From Chez Pinata,
I'm Colleen Thomas.
This is Daily Magic for Peace.
Today we will honor our agency as witnesses and helpers.
Welcome to the circle.
The only item you need today is your eyes because we are bearing witness and we are honoring our agency as witnesses.
So I invite you to step into the circle to take your seat and to take your place and look around and see who's here with you today in this virtual circle that we are all in together because we're listening to this episode and we intend the circle and so it is.
Our first grounding exercise today will be box breathing.
This is something that Grace Chan reminded me of recently on one of her shows,
Her wonderful show Creativity School with Grace Chan.
It's called box breathing and it's just breathing in for four counts,
Holding for four counts,
Breathing out for four counts,
And holding for four counts.
And the key is to breathe in very fully and breathe out completely.
So I will count us through three breaths.
So I invite you to breathe in two,
Three,
Four,
And hold two,
Three,
Four,
And out two,
Three,
Four,
And hold two,
Three,
Four.
Now in two,
Three,
Four,
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Out two,
Three,
Four,
And hold two,
Three,
Four.
One more.
In two,
Three,
Four,
Hold two,
Three,
Four,
Out two,
Three,
Four,
And hold two,
Three,
Four.
And now as always,
I invite you to pause and notice and see how your body might feel different.
Our second grounding exercise today will be connecting in with the third chakra.
The third chakra is located at the at the solar plexus,
Which is just above the belly button sort of between the heart and the belly button.
And I invite you to place a hand there if that feels good to you.
Just begin to breathe into this part of your body,
The solar plexus,
Where the third chakra energy center is.
The third chakra,
This is about boldness and self-confidence.
Sometimes people see it at a yellow color.
So let's breathe together in and out three times into this third chakra,
Brightening it and releasing anything that might be dimming it.
So breathing in,
Brightening the third chakra and out,
Releasing anything we don't need and breathing in.
Even brighter,
Even stronger,
Breathing out,
Release and breathe in.
In with courage and boldness and bravery and breathing out.
Final release.
Thank you for joining me.
The third chakra is one of my favorite to work with.
Today we will be honoring the concept and the importance of the role of the witness.
No matter what we are able to accomplish or do to support the people in Ukraine and Russia during this devastating time,
No matter what work we are able to accomplish for them or donations or fundraising or consciousness raising or protesting or sending magic,
There is a way in which we are all simply witnesses to what is happening.
And it's very important to acknowledge the power of the witness.
And it's equally as important to acknowledge the sacredness of this role.
If we turn on the news or we listen to a podcast,
We're probably hearing more and more as time goes by what is happening.
And sometimes it can be too much to hear it and we do have to take care of ourselves and find a balance with the news.
But there's a difference between listening to the news and just kind of letting it roll over us and listening to it as a sacred witness.
The things that are happening to people right now are so profound and so startling that it's very important that people not only witness it to remember what happened and to be bearing witness to it,
Right,
But also people who can hold space,
People who can be in compassion looking at it,
People who can bear that role of the sacred witness who's just there with it while it's happening.
It's an active role.
It's a compassionate role.
It's a being with kind of role.
When I think of the witness role,
My thoughts often turn to hospice.
Hospice is an organization that will come in and bring nursing and bring volunteers and care to people who are in the process of crossing over.
And the training they provide their volunteers and their nurses and their doctors often has a very strong dose of witnessing and compassion and the ability to just be with.
Being with.
A family can be going through all kinds of loss and grief just as the person who is crossing is going through their journey.
And these amazing individuals have the capacity to show up and just be there.
I've spoken with a hospice volunteer who said,
I just went in the room and sat in the corner and just was there.
She held space.
She anchored the room.
She just was a compassionate presence who was there in the room.
And just her being there in that compassionate present moment space.
I imagine she wasn't on her phone or thinking about other things.
She was really present with a family.
And that is the kind of awareness and presence that can transform a situation.
You may not be anywhere near Ukraine.
You may be across the world,
But you can still bring that witnessing,
That compassion.
You can bring it to yourself when you're listening to the news.
You can bring it to your friends and family when you're having discussions about the situation.
You can send it energetically to the peoples of Ukraine and Russia.
You can send that message,
I'm here with you.
You are not alone.
I often think of people who might be trapped or might be scared.
And I think of sending them that message,
You are not alone.
We are witnessing,
We are watching.
This is a profound moment.
And we are here in the role of the sacred witness.
I honor you as a sacred witness.
And so it is.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
Your presence,
Your energy,
And your heart make all the difference in healing our world.
Remember to breathe today,
Breathe and expand.
I hope you join us next time and please consider inviting a friend.
That's it for Daily Magic for Peace.
Our music is by Terry Hughes.
I'm Colleen Thomas.
Thanks for listening.
