Tag: Growth

Alchemizing Our Loads: A Dedication To The Women In My Circle

I am a tree of life but my branches are breaking

And the thought of enforcing boundaries leaves me shaking

I knew this day would come. The catalyst has arrived.

But her appearance is nothing I could have surmised

The cool soil beneath the souls of my feet

This well-worn path formed by my heart beat

Everything! Everything is important to me. My heart wants to hold it all

My wise woman’s words telling me I can’t carry it all or I’ll fall

From an ancient wild forest she emerged from a bank of dew-laden moss

And she says to me “no, my child some of what you’re carrying is dross”

Statuesque with a tall basket upon her own head

She pulls from my load things that I dread

Complex emotions and situations from my past

I hadn’t realized so much had amassed

Ancestral traumas and narratives that defeat

She placed her hands on my own and laid these at my feet

We’re going to the stream she said…there’s cleansing work that needs to be done

We’re going to alchemize your load until your battle is won

Wading out into an emerald green pool

The water so refreshingly cool

Together we reached a briskly swirling eddy

She looked deep into my eyes and asked, “are you ready?’

“Lay your burdens down in the stream and watch them flow away

I’m teaching you how to release through the magic of play”

As I laid my burdens down into the bubbling flow

I felt a rush of tickles on my legs as I watched them go

My consternation gave way to a relieved smile

I looked at the creek bank where there was waiting for me a tiny pile

The wild wise woman began splashing her way back to the shore

I danced in her wake and reveled in her lore

Through her parabolic ways I learned how to discern piece by piece

What to carry close to my heart and what to release

As we stood together on solid ground I gathered to my chest

My lighter load that resembled a nest

Suddenly I noticed I had grown wings

And that they were made up of broken things

This leg of my journey now felt so complete

My energy and joy had become replete

It truly did all work together for my good

The profundity of my strength was being understood

As she walked away the wise woman gazed up to a clear bright sky

As she uttered the words, “and now you know why”

© Cozett Dunn July 25th, 2023

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Culture Cocoon: Metamorphical Grief

I want to be in #turkiye, #india, or #dubai right now. Curled up in a hotel bed while the sounds of mosques and temples whirl around in the air outside my window as I write poetry. That’s all. That’s all I’m asking.

I am longing for the other side of the planet 🥺

Tomorrow will be 30 days since my mother passed and I still don’t feel like myself. I just want the space and the distance and the cradle of a new culture to comfort me as I immerse myself into an abysmal depth of poetry writing, shadow work, reflection, and introspection. The cocoon is of course an unfamiliar place to the caterpillar. It is foreign. And just as the caterpillar emerges from the alien place of cocoon so I want to melt inside some foreign landscape until my transformation is complete and I’m ready for a new journey with a new physicality. I want so desperately to go from crawling to flying.

Sadness is a universal language. It is understood with the eyes & felt with the heart. Whether the language is Turkce, Punjab, or Arabic a great deal of communication & connection can take place without ever speaking the first word when it comes to this common rite of passage of all humanity.

My mother….she is now….away. And, I want to be as well.

I want away….from here. I need….to be there. Not here. And, I suspect even this simple need is yet another mirror…..

Love, Cozett

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The Surest Compass: A Mourner’s Song

Through the canopy of humidity and trees
The sunlight shines and seems to beckon me

From the moss covered wooden bench I lifted my gaze
Unsure how long I’d sat in a heated daze

A hawk crossed the opening as I looked to the sky
A helios portal just wide enough I could see her fly

My eyes burned from my briny forehead drip
As sweat beaded upon my upper lip

My heart beat slow but hard within my chest
As I wondered was it the hawk or me who arrived as a guest
On my journey I grew overwhelmed and had to pause to be seated on the path below
And From her flight path she saw my summer-flushed face aglow

It occurred to me in this moment we had arrived at the same place and the same time
There was a lesson for us both revealed in this rhyme

A profound revelation bubbled up from the spring of my root
The point had emerged from cocoon and was no longer moot

A matter became a lesson birthed from synchronicity
Progress on one’s path requires complicity

Comply with soul lest it leave you be
And follow your knowing like the wise growth of a tree

Rage against the dying of the pure light of innocence
Turn to mother nature with organic penitence. 

She will open portals amongst interwoven branches and limbs
Her winged messengers timing aren’t based on whims

The whole of the wild is a natural mirror
And immersed in its bramble we learn to see clearer

The irony of the ironic
Is the best medicine I’ve swallowed

It’s an antivenom kind of tonic
That breaks us free from what we’ve wrongly followed

The lesson wrapped rhyme is as simple as this
No matter your path the surest compass is bliss.

© Cozett Dunn July 10th, 2023

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Cozett Contemplates: Your Write To Heal…

Cozett Contemplates writing to heal trauma…

For trauma survivors it’s hard to feel like you can ever again be fully safe. High-alert is a constant state of being. And, appearing relaxed and “normal” becomes a survival skill.

This has been one of my most honed life skills. I learned early on that to show disquiet…distress…or to speak out…would rock the boat. The fact is, is that when people become uncomfortable…things slow down as they try figure out:

1. What’s wrong with the person who’s upset?
2. How do I feel about what I’m hearing and seeing from this traumatized person?
3. Do I believe what I’m being told by this person?
4. How can I help in ways that won’t disrupt my own life?
5. Should I reach out to others to aid me if I help this person?
6. Are there problems too much for me and should I just keep moving and trust someone else will help?

These are just a few of the processes people sort through when thinking about how to help the traumatized.

As you can see not only are trauma survivors sorting through a lot of emotions and questions but so are those with whom we open to.

Because of all those processes and the time and energy it takes I decided as a child that I wouldn’t seek help. I couldn’t waste energy getting rejected over and over by people who didn’t have the capacity to hold space for me. I needed that energy to keep moving. Because life doesn’t stop. Even for the wounded.

As I’ve sojourned into middle-age and resolved to become more authentic, unapologetic, shameless, proactive, and courageous….I face the challenge that vulnerability brings.

Vulnerability, even for non-traumatized individuals is hard. But, as someone who has known what it is to be stripped bare of any ability to trust and feel safe it is especially…hard. I know I’m not alone with this?

This is the original reason I began to write to begin with. It was never because I thought I was good at it, or because it was a hobby for my free time. It was never because I had writing peers or was part of a book club or even a poetry lover! If you know my poetic soul that may seem surprising. 😆

I began to write because there weren’t enough tears. I couldn’t cry enough to even come close to releasing and processing all I’d been through and was going through.

I had so much pent up pain and agony that I needed the entirety of my being to release and cry as much as I did it just wasn’t cleansing me.

So I took to my keyboard. While hot tears streaked my face the fire of my words set ablaze my laptop and phone screens.

I held nothing back. There was no person who could hold space for me….so I created my own space. Private. Free from scrutiny. And it was as wide and as long and as endless as my pain.

My writing space could hold everything. And therefore it could hold me.

I want to encourage you today, if you’re a trauma survivor to know that even when humans can’t hold space for you…that there is a wide open and endless space available to you that can be curated by and for you.

Maybe you’re not looking to publish but you would like to heal? And you’d like to not do that alone?

I’m offering spaces for you. If you’d like to write to heal…alongside me….I’d be honored to hold, share and lead that space.

Reach out to me if this sounds like something your soul is calling for and together we will create the space for you to be held, seen, understood.

I love you. I really do.

Cozett Dunn

#cozettcontemplates #traumasurvivor #writingtherapy #lifecoach #author #healer #traumahealing #traumarecovery #traumainformed #mentalhealthmatters

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The Energy Of Obligation: First Vacation In 11 years

I just got home from Perdido Key, FL in the US. It was only 4 nights but it’s the first real vacation I’ve had since 2012.

I am…home. But. I experience myself as a citizen of Earth. So, I am here….but will always be….there….and there…and over there as well….

Being in my apartment in Hixson…isn’t my dwelling time. It is a pause to rest then plot my next course. Which could be Thailand, India, Europe, Florida…who knows. All I know….is my soul is nomadic.

My sweet little mamaw told me the other day, “I’m so surprised. Shocked really. You never grew up traveling. We never did any traveling. It seems odd. But, I’m happy for you. I just want you to be safe. You’re braver than I am. Just be careful.”

There are few things in my life that…facilitate….me being able to fully feel any experience other than suffering.

One of those things is travel. It’s the only time I am fully happy. And, because this trip was the first vacation I’ve had since 2012 that I haven’t had to work and respond to calls, emails, texts, and more, I was able to finally release my phone without giving into fear of “letting someone down because I’m not immediately available to them.”

I’ve lived an on-call lifestyle 7 days per week since 2012. Sit with that. It’s emotionally devastating.

The energy of obligation even if you’re not fielding a bunch of calls….still depletes your energy stores, your joy isn’t full, your happiness is laced with dread, and some of my trips were absolutely ruined by customers or clients who chewed me out during vacation.

Sit with that. That’s freakin hard. A single woman who doesn’t have a college education. Who has multiple health issues that won’t allow for a 40 hour per week clock job without getting fired due to chronic conditions. Yet, not sick enough to qualify for any assistance.

The entirety of my life before 44 years old has been quite unkind.

I deserve the next 44 (plus) to make up for every tear I’ve cried, for every panic attack I’ve spiraled out of control, for every ER visit, for every expensive therapy session (that I really couldn’t afford).

I deserve the rest of my time here to make up for every man who has cheated on me, lied to me, compared me to other women, talked down to me, bet against me, body shamed me, mentally and verbally abused me, and abandoned me.

We are more than a social media feed. There are definitive reasons behind the decisions people like me make that do not make sense to, or offend others.

And, for those shortsighted or selfish enough to not think through the possible reasons I am (or you are) not meeting their needs…then maybe they deserve the discomfort of the decision I (or you) made. Maybe my lack of presence (or yours) will be the catalyst they need….to awaken. To understand that just because they are a: client, customer, family member, friend, etc. That their role in your life, whether it be personal or professionally based….does not preclude you from being autonomous….WITHOUT REPERCUSSION.

Because, let’s face it. When someone “punishes” you or myself by taking away their business, or freezing you out of the family or a friendship….that is in a nutshell….manipulation. An intentional willingness that gets off on causing those with less leverage in this life….to suffer.

More on this some other time. But, I’ve said all of that to say this…personal power is a right. And just because you enjoying your autonomy makes someone uncomfortable or feel some kind of way…is no sign that you have to betray yourself in an effort to keep them approving of you.

So much more is coming. Stay tuned.

Cozett Contemplates

#cozettcontemplates #thecatalystpodcast #autonomy #personalpower #relationshiprevolution #travel #travelblogger #traveltheroad #thejourney #lifepath #perdidokey #perdidokeyflorida #pensacola #sunset

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The Haunting Resonance Of The Grit: Grungy Motels And Why I Can’t Resist Them

Traveling is one of my greatest passions. There has yet to be a greater rush for me that confirms I am indeed alive.

Travel challenges me. It is an epic (and I mean this in the literal sense of the word) vehicle for shadow work, soul-searching, and, self-discovery. The profundity I encounter is always trajectory shifting. Mind-blowing. Salvific. Paradigm shattering. And, oh soooooo endearingly sweet.

I do mostly solo travel, and if there is 1 regret I have from this, it is that I have these most profound moments alone. I live my life nearly entirely unwitnessed. And while my life isn’t opulent (yet), it is worthy of being witnessed. I’ve transformed and moved through some pretty awe-inspiring shit. I want so much for someone to see it with me. See….me with me. See the grit and feel it with me so that I can tell my stories about the black grainy gravel that made its home beneath my fingernails for a while.

I want to share how and why I find such a haunting and somewhat macabre peace when I stay in a dirty, shady motel. For one thing….the energetic imprints in these types of motels are downloaded onto my psyche like an old school record and needle. By feeling the grooves, I hear the song. It’s like preternatural braille. The imprints tell me their stories without words or any sort of audio. I seem to somehow “know” and “feel with” the room I stay in and the lobby I occasionally venture into.

Would I prefer to be in an all-inclusive 5-star resort?? You betcha. But I don’t yet feel a resonance with that atmosphere. I suppose that’s because I’ve always fluctuated between lower middle class and poverty. But, for the sake of adventure, I hope that will soon change so I can know what it feels like to resonate with the opulence and unadulterated relaxation that I actually need.

At any rate, I wanted to share a picture of where I am tonight. March 13th, 2023, at 12:42 am. I am at the Super 8 Wyndham motel in College Park, GA. Hartsfield-Jackson is adjacent. And I have been plane spotting while here. That is another rush for me. I can’t get enough of lift-offs. I find resonance in them as well. More on that some other time.

But this motel….it’s rough, hahaha. I saw a 10 year old boy across the street at Food Mart dealing drugs. I have just begun writing this post after calling on the angels for him. But, 10 years old. Wow. I was around drugs but thankfully wasn’t doing or dealing them at that age. There’s always someone who’s had it worse. Perspective.

I can’t resist these places because when I walk in and I see how the rooms are half dilapidated and should be condemned but it also looks like some upgrades have begun….it is my mirror. Half-dilapidated yet under construction. Hints of mildew in rusted showers. Carpet that smells like mango perfume but makes the bottom of your feet look like you’ve stepped in soot. A king sized bed wrapped in so many cases and sheets with decent pillows yet when you lie in it you find yourself rolling to one side because it has some weird hump in the middle that isn’t visible but can be felt once you’re stretched across it.

But, the mirror looks new. The mini fridge works. And the night stands look new. In the words of William, The Worm, in the movie, “Labyrinth,” “Oh,well. Close enough.” It is in that spirit I exhale in the darkness that now surrounds me knowing that although I’m in a strange and gritty place, I’m also in a place that feels familiar. And, even though this motel gets 2 stars with one review stating a guest left because as they were checking they encountered an Atlanta Homicide team and on their way back to their car walked past a coroner vehicle, there is strangely still comfort in familiarity. An understanding. And of course…this unwitnessed moment that no one will ever see….but me.

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Cozett Contemplates The Undreamed

Cozett Contemplates the undreamed…

As far back as I can remember self-inquiry has been one of the most powerful trailblazing tools I’ve ever utilized.

Everyday we move through our thought lives and external routines by our subconscious assessment of a predictable future & a well-rehearsed past.

Maybe we’ve been on our jobs 15 years and in the back of our mind we know we will get the opportunity to retire soon. Or, perhaps we have always been unlucky in love and based on our previous patterns it looks only logical that our future will likely not include the partner we want.

Now, let’s talk about how we dare to dream…anyway.

In spite of our predictable future and the likelihoods that seem will inevitably play out as our path unfolds it is only human nature to hope for better. To dream for more. To want more even if it doesn’t seem that “more” can happen for us.

My question to myself today…and to you…is “what have I not dreamed of yet?”

If you have a vision board or practice affirmations then you likely have at least a vague picture of what your ultimate desires are.

But, what about exploring the “undreamed?”

Here I’ll talk about what I’m including into the big picture of what I know myself to be gravitating toward.

First, I have to acknowledge Margo Holder for the words of not just wisdom but adventure that she has always said to me when I’ve catastrophized about my life. Those words, “anything can happen.” The very essence of this concept is rooted in the quantum field of endless potential. Meaning it is entirely scientifically, mentally, emotionally, and realistically appropriate to BELIEVE THE BEST
& to open wide your nervous system to the exhilaration that can only be found in the willingness to indulge in adventure.

Things I’ve dreamed of:

1. Financial security that enables me to create multiple humanitarian organizations.

2. Wealth without work

3. Love without effort

4. Travel without restraint or restriction

I put absolutely NO cap on how outrageously above and beyond these particular things can be fulfilled. Multiple humanitarian organizations?? That’s likely going to be too small in comparison as to how that dream actually comes true.

I have become granular in my focus on how I want my life to look going forward.

But, what have I not dreamed of yet? What part of the human spectrum has my imagination not wandered yet?

It is the undreamed that I’m looking for today. The undreamed is ultimate human potential.

Just the thought of that inspires me. Just the thought of the undreamed…stirs up and engages my emotions. Emotions are the perfect catalyst. Emotions are the most raw, organic manifestation tools humanity posseses.

By the end of the day today I will have a list of new, fresh dreams I’ve not thought of yet. By the end of the day I will have expanded my vision. By the end of this day I will be gravitating toward “a new newness.” I will be moving into a more exotic, happier experience.

What about you? Of course you know what your predictable future is. Of course you know overall what you hope for your life.

But, tell me…what have you NOT dreamed of yet?

I really want to know.

Yours in the dreamscape,
Cozett Dunn

#cozettcontemplates #whatdreamsmaycome #dream #dreamitintoexistence #quantumfield #humanpotential #dreambigger #explore #travel #love

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Cozett Contemplates: The Energy Of Opportunity

Cozett Contemplates the energy of opportunity

What do you think of when you hear the word, “opportunity”?

Opportunity has to do with potential. And, potential has to do with pre-manifestation frequencies.

Whether you realize it or not you and everyone in your life is consistently manifesting something. We are all manifesting connections, people, situations, relationships…and opportunities.

Depending on whether you are in alignment with your soul’s calling you may or may not be manifesting opportunities that lead you one step CLOSER to the highest version of yourself. The richer version of you. The healthier and happier version of you. The more at peace version of yourself.

This is where logic tripped me up. For nearly all of my life I consistently put my heart on the back burner and followed logic alone. I believed that my heart was “wishy-washy” and couldn’t be trusted. That is what I was taught. Now I see what a horrifying travesty that teaching is. It is an actual and literal betrayal of your soul. If you’re a Christian…that soul is one that Jesus died to redeem. For many years I heard it preached that “the heart is deceptive.” Yes, there is a bible verse that says this…but because Jesus came to show us a better way….I will not reference it. I won’t reference it because I’d rather you focus on the work of Jesus than the condemnation of old testament theology.

My struggle for years was, “if Jesus gave me a new heart then why am I not allowed to trust it? Would he create something brand new in me if it were not of quality workmanship? Given to me in such seriousness so as to be willing to DIE and be executed and misunderstood for my new heart only for HIS preachers to keep preaching that it’s ugly, sinful, untrustworthy, and fickle?”

No, my friends. This is not the way. There is a better way. And that way is the way of your heart. Because of this kind of stuff I no longer identify as fundamental or conservative. And because of this detachment to brute thinking I have healed and become more vibrant than I have ever been at any point in my life thus far. So, now that I have addressed the religious perspective I’m going to move on to a point that is more comprehensive and inclusive. I write so that I can “feel with” atheists, religious folks, spiritual folks, and everyone in between. Why? Because….I am everyone in between. I’ll save that concept for another post! ha ha

EVERY opportunity that will ever come your way carries its own unique energetic signature. And it is that frequency, that signature that you should learn to pay attention to rather than just the “trappings” that the opportunity comes dressed in. There is ALWAYS more than meets the eye. That applies to people, places and things.

Here’s what I mean. Over the course of my adult life I’ve owned and operated multiple businesses at once. I am multi-passionate. And because of that I call myself a “multipreneur.” I have learned some great lessons from being this kind of business owner that I want to pass on to you because I want you to have the ability to read the energy of the opportunities that come your way so you can identify which ones to seize and which ones to pass on. This is so important when it comes to coming into alignment with your dreams. Your callings.

Lesson #1- If you reject opportunities that appeal to your heart but not your mind and are consistently led by logic you are sending a message out into the atmosphere that you would “rather betray your heart and not listen to your conscience and that following what you “should” do is more important than following what you “know” to do.” Essentially you are opening yourself to more opportunities to betray yourself and your emotions and your purpose. Sit with that. Is that ok with you?

Lesson #2- The head is more deceptive than the heart could ever be. Our heads are filled on a daily basis with what? Social media images that tell us our bodies aren’t good enough, our beauty isn’t vibrant enough, our favorite politicians are taking a beating, our religions are so persecuted, our vehicles aren’t nice enough, and so we become programmed. Our minds become programmed. Not our hearts. Our hearts hold an eternal knowing that cannot be diminished or layered over enough so as to cover up the truth of our calling, our paths, our purpose. Unless of course we refuse this knowing. Then it will lie dormant and any potential you would have otherwise had is for nothing because you spent your life following a programmed mind rather than the innocent and pure knowing of your heart.

Lesson #3- Saying yes to our heads and no to our hearts sends the message that our heart’s desires are of no value and so we keep receiving opportunities that lead us away from our soul’s calling.

For many years I turned down the volume on the voice of my heart. I focused on work that seemed to be, “the only logically good decision.” The decision that I knew my family would prefer I make. The decision that logically looked like it would bring in more money. Logic deals with surface things. Not deep things. If you want to live a life that is shallow, by all means, go for the surface stuff. But, if you want a life that is cultivated, richly deep and satisfying…the only way is the way of your heart.

By following logic and betraying my heart I was out of alignment with my life’s purpose. My physical and mental health suffered greatly. At almost 44 years of age I am just now recovering from the health disasters of following a logic-based lifestyle. I DO NOT want you to make the same mistake.

Because of the pain that FORCED me out of my firmly held place in logic I had no choice but to turn and “try out the desires of my heart.” I began to “FEEL” the opportunities rather than assess them based on logic alone. I would sit with an opportunity that logically didn’t make sense but that emotionally lined up with my passions. For me those things have been travel (Sovereign Travel by Cozett, http://cozettdunn.inteletravel.com healthier living (Sovereign Beauty http://www.crunchi.com/cozettdunn, and writing (Cozett Contemplates https://www.facebook.com/chatttownpoet. Who makes money doing those things?? Answer: the person who is passionate about them!! This girl!!

2023 for me is, “the year of the yes.” I will say yes to my heart more this year than I have in all the other years of my life combined. Can you imagine the adventure in that?? That is wild!! It’s gonna feel good and I am going to feel good! This is my intention. This is my path. And, I hope that as you’ve read this heart-centered post that it has created a courage in you that perhaps you never believed you could have. I hope when this messages finds you that it is YOUR catalyst to living the life of your dreams. I hope that it will be the springboard into a life that is healthier, wealthier, and more satisfying than you could have imagined you could have and definitely more than what you’ve experienced up to this point in your journey.

I hope this year will be “the year of the yes” for your heart and that all your WILDEST dreams come true.

I love you. I really do.

Cozett Dunn

#cozettcontemplates#yourbestlifenow#DontMakeThisMistake#followyourheart#energeticshift#opportunity#morethanmeetstheeye

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Your expansion is the goal of the Universe.

What I’m about to tell you will hopefully yield many “aha” moments for you. My hope for this post is that it will make certain things, “click” for you in your pursuit of understanding yourself and your situations better.

The cosmos, our universe is like an etheric womb. It consists of many dimensions, materials found on earth and not on earth. Outside of our atmosphere certain laws that keep life as we know it going no longer exist. Gravity being one of those things. The universe is weird and wild place once you break through the atmosphere of earth. We imagine it contains “alien life” or various cosmic races. It is the inspiration for doomsday movies, extraterrestrial thrillers, scientific documentaries, poetry, art, and our imaginations simply run wild when we think about “what could be out there.”

But, one thing is imperative when it comes to our understanding of the universe. If we know nothing else, we need to understand this. And, that is that the universe is expanding. There is so much we don’t know about it. But, one thing is for sure regardless of what it contains it is STILL making space. That is it’s nature. It is ontologically expanding. If I could describe the universe in just a few words, I would call it the, “eternal now.”

Our most current scientific measurements about the rate of it’s expansion is mind-blowing. Wanna know how fast this cosmic womb is expanding?? It is expanding at about 45 miles per second. Sit with that. What does that mean? What are the implications of that for such a finite being as yourself? What is the implication of this expansion in light of your life? Your perspective? Your understanding of the people and world around you? Are you expanding? If you’re not….you should be. If you’re not….you’re really just resisting something that is inevitable. Whether you like it or not the expansion of the universe has a direct influence on everything about you. If you are someone who doesn’t like change this message will likely be met with resistance and a daunting feeling. If you are a person who thrives on change, an adventure junkie or are into personal growth this may just be the messaged you needed to hear!

Now, I want you to think about your contrasts. Your challenges. Get them clear in the forefront of your mind before you continue reading.

Ready?

Let’s talk about the age old question that every human who has ever walked this planet has asked at one point in their existence. “Why?” “Why me?” “Why this?

If you follow any inspirational figures at all, whether they are a preacher from some sort of religion like Christianity, Islam or Judaism, or maybe they’re Hindu, or maybe they are pagan or just generally spiritually inclined, or maybe they are atheists and look at life with a singular view that is influenced by personal growth in general, outside the bounds of God or spirituality. The point here is that regardless of their contexts one message rings true from every single one of them. And, that is this. “Challenges have the potential to grow you. They have the potential to make you stronger. They can be stepping stones to increased potential and capacity.” That’s it. That’s the message. It doesn’t matter from whose mouth it comes or from what spiritual or non-spiritual context that mouth speaks from. The message is true and it is ONE thing we can ALL agree on.

So, challenges expand us. They create capacity within the space of our character, our emotions, our knowledge, our understanding, our relationships, and our overall health.

The universe will never stop expanding. It can’t even if it wanted to. As you read this the universe has already created NEW SPACE…and whether you realize it or not…part of that space is found in you. In the seconds you are reading this post.

On the path of its expansion it is unapologetic and it’s not taking any prisoners. It is unstoppable, unyielding, hurdling into its own expansion with every second that ticks by. With every blink of your eye it becomes larger.

You are part of this universe. You cannot escape it. It cannot escape you. It is part of and responsible for the essence of your being. You are energy. The first law of thermodynamics states that, “energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form to another.” In light of this you also…are the “eternal now.”

Let’s narrow our focus. Still have your challenges in mind? Good. Have you ever asked, “why me” concerning your challenges? Of course you have. Particularly if your challenges have been unfair, mysterious, repeating or chronic you have asked this question.

The universe, in it’s expansion, is not focused on any challenges. It is focused on expanding at all costs and according to it’s own pace. And because you are part of this universe you are being forced to expand. Expansion looks and feels a little different to a finite human than it does to the cosmos. Because our physical bodies are finite but our essence, our energy is not, there is an inherent contrast that we will face every moment we are in this body. It is a dichotomy. You are a walking contrast because your skin silhouette that is temporary is influenced and animated by an eternal nature. Once you shuck off the body your energy doesn’t cease because it cannot. Because of this….life as we know it can be painful.

Living in this divine contrast is oxymoronic. The eternal now flows through your temporary experience. And, this fact necessitates, precipitates and facilitates the expansion of…you.

What I want you to do once you are finished reading this is to get still, get quiet, close your eyes and regardless of any fear or misgivings you may have, I want you to bring your challenges to the front and center of your conscious awareness. Maybe your challenge is weight loss, or addiction, or chronic pain, or mental health issues, family issues, financial problems, relationship problems, etc. Bring one of those things to the front of your mind and ask yourself, “what does my weight loss challenge feel like in the amount of space it takes up within this rapidly expanding universe?” Energy takes up space. We all have a measurable magnetic field in which our energy extends. The energy of our heart can be measured 3 ft from the outside of our chest. This is why many of us get uncomfortable when strangers get in our “personal space.” It is because their strange energy has penetrated the energetic field of an organ that is highly sensitive to energy.

So, your struggle is energy (because literally everything is). And, that energy can feel so overwhelming when we focus it narrowly on the instrument that is our bodies and minds. It causes us to become hyper-focused on how the challenge makes our bodies and emotions feel and we get lost in the struggle, consumed by it because it is “pent up” within the confines our personal experience. An experience that many others cannot feel or perceive (unless they are empathic, but even then only to a certain degree). So it creates a feeling of isolation or loneliness and depending on how hard the challenge is and how long it has gone on it can even make you feel like the universe or God has painted a target on your back because you can’t seem to escape or surmount it no matter what you do.

But, if you can spend time intentionally feeling your struggle or challenge in light of the space, the universe (not your body or mind) that it exists in, then you become informed that it is not as big as you perceive it to be. It can’t be. Why? Because it exists not just within your experience but within the context of a universe that is expanding 45 ft per second. Focus on its finiteness. Its smallness in light of expansion.

In short, because the universe is expanding it is forcing you to expand as well. And because it won’t stop expanding you won’t stop experiencing the challenges that result from living in a temporary body that is animated by an infinite nature. Is the universe a sadist?? ha ha. It can certainly feel like! But, that isn’t the case. It is focused on expansion. You are part of that expansion. Your mind, body, thoughts, experiences at work, home and in or out of love will always be challenged because your essence is one with the fabric of the universe and that fabric is elastic. It stretches on forever but it doesn’t break. Your body and mind might break but even they will reorganize either through personal and spiritual growth or once you die your energy will be transformed into another form and continue its expansion in the new form.

So, God isn’t out to get you. The universe isn’t a sadist. There is a reason for your sufferings and challenges. They are meant to expand you regardless of how painful that can be.

The universe will always be about its expansion and once you can couch your challenges into the context of an “eternal now” you will experience not only a lessening of the emotional and mental intensity of how they press you but gain a sense of purpose for your suffering. Think about that. What are the implications of you overcoming once and for all, the challenges you face? Sure, you will feel better personally in many ways. But ultimately you will be expanded. That means your capacity will increase. When your capacity increases your ability to integrate suffering becomes more finely honed and skillful. And once that happens you too become like the universe. An unstoppable, outward force. If you are that then you will become a catalyst for the entire planet in the transformation of human suffering in general. And, that is a very big deal. So your suffering isn’t just about you. It’s about expansion and it’s about creating a ripple effect of peace and greater harmony in the world around you affected in the lives and hearts of your neighbors, friends and family. This is the goal of the universe. The goal of the universe is your expansion. Find what that means for you.

Yours in expansion,
Cozett Dunn

#cozettcontemplates #UniversalExpansion #personalgrowth #spiritualgrowth #motivation #mindset #suffering #challenges #TheCosmos #theuniverse

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Why I Became A Travel Agent: My Spiritual Awakening Account In Istanbul Airport

THIS. This is why being a travel agent is so important and meaningful for me.

Travel literally changed my life’s trajectory in ONE trip. I left #chattanooga, #tennessee and when I landed in #istanbul#turkiye…I had a massive, highly visible spiritual awakening in the MIDDLE of Istanbul airport.

I left Chattanooga as a woman who has had over a 20 year struggle with panic disorder and when I got inside of Istanbul airport, on my way to #antalya, Turkiye….I missed my flight.

Now, if you suffer from mental health issues you likely understand how a missed flight is a huge trigger in and of itself. But, let me show you the implications of this missed flight for me and the profound change that took place in me that upgraded my life for the better.

#1. I didn’t speak Turkish and the English on the airport signs wasn’t quite clear. For example, in the restrooms there were signs about conserving trees by using electric hand dryers at the sinks. They encouraged us to limit our paper use saying, “it isn’t good for the nature.” So, it was English but it took some piecing together to fully grasp the message being conveyed. And, when you are overcome with panic your brain is fogged up from adrenaline.

#2. The airport is massive. Larger than the #atlanta#hartsfieldjackson airport. And, I’m overweight and have short legs. So getting through the airport meant I had to move super fast. But, I had no idea where the gates were because I couldn’t understand the signage. So not only was my heart rate rocketing from being in panic but from moving as quickly as I could with a heavy duffle bag that had no wheels, a CPAP machine across my shoulder, a back pack, and a fanny pack. So, here was another trigger.

#3. I had used EVERY PENNY to my name to pay for this trip. I literally had $200.00 in my bank account to last me for 10 days in Turkey. I was at an all-inclusive resort Miracle Resort Hotel so meals were included thankfully. But, can you imagine being a single woman, with panic disorder, in a foreign country where you can’t undesrtand people and they can’t understand you and you are ALONE. I was over 8,000 miles away and dialing 911 or calling a friend or family member to help me wasn’t an option.

#4. The EVIL EYE 🧿– Turkish people believe it is bad luck to show distress. They believe it only attracts more problems. I had NO idea about this. I was walking back and forth through this massive airport, crying my eyes out and asking airport employees and strangers for help. ALL of them ran from me like I had leprosy! I thought, “what is with these people?? Why won’t they talk to me?? What about customer service??” Customer service agents were dismissing me because they didn’t want any part of my panicked energy. Here’s another trigger!

#5. One missed flight change can easily cost $200.00 or MORE and that was all the money I had. No credit cards, nothing. My ticket change cost $180.00. So I had $20.00 in case of an emergency for the next 10 days. Trigger!

#6. Depending on when I could catch another flight I wondered how long it would be and if I would have to spend the night in the airport. I had my CPAP machine on me but had left my power convertors in my luggage and again, I didn’t have enough money to buy one at the airport. I have severe central and obstructive sleep apnea. I had already gone 36 hours with NO sleep and was facing possibly not sleeping in the airport because I couldn’t use my CPAP machine. Trigger!!

#7. Shady airport employee- Finally, an airport employee had had enough of me asking him for help and walking from one end of the airport to the other crying. He came up to me and in a stern voice said, “FOLLOW ME.” I was relieved!! But, that relief was going to be temporary! He took me into some hallways where there were no people, led me back and forth through the airport, and I am certain because of him my ticket change had a tacked on fee for him because he spoke to the ticketing agent for me. The ticketing agent kept looking at him like he was asking him to do something he shouldn’t. Every time I opened my phone to call someone he would snap at me, “CLOSE IT! CLOSE IT!!” I was trying to Whatsapp someone so they could see him in case I got into trouble with him. Trigger!!

#8. At a security line- He stopped and put his hand up at me and leaned into my face and said, “I help you. Now…you help me.” He rubbed his fingers and thumb together signaling he wanted cash. I had NONE! I had $20.00 in my bank account. So, I cried and said, “I am so sorry I don’t have any money. I don’t have it. If I had it I would give it to you. I am grateful for your help. Please. I am so sorry.” Who would believe I had no money. An American doing international travel with NO money at all?? I wouldn’t have believe me either. He then led me to a counter.

#9- My heart medication- He then took me to another counter. I have no idea to this day the purpose of this counter. A lady was giving me a tag for the bags I was carrying but then the airport employee demanded that I open my duffle bag to be searched. In that bag I carried my beta blocker, Atenolol. I used it for panic disorder, and whenever I had episodes of tachycardia. He threatened to seize my medication. The lady at the counter looked at him confused. I begged, “no, this is “kalp” (heart in Turkish)” and pointed to my chest.” He finally relented and again sternly said, “FOLLOW ME!”

#10- A fated intervention- There was a young man from Marmaris, Turkey who was fluent in English. He heard me speaking English and in distress with the airport employees and came over immediately and began interpreting and telling them that was my heart medication and that they shouldn’t be searching my bags or seizing my medication. He asked me where I was going, so I told him Antalya. He said, “I’m from Marmaris and I think my gate will be near yours. I can help you.” The lady gave me a ticket (with no gate number still) and I’m not sure how he knew where to go, but he grabbed my duffle bag and said, “c’mon your gate is beside mine but we need to go quick because your flight is about to leave.” So we hustled to the gate and found a spot to sit down together. I told him I was so thankful he intervened because the male airport employee was asking me for money. The young man became very upset. He said, “this gives Turkey a bad name! People like this man! He’s terrible! He shouldn’t have done this. Please don’t think bad of Turkey because of him.” His kindness was salvific. I made my flight and that trip ended up being one of the BEST vacations I’ve ever had!

In the middle of all of these fears, with less resources for help than I’d ever had, I had to dig deep into the healing process I had been practicing 3 years prior to this trip. I had to lean into the fact that I had been doing neural integration to optimize my nervous system and increase my bandwidth for pressure and stress. I had to prove to myself that I believed the empowering words of my doctor friends back home, the words of my therapist, the philosophies I’d taken on from my favorite personal growth gurus.

I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO BELIEVE IN MY BODY and it’s ability to be strong and not die from a heart attack or end up in a foreign hospital with panic and a racing heart. I had to believe that I had the inward power to control my mind so that my previous mental health issues wouldn’t put me in danger or ruin my trip.

This moment taught me how to connect to my body, believe in the fortitude of my mind, and embody adventure in the midst of catastrophe. This is why travel is so important to me. This is why I want to empower others to travel. I’ve not had one panic episode since this trip almost 3 years ago. I am stronger, happier, and more centered than I’ve ever been. And, I am here to help you create that reality for yourself…via travel.

Your trusty travel agent,

Cozett Dunn

For travel deals, perks and insider information on travel and to sign up to my free newsletter visit: www.cozettdunn.inteletravel.com

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