Friends,

A famous yoga teacher once told me that the transitions between the postures should be as beautiful as each of the postures themselves.

I’ve come to believe that a graceful life is just a series of graceful transitions. In turn, a graceful transition is just series of fully inhabited, fully lived individual moments — moments in which we are aware, unresisting, and allowing. Allowing ourselves to take in the fullness of life, both the wanted and unwanted. Allowing our capacity to take in life’s fullness to expand.

Here’s one more definition I’ve come to know in my 42 years: There actually are no crises. What we think of as crises are actually unwanted transitions. Resisted transitions. Transitions that are trying to surface what needs expanding or releasing. Some crises are just transitions on a mission to clarify what really matters to us, or to show us where we are not fully seeing ourselves, others, life or the world clearly, in all its divine splendor and ultimate wellbeing.

Still other crises are simply transitions in which we’re still are resisting our own ultimate greatness, or we’re still resisting some other truth about the world. Some crises are transitions in which we’re still getting ready to accept the truth that someone else is now an adult and is ready to learn the old action-consequence loop we’ve been interrupting by chronically saving the day.

Whew, okay. Maybe some of that was just for me.

Anyhow, death is the ultimate transition. And this week we were all blessed to witness two modern masters make very intentional, graceful, personalized versions of their own transition.

First, as always: The Queen. Aretha Franklin’s epic funeral was a whole-hearted celebration of her identity: who she really was and why she was really here. Grand. Regal. Her homegoing celebration was threewardrobe changes and eight, nine or 10 hours of revelry in how the Queen of Soul uplifted the world not with her instrument, her quiet activism and her ideals.

The Queen had clearly put some thought into her transition and into the ritual which would commemorate it. Her identity was on center stage, intentionally and literally. In describing her casket, USA Today wrote: “the interior is finished with champagne velvet. Franklin’s title, ‘Queen of Soul,’ and her name ‘Aretha Franklin,’ are embroidered in the casket lining with gold metallic thread.” Song after song serenaded this master musician out of her physical body and back into her eternal state of being, one last time.

Now: The Warrior. Senator McCain was also intentional about his transition, leaving this world on grace notes of beautiful words, ideals and concepts that expressed his identity.

First, a statement from his daughter, Meghan, said simply and poetically: “Today, the Warrior enters his true and eternal life.”

Then, his office released the Senator’s own personal letter, revealing his heart and his love for life and for America.

“I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it. I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for ten satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else’s.

Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.

Farewell, fellow Americans. God bless you, and God bless America.”

As I watched them unfold last week, these two graceful transitions reminded me of a conversation I recently overheard. A CEO I know said he was thinking a lot about his legacy. When asked what legacy meant to him, he said something like: “I want people to remember my name in 100 years.”

That’s one way to look at it. But when I heard him say that, I just thought of all the names on buildings, highways and statues that we pass every day. Those names are technically remembered. But almost none of us know who those people really were or what they were really about.

Almost none of us feel expanded by their ideals—by the beauty of their lives and work—the way that we do by that of The Queen and the Warrior.

The transitions of The Queen and the Warrior were so graceful in part because of who they were and how clear and bold they were about their identity, vision and purpose all throughout their lives, not just at the endings, beautiful though these rituals were.

If anything, we should bid them adieu having received clarity on this one thing: that legacy is not whether random people “remember” your name in 100 years.

Legacy is about how you contribute while you’re here, whether to one family or to a nation. Legacy is about how you live while you’re here, how you love while you’re here, who you influence and impact and uplift while you’re here.

Present tense. Now. While you’re here. Because you are still here.

Legacy is about whether you live this life with freedom, growth and joy. Whether you fully express yourself and get on board with the divine plan for your life. Whether you uplift the people around you. Whether you create something beautiful, and I don’t mean some big piece of art: I mean whether you create a beautiful life. Whether you fully inhabit your life.

Whether you leave upliftment in your wake.

The Queen and the Warrior should leave those of us who are still here in this world clear on one more thing: that our most powerful moment, the only point of influence we will ever have, is right now. You are creating your legacy now, whatever it is. Whoever you are. Whatever matters to you.

NOTE: In my School of Upliftment, right now we’re studying crises, transitions and how to handle both skillfully. We’ll be starting a new class of students on October 1st. Hit reply and let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll share more details. Or get on the waiting list, here: http://soultour.com/school

NOTE #2: If you’re not even sure who you really are or what you want your legacy to be, or you’d like to start walking more fully into your calling, spark some clarity by joining our next 10 Day Writing Challenge, which starts September 10th.

It’s free. Register here: http://soultour.com/writingchallenge

Head up + heart out,

TNN

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