Barbara BrewsterI’m sharing with Holistic Bliss my experience of clowning in Russia with Patch Adams because if ever our planet is needing people breaking out of–“going beyond”–the familiar and expected, beyond withholding true, bright, unique expression—it’s now.
Life is, currently, more than ever, offering up opportunities for each of us to “Choose Anew”, to change our “normal” expectations, to “GO BEYOND” our “KNOWN.” To receive and sow seeds of different/vaster ways of expecting, or responding to, life’s “offers.” Opening to releasing our programmed “tightness” need not necessarily look like marching, standing in protests, or changing our familiar personal activities.
When, on turning 50, I went waaaay out of my “norm”, “expected”, “nice”, non-standing-out-in-the-crowd “known,” never did I imagine the outcome would result in me sowing seeds–throughout countries—of the profundity, the spirituality, of playfulness, spontaneity, silliness and laughter.
We each are utterly unique and when we allow ourselves to say YES! to experimenting with–-instead of blocking—life’s “offers”, we change not only ourselves, but our world.
Life is currently offering me–and everyone–opportunities to “go beyond” our “known.” There are occurrences-–heavy, scary, complicated–challenging me and just about everyone else. While I have had a lifetime of opportunities to hone skills—being still, practicing surrender, developing trust, opening to the “gifts” in difficult, sticky “offers”, my entire being currently is pretty much on overwhelm. One of the gifts, for sure, is my gratitude for all I’ve previously undergone. “I done got tools.” And, of course, current challenges are offering me more opps to hone and expand more tools.
Certain “go-to’s” help. I sit, surrounded by books–some with me from 60+ years ago—each of which has opened me to avenues of understanding, expanding, relaxing, releasing, trusting. Each one, unique, AND each sowing awareness re who, what, how, I am …. recognitions of my inner, outer, choices and understandings as I navigate life.
NEVER did it occur to me that on turning 50, I would become a Caring Clown* hanging out–literally–with Dr Patch Adams. Or, previously, that times would come when I walked on fire, or that I, the eager adventurer, would be infused with the shaky legs of MS. Or, that life would lead me into unexpected avenues of spirituality, and actually BEING, ACTING–from self-respect, bringing forth unimagined healing and creativity bursting within—instead of being “careful”, inauthentic, and “dimming down” the essential Barbara in order to “fit in.”
Is that not the message of current human life? To each see, know, recognize—and BRING FORTH—who/what we uniquely are?
If you bring forth what is within you, it will save you.
If you do not bring forth what is within you it will destroy you. — Jeshua
How many can relate? Easy, exciting—at 22—immigrating solo from California to Oz. Hitchhiking from Melbourne to Afghanistan—great adventure. Firewalking—wonderful! Being a fledgling clown—yummy! … Calmly, consciously, speaking honestly with a husband or the taxation officer—YIKES!
. (*different than a circus clown).
Photo: Lady Frootloop (aka Barbara Brewster) with Patch Adams
Connect with Barbara to be part of her offerings:
Power of Play * Rambunctious Writing * Living Fully Joyshops for:
Health, Community Connection, Creativity, Awareness
Adults, Teens, Kids, Workplace, Families and Homeschool
Sunshine Coast, Australia: 61 (0)41 751 6680
Kim Lorraine Russell
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