Welcome to my blog, even if you’ve been here a hundred times before, I welcome you now with new eyes.
We are in a new world and I truly hope you can give yourself space and time to realign with how things need to shift for YOU. I have been holding safe space as a guardian of a community space for 3 years, truthfully I had only just begun and then, last March, as you all know, our doors were forcibly closed due to the state of our world.
Since that time I have been trying to hold peoples hands through closed windows and closed doors. This blog space became a safe space for me to reflect and explore ways to help my community; through yoga practices, meditations, quote contemplation and reflective writing. It has been a journey, and it would seem our journey is taking yet another turn. I invite you to join me as we stay the course, not losing sight of what is needed – for each of us individually and in that honouring – we support our greater community through the ripples we create.
My hopes are you will take time for yourself, try not to get caught up in fear, with no expectations other than to perhaps grow a little more fuller into yourselves through the challenges, the understanding and all the growth we find ourselves in – right now, in this present time in our lives. I am so honoured to be on this journey with you, as scary as it is sometimes, and it is my intention in starting this blog today, with fresh eyes – as we will never be the same, to offer you another avenue of continued support.
It is my hopes I will continue to have guest writers sharing, holding and helping to broaden our perspective through reflection and experiential practices on this journey of life. It is my hopes to continue to support a community space, resonate with what is needed now.
Who am I? This past May I took an incredible and life changing weekend course with Kathleen Burr, one of my loving and wise teachers. The course was Trauma Informed Yoga, kind of divinely timed as I signed up way before COVID hit, but that weekend has changed the way I hold space with a greater sensitivity to the world we find ourselves in at this point in time. Before we can step forward we need to understand who we even are, Kathleen urged us to reflect and deepen our understanding of the aspects of who we truly are and where we come from with honesty, so we can do our work with integrity from an authentic clear place.
I share with you a snapshot of my own personal reflection;
I honour my own unfurling reflecting on my journey leading me up to this moment in my life; as a white woman, heterosexual, living in Canada, born in Manitoba, residing in rural Ontario, lifetime student and yoga guide, wellness advocate for able and disabled bodied people, grew up in a lower class abusive and alcoholic home, daughter to my mother with dementia, anti-racist activist, massage therapist, healer, sister, friend, daughter, mommy to Noah and Lucas, wife to Jay, guardian of 3 cats, hidden illness, thriving with Lupus, lover of nature, sister of Avalon, guardian of Surya Daya, contributor to my community, I long for a simple life in alignment with the rhythms of the land, I dream of keeping bees and sharing yoga and mindfulness in connection to the land, creating accessible practices grounded in ancient traditions, activist against violence and trauma in all forms, connected to my ancestors, environmental advocate, believer in equality, breast health educator, spiritual being, gardener, mid – lower class, writer, novice guitar player, gong explorer, joy seeker, lover of life.
I ask you now, who are YOU?? Take some time to allow your process to flow through you, honour the history of your life so you can make more intentional steps forward. Allow the joy and the grief of who you were to pass through you, so you can live your way into who you are NOW. Every chapter of your story is integral, EVERY chapter.
Please know I honour you, the whole real story of who you are – the darkness and the light.
I would also like to share a piece I wrote following that weekend I was privileged to be able to immerse myself in. These are my hopes for our world as we travel through this time of truth, of confusion, of unknowns, of healing, of instability, ups and downs, of hope and of change.
My prayer for a just and beautiful world is that as a species we can truly learn to live with reverence and respect, honouring the needs of one another and our true home, the earth
I pray for people to practice non-violence for all sentient beings and the land we inhabit.
I pray for all creatures to feel in their hearts their innate value and worth; for all people to feel support and supported
I pray we all learn to move through our lives living our practice, not only on our mats, but in every decision, every word spoken, every process, every action – especially when it’s not so easy
It’s time, our world is crying out for all the injustices, can we respond with strength, integrity, and kindness.; Can we individually refuse to perpetuate any more harm – remember it starts with you and me.
Our earth needs us, the creatures that live here need to be infused with kindness and equality.
I pray we can see each other’s differences and move from a place of compassion. I pray that we can learn to honour those differences and commit to doing better.
I pray we can learn to live with peace and harmony.
With love to you all
Amber Young
