From Champigny,
I'm Colleen Thomas.
This is Everyday Magic for Ukraine.
Today we honor the children in Ukraine.
Welcome to The Circle.
So the only item you need today is something that brought you comfort as a child.
And this very likely will be an image of something rather than a physical thing,
Unless you're lucky enough to still have that thing in your life.
So you can think of it or you can grab it and hold it,
But the focus for today is something that brought you comfort when you were a child.
As we land today,
As we arrive in the circle of all of us together,
Regardless of space and time,
I invite you to join me in taking a breath.
And perhaps we can welcome the body by bringing in a little movement,
Maybe a little shaking or just a little bit of movement,
Whatever kind of movement is available for your body today.
Just explore how it would feel to engage with that movement.
Breathing with movement,
Could be shaking or stretching or just maybe wiggling your fingers or your toes,
Blinking your eyelids.
And maybe taking one more breath and coming to more of a place of stillness.
And let's turn our attention now to the item that brought us comfort as a child.
So I'll give you another second here in case you still need to think of one.
Something that you turned to when you were feeling unsure.
Something that brought you reassurance,
Calm,
Comfort.
So imagining this thing now or holding onto it if you're lucky enough to still have it in your life.
This is an item that was there for you or I hope was there for you when you were young and things were scary and unsure.
Maybe this item was there for you at times when the adults weren't.
So I'd like you to reflect on what did this item mean to you?
And what did this item do for you?
Let's do an experiment.
See this item in front of you.
Maybe imagine holding it and really allow yourself to experience what it feels like to hold this item.
What it felt like in a time when you did it and then imagining it now.
What does it feel like?
You're holding this thing that you really love,
This thing that's been with you your whole life or was with you when you were a kid,
This thing that brings you comfort,
This thing that really nobody understands but you because it's your thing.
And feel into that feeling of what it feels like to have that with you.
What might it be like to walk into a room and have your eyes kind of start searching for it and then to see it and to be able to go over to it and grab it or hold it.
And it provides that immediate comfort.
Potentially,
Part of the reason this item might have worked for you is because it began to absorb your energy over time.
It became your thing,
Your comfort tool,
Your little bit of technology that comforted you,
The tool that you turn to just unconsciously to calm yourself.
Remembering this item may bring up some deep grief if you don't have it anymore or if it was in some way connected to something hard or sad.
And the reason we're doing this is because now I would like you to join me in imagining a child in Ukraine.
This could be a child you know or a child you've seen a picture of or just an imagined child.
Maybe a child who's been taken to Russia.
Maybe a child who's separated from their family.
Be a child who's living abroad in a different country or a child who's lost one or both parents.
And visualize this child in front of you and see in your mind's eye if you can send them some of this energy that hopefully you're feeling in your body right now of connecting with your thing,
Your comfort item of self soothing,
Of self care,
Of the love that can exist between the child and the binky,
The child and the blanky,
The child and the doll,
The child and the train,
Whatever it might be.
See if you can hone in on that feeling in your body of holding your item and the comfort your item brought you and maybe even can bring you in this moment and see if you can send some of that energy to this child.
Maybe picture this child with their own version of this tool,
Of this caretaking tool,
Of their own special item.
So you're sending love to this child but you're sending a special kind of love that they can use for themselves.
They can use to calm their heart,
Calm their nervous system,
Feel just a little bit safer than they might be feeling today in this moment.
Just imagine this child very,
Very comforted in just the right ways.
May we always remember the children in Ukraine.
May we keep them in our hearts,
Our thoughts,
And our prayers.
And may it be so.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
Your presence,
Your energy,
And your heart make all the difference in healing our world.
Remember to breathe today,
Breathe and expand.
And I hope you join us again next time.
Please consider inviting a friend.
