The Newest Rescue
Selfless service and devotion to the welfare of others is a powerful way to cultivate your compassion and it is a direct path to awakening, in my humble opinion. Mutual Aid and dedicating time to animal welfare is the essence of Compassion Activism.
Compassion is the medicine we all need.
This past week was a whirlwind of action here at the sanctuary, as well as with the mutual aid group I work with, Food 4 The Community. There was a severe snowstorm which made it that much more evident how many people are living in the streets without the shelter they need just to survive. F4TC, in collaboration with other Mutual aid groups, made and distributed over 1,400 meals plus other supplies such as blankets, boots, tents, and tarps, etc. Volunteering with them and getting help here at the animal sanctuary is deeply satisfying. Building community is a form of self care that heals the whole rather than just one individual. It’s magic.
And the day after the storm came in, a surprise was born the morning of a snowy Valentine’s day. YARA was called in to assist. The caregivers did not know that Fern, the mama, was even pregnant, so she did not receive enough nutrition and therefore the baby was born with a selenium deficiency which hinders their muscle development for one. It can also weaken their immune system and affect the thyroid function, so this little guy is having a hard time using his back legs and he is quite a tiny, as you can see. Fern and Valentine are now at the sanctuary and receiving full attention and love. We will keep updating on their progress and settling in.
Portland’s once a year snowpocalypse generated a lot of love and generosity. Some of you reading this were attending the yoga classes and workshops I was offering during this time. Life flows into our practice and the practice flows into our lives. Cultivating compassion, even when it’s hard, is the alchemy of living. It works on us like a tumbler works on gems; we come through perhaps a little worn, more polished, and more iridescent.
It is important to honor the wear and tear of living with the focus of compassion. Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky has a powerful and informative Ted Talk that speaks to this. Giving ourselves the space and time to feel this body we live in and clearing the mind, taking a break from figuring it all out, is essential for our own health and well being.
I am so very grateful to be on this messy path with you. We are doing this together. In the month of March, in this 2021 year, I am offering virtual weekly classes that you can just drop into. I have been solely teaching workshops and courses throughout this winter, so this is a fresh way to connect. I hope to see you often. The schedule can be found HERE.
Your presence in my life is precious and necessary for my own health and well being. It is golden and I thank you.
So much love, sweethome
