What is acceptance?
How does one know that one has started the process of acceptance?
Acceptance is a process of allowing “whatever it is that has happened” to be seen, heard, felt and witnessed without judging and without prophesying the yet-to-unfold future.
Acceptance literally means “this is what has happened” and as result of “that which has happened”, I am having an experience of “what is”. Acceptance in it’s essence is inclusive, it includes every experience as it is right here right now.
Acceptance is a dynamic process that we are to tend to over and over again.
Once, we utter the word “acceptance”, we are unconsciously ushering ourselves into a space of embodied power, moving from feeling, being, hearing and witnessing life as a victim to a creator. Acceptance holds space for the victim, the perpetrator, the savior, the wounded, the creator and stillness within.
Acceptance is Power Embodied. Acceptance does not ease the discomfort nor does it mitigate the impact of the consequences of “that which has happened” but instead, the process of acceptance supports us through our future steps to creative solutions.
Acceptance does not mean we are negating the impacts of “what is”. Acceptance does not mean that we are choosing a bypassing strategy nor does it mean that we are condoning “what is”. Most importantly acceptance does not ask of liking and least a resonance with “what is”.
How does Acceptance work exactly?
Acceptance depersonalizes, contextualizes within time and space “that which has happened”.
Within a space of acceptance, one moves from “this has happened to me, it is impacting my everyday life and things will never be the same again” to “this happened on that day, time and in that place involving certain persons”.
For some of us, we will not be able to walk through acceptance, in those instances, therapy could be of one of the answers to support and resilience building. For those of us, who are open to acceptance of “what is”, then the process of acceptance lays the foundation of deeper rooting for inner resilience.
Acceptance moves one to finding the needed solutions right here right now.
One then asks,
What do I have to do?
What actions do I have to engage in?
What agreements will best support me way forward?
What beliefs will best support me during this phase?
What skills do I have to strengthen?
What needs are to be met?
What internal resources do I have that will support me right here right now?
What external resources may I call upon for support?
All these above questions position one in one’s area of POWER, that is, RESPONSE-ABILITY, witnessing self as beholder of power that is called to be creatively tapped.
See link to one of my past blog on “Responsibility is Powerful”, it is always needed to remind self of one’s area of responsibilities.
Acceptance is an active process. Acceptance is a process where each individual finding his/her meaning out of “that which has happened”.
Acceptance is transpired in simple actions such as slowing down; resting; breathing; crying; sleeping and so much more.
Acceptance is crucial to resilience building. We are in a transitory phase in history of this world; we are many struggling to accept so much of “what is”.
Acceptance means honoring “what is”.
Whenever you honor “what is”, you give your attention to, even if it means “I see you, I hear, I feel but for now, I am choosing to park until I find suffice within me to face you.”
Whatever you honor, honors you in return.
What if, one is unable to move and to be moved to and through acceptance?
There is no wrongness in being unable to move and to be moved through acceptance. We are all experiencing life at varying levels. We all have unmet trauma. May we be reminded that this is a personal path which ultimately transcends and moves into the trans-personal realm of “what is”. It is up to each individual to find his/her way to navigating through life.
Where are you right here right now?
Are you kicking your way to accept the end of a relationship; the departure of a close one who has left this world; the exit from a career that has held your sense of identity; the oozing wounds from your childhood; the meeting of yourself through?
Wherever you are, however you are, however you are, whoever you are
May you be reminded
May we be reminded
That the simple act of accepting that “I cannot and I choose not to accept “what is”” is enough.
I accept that I cannot accept “what is”.
May we be kind to ourselves, to our hearts and to our minds.
The path is long
It is easy to get swayed and engulfed in the drama of life
May we gently catch ourselves at the door steps of our drama
May we learn to become active witness
Love from my heart to yours
Megha Venketasamy
Graphic Works @ NyameDua 2020
Image source: Unsplash
Post © Megha Venketasamy, 2020. All rights reserved.
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