A lot of people have said something along the lines of “what strange times we live in!?” That is very true. This pandemic has affected all of us in so many different ways. For a lot of us, it is watching our health like a hawk as well as not seeing family members and friends “in-person.” It has also affected how we “plan” our lives in many ways putting things on hold. On a funnier note, have you noticed that it seems we are putting a lot of our lives into quotations?
Not seeing my sister as well as my friends “in-person” for now over a month is just one of those personal changes that has happened out of many. All of these connections have been relegated to phone calls, Face Time, texting, messaging and Zoom. Staying connected has been and will always be of great value to me. It is in this time that a light is shining on those relationships and bonds. I know that I’ll be able to be with each of these individuals, to laugh with them, to hug them, and share space with them again very soon.
Not traveling is another amongst many of these personal changes. I was going to potentially go to Europe this year to visit my friends and surprise one of them for their birthday. That plan has been put on hold. Despite this, I know that I’ll travel again and that I’ll have many new experiences while doing that. Until that day, I have to focus on what is happening now and take it day-to-day.
Lately, there has been a lot of fear being thrown around. In the same way, a lot of love is being disseminated as well to counteract all that fear. I have had many experiences with healers both indigenous and not in my life. Here’s what they would say to all of this:
“The more you feed the fear inside the more it seeps outward and the more love you have for yourself the more it radiates outward.”
It is all about choice and making that choice on a daily basis. Sometimes it is even a minute-to-minute choice. I take moments to just breathe and to focus on my breath. I meditate every day to check in with myself. I do a yoga class twice a week or more. I find things or things find me to make me laugh and bring a smile to my face/spirit. These are all the choices I make. Another part of that choice is expressing gratitude for what I have right now such as my health, my family, and my job.
I leave you all with this quote from one of my favorite books about this idea of choosing fear or love, here is a meditation/mantra from Frank Herbert’s Dune:
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
Blessings, breath, laughter, and light to you all,
Seth