I am grieving all the loss and destruction in Western North Carolina. I'm back in Kentucky, and letting my heart and nervous system settle and down-regulate after months of travel and one event after another. After so much connection, intensity and movement, the adjustment to simply being "home" doesn't feel as nourishing as I would have hoped. 🥲
So for this month's members meeting, I'm offering you all something that I really need as well - some time to just BE in all the feels of this exact moment.
For most of us, learning to "feel" is a skill.
As kids, we often learn that our feelings aren't welcome or convenient.
"Stop crying."
"Shut up."
"Be quiet."
"Shhhh, stop playing around!"
We hear these things and learn to NOT feel our feelings, in order to placate others, fit in and stay safe.
Feeling all the feelings can seem dangerous! Like we're delving into the great abyss of emotion, never to return again!
Personally, I am a great compartmentalizer - meaning that I am able to bypass certain feelings quite easily. I love this about myself. It's "useful". And it can also be a barrier to intimacy - with myself and with others. My tendency to compartmentalize also makes it even more important to slow down and create space to let all the feels in.
Together, we can let our nervous systems learn that feeling the feelings can actually feel good... and leads to a deeper, more magical way of living life.
That's what we'll be welcoming together at Monday's members meeting. I hope you'll join us!
Sarah Belzile
And if you are feeling called to donate/support the devastation in WNC, I have three suggestions of places to donate. First of all, your donation would be well used if you contributed to the GoFundMe campaign for Earthaven Eco-village (home of my beloved Dancing Shiva Tantra community).
Secondly, BeLoved Asheville is an amazing community run organization that is making a difference every day in the recovery efforts.
wncsmb
And lastly, Wild Abundance is located in Barnardsville and I feel confident that any monies that they receive will be put to good use.
This month's members meeting practice is inspired by this meditation I found this morning on Insight Timer - by Sarah Blondin. It was exactly what I needed! Insight Timer is a free app with thousands of meditations. I've got a 823 day streak going myself 🤣 I highly recommend checking it out!
Love,
Sarah
