Still feeling quite disorientated here today and feel a need for some nurturing time alone today. Ignored a dear old friend calling late last night knowing she would be want to share her pain and problems and be drunk probably. I didn’t have the energy. No guilt, just healthy boundaries.
So this got me reminding myself of the daily practises that are healthy and give a stable base for going through the more tumultuous growth episodes. Some kindness, patience and compassion is the theme.
I notice have been absorbing too much spiritual info for weeks and I think it’s time to get back to basics again, to simplicity.
What I know works for me is :
- Noticing thoughts and not believing them. My whole mood can be dictated by a passing stray thought at times when I haven’t noticed it. Instead I can notice a thought that says ‘you’re letting things slip and get out of control, maybe be more concerned, things could go wrong’. That is just a thought. Actually I have plenty of time to line work up, the work is progressing fine albeit slowly. It’s all,okay. But I can only reply like that and reassure if I notice the initial thought.
- And not only noticing the thought, there is a feeling there that allows the thought to form – anxiety. So that can be compassionately related with. Drop out of the head into the body. Notice where the bodily felt sensation of the anxiety is. Consciously allow it to be there and give it a little space. This is a kindness.
- Using the senses to come out of the inner dialogue and into the unfiltered present moment
- Spending time in the natural world away from human affairs, a world that is indifferent to us and carrying on without us. Let the beauty in. Notice the many small miracles all around. Walk slowly
- Breathing consciously and steadily. So often I find that I hold the breath, especially while I worry thought is present and anxiety. Breathing from the belly reassures the nervous system that it’s not a flight or flight situation
- Notice what there is to be grateful for, and maybe write a list. Challenge myself to writing 20 things.
- Give myself love and a physical demonstration of that, a hug, or a hand on the heart. Engender kind and encouraging thoughts towards myself like ‘you’re doing well’ type thoughts.
- Out loud with a hand over my heart or chest area “may I be well, may I be feel safe, may I be at ease, may I be happy”. And then “May we be well, may we feel safe, may we be at ease, may we be happy”.
- Eat food that honours my body. And not too much of it. That’s my rough rule, with the exception of a regular carrot cake habit. Regular 6-8 hour fasts a couple of times a week
- Rest as and when needed. Early to bed, early awake.
- Keep the surroundings relatively tidy to give a sense of order rather than chaos
- Grow and nurture plants
- Don’t read much if any news. it’s okay to be out of touch, the world keeps turning and the dramas continue without me feeling I have to monitor it all.
- Let go, let go, let go.
Learning to Rest with it All 