Eight Ways to Fight the Fear
To be honest, things are becoming more and more confusing as the days go along. Every time I greet a friend or neighbor or anyone, for that matter, she talks to me as if we are all lost.
And, maybe we are.
It’s hard-to-impossible to figure out sometimes where this year is headed. Some of my friends and acquaintances are solving their dilemma by simply not reading papers or watching TV.
Others choose their channels with care, blocking out everything that seems to be problematic.
Still others are becoming information junkies, focusing their lives on a particular channel offering information they can understand and accept.
On the home front, our Woodstock community is undergoing gentrification. We’re all facing the fact that we’re living in a place far removed from the community we chose to live in when we moved here.
And, this situation comes on the heels of the stresses of Covid and everything that went with that.
Our home is hardly recognizable.
And, I haven’t even brought other news: economic, climate change, the election, our local schools – and any other thing you can imagine.
Then, there are all the economic and social changes in our country.
Sometimes, I think that each of us is on our own, private, Yellow Brick Road.
And, that leads me to the whole reason for this blog post: Fear
The Fear is palpable.
It has an odor.
I see it on the street in the way people walk and the way they talk and the way they dress.
There are some things we can do as we make our way forward into a future many of us are having trouble even imagining.
ONE. Speak Your Fear. As soon as you begin to share your fear, it begins to lose its power over you.
TWO. When fear covers you with an invisible tent, practice breathing exercises. Include meditation sessions. Find what works for you and practice it regularly. When this breathing exercise becomes a part of your life, you should be able to find calm which will send the panic running.
THREE. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise slows down the fight-or-flight reflex. The options are open here. Do what you enjoy.
FOUR. Seek out friends you can chat with who will have a calming effect on you. This step has been helpful for me. When I’m upset, I call Carey and we chat. Sometimes she calls me. Over the last few months, I’ve gathered a few friends who call me. We’re an informal support group.
angel with flowers
FIVE. Enjoy Reiki, or other bodywork modality, regularly I’m watching healing groups form in the area. People gather regularly to share and exchange their sessions. I cannot tell you how important these groups are. Peace. Calm. Lower Blood Pressure, Sleep………….
SIX. Get the what-ifs out of your life and your mind. These lists of fears can wreak havoc on your day. And, they will not save your situation. They are a waste of time which will get you nowhere. Instead, focus your energy on things you can manage.
SEVEN. Write something. This can be a memoir, a journal, a diary, a letter to the editor, a note to a friend you haven’t seen in awhile – whatever works for you. If you’ve never written anything before, now is a good time to begin. Don’t worry. Everybody has a first sentence or chapter or essay. I had one. I never wrote anything but my name before 2013. And, now I have 2 blogs and several books – one of which has been purchased by people in over three dozen countries!
When you begin to write, don’t be afraid of a blog. My first 2 blogs certainly kickstarted my career. I bought a book by Nina Amir: “How to Blog a Book”. I read this book and followed Nina Amir’s instructions.
EIGHT Stress and what-ifs are good invitations to develop our spiritual and religious lives. This is a good time to meet fear with a renewed trust in your spiritual and religious beliefs.
Sometimes reality can be downright scary. This week, meet the uncertainty and fear in your life with a renewed calm. Work your way down the list and see what item helps you the most.
And, finally, thank you for reading this blog post!
Thurman Greco.
Find out more at www.Thurmangreco.com.
You can also find out more about healing and many other things at this blog. Let’s Live is a program airing weekly in Woodstock, NY for about 20 years. Guests on the show are people who have become a part of Woodstock for a day, a week, a decade, or a lifetime.
I look forward to hearing from you about how you like the show.
Find out more about the books at www.thurmangreco.com
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At One With the Earth – a First Chakra Grounding Meditation
I was inspired to share this meditation after an experience when I deeply understood the interconnectedness of all beings. My goal in this meditation is for us all to be closer to the oneness we have with this planet.
Sometimes we don’t feel the connection. And, I realize that some people never experience this oneness.
Use this meditation to connect with your place of inner peace and grounding.
PAUSE
Get comfortable on the floor, healing table, or other flat space. Position your body face up.
Breathe slowly and deeply. With each breath, your body relaxes more.
You feel a greater sense of awareness; experience a very peaceful feeling.
You are filling your body with a feeling of lightness.
When this happens,you know you can come out of this experience any time you want by simply opening your eyes.
PAUSE
Release your conscious thoughts, letting go of “mental activity.” You are in this place at this moment.
You feel so light now that you can lift up off the floor. You feel yourself gently floating.
A carpet appears at your side. It is just big enough to hold you.
When you climb on, this carpet gently lifts you up. You gradually move up – up through the ceiling.
Riding on your carpet, you move up, above the trees and the skyline.
Glancing down, you see the treetops appearing gradually smaller and smaller.
Stretching out on your carpet, you drift up – right through a cloud.
You feel warm sunshine on your entire body. Your body absorbs a beautiful pale red light.
You look down at the earth now and see it as a ball of light.
PAUSE
Your carpet begins to slowly descend to the earth. Passing through a billowy cloud, you see the skyline, now familiar from the trip up. You see the tree tops.
You peacefully return to the place where you began your journey.
You are grounded, and calm. You feel safe and secure.
Know that you can return to this space any time you desire.
Take a couple deep breaths and sit up. Continue your day now – energized,
rejuvenated, and rested. You feel more grounded and calm.
Go in peace!
Thank you for reading this meditation.
Thurman
www.thurmangreco.com
Please refer this article to your preferred social media network and share it with a friend.
Some information in this post was sourced from “Healer’s Handbook”. Further information regarding chakras and meditations may be found in prior blog posts and on “Let’s Live with Thurman Greco” YOUTUBE presentations.
If you have further questions or remarks, I can be reached at thurmangreco@gmail.com.
HOPE – a Guided Meditation
Hope focuses on renewal, rebirth, and healing.
Find a place to be comfortable where you can rest undisturbed during this time.
As we experience this meditation, feel the “old” drop away and “new” opportunities present themselves.
Leave everything around you behind and bring your attention to yourself.
Relax as you go on this journey.
Get comfortable.
Breathe in from your abdomen – slowly, slowly, to the count of three.
One – Two – Three
Now – hold your breath to the count of four
One – Two – Three – Four
Now – exhale to the count of five.
One – Two – Three – Four – Five
Repeat this breathing pattern three more times.
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
In – one, two, three
Hold – one, two, three, four
Out – one, two, three, four, five
Continue to breathe deeply as you go into this relaxation.
Your relaxation becomes a blanket of warmth. Sink down into this quiet place inside yourself.
PAUSE
You are calm and peaceful now. It is time for your journey.
PAUSE
You are strolling along a path in a forest. Notice this path. How does it feel under your feet? Is this path a smooth grassy path? Are there pebbles? What kind of shoes are you wearing?
As you walk down this path, take a moment to feel the air on your skin – the sunlight shining down – gentle breezes caressing your clothes.
As you travel, notice sights, sounds, and fragrances: birds, butterflies, wind in the trees.
What is your reaction to this place? How do you feel beyond your body?
Strolling for a short time, you come to a clearing in the forest with openings to different paths.
As you look at the different paths, one attracts you.
You look down this path and see something shining in the sun off in the distance.
You’re drawn to this shining spot in the sun. What is it?
You walk along this path that you just selected. How does it feel under your feet? Is it smooth? Are there pebbles? Is it a smooth dirt path? Are there stepping stones?
As you walk toward the shiny spot ahead, you feel layers and layers of your past drop away.
The weight of the world evaporates from your shoulders.
PAUSE
You soon arrive at the end of the path where you see a bench waiting for you.
There, on this bench, you see new clothes, neatly folded.
When you look at them, you see they are more beautiful than any you’ve seen before.
You remove the clothes you are wearing and put on these new clothes. They are a perfect fit.
You walk up a slight hill toward the shining object you saw at the beginning of your walk.
As you approach the shining object, you discover it is a mirror.
You look in this mirror and see your reflection.
You see:
The person you have always known you were.
The person you have always wanted to be.
You see yourself as strong, and happy.
NOW – you can continue to explore your new “you” as you return to this room.
You know you can return to this place anytime you want.
This meditation is part of a new program I’m offering called “Hope on the Road”. I am sharing this meditation along with a reiki session and hand blessing to anyone who requests it.
This program is adaptable to zoom and in- person groups large or small. It will also be on my YouTube channel.
Thank you for participating.
Thank you for reading this meditation blog post. Please share it with your friends and forward it to your preferred social media network.
Thurman
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