Jane Marchevsky is a young woman who not long ago sang her own song on America’s Got Talent. She has a dream, a beautiful voice and spirit with a body full of cancer. Her enthusiasm and energy touched my heart. She recently announced her health was deteriorating and bowed out of the competition to focus her energy on healing. Would you mind sending a prayer and/or love to Jane to help her realize her dream? Let’s help her concentrate on her future, I know that she would be grateful for your support.
Grocery shopping, usually an enjoyable experience for me was a journey into self-mastery. because I absorb and am naturally very sensitive to the energy of those around me. As I quietly walked through the store, the fear and anxiety were palpable. I witnessed out of control, panicked and worried people collecting multiple carts with several family members, pushing, shoving and racing through the store scooping large quantities of merchandise into their carts as if the world was coming to an end. While there was a temptation to find fault and judge, for my own self-protection I remained focused on what I was doing, stayed to myself and concentrated on departing when I was done.
The condition of the store (images below) was unthinkable. As the cashier was ringing me out, we chatted about the state of things, she said it is the “Chicken Little” story come to life.
“The moral of the Chicken Little story is to have courage, even when it feels like the sky is falling.
To make things worse, the media is exploding with a steady stream of inflated piffle and misinformation that frightens and upsets people. This only increases unnecessary fear that brings extreme psychological stress and out of control anxiety only increasing weakened immune systems. Fear spreading is the real danger, calm and common sense are the catalysts to avoid extreme situations that can and will take place if fear continues to dominate a very controllable circumstance.
EFFECTIVE MINDFULNESS Practices
Exercise such as:
Yoga, stretching, walking
Aromatherapy, use these scents to increase calm:
Lavender
Vetiver
Bergamot
Roman chamomile
Neroli
Frankincense
Sandalwood
Ylang ylang
Orange or orange blossom
Geranium
Take supplements to increase wellness:
ashwagandha,
omega-3
fatty acids,
green tea
lemon balm
valerian
kava kava
Reduce caffeine
Laugh
Eat and sleep well
Practice mindfulness through:
meditation
unplug, be present in the moment
watching your thoughts when they wander
Create a mini arts program for yourself:
play games, read a novel, relax with music
As with every difficult situation we are challenged by, It’s important to remember all we can do is our best, continue to live our lives and expect the best outcome. Whatever your spiritual practices, we can all contribute by withholding judgment, remain considerate, compassionate and understanding.
The truth is:
“The vast majority of cases are going to be mild, and people are going to recover just like they do from a cold or flu-like illness.”— Dr. Amesh Adalja
Stay well, be at peace; find the sacredness and joy in everyday life.
Today is World Kindness Day, You are the change that the world is seeking, let’s inspire and be kind because kindness is an easy and effortless way to change the world.
Climate crisis anxiety and related PTSD are very real and growing mental health issues affecting people of all ages, especially young people. Between unexpected climate-induced disasters, the media and scientific reports focusing on bleak situations of impending environmental catastrophes, people are experiencing increased feelings of distress, anguish and helplessness. It is natural to want to put our heads in the sand to avoid the stress, but a healthier way to live is to reduce the amount of time spent focused on the negative and address what we are feeling so we can move beyond the paralysis of fear.
Being fearful and anxious are natural reactions to the overwhelming issues we are faced with, grieving, pain and emotional anguish are a part of the process we must go through. But, like anything difficult we are faced with we have to find ways to deal with what we’re feeling so we can move into a place of purpose and create a practical, positive vision for the future, empowering ourselves to take effective action.
Part of that action is moving away from the mindset that the government or other agencies are going to correct the environmental wrongs, if we are honest with ourselves and take responsibility, climate change developed with human expansion and the industrial age so we are all accountable; the solutions are up to all of us.
Eco-psychologist Joanna Macy teaches useful frameworks for facing up to disturbing realities and finding capacity for action. First there is the gratitude stage, which focuses our attention on those aspects of life and the world that nourish us. Then there is a stage that honors the pain that we are experiencing. The third and fourth stages relate to exploring new possibilities and finding practical actions to take. (from theguardian.com)
Ways to contribute that I’vefound useful:
Sign environmental and wildlife petitions
We don’t run the A/C, the house does get warm, but its livable and ceiling fans keep us comfortable
Create a garden of native and edible plants
Use bird feeders to supplement what food isn’t there
Unplug appliances and electronics wherever and whenever possible
Use cloth grocery bags
Reuse whatever I can, reduce, then recycle
Significant reduction of food-waste and trash
Use nature friendly products
Monitor water and electricity usage
Combine trips to town
Use photography as a medium to convey conservation information
Grow native plants in my garden
My well-being and happiness practices:
How we feel and think makes a tremendous impact on our ability to be clear, deliberate, wise and sensible. I focus on a variety of ways to take care of myself so I am able to practice what I preach.
I pay attention to how I feel
Spiritual practices that allow me to attain internal peace
Stay in the moment
Practice deep breathing and meditation
Maintain a clutter free, beautiful environment
Get enough sleep
Be in the moment
Go out in nature for a walk
Listen to peaceful and relaxing music
Share any feelings of distress
Practice gratitude
Read about achievements and successes in conservation and sustainability
Instead of worrying, I search for solutions that I can apply
This man-made wetlands is just minutes from my home and one way I take solace that there are positive signs of progress. This is reclaimed water from my neighborhood, it supports a large variety of wildlife and native plants. Even though it seems minuscule, this is a part of my “solutions based program” because I feel uplifted by the efforts that the Game and Fish Dept. put into it to make this small area a part of the solution. Because of this area, my neighborhood does what we can to take steps to help keep the area as trash free as possible, do volunteer projects to help clean up public land, use chemical free cleaners and do whatever we can to honor and protect wildlife and nature areas.
Climate change is the single biggest thing that humans have ever done on this planet. The one thing that needs to be bigger is our movement to stop it. – Bill McKibben
Moving on is beneficial not only for you, but for the planet. Healing takes time and is a step to be mindfully and heartfully whole again. Connecting your mind with your heart is a way to help yourself feel like what you’re doing matters.
How you can relieve the stress and feelings of helplessness:
Daily self care practices
Have good eating habits
Get plenty of exercise
Maintain healthy sleep
Take a walk in nature
Talk with someone who shares your ideals about how you feel
Remember one person can make a significant difference
Practice gratitude and appreciation
Reduce the amount of time spent on negative media
Seek help if you’re unable to resolve any internal issues
Create your own personal conservation program:
Promote change – sign petitions effecting the environment and sustainability
Reduce your use of fossil fuel
Be efficient – maintain your vehicle
Purchase Energy Star appliances
Weatherproof your home
Grow your own food
Use native plants and edibles throughout your garden
Reduce, reuse and then recycle
Offset your fuel consumption by donating to Green Projects – here is the link to help you find a project you’d like to fund: https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/
Use public transportation when possible, walk or ride a bike
Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use
Learn about what your local businesses are doing to improve their environmental practices
Speak with your local authorities about what they’re doing and find ways to participate
While people may believe that doing these things is small and insignificant, imagine the effect if millions of people practiced these steps every. So do your part, proudly, knowing that you’re contributing to the better good of our planet.
We have to believe that even the small actions we take are making a difference and helping the environment. Develop strong social connections with family, friends and your neighbors, that will propel you to want to promote positive solutions and encourage everyone around you to be mindful of the way they live.
In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket. David Suzuki
I have a deeply held belief that through forward-thinking, coherent measures and ethical conviction, we can empower ourselves not only in our country but globally to redirect our energy toward humanitarianism, compassion and inclusion for everyone. Igniting the heart to be the forerunner for humanity to co-exist peacefully rather than to continue living in separation and fear.
I recently read an article that exemplifies my belief that great change is needed. The story was about a young migrant father and his baby daughter drowning in the Rio Grande on the Texas border, no one knew they were there. They’d traveled from El Salvador; the father was desperately trying to find a way to a better life for his daughter I felt a sense of defeat and asked myself what can be done to stop situations like this from happening. Rather than blaming or finger-pointing, my thoughts went to the Declaration of Independence and what it meant not just for Americans but for humankind.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
My interpretation of this very profound text is that it is up to people to bring about effective change by responding morally, consciously and humanely through mindful, principled and compassionate steps. We must reinstate our rights and fully participate in making a difference in education, climate crisis, healthcare, the economy, and all of the other challenges we are faced with. Imagine a world where enlightened, kindhearted people are in the forefront, imagine the outcome, we can be the change we are all are seeking. Momentous changes came from impassioned, ordinary individuals such as Mother Teresa, Margaret Higgins Sanger, Susan B. Anthony, Emily Davison, Lucretia Mott, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Malala Yousafzai and Alexander Fleming to name just a few. Not one of these people imagined the effect of their efforts, they were just passionate and committed and they changed the world.
I believe, as a woman who has been on a path of conscious choice for quite a few years, that I am here to share my insights with others to see mindfulness as a way of life, not based on any specific agenda or definition, but strictly by living in the realization that we are all the same despite any regional or cultural differences. A woman is a woman, a man is a man, a child is a child, blood is red, all hearts thrive or decline, love is love. Let the way of humanity be known for finding the connections and similarities to create a world where love and unity are dominant not secondary.
it is crucial that we embrace our rights as human beings through mindfulness and take a stand for doing what is right, simply because it is the right thing to do. No matter the action we take or on what level, know in our hearts that it does make a difference.
consciousness that is centered around ethics, integrity, values and an impartial lens is in favor of equality for all of life. I believe that people care so much and want to do something to change the way things are, but don’t know what to do or how. It all begins within ourselves, through attitude and our daily interactions. My personal journey began with self introspection and personal change and now I see myself as an agent of change, working each day in the name of love and goodness to effect the people around me in a beneficial way. The way we consciously change the world is by taking action in whatever way we can, whether it’s in our home, our neighborhood, our community or the world.
I would like to finish with a quote that embodies the way I live my own life:
“Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.” ― Marianne Williamson
All images in this post were gotten from the internet.
Thank you for reading my post, I sincerely appreciate it.
Listening with your heart requires that you sit silently and listen without judgment. This way of listening compels you to be supportive and to help someone to reach inside to find the answers they are seeking themselves. It isn’t easy, but it is a great way to empower yourself and the other person.
A few years ago I took a day long workshop focused on learning to listen with your heart. It sounded simple, but it isn’t. We have been taught to listen half-heartedly waiting with bated breath for the moment when there is a break to inject our opinion and advice.
In my workshop, when the person we were paired with spoke, we had to sit silently, look them in the eyes and be fully present while they spoke. When they were finished, the lesson was to empower them with praise for their willingness to share and provide support without telling them what to do. It was a lesson in humility because we believe that we can solve someone else’s problems or steer them in the direction according to how we’ve handled situations and how they could improve the way they’re handling things if only they’d listen to our sage advice. That approach can only makes things worse and drive people apart.
I learned a lot that day. Now, when someone wants to share their situation, I ask if they want my perspective before I jump in knowing that they may not accept or believe that it is the way to go. Listening with your heart is showing respect, compassion and kindness just by being there.
Most people just want someone to listen while they sort through the challenges they are faced with. You don’t have to agree with their method of handing a situation furthermore you really don’t know what someone else is going through. Once a person vents and gets everything out, they can and should come upon solutions themselves. Don’t take it personally, it is never about us, it is about learning to go above and beyond to be conscious and caring.
Wisdom of a Woman's Heart 