What am I holding onto? What is the message? What can I do to respond? How can I be and flow with this change, not resist?
These kinds of questions can feel overwhelming. But if you have tools to support you
on the journey, and use them...if you have allies you can confide in...if you can get beyond the small self and find a bigger perspective...you have the power to shift.
Why Change Feels So Disruptive
Our bodies and minds crave familiarity. So, for example, when I look in the mirror and see the wrong body—not the one I used to have—I feel resistance and grief. That old body is never
coming back!
Whatever old thought patterns resurface, like—I want to be thinner! I want to keep climbing mountains! I want to wear that old dress—have to be released and replaced with thoughts that will help me thrive.
Nature-based practices—drawing on the wisdom of the earth, the elements, and the cycles that have guided humans for millennia—are a go-to for me.
So when I got depressed seeing how my body
has changed (for real! Just today!) the first thing I do is try to let go of my grief, I anchor and root myself. I do hucha—releasing heavy energy to the earth—and take in starlight.
Practices like this don’t erase the discomfort of change, but they do offer a first step. When you're grounded and clear, you can take the next step and the next. You can shift gears, rediscover what you love about yourself (my eyes come to mind) and go from anxious to alive,
depressed to delighted.
Practice: Anchoring in the Present
- Find a quiet place where you can sit or stand comfortably. Take three slow, deep breaths, letting your exhale be longer than your inhale.
- Place your hands on your belly or heart. Feel the rise and fall with each breath. Notice any sensations—warmth, tension, or even resistance.
- Imagine roots growing from your feet into
the earth, connecting you to the deep, steady presence below. Let the earth hold you and ground you.
- As you breathe, say quietly to yourself: "I am here. I am supported. I am open to what comes next."
- When you’re ready, gently open your eyes and notice how you feel—lighter, perhaps? More settled?
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This practice has helped me, friends, students, and clients not just survive, but truly move through transitions with more ease and
clarity:
Repeating it whenever you feel off-balance can help you find your center, no matter how turbulent the outer world becomes.
Energy Alchemy: Support for Your Journey
Transitions are easier when you’re not alone. That’s why I wrote Weave the Heart of the
Universe Into Your Life: Aligning with Cosmic Energy. The 80 or so nature-based energy medicine practices in the book give you the tools to build sustaining ways of being in the world.
