hold on & let go: which part don’t you understand?

Here’s the mantra for these paradoxical times: Hold On & Let Go!

If you’ve been carrying a dream, vision, or plan for what seems like an eternity, and you’re feeling worn out, exhausted, or experiencing a few minor twangs of hopelessness, Hold On!

On the other hand, if you’re glued to an outmoded idea or mental construct that no longer nourishes, feeds, or exhilirates you, then by all means, Let Go!

The trick is to do both at the same time.

Hold on to the energy; let go of the form. Hold on to the intention; let go of the details. Hold on to what matters most deeply to you; let go of the extraneous detritus that clings to you like hitchhiker burrs on fuzzy socks.

Say What?

Example: I left Colorado yesterday after finding a rideshare on craigslist. Something told me it was time to get to Utah and plant seeds for Magdalena’s Well, a sanctuary for women and children in transition that I first mentioned here in a post entitled eldorado, texas: i will not listen to intellectual arguments.

A friend drove 150 miles round-trip to pick me up at an Interstate-70 exit and take me to an area that I consider my “hearthome.” For reasons that go far beyond personal or family history, this is the place on Earth where I (so far) feel most at home, where I clearly can see creating Magdalena’s Well and living out my days.

I have held onto the vision for about 6 years, and it only grows stronger. That’s the Hold On! part. I see land, I see animals, I see flowers and bees and gardens, and a variety of handmade structures that rely on sustainable energy sources. I see creation and community, I see healing and transformation, and I see the embodiment of new ways of living together that honor the whole and every individual facet contained therein.

What I do not see in front of me right this moment are legal, financial, operational, and regulatory considerations. That’s the Let Go! part. I know each and every detail will come together in its time, in its own way — and any efforts I might make to push, contrive, accelerate, or overmanage the process, will only serve to muck up a perfectly unfolding picture.

A friend of mine is enjoying similar circumstance. After 5+ years of envisioning a small storefront offering yoga, natural food products, homebaked goods, art, gifts, books, etc., she is now bringing her vision to fruition. (Hold On!) The flyers are out, the posters are posted — and she’s opening in a week. Offers of merchandise, services, collaborations, contributions, and gifts are flowing in from everywhere — and while she maintains a list of a few key details, she has the awareness to step out of the way without being locked into any concretized standard operating procedure. (Let Go!)

If you’re continuing with jobs, relationships, living situations, goals, or ideas that make you miserable, Let Go! If you find yourself continually drawn toward the light of a picture that was planted in your heart long ago, Hold On! Take any and every tiny step that appears in front of you, whether it makes sense or seems to fit or is a different shade than you have envisioned all along. You haven’t been making it up all these years!

Hold On and Let Go and Let Go and Hold On! If you need assistance, check out some of the folks on my Blogroll in the right-hand sidebar. Or, let me know what’s standing in your way, and I’ll be happy to share some ideas and suggestions.

I’ve got red rocks to hold onto! and a computer keyboard to let go of! More later…