Cocooning Time
Over here life is back to “normal” – Gil is fully recovered and we are all well and healthy. Now that I have more help and support (taking care of Maya + home chores) and that we’re all getting used to this new reality, I am allowing myself to have more space for stillness, for being present, for going inward. The plan is not to take a break (I still have obligations – work + family life, which I’m grateful for!) The plan is to really pay attention to the ways I’ve been distracting myself (hello social media, FaceTime, Zoom, the news) + creating boundaries for myself, for a week, so I can ease back in thoughtfully & with purpose when it comes to how I integrate technology into my life & home. When this pandemic started + became more and more ‘real’, a lot of us (including myself) felt rushed to understand what’s happening, how’s it going to affect us, how’s the world going to change, what’s this virus, how to stay safe, how to stay on top of our finances, etc. We’ve kept ourselves busy adjusting to the new reality. When in fact, this new reality is inviting us to slow down. Here’s the thing – In a way, we are all in transition, in an in-between space. In between our ‘normal’ life (before Covid-19) and the next chapter of our life. As we are literally being isolated, we can also see it as a metaphorical isolation – nesting and cocooning, going inward. A caterpillar, in its journey to becoming a butterfly, turns into a chrysalis to undergo its complete metamorphosis into a butterfly (biological processes are often very helpful in giving a model for what describes our inner experience). The chrysalis happens inside a cocoon to protect the caterpillar, allowing it to transform into a beautiful butterfly. Can we see our quarantine time as a time to go inward, as a safe cocoon to facilitate our own transition? Do you feel called to cocoon for a little bit?
Do you want to join me for a ‘slowing down’ week?
Here’s what I’m inviting you to do if you feel like joining -
Sit in stillness. I have created a calming centering mediation especially for this.
Ask yourself: What do I really need right now? How can I nurture myself today? Choose one thing to commit to every day this week – yoga, walk, journaling, dancing, getting creative, a bath, a mindful cup of tea, baking, cooking, reading one chapter of a book, etc.
One little joy a day – create little moments of joy. For me it has been filling my house with wild flowers I’ve picked on my walks. Having my morning coffee in my favourite corner in the house. Paying attention to the beautiful evening light coming through my window + the moving shadows of our olive tree.
Create boundaries. Think about how have you been spending your energy/time this past month, and how has it been serving / not serving you. Based on that create your boundaries. Maybe you take a break from reading / listening to the news this week (you can ask someone to inform you with important updates). Maybe you delete social media apps from your phone (and perhaps download them an hour a day if you still feel like staying connected). Maybe you put your phone on night mode so you don’t feel the need to constantly respond to messages.
Let me know if you’re joining – I’d love to hear from you! And if you’re not you can still benefit from 10 minutes of calming mediation. Lots of love, Naama
