Stretched - Between Christmas and New Year

 


We are officially in the week when all the numbers fall off the calendar and no-one knows what is going on. I have friends who count this as the 13th month, which does make sense, since it's not very Decemberish. It's a privilege to be needed or 'in demand' during this potentially nebulous time. But what if we're really feeling stretched or pulled in multiple directions?

Here are a few ideas that I try to embrace:

1. Listening to nature. I had a radical inclination to open the window in my bedroom today. I'd been lying down, not feeling the best following a summer cold. I was amazed by the way that bird sounds flooded into my room and my whole being.

2. Noticing movement. When we do seemingly basic things such as standing up, there is a complex set of movements that goes on, involving a wide range of body parts. It's worth paying attention. I also find it rejuvenating to notice movement in nature, such as birds flying, trees swaying in the breeze, clouds floating across the sky. Today I watched the beautiful spectacle of moths darting around in the early morning sunlight.

3. Appreciating fun and craziness. I'm fortunate to spend quite a lot of time playing all manner of games and sports with young people. Yes, suboptimal events occur, like when I collapsed a chair the other night, crashing to the ground and causing tingling down my spine. But wow, we really have had a lot of fun creating games with a ping pong table and ball, plus multiple soft toys. These rare times don't last forever. 

4. Allowing the mind to sink into the heart and rest. I place my hands over my heart and picture my mind sinking into my spiritual self. Cathartic indeed. 

5. Noting thoughts. When I'm doing something, such as washing dishes, I try to note when my mind goes AWOL. If I realise I've been away with the fairies, I say to myself, "thinking" - gently, like a feather on a glass - and then return to feeling the water on my hands.

6. Accepting help. It's worth remembering we all have different skills and strengths. It won't come as a surprise to people who know me that organising and sorting material items is not my forte. Fortunately, there are people who are sensational at this so it would be silly not to allow them to shine.

7. Walking, even just in the house, and feeling the different textures under the feet. This can be grounding, or calming, or interesting or something. 

I hope this is helpful for you.

How do you cope when feeling stretched? 



 


Comments

  1. BruceDecember 30, 2024 at 3:24 AM


    Hey Guys,
    Feng Shui appears to have a monopoly of understanding about the harmony between person and environment. That's a pity because the authentic existence of this harmony itself is then confined to a particular school of thought, dating back millenia to Ancient China.
    Yet the peace, comfort and assurance which comes from this kind of harmony needs to be understood as being sourced from the One who created both person and environment. In our Christian faith we can understand the existence of this harmony as the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit.
    Alternatively, understanding this kind of harmony is at risk of being converted to little more than a man-made endeavour, according to modern Western culture, aided perhaps by some kind of un-named, nebulous spirit .

    ReplyDelete
  2. SharmanDecember 30, 2024 at 3:16 PM

    Yes, sometimes this part of the year feels very discombobulated! Jesus came to bring us peace, so let's seek that among all the distractions of the present.

    ReplyDelete
  3. RuthDecember 30, 2024 at 6:11 PM

    Thanks everyone for contributing 😀

    ReplyDelete

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