Considering the Stress and Anxiety that is flooding the community with the sudden changes that have happened with the pandemic, I wanted to share with you what I have been doing to stay energetically sane.

First of all: This situation is very real, and very serious. Please keep up-to-date with the suggestions of the CDC and follow them. Your state will have specific guidelines as well. For Michigan, it is: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus. We need to protect ourselves but know that follow basic guidelines like Social Distancing, Washing your hands frequently, and limiting when you leave home to essentials can save many-many lives.

There are four things I have been doing to help myself to stay sane.

1. I do something that makes me feel accomplished. One thing I do that really helps is working on my home to-do list. Replace a not-so-great toilet, re-organize a kitchen that has been giving me grief, re-prioritize my list to get the highest value knowing I will be home for a while.
2. Connect with People (safely). I am more extroverted than many of my friends and family, but even for introverts, it is essential to connect. How I do this, might not be what is good for you, but think on what is. I do family board games, and TV shows. I connect with video conference calls with friends and groups with whom I associate. This could be a group call to talk through a meeting you were planning, or simply grab a cup of coffee and spend some time past the chit-chat with a dear friend. Spend time connecting.
3. Connect with the Earth. Whether or not you are spiritual, the process of following a grounding meditation will help you physically. I wrote up my favorite meditation for grounding, Try it: Tree (Roots) Meditation
4. Shielding. This is the step I will write below, give it a go, and let me know if it is helpful for you.

Shielding: How to

Sit down as you do to meditate. Please remember to do this in a space where you feel safe so that you can allow your awareness of your surroundings to drop. You do not have to sit on the floor. If you are unable to sit on the floor, sit how you can be comfortable for a while. I personally feel better about sitting directly on the floor ~ Just do not let that slow you down.

Once sitting, check in with your body, and give yourself permission to let go. Know that nothing outside of this room, or this moment has to matter for a short time.

Close your eyes. Take a moment and focus on your heart. It doesn’t matter if you choose your physical heart, or energetic heart. Imagine a bubble appears in the center of you. It is so small that nothing can fit in side of it. Can you see it there?

Some things you should know about this bubble, it is absolutely impervious to anything you don’t allow through.

Once you see your bubble, hold it in mind; but switching your thinking to your breathing. When you inhale, imagine the air coming into your body is energy. Visualize this energy coming in your nose, it flows into your body and goes straight to your bubble. Give this energy permission to enter your bubble. You will notice that, as it is so small, the only way it can fit this new energy, is to grow. Visualize your bubble growing with the energy you are permitting in. As this bubble is impervious to anything you don’t allow through, it will push out anything clinging to you that is not your, and should not be there. (Your physical body is safe 😉 )

Breath in through your nose, Watch your bubble grow.
Breath out through your mouth, release any tension you find.

Visualize the outside of your bubble. What does it look like? Can you see through it? How thick/thin is it? Does it have a texture or design?

Breath in through your nose, Watch your bubble grow.
Breath out through your mouth, release any tension you find.

Now, repeat the previous two instructions. Don’t stop until you can see that your bubble is larger than you are.

What are your intentions for this bubble? What do you want to make sure it holds out? What do you want to make sure it holds in? How long do you want it to last?

Be very conscious when setting your intentions. These are boundaries you are declaring. Give yourself a specific time limit, it will fade if not tended to, so be specific.
“I want this shield to last until tomorrow morning, when I will do this again.”

Good luck to all of you out there.