Insight of Interbeing
The official first day of summer was just last week. Yet, on the morning of June 21, it was 28-degrees outside, here at EM. When looking through the lens of interbeing, I see clearly that winter exists within summer, and summer exists within winter. They are relational; intertwined; dependent on one another. They cannot be separated. One cannot be without the other.
Similarly, off-grid woods living is not separate from in-town living. The quietude here is not separate from the hustle-and-bustle of Missoula. Being outside is not separate from being inside. I’m not proposing that they’re the same, only that they do not operate independently of one another.
At the heart of developing the insight of interbeing, is a deeper understanding of how people, places, things, and the world at large came to be as they are. It involves entering into a relationship with a fuller, wider view, and connecting with the many causes and conditions that exist. The insight of interbeing centers around seeing everything as being tied into the same web, verses operating as separate particles.
When we take off, or aren’t utilizing, the lens of interbeing, we see summer as only summer and winter as only winter. We experience one place as being separate from another place. We view one person as being separate from another. Why is this a problem, you ask? Whelp, when we regard things as being separate, we then tend to enter an attachment/aversion cycle. We love summer and hate winter. We super like one person and super dislike another person. We revel in the woods and loathe going to town. We are pro ____ and anti _____.
And it’s not that we can’t be in favor of certain things and not be big fans of other things. Of course we all have our preferences and likes & dislikes. But when we spend our lives caught up in the attachment/aversion roller coaster, not only does it consume a lot of lifeforce energy (a limited & precious resource!), but it creates a fair amount of stress, anxiety, and upset. Understanding is born from being able to see things & people & our self more clearly.
Here at EM, we have a day of mindfulness slated for July 9. As part of our programming, I (Nicole) will be giving a short practice talk centered around the practice of developing the insight of interbeing. I don’t mind telling you that even though I’ve been giving practice talks for a number of years now, I question whether I am “qualified” enough every time. Thankfully though, this doubting inner voice is also getting quieter & quieter as time goes on. It’s a good practice for me to lead with heart, speak from my own experience, and let the rest of if go. And I genuinely enjoy crafting and giving mindfulness-related talks. As a writer and a poet, putting the practice into words that might help nourish others is right up my alley.
Pics above were taken at our last DOM on June 11, 2023
(FYI: I reckon I’ll record my talk and post it online. So if you’re interested in listening to it, stay tuned here on my personal SoundCloud page.)
If you’re in our neck of the woods, we hope you’ll consider joining us for one of our hosted & held events or retreats. We’re starting small here at EM, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Please check out (and keep checking out as time goes on) our Calendar of Events section on our website for more info.