Looking Back at Immerge
This weekend marks one year since the coming to life of Immerge and what a year it has been!
Immerge was designed to be a homecoming. We left behind our troubles at the door, entered the cosmic womb, witnessed the vulnerability and strength of our humanness, and came to life with the remembrance that to be alive here and now is a beautiful gift.
While the intention was to create a space for community healing, the biggest imprint left behind was one on myself. Following my big fat “YES” to this project, came a big fat load of challenges. It pushed me to my edges, which I hadn’t ventured to in quite some time and quite frankly, I needed to go there. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that my edges are infinite, and with every edge that I encountered, I found I could go a little further, a little deeper. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was building a womb for myself, so that I could experience my own rebirth. The edges that I was encountering were just the beginning of my unfolding.
After all of the excitement from the weekend started to fade and I thought I’d get a chance to relax and relish in my accomplishments, I encountered more challenges, more edges, more beauty, more grief, more humanness, more depth, more life, more love, more grief, more love.
I met my humanness, again and again.
I met my humanness, and I pushed her away. Grief.
I met my humanness, and I embraced her. Love.
I forgave myself again and again for being so human. Through all the forgiveness I found deeper and deeper layers of self-acceptance. I came to know both my fragility and my strength.
When I set the intention to birth Immerge into being, I knew it would challenge me and I was okay with that. I wanted to see what I was capable of creating when I didn’t take no for an answer. I came to life through that process of pushing the edge and venturing into the unknown and then I entered into the womb that I built with my own hands and the hands of the community.
It was an incredible rebirth. There were tears, laughter, labor, and rejoices. And since then, there have been many more rebirths. I’ve learned that I can start anew anytime I wish. I cannot change the past or erase the memories (and I wouldn’t want to), but I can decide at any moment to become more human, more alive, more forgiving, more loving.
I choose to embrace my humanity as much as I possibly can because love lives in embrace. If we have to do it, we might as well embrace it. We might as well love this life with everything we’ve got.
Immerge means to dive into or immerse oneself in something. I invite you again to immerse yourself in this life. Breath it all in, be grateful for whatever story you’re in because what a miracle it is to be alive at all, and decide every moment to LIVE with your whole being.
And when you falter, when you forget how incredible you are, how incredible life is: Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
This life is a beautiful gift. I want to share it with you.
In loving memory of Immerge: 4/16/21 to 4/18/21
Endless gratitude to the folks who helped make it happen. It is with the support of family, friends, and strangers that we have the opportunity to meet our humanness and to create beautiful moments. I love you.