Tragedy in Maine +a Meditation for You
Hello Friends,
The last time I shared with you, I was addressing the horrific events unfolding in Israel, Gaza, and Palestine. And now, I am addressing the horrific events that have unfolded this week here in Maine. On Wednesday evening, a military-trained firearms instructor, likely in the midst of a psychotic break, walked into a bowling alley and then a bar in Lewiston, Maine where he shot and killed 18 people. He escaped and was “at large” for 48 hours while the residents of Lewiston and its surrounding communities sheltered in place, by order and by choice out of fear/anxiety and to free up law enforcement. Southern Maine was finally able to begin the grief process and to gather after the shooter’s body was found on Friday night.
I live 35 miles from where these shootings took place. I have many friends that live and/or work in Lewiston. Maine is a tight-knit community full of resilient people and this impacts us all. On Friday, I shared a video about what was coming up for me in the moment. You can see that video here.
This situation was a result of a mental health crisis and completely non-existent gun laws. The fact that assault rifles are still legal in this country is astonishing to me. The fact that a person could be exhibiting and expressing incredibly concerning mental health struggles on a military base and in a military hospital, and could still walk out, go about his life and have firearms of any kind (let alone assault rifles) is just astronomical. But this is the current state of our country.
Throughout the last few days, I have been thinking even more of Israelis and Palestinians and all the other people all over the world who are living the day-to-day experience of sheltering-in-place, of living in fear of what might happen to them or people they know and love in any given moment. What I experienced this week is the tiniest microscopic fraction of what they are experiencing every day, constantly.
We need to take care of each other, to see the inherent value in human life, and to do all that we can to enact change in our own country and in the world. The people in the epicenter of these conflicts are in survival mode and DO NOT have the resources within themselves to advocate or make change - that is on us - those that are able to help.
We are living in very challenging times, fraught with so much conflict, fear, grief and every other possible feeling we can muster. But, we need to stay resourced within ourselves so that we can thrive if we are able, find the light wherever it is, help those that are in the darkness, and work to make the changes that need to be made.
I have put together a guided meditation for you to use whenever you feel depleted, or feel you need to connect to your center and strength, and to remember the truth of who you are. If it resonates, please feel free to use it whenever and however much you’d like.
I am thinking of you all and sending you love.
Rev. Dev
The Connected Way™
www.theconnectedway.com
P.S. I sincerely hope that we do not have to wait for this to hit “too close to home” for everyone in order for gun laws to change. Please reach out to your Representatives and Senators (especially the conservative ones) and implore them to at the very least pass a ban on assault rifles. You can find the contact info for your representatives here and senators here.