It’s both inner unfolding and outer expression.
Author: Esther Sarlo, BA, Founder | Visionary ~ Mynd Myself
“We must practice radical imagination—
the kind that transforms how we live, love, and resist.”
~ adrienne maree brown
Isn’t it tempting to think of transformation as always being some sort of grand, giant process in which steps are taken and outcomes are dramatically different? And hasn’t that word been overused—perhaps to the point of becoming cliché? I say, ‘perhaps’…to both of those questions. However, neither question negates the idea that deep, fundamental change is a powerful theme in story-telling and in human experience. Nor does it mean that the smallest shift or action can’t radically change your world.
Definitions:
Dictionary.com defines transformation as “a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.”
Cambridge dictionary, similarly says the true meaning of transformation is, “a complete change in the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that that thing or person is improved.”
My Journey
I look at the ways in which I have transformed over the six decades of my life and it’s staggering. From a deeply devout, traditional Christian upbringing, to leaving the nest to move across the country; to travelling the world for six months at the age of thirty; to immersing myself in the world of singing/songwriting/sound; to navigating a career ranging from working with at-risk youth to managing events; to writing and editing; to sales; to public speaking and speaking coaching; and creating a global holistic wellness website to help people feel seen, heard, and supported. It ALL came about from intentions I set and choices I made—whether consciously or unconsciously.
Does Transformation have to be BIG?
Sometimes the smallest decision resulted in massive shifts that I could never have foreseen or imagined. Sometimes it was simply one foot in front of the other…especially in dark times. Healing and transformation didn’t just happen. I had to choose them.
I now feel blessed to be able to truthfully say that I love my life! I continue to learn and grow but Pema Chödrön’s quote moves me,
“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.”
Kevin’s Story
I believe transformation can be both teacher and healer. As I was pondering this idea, I recently read this beautiful blog by May Nelson from the “Astonishing” Facebook group. In it, a sixty-six-year-old man, Kevin, from Seattle shares about the difference one sticky-note on a public bulletin board made to their whole community. If you have a few minutes, it’s worth a read. Here’s Kevin’s story. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Japanese Broken Pottery Art
Have you ever heard bout Kintsugi (or Kintsukuroi), the Japanese cracked pottery artform? I find it inspiring and relevant to this conversation about transformation. Kintsugi repairs broken pottery by rejoining broken pieces and mending the cracks with a lacquer (urushi) mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This technique originated from the Japanese philosophy of “wabi-sabi,” which finds beauty in imperfection. Kintsugi treats breakage and repair as part of the object’s history, rather than something to hide. It also invites the idea that an object may be more beautiful for having been broken and repaired.
What would happen if we viewed ourselves as more beautiful…even in the transformation process?
I leave you with these quotes:
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
~ Rumi
And no doubt inspired (at least in part) by Rumi, Leonard Cohen, in his song, Anthem, from the album, “The Future,” sang,
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
Finally, Cheryl Strayed reminds us that,
“The place of true healing is a fierce place.
It’s a giant place.
It’s a place of monstrous beauty and endless dark and glimmering light.”
Will you walk this path with me? The path of transformation and becoming—wholeness that begins within and radiates outward?
Much love to you.
