Forced Friction
I am of a utopian origin. Both the words ‘forced’ and ‘friction’ make me uncomfortable. I simply prefer to gaze at the miraculous beauty of wide open, cloudless, blue sky.
But life here on Gaia is dualistic; blue sky and forced friction coexist together in the same sentence, in the same moment, in the same breath.
My sister was kind enough to put the concept of forced friction into my speak, “Did you know that if you brush the tops of leggy seedlings with your fingers several times a day that the seedlings will develop thicker, stronger stems?”.
This really got me into pondering… deeply looking at so many of life’s situations…. and how adversity can offer opportunity as a catalyst for radical growth, rather than a hindering.
Martin Luther King Jr. has flown through my consciousness so many times over the last months. I think of all of the adversity that he was willing to transcend to complete his heart’s mission and his life’s work. Even when met with mountains of hate, anger, rejection, judgement… he still chose to respond in LOVE and continue moving forward.
When confronted with low frequency emotions, what happens if I choose to truly reflect back heartfelt compassion and love? In my experience, it yields exponential personal growth, centered-ness, and fertile soil for the impossible to manifest to possible.
A month ago, in Flood of the Heart, I cried over lavender (Lavandula stoechas) being ripped from her roots and drowned in the flood. One plant remained looking desolate. I am quite happy to report that she too has responded to the idea of forced friction. Two weeks after the flood, she gifted a single flower. And today, she is full of new growth and vibrancy- despite the fact she has been completely rearranged and is growing in a rather unique direction.
The constant is change. And adversity is not going to disappear. My choice is what to do with it. Do I chose to dig my heels into the mud, fold my arms across my chest, harden my heart, and shut down? Or do I choose to follow the example of dear lavender: allowing the flood to wash over me, willingly letting go of that which it demands, resting for moment, and then gathering the inspiration and tenacity to grow again- in a whole, new way.
To me, being alive is being willing to grow. In which direction is your heart begging YOU to grow?
This post was inspired by contemplation with my dear sister, Rachel. You can explore more of her journey on instagram: thesavageyogi
Kirsten Klaus is a certified Wisdom of the Earth Medicinal Aromatherapist and is available for consultations – pairing people with plants via single pure essences to support your spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.
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