Free Them ♥️

With 4th of July weekend approaching, let’s discuss a few aspects of freedom, specifically those we don’t typically bring to our mind’s eye when that word is mentioned.

One of which is the idea of ONENESS and the collective compassion and responsibility we should hold for each other. As Einstein mentions in the quote added below, we delude ourselves to think that we are a separated entity, story or individuals from the WHOLE UNIVERSE and each other.

Essentially, our highest goal should be to create more and more expansive connections, widening the human circle to always feel the compassion and the connection we all inevitably hold. Separations destruct and imprison the FREEDOM to create, to serve, to grow, to evolve….to move the UNIVERSE’s STORY FORWARD!

As such, FREEDOM here will be considered as the aspiration to get out of our own little tunnel-visioned existence and into a giant, wide Human Flow!

In the past year, I was fortunate to meet with a special man, Tennyson Gross, who has founded the Institute For Nonviolence In Chicago, considering exactly the above; this separation of rich and poor, black and white, fortunate affluent neighborhoods, vs doomed, dangerous streets, could no longer exist.

In this center, members from the neighborhood, together with both professionals, paid and volunteers, create connections and healing from WITHIN. The idea that our city’s problems and pain can be AWAY FROM US, in some remote SOUTH and WEST, is a prison which will soon affect us all!

I go there, working with the team with whatever skills I have and I aspire to help more in the coming years. I refuse the isolation and the separation!!!

CAN YOU SMELL THE AIR COMING FROM CANADA…..ARE YOU THAT SEPARATED????

We read INTO THE MAGIC SHOP BY JAMES DOTY in class now, brought to my attention by a special student, I was also listening to Doty speak of his journey on a podcast discussing the importance of compassion. What comes mostly to mind and relates to what we discuss here, is the idea of “SELF MADE” and “WINNING SOME LOTTERY”. Doty claims that even for peeps who came from absolutely nothing as himself and many more we have read/heard about, the claim is flawed. No one is truly and fully self made….no one! We all have had at least one lottery ticket at least once, as he won RUTH and her kindness to give the skill and wisdom of meditation, asking for nothing in return and in doing so, changing Doty’s life forever!

I can speak volumes to that! Growing up in a very small, zero opportunity kind of town, I had the lottery ticket of amazing set of parents, older siblings that in time became mentors, one teacher who SAW me, then onward to friends, professors colleagues and more. One human lottery after the other and I’m rich beyond any imagination!

My personal aim in engaging in the Institute for Nonviolence, after listening to this podcast (Thanks H), is to create more lottery tickets to our brothers and sisters in the south, west and anywhere I’d be sent to, for years to come.

In many of these households, even the basic element of that amazing, legendary grandmother who raises the kids who’s parents are not around to raise, is gone….. the most basic human lottery ticket is in such scarce state…. mentor, one moment, one connection and….another amazing “SELF MADE” human is in the making.

In this upcoming day of freedom, I ask you to FREE THEM!!! Free someone from their story, from their pain, from their trauma, from their scars and from life VOIDED OF ANY TICKETS…. FREE THEM and…. FREE YOURSELF!!!

I first came to this country on the 3rd of July 1997, and moved back with my family on July 3rd, 2015. A coincidence???? I don’t think so. Freedom runs deep in this crazy Sagittarius bloodstream and my aim is to spread it as far and wide as I can.

I’m leaving you with this amazing organization’s website to first learn (first step away from separation) and second, to possibly add whatever “ticket” that may come to mind- THANK YOU! Institute for Nonviolence Chicago