Welcome.
My name is Carrie.
I'm a counselor and mindfulness teacher.
And this is a quick pause.
For individuals who are feeling disconnected and alone.
And first,
I just want to start by saying,
You're not alone in feeling alone.
Our culture,
In fact,
Is.
Creating more and more aloneness.
What we're reinforcing right now.
In terms of self-expression,
In terms of interpersonal relations.
Is not setting the stage for deep into connection.
And it doesn't have to be hopeless.
So even though we are all.
Feeling much less naturally connected to community and to others than our ancestors have.
I want you to picture this.
I want you to picture.
A warm ember.
And this ember.
Is from.
A campfire.
A strong,
Warm campfire.
That our ancestors have sat around.
And that campfire.
Is connection,
Is community,
Is the natural.
Interconnectedness that exists between humans.
And right now we are farther away.
From that campfire than our ancestors have been.
And that can feel really jarring.
It can feel really confusing.
It can feel really scary.
But.
.
.
We have an ember.
And the ember represents the qualities of us.
That inform true connection.
Qualities like patience.
Qualities like receptivity.
Qualities like ease and presence.
And so let this ember be not just your responsibility to maintain.
But your reminder of that campfire.
It exists.
We can root ourselves into it,
Even though our surroundings dissuade us from moving closer a lot of times.
We can root ourselves into those reminders.
And feel connected.