When we lose our way, practice B.L.I.S.S.

It can be rough out there in the world... Getting knocked down over and over only to wonder what in the hell am I doing all this for? Recently, I've had the pleasure of having several encounters with people that lost their way completely, and I mean rock bottom, complete disasters in their life, and they were feeling boxed in, trapped, and not sure where to even look for light, let alone see it.

This type of darkness is not to be taken lightly. It is the kind that feels like quick sand, slowly swallowing us up and taking over every part of our being. It comes in the form of fear, overwhelm, and freezing, like a deer in the head lights. It is as if this person has no awareness that they are still living, still here, right here in this moment. This type of state of mind can only be experienced from massive traumas, sometimes happening in waves. They are truly the kind that demand to be felt and healed from, a chapter in our lives that deserves care, support, and one hundred percent of our attention.

I cannot explain how hard it is to feel these things... to feel a person who's posture is slumped over and no longer in their body... They are only attached to a situation - stuck to it, angry with it, mourning it, and fully engrossed in the swirling, over and over in their mind - what they did wrong, how this could have happened, why me?, and all the other questions that come to their mind hoping to find the answers that will make it all go away. It's as if we must explain to ourselves all of it before we can begin to heal. And yet, that is not necessary. It is not necessary to suffer in this way. In fact, we may be growing.... in ways we just don't understand yet. If we judge ouselves and others, we keep ourselves stuck in the muck.

Instead, I invite everyone reading this to remember their heart and lungs... and when you're heart is numb or broken from some disaster, remember your lungs and BREATHE deeply - very, very deeply.

The second thing is to LISTEN to what your body needs...You better believe I listen.... When a person shows up at the barn who needs an awakening, I listen to their body, not their words. When Magic says, "give them to me" I listen... When the chickadee comes to the window and tells me the feeder is empty, I listen too (side note). My body always needs deep, restful sleep - so I listen. I do not allow anything to steal my sleep. I did for years, and it is a boundary I do not let anything cross now. It is how I keep going, how I am rejuvenated from all this work. Know what your body really needs - it may not be something you want, but it is what you need. Dare I say a walk through the woods? Or how about yoga? Believe me, your body will thank you and so will your mind.

Yesterday, our sweet, old dog passed away. Sunny was 14 - 16 years old, we're not really sure because we adopted her as a wild dog on the island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. Well, she really adopted us, because she could have left or ran off, but decided we were good enough for her to stay with us. She was one of those dogs that teach you about independence and freedom in a way that no dog who started out living in a home ever could. Sunny was scrappy and smart. She knew how to watch for cars before she crossed the road and the smell of chicken cooking would literally make her smile.

She was giving us these little signs in the last couple of days that something wasn't quite right - and yet she's old, so we just thought maybe she was having an off day. Then I came up from the barn and she was laying in the middle of our bedroom floor - eyes fixed on the wall, breathing rapidly, no longer able to move. She must have had a stroke of some kind. A million things raced through my mind when I came upon the sight of her... What do I do that would be best for her? Should I get her outside? Should I call the vet? What if the vet can't see her? Should I let her pass away here? I knew there was no way she was going to recover from whatever happened in her little body.... and so I responded... Yes, I responded. I called the vet. They would take her. I drove her there. I knew in my heart she was leaving us, but it was going to be ok. She lived a great life with us. What I understand most about myself is that things flow through me - every hurt, every joy - it all flows through me as if I were a filter of some kind, feeling each one and holding fast to my roots, my connection to the earth, to God, to my faith that every single one of us has within us what we need to flourish. And part of that is knowing when to show up - show up for ourselves and show up for each other. I have learned to INVITE curiosity instead of judgement. It's so easy to judge, right? We all do it, but we can flip that judgement to curiosity and change the way we see things. INVITING openness instead of judgment gives us the opportunity to see things in reality with clarity and kindness.

Which leads me to number four... When you have been knocked down to the lowest of lows, look around you. Seek out support, seek out nature. Someone NEEDS YOU... Yes, that is right. Someone else in this world needs you and all your imperfections. They need your stories. They need your experience to be heard. They need your insights and presence. Your mind may say otherwise, but I promise you, they need you more than you could ever imagine. LOOK around you! What you're seeking is seeking you.

And lastly, when we SERVE others, we are also helping ourselves to heal. Who needs your help? It could be something as small as calling a friend, stopping by to see someone or helping a family member with something they are getting too old to do, or just need an extra pair of hands to finish. It could be volunteering at the local animal shelter, or caring for a garden. Do it... I promise, it will open your lens of life experience and it will begin to heal your broken heart from the tragedies it has experienced.

We are all gifted one precious life... It is a life worth living. Practicing BLISS can give you the security in knowing you are here, you are NOW, you are important.

BREATHE

LISTEN

INVITE

SEEK

SERVE