On Immune Systems, Learning, and Love

Yes, there is a wisdom in this isn’t there. I’m grateful for this teaching that comes from teacher to one of my teachers.

And, oh dear…, this is life practice isn’t it. To give ourselves too exuberance. Or joy. Or wonder. There are times when I feel utterly at ease and in freedom to do so, as if the road map of life is made so clear by joy. There are times when I feel the struggle to see any of it, when I’m locked into path of fear and worry. Oh, how these cycle in so many of us.

In the last month, I’ve sought to revisit what rests underneath so much of the work that I do. That’s the facilitation. That’s the meeting design. That’s the coaching. That’s the deep reflection. I’ve loved using markers and flip chart paper to create a very messy and comprehensive adventure through my current mind and heart. In so doing, I found a set of two basics that I feel committed to cultivating.

Learning. Love.

Yes, I would suggest that these are universal and irrepressible desires. As complex as they are in expression and as complicated as they are in infinite varied circumstance, these are pretty good anchors and criteria to help guide what we do together. Personally. And yes, I believe these apply to team, community, and work circumstances.

Learning guides it all. Is there learning? What is the learning now? What are we coming to learn that might not be fully formed, but nonetheless is an important guide and marker? What are you learning about self? About other? About the longer arc of experience? About now, only this moment of awareness freed from obligation to other circumstance?

Love also guides, and yes, I would suggest that each of the questions above transpose to paralleled important questions. Is there love? What does love look like now? Is there love that guides us here? Love of self? Love of other? Love of a concept? Love of an experiment?

We — people, groups, communities — gain resilience when our offerings and our wonderings are routed in learning and love. Whatever processes we choose, or methodologies, or important information — when infused with an appreciation for learning and an anchoring in love, well, they just last longer and deeper.

And so, I continue to learn. Rather enthused by the clarity. Rather animated to continue inviting others to such journey.