We are challenged, again and again, to realize we are not victims of life but initiates. Not victims of what happens to us, but people being brought into life more deeply each time. In this conversation, Mark Nepo unfolds what that means, and reads his poem As I Age, about the little things that fall away while the big things become clear. At the center of it is what Mark calls the heavenly pivot. It is the shift from running from here to there, to living from in to out. The realization that while there are many things to do, there is nothing to do, and while there are many places to go, there is nowhere to go. He tells the story that made it concrete for him. After a week-long retreat on a barge drifting through Belgium, he was invited to add on a teaching visit to London. Ten years ago he would have said yes, let me figure it out. This time his soul asked a different question: why isn't Belgium enough? Why can't I be 100% here, on this river, with these people? That, he says, is entering time rather than moving through it. Having the life you want by being present to the life you have. He is also honest about pain. There is always some friction in being alive, and for about ten months Mark lived with chronic pain, not knowing if it would ever end. What he learned is that even pain that never leaves moves like waves at sea, with quiets and swells. You learn to discern: today is a four, not a nine, so I can breathe a little deeper. As Hippocrates said, pleasure is the absence of pain, even for a moment. That vastness, that heavenly pivot, gave him something larger than himself to hold the discomfort, to cushion it, to right-size it. And his heart goes out, deeply, to those still living without a way out. Want to go deeper with Mark Nepo? Join Sounds True One for more teachings like this. Get your first month FREE at https://bit.ly/4ctecMn Subscribe to Sounds True's YouTube Channel ► https://bit.ly/SubscribeSTYT Sounds True is a mission-driven learning and media company, and a recognized leader in wellbeing, personal growth, and spiritual transformation. Partnering with the world’s foremost wisdom teachers and best-selling authors, the company reaches millions worldwide with its unique programs, digital learning experiences, and worldwide events. The company also features a variety of original series, weekly shows, and live online experiences on Sounds True One, its global platform and community with members across more than 125 countries. Sounds True is a Public Benefit Corporation and also the home of the Sounds True Foundation. Connect with us: ▪️Facebook: http://bit.ly/2XFIIeE ▪️Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UlEoiH ▪️Website: http://bit.ly/2tOl02d