Permission to Feel

Last night, I cried myself to sleep.  I'm grieving, I realized.  

Grieving the trips that have been cancelled.

The support that embraced me at school drop-off, Sunday church service, our weekly yoga class.

I'm just not sure when they will come back. 

And that makes me really really sad.

Yes, we are collectively grieving.  The loss of our financial security, the loss of community connection, and the possible losses that might be on their way.

When grief used to appear at my door, I'd do anything to numb the sound of her knocking: stuffing myself with food, wine, shopping, screens, sex -- anything to numb the pain I didn't know how to feel.

Through my healing process, I've learned that it's TOTALLY normal to be a feeling creature.  That, in fact, that's part of the design of this Divine / human experience: to fully feel the pain, joy, sadness, and the incredible love and beauty scattered among all of it.

To me, this is what Jesus came to show us: that being human, in its fullest sense, is quite possibly the most sacred path of all.

This week, I plan to share the techniques that have helped me give space for my feelings to move through me, allowing them all to be here without taking me under (although they still do some times).

Come with your journal, your jammies, your coffee, and anything that comforts you.

What I know for sure is that, when it comes to emotions, the only way out is through and through and through and that now, more than ever, we need safe spaces (and smart practices) to support us in our experience of being whole humans.

I love you and give you so much permission to feel what you're feeling.  This too shall pass, and we will get through it together.

Xoxox,
Erin