Sunrise as the place of predicability (creating nervous system safety)
Oh, these skies...
Each morning as I practice yoga, I look to the east and watch the sun rise as I move.
This morning a couple of days ago (see photo above) was a particularly beautiful one.
I used to look up in awe and think it was beautiful (I still do).
And certainly, recognizing and honoring beauty - in nature, in our spaces, in our hearts, in other humans - is a powerful practice, a healing practice.
But months ago, I started becoming aware of something else that's been an essential benefit of my sunrise yoga practice.
Something that has created a subtle but profound shift in me each morning as I watch the sun rise while moving my body.
Predictability.
Each day, I turn inward and lean into the comfort of that predictability, that KNOWING that the sun will rise as I do my yoga practice.
I am trusting that it will come over the horizon.
I know that the sky will be bright soon after.
When I teach on the nervous system, or when we're working on healing the nervous system, I like to guide people to familiar and predictable places.
And I teach them to return to what is known and predictable.
It sounds so simple, but doing a familiar body scan or a guided meditation to a familiar place multiple times a week is healing to the nervous system. And for more than the general meditation benefits.
Returning to what is stable and predictable creates safety in the nervous system.
Returning to what is stable and predictable also allows us to grow our resilience - first by creating safety, and then from that place, expanding our capacity to stretch beyond what is stable and predictable.
Another thing that happens with this predictability is that I trust in its rhythm.
As I trust in the rhythm of the sun rising, shining and setting, I deepen into trusting my own rhythms...
for we should not forget, we too are of nature and our bodies and nervous systems crave and thrive on predictable rhythms.
These days, there is a lot up in our world that's not exactly stable and predictable (except maybe the unpredictability?), so having places to touch into that provide this stability helps to calm our systems.
My invitation to you: to find one thing, one practice (I'll touch on practice in another note), one ritual that you can commit to regularly, to help bring more stability and predictability into your inner world.
Another invitation of predictability: my commitment to holding monthly virtual retreats.
Our next retreat is this Sunday, December 12 (likely the last of this year -though I'm thinking about an extra spontaneous one near the end of the year).
Radical Self-Care (for the holidays) Community Healing Retreat - REGISTER HERE
December 12, 9:30-12 MST/ 11:30-2 EST.
This monthly retreat space is where you can come settle in for a nourishing, compassion-filled, healing and connected 2.5 hours of replenishing, nervous system calming retreat.
This one will be focused on clearing away any heavy and stuck energy that you’ve been carrying through 2021 so you can finish out 2021 with a little more lightness and ease, your cup filled, and having easier access to joy, calm and connection.
As always, there will be nervous system calming, connecting, breathing, journeying and wisdom-gathering.
Sliding scale to make it accessible.
What will you return to that is stable and predictable to support your nervous system? I'd love to hear from you.
The world needs you well.
With love and many blessings,
Kelly