When You Feel Powerless

There is much in life that can leave us feeling powerless. This meditation acknowledges that there are forces at work beyond our understanding and control, but it invites us to center and breathe amid the storm.

Transcript

Hey there.

Welcome to a hit of hope.

So a couple of nights ago there was nothing I could do but sit on my couch and watch.

It was a lesson in being.

A lesson in being a witness.

A witness to a world in which I had no say and no power.

I could only be present as the forces and energies roiled around me.

I sat.

I watched as lightning flicked night into day again and again like a kid playing with a light switch.

I sat and watched as the rain flew like bullets out of a pistol.

I sat and watched as the one-ton trailer got pushed from one end of the parking lot to the other like it was nothing more than a matchbox car to that 80 mile an hour wind.

Everything outside my windows was helpless in the face of that invisible force,

That unstoppable energy of storm.

I was watching the power of power.

And we know it when we see it.

Tornado.

Earthquake.

Tsunami.

Bull.

Rhino.

Elephant.

But as I sat and watched,

I also remembered the power of a lone mosquito in a tent.

The power of a hand to hurt and heal.

And then there's the power of yes.

The power of no.

The power of if.

And the power of in.

As in sitting still in the moment like I did as the world outside my windows trembled with an energy so beyond me I could barely breathe because of the awe I was feeling.

It was a radical display of gustor,

Which is my new word,

For any suddenly big and wild energy beyond my control or can.

So the world outside was gustering and I sat.

I was still and tender,

Available to the energies that have a power beyond me.

To the quiet.

The real.

And it's what can happen to any of us at any moment when we hold on to our center.

It's where we keep our light.

May you live light and shine.

Reviews

Another wonderful meditation from this teacher. Thank you for the reminder of the power of if, in, yes and no. Such short words but powerful if we have the courage to use them. Many thanks as always.

So helpful for our world today which is scary and makes no sense to me. Always happy to see a new talk from you.

I love the term “guster”! Works for both nature and people. Thank you and namaste’.

Always so great to hear your words of wisdom and reflection 🙏🏼

My young adult daughter experiences a lot of internal “guster”. Most of the time I can only bear witness to it, there is not much I can do to help. Your meditation is a helpful reminder to keep my internal light strong during these times. 💜

Thank you so much Betsy. What a treat to have 2 new pieces close together. Gustering is a wonderful word.
I feel strengthened anew with a lovely calmness and huge appreciation.