“Staying Human in a Burning World”— the title of the online class alone sold me. It’s a series taught by a meditation teacher at Spirit Rock, the meditation retreat center in West Marin, CA.
For me, the question is, how do we stay present in a burning world without burning out?
That got me thinking about practical things we can do to help ground us in these times.
Here are some ideas:
•Cut the Feed. Limit news intake and time on social media. Stay informed, but not hyper vigilant. Take what you read on social media with a healthy dose of skepticism. And try not to read the news first thing in the morning or just before bed.
•Foster community. Gather together in real time, around a table, or in a park. Make it pot luck. (And make some soup—soup is healing! See my favorite autumn soup recipe below.) Despair feeds on loneliness. Joy feeds on connection.
•Get outside. Being in nature encourages the nervous system to stand down. When I am outside, especially near big trees, I am immediately calmer. I’m also reminded that I am part of a much larger web of beings.
•Consider a somatic practice. Practices like yoga, tai chi, qi gong and reiki are deeply calming and grounding. (Here’s a short video I made outlining a simple reiki practice.) Regular intentional movement of any kind moves energy through the body and counters despondency.
•Focus on what is in our power to enact change. America’s current regime is cruel, and getting lost in rage or despair is understandable. It is also true that we can mobilize voters, donate to candidates and causes we support, march for justice, and vote. We all have agency and it’s a conscious decision to use it.
Anything we can do to cultivate resilience increases our capacity to help others—one breath, one act of kindness, one bowl of soup at a time.
How do you approach this challenge? Drop me a line and I will include it in my next newsletter.
Love to all,
Dayna
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Writing Circles:
Winter Writing Circles begin mid-January 2027. Registration opens soon. I am honored that my classes fill up, so if are interested or have questions about Wild Writing, drop me an email!
Wild Writing removes the barrier to getting to the page and starting to write. If you have a stubborn inner judge, Wild Writing can help. It’s powerful to write your truth and hear your voice through your words! You can read more about the practice here.
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Poem and Practice:
The Kindest Thing by James Crews
You ask: what is the kindest thing
I can do for myself right now?
And trust that it will be the kindest
thing for others in your life as well.
Maybe driving with no destination,
yellow double-lines of the highway
unspooling behind you, the tightly
wound self finally coming undone.
Perhaps the kindest thing is a walk
with your phone turned off, so nothing
disrupts the flow of your attention
toward each new wildflower you see—
Carolina spring beauties, trout lilies,
and a clump of pink hepatica growing
from the mossy stump of an old maple,
stems and blooms caressed by a single
ray of sun that helps you breathe again.
Read the poem out loud to yourself. Don't rush. Take it in. Use one of the following jump off lines:
The kindest thing I can do for myself is … and list those things.
What I truly need is …..
What helps me breathe is …
— or any other line or image that resonates. An alternate line could be: Here’s what I want you to know…
Then write for 10-15 minutes, pen not leaving the page. Do your best to say yes to whatever arises. When you are done, read it back to yourself, out loud if you wish. Thank yourself for taking the time to meet yourself on the page. Your practice is now complete.
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Recipe: Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
5 cups vegetable stock or water
1 medium butternut squash (or other winter squash including Hokkaido, Kabocha and Pumpkin — approximately 2 pounds)
3 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cream or soy cream- optional
Handful of toasted walnuts or pecans - optional
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds. Place hollow side down on oiled baking sheet.
Bake until you can pierce squash with a fork, about 35-45
minutes. Remove from oven. With tongs, turn squash over. When cool enough to handle, scoop out cooked squash and place in a bowl. Puree with fork or hand masher.
Meanwhile, over medium flame, heat oil in heavy soup pot. Add onions and sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chili and curry powders, and cook for another five minutes.
Add stock or water, and apples. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a half hour. Add the cooked squash. Cook another 15 minutes.
Puree soup. If using cream or soy cream, add here. If too thick, add a little more water or stock. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans if you like.
Serve with warm, crusty bread and a salad or side of sautéed greens.
Serves 6-8