We’ve been a bit quiet on the blog front lately, and that’s predominantly because I went away to Costa Rica to do an incredible course called The Rude Awakening. It was two weeks of personal development, sharing, connecting with others, exploring how we want to evolve, and working through any emotional wounds or traumas. It was incredibly powerful, and helped me to tap back into self-love, and reminded me just how beautifully supportive and kind other humans can be. It was a fabulous reset.
It’s been a bit of a bumpy re entry though, not least because I’ve got Covid now and after all that continuous healing time in community, I am now very much navigating a lot of time alone.
But I think really, on reflection, we need both of these experiences. When I was away on my course I was with other people 90% of the time, to the point where it felt like a family. There were times where I was just lolling about in a hammock and I could hear three different conversations going on around me, alongside someone gently playing a drum. It was amazing.
But I also do recognise the power of being alone. Having lived on my own for a few years now I see the value in sitting quietly and processing emotions. Sometimes I’ll even speak them out loud to myself, to try and hear my most inner wisdom about how best to move forward.
Having time in community and time in solitude is about balance. We need both. And importantly we need both to be healthy spaces that nourish us. I heard some challenging, gremlin triggering news about an old acquaintance earlier this week and my first thoughts were heavy and negative. I realised though that that’s not the kind of space I want to inhabit when I’m on my own, I want to tap into love and light, and that I must continue to prioritise finding ways that cultivate that feeling, so triggering news doesn’t stick around too long and cause me a lot of pain. Similarly in a community type situation, I feel it’s important we are around people who support and encourage us, rather than critique our choices, or make the situation about their experience rather than ours.
It’s tricky to get both spaces right. I think it’s probably our life’s work.
Challenging situations often make us go into comparison and lack. But by remembering that challenges can actually be a reminder to create peace in ourselves and peace in our environments, it’s possible to navigate things with a bit more ease. We are able to go a bit more gently. I find it so helpful to remember that, and to remember I don’t have both of those areas sorted yet, and it may take until I’m 100 years old to achieve, but I am working on it, and that’s all that I need to focus on.
With love, Hannah and Team Bird
Photo by Berti Benbanaste on Unsplash