It’s 8:30 am and I’m sitting on my yoga mat at the gym, getting ready for a yin class – a type of gentle yoga designed to stretch the body in deep and restorative ways.

I need gentle.

I need deep.

I need to be restored.

Some days my heart breaks for the state of our world.

As I lie back on my mat and tune in, I feel the weight of sorrow sitting heavy on my chest. The body holds the truth…

I’m scared.

I’m angry.

I’m so, so sad.

I breathe deep and allow these feelings to rise to the surface. This is where all transformation begins, in the silence, in the willingness to be present to what we think and feel.

As I slowly move from pose to pose, holding each one for several minutes, I welcome the fear, the sorrow, the rage. I use this practice to witness the regressed part of me – the little girl who feels helpless and confused. She needs my attention and care.

A healer must tend to her own healing first.  After all, I don’t want my inner 5 or 10-year-old writing blogs, posting on Facebook, or speaking out unfiltered.  We have enough of that going on in the world already.  I want a loving and respectful woman running the show.

So I grow myself back up on the mat.

I see you, I tell the vulnerable girl as I move to the next pose and hold steady. I know you’re upset and I promise I’ll do what it takes to help you feel better. 

As I continue to treat her with tenderness and presence, she releases her grip and my body relaxes.

Breath deepens.

Blood flows.

Centeredness returns.

By the time the class ends, I’m restored to an empowered adult who feels able to handle the day with wisdom and grace.

All healing begins with the individual. Our willingness to acknowledge and support the young parts of us that call out for attention is the key to global health and well-being.  Otherwise, we have children running around in adult bodies making important decisions that affect all of us.

When I’m in an adult state of mind, I’m able to be patient and measured, to listen deeply, to host different points of view, and to share my thoughts and ideas in a respectful way that encourages receptivity and healthy change.

Do I take a stand for what I believe in and act? You bet I do. But I start on the inside first.

Because our greatest contribution to humanity is made when we make the evolution of our own consciousness our #1 priority.

xo Cheryl

PS – A wonderful resource for addressing emotional regression is a book by John Lee called: Growing Yourself Back Up.  I highly recommend you check it out.

PPS – Our October “Self Care by the Sea” retreat still has some spots available and you can learn more about it, here.

PPPS – There will be no Facebook Live this week. You can view past shows on my YouTube channel at CherylRichardsonTV here.

Need a little Divine Direction? Use the “Touch of Grace” button on our homepage here.