I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I say we’re living in troubling times. . .
But rather than spending our time getting into all of that, I prefer instead we turn our attention in an even more important direction: to our own experience in it all. By that I mean to our felt experience in our bodies.
I don’t know about you, but there are moments when I listen to the news that I begin to feel wobbly, ungrounded. Like I need to reach out and hang onto something to keep me in the here and now, and not ascend wildly into a flurry of fear.
How grounded do you feel as you listen to the news, if you listen to it at all these days? Grounding refers to a set of strategies that help us to detach from overwhelming emotions and experiences. We can get grounded by using our breath or through our senses, like what we hear, what we touch, what we smell.
We make the present moment an emotionally safer place to be when we allow our self to get grounded in the here and now. To request more information about how you can get grounded when you need to, click here.
What begins to happen in your body when you hear about all the calamity in our world?
Moreover, to where can you retreat to find sanctuary from it all? A tranquil place where you can feel grounded and at ease in your own presence.
I find it’s essential to my sense of well-being that I have such a place to turn to for refuge, whether it’s to a secluded space in my home, or to a quiet spot in nature. A quiet place to ground myself, find rest, nurture and to restore my vital energies whenever I need to.
There are also times when I’ll turn my attention to the world inside, and journey inward using my imagination to a welcoming, natural scene within. This works well too.
Here’s a sampling of what I might do when I’m in my sanctuary. Perhaps there’ll be something here that resonates with you too:
I do whatever I can to activate the para-sympathetic nervous system, to slow down the activity in my mind and begin to unravel the tensions in my body.
What I don’t do is bring my mobile into this space, or the busy tasks of life. It all stays out so I can catch my breath, and ready myself for re-entering the vital flow of life.
How about you? Where do you find sanctuary? What do you do when you’re there?
Tags Finding Happiness
Years ago stories and documentaries told by the media set me on a rewarding now that I am making a positive contribution. Once upon a time we learnt to cope and challenges of our region and country. Because we are exposed to the whole wide world many people ‘switch off’ because it is too much to handle in our daily lives. Grounding in nature is important because of vibrational energy. So, I encourage people to create their own view e.g. dense pots of plants on a balcony or small courtyard; a seat under a tree or a group of hanging plants; a sunny window that looks out on nature allows you to curl up with a book and a cuppa. We are breathing living beings whose batteries need to be recharge. On New Years Eve, we don’t over eat or get drunk. No indeed. We have a good neights sleep and arise before sunrise. We jump in the car which was packed the night before with munchies, picnic rug etc. We travel 45mins to a beach. All rugged up we sit down on the beach and watch the sun rise. We welcome the new year and say goodbye to the old.
I have an altar of my favorite things in the windowsill next to chaise sofa. It looks out to my big crepe myrtle tree and back garden. Also where I practice yoga at sunrise. I do use my mobile for music in my space.