Dear all,
I'm just writing to let you know I'm thinking of you, and sending care and support. No matter your circumstances or situation, these are not easy times. Whether you are affected on a very personal level, a family/community level, or person-living-in-the-world level, we are all connected in with what is happening on a national and global level. Not to mention all the things you may just have already going on in your life/body/family/work etc. Some of you have asked me about tools for engaging with the constant onslaught of chaotic/depressing/terrifying news. I will share what I am finding helpful, in hope that it may resonate for some of you. So, my thoughts and practices, in no particular order (these are very basic, but sometimes simplicity is where it's at!):
~ Feeling my feelings: whether fear/anxiety, grief, anger, disgust, etc, feeling my feelings and acknowledging them, and understanding their origin (which is usually one of love and care for the world, what is important to me, my values, etc).
~ Taking a moment to feel love in my heart, to give myself love, to feel love and strength and warmth and comfort and safety in my belly and the base of my spine, to feel my feet on the ground, to remember I am a cherished being that is part of a cherished web of all beings on a beloved planet in a benevolent universe
~ Limit news intake: sometimes easier said than done- of course we all want to be aware of what is going on in the world. Yet we haven't evolved to know every awful thing all over the world in real time. It is a lot - too much- for our emotional body and our physical body and our minds. Maybe you limit yourself to reading headlines, or spending 10 min a day on news, and try not to have it be first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening.
~ Remembering that we live, and have always lived, in a world where truly horrific things are happening in many many places, all the time, including periods that stand out in our minds with even more terrible things. And yet, through it all, there is love, there is connection, there is beauty, there is joy, there is creativity, there are healers and artists and musicians and spiritual beings and activists and prayers and nature and people taking care of one another in the most surprising times and ways. Life, of which we are a part, is incredibly resilient and tends toward healing and harmony.
~ Basic self care and tending. Sleep, time outside in the sunlight (even on a cloudy day), movement and exercise, eating in a way that nourishes and is kind to the body and soul, staying hydrated, meditation (especially Heartmath meditations or Tara Brach's RAIN practices), moments for relaxation and rest and joy and play and connection and laughter. Breathing- I really like a 6-8 second inhale through the nose and 6-8 second exhale through the nose. breathing into and out of the belly; or even lengthening the exhale more is great for anxiety and stress and helping with sleep (such as inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8 method or the physiological sigh which is 2-3 short deep inhales through the nose and a very long exhale through nose or mouth). Time in nature, dancing, listening to music, seeing beauty. Acupuncture, massage, and herbal medicine are wonderful self-care and health maintenance too (hint, hint)!
Of course, we can't all do all of these things, all the time, and some of us have more ability to do some of them than others. Whatever you can do, please offer yourself the most compassion and grace and kindness that you possibly can, and be a friend and support to yourself, holding your own hand and heart through it all. Stay as present as you can in this morment, while also acknowledging the vastness of life. Stay attuned to the goodness in the world, and do what you can to increase it. Embracing the paradox of blessings and mysteries that is being human.
Well, that seems to be it for my thoughts today.
Sending you love, care, and support,
Shoshana