As I look out at the chaos unfolding in the streets of the United States right now, I am struck by the absence of regard for the basic humanity of other people in the approach agents, operating under a government that purports to represent us and our interests, are routinely being recorded taking in the detaining of people. It breaks my heart to see one person tackled by a much larger, seemingly stronger and better equipped person (or group of people); it sickens me to see less lethal munitions and pepper spray being deployed against protestors at close range; it concerns me deeply to see elected officials justifying these actions while telling half truths (at best), employing thinly veiled supremacist language, and resorting to schoolyard bully tactics and threat of legal action against reporters and citizens attempting to hold them accountable. What we are experiencing right now in the United States is not normal and is not business as usual.

And our whole system knows that.

Our nervous systems are responding - sometimes quietly and sometimes with gusto - to the instability, the injustice, and the cruelty we are witnessing and experiencing at the hands of an institution we were taught we could trust (though black and brown people have long been telling us well-meaning white folx that that was simply not the case). If you are experiencing more anxiety than usual, if your thinking feels clouded, and you find yourself slipping into numbing and distraction, that’s your nervous system telling you that you need some soothing; that you need a break; that you are overdrawn at the bank of your inner resources.

Please listen to what your system is telling you because we cannot be certain where the path is taking us but we can be sure that an open heart, kindness and deep and abiding regard for humanity will be needed. Our neighbors need us to stay open and curious; our planet needs us to be resourced enough to care and take action; our country needs us to be sufficiently rested, fed and educated to stand in the face of overwhelming forces that want us to sit back down and quietly comply.

Here are some ways that you can keep the coffers of your inner resource bank filled as you navigate an uncertain world:

Breath breaks: yup, I know it doesn’t sound like much but pausing on a regular basis throughout your day to take 5 - 10 slow, deep belly breaths is an incredibly accessible way to signal safety and regulation to your nervous system - to whatever degree it is available to you in that moment. You don’t have to feel 100% safe to signal safety to your system; what you’re actually signaling is that you have your back and that you are safe within yourself, even if you aren’t feeling super safe in the outer world.

Supported by Gravity Breaks: another simple one, set a timer for 5 minutes and, seated or lying down, with every exhale, invite your body to relax into the surface beneath you; rest your head back if you can, and visualize sinking downward and allowing gravity to support you fully. We move through the world with our body’s more braced than we often recognize and this practice allows that tension to surface and, maybe, dissolve. Regularly practicing being supported also helps us tune into the support that exists all around us; think of it as a low-stakes way to practice saying yes when someone offers to help you with that pile of groceries you’re taking to someone too afraid to leave their home that you’re trying to wrestle into the back of your car.

5 Minutes of Diaphragmatic Breathing: again with the breath? Yes. Set a timer and allow your breath to slow and deepen; welcome the breath deep into the lungs and into all quadrants of the torso. This is our most natural way of breathing so sometimes the skill is getting out of the way of the body and letting yourself breathe (harder than it sounds). Here’s a 6-minute video to guide you:

Get outside: breathe fresh air, lean against a tree, listen to some birdsong - being in nature is calming to our nervous system and uplifting to the spirit. This doesn't have to be complicated - spend a little time in your yard, in the local park, at a state park; take a walk outside during your lunch break instead of staying inside under the glow of fluorescent bulbs; sit on a bench to eat your sandwich; pause on your porch or visit the flower beds in your yard (even dormant, they are a source of comfort and well-being). Simply being and breathing quietly in contact with the natural world is good for you and reminds you that the cycle of life continues to turn steadily beneath the surface of everything.

Affirmations: hear me out - affirming a direction we would like to move in or a way of being we would like to (re)claim can be a potent support to our sense of safety and can open us to new possibilities. There are many ways to work with affirmations but I recommend that you keep it simple and never lie to yourself (a lack of honesty with ourselves is activating to the nervous system; we know when we’re lying to ourselves - consciously or not).

Here are some example affirmations:

I am well-resourced for whatever comes next.

I am safe to be fully myself in the world.

I am supported, loved, and guided always.

I have the courage to rise to my full height and use my full voice.

How to work with them:

💌 write it on a sticky note, whiteboard or mirror where you will see it often and make it a practice to pause to read it with your hand on your heart when you see it

🙏 say it to yourself lovingly; set a timer for a couple of times a day and repeat it to yourself gently and without force or expectation, like you are sitting in the warm embrace of the energy of the words

✍️ free write using it as a conversation starter with yourself; write the affirmation at the top of the page, set a timer for 5-15 minutes and write what comes to you when you read it; keep writing until the timer sounds and write longer if you feel inspired

Notes on affirmations:

Find the wording that most resonates with you; do not feel bound by the wording I’ve chosen - use it as a starting point and allow it to evolve for you.

If you don’t believe it, shift the wording until you believe it more than disbelieve it or you feel more hopeful than doubtful when you say it; try adding phrases to the beginning to indicate a work in progress like ...

“I am learning to believe that ...”

“I am willing to discover that ...”

“I am learning that ...”

This small addition can help you make the shift in the direction of hopeful over doubtful.

Connection: be with people who remind you of the goodness in humanity, the innate value of life, and a fuller range of possibilities than you might be able to conjure for yourself right now; the purveyors of fear seek to divide, to convince us that we are separate and alone, unworthy and unloved, to keep us backing away from one another instead of reaching out - so reach out. Text that friend who has been on your mind; join that community organization; start a bookclub; volunteer at a local shelter or food back or phone bank - reinvigorate your connection to other people to be reminded that we all want love, safety, and basic human dignity.

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These practices alone will not heal the wounds of our world. They will support you in showing up to the work of confronting the wounding, addressing the programming, stories and habits that allow the woundings to continue, helping the wounded and ensuring that we create the conditions for a more just, kind, humane and truly compassionate and loving society. The work is ours to do and we have to bring our nervous systems along; we cannot afford to collapse under the pressure of a tsunami of cruelty and unjust action.

The future demands more of us.

Tending ourselves well is part of meeting that demand head on.

Sending you Love,

Tawnia

PS: Looking for a way to connect and contribute to the amplification of healing energy in the world? Join me for Uplift the World: group energy healing circle this Sunday, Feb 8th at 7pm ET. Take a break from your Super Bowl watch party to uplift the world.

What else I'm up to:

🧘‍♀️ NEW Join me for in-person yoga classes and events: I am heeding the call to get back in the studio to guide classes in-person and am thrilled to be collaborating with local studios and friends to make this a reality.

Restorative Yoga at Earth Yoga Studio (Montoursville, PA) - first Saturday of the month at 10:30am (next class Feb 7th)

Yoga Beyond Asana: Exploring the Wisdom Tradition at Mindfully Aligned (Berwick, PA) - 2nd Wednesday of the month at 5:30pm (starting Feb 11th)

Deep Rest: Restorative Yoga at Mindfully Aligned (Berwick, PA) - 1st Monday of the month at 6:30pm (starting Mar 2nd)

Moving Meditation at Mindfully Aligned (Berwick, PA) - every Thursday at 9:30am (starting Mar 5th)

The Art of Self-Renewal: Spring Equinox Sound Healing & Meditation at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center (Wellsboro, PA) in collaboration with Quynh Luong - Mar 20th at 6pm (registration information available soon)

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👩🏼‍💻 Calm, Clear & Courageous meditation circle: there is still time to join the circle; we just started our third week of daily practices (Mon-Fri) with a focus on building confident courage within us. Members of the circle say that it is a life-affirming, grounding, and nervous system soothing way to start the day. We gather at 7:30am ET for 30 minutes of breath work, guided meditation, and reflection - cameras can stay off; no need to talk; simply be present as you are. One-time investment of $333 or $55/month for 6 months.

​Join the Circle here​

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🖋 Shi(f)t Happens: musings on the spiritual journey of life: I'm sharing about all the shi(f)t that happens as we move through the world in greater alignment with our truest nature in this fun little writing project I started last year. As my time gets absorbed into my studies, you may hear less from me here so if you enjoy what I share in this Soul-Centered Email Series, then I invite you to join me there where I write 2-3 times a week straight from the heart. Subscribe today - there are free and paid options.​

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🎁 Have a gift-giving occasion coming up this season? You can give soulfully! Know someone who could use a little time set aside in their schedule for self-care and deep restoration? Give the gift of a month of 1:1 membership with me! When you purchase from the Soulful Gifting Page, you can schedule a custom email message to be delivered on the date of your choice.

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🧘‍♀️ Drop-in to a virtual yoga class this month: that's right - anyone can drop-in to each month's Moving Meditation and Restorative Yoga classes for just $15 with a class pass - check the calendar for the dates and times for upcoming classes.

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Useful Links:

Visit the Virtual Healing Arts Studio​

Access the Soul-Centered Free Membership Playlists​

Check out the Calendar of Events​
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