Expansion, Love, Joy (Finding peace at Firefly)

*Sculpture by: Paige Bradley http://paigebradley.com/sculpture/expansion.html

This beautiful piece of artwork captures how I feel after spending the weekend at Firefly. Filled up, with love, with peace, with bright energy and light, to the point where it is overflowing from my being. Someone commented on it at work today, said that I looked radiant. It's because I feel radiant.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to interact with so many beautiful souls out in the forest, it really was a gathering full of lightness and radiant heart-energy and peace and so much joy! 

My kids joined me at this event, and you could see in their eyes how much fun they were having! (Okay, well, not so much the teenager, but the youngest was definitely in his element out there!) 

These photos do not do justice to how much joy was in my younger son's face when he was dancing, spinning poi, or just running around with the other little "Fireflies." One thing he said to me during the weekend was, "This is much better than school, because you don't have to go to anything you don't want to!" He was referring, I think, to the sense of freedom he had out there. There were planned activities for the kids, but he was free to attend, or not attend them. Mostly I let him have free reign over what he chose to do, and he ran with that freedom. He would check in with me when he was hungry or needed a hug or some downtime. But I don't think that my kids have ever really had an opportunity to be outdoors in a situation where, among many other people, most of whom were strangers, they could just do as they pleased.

I think a big part of the key to what he said, applies to us grown-ups that were at the event as well. How often do we get an entire weekend where we can do literally WHATEVER we choose? Maybe for those who aren't parents this is not the case, but I know that many of  my weekends are filled with things like chores, and laundry, and taking the kids to various birthday parties or other activities. These are things I do out of love, but not necessarily what I would choose if I had total freedom to do what I wanted (read, no responsibilities to anyone but myself & my community.)

Although I was with my children at this event, I felt that lack of pressure to complete certain tasks during the weekend freed us up to have more connection. With each other as well as with others around us. I had so many wonderful conversations, so many opportunites for good hugs and also to step away from it all and spend some time with myself. 

The organizers had put together a "quiet zone" which was a peaceful zen meditation area, complete with three separate shade structures, lounge chairs, a few futons, and some chimes, prayer flags, and other peaceful offerings to be enjoyed out in the wilderness.



I spent some time meditating on this prayer card I chose, while looking out over this view. In the background there, you can see the dome where we practiced yoga later on that morning.

My heartfelt thanks goes out to those dedicated individuals who made this weekend happen, and all the work of the wonderful chefs who graciously donated their time so we could be fed delicious food all weekend! So much gratitude to those lovely souls who touched my heart in various ways, sharing their music, their art, and their Selves. Everyone shone so brightly out there!

And that is the point. To allow ourselves to shine, and to bring that back into the "default world" in which we all live, and continue to share that heart energy, and that intention of love with all those with whom we interact on a daily basis.

I am humbled, I am joyful, I am ever-grateful.

Namaste, Shanti, peace, peace, peace.