Tension is the feeling of standing between heaven and ground, the space which all beings occupy. There will forever be tension here, the pull of the planet’s gravity versus the siren call of the wild blue yonder, the elements of earth and air.

When humans acknowledge the tension of simply existing, they can actively use it to benefit all of life. When they try to deny or disregard it, then tension is embodied and causes strife.

Your neck and shoulders: what are they rejecting?

Tension does not have to end in explosions. We would like to make that perfectly clear. Sometimes it’s fun to blow off steam, but only if the steam does not burn you.

Tension is the pull of the polarities, the moon and sun, the time and tide of life on this dear planet that gives you so much. It is the quality that allows the bug to skate on water. It is the element that keeps the boulders up the hill.

You can rely on the tension of gravity to keep you in your place. When you defy the tension you can grow stronger, through stretching, and lifting, and running and jumping in place.

But know what it is that you play with, so you explore tension with respect. Be aware of the tension of anger, of sorrow, of fear, and the tension of happiness and love, the potential for bursting with the tension of news unshared. Please be aware.

And then comes the moment of death: tension dissolves, no longer holding you upright, no longer keeping the soul attached to the bones of the body at all. Finally, relaxed. ❀

Truth, if you let yourself know it, is the thing that sings in your blood. It is knowing what is resonant, and the compassion to use it. Truth is not blind following, nor static, nor even always just. But it is, it exists, and you know it. The job is to stay in its light.

There is a song of truth, beyond ideas; the melody is a simple one. As more voices and instruments are added, it becomes the symphony of life.

Now it is true there are falsehoods, also, and these can mute the sound. You know the false note when it rings out, and you know – if you investigate – whether or not it had cause. Sometimes a thing is false by omission, or ignorance not yet healed. Sometimes a falsehood behaves like truth when further information has yet to be revealed. But truth in its naked glory, a sobering sight to behold, will have acres of space and light abounding and cannot be misunderstood.

It’s OK if you told a lie sometimes, but don’t pretend it is true. Everyone is false now and then, out of fear, or hunger, or trying to survive. But be truthful with yourself. Do not try to hide. Lying to yourself is the fast way down to destruction of body/mind/heart. You know, do you not, when you lie to yourself, you become the least trustworthy being around?

You deserve wholeness, you deserve love. You can only receive what you’ve made space for. When you lie it blocks your receptors, and then the world starts to shrivel and twist. After a while you are lost to yourself, and to others, a miserable way to exist.

You are, in fact, a beacon. You shine the light of your essence out into the world. There is truth in your existence that you may be unaware of, but that does not mean it is false. Ignorance, in this case, is no joy.

Consider this: a young child, a small animal, a bird – are they not true in the world? Do they not deserve pleasure, not pain? Do they deserve safety and love? The truth is that everyone here has a purpose, and everyone is trying to get by. There is much to contend with in the material world, and it can never be wholly understood.

But here you are, like everything else, a being of light and love, of damage and pain, of reality. Here you are, truth be told, spirit in material form, doing the best you can in an impossible situation. But you persist.

Respect your truth. Be resonant with truth. Seek truth at every turn. And know this: Truth is the path to everywhere, this path forever yours. ❀

To rest is to draw into yourself all the resources and energy you have been expressing out into the world. It is to take a period of time out of time, and space out of place, and withdraw what is generally given out.

When the body or the mind or the spirit fatigues, some people try to push on. Which is an interesting thing if you think about it. Like trying to drive a car without power or fuel. Even getting out to push the beast to the final destination, instead of crawling into the back seat for a nap, or waiting for the day to break so you can see what you’re doing, or waiting for help to arrive.

It is not necessary at every moment of every day to be moving forward. It is not a requirement that all the action you take be under your own steam. Sometimes it’s the better part of valor to ask for help, and then accept it when it arrives.

If you don’t know where to seek help, that is a useful meditation to have with yourself. Maybe write a list of ten places and people from whom you could seek assistance. If you don’t know how to receive help, this is as good a time as any to begin to learn. It is a skill, after all. It is a skill everyone needs. Nothing gets done in pure solitude, not really. So, resting in your efforts is mandatory.

Confront your fear of being lazy. There is a false equivalency between resting and lazing. Also, there is nothing wrong with lazing. But resting is purposeful in the accomplishment of your life. (OK, lazing is, too. Everything has a place.) You will not get as far as you think without resting. It is the reconstitution of the dried-out tissues of your soul. It is the rejuvenation of the skin of your being and the organs deep within, which keep you going. Is your fear of laziness and judgment greater than your longing for health and well-being?

Nobody ever exhausted themselves into better health. May we say, while we’re at it, that of course effort is called for in living your life, doing your work, loving yourself and others? May we say that at times great effort is required, to meet a deadline or launch a task, or even just to get through a day? Effort is not an objective measure; therefore, neither is rest. Both are required for function. Ask yourself, perhaps, why would you skimp on or sacrifice half of this equation? ❀