Hello Fellow Body-Mind-Hearts –

Unrelenting. Incessant. Non-stop. We are living in the midst of constant stress and fear. This kind of constant input to our nervous system is not how we are designed to function. Yet, these are the circumstances we find ourselves in and I don’t see them changing anytime soon. So what do we do? We are responsible for building in our own pauses, our own downshifts. We HAVE TO find ways to take breaks, to unplug, to stop everyday, several times a day. Otherwise we will suffer more that we already are. And terribly.

We are rhythmic beings and as such we need downtime to support the uptime and we need to pauses to serve the activity.  We need to befriend ourselves enough to take responsibility for our own self-care. Especially when the momentum of life around us is so intense and unrelenting (I will try not to use this word too much!). If life won’t give us pauses we must find them ourselves.

So here are some the ways I have been creating an honoring rhythm for myself and building in pauses and breaks…
~ I finally created a regular daily lunch break. It happens at the same time each day and it is a spacious 1 1/2 hours which gives me time to eat, move and rest in some combination.
~ I read historical fantasy fiction at bedtime…my Celtic roots love anything set in the British Isles having to do with the uncanny and the fey.
~ I engage with my various practices of somatic movement and awareness at least once daily, sometimes more.
~ I connect with my family via FaceTime weekly…this is no small feat as we live spread across three countries and eight time zones
~ I make sure to step outside and gaze at the natural world around me several times a day.
~ I play with my kitties regularly
~ I endeavor to have some time each day device free….sometimes challenging when I often connect with others through a device…but necessary none the less.
~ When I or my sweetheart are getting too bogged down we often offer the other person an invitation into a wild dance of release.

So what are you doing to build in some pauses, some downward momentum, some ease…perhaps even some laughter?
I would love to hear as I am looking for new and fresh ways to reclaim my rhythm and my truth amidst all this noise and intensity.

I love you. I need you. I remember you. Daily. Thank you for being part of this wild journey with me.

May we befriend ourselves and offer the pauses that are so necessary for our sense of being
May we honor our individual flow even in small ways amidst this tidal wave of intensity
May we remember that we are nature and need to touch into her inside and outside to know our belonging 
May we be kind and compassionate in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds

Practice Prompts:

• Practice pausing throughout your day…this could be a simple 3 breaths, it could be a 15 minute walk around the house or the neighborhood, or a chapter to a delicious book.
• Set your timer for breaks when you are at your computer for a longer duration…then take the break by getting up, walking around, having a snack, stepping outside, etc. for at least 5 minutes…the work will be there when you retun.
• Consider taking a technological sabbatical…turning off everything for a period of time…and discovering what else you may want to engage with.
• Schedule an online Resiliency Session with me. Sliding scale available upon request. Please allow me to support you in this wild time with support and guidance to access the wisdom of your body and resource your nervous system. I offer this from my lived experience.

Upcoming Live Streaming Practice Opportunities:

• Monday 10-11:30am PST All Levels Yoga via online streaming through Seattle Yoga Arts
• Sunday 10-11:30am PST All Levels Yoga via online streaming through Two Dog Yoga Studio
• Yoga Nidra Practice, Sunday, Oct 25, 5:30-7pm PST, via online streaming through Two Dog Yoga
• Full Moon Mandala Practice, Thursday, Oct 29, 7-8:30pm PST via online streaming through Seattle Yoga Arts
• Continuum Moving Inquiry Playshop, Monday, Nov 2, 6:30-8:30pm PST via online streaming through Body of Insight

Inspirational Wisdom:

Today I asked my body what she needed, 
Which is a bog deal
Considering my journey of
Not really asking that much. 

I thought she might need more water. 
Or protein. 
Or greens. 
Or yoga. 
Or supplements. 
Or movement. 

But as I stood in the shower
Reflecting on her stretch marks,
Her roundness where I would like flatness, 
Her softness where I would like firmness,
All those conditioned wishes
That form a bundle of
Never-Quite-Right-Ness, 
She whispered very gently:

Could you just love me like this? 

~ Hollie Holden