Blissed to be a Witness
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 8:51 AM 
I am blissed to be a witness. You read it correctly – no typo. I am BLISSED to be a witness. Last week I traveled home to the Key Peninsula, the site of Soltura workshops. No, I don’t live there physically. Seattle is still my place of residence. But, my soul returned to its bliss-filled home where joy, light, love, laughter, fear, darkness, peace, conflict, death and life can all be safely experienced…and witnessed.
As I have journeyed on my path toward authentic life, I have come to know myself and the places where I feel most alive and connected. Many of those places have been witnessed by those who read here. I find joy in the simplest of things. A jellyfish. My garden. Friends. Nature. Reading. Writing.
Yesterday while driving across Lake Washington with my i-pod shuffling around, Ben Harper’s song, Blessed to be a Witness, came on and I experienced one of those bliss-filled moments. It dawned on me that the sense of contentment that has flowed through my veins for the last week was connected to my experience of being a witness to other’s journey toward authentic living.
Witnessing life is an honor and an amazing privilege. It takes me out of a me-me-me state of mind, and in the process brings me back to my truer self. I am indeed blessed and blissed to be a witness.
This is not a totally new concept to me, but it is one of those special realization moments that I desire to share – lest I forget. So, consider yourself a witness today. ☺
What are the moments you have experienced the power of being a witness? Do share!
Peace and bliss-filled blessings to you!
"heart in the sky" 6.09 - lakebay, wa
Reader Comments (8)
How wonderful...I can feel the bliss and contentment emanating from the screen (really!)...
And I am blessed and blissed to have you as my witness.
Yes. Beautiful.
It is in witnessing the moment of death that I find great honor -- holding the hand of my grandfather, the body of my cat as they took last breaths.
It was in being present for our friends last real meal, real laugh before he recently passed.
It is in witnessing these moments that we realize that death is a gateway just as much as birth, just as much as any transition.
And oh, how our culture, avoids this level of witnessing...we are truly missing out.
Blissful post, Lucy. You're so right to write to remember.
karen--thanks for popping in so quickly. it helps the emanation continue :-)
emma--how about this "emmanation" for your new glowing status???
christine--your memories of witnessing death are indeed precious. the only being i have been present with at death was my dear dog, curry. it was a special moment for each of us that i would not have missed!
tess--i love this "right to write to remember". great alliteration!!
wishing you all a bliss-filled day!
witnessing another dare to step into their authentic self, or even take their first baby step in authentic creative expression is a delight
something sacred happens
and part of that for the other is being witnessed :)
Sometimes my mouth just drops open when witnessing myself - I had been struggling with a little annoyance issue from a facebook comment of yesterday, trying not to read too much into something that I might have misunderstood, but still being annoyed. In a gathering of spiritual formation group this afternoon someone just casually dropped in words (with which they had been struggling) about being less judgmental of others and leaving more in the hands of God, who often btw seems to have good ideas about how he/she should be or can be received by "others." Whammo - just the words I needed to hear and there I was watching/witnessing myself once more saying "duh".....yes, witnessing myself feeling reminded of God's patience is often a lesson I seem to need recited again and again!
well said, kel!!
ss--i cracked up at the image of you witnessing yourself. been there. done that. they are great and humbling moments!! xoxoo