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Jenna Newell Hiott's avatar

Julie, this is stunning!💖🤗 I read it slowly, really letting it land in my body. So many bells rang true. Your way of holding YES and NO in sacred relationship feels so aligned with something Wisdom showed me recently about learning to see one state of being from the vantage point of its opposite. Coming to truly understand yes by seeing it through the eyes of no. Your words gave that teaching form and flesh...including yes in the no and vice versa. I love that!

And the practice you offer at the end...it's exactly what I needed. You and I were holding those self-care questions last week, and this feels like the clearest answer: not a rigid structure, but a sacred listening. A return to the sacred center, as you so beautifully put it.

Thank you for this. I'm going to come back to it again and again. 💛✨

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Oh Jenna I really appreciate your response here. "Yes and No", as contemplations, have been traveling me for awhile now. It was wonderful to bring more clarity to them in this essay. And YES to viewing the opposite through the eyes of its opposite. There is synergy here, a wonderful means for these partners to dance together in harmony and wisdom, rather than that of polarization and hate that our current culture is doing.And to come to this means is with self-care. Not enforcing a rigid structure as you said. The timing of our discussion on self-care and writing this piece really brought all this home. Love to you Jenna! 💜

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Janee's avatar

My grandson has just learned YES and NO. NO came first and he was very adamant when he didn't want something. Now his YESSS! has arrived and it is wonderfully exuberant ! 😄

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Janee, I love what you share here. How sweet to witness the first utterances of these powerful two words. And how sweet to watch your grandson's expression as he uses them. So, in the moment, so real. 💜

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Prajna O'Hara's avatar

Hello Julie,

WOW, the layout, art, depth, color, and beauty of this post is immaculate, I truly have entered a holy space. So well done.

Yes and No—the holy braid.

One opens the gate, the other guards the flame.

Together, they shape a life of meaning,

Not in conflict—but in choreography.

Thank you for this beautiful meditation—it’s a paradox, I love to dance with. 🌀✨

Love you.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

I am so deeply touched by all that you have said here. Thanks Prajna! And I love the imagery of: "Yes and No—the holy braid." Again, all you said resonates deeply. Love you! 💜

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Keith Aron's avatar

So much powerful, empowering Truth in here, Julie! I love the way you unpacked the contrasts between a sacred yes/no and shadow yes/no. The mind can distort and confuse the nuances between the two, but the body clearly and accurately senses the contrast. Sadly, we have been conditioned to disconnect from our body and into self-abandonment so that we can be commodities for the oppressive systems we live in. Love how you wove in the vibrational qualities of these two mighty syllables, too. Such good stuff!!! Thank you for the crisp clarity of your wise words, and for the sturdy ground you landed on for us. Clarity💜Coherence💜Choosing💜

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thanks Keith! Things really can be incredibly simpler! And I agree with you; we continually need to confront a system that wants to hijack this natural inborn right of sacred choice. This is something I have been considering a lot lately - do we really have choice? So much has already been decided for us through these oppressive systems. AND - it is soooo worth it to look behind the curtain, to call it out for what it really is, even if we are the only ones listening. This is both the sacred YES and NO in action. Taking back our rite and right of choice. 💜

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Keith Aron's avatar

Yes! The only thing we really have choice about it is choosing to believe our own knowing, and acting from that place of truth. It helps so much to know you are living from that place, too. Thanks again, Julie! 💜

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Megan Walrod's avatar

I loved reading your deep dive on the yes and no. Two powerful words that create our lives! I also love how you spoke about this in the context of resonance and coherence… Just saying those words creates a ripple of Yum! I appreciate how you are unpacking the yes and no here… So powerful, so needed, so valuable. 🙏

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thanks Megan - I appreciate that we both came to a very similar understanding of these words. Again, how fun the synchronicity of it! And a big YES to resonance and coherence! May we all come to speak and act from this place. 🙏💜

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Megan Walrod's avatar

Yes!

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Simone Senisin's avatar

Thank you for bringing such clarity — very powerful.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thank you, Simone! 💜

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Sam Corrie's avatar

WOW! wow! wow! this is so powerful. Dearest Julie, you are a sacred wordsmith of magic and healing. I am now viewing No and Yes as Sacred Words...words that will take me beyond thresholds into something that my heart truly asks and invites of me. Thank you Dearest One.

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thanks so much Sam! I'm so glad this struck a chord with you. As I said in my post - I feel they are such simple words, yet they carry such depth and can change the course of our lives dramatically. It invites me to pause, for how important it is to speak them with intention and from a place of coherence. They truly are magical. And you are right Sam, they are movements from the heart to the heart! Love to you dear friend! 💜

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tarotbyphil's avatar

I loved this, thank you 🙏🏼

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Thank you! 💜

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Teresa Gardiner's avatar

Oh my! What a beloved gift you are, dear Julie 🪶 I am sending this on to others to breathe in, reflect and unfold into.

It's my b-day today. Your writing is a gift. 🤍

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Julie Schmidt's avatar

Happy Birthday Teresa! And I'm deeply touched and happy that this spoke to you, specifically today. Blessings to you dear one - and may your birthday be filled with love and all that fulfills your soul! 💜🎉🎂

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