A Reminder In the Time of COVID-19
Queridxs. I can feel the fear and worry and uncertainty and grief surrounding this virus settling into my lungs and heart space. Creating stagnation in my being. Putting pressure on my ribcage. I have been in the mental throws of what to do, what to say, feeling my own feels all day. And, after having a few check ins with buds and communities, I am reminded to come back to my breath (and to one another). And so I wrote these words. As an offering, as a prayer. May we remember to breathe. May we remember to come back to one another. May we remember that our healing is always linked. May we protect one another.
I want us to remember to breathe.
I want us to remember that our breath is sacred.
That it is the masterful alchemy of liquid and gases, exchange, and transformation.
That it is the sweet sustenance of life, bolstering song and laughter and screams and tears.
It is sacred.
It is the both, and. It is stillness and movement.
It is vibrations pulsing through our heart space and out into every reach of our being.
Vibrations that extend even beyond our reaches, like fungi or aspen roots – reaching towards mutual aid, co-regulation, and resiliency.
I want us to remember to breathe. To inhale and to push some of this energy from our beings. To move stagnation from our chests. To ease the tension on this sacred space. To excavate some of this worry and fear and grief and sadness (and and) from our precious lungs.
I want us to remember to breathe. As a tool of rest and restoration.
I want us to remember to breathe. As a tool of visioning the worlds we want to live in.
“Just breathing” won’t save us, I know that. And, it is lifesaving. Our breath work can help tonify and strengthen our lungs. There is medicine in that exchange of movement and stillness and gases. And in that medicine, I believe there are messages from our ancestors, echoing through time and space and from the recesses of our beings and consciousness. Reminding us of what we already know, the ways we are already resourced, and the visioning of new/old worlds. There are messages from the plants and the trees and the roots and fungi interweaving beneath us all. Capillaries and bronchioles of wisdom and ancestry mirrored in our own anatomy.
What we are being reminded of right now, is that self care and community care are intrinsically linked. There is not one without the other. (Although white supremacist, ableist, colonialist, capitalist messages would have you believing otherwise). This is a moment to (continue to) increase our capacity for that both, and. To hold our individual truths with collective truths. To find that line of practicing “social distancing” physically, while becoming more cohesive and more strongly knitted communities, emotionally/spiritually/mentally.
We need each other. We really do. We need to know ourselves – and we need to know what our community members need. How we want to be supported, how we need to be supported. Most specifically, we need to prioritize knowing the needs of those of us that are most at risk – not just during times of crisis ie the coronavirus – but always. It is painfully clear, perhaps more so now, how wrecked our health care system is. How ableist our society is. How vital it is to have access to paid time off, medications, accessibility needs, etc., always, and not just in times of emergency. How rent control matters. How freedom from racism and xenophobia and anti-Blackness matters. How having access to nourishing foods and food sovereignty matters. How having concern for one another, and centering the voices/wisdom of those most affected, will always be a useful tool in caring for us all.
At least for this moment right now, queridxs, I want us to remember to breathe. Because there is much to be done now and in the future. And for right now, for at least a few seconds, I want us to have permission to do nothing else but breathe.
Below are a few articles and collections of resources that I am loving. I want us to feel resourced and calm and as safe as possible. I want us to acknowledge what is coming up and do our best to hold and then transform that energy. (I’m seeing a lot of “don’t be fearful,” which holds important medicine. And, can also feel confusing about what to do with the very real fear coming up. Feel your fear, my love. Don’t hold it in. As best as we can, we can’t let these emotions sit in our beings, beloveds. It is taxing on our respiratory, heart, and immune systems. Find ways to move them – whether speaking with loved ones or a professional, getting some air/sunshine, movement work, hydrotherapy (ie taking a shower, bath), etc.
I am also available for virtual pláticas - or chats - to support you during this time, and always. Our pláticas are a sacred space to name where you are at, to tell your story, to feel your feelings. We can call in the wisdom of energetic and spirit readings (ie with intuitive herbal deck & affirmation deck draws), create personalized herbal formulas (to support immune system, nervous system, etc), identify self care practices, and/or incorporate somatic work as needed to hold the space for you and support you in your healing.
Resources:
Holisitic Support for Immunity & Virus Prevention by Dr. Diana Inlak’ech
Coronavirus: Wisdom from a Social Justice Lens | Healing Justice Podcast*
Herbs to Build Strength & Immunity | Frontline Farming**
Wash Your Hands by Dori Midnight
Coronavirus, Climate Change, and Community Care by Susan Raffo
Coronavirus, Herbalism, and Pandemic Preparedness by IndieHerbalist***
Herbs for Viral & Respiratory Protection by Michelle Castor of Agua y Sangre Healing
Half Assed Disabled Prepper Tips for Preparing for a Coronavirus Quarantine
Front Range Mutual Aid Request
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty
COVID-19 Mutual Aid Links (some LA based)
*There are a whole slew of fabulous resources here!
**Please note: certain herbs may not be advisable for those with automimmune conditions and/or hypervigilant immune systems. Additionally, goldenseal, that is referenced here is an herb that is considered endangered
*** Again, certain herbs may not be advisable (ie elderberry). Also, this article was written in late February. Some of the author’s reflections on COVID-19 are indicative of what we thought we knew at that time - that this was like the flu or cold. Obviously similar for many reasons, but also very distinct