Just Surviving

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 2 Comments

It’s really ok if at this point, you are simply surviving. If the only energy you have right now is to survive, you are not alone. Considering all we have been through as a collective, and all you have personally gone through, the fact that you are still alive, and breathing is a victory.

(Please seek medical attention if your survival is more about clinical depression than just this messed up world, and if you have any thoughts of self-harm, please get help immediately!)

The human experience is hard. For many, it seems the human experience keeps getting harder. It seems there is more violence, hatred, and division, and the things we once  took for granted are no longer.

We can no longer trust our governments (if we ever really could). Corporate greed is eating us alive. Those we once thought to be friends have fallen away. We’ve learned horrible things about each other and have seen humanity at its absolute worst.

We might try to comfort ourselves by thinking things cannot possibly get worse and will soon get better.

Don’t bet on it. As a species we are still on the uphill climb of our collective evolution. It may seem the bottom has fallen out – but not even close.

Perhaps some Divine or Other-worldly intervention will show up and set humanity back on its right path……but many have even given up hoping and dreaming for this kind of support.

We might be on our own. That alone is a terrifying thought. You mean humanity is being left to their own devices? That sounds like a recipe for failure.

But truly, we don’t know. Maybe humanity will suddenly wake up and decide to be kind.

I doubt it.

This, however, does not mean we are doomed. We are only doomed to the extent that we turn away from kindness and turn toward evil. For most of us, this is not a choice.

So we continue on. We breathe. We get out of bed each day (and if not, that’s ok too). We feed ourselves. We pour ourselves a cup of coffee. And we put one foot in front of the other toward whatever tasks are before us and if there are no tasks, we allow ourselves to simply be.

And…holidays are hard. The end of the year is hard. For many, this time of year is a trigger.  Some suffer for lack of sunlight and warmth. Many find themselves alone while others are gathering. We don’t always feel like celebrating and the turning of the new year doesn’t necessarily cause us to hope.

Yet, we survive, and if that’s all we’re able to do, that’s ok. Life is carrying us onward regardless.

Transcending Division

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 2 Comments

Recently I spoke of the perceived division that America has been caught up in for these past many years and the opportunities we have to transcend that division, find common ground, and work together for the good of the all.  To do this, however, we first have to heal the division between us. This may sound like an impossible task, but from personal experience, I can attest that moving beyond division (especially political) is not only possible, the effort is profoundly worthwhile.

Let me share with you two stories from my own life that demonstrate this point…

Before sharing these stories, I should probably share where I tend to stand politically. Based on my social media and other public accounts, some would likely think of me as a bleeding-heart liberal. On some policies, maybe. But in truth, I tend to be moderate-to-progressive while being somewhat left leaning. In an electoral college system, this means that for the past many elections, I have cast my vote for the democratic candidate. That is not to say I wouldn’t vote for a candidate of another party, if their policies were in line with my beliefs and vision of what our country can be. It’s just that for most of my adult life, the democratic platform has more closely aligned with my beliefs.

I should also add that I have many friends and family members, who I deeply love and respect, who tend to vote differently than I. Knowing these individuals and what is important to them, I can (for the most part) understand their choices. Even if I don’t understand them, I can honor their choice. Their vote doesn’t make me love them any less.

Love, as it turns out, transcends division.

Now on to the stories that demonstrate some simple ways in which we can begin to move beyond division as a culture and find common ground…

The first happened sometime after the Parkland school shooting. As you likely remember, there was a loud cry for a ban on guns along with an equally loud cry in defense of the second amendment. In the midst of the outcry, not being a gun owner myself, and really knowing nothing about guns, I reached out to a good friend who both a gun owner and a strong advocate for second amendment rights. I asked if we could meet and discuss all of the above. I reached out to this friend because I knew he would provide me with intelligent, well-researched, and historically accurate information. I also knew that this would be a civil conversation.

It was. He instructed me on the history and original intention of the second amendment. He explained the current gun laws and all the protections therein. We discussed guns for hunting, assault weapons, and handguns – and where they fit into the discussion. In the end, I felt I could make an informed decision about where I stand on the topic of gun ownership. As it turns out, my friend and I discovered we had arrived at a similar position, perhaps with a few nuances, but that we could honor those differences between us.

Perceived division arriving at common ground.

The second conversation was more recent as it related to the 2024 presidential election. I knew of several family members and friends who voted differently than I did. In the midst of a friendly chat, I learned of another friend who had voted in that way. This is one of my closest male friends and I wasn’t surprised about his vote based on his background and life experiences, but I was curious, so I invited him into a conversation. I wanted to know what inspired him to vote the way he did, and he wanted to know what motivated me to vote the way I did. We had a respectful and informative conversation without judgment or condemnation. We both wanted to understand the other because we are friends and care about each other – and that’s what friends do. I think I can speak for both of us in saying that while we chose differently, we could understand why the other chose the way they did and honor that choice.

Differences don’t have to end a friendship.

Admittedly, both examples were conversations that happened between trusted friends who were emotionally mature and could carry on a civil conversation without judgment or condemnation. No one was attempting to prove they were right or convince anyone of anything. I don’t know what a similar conversation would look like with a stranger or with one who appears to hold violent beliefs. If we ever want to heal the division that has been created and imposed between us, however, and work toward finding a common ground from which we can improve our lives, we have to start somewhere.  

WE are the Revolution

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 2 Comments

Whereas I do not advocate for or support murder as a means of getting across a message; an interesting phenomenon has unfolded following the assassination of United Health CEO, Brian Thompson. (For the record, his death is a terrible tragedy. I would never joke about nor celebrate this murder!)

The phenomenon about which I speak is the overwhelming bipartisan outpouring of frustration over the abysmal state of the American healthcare system and the epic greed of the private insurance industry. The almost universal opinion seems to be that the only people whose needs are being met as it relates to healthcare are the CEO’s and stockholders of the for-profit insurance industry. It’s unfortunate that it took the murder of a corporate employee to awaken our collective rage, but for the first time in many years, Americans have found something upon which most (if not all) can agree.

In the frustration over healthcare, insurance, medications, etc. I suggest that we Americans have found common ground. What would happen if we set aside our perceived political differences and got real with the topics that actually matter TO ALL OF US:

  • The cost of healthcare.
  • Access to quality education.
  • Access to healthy food, clean air, and water.
  • The widening economic divide.
  • Adequate and affordable housing.
  • Personal and public safety.

We stand at the tipping point of the American experiment. In the past many years, the powers that thrive upon our dependence have pitted us against each other, and we have fallen for their trick. This division, they believe, is how they will continue to gain power. What they don’t realize is that we have begun to awaken. The outcry over the insurance industry is evidence of this awakening.

I am calling this a moment of hope, and a moment of invitation. We can continue to participate in the perceived division imposed upon us and remain in a state of imprisonment to the system, or we can come together in search of common ground and begin to work on behalf of that good.

When we step away from division and come together, then we will be the revolution the system fears and the one we’ve been seeking. We are that revolution!

Assembling Your “Stay-Bag”

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 2 Comments

Recently, I have heard a lot of chatter in the news and in social media about assembling go-bags. The go-bag contains necessary items for survival for when the shit hits the fan. Go-bags are equally helpful in case of a natural disaster forcing evacuation.  Amazon even sells already assembled go-bags with more things than anyone would even think they might need.

In this chatter I hear many people talking about fleeing the country should (insert reason here) happen. While fleeing the country might entertain our thoughts, the reality is that many, if not most of us do not have the resources or the means to leave.  Furthermore, what, if any, country is willing to welcome asylum-seeking Americans into their country, especially when current political rhetoric centers around the threat of closing our own borders? (insert shrug emoji)

The reality is that no matter how bad things might get, most Americans have no choice but to stay put – if not for financial reasons, then by calling. I, for one, have been told in no uncertain terms is fleeing America a choice for me. I am meant to stay here and ride out the waves of whatever may come – being both witness and a source of support for those who need it. I suspect the same is true for many. I know the same to be true for many I call colleagues and friends.

For those of us who are to stay put, we will not be assembling our go-bag.  Instead, we are being called to assemble our “stay-bag.”  The stay-bag is all that we need to survive where we are. While the stay-bag may vary from person to person, there are essential elements that I believe we all need:

  • A sound practice – one that allows us to find center when all that is around us is chaos.
  • A place we can call sanctuary. For me, this is my home. In this sanctuary, we are able to find rest and feelings of safety from the chaos of the outside world. My home is my monastery, my church, and the place where I welcome family and friends.
  • A safe community – for me this is my family, close friends, and colleagues. Some are local. Some are at a distance.
  • SOS contacts – those we can turn to when it all becomes too much or feels completely insane. Those with whom we can be vulnerable and share the deepest fears or losses of our hearts.
  • Professional Support – spiritual counselors (like me), therapists, yoga teachers, massage therapists, acupuncturists, compassionate physicians, etc.  Anyone and everyone that we can turn to for our own well-being.  
  • Enjoyment – those simple things that nourish our souls. Books, TV, spending time with friends, art, music, dancing, being in nature, etc. In this, it is helpful to remember that even in the darkest of times, humanity has found support and inspiration in “the arts” – whatever form those arts took.

In this season of giving, and as we approach the new year, perhaps the most important thing we can give to ourselves is all that we need to survive this next stage in the evolution of human consciousness and the unfolding of the American experiment.

What is in your “stay-bag?”

First World 2.0

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / Leave a comment

During an online conversation related to imports and tariffs, I was reminded of a piece I had written originally titled, “Hope at the End of the Industrial Age.” It seems this piece originally penned in 2015 is just as relevant today!

I have had several in-depth conversations with people who are concerned over manufacturing jobs leaving our country, wondering if in this mass-exodus the United States would cease to be a first-world country and will revert into third-world status. As these concerns were raised, I turned inward and instead of doom, saw before me a new world in the process of being born.

The industrial revolution created rapid growth in the Western world and ushered in the distinction between first, second and third world status. With the advent of industry, Western culture emerged and thrived (or so we have said), while developing countries lagged behind. The industrial age supported advancing technology and assembly-line based manufacturing allowed us to meet the growing needs of Western society. Soon, we could produce everything the world would need to survive. The industrial revolution provided people with jobs and a regular wage which provided some with sense of security.  Eventually employee benefits such as insurance, paid time off, vacation, retirement plans, etc. were created to further support the illusion of security.

While industry has provided workers with perceived surety, there is an insidious side to modern industry.  Industry’s primary concern is not for its workers. Instead, it is driven to provide wealth for the corporation owners. At the height of the industrial age when production met the common needs, industry owners sought to create more demand. Advertising was born which purposefully manipulates people through their deeper-seated insecurities, compelling them to believe they need things they don’t, thereby causing them to spend more money. This has created a vicious cycle of misplaced needs and outward expenditures, where in the end…..nothing is ever enough.

While the industrial age has provided many benefits and has supported advancement in technology, there is much that was left behind. Previous to industry, people worked to provide for their own needs through their own unique talents and abilities. Some farmed. Others were craftsmen. Some were teachers. Others provided medical care and support. Some served the households of the landowners. Others governed the land. Some maintained peace. Others upheld the law and presided over questions of the law. Some were artisans, musicians, storytellers, poets, writers, builders. And in all of this, there was time for leisure. Things weren’t perfect as many went without, but the same is true today, in spite of our “first world” status. With all the advances we have made, poverty and violence country are at an all-time high. Many go hungry. Many are without basic healthcare. Education is floundering. Racism, sexism, orientationism, prejudice, discrimination and ignorance still reign. And more than anything else – the vast majority of those living in our culture – no matter how much wealth they possess – are unfulfilled and despairing over a life that has no meaning. The industrial age has been both a blessing and a curse.

The good news is that as our manufacturing jobs flood toward developing countries (Mexico, China, India, etc.), something new has already taken its place. We just need to see beyond our attachment to industry to perceive it, specifically looking to the youth (millennials and beyond) who are already living it. The new world that is in the midst of being born has moved us beyond the industrial age into a world that is comprised of the perfect marriage between information, technology, creativity, entrepreneurialship, old world knowledge and craftsmanship, and (let us not forget!!!) leisure. It is a world that combines the best of the old world with all the advantages and benefits of the information/technology age.

While it will be a struggle for some, it is time to step beyond the industrial age and welcome in the new world, not one that plunges us into third-world status, but one that moves us beyond even the first world into First World Version 2.0 – a world that is already here and filled with blessings beyond imagining. If we open our hands and hearts and release what we have known and be open to the new, amazing things will begin to happen. We will find enjoyment in simpler lives defined by the satisfaction of our more basic needs.  We will find fulfillment in what creatively nourishes us. We will grow closer in the more intimate connections that will be required in the new world. We will return to the wonders of nature and begin to care for our world. We might even learn how to take better care of those who are not able to care for themselves.  As the industrial revolution in the West dies a natural death, a new and promising world is in the midst of being born.  Welcome First World Version 2.0!

Lauri Ann Lumby, OM, MATS is an internationally known leader in the human-potential movement, specializing in the self-actualization of individuals and society.  She has been providing transformational education and empowerment since 1995. She is also a prolific writer and published author.  You can learn more about Lauri and her work at http://www.lauriannlumby.com.

While it will be a struggle for some, it is time to step beyond the industrial age and welcome in the new world, not one that plunges us into third-world status, but one that moves us beyond even the first world into First World Version 2.0

On the Verge of Tears

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 5 Comments

As I read through the comments on Sunday’s blog, the energy and words I heard were, “always on the verge of tears.” I heard these words as true for me, and wondered if it has also been true for others.

I believe we have a lot to cry about.

As one who has been on the forefront of the human consciousness evolution, calling myself (among other things): lightworker, shadow worker, depth worker, healer, guide, prophet, witch, and starseed, I have been both witness to and participant in what many have called (incorrectly) ascension.

To put it in simple terms: I have felt a calling and a drive to be part of a movement to provide humanity with the healing it needs to live more fully from love and less from a place of fear. Since 1994, this work has consumed me.

It’s been a bittersweet journey. I’ve seen the benefit of deep inner work within myself, in my ability to parent my children, in my work with clients and in conversations with friends and collaborators. I have found a community of people in Oshkosh, and beyond, who are involved in similar and complementary work. I have established an online community of a few who are equally committed to being love in the world for the sake of the betterment of the human experience. I am connected with hundreds of people online who are committed to this kind of work through their own unique gifts.

And yet….I find myself weary. I know many others who have also grown weary.

Human beings are a stubborn lot. Firmly attached to the status quo. Resistant to change. Often seeing change-makers and visionaries as the enemies, leading some to resist that change through violence. It seems humanity would prefer to live in a world of hatred and fear than to do the deep inner work of healing that which causes them to be non-loving toward themselves and others.

Remember when this work was supposed to be completed by 2012?  (insert hysterical sarcastic laughter) How we find ourselves approaching the end of 2024 and not much has changed. Human beings are still making war and solving conflicts through threats of violence. Humans continue to be greedy, destructive, and jealous.

In short, humans kinda suck.  It’s why I refuse to claim membership within the human species. I’m not sure what I am, but not one who thrives on being cruel to other human beings. (admittedly, some might consider me cruel – but in reality, I just have really good boundaries!)

When I look at humanity, I feel sad. I’m sad that they would choose hatred over compassion, fear over love, violence over peace. I’m dumbfounded by the dogged clutching after separation, division, prejudice, and discrimination.

Perhaps I wouldn’t be so saddened by humanity’s choice if I hadn’t discovered another way. This “other way” was somehow present in my heart from the moment of my birth/conception. I also found that “other way” in the peace movement of the late 1960’s and early 70’s. I further found it in the social justice work performed by the church in which I was raised. Most acutely I discovered it in Jesus’ teachings – not as they were taught to me from the pulpit, but that which I discovered through my own meditation, prayer, contemplation, and study, additionally reflected in the spiritual teachings of the ancients whose books have fallen into my lap over these very many years.

I know I’m not alone in this. Everyone with whom I have been doing this work, talking about this work, supporting this work, speaks of “another way.” This “other way” came to us. We did the work to be healed by it and to be made more whole. We’ve tried to share it with others. We’ve even provided the resources and tools for human beings to learn to become this love themselves.

And yet…..here we are.

I am weary. I am sad. Pretty much every day I feel on the verge of tears. Tears over what? Not getting my way? Tears over all that I/we have given up to do this work? Crying over the things that could have been had we not been called into this movement of love? Weeping over what others seem to have/enjoy that were never an option for me/us? Tears over the friends, family, clients who feel away over the years? Grief over all those millions who have died simply because humanity refused to set aside their separation and learn how to love?

Indeed.  There is a lot to cry about.

And maybe this is part of the limbo I spoke about. Maybe we need this in-between time to process all we’ve been through. Perhaps we need this time to grieve – to grieve all we personally lost, all we were made to leave behind, all the difficulty and struggle we’ve experienced in choosing love over fear. Grieving all the times we’ve been misunderstood, ignored, ridiculed, condemned. Weeping over the deep loneliness that comes in doing this work.

If indeed we are at the end of something and preparing for something new to take its place, grief is not only predictable but appropriate.

When we feel on the verge of tears, the invitation is to embrace these tears as part of our grieving, and in giving those tears release, allowing healing to take its place. Or if you’re like me and you’re on medication that hinders your ability to cry, find those things that help to bring them on. Yesterday for me, it was watching the “Making of Mary Poppins” documentary on Hulu – the bird lady does it to me every time!

Living in Limbo

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / 7 Comments

I’ve just returned from a very short visit with the Minnesota Lumbys for our annual ThanksChristmas. As an introvert who suffers with a vestibular disorder that is triggered by movement, noise, lights, smells, barometric pressure and more, today is a rest and recovery day. I’m resting at home, in my self-created sanctuary, simply being and reflecting on the state of things.

Things are weird. My whole life I’ve had some sort of sense of purpose.  I had goals, lists of things I wanted to accomplish, studies to complete, grades (or as a grown up – money) to achieve. Now I find myself with none of these. Truth be told, I feel a little lost and at almost sixty, I sometimes wonder if I wasted my whole life by not becoming a high school English teacher – a path I never even considered but would have been really good at.

But alas, God (or whatever you call that) had other plans. Plans that included a lot of stumbling in and out of different careers, finally landing on what felt like my true soul’s calling. I still consider ministry of a certain kind to be my calling. I just never know what form it is going to take.  Certainly not one that bears any resemblance to how we typically think of ministry.

I don’t have a church. I sort of have a community. I don’t preside over liturgy. Over my dead body would I wear a collar or any of the priestly accoutrements. Like Jesus, I wear what regular people wear – in this day and age, usually jeans, a scooped neck top and boots.

Over the years my ministry has taken many forms – all centered around human development and counseling in some way. This continues to be true, but other forms have shown themselves, including serving as office manager (unofficial counselor) for a local ballet studio.

Most often my ministry, has really no form at all. It’s just showing up in a space and being myself.

And yet…..and yet……there continues to be something tickling the edges of my consciousness. Something beckoning. Something whispering. Something that is preparing to come into my life…….but its time is not yet here. And I have NO IDEA what it is.

Isn’t a deeply, long held longing that has not yet been fulfilled? It is more of God’s plan? Is it a yet undiscovered way to serve? Is it a miracle that will swoop in and ease the burden that the post 16 years has been? Will it be something that lightens the load and makes life just a little bit easier? Is it the second coming of Christ (insert hysterical laughter and a gigantic eyeball roll)?

I don’t know what it is and I am certain I am not alone in the deep seated feeling of “something coming but I know not what.” I am willing to bet that every single lightworker, healer, shadow worker, etc. is feeling something similar. For me, there is a distinct feeling of “something is finished” and “something new is soon to come in.” BUT I have NO IDEA what this new might be.

I would find myself impatient and sometimes frustrated in this unknowing, except that the VOID has been my constant companion for the last several years. So I wait. I sit. I do nothing. I accomplish nothing. I listen. I watch. I observe. I cease from interfering. I allow life/humanity to unfold its journey. I’ve stopped trying to convince anyone of anything or from trying to change their mind. I’m just letting things be. And this is difficult for two reasons – 1) I tend to be a person of action and change. 2) Many people around me are anxious about the state of our world and desperately want things to change.

I do too (want things to change), but I’m learned that my interference does nothing but cause distress. So I wait. And I remember that I, Lauri Ann Lumby, am not in charge (as much as I want to be – because darn tootin’ I could do it better). The Universe/God has a plan and there is absolutely nothing I can do until that something falls into my lap.

So in this Limbo time, I’m sitting with my heart and hands open for whatever the Universe has planned for me, knowing that I will say yes to whatever that is once I know what it is. I know better than to try to say “no” to “God.”

PS If I had said no to God about Reiki I’d still be working in the Church for a regular wage, doing what I’m told instead of wandering around on my own hoping and praying for enough clients and students to make my rent. Being obedient to our higher power, I have found, is not a path to riches. (hah!)

Supporting You Through the Holidays

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / Leave a comment

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many. Some are feeling isolated or alone. Others are struggling with unhealed family wounds. Some feel overwhelmed by the expectations. Others are trying to survive family dramas. I provide support wherever you are in the holiday doldrums.

I provide one-on-one counsel via ZOOM. My recommended fee per session is $165.00 AND I offer a sliding scale for those with financial need. Email lauri@lauriannlumby.com to schedule your 60 minute session.

Don’t attempt the holidays alone!

With love,

Lauri

Don’t Miss Our Archives

/ Lauri Ann Lumby / Leave a comment

Again, welcome to new subscribers. As a new arrival to this community, I wanted to give you the opportunity to get caught up on some topics that might be important to you! Click on the links below for topical articles and lessons.

Mary Magdalene

Modern Monasticism

Jesus in the Modern World

Scripture through an Informed Lens

Mindfulness

Self-Actualization

Raised Catholic

Thank you for allowing yourself to receive the nourishment and support through these “musings.” I appreciate your presence here and your contribution to the ongoing unfolding of human evolution!

With love,

Lauri