Bearing Witness

Bearing witness suggests to be with what is, as it is happening. It is a practice in a kind of presence that doesn't deny, reject, or ignore the way things are. As witness, we are not separate, remote like a satellite, observing from on high, but rather smack-dab in the middle of it all. By bearing witness we feel whatever is arising, whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. We come to witness not only the harmonious and the sublime, but also the loss, the hurt, and the fear...

In this strange time of social distance, we do not go cold. We do not turn away from the world, dispassionate and aloof. Rather, by bearing witness we proceed straight from the heart. Our hearts bleed concern, loving kindness, and nurturance. We acknowledge our own vulnerability and the vulnerability of all we love. In bearing witness we garner resiliency to see us through the time we are in right now and, fortified with kindness, to persevere in the time ahead, come what may.

~ Tias Little

Learn more about Tias Little at his website here.