Hi.
I'm taking another few moments to connect again amidst these challenging times joining you from my backyard.
I was just taking a few moments and hearing the sounds of the hummingbirds that are up in the grasses enjoying the pollen from the flowers that are opening.
And I was reminded about the importance of really feeling into whatever's here.
As we continue to traverse all these different things that are occurring with the quick and fast changes with COVID-19,
We can experience lots of anxiety,
Distress,
Fear.
I think it also pushes on anything that was already in our systems,
In our psyche,
That we may have been already challenged with.
And now with the stress of all of this,
It's also equally putting stress on top of things that may already have been stressful.
So the increased level of intense emotion may be overwhelming at times.
And I know for myself today,
There's been a few of those waves as they have been making themselves in.
And I just wanted to offer a way to work with that or a way to practice with that.
And one way is to just invite being more mindful of those experiences as they're arising.
So the tightening that might come when we feel a little more stressed or the jitteriness that happens.
And as we feel into that,
We can meet that with curiosity.
We can meet it with kindness.
We can meet it with love.
The hummingbird,
As they're buzzing around here,
Is meeting their energy just as it is because that's part of how they flourish and survive and thrive in the world.
And we can do the same too.
So I want to invite you just for a moment to let yourself turn your attention inward.
You can close the eyes if that's helpful.
Or again,
If you're hopefully in a place where you can connect to nature,
Look,
Move into,
Connect with something in nature,
Leaving the eyes open,
And then begin to just feel inwardly,
Internally.
And maybe just see if right now in the mind or in the body or in the emotional landscape,
Any sense of emotional angst or challenge might be here.
And again,
This might be felt in constriction in the body,
Mind that's busy being pulled around,
A heart that's fluttering with worry,
Angst.
Can you bring your awareness as you notice what's here to allow a connection to whatever's here to be soft,
To be kind,
To be inviting?
Let the buzz,
Let the hum,
Let the constriction just be as it is.
Maybe as you shift in your relationship to meeting it as it is,
It has a little more space to just be.
Warming,
Kindly,
Greeting,
Connecting.
It's okay.
Maybe even a little mantra of,
Can I welcome this feeling too?
Can I let it be here?
Let it be held and supported.
And as you sense that,
Let yourself be held in the bigger context of that which is around you,
Your environment,
Nature.
Let that come in to hold and be present,
Just take care,
Give space,
Give a moment of honoring this is what's here and can be tended to.
And so as we arrive at the end of our practice,
I just encourage you to continue to welcome what's here.
As best we can when we turn to the challenges that are here and meet them with mindful,
Loving,
Caring,
Kind,
Gentle awareness.
We have a possibility to experience it differently,
Which takes care of our immune system,
Which takes care of our emotional and mental health landscape differently and we can get through whatever the challenges are that are facing us at this time and whatever things are going on for you.
So be well,
Be safe and take care.
