Tending Wildflowers
An excerpt from my blessing, Tending my wildflowers, included as a part of enfleshed’s collection of blessings HELD: additional blessings for the depths. In this blessing I create space for embracing the power and loving service my disabled body holds.
Last summer I discovered that a spiritual resource platform that I’ve been following for a few years, enfleshed, was inviting folks to reflect on different aspects of “being held in the depths.” The four spaces of being in the depths were space, sea, soil, and spirit. Almost immediately I was drawn to the concept of soil as depth, and thought of embodiment as a disabled person. I thought about the journey, the challenge, the call toward integrating my disability with the emotions and spirit sacred to being human. The power and peace of being wholly myself, imperfect and disabled as I am, was very much at the forefront of my prayerful exploration in creating this blessing. As it began to take shape, a fierce yet compassionate tune of social justice and narrative transformation formed.
I was so joyful and grateful when enfleshed contacted me, informing me that my blessing would be included in the online portion of their project. One of the many reasons I follow enfleshed is how they recognize and uplift the sacred variety of human experience and spirituality. As a person with a disability, knowing that there are religious and spiritual platforms that are cultivating space for authentic diversity means the world. The more I learn about my cerebral palsy, disability generally, and ableism, the more I discover how ingrained and subconscious exclusion and misunderstanding is. It turns out that some of the physical tension that comes with the shadow emotions I feel are because of how deeply instilled having a “normal”, functioning, able body is, everywhere. This is why it’s vital for organizations, media platforms and communities to include and amplify diverse experiences and voices. By uplifting diverse voices, we bring awareness to the gorgeous resilience and wisdom in each of us. Thank you, enfleshed, for being one such platform.
Please enjoy my blessing, along with the others in this collection, here: HELD: blessings for the depths
