Going Deeper Blog #2 by Anne Nesbitt

Coping and the Divine Hug

I was in the middle of writing my blog when I heard Chris Hadfield, Medeleine Thien and Clara Hughes being interviewed on CBC’s The Current.  They said many of the same things that I was thinking – but better!  I will paraphrase some of there ideas and then add a few ideas of my own.

Being socially isolated is challenging.  We focus on ourselves and our own situation, because we have to.  But in the midst of this, it might be helpful to remind ourselves that we are all connected.  How each of us choses to deal with social isolation contributes to the collectivity and helps determine the outcome, for all.  We may be alone, but we are all working together!

Coping can be a challenge!  Some ideas for coping are:

• Identify the threats – understand the actual danger – learn about it
• Give yourself things to do within the constraints that you have
• give yourself some objectives
• don’t be confined or overconcerned about the ending but concentrate on - what am I going to do today?
• Take Action - Give yourself things to do
• In the midst of the serious things that are happening - make the most of the beautiful, delightful, human things around us
• Take care of your health
• Move into nature
• It is a challenge not to be over hyper-stimulated – you want to know what’s going on – but too much of this information leads to anxiety and stress
• Find time for the pursuit of quiet – disconnect from the world around you for a little while
• Reach out to each other
• Find some sense of continuity in your life

There were many more ideas which we will probably come back to in another blog.

However

Two of the things that I think are really important are:

• Humour
• Humour helps give us release
• Laughter heals
• It takes us away from the “to serious” pit that we fall into
• The Divine Hug
• This is the essential one for me.  So, what is it?  I don’t know.  However, sometimes, when I am walking my labyrinth, I experience this overwhelming, awe inspiring, cradling power.  It totally encircles me, sweeps me away to places beyond words, beyond imagining.  I am safe and totally loved!  If I open myself, surrender myself and lose myself in its presence, it permeates the essence of my being. This is what sustains me and carries me forward.

What sustains you and carries you forward?