Emergence
Welcome to my monthly newsletter, Attunement!
Each month we “tune into” a theme related to mindfulness and
explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!
This month of April we’re TUNING INTO the frequency of:
EMERGENCE.
Our thoughts about the future go far toward creating it; our minds and hearts are like filaments that connect today to tomorrow; they are conduits for either the status quo or the emergence of different, hopefully more loving, possibilities. How we think and how we behave determine where we are going. -Marianne Williamson
The term emergence means:
the process of coming into view or becoming exposed after being concealed.
the process of coming into being, or of becoming important or prominent.
This transitional time from winter to spring offers us an opportunity to reflect and intentionally step into our own emergence, much like spring itself—a season of growth and new possibilities. We might ask ourselves the following questions:
What is ready to spring forth within me?
What support do I need to step forward into my most authentic, highest self?
This is also a transitional time for our society. Prejudice in the forms of racism, ableism, sexism, and transphobia is emerging from the shadows and being amplified and even celebrated.
But another even more powerful process is simultaneously occurring: AWAKENING.
In Buddhism, awakening is not a sudden event but a process of emergence, much like a seed slowly breaking through the soil toward the sun. Just as spring reveals new life that has been quietly growing beneath the surface, awakening unfolds gradually through mindful awareness, self-inquiry, and compassionate practice.
The Buddha taught that this awakening process is not about escaping life but about fully emerging into presence, seeing reality clearly, and embracing the impermanent, ever-changing nature of existence. Through patience and practice, we allow our inner wisdom to surface, just as nature effortlessly moves from dormancy to bloom.
I know I can't change prejudice on a mass scale, but I have to believe that by nurturing my own emerging wakefulness* (*I love what Jane Fonda recently said about being "woke"--"it just means you give a damn about other people!"), I am starting a ripple effect that extends outward, far beyond myself. In Buddhism, this is often described as interbeing—the idea that our transformation is never just personal; it touches the whole web of existence.
As we practice mindfulness, we become more present, kind, and skillful in our interactions, influencing those around us. Our calmness helps soothe others, our compassion inspires more compassion, and our wisdom encourages deeper understanding.
Just as a single drop of spring rain creates ripples across a pond, our awakened presence can uplift and benefit all beings, fostering a more peaceful, interconnected world.
Creative Mindfulness Practice: “Ripple of Awakening”
This mindfulness exercise helps you explore emergence as a gradual unfolding and reflect on how your own awakening contributes to the world around you.
1. Seed of Awakening Visualization (10 min)
Find a quiet space and sit comfortably. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and envision a seed deep within you—representing your wisdom, compassion, or an insight waiting to emerge. Imagine it slowly sprouting, reaching toward the light. What does it need to grow? What nourishes it?
2. The Ripple Effect Journaling (10 min)
In your journal, or on a piece of paper, draw a simple pond with concentric ripples. In the center, write one quality you’re nurturing (e.g., patience, courage, loving-kindness). In the surrounding ripples, write how this quality might impact others in your life—big or small.
3. Walking Meditation: Stepping Into Emergence (15 min)
Take a slow, mindful walk outdoors. With each step, silently affirm: “I walk in awareness. My awakening touches the world.” Notice how your presence affects your surroundings—birds, trees, the air.
4. Closing Reflection (10 min)
Return to your journal. What emerged for you in this practice? How does your awakening process support others? Write a simple intention: “As I awaken, I share my light.”
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My March Events:
Creative Self-Care with SoulCollage®, Sun. 4/13, 3-5pm @ UA Community Center
SoulCollage® is an intuitive practice that creatively supports your self-care and self-discovery. It’s an easy, fun, playful, powerful process that connects you to your inner wisdom through the creation of 5”x8” collaged cards of pictures and imagery which are unique reflections of you. Learn a bit about the theory and method of SoulCollage® and be guided in the use of SoulCollage® cards. We also engage in guided meditation and journaling. This gathering concludes with a brief crystal singing bowl sound bath to honor our shared time.
Self-Care Sound Bath, Tues. 4/15 7-8pm @ The Be Sanctuary, UA
Immerse yourself in the soothing sounds of quartz crystal singing bowls, chimes, and ocean. Let the harmonic tones mindfully connect you with the present moment and allow you to access self-compassion and relaxation. This immersive experience is a perfect way to reset, reconnect, and nurture your well-being. No experience needed—just come, relax, and receive.
Spring Sound Bath, Movement, Breathwork, Fri. 4/18 6:30-8pm @ GoYoga Grandview
SoulCollage® is an intuitive practice that creatively supports your self-care and self-discovery. It’s an easy, fun, playful, powerful process that connects you to your inner wisdom through the creation of 5”x8” collaged cards of pictures and imagery which are unique reflections of you. Learn a bit about the theory and method of SoulCollage® and be guided in the use of SoulCollage® cards. We also engage in guided meditation and journaling. This gathering concludes with a brief crystal singing bowl sound bath to honor our shared time.
The Art of Grateful Living, Wed. 4/30, 6:30-8:30pm @ UA Community Center
Discover the evidence-based, transformative power of gratitude in this enriching workshop. Through a blend of mindfulness, reflection, and art journaling, you’ll learn how to cultivate a mindset of gratitude that can profoundly impact your daily life. Explore practical ways to live more gratefully in everyday moments. Learn creative gratitude journaling techniques. Experience the emotional and mental benefits of gratitude. Be gifted a journal to use in the workshop and to take with you.
This Month’s Tune 🎵:
Each month I share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.
For this month’s theme of EMERGENCE, I've chosen the beautiful, ethereal song "Emergence" by Yaima. Listen here on Apple Music. Here are some of the lyrics:
Come out of your hiding
Each voice here is needed
The blossoming of
That which was seeded
Come into the light
Where your face can be seen
Dancing the song
Of the earth
Through your feet.
Wishing you a blossoming April,
