Peace of Mind in Turbulent Times

In the wake of the 2016 U.S. elections, my leading emotion has been fear.  Maybe even terror.  For every area I might think about – the environment, education, women’s rights, democracy itself and on and on – catastrophe seems like a real possibility.  Day after day, hourly even, I’m torn between the activist impulse and an impulse to hole up and hide.  Between a news and Facebook addiction, an urge to hoard cash and water, and a tearful appreciation of the many like-minded souls out there, well beyond my circle of friends.

It’s nauseating emotional turbulence.

As much as a real part of me fears the worst, another part knows something utterly different to be true.  People have been shaken awake.  They are electrified and engaged in a way we haven’t seen for decades.  Hatreds have been brought to light, so that they may be openly contended with.  Democracy is alive.  Good people are reaching out to help strangers. Even as political parties are more riven than ever, I also see countless heartening bonds growing stronger all the time.

We are a traumatized nation in the midst of healing itself.  The seeming bedrock of science, government, and even objectivity itself seems to be evaporating. Those of us who hoped the election would have gone another way are experiencing shock and heartbreak as often as we check the headlines.  We are suffering each in our own way – people of color and immigrants, as well as so many others.  But how can we heal, in this moment and going forward?  That is the question.

These days more than anything else, I am a caregiver.  I have children, a mother with Alzheimer’s, and a brother with multiple disabilities in my care – and I have learned the hard way how critical it is to care for myself in order to properly see after others. A caregiver’s demands, in my case and the nation’s, are overwhelming and not temporary. You cannot go all out without breaking down, at some point or other, on a road that doesn’t end.

Not that this is self-evident; I had to become sick and lose a couple of organs before this lesson could really sink in.  But burnout, despair and a breakdown in health are guaranteed if we don’t “fill our cups” on a regular basis. What use are we then in looking out for others?

It helps to remember that as individuals we all need special respite in order to continue to cohere throughout and withstand the ongoing struggle – because it sure isn’t ending anytime soon.  Meditating, signing petitions, talking together and reading, walking both in protest and in nature…There are many ways to practice self-care and tikkun olam – the healing of the world. These modes are in fact mutually reinforcing:  If healing yourself frees up to help others, so too helping others can be restorative, engendering deep confidence and joy.

In that spirit, I’ve been gathering sources of positivity in recent weeks: video and music playlists, actions for change, articles, guided meditations and quotes…in short, a good mix of  solace, action and perspective.  I wanted a place where I could find out what in the world to do in all this, but I discovered that no such place exists – not one that matches my particular interests and needs anyway – and I had better just do it myself.

In setting myself the task of inner healing and a way through, my sincere wish is that I can share it with others who may take some healing from it, too.

A final note:  This is my first real foray into blogging, so please forgive any stumbles as I feel my way through.  I had a dream where I packed and repacked a suitcase as thunder rumbled overhead.  The message was obvious: Stop packing and hit the road, dummy!   There are miles and miles to cover.  The path is right here, and time to go is NOW.  I hope you will join me along the way.