Today, I stayed late in the bed. (Well, later than usual!)
Snuggled under the new weighted blanket, which really does seem to help with the sleeping!
Choosing to take care of me.
Tea, later. Time for reading, both fascinating and helpful!
Phone off. And, yes, Joan Baez singing in the background.
Compassion essential oil in the diffuser.
Deeply nourishing comfort food. And some really, really dark chocolate.
Then – you guessed it – dots.
Lots and lots and lots of dots!!!
My #work-in-progress buddy kindly agreed to help.
Call them prayer dots or dots of intention. Call them painting or meditating. Call them a strategy for soothing. Call them whatever works for you.
In my case, they are all of that, plus a fair helping of trauma healing. The place where healing meets neuroplasticity meets art. And a medicine basket essential!
On this day, the dots were tied to my three claimed words for 2023.
Courage. Purpose. Perseverance.
All three primary processing patterns working together by choice. And the dots helped.
You see, yesterday was a very hard day.
It was time for the biggest of the big Studio Angels, Luther, to cross the Rainbow Bridge.
I’m not really up to all the details. Technically, we might say something along the lines of rapid onset dementia.
The part that matters is that he suddenly became confused and lost and scared.
And I promised him, a long time ago, that he didn’t have to feel that way ever again.
I am beyond grateful for our wise and compassionate support system. For the help in setting him free.
Not surprisingly, he is teaching me, still. Predictably, with a question…
What would it take for me to give myself permission to take a whole day for what I need??? No shame. No blame. No guilt. Just love.
And support for my intention…
Courage. Purpose. Perseverance.
I know we’ve talked about words for 2023 before. I don’t know what yours might be, if you’ve claimed some.
What I do know is this…
Moving in the direction of those words – being empowered by them – is going to mean giving ourselves permission to choose what our spirits need. No shame. No blame. No guilt. Just love.
And, just in case you need a reminder now and then, here’s one… from my heart, and Luther’s, to yours.
ps… our wee Studio Angel, Phoebe, is resting and adjusting. Prayers welcome!
pps… we’ll talk more about Purpose soon!