navigating when the greys make you blue

At the moment so many of us seem to be predominantly navigating the greyness of the times. Everywhere we turn is another restriction or limitation and constant necessary considerations of a pandemic, an economic crisis, a political shit show just about everywhere on the planet, social crisis and beyond.

Lately when I awake and set my motivation for the day, there seems to be a palate of greys to work with, from light to very dark. If I want a rainbow or a dazzling show of stars in the energetic forecast, I better adjust my lenses and practice diving deep within. A foreseeable remedy for one crisis seems to come at an extreme cost to other areas of despair. Then the reflex of the suffering ones is to lay blame on who is mishandling what has never been handled before. These are complex times.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had to remind myself regularly that if I focus on my good actions, my emotions will follow. If I let my emotions lead my actions like a blindfolded driver, there is going to be a messy ending. Letting knee-jerk reactions be our shepherd takes its toll pretty fast.

I think, like so many of us, my heart hurts for the world and it's creatures, including, if not especially, the two legged stuck in separatism. How do we manage our hurting hearts that are aching to see positive change, especially when we ultimately feel isolated and independentrather than inter-dependent in the world? Breathe deep my friend and practice, practice, practice.

A memory showed up on my phone today that I shared on FB this day six years ago while attending a Mindfulness Toronto meeting at Mt Sinai hospital. It was written by a doctor in the room.

As a doctor who treats chronic pain patients with both medication as well as meditation, he wondered what the advertising agencies would come up with if breath could be bottled and sold as a commodity for profit. He said “I believe it would be an easy sell, as demonstrated in the following poem written only partially with tongue in cheek.”

If The Breath Was A Pharmaceutical

It’s fun to imagine if breath was a pill

What would ads say? Is breath marketable?

You could easily claim that use of the breath

Will keep you alive and prevent early death.

You could surely declare it’s so simple to treat

And the price guaranteed, is impossible to beat.

Conveniently located right under your nose

Always available for relaxing, repose.

Very effective for all types of stress

May be lifesaving with no side effects.

Used successfully by millions

Over thousands of years

Satisfaction is promised

Be at peace with your fears.

~ Dr Etlin, MD FRCPC

If the palate of greys in the world are making you blue, try and find your way to nourish in nature in any dose you can. Time spent in nature is like a relationship with a dog. It just embraces you with love and supports your health while wanting very little in return. Finding ways to walk mindfully with our breath and our presence is a practice that keeps giving. Thich Nhat Hanh would describe walking meditation as the chance to kiss the earth with our feet, slowly, lovingly, intentionally, gratefully. This for me is a better invitation than to walk lightly on eggshells.

Wishing us all a week of rainbows and still waters.

Gisele