Coping with Chaos

The events of the last week in our country call forth anger, anxiety, fear, dread. What will happen next? Will our terribly unfit President finally be removed from office? Will the investigations produce the needed evidence? What will it take for those in power who support him to see how dangerous he is? Does the situation in our country have to get worse before it gets better? How many vulnerable people will be harmed in the process? What will be the impact on me, my family, my community, the Earth?

I need to call members of Congress, especially leaders in the House and Senate and those on important committees like House Judiciary and Oversight, and tell them to do their jobs. But whom or what can I call on to sustain me through these challenging times?

Deep breath, in and slowly out. Feeling my roots, reaching down into Earth, finding ground, nourishment, respite for my weary spirit. Connection with the spirits of Earth, water, sky, sun.

I call back the anxious, hypervigilant parts of myself who have spread out to watch, listen, protect. Call my soul back into my body, here, now, in this room, at this moment. Feel the presence of trees, rain. Wild spring passion and growth. Life force bursting forth, irrepressible, irreplaceable.

The old trees have lived through many terrible times. They still stand, grow, connect, communicate, share, offer shelter and protection for a wild diversity of beings. They show us how, if we can listen.

Breathe. Ground. Call all of yourself back into your body, in the present moment. Call on the old ones. Listen.