Ways to Care for Yourself and Your Loved Ones During Difficult Times

Taking a moment look at ways in which we can use Akasha in it's various forms to heal and support ourselves and those we love during dark times. Winter Solstice meditation: https://youtu.be/FcNYzuDqNpk

Transcript

Ways to Care for Yourself and Your Loved Ones During Difficult Times

"Give yourself what you need today. Coffee. Patience. Kindness. A timeout so you don't bust a vein in your forehead. It's called self-love." – Nanea Hoffman

These past few days have been immensely difficult for millions upon millions of people, not only in my country, but far too many others. While war and conflicts continue to do harm, elections are now setting in motion actions and inactions which at the very least endanger far too many of us, myself included. And while the struggle continues and there is a lot to be done, now is a time to pause.

If this is all hitting you or someone(s) you love hard, take the day, take the week, pause because you need this moment for yourself. You are a piece of divinity and you've been showing up to do the hard work. Give yourself space to feel your feelings whatever they are and however many you have. Your divinity includes all of the hard and difficult feelings as well. They are one of the ways in which you know you're still alive, still here, authentic and in your own power. Your feelings, all of them, are the fuel which creates your unique light. 

You may need to sit for some time with these feelings to work through them. That's ok. This is the path. Just know you're not alone. If it feels oddly quiet out there, it's in part because we're all doing this, taking time to feel and also connect. 

As Mickey Atkins says often, "Reach out to your safe people." Check in with those you love and your community more broadly. Ask for what you need and let them supply it as best they can. Often people want to help, but just don't know how or what you need. There is love and healing in knowing we are in this together and here for each other.

Instructions on Living in a Broken World by _stillwerise

lean into community 

seek out love 

applaud the good you see 

keep paying attention 

talk to your neighbors 

dance to the music and embrace art 

look for love and small joys 

take breaks and relish in nourishing your body 

donate what you can 

linger at the dinner table with friends 

check in with your people 

let yourself grieve 

love one another as deeply as you can 

the storm is upon us and we must hold on 

don't give up, we're here together.

During this time and the road going forward, there are things we can do to support, heal, and restore ourselves. I mean, there's chocolate, binge watching everything, hanging out, sitting still, and snuggling...so much snuggling, but beyond these there are spiritual/emotional/energy practices which can help as well.

Connect with the Earth

During emotionally difficult times it can help to do this simply by focusing your attention on your physical senses.  This is a type of mindfulness practice which calms the body by identifying something physically in the room with you.  Look around and really see things, not as needing to be cleaned, moved, or dealt with, but as part of your life in this now.

Let yourself feel soft things with your hands, surround yourself with comforting clothing, pillows and blankets, let your feet truly feel the carpet, the earth, or grass depending on your weather. 

If you are going to do grounding exercises, I recommend not sinking your energy into the ground, but instead allowing the earth, the literal ground, to support you. Feel how you are supported by it.  Or connect into the energies of the earth which in the Northern hemisphere are starting to go to sleep while in the Southern they are beginning to wake up and peek out at us.  Feel yourself as one part of all this, connected to it and nourished by it. You are not alone; you are part of this and so much more.

Connect with Life Force

There is an energy system or grid which is the constantly generating life force of all living things on this planet and flows like the ocean tides.  We are part of this, our lives adding to it and being supported by it in each second of our day.  This is in part what is meant by the phrase, "The Web of Life," but in its energetic form rather than day to day interactions.

The life force grid is a positive, life affirming energy which continues to flow unfazed by the difficulties in the moment. Connecting with it doesn't cause all the worries, pain, fear, or distress of others to come crashing in.  Instead, it allows us to feel the pulse of life, the affirmation of the eternal "Yes" which is flowing and emanating all around us.

To connect into this grid, imagine seeing your neighborhood, city, community or region from the air at night. See all the living beings as emanating golden light and all of those lights connected by golden threads weaving intricate patterns which light up the darkness, a dark which is velvety smooth and comforting rather than frightening.

When you can see this, notice you too have a golden light which is emanating from your core. From this light stretches golden threads in all directions.  Allow yourself to feel your positive connections, to breathe into them and feel your light moving through them into the world, but the world also flowing golden light back through those connections to you.  Let yourself fill with it until you are fully made of life, breathing life into yourself and the world. Stay as long as you wish. 

"Grief is like the ocean. It comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim." – Vicki Harrison

Be a Light in the Darkness

In dark times, whether the coming of winter, war, or systemic destruction, we tend to forget or are dissuaded from remembering, we are the light. Each of us is a piece of divinity which shines in the rich velvet of winter whether in community or solitude. 

Yet if we choose, we can stop the outward flow, the rip tide which is trying to drag us somewhere we do not wish to go, calling us out of ourselves, and instead open to allow the universal energy of Akasha to fill us. We can draw down the pure prana of the Akashics and let it radiate through us, filling us like a sacred well until we overflow to all living beings. We can become the candle in the darkness, spreading light because this is our nature, and in so doing reminding others they can do the same. 

Akashic spiritual practices give us the ability to tap into liminal time. To be completely centered both here and there, accessing the universe inside us, which is the universe all around us, both/and, all at once. To do this I recommend pulling Akasha into you, rather than you reaching out to the Akashics for insight or education. Connect with your own inner divinity, your own light, and bring the Akashic flow into you, supporting, nourishing, and expanding who you are and all you can be, a light in the darkness of an ever-manifesting world.

As this is something I do for myself and share with my community at each Winter Solstice, I have a guided meditation version of this practice on my YouTube Channel which you can find here: Winter Solstice. 

While our souls know there is no true darkness and all is love and light, we have chosen to be here in this embodied life where darkness does exist, evil occurs, and a lack of light or heat can kill. This is why it's important for each of us to shine for each other. 

I'm struck by how well this is expressed in the first season of True Detective: 

Rust: "I tell you Marty I been up in that room looking out those windows every night here just thinking, it's just one story. The oldest."

Marty: "What's that?"

Rust: "Light versus dark."

Marty: "Well, I know we ain't in Alaska, but it appears to me that the dark has a lot more territory."

Rust: "Yeah, you're right about that."

Rust insists Marty help him leave the hospital, and Marty agrees. As they head to the car, Rust makes one final point to his former partner.

Rust: "You're looking at it wrong, the sky thing."

Marty: "How's that?"

Rust: "Well, once there was only dark. You ask me, the light's winning."

So, for now remember these three things: 

1. Focus on the love. It's still there and still has power.

2. You are not alone. We're in this together so reach out if you need support.

3. This too shall pass. The light will be back.

Tomorrow is another day. Take the time you need. Continue to follow your path, remain in the light & send out love, light & healing to the many in need. We need it now more than ever.