From Champignyada,
I'm Colleen Thomas.
This is Everyday Magic for Ukraine.
Today we honor the first responders.
Welcome to the Circle.
Welcome to Everyday Magic for Ukraine,
Where we honor Ukraine and also practice some self-care to stay strong as allies.
If you're new here,
I'm really glad you've joined us.
So the only item we need today,
And this is not something you're most likely going to have in front of you,
Is an emergency vehicle.
Before we do anything with our topic,
Anything even near our topic,
I'd like to take a moment to ask you to reflect on how your body and your nervous system responds to the idea of first responders and emergencies.
Notice what you feel when I say those words.
Today we're going to be talking about first responders who show up to emergencies,
And those concepts can very understandably trigger our survival self.
And if you're noticing that it's a little more triggering today than you realize,
I invite you to decide if you'd like to maybe not listen today.
Maybe stop this meditation now and go on and do something else.
But if you would like to stay,
You can just be with yourself as we go through today's meditation.
And if you do notice that it is a bit of a triggering topic for you,
It certainly has been for me,
Then maybe just light a candle on the inner,
A safe,
Fire-safe candle on the inner for yourself,
Where you're just honoring that there's a little something here for you.
And then let's do a little grounding to come into the body to calm the nervous system.
Maybe notice where is the earth beneath you.
See if you can reach down into the earth with your energy.
See if you can drop some really deep roots all the way down.
And you can allow any worries or concerns or anything you don't want to go down that cord to go down into the earth.
Maybe you can conceive of it as like a shower.
If you're standing in a shower or if you're under a waterfall,
Just everything washing off you and going down that cord.
Just allowing yourself to rest and release and reset and come into a little more balance.
And you can keep releasing as long as you want to.
But when you feel ready,
I invite you to come back into the space you're in.
Maybe allow your eyes to open softly if they were closed a bit.
Look around and if you see your world through your hands,
Through your touch,
Maybe just touch a few things.
Bring you back into this place.
This place that you are in,
Sitting,
Standing or lying in your body.
So now that we've spent a little bit of time with the concept of emergencies and first responders and we've grounded into the earth,
What I would like to invite you to do is to bring into your heart the first responders who are in Ukraine right now across the entire country.
Some of them aren't even Ukrainian.
Some of them are from other countries.
And they are there to put out fires.
They are there to attend to sites that have just been bombed.
They are there to rescue and help people.
And they do their job day in and day out.
And they have a special level of risk beyond the risks that come with their job.
They are often,
Extremely,
Sadly,
Often targeted by Russia.
The double tap attacks that we have seen Russia become somewhat infamous for are just an incredible reality that is happening right now.
And it has to make anybody working in the emergency services pause and be just even that much more dedicated to doing their job,
To do it under double risk.
It's truly mind blowing to me,
All of these pieces.
And so I'm here with you in circle to ask you to put forward as a request of the circle today for us to imagine,
Imagine that firetruck that came to your mind before.
Imagine that team and surround them with all the love and all the safety.
From your grounded,
Centered place right now,
Wherever you are in the world,
Send some of that care,
Some of that focus,
Some of that protective,
Grateful energy to them.
To all of the emergency workers across the entire country of Ukraine.
Let's take three breaths together to send our love and our protection energy to the first responders in Ukraine.
So breathing in,
Concentrating your power,
Your love.
And breathing out,
Sending out that energy to first responders.
Breathing back in,
Concentrating your energy and your power and breathing it out.
Sending your love,
Sending,
Sending,
Sending.
And one more time in,
Really gathering up what you can send right now and then sending it out on your breath.
And just letting go.
Just letting go.
Trusting that this magic will go exactly where it needs to go.
Coming back to yourself,
Seeing what you need,
Seeing if perhaps doing this work was activating or triggering for you.
And if so,
Find ways to soothe your heart,
To soothe your nervous system.
Maybe a little swaying or a little breathing.
Feel whatever you're standing,
Sitting or lying on,
Taking a little more of your weight.
May we always remember that we are so blessed and lucky to have people in the world who work as first responders,
Who go into danger to save others.
How amazing.
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.
