 Spiritual: April 15, 2020 Issue [#10126] |
This week: Being Kind to Your Mind Edited by: NaNoKit  
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It can be difficult to find that inner calm. To maintain that inner peace. Especially in challenging times... and times are very challenging right now.
This week's Spiritual Newsletter is all about being kind to your mind.
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Hello, dear reader. How are you doing in these challenging times? Are you coping with the way that the world has changed, or are you finding it difficult to maintain your inner peace?
I will readily admit that a couple of weeks ago I definitely did not feel calm and centered. As a carer, I have been doing my best to help out where I can and there is so much to do, and so much going on, and the situation got on top of me. I found it difficult to process just how much our lives have changed all of a sudden. Everything felt wrong, and unsettling. I struggled to sleep. I kept checking the news. At times, I felt panicked, fearing for the lives of my loved ones. Several of my family members have serious underlying health conditions. I could tell myself that my constant state of worry was unhelpful, but that did not alter the way that I felt.
What worked for me was to first of all limit my exposure to the news and to social media. Yes, it is good to keep up-to-date with what is going on, but that can be done by checking the news once or twice a day, briefly. I have heard from several people who'd spend hours each day on Twitter and Facebook and with the television giving updates on everything to do with the virus and they, too, felt worn out and stressed. Like me, when they stepped away from all these updates they began to feel better. We all know what is going on. We all know that it's going to take a while before we can resume our regular lives. We do not need to subject our minds to a constant stream of data, and depressing data at that.
It's easier said than done. I know this. I know that if you work in the health sector especially, you cannot mentally distance yourself from what is happening. You're in the middle of this, each and every day, and you have my greatest respect and appreciation. I also respect and appreciate everyone who's out there keeping everything going, from the police and the fire brigade to the farmers, the warehouse workers, the people in stores and supermarkets, the people working in waste disposal, the cleaners... all the people we cannot do without and whose efforts too often go unrecognised. I thank all of you. And I understand that what you're going through can have a big impact on your mental well-being.
I'm no good at meditation, nor mindfulness. I've tried both, and neither of them worked for me. When I try breathing exercises I become anxious. When I try to calm my thoughts I end up thinking about how I need to calm my thoughts, and then my thoughts will inevitably drift into this and that rather than settle in a state of tranquillity. After a stressful day, what helps me to find some inner calm is to escape into my own little fantasy world. I have a rich inner-world that's been with me for as long as I can remember, and when I step into there I can, to a certain extent, leave my troubles behind. I think that most creative people have a world – or worlds – like that, where they can hang out with their characters or even become a character themselves. If you have such a world, I hope that you can find the time to stop by there each day.
Of course, you can enter other worlds by picking up a book. You can watch a movie, or a TV series, or play a video game. I am a big fan of board games, and if you share a house with others they can be a good way of sharing some fun and laughter. Laughter does wonders for the mind.
Some artists are holding online events and shows, so it's worth checking what your favourites are doing. I'm somewhat unfortunate in that the artists I like tend to have little or no creative output at the best of times, but you never know, yours may be organising something for you to enjoy!
And with religious gatherings being impossible right now, more and more services are held on the Internet, too. It may not feel exactly the same as being together in person, but it is a good way to stay in touch with one's community.
That community may even grow. I have heard of people who have not been to any religious gathering in years, and of people who have not felt any connection to anything spiritual or religious for a long time, who have happened upon an online service and found themselves staying. Something clicked for them in that moment. Especially the songs, it seems. These streams helped them find inner peace. Tranquillity.
There is good to be found even in the darkest of times.
I wish you well,
NaNoKit
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The Spiritual Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! 
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Spiritual Newsletter Team
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