Thinking Aloud..

"I am really lucky to have my child safe and sound in his PJ's upstairs.? I cannot bear the insanity of war and violence.? It really does put everything into perspective"

Words received in a text message from a friend yesterday.? Her son hadn't got into a school he wanted to go to, and handling his disappointment was something we spoke about.? Sticky toffee pudding had been bought as a treat. ? She had that option, to be able to go and buy his favourite desert.? She, they, still have many options.

I went through a spell of not looking at what was going on in the world a few years ago, preferring to concentrate on my 'sphere of influence', impacting what I could in my immediate vicinity by whatever means that entailed.? Being with family, being in contact with those close relatives, and friends and for three years caring one to one for my youngest daughter who lives with anorexia. I recall the 'lioness' energy that surfaced when the life of my child was under threat, and was grateful that the strength I needed, we needed as a family surfaced.? We navigated a situation, and took on our enemy, commonly know as 'Ana', until our daughter could.

I am grateful to have been able to do that, to have had the choice to face our enemy.

On October 7th choice was taken away from many hundreds, thousands of people and the devastating loss of many including babies and children became a disturbing, shocking, unfathomable reality for us all.? I choose to check in on this situation twice a day as one of the only things I can do is bear witness to the events as they continue to unfold.

I was recently educated on the Cold War, through a book club choice, Tunnel 29.? A hole in my historical knowledge was filled and on having a conversation with my mother about the book, she involuntarily burst into tears when I mentioned some of what I was reading. ? She was shocked at the strength of her emotional response as she was transported to that time, particularly the 17 hour stand off between Russia and the US, war just around the corner potentially.? She has dementia and it seems odd to treasure a conversation about potential war but I will, because I got the real her in those moments.? What surfaced for her was the fear of war in that moment, in an instant, remembered by her body, and brought straight into her mind.? It could be described as trauma, in a sense.

So, what can we do as individuals during this time when trauma of the worst kind is being inflicted?

1. Look after our own physical health and mental well being in ways that work for us. If you live with anxiety or depression looking at the news every day may not be appropriate.? We still remain the most important people in our lives, as this is the only way we can give to others in the fullest sense, and sometimes we need to be the recipient of help.? DO NOT feel guilty if you do not have capacity to be there for others in thought or otherwise.
2. Do not underestimate the power of prayer or of sending a thought of Peace out there to the Universe. Bearing witness is powerful and It WILL reach its 'destination', and even though we do not have the choice of being able to stop things happening we do have the choice to actively do something,? Why am I so sure? Twenty years of energy work and seeing the change in people, seeing the change in myself, and seeing that we have access to something that potentially can bring? immense, unimaginable positive change.? No, we don't know what that looks like. We know what we want it to look life but trusting and doing something daily will make Us feel less helpless, whilst impacting our sphere of influence which, actually, is FAR greater than we can comprehend.? It's about feeling and being empowered.
3. Practice Gratitude regularly and find the beauty in Life, in moments of connection, contemplation and solitude. Despite everything its there, always. ? It nothing else LOOK, really look at Nature.

If I ever needed a nudge to step more fully into what it is *I* do, it's now.? We are on a precipice and choosing to feel empowered is exactly that, a CHOICE.? Make good choices for You, and if You have capacity to do something extra to consciously impact the Whole, do it.

I was sitting by a river the other day, at a point where the flow was pulled into the rocks and then sent on its journey, accelerating with such force. ? I reflected (again) on the very real power of Nature, and its elements.? Everything, EVERYTHING, is connected.? We have access to that power. I help my clients find that, and continue the journey myself. There is always more!

Not the newsletter I was planning but more on that in next months :)

In Heart, as always, Julie