July, 2009

Last spring, at one of my free, monthly introductions to Nonviolent Communication, we were brainstorming a list of universal human needs, and someone called out "Transcendence."

I had never included transcendence on my needs list before, but I felt so attracted to the word that I added it immediately and began to ruminate on the concept.

"How the heck do I meet the need for transcendence?" I asked myself, and I set myself the task of looking for opportunities to find this mysterious quality of transcendence one Saturday. That day, I found it twice.

I was recovering from a knee injury and on an intolerably slow walk-to-jog program to safely build my strength again. I was frustrated that once I had been able to jog five miles straight, and now was limited to alternating four minutes of walking and two minutes of jogging. I wanted my freedom back (not to mention my endorphins!).

I chose to rise above the limitations my program that day. I decided to stay aware of my knee and walk and jog in any combination that felt comfortable. It was wonderful! I felt triumphant and strong. Yes, that was transcendence-I rose above my perceived limitations of the material world.

With the inspiration of this first success, I asked myself when else had I noticed this sense of rising above, and found that the most consistently transcendent activity in my life was studying A Course in Miracles. Somehow, the words of that text touch me in a way that calms all my acute worries and uplifts me to a place of wonder, gratitude and trust. In reading a lesson in the book, I find a slightly different flavor of Transcendence, a place of peace.

Last month, June, was a major struggle for me. (Did you notice you didn't get a newsletter from me?) I was overwhelmed with the logistics of end-of-the-school-year field trips and moving on ceremonies. Emotional stress was also present, as we said permanent goodbyes to the schools my children will no longer attend in the fall. The number of musical gigs I played made a sudden jump (summer wedding season), and with my husband working two jobs and taking 10 college credits, a great deal of the household responsibilities were falling on me. By the end of the month, I had tendinitis in my left thumb and, with my wrist and thumb in a splint, could barely manage life's daily essentials.

It would have been a perfect time for transcendence, this slowing down, but either I didn't think of it, or I couldn't find it. I was exasperated, one minute after the next, with frustrations such as not being able to open the peanut butter jar or typing with only one hand. I couldn't see anything above my immediate material concerns. Transcendence would have been the perfect answer, but it was the farthest thing from my mind.

Luckily, I had a spare half hour on the drive back from work-related trip to the Wenatchee area and stopped at Deception Falls. Within 10 minutes of starting my little hike, the worries and frustrations that had seemed all-encompassing were loosening their grip on me. Ten minutes after that, I found my creativity and conceived of this article. I had triumphantly transcended above my material concerns into a place of greater meaning.

When we are overwhelmed, worried and angry about our daily lives, our vision and creativity becomes limited, and we often can't imagine a way to find something more meaningful (if we can even remember that something more meaningful exists!).

What if we had a list of how we find that transcendence, so when we are clueless, we can have an immediate roadmap?

Will you send me your ideas?

I'd love to compile a big master list of "Paths to Transcendence," starting with my first three experiences of challenging a physical limitation, reading a spiritual text and walking at a waterfall. What do you have to add?

Please email your ideas to holly@hollyeckert.com and I will publish the list in next month's newsletter!