it Trump, or Kamala, or were we in for a fight over the results. I did not want to know just yet, so I could live a little while in the Not-Knowing. At first this will sound strange, but it can be good to be in Not-Knowing. In that mental state things are open. Unknown. Undecided. Taking action doesn’t make sense during this Not-Knowing, a time for action comes after I-Know. When I-know it is often clear what I need to do. Out of milk? Buy some. Harris elected? Feel things, call certain people, say certain things. Trump elected? Feel things, call certain people, say certain things.
But
in Not-Knowing I am forced just to sit with this sense. No actions to distract me :)
I had an opportunity for mindfulness.
So, I sat for 15 minutes before looking at the news. I sat still and noticed the stream of my awareness, my 5 senses, my thoughts, my emotions, my body, an impulse, whatever came to my attention. As something came to my attention I let it be. After awhile it was replaced with something else. Since I practice like this a lot I was able to do this without anxiety. After awhile I was calm, centered, aware, and awake. I felt happy to be alive. I opened the news, learned Trump won the presidency, Republicans won the Senate. I had a complex reaction: I was calm and at the same time felt traumatized, shocked. I sat for awhile more. Then I asked myself, what “right actions” are needed. For the immediate future, please read on. For the longer term….. that will take some more time to reflect.
Should I remind you about our Post-Election, 1-Day Zoom Retreat this Saturday?
Now a few hours have passed. I am glad we scheduled a 1-Day Post-Election Retreat/Respite for this Saturday on Zoom. I am ready to write to you. I am offering you a chance to sit with me, and my co-teacher Michelle Morrison, as we lead you through mindfulness meditations and other practices intended to aid you in adjusting to the new reality of our government.
You are invited to join us. Details of the Saturday 10-4 Zoom Retreat are here.
If you want to register immediately you can do that from the link above. You can also click for more about me, Donald Fleck, about Michelle Morrison, or for an overall picture of my work.
To browse and get to know the work of LearnMindfulnessNow through our writings you might just go to our blog, Mindblog.
May we all be awake, aware, and in balance enough to take good care of ourselves and others,
Donald
