Originally Published: July 7th, 2020

---

5 Principles of Reiki

Just for today, I will not worry

Just for today, I will not be angry

Just for today, I will do my work honestly

Just for today, I will be kind to all living things

Just for today, I will be grateful for my many blessings

---

4,562 km

I am on my own, 4,562 km away from my life on the East Coast of Canada.

I’m now on the West Coast of Canada, living in Campbell River, British Columbia.

A lot can happen when, if you choose to, and I did – dive into the fears triggered by solitude.

Living on my own, without my husband here – opens up more space for me.

It is an interesting observation of myself – walking through my day, alone.

Learning to lean into and ride the waves of anxiety as they surface is now possible. This change began when I started taking CBD oil a few months ago. It relaxes me enough to do so.

Learning to be with loneliness. To ride the waves of sadness are challenging. To watch my body and notice where sadness and anxiety take space within.

Boredom. Not rushing in to fill all the space by “doing”. I can move more slowly during the day, taking the time to transition from one activity to the next. Staining a wood fence is not as exciting as kayaking and can feel boring. But, this slow pace of precision painting becomes a time to practice mindfulness. I listen to mindfulness audio books and focus on the words spoken rather than my thoughts.

Leaning into me. This irregular situation allow me to turn inward – to become the nurturing adult to my scared little parts. I have the silence to hear their voices and the solitude to go within.

Today, I will nurture the scared, worried parts of me who need nothing more than to be heard and loved. To finally be free.

S, 🌻