Taking The Scenic Route...
+ A Collective Card Pull
Today has been quite the doozy and we know there’s more to come. All of us are feeling the emotional highs and lows of this new administration. Those high and lows are both emotional and physical as our we tense up with anxiety, rage, sadness and our bodies fill up with cortisol (the stress hormone), adrenaline and other weathering chemicals in our body present to assist us in sensing danger and increasing our chances of survival. All of this normal and natural, btw.
For myself and my practice of lively freely under bullshit, I’m choosing to make a very CONSCIOUS choice to take the scenic route. What does actually mean?
I’m consciously choosing when I consume social media, especially the news. For me, that means staying off of Instagram until I have a moment in my day to consume updates and lots of well earned reactions of panic. I also don’t have notifications on anywhere. No phone notifications! It’s too much for my body to handle when I look at my phone and there’s another breaking news notification of more bullshit.
When I do take in the bullshit on my time, I’m practicing slowing down. Letting my body feel it out, letting the emotions be present but not being quick to react. This has been especially helpful when these executive orders have dropped and hours later have shifted or changed in some type of way. For me, it feels like I have to be able to take the scenic route of consuming, feeling, learning more or stepping away then letting myself land in my own time. That time can be hours from the original consumption or even a couple days as I take it all in, ask questions, research and see what things actually mean for me and my community before burning myself out with an intense reaction my body and mind can’t handle or recover from well.
Lastly.. I’m practicing hope. Leaning into my community and remembering what has existed in hard times, what exists now and what will be exist as we navigate this space. Staring at my plants and their ability to grow new arms, even in the midst of chaos. Choosing to watch something that will make me laugh or remind me of the feeling of awe. Hugging those close to me. Checking in. Eating good food. Working out. Drinking water and taking magnesium at night. Taking intentional time to be unavailable to anyone but myself for a few hours and even a couple days. Remembering that I believe in myself and I believe in my community. That will never be taking from me, or you, if you’re choosing to live free under bullshit.
Here’s that collective reading, as promised. I welcome your thoughts, your questions, your feelings and all the in-betweens. Hoping you join me on this scenic route because it’s gonna be a long drive <3
Three of Wands From “Black Tarot” by Nyasha Williams 
