Resilience and Good Cheer with Dance amid CoVid 19

I didn’t send out a newsletter last week. I didn’t do much of anything. So it’s ironic to title this resilience and good cheer–but that is what will save us from this long-term Covid 19 grind.

I’m glad I’m in VT where people are taking this stay-home order seriously.

I’m hopeful my friends and fam–including you! take steps to protect themselves and say healthy. I’m sending out healing energy to the world.

I’m concerned about the levels of fear folks are experiencing. I attended an Artist’s Story Circle last week with dozens of other Vermont artists (virtually, of course). One of the prime takeaways was a commitment to “be a clear conduit for the reduction of fear.” I am down with that.

And I am very grateful for the three-year Somatic Experiencing® (SE) training I have recently completed for helping me stay stable and grounded and giving me the tools to help others do so as well.

We are in the midst of what is known as an Existential Threat. We can’t see it or touch it. We can’t fight or flee. So we hunker down, alone in our homes, and try to live normal lives. Many of us are stuck with too many people needing too much from us. Soothing or caring for others is exhausting. Many others are alone and afraid. Many of us are still going to work every day, many struggling with child care, often not allowed to wear a mask. When will all this end?

No time soon. I’m guessing we’ve at least another month to go.

There are positive signs. Vermont’s caseload is leveling out. There were crocuses in the yard this week. I went shopping today, and found everything on my list at ONE store–a small, local family-owned store–and lots of people were wearing masks. I thanked every worker I passed for making food available. Each time it made me cry. Each person said, “You’re welcome.” And they meant it.

But still, we all know someone by now who we will never see again in this lifetime. And we have to wonder who is next. Insha’allah, we will all be careful and stay safe. In the meantime, we need a vacation from the fear and stress.

Dance, of course! In special ways. And more about that next week. But first…

Three Mini Vacations

Soften the tongue. Let the mind go away from the problems at hand. This comes from advice to health workers as they move between patients, even if going within seconds from one to the next. It takes a few seconds to have a mini vacation. We can take hundreds over the course of the day. Just step away from that vortex of anxiety and go to your happy place.
Orient. Use all five senses. Notice that you are safe in your space right this moment. Let yourself relax.
Look. Take a moment to let the gaze wander around your space. Let the eyes rest upon whatever give them pleasure. They get stuck on that crack or water stain? Look somewhere nice. Don’t have anywhere nice? Draw or write something and put it up on the wall.
Listen. What do you hear? What are the near sounds? What are the far sounds?
Smell, Taste.
Touch. Feel your hand on your own arm. Feel your clothes on your body. Feel your feet on the floor. Be in the present moment.
Notice your Breath. Are you breathing? I invite you to deepen your breath. Lengthen your exhales. Long exhales lower the heart rate and help the body feel calmer and more grounded. And feeling grounded is key.

Why do this? We are not made to exist in a state of constant tension. Yet many of us live our lives this way. And now the unthinkable has crashed down upon us. Now is the time to learn to make a space between ourselves and things that are not actually physically attacking us right this moment.

Look around. Right here, right now, it’s okay.

With lots of love,
Alia
And here’s some truly lovely music: Anouar Brahem a Coutances

Offerings for fun and frolic!

Tuning In

I’ve been making a new program to help us cope. It’s called Tuning In. We tune in to our body, to the here and now, to our own trust and compassion and vitality. It’s a mini vacation, a half hour of grounding, focusing to the good, and various strategies to help us chill out and feel better, any time at all. Look for this opening up next week.