And the Call Goes Out
February 5, 2010
by Keith Caplin
Yesterday was a very magical day for many reasons. First and foremost, I was alive and healthy. Every morning I am thankful and grateful that I have the day, whatever it may produce; at least I have the gift of the day. But this day was the second Saturday of the month, which means that it was Circle day. I facilitate a talking circle on the second Saturday of the month. It always proves to be a very enlightening experience and is something that I always look forward to. However, today’s circle was going to be different because a friend made the suggestion that we road trip to Sedona and hold Circle there. I was all for it, what an amazing idea. Sedona is known for its very spiritual nature. It is a VERY easy place to lose yourself in the energy of the land. To try and describe it in words would not do it justice, so I won’t even try. Let’s just say it is an amazing place.
Where in this amazing place should we pick to hold Circle? Well again Spirit stepped in via a suggestion from a friend. Why don’t you go to the Stupa in Sedona he said? I had never heard of this place with all the times that I have been there. A Stupa is a symbol of enlightenment and is one of the oldest icons in Buddhist art. Not only are they symbols of art, they are also holy monuments fill with Buddhist relics as well as other holy items. They are designed to emanate blessings and peace for the world. What a great place to hold Circle, so off we went.
What an amazingly peaceful place that welcomed us. It was more than we could have imagined. We allowed ourselves to be guided to the space to sit and hold Circle. For those of you unfamiliar with a talking circle, in a nut shell, it is a space that allows you to really “talk” and to even more so “listen” to what your brothers and sisters have to say. It is a place that allows you to really explore those areas of yourself that most people don’t feel comfortable exploring. It is a safe place of non-judgment and acceptance. It is a sacred and magical space to be in. This circle was joined by the ravens flying by as well as humming birds, we were even joined by a small gathering of javelina (if you don’t know what they are look them up).
So why share all this with you? Well that is two fold. First of which would be to share the magic of the situation itself. It was truly a special moment in time. In addition, it was amazing how synchronous peoples lives have been with regards to what has been happening in their lives and the thoughts people have been having. That is probably one of the things about holding Circle that still amazes me. The second reason would be the feeling of the need to gather.
The call has been put out for people to gather. The time of doing things in isolation has passed. It has served it purpose to allow us to find ourselves and gain a sense of “self” in the big world. This is something that is very important if we are to evolve and move on as an “awake” species that is part of the global community that includes all life on the planet, not just life that walks on two legs. It isn’t by chance that you found this Web site and are reading my words and thoughts; you were looking for something, something bigger. You heard the Call, the Call to gather. You are searching for others that feel the way you feel. For myself, I have for so long felt like I was the only one that really felt the way I did. I am quickly learned that this is not the case. There are MANY people feeling their way through this thing we call life. Guess what? You don’t have to do it alone anymore. The Call has been put out by the Universe and we have heard it, welcome to the world of the “awake.”
Ok so we have heard the call, so now what do we do. Well that is the hard part (for some). We trust that The Universe will bring things to us that will help us, the trick is that you need to be an “ACTIVE PARTICIPANT” in your life, and for some this is hard to do. What this means is that we need to keep our eyes open and be in the present while we are living our lives. A perfect example could be that if at Circle we were so focused on the Stupa that we would have missed the ravens, humming birds and javelina. So many other subtle messages were present; we just needed to have the eyes to see them. We need to see the big picture, it is time to toss off the blinders that we have on and actually see and even more so FEEL the world around us. Be aware of the opportunities that present themselves even in the most insignificant way. For myself, I had to retrain myself to actually stop every once in a while and just “sit in stillness” and find my center. Even if it is just to take a few deep breaths and quiet myself during the busy work day.
It always surprises me when I am with people the things that they don’t notice that I do and visa versa. We all have our strengths and it is time to gather and share what we know with each other. We have each had our own personal experiences and lessons in life that we can share with others. We are no longer in a world where we can do it alone. We have to gather and work as a community. The power that is created when people gather with a common focus has been known throughout history. When I sit with my friends and just enjoy their company I walk away feeling bigger and more than I was before we sat and enjoyed each others company. By coming together in community we get to see each other as the unique set of personal experiences we really are. It isn’t about who knows more or whose life is better or worse, it is about gathering as a community and how that feeds our soul. We are all unique and the terms better and worse are all relative and really have no meaning. They are terms used by our ego to keep us from being the best we can be. It is time for a shift in how we view ourselves. It is time for a shift in how we are doing things. It is time for use to listen to our soul instead of our egos. You have not lived your friends’ life, but you can share what you have learned in yours which is just as valuable. Our souls have been starving for that heart connection with others. Our souls have been craving that sense of community, being part of something much larger. The Call has been placed and you have heard it, now what are you planning to do?