Good morning Friend,
How are you doing? How are you feeling? I’d actually like to know if you want to respond. How am I doing? I’m not really sure... I think I’m largely still in disbelief because I have been bracing for so long. I made a video yesterday morning with my initial reactions (click on the image at right to watch). Now that it's been 24+ hours, some themes have emerged (all interestingly somehow anatomical):
I’m realizing that my hope muscles have atrophied. We’ve been through a very very challenging political 10 years with four of the five election cycles netting not-so great results that ranged from absolutely soul-crushing (2016/2024) to somewhat positive but not really hopeful (2018, 2022). I have always maintained some belief that something would shift. But that was a small light amidst a sometimes giant cavern of concern. So, I need to build up my hope muscles again. I need to actually digest that what I believed about our country, about Americans, about people in general, is true. I’m allowing that to take time.
My literal and figurative muscles are still guarding. You know when you are driving in the fog or a big rain storm and your whole body and system is on-guard because you don’t know what might come and it could be bad. I think that’s what my system has been doing for a long time - maybe yours has too? It will take time and probably some metaphorical massaging to let my system feel a little bit safe again.
My body and nervous system have been carrying a lot and I am tired from carrying it all. I would imagine many of us are exhausted and some far more than I am.
Can you relate to any of these feelings? It’s clearly a lot to hold. I am feeling the desire to release some of it, to support my system in finding ease, flow, rest and then to build up different muscles. A recalibration of sorts.
Conveniently, this is an amazing season for that kind of recalibration because we have just entered the time of the year that we release and compost. Let me explain… in Earth-based traditions and cultures, the seasons greatly impact how people live and what they focus on. Specifically in the Pagan tradition, Samhain which starts October 31 (the holiday is celebrated the evening of October 31 into November 1) is a month and a half+ (it ends at Winter Solstice) that focuses on letting go of what wants to be released to be composted during the dark winter.
Here in Maine, yesterday was the first day I really noticed the leaves actively falling. In fact, they are falling regularly outside my window as I write. Interesting that they chose to start releasing the day after the election. 🤔
I feel we are being invited to release. To let go of what we can that we’ve been carrying. To shake off some of the tension and give our bodies and nervous systems some care as we stretch and untangle from the guarding. To feel the grief, anger, frustration and more that we have been carrying. We need space to let go of the debris so it can be composted as it’s meant to be.
If you live in Southern, Maine, I have just the place to do that. SOUL Dance returns next Tuesday. And what I have described is exactly our focus. Our guided meditation and movement practice will be about feeling the feels, releasing what we no longer need to carry, reconnecting with hope and re-centering ourselves. All are welcome and there is zero dance experience required, and you don’t need to dance at all if you don’t want to. This practice is really about honoring yourself and whatever is coming up - you choose what feels right. I would LOVE to see you there if you would like to join.
All Info + Sign Up Here
Tuesday, November 10
6:00-7:30PM
Maine Center for the Sacred Arts
Sliding Scale starts at $11.11
If you don’t live nearby or can’t make it, here are some recommendations to get some of this moving: have a good cry, scream into the abyss, hug a tree, lay in the falling leaves, sing as loud as you can in the car, put on a playlist and dance it out/shake it off, give someone a really really good hug.
No matter how you do it, I hope you let yourself feel all the feels that may arise as you process what has shifted. Allow the feelings you haven’t been letting yourself feel to come up and out, even if you have no idea where they’re coming from or what they are. Take care of your body. Drink water and stand in the sun. Be kind to yourself.
Yes, we do need to keep going. This is just the beginning, not the end. We need to stay informed, stay connected, and stay engaged. We now have more good representatives (employees), but they are working for us, so we need to remain tuned in so we can be clear about what we’re expecting of them and want from them.
But, we need to take at least a moment to celebrate, to allow this to digest, to allow our systems to recalibrate and settle, and we release all that we do not need to carry any longer so that we are lighter as we take on the work ahead.
Thinking of you! Remember: stay connected, stay strong, and stay soft. :)
Love, Rev Dev
The Connected Way™