Refuge

For over a year now I have been on the move, roaming about the country as a full-time house and pet sitter. Honestly, it’s been a time of uncertainty for me and the flexibility and change has been a way for me to stay in the flow as I continue to explore… what now and what next. I’ve been hanging out in the Austin, TX area for the past six months or so fortunate that the sits in the area have kept coming. It started with a few months in a community just outside Austin and then extended to a wonderful respite caring for two kitties on a beautiful stretch of land on a creek on the outskirts of the city limits.

More recently, I was settled for a bit in a suburban South Austin neighborhood until… you guessed it… coronavirus. Not a good time to be a housesitter. My clients were on an extended trip abroad in Southeast Asia and, as can be expected, they made a decision to come home early. Because of their travels and the risky airports they had to fly through on their way home, they were understandably asked to quarantine for fourteen days and so I had a quick window to pack up myself, prepare their home, and redirect my life for the short term.

As I am sure you can imagine, the housesitting world is quite shut down right now. My standard housesitting websites that are regularly a bounty of options if not in the neighborhood at least in the region are simply not available. I am fortunate that my mom offered for me to stay with her and so earlier this week I once again packed up the SUV and trekked from Austin to the midwest.

So here I am hunkered down in my mom’s guest bedroom surfing through some of my regular life of tending to my remote work. And like the rest of us, doing my best to stay informed while keeping that balance of not “too much.”  I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t taking a toll on me. Like I am sure many of you out there, I feel anxious, nervous and overwhelmed while also simply doing my best to stay centered and at ease.

As a full-time solo traveler for much of this decade and a remote worker these past years, it would be fair to say that I have some experience with isolation. At times it can be joyful and satisfying. At other times a bit trying and maddening. Over the years I’ve done my best to appreciate the opportunity in it, seek the joy in it. That said, I can’t deny that yes, while our current circumstances are temporary, there is an unmistakable ring of confusion and anxiety in the air that makes it challenging for me to just sink in and enjoy the time.

That said, here are some of the things that I regularly lean on when the world around me feels confusing or I feel disconnected or off-kilter.

1. Reiki.  Ah Reiki. I have been practicing Reiki for nearly 15 years now. It’s a regular part of me and my life and its flow through my world is akin to breathing now. With my years of travel and someone who lives with and is healing from at times paralyzing anxiety, it has been a necessary and extraordinarily useful ingredient in making my way from point A to point B in the world and overcoming challenges and moments day to day that have me at times feeling stuck, overloaded and stopped. Regular doses of Reiki for myself and others are an important fuel that forms the basis of my daily life.

Would you like to try Reiki?  Reiki is something that can be done from a distance. Just for fun, for this coming week, I will offer four 15-minute distant Reiki treatments for free. Would you like to be one of them? Simply contact me in the next couple of days and lets set that up. If you’d like to learn more about Reiki, visit my page on Reiki.

2.  Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I have been chanting this almost daily for nearly a decade now. It’s so simple. I keep doing it because I can’t deny that when I chant things shift and I feel better. Have a little time on your hands? Try chanting for ten minutes. Here is a link to a video to show you how.

3.  Young Living Essential Oils. I have been using Young Living Essential Oils for over a year now. I love how they can shift my mood, support my health and deepen my spiritual practices. I am leaning heavily on Thieves oil at this time. The history of this oil goes back to the plague when thieves used this combination of oils to protect them from illness. I’ve had some amazing experiences with Young Living Thieves oil myself including stopping a severe reaction to mold in its tracks. Follow the link if you’d like to learn more. And feel free to reach out with questions.

4. Ho’oponopono. My trusted Reiki teacher just reminded me today of this prayer and Hawaiin practice. It can be used for others, for ourselves, current circumstances and those from the past. Surely we can all use a little forgiveness at this time for ourselves and others.  I know I can. It goes like this: I’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you.

Well, that’s all for now from coronavirus in the heartland. My life once again recently rearranged.  I’m in it with all of you… laying low, watching some movies and doing my best to stay centered and connected with powerful tools and practices.