Things to look up at and forward to

while practising the safety stroke in the meantime

Hello,

A few days ago I made a commitment to get up before sunrise for a month and into nature, to put my bare feet on the grass and look up at the sky before I look at my phone.

First two days were great.

This morning, day three, I was ready to pack it in. I snoozed the alarm for 40 mins before dragging my arse out of bed.

I’m glad I did.

As soon as I stepped outside I saw hot air balloons quietly floating past, low and close as they came in to land nearby. Another few minutes and I would have missed them. A reminder to get up, get out of bed.

You don’t need me to tell you this, but in case you need a nudge, get up. You will feel better for it and you never know what you might see out there.

A screenshot from a video I took on my phone while trying to avoid being on my phone.

So, how are you doing, really? It’s been a while between newsletters.

I’m OK. Better for my sleepy-eyed sunrise balloon experience this morning. This year my intention is to cultivate the capacity to be more present. Present to and with it all – to what’s happening outside and more importantly, with what’s happening inside.

Sometimes it feels like I’m treading water or swimming sideways, like we’re taught to do when caught in a rip. It’s all moving so swiftly, isn’t it? Panicking and swimming against the pull of that tide is exhausting and futile. Surrendering to be swept out with it entirely feels too unsafe, and so I’ll keep practising the ol’ safety stroke.

Social media feels treacherous too, and I spend way too much time swirling in those sharky waters at feeding time - dawn and dusk. It can be a place where we connect and share the people and things we love and appreciate so I’m focussing on doing that right now. Focussing on what can be done, what is being done and celebrating the people doing it to make our experience of being a human in these collapse times a little more kind, more beautiful and more loving.

Social media is no substitute or social connection however. I live alone and it’s easy to remain isolated. It’s not healthy, we need to be in community, in person. So, there’s a few events coming up I’d like to share with you in case you’re in need of good people to connect with, to human it all out with…

Events

In person - Sydney and Byron Bay

David Whyte is coming to visit and is doing a couple of live workshops and dinners in Byron Bay and Sydney. I think David’s words, wisdom and perspective are an essential beacon and ballast to the swirling shit storm and slew of words social media has become. If you’re not familiar with his work, start here. If you can, come along to one of these events:

Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th February – Tickets to Byron Bay events. I’ll be attending this weekend with group of wonderful humans, please let me know if you’re attending, I’d love to catch up.

Saturday 22nd February – Tickets to Sydney event

In person - Melbourne

Sunday February 2nd – On the first Sunday of each month I facilitate an open Men’s Circle. It’s a thread that keeps us connected and tethered, grounded. It’s an opportunity to check-in, to share, to listen and connect. No prior experience necessary, just bring an open mind and an open heart. We meet at the fountain in Carlton Gardens at 2pm, RSVP here.

Sunday February 9th – My brother Phil hosts HeartBeats, “HeartBeats is an open mic at its essence, but it is so much more. You’re invited to come and share your open heart with a present audience who are primed to receive and show appreciation. Expressions come in the shapes and forms of music, poetry, comedy, or whatever the performer chooses.” Tickets to the next event in Catani Gardens, ‘The Love Edition’ are here.

Thursday 27th February – For those of you who are curious about the ‘Series of Extraordinary Events’ I keep mysteriously alluding to, we have one scheduled for 27th February in Melbourne. It’ll be a special kind of dinner – a unique experience designed around the theme of ‘The stories we tell’. The working title is, ‘Once Upon a Time…’ If you’re interested just add your name to the waitlist and I’ll send out invites shortly. This is going to be an intimate experience with only 10 seats at the table and it will sell out so make sure you’re on the waitlist.

Online

Sunday 2nd February - Online Men’s Circle check-in. You can join from anywhere via Zoom from 5-6pm AEDT, the link to register for that is here. Please share this with any man you know who might benefit from connecting with others in this way, it’s a great fist step to building greater self and relational awareness and community. I reckon us men need this more than ever.

March - David Whyte’s ‘Three Sundays in…’ series are excellent. Three lectures over three Sundays in a month on a theme. The upcoming theme for March is on ‘Moving Beyond The Power of Now’, you can register here.

There is plenty happening and plenty to look forward to, we just have to stay focussed on what we love and what we desire to cultivate (a note to tomorrow’s 6am sleepy self).

Thank you for reading this and being a part of this community.

I appreciate you and hope that we stay connected,

Mikey