Calm in the Eye of the Storm
We are deep in the middle of eclipse season having come through the emotional waters of the Lunar Eclipse accompanying a Full Moon in Libra (the sign of balance) and are building to a New Moon and Solar Eclipse in the fiery sign of Aries. Whether or not you are a believer and/or follower of these natural occurrences, I imagine that you are feeling the energies of them in one way or another.
These days can feel as though we are in a pressure cooker and are very clearly propelling each and every one of us into a new trajectory, path, way of relating and living and BEING with ourselves and each other.
This is not to be feared, yet the call is to bring more mindfulness and care into how we are moving through our days. To do whatever practices and actions that anchor us so as to become the calm in the eye of the storm rather than being knocked down by each crashing wave.
This feels to be the name-of-the-game these days (really, to me, always has been, yet these times are certainly magnifying that extreme need). It is no longer an option to ignore our innate needs for care and tending as the waves continue to unfurl on so many levels….locally, globally, personally, relationally. It is crucial for each of us to find our “formula” for us to get ourselves resourced and grounded from within and regulated in our nervous systems.
We have to find our own unique pathway IN so as to gain the necessary skills and practices to self-regulate and cultivate the sense and experience of feeling ease and comfort in our own skin.
That feeling of being able to remain upright and intact with ourselves no matter what storms are swirling around us.
We can imagine ourselves standing at the shoreline of the ocean as the waves peak and crest, crash and calm all around us. We can feel what that feels like to stand stall in ourselves, feeling strong in our bodies, anchored in our hearts, and steady in our minds. Standing tall in who we are and feeling that feeling of integrity, of alignment, of truth….
Different waves of the ocean, as with life, demand their own, unique responses. How can we create a depth of connection in ourselves so as to access what we need to stay upright and anchored so as to meet each flavor of life with our whole selves intact? How can we build such a steady and stable foundation from deep within so that we can cultivate the capacity to remain calm in the eye of the storm?
What tools and practices help you, personally, to tap into that feeling of calm, ground, and presence in midst of the storms of life?
Some suggestions to explore:
MOVEMENT: Getting into our bodies through movement. Gentle, embodied, unwinding yoga…DANCE (Dancing in Community is this Thursday if you are local!), conscious exercise, hiking in nature…anything that feels nourishing to your body and brings you into a deeper connection with yourself is important to tap into.
WATER: Soak in it. Be next to it. Consume it (HYDRATION IS KEY). Allow yourself to be soothed by the waters of life. Remembering that our bodies are made of 50%-75% water. The body loves to be filled with nourishment through water both internally and externally.
BREATHE: I cannot say this enough in so many different ways…most of us are not breathing properly. We are not filling our entire body with breath and are short-changing our ability to meet life as a result. It is not necessarily natural to take full body breaths and does require some consciousness, intention, and mindfulness. Especially in midst of more challenging moments of life, if you can focus on lengthening out your exhale twice as long as your inhale, while softening your jaw, and encouraging your shoulders to drop away from your ears….this alone will be tremendously supportive.
CREATIVE OUTLET: It is important that we have a channel for our life’s process and emotions. Writing, dancing, singing, creating, painting, drawing…are all effective ways of channeling the energy in an embodied way so as to keep the emotions flowing and expressing.
MEDITATION: Those of you whom have been with me on this journey for awhile know that I am a HUGE proponent of regular meditation practice. A consistent meditation practice provides the platform to learn how to respond, rather than react, to life. We learn how to sit with the varying textures and flavors and encounters and stories and messages and patterns without reacting to them. We learn how to cultivate a sense of steadiness and calm in the storms of life.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: Anchoring ourselves in something much bigger than our mundane human life is so important in gaining that stream of inner resource and connection. Whatever that looks like for you….prayer, meditation, time in the natural world…asking for guidance and support along your path of life.
SAVOR THOSE MOMENTS OF EASE: When you feel that exhale from within, those moments of feeling calm and comfortable in your skin, of respite from the storm, of rest and relaxation….savor them. Allow them to permeate through your entire being.
Wherever this message finds you, I truly hope that you feel less alone on your journey. That you are able to extract even a little nugget of inspiration from my words. That, perhaps, you feel inspired to enliven a practice in your life to help support you to tap into that calm from within you.
I am always out here, in service, in support, with love and encouragement and the purest intentions to continue to usher humanity through these portals of change and transformation with integrity and an unwavering belief in truth and love.
I would be honored to support any of you along your path of becoming.
Please reach out anytime and connect.
I always love hearing from you.