ilysm this made me feel so empowered and connected to the cosmic consciousness. I think feeling lost is very common right now and you dissecte4d it perfectly. much love <3
I don't believe I have the words to describe how soothing and reassuring this essay and the ideas you bring forth in it are to me, a soul who always seems lost somehow and feels tainted by their own mind and its inability to hold on to anything. One of the downsides of being very empathetic (as my best friend describes it) or brilliant (as my dad describes it) is that I can never ground myself in a singular reality. The plurality of truth, the infinite amount of perspectives people (human as well as nonhuman) have on this world we live in, never goes unnoticed to me and often makes me feel as if I am floating around in a cerebral realm, observing and theorizing about reality instead of living through it. "If we never felt lost, we’d never ask life’s deepest questions" could not be more true; in my many hours spent floating around, I often feel like I have pondered deeper questions than many people who have been on this earth far longer than myself. At times this feels like a burden ("why can't I just believe in X; that would make life so much easier") and at times it feels like a gift. This essay sure makes it feel like a gift.
I thought it was striking that my western-raised mind immediately associated this plea for residing in the unknown with Socrates and his infamous paradox "All I know is that I know nothing". The difference with Socrates, though, is that he did not practice what he preached. In the so-called 'Socratic dialogue', he would actively guide his conversation partner to a place of 'aporia', in which they lost their previously held beliefs because Socrates had shown them they were contradicting, to then convince them of his views by providing a plausible and (seemingly) non-contradictory argument of is own. Sounds to me like Socrates knew perfectly well how much power the unknown, the Being lost holds, and applied this to his conversations, while not wanting to reside in the discomfort of the unknown himself.
Anyway, safe to say that I will 100% be coming back to this essay and referring to it in my next essay for BIOL 420/EVRN 645: Native and Western Views of Nature (the one class where we are allowed to use people as references, not just academic sources)
Thank you Ayana. This is really helping move me from despair to seeking. Im thinking of the part in James Baldwin’s “Down at the Cross” where he says “To defend oneself against a fear is simply to insure that one will, one day, be conquered by it; fears must be faced”, this is helping me ground that feeling of being lost as I am contextualizing it with what you have written here. It’s both terrifying and comforting that there is no (real) evading uncertainty, but it makes the possibility of embracing that wisdom and seeking connection, spirit, and community all the more irresistible to me. I have been preparing for (and an so scared of) transitioning to a cycle in my life of searching, and this is affirming the vitality of centering connection, and the very political process of seeking understanding, questioning, learning, asking, and listening. I hope everyone here has a beautiful day, Happy Full moon🤍
thank you for speaking to my soul when my current state sometimes cannot. i am one of many that feels this great discomfort and unknowing, and while i am moving in the state of acceptance and gratitude it’s still difficult to understand sometimes what exactly i’m doing here and i can feel shame for this. thank you for explaining once again that even this experience is one of the divine universe, and really is a connection rather than a disconnection. this is reassuring because i’ve been feeling a kind of internal tug of war with my learning. i know now that this does not mean i’m further behind but simply rebirthing. thank you and i love you <3
i feel like i’m in the middle of a rebirth and have been feeling quite out of balance. these masterful words by you have held me so gently. thank you for your infinite wisdom that you share with us with so much compassion for our collective experiences
This essay from top to bottom is a balm for the soul! I'm in my 40s and have been in a state of feeling lost for a few years and for a long time felt deep shame about that. But by reading essays such as this along with my journey towards decolonizing my mind (because my heart & soul have always known the truth), I am slowly embracing my state of feeling lost. As if it is a part of my assignment in this lifetime. Thank you for sharing this gem of wisdom!
ily so so much!!! this has helped me so much more than you can imagine!!! it resonates!! you’re such a light. i say this every-time but i’m so so thankful for you!!! and thankful for the ability to read and hear ; i get to live with the wisdom you’ve shared; truly blessed 😭💝🥹💐🪻🍓 thank you so much
“Even if externally nothing has changed, internally, a whole new Being has taken shape. “ i feel this!!!
I feel very lucky to live in a community where deep connections can be made, and being vulnerable is valued. It's easy to forget sometimes that it's not like that everywhere.
Many are feeling lost right now, I think, as so much people believed in is on its head. Genocide in plain view and our leaders supporting it is a big one.
This was so healing in such a visceral way. I've been grappling with this discomfort of being lost(as a person who tends to want things to be predictable). This piece helped to accelerate the sentiment I've been having that maybe it's okay that I'm not sure how my life will pan out after my plans failed. Also, while I was reading, I realised that I've been lost so many times before but by looking within and ahead with curiosity, I've emerged with new current truths. Curiosity can really be a light to guide you because you don't know the destination but at least you're willing to explore. Thank you for this. Really. Sending love and light to you✨
Exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you for sharing. The more I 'know' the less I realize I will ever know. It helps me have a sense of humor about the experience of being human.
This essay couldn’t come at a more perfect time. I’m currently having my world being turned upside down, and I couldn’t feel more lost and confuse, so thank you for those reassuring words ❤️
as a recovering smart kid, this resonates with me so much. while i was taught to ask questions, the environments in which i existed made me feel as though i would be inferior if i had any. sometimes, i wouldn’t even know what questions to ask. knowing that we can both question ideas and also sit in unknowing is so comforting. thank you for sharing 💕
thank you for this. i cried while reading. it really resonated with and touched me. it's been very difficult re-emerging into the world as a new person and struggling to navigate old spaces in new ways. there are things from years ago that i haven't been able to internally resolve and i still feel so lost about. we all really deserve to have so much love and support as we move through these transitions because its scary to do alone
ilysm this made me feel so empowered and connected to the cosmic consciousness. I think feeling lost is very common right now and you dissecte4d it perfectly. much love <3
I don't believe I have the words to describe how soothing and reassuring this essay and the ideas you bring forth in it are to me, a soul who always seems lost somehow and feels tainted by their own mind and its inability to hold on to anything. One of the downsides of being very empathetic (as my best friend describes it) or brilliant (as my dad describes it) is that I can never ground myself in a singular reality. The plurality of truth, the infinite amount of perspectives people (human as well as nonhuman) have on this world we live in, never goes unnoticed to me and often makes me feel as if I am floating around in a cerebral realm, observing and theorizing about reality instead of living through it. "If we never felt lost, we’d never ask life’s deepest questions" could not be more true; in my many hours spent floating around, I often feel like I have pondered deeper questions than many people who have been on this earth far longer than myself. At times this feels like a burden ("why can't I just believe in X; that would make life so much easier") and at times it feels like a gift. This essay sure makes it feel like a gift.
I thought it was striking that my western-raised mind immediately associated this plea for residing in the unknown with Socrates and his infamous paradox "All I know is that I know nothing". The difference with Socrates, though, is that he did not practice what he preached. In the so-called 'Socratic dialogue', he would actively guide his conversation partner to a place of 'aporia', in which they lost their previously held beliefs because Socrates had shown them they were contradicting, to then convince them of his views by providing a plausible and (seemingly) non-contradictory argument of is own. Sounds to me like Socrates knew perfectly well how much power the unknown, the Being lost holds, and applied this to his conversations, while not wanting to reside in the discomfort of the unknown himself.
Anyway, safe to say that I will 100% be coming back to this essay and referring to it in my next essay for BIOL 420/EVRN 645: Native and Western Views of Nature (the one class where we are allowed to use people as references, not just academic sources)
Thank you Ayana. This is really helping move me from despair to seeking. Im thinking of the part in James Baldwin’s “Down at the Cross” where he says “To defend oneself against a fear is simply to insure that one will, one day, be conquered by it; fears must be faced”, this is helping me ground that feeling of being lost as I am contextualizing it with what you have written here. It’s both terrifying and comforting that there is no (real) evading uncertainty, but it makes the possibility of embracing that wisdom and seeking connection, spirit, and community all the more irresistible to me. I have been preparing for (and an so scared of) transitioning to a cycle in my life of searching, and this is affirming the vitality of centering connection, and the very political process of seeking understanding, questioning, learning, asking, and listening. I hope everyone here has a beautiful day, Happy Full moon🤍
thank you for speaking to my soul when my current state sometimes cannot. i am one of many that feels this great discomfort and unknowing, and while i am moving in the state of acceptance and gratitude it’s still difficult to understand sometimes what exactly i’m doing here and i can feel shame for this. thank you for explaining once again that even this experience is one of the divine universe, and really is a connection rather than a disconnection. this is reassuring because i’ve been feeling a kind of internal tug of war with my learning. i know now that this does not mean i’m further behind but simply rebirthing. thank you and i love you <3
so extremely timely for me!!
i feel like i’m in the middle of a rebirth and have been feeling quite out of balance. these masterful words by you have held me so gently. thank you for your infinite wisdom that you share with us with so much compassion for our collective experiences
This essay from top to bottom is a balm for the soul! I'm in my 40s and have been in a state of feeling lost for a few years and for a long time felt deep shame about that. But by reading essays such as this along with my journey towards decolonizing my mind (because my heart & soul have always known the truth), I am slowly embracing my state of feeling lost. As if it is a part of my assignment in this lifetime. Thank you for sharing this gem of wisdom!
ily so so much!!! this has helped me so much more than you can imagine!!! it resonates!! you’re such a light. i say this every-time but i’m so so thankful for you!!! and thankful for the ability to read and hear ; i get to live with the wisdom you’ve shared; truly blessed 😭💝🥹💐🪻🍓 thank you so much
“Even if externally nothing has changed, internally, a whole new Being has taken shape. “ i feel this!!!
I feel very lucky to live in a community where deep connections can be made, and being vulnerable is valued. It's easy to forget sometimes that it's not like that everywhere.
Many are feeling lost right now, I think, as so much people believed in is on its head. Genocide in plain view and our leaders supporting it is a big one.
omg. this very topic is really doing a number on me. sooooo appreciate your words and your bodily wisdom that you share with us. ❤️❤️❤️
I invite everyone to read the holy book so maybe you can find some of the answers: https://al-quran.info/#home
This was so healing in such a visceral way. I've been grappling with this discomfort of being lost(as a person who tends to want things to be predictable). This piece helped to accelerate the sentiment I've been having that maybe it's okay that I'm not sure how my life will pan out after my plans failed. Also, while I was reading, I realised that I've been lost so many times before but by looking within and ahead with curiosity, I've emerged with new current truths. Curiosity can really be a light to guide you because you don't know the destination but at least you're willing to explore. Thank you for this. Really. Sending love and light to you✨
Exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you for sharing. The more I 'know' the less I realize I will ever know. It helps me have a sense of humor about the experience of being human.
THIS IS JUST WHAT MY HEART AND SOUL NEEDED! Timely too xxx
This essay couldn’t come at a more perfect time. I’m currently having my world being turned upside down, and I couldn’t feel more lost and confuse, so thank you for those reassuring words ❤️
as a recovering smart kid, this resonates with me so much. while i was taught to ask questions, the environments in which i existed made me feel as though i would be inferior if i had any. sometimes, i wouldn’t even know what questions to ask. knowing that we can both question ideas and also sit in unknowing is so comforting. thank you for sharing 💕
thank you for this. i cried while reading. it really resonated with and touched me. it's been very difficult re-emerging into the world as a new person and struggling to navigate old spaces in new ways. there are things from years ago that i haven't been able to internally resolve and i still feel so lost about. we all really deserve to have so much love and support as we move through these transitions because its scary to do alone