“ANOTHER violent attack, this time in Manchester!??!!!” I hope the person sitting across from me devouring his breakfast croissant couldn’t hear my barely disguised “WTF Holy Spirit!!???!!!!” as I read the news on my phone. I was glad I had time to sit there and take it in. I had the time for the shock, the horror, the disbelief and the never-ending “WHY????!!!” to surface one after another until I felt like I was going to throw up. I asked 20 versions of “What can we DO about this terrible violence??” Somehow “fighting back” felt very much like pouring gasoline on a raging forest fire. What I really want to know is how can we intensely love and accept one another live and in person so much that those (and I include my self at this very moment for my shock and horror makes me very combustible) who feel blowing each other up is their only recourse? How do we deal with invisible, deep thought-cancer clusters of hate, terror and fear? How can this go on???
At this point I was beside myself with rage of HOW/WHY we cannot let go of this terrible line accusation, hate, retaliation cycle?
I SURRENDER.
Is it all about stopping the violence in our own lives? the judgment, criticisms, the attacks of self doubt and racism, the denial, the ignoral, disassociation, revenge and retribution, the petty law suits, the criticism-as-pathway-to-change?
What is violence? The dictionary tells me it is “swift and intense force; rough or injurious physical force, action or treatment; an unjust or unwarranted exertion of force or power as against rights or laws; rough or immoderate vehemence as in feeling or language.” Vehemence is of course “zealous, ardent, impassioned, strongly emotional and characterized by rancor or anger”
This struck me as such a deeply intense combination of anger and fear so volatile it exploded.
Finally the Holy Spirit spoke from deep within my heart.
Violence is a broken plea, a raucous shout, a bleeding demand, a last ditch desperation, begging to be heard. Instead of shouting back enraged in order to STOP THE VIOLENCE, why don’t we…………..
L.I.S.T.E.N.
Listen for the still, small voice.
Listen to the bitter desperation in our wife’s voice as she asks you to slow down.
Listen to the anxious, monotonous please of your children to “Play with me Mommy!”
Listen to the trees and birds and sunshine.
Listen to your own heart.
They are shouting because we will not listen.
We will not listen because of the terrible heartbreaking din of the cries for wholeness.
Where does it end?
Where can peace begin?
Peace. Real, lasting, infinite, precious peace begins within.
When you hear of another shocking, terrible act of violence, know this is our collective soul calling for LOVE.
Where can you extend love instead of hurry? Peace instead of discord? Welcome instead of distrust? Pause instead of mindlessly pushing ahead?
This is OUR problem my precious ones–not Muslim versus Christian, not ISIS versus the world, not rich versus poor.
This is OUR HEART calling to US in order that we STOP and LISTEN.
Where can you cultivate stillness in your life? how can you practice reverent listening in your day to day living?
Imagine the healing power of collective, hand in hand, heart to heart reverent L.I.S.T.E.N.I.N.G., what might we hear?
The first thing you will hear is the sound of your own heart breaking………….open.
Imagine your thoughts as precious children you have been ignoring.
Fear not this place of uncertainty, this unlittered lawn of lush verdant grass. Allow the emptiness for a moment and do not be afraid. When thoughts of hurry and grandeur rush out onto the lawn of listening, just notice the movement, rhythm, stumbling and intensity of the thoughts. Notice these precious thoughts of yours as if they were children you have been ignoring up to now–they are yours to bless, notice, let go of, appreciate or act on. The more you choose to be aware of the creative raucousness within your own mind the more you, yourself will finally desire peace. Only peace will allow the true power and creativity of your thoughts to prosper.
Peace is not what you get the enemy to do, it is what you yourself are willing to do.
Will you listen?
Will you go within to hear your own heart? There you will indeed find out exactly what you can do to promote peace. Inner peace is what will determine world peace.
You are the world my precious one, you are the presence of peace that is needed right now.
What can you do to stop the violence?
Stop. Breathe. Listen.
Go within. There is the still small voice that has had to grow to a roar that you will hear.
Will you listen?
Can you hear me my darling one?
I AM calling to you. Open your heart and let me out.
Your heart wants to love.
Your heart wants peace.
Your heart knows the way.
Your heart is already connected to all that you seek.
Dearest children of my Heart, let us listen to one another even as we enter the Stillness to hear our heart.
Let’s listen together.
Let’s love together.
Let peace reign together.
NOW.
Beautiful, Eva. Thank you. The moment I heard this horrible news, I not only prayed for the families and the people of Manchester, but for the bomber’s family, especially his mom. I think every new mom has amazing dreams and hopes for her child. Maybe not, but I’m hoping so. I do know, from working with and counseling teens and adults, everyone desires love…from the moment we can first remember.
Oh Kitty, this is so true we do “desire love from the moment we can first remember”. Perhaps this is the unintended gift of terrorism is that it actually immediately connects us to the awareness that we do, indeed, desire love. Thanks always for reading, xoxo
Absolutely beautiful. Your perspective is a wash of goodness over my soul and I am determined to send this LOVE out into the world. Thank you for sharing the voice. We need it, we need it louder and stronger and as often as possible. xxoo So grateful for your gifts of writing and more.
Dearest Jen, you always remind me of how terribly important each and every one of our gifts are. The phrase that will nourish me this week will be yours: “a wash of goodness”. Thank you and BIG love, xoxo
Thank you Eva Lisle for another wonderful blog. Love and fear must co-exist in order to facilitate healthy relationships with ourselves and others. The key is self-awareness, which I see as a commitment (e.g. a process, not a goal) to co-evolution and agency at three levels of being: our relationship with our physical self – our body and health; our relationship with our personal values and identity); and our relationship with the spiritual inter-connectedness of humanity. Only then can the “what” and the “how” co-exist peacefully in perpetuity for a sustainable, balanced, and Whole future. Our “why”, therefore, is a good measure of the discomfort we personally carry in the battleground of love and fear.
Nicci! This comment is full of goodies on every level. “Love & fear must co-exist in order to facilitate healthy relationships with our self & others” , “self-awareness as a commitment”, “co-evolution”!! I wish we could site on your porch with a giant pot of tea and discuss. Thank you so much for reading and sharing….love you heaps xoxo