Do you also feel the intensity of life’s mysteries? Are you grieving a relationship loss or the passing of a loved one? Got rage for the state of the world we are living in?
I am with you.❤️
And, while I am doing much better today, I wanted to share some soulful medicine for what has been helpful in healing my tender heart—in hopes it will be supportive for yours too.
Here’s what I have been practicing …
Feeling the feelings. While it could be easy and nice to just avoid and not feel what’s really going on—I find the best remedy is to lean in. To feel the anger, rage, sadness, loss, anxiety, and fear inside my body. When I allow myself to be with and tuned in to my experience, it helps to unearth what is really going on. It helps to let the emotions arise, free up, and move through rather than become suppressed and sustained. I do this by pausing, acknowledging, validating, and being with the emotions—and then ultimately, I get relief from the heavy hurt.
Moving energy. Hands down, dance is my medicine for moving energy. Turning on music, moving, and dancing to this playlist—or even taking myself out into Santa Fe’s epic Summer live music scene—to shake it. Yes, doing so like no one is watching is transformational in moving stuck energy.
Doing emotional release. Also, my medicine, is releasing my emotions. First thing in the morning, I turn on this playlist (loudly) and vacillate between a few somatic expressions like: wiggling my body, air-boxing, pillow pounding, pillow screaming, and pelvic thrusting. Basically, for 10+ minutes, I have a healthy adult temper tantrum which feels so good and cathartic, that afterwards, I curl up with my Self, say the sweetest words of affirmation, and have loving Self pleasure and integration with my soul.
Taking time for me. While I always value time doing things I enjoy—but especially during tender times I am extra intentional about how I spend my time—making sure I am doing the things I love and with the people I feel nourished by. Like this past weekend, I solo road-tripped 4+ hours to Buena Vista, Colorado—indulging in podcasts, day dreaming, camping, hot springing, and just being with my bestie and her family in the wild. It was exactly the time I needed to take for me to feel resourced, grounded, happy, and whole.
Communing with the natural world. Nature is nourishment for the soul. The land, the rivers, the winged ones, the four-legged, the flora and fauna are our mirrors and teachers. The messages we need to hear, the lessons we need to learn, and the wisdom we need to know are found simply by being present with and paying attention to the more-than-human reflections. On a regular basis, sometimes twice daily, I go on spacious (phone-free) wanders, speak my tender heart, ask the important questions, and listen to what the natural world has to say—it is always a gift.
If you are currently experiencing a tender heart and in need of healing—please know you are not alone. So many are!
Perhaps you can try on one or all these soulful medicine practices.
And, if you do, I sincerely hope it helps you—please send me a message and let me know how you go.
