What Remains the Same

Dear Reader,

Hurricane Beryl may have been classified as only a Category 1 storm, but it left widespread damage and suffering in its wake. The usual hurricane stuff: flooding, winds, trees uprooted or broken, power outages, etc. Plenty of destruction and suffering. Some inconvenience and some heartbreak. For me and my household, the damage and impact were minimal.

I’ve lived along the Gulf Coast for many years now. In the last few years, it seems the storms are bigger, more destructive, and more frequent. We also have a lot more people living here, which means more roads, more buildings and more demands on the infrastructure.

All of this creates complex problems to be addressed. Power outages; drainage; food and shelter; loss of income; loss of housing. How do we allocate resources? How do we manage our individual and community responses to situations like this?

I wish I could tell you that I have perfect answers. I do have some ideas.

In terms of immediate responses:

Breathe. It’s especially nice to begin with an exhale. A full exhale, holding it out as long as you can, then swallow your saliva and allow yourself to inhale. Try it sometime. You might be surprised by how much different your breath becomes.

Do something kind for someone else. It doesn’t have to be big. A phone call. A text. Meet for coffee or a drink. We have an epidemic of loneliness in our country. We need real, personal connections.

Take a moment for yourself. Again, it doesn’t have to be big. Sit for a moment. Listen to the birds. Look at the trees that are still standing. If a tree has fallen, consider counting the rings. Look around you. What remains?

In Feldenkrais lessons, we almost begin by lying on our backs on the floor. After a number of lessons, the phrase, “Please lie on your backs.” has become a cue to relax, to breathe a little more easily, to let go of worries and concerns—at least for some moments.

After some difficult news, one of my favorite Feldenkrais teachers began our morning lesson by saying, “Please lie on the floor. I think you’ll find that it’s still there.”

Disasters and problems come and go. Many good things remain. The floor, the earth, the air we breathe, people we care about. May you find many good things to celebrate, no matter what else is rising and falling.

If you’d like to “Lie on your back,” consider joining our Tuesday online Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson. It’s still Free/Pay as you wish.

Perhaps you’d like to explore your own life and movements, either through private Feldenkrais lessons or individual coaching. You can Book an Appointment or reply to this email. We can start with a free, online consult or dive right in to a session.

Reminder: my prices are going up on August 1, so you might prefer to book an individual session or group of sessions now.