Last week a friend reminded me: take time for renewal, take time to replenish yourself. Even a few moments for a walk or a quiet space for breathing and connecting will be enough to carry you through the challenges. I thanked her. I remembered and breathed tears of relief.
Later on in the week my Tai Chi teacher instructed us to let all the goodness surrounding and supporting all around pour into us as we breathe in, let it pour out to the world as we breathe out. This became my meditation for replenishing this week.
There is a balance between nurturing and doing. Without nurturing, doing becomes exhaustive and hollow. Without doing, nurturing sits still on it’s own, waiting to be shared.
When I remember, I have energy, creativity, and a vitality of Spirit to share back within each moment. All the things I choose to do in the day I can greet with welcoming, wonder, and the openness of possibility. Even the challenges and the painful things become moments for breathing in Spirit and breathing Spirit back out within each decision, within each action.
When I forget, I quickly become depleted and every new request, need, or task leaves me feeling squashed by impossible amounts of challenges. I long to find an escape, even just for a few hours.
And then I breathe in deeply. I feel the goodness that surrounds and supports me always filling me from my toes, up to my knees, and on and on. I keep breathing until my eyeballs are swimming in it and I can see clearly again.
Here is when the magic begins. Here is when the things that just a moment ago seemed too difficult for anyone, suddenly start sparkling with new ideas, novel approaches, and small steps. I can see a difference almost immediately in the outcomes as well. A creative idea, a reframing, a new haircut for my son and things change. Challenges that my son has been struggling with for a week (and I for a way to make it change), suddenly start to shift. I am relieved and excited about the new possibilities he’s discovering.
I am reassured by the constant availability of Spirit to replenish and nurture me. I am encouraged to keep remembering: replenishing yourself as part of each day, each moment creates a path for those moments to take our breath away in wonder and joy.
