Let’s be honest, some days are just hard, especially if you’re a sensitive person!
We can glance up from the microcosm of our lives, and gasp at what’s happening across the globe, from searing heats and drought to political discord.
Maybe you’ve found yourself, your emotional self, teetering on the edge - trying hard not to fall into fear or anxiety- as you face this elevated level of uncertainty.
To support you through these times, I’ve put together tools to help you manage the discomfort you’re feeling be it anxiety, apprehension, dread, fear…
Over the next few weeks, I’ll provide you with tools and practices you can incorporate and use. This blog, is focused on the spiritual level. In subsequent weeks, we’ll look at mind habits, body practices, as well as community engagement.
Let’s dive in!
When I say the “spiritual level,” another way to think about this is as a way to connect with something greater than yourself. It also helps us remember that we are not alone.
Here are 4 ways to do that:
1. Starting Your Day
There’s a wonderful expression my husband used to say all the time. Then I heard Louise Hay use it as well: “How you start your day is how you live your day.”
How do you start your day?
Upon waking, do you immediately check social media, your email, or the news?
What if you began a different way? With a thought of love, or a prayer? With meditation?
For the past few years, I’ve begun my day by reading my Course in Miracles lesson, one for every day of the year.
2. Meditation
In 1997, when I first began to meditate, I almost didn’t launch my practice. The healer I was working with told me I needed to start.
My response was, “I don’t have time.” I was, after all, working, had a long daily commute and a a 2-year-old
Her response? “Make time.”
And I did even though I HATE getting up early in the morning. I made the decision to meditate which meant I got up, half awake, and sat in front of my altar (which was a shelf in my linen closet in the hallway.)
5 minutes. It’s all you need to do. Sit quietly for 5 minutes.
Why not do an experiment? Start your day with 5 minutes of meditation. Sit up in your bed. See what happens.
3. Prayer
Some people say prayer is how we ask God (oneness/universal consciousness) for what we want, and meditation is how we receive the answers, by getting quiet and listening.
Prayer is also the antidote to worrying, which is what often happens when we fall into fear.
And here’s the really cool part. You can pray about anything and everything no matter how big or small.
One way I like to use prayer is by truly envisioning how I want the world to be. It’s so easy to get caught up in thinking about what we don’t want. But instead, try focusing on what you do want to happen instead. Perfect healing.
4. Guidance
Sometimes we crave clarity. Of course, this can come from prayer and meditation, from asking and listening for answers.
It can also come from astrology, tarot, runes, I Ching, or even asking a question and opening a book at random.
I have multiple decks of oracle cards that I use when I want some direct guidance, or even to give me a sense of a theme for a period of time. In fact, I just pulled a card to offer insight about this month!
Alright, so there are 4 ways you can connect to greater wisdom and guidance to feel less alone, less anxious and grounded. In the next blog, we’ll dive into managing our minds!
Want more tools for your personal development?
Sign up today and get an email direct to your inbox!
Image courtesy of Valentina Ivanova on Unsplash