Being of Service, Grief, and Our Spiritual Callings. A Conversation with Michelle Cassandra Johnson

Our first podcast of the year is with the delightful Michelle Cassandra Johnson, and I was lucky enough to get to ask her so many questions. We had a nuanced conversation regarding being of service to the world, how we hold space for grief, and the tension between the spiritual call to be quiet and the noise we experience in our lives.

Take a listen to all her wisdom.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

*Often in yoga and wellness we shy away from grief and other uncomfortable topics. In this space, we should do more to carve out the opportunity for folks to feel uncomfortable–because the reality is that we will one day all die and lose everything we have.  It is important to remember this work is a main tenant of a yogic practice, and not shy away from it.

*To quote Michelle: The spiritual crisis we are moving through at this moment is because we think that we are separate. Using the Kleshas can help us work through this suffering.

*Are you feeling overwhelmed at the idea of shifting our work into experiencing both the collective and individual experience?  As Michelle said, “I don’t know if my practice is working, but it is what I have”.  This has been true for me many times in my life, and perhaps for you too.  Taking a moment to shift your mindset from “Is it working” to “Does it serve to support me” might help positively change your perspective.

*Getting clear on where we can be of service and what our role is can help guide us forward as we shift to be of service more within the world.  I got to ask Daniel Simpson, author of The Truth Of Yoga about this as well, and I think you will love what he says. 

*It sometimes takes a beat for anyone to figure out how to respond to heavy situations in the world, so if you feel called to respond, great.  But if you don’t, it is also okay to take a moment and pause, research, and figure out what you believe, and then respond if needed.

*Take some time in this new year to pause and create an intention for 2024.  I do this work for myself as I said in my intro, and so does Michelle.  It is worth taking a moment to pause, reflect, and get excited for the upcoming year.