Living in the world at large is extremely stressful right now.
The lingering presence of COVID, a terrible war with more refugees flooding into Europe, material shortages, and escalating prices. Your personal world of health, family, work, friends, and communities may also be experiencing significant challenges. This beautiful planet is in distress with continued consumption and destruction by humans creating a global crisis that will affect all life now and in the future.
My friend in Vienna sent me this photo of his local train station. “Give peace a chance.”
Austria has a “Willkommenskultur” or welcoming culture for refugees. Many people from Europe have shown up at train stations in Poland and other countries with signs indicating they can house and feed Ukrainian refugees.
Yet many people in the United States and countries away from this region have expressed feelings of helplessness, fear, anger, and deep sorrow.
Research has shown that when in a crisis if someone has the opportunity to act and help others, there is less of a chance of a lingering post traumatic stress response. This is why so many are moved to donate money, create peace ceremonies, volunteer, or collect goods for displaced people.
In my research I learned of the stress created by donated goods in the midst of humanitarian crisis.
In situations such as the war in the Ukraine, the influx of clothing and supplies requires a great amount of organization, money, and volunteers. They need to manage incoming donations, sort goods, identify and pay for storage so supplies are not ruined by weather, and see what may be distributed. The statistics show that these needs not only take away a focus on flexible purchase, delivery, and distribution of items of need, but that 70% of these donations end up ruined and/or in landfills.
That in itself is heartbreaking. All that good intent ending up as a pollutant for our Mother Earth.
Taking some time to research options for helping or donating is wise in any situation whether it is a crisis or a long term need. Yet, the helplessness remains even if you are donating or reaching out to friends affected by global or personal crises.
It’s helpful to tune into your inner wisdom for guidance. Always beginning with a check on yourself.
If you’re experiencing significant upset, as many people are, I’d recommend turning off the news and soothing your system. Unless you are in a coherent state, you won’t be of much help to others or the world.
My Self Soothe Strategy is one of my Free Resources available on my website (click here).
The PlayBook explains the importance of working flexibly with your mindset and stress response system. The recording guides you through a heart focused Energy Psychology practice which resets your nervous system.
Your energy system is the foundational architecture of your “body.”
As such, it holds all fear, helplessness, and grief from past situations that were overwhelming at the time. There are many ways to soothe the system and help these stored disruptions clear out of the energy field and body.
Clearing the way to dream a new future for yourself, your communities, and the global family.
First, you have to check in to see where your focus lies. For wherever that is, you’ll be creating more of it.
It may sound like a fairy tale to envision Russian and Ukrainian children growing up in harmony, respect, and love for one another.
Or to witness the Earth restore its oceans, rain forests, and gardens so humans and all creatures contribute well to the ecosystem. I don’t read this as a fairy tale, I dream it as a foreseeable future. Turn off the mainstream news (right, left, and center) and seek out the amazing miracles happening all around this planet.
There are amazing, cooperative projects existing all over this world.
Where people live and work in harmony with a creative focus upon sustainability, respectful empowerment of each other, and dare I say it, personal responsibility and a big heart focus on love. One of my favorite websites to visit is Reasons to Be Cheerful created by Talking Heads musician, David Bryne.
Good news. Good projects. Good inspiration to become involved and grow into a better human being.
I’d love to offer you a guided meditation that I recorded for the Center for Conscious Living in New Jersey. Together, the group dropped into the process of cleaning up the inner world, strengthening the energy field, and breathing love to the world.
“I Am That: Breathing Love” guides you through a gentle process which you can use to soothe and strengthen your system.
To access the recording, click here.
Settle into a quiet space and recognize that all healing begins within. Peace on the planet begins within. So does every creative dream about restoring harmony, safety, plenty, and respect for all beings.
If you are feeling especially unsettled these days, I’m happy to help you.
Check out my offerings and sessions on my website to see what resonates.
Peace be with you and with all. No exceptions.
Are there Reasons to Be Cheerful when your home is falling down or your parent is experiencing dementia? That answer is a big fat yes! Some of my favorite discoveries on this website include creative ways to restore dignity while offering help. One project had volunteers restoring homes of older African Americans in order to create safety, build equity, and slow down gentrification. In Holland, dementia patients are working alongside farmers to grow food and care for animals. Supporting sustainable farms and giving meaning via contribution to elders or disabled persons who often feel marginalized. More than kindness or handouts, these projects empower active involvement. Big hearted dreamers making change.
Learn the one essential skill that allows you to face any challenge with confidence, sturdiness, and inner calm.
More than a technique. It’s a game changer.
ia Sophia has arrived. This “Way of Wisdom” offers an invitation to step upon a Living Spiral Path and discover a new understanding of what it means to embody the Mystical Feminine.
For the past fifteen years I have lived and taught within the Mystical Feminine. I have sat within many circles and immersions with women as we explored how to practically and powerfully engage Feminine wisdom in everyday life.
When my daughter was in eighth grade, she and her Girl Scout troop were beginning to explore ideas for their individual Silver Award projects.
Around our dinner table, we tossed around possibilities. Nothing landed. Nothing stirred real interest. So we encouraged her to do what we have always trusted. Stay open. Listen. Pay attention to what people are talking about in the world.
Driving into Soul Sanctuary last weekend, I noticed the trees were engaged in a wild dance.
I should have paid closer attention as I got out of the car, because the wind nearly took me with it. Walking to the door, I had to lean in and brace myself for a moment just to stay upright. The cold whipped through my clothes and found every uncovered space, sharing its bone-numbing chill.
We recently had a big snow in my neck of the woods.
Everyone was hunkered down. The fridge was full, chicken soup was bubbling on the stove, and my book pile sat patiently on the coffee table. As the snow covered the neighborhood and the plows dumped fresh mounds over our carefully shoveled walk, we took turns peeking outside.
As a kid, snowstorms were pure joy.
“I think we need to be friends.”
Those were the first words out of my mouth when I introduced myself to Rev. Hilda Covington. We’d just finished a county meeting of nonprofit mental health and social service agencies. She was the presenter that month. We almost didn’t meet because Hilda arrived an hour and a half late to a two-hour meeting.
Life has a rhythm. It speeds up and slows down according to mysterious forces.
Your personal rhythm dances with the celestial bodies, seasons of the year, developmental phases, and the pulse of your Soulful evolutionary process. Living in harmony with these rhythms is in many ways hard to understand as it is a complicated and deeply personal process. Your rhythm dances with everyone’s rhythm in the grand Cosmic Dance.
