I don’t see times of uncertainty
as crises . . .
they require some sort of action
to help me keep my bearings,
but they are not situations of emergency
where immediate action is needed.
All of life is uncertainty . . .
nothing is definite at all
except that one day we will cease to live in this world.
There are an infinite number of variables that can change in a day
and change our lives at the drop of a dime,
as my brother used to say.
We expect certain things to remain the same
and other things to change,
and we have to find a way to live with that.
I have had the opportunity
to experience many uncertainties,
and they always make me anxious . . .
Having my husband as part of my life
helps to keep me grounded . . .
he is a solid wall behind my back,
my source of solace–
until I stop talking . . .
Doing familiar things,
like washing the dishes,
gardening,
or folding laundry
are all soothing
and make me feel like everything’s going to be all right.
Music gets me out of my head
and comforts my worried heart . . .
it always helps,
and being grateful
always brings me back.
It’s like Narcan
for someone who has overdosed.
When I am calm . . .
that is when I can meditate.
That is when I can do some yoga.
When my heart returns to normal
and stops pounding in my ears
I can think things through,
talk to my husband,
make decisions that are relatively sane
and get some equilibrium back into my being.
My practice of gratefulness…my daily walk…the reading of spiritual books…the writing of poetry and essays…listening to music I love…cooking something for others. Quiet time…feeding and watching the birds at my feeder and bird bath…praying with my next door neighbor…attending secular rituals led by my cousin. I also find listening to music very helpful to calm my nerves.
Meditation, stillness, sharing time and being with dear friends as well as sharing here; doing what I can to support good outcome, support kindred hearts and loved ones as good as possible and with all my heart. ❤️🙏
In times of turmoil, uncertainty & calm my practices that ground me, guide me & show me the way forward are,
~ meditation
~ prayer
~ Mother Nature
~ grounding
~ walking
~ yoga
~ music
~ reading
~ gratefulness
~ intention
Happy Saturday to All. 🕊️🩷
This question seems very similar to other questions we have had recently. But each day is a new day, and my answers are always slightly different depending on what is going on in my life or what my current mood is. My mantram, meditation practice, gratefulness practice, and spiritual reading help me stay grounded. All these things expand my perspective and connect me to something bigger and more powerful than the little “ego-me”. They remind me that love is the most important thing.
Understanding that part of this journey is to be torn open, vulnerable, disoriented, out of time. And then support that with art, poetry, music, ritual, daydreaming, movement. And then re-grounding into the slowness and rhythms of nature, laughter with friends, good food. The senses. Tune into and support the rhythm of things coming together and falling apart, to paraphrase Pema Chodron. I used to think that it was best to be grounded all the time. I’ve come to respect and welcome un-groundedness, loopiness, vulnerability as a creative and generative space, where change happens, where the sacred can come in. I just need to balance a lack of ground with groundedness.
During times of uncertainty, going for a walk, listening to music, and talking to someone usually help me stay grounded. Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend! 🌸
My Ngoc, I’ve certainly noticed that. You’ve gone a long ways. It wasn’t too long ago, all you knew how to do is vent. Now, you listen with the occasional lapse. That’s a major improvement, and it’s been a year. All you need to do is stay the course. Keep doing whatever you’re doing.
Doing something physical or creating beauty and order; like working in my garden, or making and sharing a meal with a friend. And at times of recent political stress and unease, taking action such as joining a local rally creates a sense of solidarity and a measure of hope inside me.
As others have just said, simple everyday routines help me: putting away my dishes, doing yoga, going for a walk.
Good one, Mabe. Physical activity reduces overthinking, because all that brain energy gets transfered on to the body. I’ve certainly heard it before, and it’s why we’re encouraged to stay busy.
Nice and succinct, Yram. I’m sure I have quite a few practices to go to as well. For simplicity, I only put one main one down and go a bit into detail. Therefore, I love your answer.
I have integrity. Struggles are a part of life. Everything is imperminant from the good, bad, to evil. By allowing myself to sink, I have a better idea for what to work on or do differently. Pulling strings and cheating systems only backfire. Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win. Practicing integrity decreases my reliance on having to rely on backstage politics and also brings me even closer to god. God>government
Loc Tran, your response makes me realize that one practice that helps me stay grounded is getting in touch with my values, and how important they are to me. It sounds like one of your strong values is integrity. For me, integrity is also a strong value, along with compassion. It can be easy to lose touch with our values when society at-large does not seem to be aligning with them. But it is super powerful to see someone who lives in accordance with his/her values even when those around him/her are not following those values.
Elizabeth, compassion for you is similar to originality for me. This reminds me of an advice I’m all too familiar of being the people we want ourselves to be instead of the people society wants us to be. Again, easier said than done. I’m glad I’ve settled on some part-time piano performing jobs. Ngoc and I still living with my parents helps too.
Bringing myself back to the present moment as best I can. Routine tasks, cleaning up a bit, watching the birds at the feeder, looking at the sky or the trees, all help me come back to where my feet are rather than where my mind tries to take me.
I love how you wrote about how the things that help you
“come back to where my feet are rather than where my mind tries to take me.”
Lovely description . . . 🙂
Laura, I’m a routine person. I find that to be helpful. I treat routine like Jazz. Create a framework and stay within it. Routine can reduce overthinking too, because we automatically know what needs to be done. It’s very easy to get lost in thought.
What a neat concept to treat routine like jazz, Loc Tran! I like how that shows the flexibility and improvisation that is still allowed within a routine.
Thanks Elizabeth. It brings balance and creativity. I started studying jazz late in my teenage years. When I began learning piano, classical was my first. Having that foundation made the transition to jazz more seemless. It’s just like with going from being disciplined to more flexable. That’s easier to do than the other way around. Flexibility without foundation is confusion. I had a classical piano teacher name Kim Craig who advised studying classical before learning jazz. It totally makes sense. The chord patterns are easier to learn and just play by whatever is written by the composer including dynamic expressions for the former.
The impermanence of all. This too shall pass. As I will pass. The challenges, complications of life are necessary, just as joy and certainty. How I accept and deal with them is key. Peace and loving kindness.
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Prayer, meditation, calling my mom, looking at the ocean, taking a walk
I don’t see times of uncertainty
as crises . . .
they require some sort of action
to help me keep my bearings,
but they are not situations of emergency
where immediate action is needed.
All of life is uncertainty . . .
nothing is definite at all
except that one day we will cease to live in this world.
There are an infinite number of variables that can change in a day
and change our lives at the drop of a dime,
as my brother used to say.
We expect certain things to remain the same
and other things to change,
and we have to find a way to live with that.
I have had the opportunity
to experience many uncertainties,
and they always make me anxious . . .
Having my husband as part of my life
helps to keep me grounded . . .
he is a solid wall behind my back,
my source of solace–
until I stop talking . . .
Doing familiar things,
like washing the dishes,
gardening,
or folding laundry
are all soothing
and make me feel like everything’s going to be all right.
Music gets me out of my head
and comforts my worried heart . . .
it always helps,
and being grateful
always brings me back.
It’s like Narcan
for someone who has overdosed.
When I am calm . . .
that is when I can meditate.
That is when I can do some yoga.
When my heart returns to normal
and stops pounding in my ears
I can think things through,
talk to my husband,
make decisions that are relatively sane
and get some equilibrium back into my being.
My practice of gratefulness…my daily walk…the reading of spiritual books…the writing of poetry and essays…listening to music I love…cooking something for others. Quiet time…feeding and watching the birds at my feeder and bird bath…praying with my next door neighbor…attending secular rituals led by my cousin. I also find listening to music very helpful to calm my nerves.
Meditation, stillness, sharing time and being with dear friends as well as sharing here; doing what I can to support good outcome, support kindred hearts and loved ones as good as possible and with all my heart. ❤️🙏
In times of turmoil, uncertainty & calm my practices that ground me, guide me & show me the way forward are,
~ meditation
~ prayer
~ Mother Nature
~ grounding
~ walking
~ yoga
~ music
~ reading
~ gratefulness
~ intention
Happy Saturday to All. 🕊️🩷
And a good Saturday evening to you PKR!
This question seems very similar to other questions we have had recently. But each day is a new day, and my answers are always slightly different depending on what is going on in my life or what my current mood is. My mantram, meditation practice, gratefulness practice, and spiritual reading help me stay grounded. All these things expand my perspective and connect me to something bigger and more powerful than the little “ego-me”. They remind me that love is the most important thing.
”They remind me that love is the most important thing.”
In the end,
dear Elizabeth,
Love is all there is . . . ♥
Understanding that part of this journey is to be torn open, vulnerable, disoriented, out of time. And then support that with art, poetry, music, ritual, daydreaming, movement. And then re-grounding into the slowness and rhythms of nature, laughter with friends, good food. The senses. Tune into and support the rhythm of things coming together and falling apart, to paraphrase Pema Chodron. I used to think that it was best to be grounded all the time. I’ve come to respect and welcome un-groundedness, loopiness, vulnerability as a creative and generative space, where change happens, where the sacred can come in. I just need to balance a lack of ground with groundedness.
Well said,
dear Drea . . .
I too “respect and welcome ungroundedness” . . .
it does help to balance things.
Thank you. ♥
Thank you Sparrow, glad you understand.
Gratefulness
Mindfulness
Prayer
During times of uncertainty, going for a walk, listening to music, and talking to someone usually help me stay grounded. Wishing everyone a beautiful weekend! 🌸
My Ngoc, I’ve certainly noticed that. You’ve gone a long ways. It wasn’t too long ago, all you knew how to do is vent. Now, you listen with the occasional lapse. That’s a major improvement, and it’s been a year. All you need to do is stay the course. Keep doing whatever you’re doing.
Doing something physical or creating beauty and order; like working in my garden, or making and sharing a meal with a friend. And at times of recent political stress and unease, taking action such as joining a local rally creates a sense of solidarity and a measure of hope inside me.
As others have just said, simple everyday routines help me: putting away my dishes, doing yoga, going for a walk.
Good one, Mabe. Physical activity reduces overthinking, because all that brain energy gets transfered on to the body. I’ve certainly heard it before, and it’s why we’re encouraged to stay busy.
There is not one practice that I go to . Prayer and connecting with others are probably my most ” go to’s.”
Nice and succinct, Yram. I’m sure I have quite a few practices to go to as well. For simplicity, I only put one main one down and go a bit into detail. Therefore, I love your answer.
I have integrity. Struggles are a part of life. Everything is imperminant from the good, bad, to evil. By allowing myself to sink, I have a better idea for what to work on or do differently. Pulling strings and cheating systems only backfire. Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win. Practicing integrity decreases my reliance on having to rely on backstage politics and also brings me even closer to god. God>government
Loc Tran, your response makes me realize that one practice that helps me stay grounded is getting in touch with my values, and how important they are to me. It sounds like one of your strong values is integrity. For me, integrity is also a strong value, along with compassion. It can be easy to lose touch with our values when society at-large does not seem to be aligning with them. But it is super powerful to see someone who lives in accordance with his/her values even when those around him/her are not following those values.
Elizabeth, compassion for you is similar to originality for me. This reminds me of an advice I’m all too familiar of being the people we want ourselves to be instead of the people society wants us to be. Again, easier said than done. I’m glad I’ve settled on some part-time piano performing jobs. Ngoc and I still living with my parents helps too.
Bringing myself back to the present moment as best I can. Routine tasks, cleaning up a bit, watching the birds at the feeder, looking at the sky or the trees, all help me come back to where my feet are rather than where my mind tries to take me.
I love how you wrote about how the things that help you
“come back to where my feet are rather than where my mind tries to take me.”
Lovely description . . . 🙂
Yes love this too
Laura, I’m a routine person. I find that to be helpful. I treat routine like Jazz. Create a framework and stay within it. Routine can reduce overthinking too, because we automatically know what needs to be done. It’s very easy to get lost in thought.
What a neat concept to treat routine like jazz, Loc Tran! I like how that shows the flexibility and improvisation that is still allowed within a routine.
Thanks Elizabeth. It brings balance and creativity. I started studying jazz late in my teenage years. When I began learning piano, classical was my first. Having that foundation made the transition to jazz more seemless. It’s just like with going from being disciplined to more flexable. That’s easier to do than the other way around. Flexibility without foundation is confusion. I had a classical piano teacher name Kim Craig who advised studying classical before learning jazz. It totally makes sense. The chord patterns are easier to learn and just play by whatever is written by the composer including dynamic expressions for the former.
Flexibility without foundation is confusion. Wow you need to copyright that phrase.
Pranayama, meditation, walking in nature. Faith in the process of life.
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
The impermanence of all. This too shall pass. As I will pass. The challenges, complications of life are necessary, just as joy and certainty. How I accept and deal with them is key. Peace and loving kindness.
As Jim Morrison once said,
dear Joseph,
“No One Here Gets Out Alive”. ♥
Agree, Joseph. Mindset is the root.