Dear Friends,
I have just returned from a challenging trip overseas where I was overwhelmed and felt myself slipping into fear at times. But you know what was different was that my nervous system was strong and I was able to tap into the reserves that I have been building in my meditation practice and the deep inner work I have been doing.
Image by Юрий Урбан from Pixabay
This trip was about helping a loved one find their way to getting help for their mental health issues. They had fears, resistance, and self-judgment about getting the help they needed. I could empathize with them because I remember resisting help in the past, thinking I could figure it out by myself.
There were other layers that added to the resistance like what would people say, or that people would think I was weak and a cry baby, and the biggest fear was that I was beyond help, that even after the therapy or whatever, I would still feel the pain. The fear made me feel that my stuff was so deep, ugly, and entangled that the only solution was to bury it and myself.
These were the experiences and memories that helped me to be steady, to slow down, and to be a support for my dearest family member. I reached out to my support crew and family. I dropped the facade of being the strong one or the rescuer. I shared that I felt anxious and overwhelmed. It wasn’t always easy and the road was rocky and frustrating but the support was there for me too.
The gift for me from this trip was: “don’t wait to ask for help, be open to your own experience within the struggles and deepen your breath at every moment”. All of these realizations helped to build reserves and served as a resource in my time of need.
There are many distractions and stresses in our lives that demand our attention and energy but we must learn to step away from their incessant pull and take refuge within, building our relationship to our bodies, our senses, our emotions, our relationships, and filling the well of our being.
We can do that together. I invite you to join me for My Weekly Meditation for doing just that. Or if you are wanting to build your reserves or need support during difficult times, please drop me a line and we can have a lovely chat.
