Hello Fellow Body-Mind-Hearts –

“Grief and gratitude are kindred souls, each pointing to the beauty of what is transient and given to us by grace” ~ Patricia Campbell Carlson

In my individual work with folks, people often encounter the dichotomy of finally experiencing and receiving something they have longed for and at the same time, or soon after, feeling a deep sense of grief. This can sometimes be confusing as we often expect only the relief and joy at finally fulfilling a need or yearning of the soul. Yet, we need room to also acknowledge all the time when this was not the case and these needs went unfulfilled or ignored. This is what I call the Relief/Grief dance.

We are social creatures and the enforced isolation of the past year along with the atmosphere of constant fear has been hard on us. Even those of us who are introverts by nature may have experienced pain and heaviness even as we enjoyed the personal time. There may be the joy of attending an outdoor gathering of friends and neighbors followed by a day(s) of sadness and grief. There may be some anxiety and trepidation mixed with the yearning to return to the office space. There may be simple tears when a colleague texts and suggests an outdoor dinner date after a work day in which you both are alone yet online supporting others in their journey of healing…yup, this was my response…no content, just tears. And there may be a quickness to judge or blame others who are making different choices about how to re-engage with you, others and the world. It is important to go slow and honor our nervous system and psyche as we navigate our re-entry into the world on whatever level is comfortable. And it is important to honor others in their journey as well. 

Everything is in flux and shifting. All the time. Even though we try to pretend it’s not.  It is important to pause and take time to both offer gratitude for what is here and available right now AND to allow time for the tears of what has been lost and unrecoverable. This is a powerful dance of recognition of our humanity and the absolute preciousness of life. I invite you to be open to the dance and welcome the full spectrum of sensation and emotion as a way to honor the grace of Life that you are experiencing.

May we offer songs of gratitude for what is given to us today
May we create space for the grief of what has been lost, forgotten and abandoned
May we be willing to sit with the inherent transience of life and honor ebb and flow
May we recognize Grace in the little and big moments of our day
May we dance with the full spectrum of our emotions with compassion and kindness

Practice Prompts:

• Take some time to acknowledge the longings in you and the ways some of those are being met…offer a simple practice of gratitude for these moments
• Allow space for any sadness or grief or anger to be felt and expressed…tears, frustration, growling, sitting with the heaviness and honoring it
• Listen to your own timing, in terms of how fast and how often you engage with others and the world right now…it may be different that those around you and that’s okay
• Practice the art of both/and rather than either/or…the relief and the grief can co-exist…notice the felt sense of each and spend time getting to know each one individually and together
• Please schedule a free 20 minute Introductory Consultation to learn more about what I offer and how I can support your healing journey.

Upcoming Live Streaming Practice Opportunities:

• All Levels Yoga, Mondays, 10-11:30am PDT  live stream through Seattle Yoga Arts
• Continuum Inquiry Playshop, Monday, June 14, 6-8pm PDT live stream through Body of Insight
• All Levels Yoga, Sunday, June 20, 5:30-7pm PDT, live stream through Two Dog Yoga
• Yoga Nidra Practice, Sunday, June 20, 5:30-7pm PDT, live stream through Two Dog Yoga
• Full Moon Mandala Practice, Thursday, June 24, 7-8:30pm PDT live stream through Seattle Yoga Arts

Inspirational Wisdom:

Awareness

Of a summer day, of what moves
in the trees.

Of your own departing. Of that branch
no one else notices.

Of time, what it carries, the sideways
drift of it.

Of hiding important things because
they don’t belong in the world.

Of now. Of maybe. Of something
different being true.

~ William Stafford