It’s been over a year since I last posted. A long year. With so much death and hatred it has become difficult to see past the bad and retain hope. A friend’s boyfriend was in Charlottesville during the riots and was so affected by what happened that it pushed him over the edge of his already teetering depression. He took his life. Friends and family have lost jobs and family members, been diagnosed with cancer, and have had to move away just to afford to live. None of that is new, but it builds on the already unusual surplus of negative energy that weighs down our world.
Despite that, some good has come from this year. One of my very good friends got married to her best friend. I got engaged to my boyfriend of 6.5 years in July and we’re planning to get married next year. We moved from northern Virginia to southern Maryland for his job, which pays plenty well for us to live. I’ve found a Pagan community to socialize with and I’ve transitioned to a full-time job. Things are going okay and despite the raincloud of my depression slowly following me, I can run out from under its downpour often enough that I don’t feel like I’m drowning. Some of that is because I’m on a stable regimen of medication. More of it is because my Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is going well. I started it about a month ago to progress with coming to terms with my sexual trauma from college. That someday may be another post I write in detail, but I’m not there yet.
One thing I’ve been trying to get a better hold on is my daily practice. Whether or not you are Wiccan or have spiritual practices, find something you do every day. I’m sure most of you have a routine in the mornings: brushing teeth, washing your face, eating breakfast. Find five minutes that you can sit down, clear your mind, and breathe. Let your thoughts drift by like colorful inner tubes on a lazy river. Focus on the breath, the IN and OUT of the air through your lungs. If you are religious, give a shoutout to your favorite deity. Whenever I see my cats I remember how much Bast has supported me and loved me and I thank Her for blessing us with our two derpy fuzzballs.
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, remember to express gratitude to those around you. Be a little extra nice to the cashier at the grocery store. Say “Thank You” to your spouse or partner when they bring you food on the way home. Give an extra hug or pat to your pets before you leave. The output of that small positive energy you expel will hopefully multiply and help tip the scales to balance out the negativity going on everyday.
Thank YOU, for the few of you who do read my posts. If you’d like to have healthy discussions with me or others in the comments you are most welcome. Questions? Ask away.
Breathe, ground and repeat.
Finding Stability: Grounding Amidst the Chaos 