A Day at a Time – A Daily Blog of Life in Lockdown
Margaret Atwood was on the radio talking about people writing journals during the black death. She said writing a journal lessons anxiety. As I wrote in the introduction to this blog, in challenging times I always turn to this. It helps me sort out my feelings and find a way through the turmoil or pain. The writing is a practice in itself, a reflective process that gradually guides my thoughts and behaviour and leads me to a place of peace. It is almost like writing becomes the thread that pulls me through. It helps me notice the blessings, the humour, the moments to be grateful for in any one day. There are always books too that give guidance. Often, they are the ones I have had for many years that I am suddenly drawn to read. During this crisis working with energy is the learning. Through Qi Gong and a book that had been waiting on the shelves, Energy Medicine by Donna Eden, I am learning how to get the energy flowing again in my body, how to let go of what is blocked, how to feel my whole body tingling with energy and know that this is healing me at every level. This deeper connection with the body and its energy gives clarity on what raises or lowers my energy or sense of well-being – thoughts, behaviour, what I take in in terms of food, drink, conversations, TV and the newspapers.
Awakening to the shifting of energy in the body became more noticeable during the last year, during group work on the course A Year to Live (based on Stephen Levine’s book of the same name). The process of naming sensations and feelings out loud during contemplative group practice, I suddenly experienced them shifting, literally feeling the energy move through me and out. For years during meditation I would feel a tightness, a sharp pain in my chest that however much I tried to allow, be open to, give space to as I felt directed by the teachings, it would remain – a painful, seemingly solid block in my chest.
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~ Unknown
Hint: It’s not about getting out of the challenging circumstance but about transforming the energy into positive energy.
Practice: Writing a journal!
