Today in Toronto it’s the 2019 Pride Parade, organized by Pride Toronto with the goal to “create a space for the current and future generations to express who they truly are.”
Expression can happen alone. But where expression allows for connection and the possibility of acceptance and celebration is when it happens out in the world.
That’s where things can get iffy. We’ve all seen the impacts of isolation, exclusion and hatred in the world.
So here’s a question for you. Think of a time that you noticed a feeling arising within yourself that unfamiliar. Just notice it and then come back to this. What do you notice about how you responded within yourself?
Seems like a weird question to ask?
Here’s why it’s useful to contemplate.
Across a number of spiritual and religious practices, there is a common idea that what happens on the inside or on a smaller scale, is what happens on the outside or on a larger scale.
- Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “As above, so below”? Or perhaps you’ve heard of, “As within, so without”.
- If you’ve come from a Christian/Catholic background you may have heard of “as the water face reflects the face, so the heart of a person reflects the person.”
- For those from a Hermetic/Qabalah practice, you may be familiar with the ideas of the Microcosm and the Macrocosm.
All of these sayings and concepts get at the idea that what happens in small moments or in small interactions gets magnified in the larger moments and larger interactions. And the other way around.
Coming back to why it’s possible that this may matter for you.
While many societies have been making progress on diversity and inclusion, I think we would all agree that there is still so much room to grow for all of us across the globe.
And is it possible that by being more inclusive, welcoming, and curious with our own inner thoughts, emotions, observations and experiences, we can create a world that reflects just that?
In elementary school, I sang in the choir, and one concert, we sang this song called Let There Be Peace On Earth by Harry Connick, Jr.
Looking back, I can see it’s an idea that I didn’t fully understand at the time. I thought maybe it meant everyone was supposed to just be really nice and never fight or ever experience conflict, even though that didn’t really seem right.
Because even racism, homophobia and other abuses and hatred can still exist in an environment like that, right?
These days, I’m increasingly recognizing the value of creating and celebrating a more inclusive, welcoming and curious nature within myself, toward myself.
As we welcome diversity and inclusion within ourselves, think of how that could spill out to our interactions with the rest of the world.
Acorn + Burdock
Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.
Happy Pride!
This is a safe space that is inclusive of all sexual and gender identities.