
fireworks at midnight on Tybee Island Jan.1,2013
Laying on our backs on the beach as Light falls into our chests and rattles our bones,once again, I realize awe is a state to visit as much as possible while we are having a human experience. I never tire of the feeling of being communicated with by Light that seems to have ever so much to say, explosion after explosion.
So that was last night. Today, at high noon, it is polar plunge time again as the islanders where I live line up ready for the charge. Once again it is me and my daughter-in-law Stephanie in the front ranks. Once the chaos begins, there is only awareness of delicious sharing of insanity. Yes, the water is cold, but adrenalin is high and immunizes. For a short couple of minutes, the cold registers, but then, the body adapts. After that, for Steph and me anyhow, we could stay forever. Mama Ocean is blessing our bones, the ones that got rattled by all the booming sounds the night before.
This year, there was a slightly new addition to this yearly ritual for me. I did not have my swim cap on and apparently, without realizing it, lost a lot of body heat that way. Being in the water, no problem. After 20 minutes I got an inner prompting maybe going back on land would be good. Steph and I were virtually alone by that time, and, the sun was not out.
Once on land, I had about two hours of an experience I can only describe as going down the rabbit hole. I would love to describe what it was like as I was aware of things normally far outside my range. It is like discovering your car has a whole new gear you did not know was there. In this gear, so many things were possible that I now know are part of our human repertoire to come. My vision was telescoping like crazy. Everything I felt, I felt so intensely it was like my body was way too insufficient to handle but I could feel all these adjustments being made in my neurology so that I can integrate this level of energy much better in the future. Every conceivable emotion stormed through me, and awareness heaped upon awareness overtook. I desperately wanted to share what was happening with my marvelous helpers, Steph and Shyler and Laurel but language was inadequate to the task. I kept feeling, if only others could see this, know this, experience this. Now that I am out of what was likely a hypothermic state, I realize everyone is going to have the exact experiences they need on their own.
My caretakers got me home, into a hot tub, eating warm food, and gave me space to ride out what was running through me at high speed. I am so grateful for that level of love and care. In the state I was in, receiving love felt like the best life has to offer.
So what do I make of all this? Right now, I am in a place of "I don't know" so far as drawing any hard, fast conclusions. But what I do know is #1 - the experience was a privilege and #2 - it shifted me in some kind of fundamental way and # 3 - Love is a force in the Universe. Now you and I both have known that already, right? But there is knowing, and there is KNOWING.
I have a feeling 2013 is going to be something I would call "2012 Applied". We have during 2012 been being prepared to do so much, know so much, experience so much, create so much, and we don't even know the extent of it yet. But experiences like I had today are going to show up so that more and more of us start dropping limitations like a dog shaking off water. And we are safe, and more importantly, we are loved. Greatly loved. About time we realized that.
So that was last night. Today, at high noon, it is polar plunge time again as the islanders where I live line up ready for the charge. Once again it is me and my daughter-in-law Stephanie in the front ranks. Once the chaos begins, there is only awareness of delicious sharing of insanity. Yes, the water is cold, but adrenalin is high and immunizes. For a short couple of minutes, the cold registers, but then, the body adapts. After that, for Steph and me anyhow, we could stay forever. Mama Ocean is blessing our bones, the ones that got rattled by all the booming sounds the night before.
This year, there was a slightly new addition to this yearly ritual for me. I did not have my swim cap on and apparently, without realizing it, lost a lot of body heat that way. Being in the water, no problem. After 20 minutes I got an inner prompting maybe going back on land would be good. Steph and I were virtually alone by that time, and, the sun was not out.
Once on land, I had about two hours of an experience I can only describe as going down the rabbit hole. I would love to describe what it was like as I was aware of things normally far outside my range. It is like discovering your car has a whole new gear you did not know was there. In this gear, so many things were possible that I now know are part of our human repertoire to come. My vision was telescoping like crazy. Everything I felt, I felt so intensely it was like my body was way too insufficient to handle but I could feel all these adjustments being made in my neurology so that I can integrate this level of energy much better in the future. Every conceivable emotion stormed through me, and awareness heaped upon awareness overtook. I desperately wanted to share what was happening with my marvelous helpers, Steph and Shyler and Laurel but language was inadequate to the task. I kept feeling, if only others could see this, know this, experience this. Now that I am out of what was likely a hypothermic state, I realize everyone is going to have the exact experiences they need on their own.
My caretakers got me home, into a hot tub, eating warm food, and gave me space to ride out what was running through me at high speed. I am so grateful for that level of love and care. In the state I was in, receiving love felt like the best life has to offer.
So what do I make of all this? Right now, I am in a place of "I don't know" so far as drawing any hard, fast conclusions. But what I do know is #1 - the experience was a privilege and #2 - it shifted me in some kind of fundamental way and # 3 - Love is a force in the Universe. Now you and I both have known that already, right? But there is knowing, and there is KNOWING.
I have a feeling 2013 is going to be something I would call "2012 Applied". We have during 2012 been being prepared to do so much, know so much, experience so much, create so much, and we don't even know the extent of it yet. But experiences like I had today are going to show up so that more and more of us start dropping limitations like a dog shaking off water. And we are safe, and more importantly, we are loved. Greatly loved. About time we realized that.