This week, we’re exploring community. Read on for ways to co-create and contribute to supportive community/ies that enrich you, other members and the world at large…
Choose deliberately
There are journal prompts in the new Embodied Wellbeing newsletter to help you make a mental (and emotional) audit of all the communities you’re actively and passively a part of.
Recognise that making things conscious gives us choices.
Which have you outgrown?
Which have you neglected?
We have access to the entire world when we include online communities so it’s especially important to be discerning about what’s serving us and what’s draining us.
Shop local where possible, supporting local small businesses and ultimately enriching your whole community.
Embody belonging
Take up space. Leave no trace, obviously and don’t be intrusive in any way but remind yourself that you – and everyone and everything else on this beautiful planet – have a right to exist!
This may sound odd – of COURSE you have a right to exist.
But notice your posture right now.
Maybe you were conditioned to believe your existence was a nuisance in some way. Maybe you were neglected or abused.
YOU BELONG.
Notice how you feel in your body as you say this to yourself and let it properly sink in.
Get used to grounding yourself, wherever you are.
Notice the times you breath in and bite your tongue rather than letting your whole self be present and use your voice.
Notice the people and communities you feel WELCOME in and prioritise them over the ones you’ve never felt quite right about.
Open your heart
As I mentioned, in the Embodied Wellbeing newsletter this week, we’re working with the Solar Plexus Chakra because it’s so connected to the primitive fear we ALL have around the possibility of being exiled if we say or do “the wrong thing”.
Our ancestors would have literally died if frozen out from the community.
Be compassionate with yourself as you become better at speaking up. At standing up. At being visible. At letting others step up.
Honour your Heart Chakra as you remind yourself of your connection with your own heart and those of everyone in your communities and on the planet.
Metta can be really helpful here.
Notice how it feels to wish that yourself and others (those you love, those you feel neutral around, those you find challenging, various groups you care about, the world at large) be happy and healthy, peaceful and at ease.
That you’re able to take care of yourselves joyfully.
That y’all possess the courage, wisdom, patience and determination to manage life’s challenges.
My Metta practice (daily since March 2013) has been one of the most transformative tools in my life and it started with reconnecting with my Self.
More to explore (free)
If you’re already a subscriber (free or paid), you’ll have already received this week’s interview with the fantabulous psychotherapist Chris Oxborrow about the community she’s created to support neurodivergent therapists and our clients (in the Personal Peace newsletter) and more of my reflections and journal prompts to help you support your solar plexus chakra as you assess and rebalance your relationship with different communities you’re part of.
I’ve activated a new Chat function for Substack subscribers (free and paid) too which offers a space to explore some of these ideas in more depth. Accessible via the Substack app, on Android and iPhone, I’ll be facilitating a friendly, supportive community for all things Embodied Wellbeing.
More to explore (paying subscribers and members)
Embodied Wellbeing Paid Subscribers will have additional prompts (in the Personal Peace newsletter, after the paywall) to help you dive deeper.
And Personal Peace online membership members have access to tonight’s live self care coaching call and unique Yoga Nidra as well as private personal coaching with me through the High Tide reflective feedback forms.
with love,
Eve