Staying IN BODY

Happy Spring Equinox!! I am imagining I am not the only one who is thrilled to be at this change of season…much needed warmth and greenery, longer days, and more opportunity to be outside in connection with nature and fellow humans.

I took last week off from writing to you all… My intuition was speaking loudly about the need to pull back in my own energy and to give your inboxes a break. I was attuning to my own rhythm of output and trusted this as it was also an impactful eclipse and full moon that without a doubt had (and still is having!) reverberations on both the individual and collective levels.  

It feels to me that it is time to do things differently. What that means for me is not necessarily pushing through out of “should” but rather yielding, staying present and awake, while also honoring the natural pulls. Staying engaged and attuned both inwardly and outwardly.

Before I go any further in anything that I'm offering you all, I just want to name that none of what I am writing, sharing, offering, and suggesting is on the plane of the political. What I have access to in myself is that around the humanitarian issues, themes, challenges and struggles, and trauma in on this human plane.

I honestly do not know how to ignore what is taking shape, it is just not in my nature or who I am. Rather than doing so, I am choosing to use my energy and skills to help. I am choosing to tap into this well of wisdom that I am holding around unwinding trauma, of facing hardships in life upright, and using the density of some of life’s experiences as fuel for growth.

I'm finding myself running through the whole gamut of emotions these days…The days are dense and in any given day I can feel sad and angry, inspired and grateful, anxious and overwhelmed, trusting and fearful, grounded and open, hopeful and inspired, and in complete faith at this entire unfolding.

If you are feeling similar flavors of this, know that you are not alone....

I care deeply about humanity and as my mission in life is to support and empower women, naming and acknowledging the tremendous impact that this unfolding is having on so many women and humans on the whole, is essential.

For this week, I want to begin the conversation around collective trauma, what that means and how to be working with it in ourselves as individuals and in support of each other. I feel that we are immersed in collective trauma (and really have been since the onset of COVID in 2020).

To me, the most important piece of working with trauma is around accessing and staying in body, and so this must be where we begin.

For today, for this week, for this moment in time, the invitation here is to notice where you are in space. Notice where you are in yourself. To notice your connection or disconnection from your body. No judgment.

What I know in my bones having navigated extreme trauma in my system, is that the natural impulse when we are engaging in any kind of traumatic experience is to exit our bodies.

As you are reading my words and in the days to come, I want to invite you to become aware of your body. To notice any sensations in your body…to make contact with your body…to feel your body in all of its many facets.

If you feel disconnected, that's good information to have. Again, NO JUDGEMENT. We are just deepening in our awareness which is essential in staying steady and upright in midst of the swirls.

So, in this moment, I invite you make a commitment to yourself to contact your body every day. Perhaps it's first thing in the morning to set the tone for your day…perhaps you invite in little moments throughout your day of locating your breath, of feeling your body, of coming into the present moment. Every gesture counts.

Staying IN BODY in midst of these swirls of trauma, of challenge, of upheaval, of aggression and separation is so essential in us staying embodied in ourselves. We do this so that we may continuously meet these moments upright… in alignment, in integrity, and in our truth.

Do whatever you need to do to get into your body.

Deep belly breaths…conscious movement…gentle stretching…touch/self-massage…bubble baths…restorative yoga…rejuvenating teas…authentic connections...hydration…engage your core…soothe your nervous system…listen to calming music…eat good food and regularly…meditate….

As always, if you are struggling, please know that you are not alone. I am here holding space, ground, and light for the collective.