It seems to me that the pursuit of coherence is heightened by the great paradoxes and apparent opposites of our present world. Knowing about social division and unfairness, the distortion of political interests and extremism, the depredation of nature and the environment, all seem to demonstrate how the systems we are a part of, are deeply compromised. We are continually invited and lured, to watch, listen and read about the innumerables ways must act, respond and commit to if we want human and natural life to subsist in the near future.

A call for discernment, action and mindful reflection. There in an inherent tension that resides in holding a innate desire and longing for beauty, justice, peace, love, connection, the opportunity for growth and development that is contrasted with a reality filled with what seems to be the opposite of these qualities.

We often relate to the chaos born out of conflicting information with confusion, fear and anxiety. We can take thoughtless actions with the sole purpose of avoiding the stress of these feelings, because the spin of our reality goes out further and beyond what we think we can face. We can choose to deny the pain and intensity by avoiding it altogether, because the task of figuring out the layers of the discomfort feels insurmountable. Many of us commit to sustainable actions that often seem to be tiny drops in an ocean of need, yet they offer a sense of meaning and purpose to every action and commitment to support Life.

I believe that we are active participants of the reality we live in, by choice, by ignorance, by leniency, by action and its absence. I know we are powerful creators and the 'truths' we hold have significant impact on our life and the world. I also find that The Great Encompassing Truth exceeds our limited human understanding, it is greater that we are. Making sense and attempting to discern with our mind and heart all the contradictions, the paradoxes and the imbalances of our reality seems to be a task we must relinquish to something greater than ourselves.

The spiritual journey leads us to confront and question our 'truths', what we were taught, what our family and culture value, who we believe we are and are meant to be, and more importantly how this relates to the whole. We need to ask ourselves if our perception of the 'truths' we hold today, is sustainable in our present reality. As we choose to embrace a human and spiritual journey it seems impossible to deny the call to widen our capacity to tolerate discomfort and fear, the sense of loss and despair and the cry for change, they are constant life companions.

Joseph Campbell research on the Power of Myth and The Stages of Faith by James Fowler, have been instrumental in the relief I have felt knowing that, as much as we have a curve of development as humans, we can also develop as a spiritual beings throughout our lifetime. Studying powerful archetypes can significantly add to a sense of congruency and well being in this time of great dissonance, helping us to resist the temptation of separating even more, from what we find overwhelming, threatening, offensive, destructive, unreliable and doomed.

I find that the spiritual 'truths' we picked, practiced and learned throughout our life deserve to be looked at and pondered upon with attentive hearts, minds and spirit. Are they big enough for our present need for coherence? Is our spiritual myth -or sacred story- big and powerful enough to hold the pain of extremes, the rage of injustice, the uncertainty of the future, the fear of death and destruction?Can we find comfort in the intimate prayer we cultivate as we face the unknown? Does it allow us to surrender to greater forces, as we actively seek to live in full presence and mindfulness? I trust it is worth our time to read, research and actively find the meaning and purpose of the spirit of life itself, because we are its embodiment.

This is my choice. To practice the art of surrendering to what is greater than I, while committing to the practice of life. Growing my capacity to tolerate the discomfort I feel as I make the best choices I can along the way. My thought is that we can responsibly develop an intimacy in our spirituality, we can practice it by choosing values, beliefs and actions that are embedded in powerful myths based on an ancient human search for equilibrium of body and soul, light and darkness, faith and despair, war and peace.

I trust we are successful when we are able to co-exist and creatively relate with the most inconvenient feelings and thoughts while finding peace, connection, hope, joy within life as we know it. I envision us developing a spirituality big enough to foster a respectful mutuality, voluntarily including the 'other-ness' of ourselves and the world because there is enough space for it in our comprehension of the spiritual nature of our crazy and beautiful reality.