The Presence of Joy

Right now, the world feels harsh doesn’t it? The desire to curl up and close the curtains to it all feels a little too real, please read on for some sprinklings of hope and maybe (dare I say it) even joy…

As the news and the virus continues to spread to various countries including the UK, I feel that it is important to acknowledge the very real feelings of the world just now and although this was not my original newsletter, I am learning to adapt. 

We are all learning to adapt.

I want to take this opportunity to remind us of the impermanence of life and not in a morbid manner, although the anxiety surrounding death has been pushed right to the surface for many, but more in the sense that nothing is forever and this like other things will also pass. It arises, changes and then disappears...

And I am not here to minimise anything, and I very much acknowledge that the likelihood of this getting worse before it gets better is very high, but there is an opportunity to hold onto the fear and the hope simultaneously.

I think for me the importance of presence is even more prevalent in situations like this when the immediacy and reactionary nature of fear is on everyone’s lips and sitting within everyone’s bodies (including mine). 

Have you noticed how your body tenses up when you hear the news? Your heart races a little quicker when you scroll through the latest stats? Can you give yourself permission to stay responsibly informed but to also remove yourself from the situation regularly?

Can you get back into your body? 

Can you come home to yourself, if only for a few minutes? 

Can you allow yourself the luxury of feeling the ground beneath you? 

Or letting the universe hold you whilst you take in this new air of spring? 

(I saw blossom this week, did you notice it?) 

Can you allow yourself to feel whole for just a snippet of your day?

For those of you that are new to my work, presence awareness is central to the way I navigate through the world, whether that is through my work or in my personal life.

I feel as though the terms presence & mindfulness have almost been hijacked via mainstream media and monetised through the abundance of wellbeing spaces, however I want to assure you that you do not need anything or anyone to become present.

And now more than anything I invite you to become present with what is going on in the world but also in your world. 

Whether that is the fear of losing loved ones, worrying about your own health, the practical things of running your own business, paying bills etc but also through still experiencing joy as we are learning to hold space for one another (including ourselves) in a completely different manner.

Now I do not want to downplay the genuine fear and feeling that Coronavirus has brought globally, but I want you to think about being brave enough to step into that fear. What is it telling you and why? Ask yourself: how can I ease the fear by preparing myself without the burden of overwhelm? 

My recent post on Instagram on the unethical nature of stockpiling commodities still very much stands but differs from making sure that you have enough to keep you and your loved one’s going. This invites a strategy, a system to stay calm without necessarily taking away from others. Buying one packet of toilet roll and an extra pack of pasta is different from buying 100! Think about practical measures that not only support the most vulnerable around you but also allow you to feel held in a time of worry and uncertainty.

Again, we can hold these two things together without it feeling icky, self-centred or irresponsible.

Let’s also invite some perspective here. Many, if not all, of us have experienced incredibly difficult situations throughout life, where there was pain and there was hurt, and you may have even lost someone dear to you, but you are getting through, right? 

You are muddling, repairing, healing. 

Again, let us lean towards the impermanence of life and the fact that we do not have the control that we often desperately desire. Life is uncertain, scary, unfair, unjust but it is also extremely beautiful, caring, kind and to be experienced.

It’s my birthday today and as I sit here and reflect on all of the above, I want to tell you that I am doing all of these things for myself to also keep on top of my physical and mental wellbeing.

In this moment in time, I am holding onto the simple things and as cliché as it sounds, they are truly filing my cup to the brim.

Because, I’m here for the cup of tea that he made me this morning, the love in his eyes and the gentle touch of human contact.

I’m here for the excitement of my boys as they bounded through with hugs and kisses, cards and presents, you would have truly thought it was their birthday.

I’m here for friendships, new ones that I am building and old ones that I am nurturing, giving and receiving from.

I’m here for nourishing the body through food, movement and stillness.

I’m here for unity & solidarity in these tough times, I’m here for you, for me and them. 

I am here for it all because to be anything other would be to deny myself of the whole human experience, how about you?