Word of the Day: Anxiety [Notes from a Pandemic, Day 8]

Anxiety. It's a word that's getting tossed around quite a bit in the news stories and social media posts of the past few days and weeks, increasing since lock-downs and shut-downs have been instituted. And with good reason. We are hard-wired for anxiety, an instinctual reaction to a potential threat. Add in uncertainty -- not knowing what comes next and not being able to plan for the future -- and anxiety takes off like the little popper weeds springing up all over my backyard.

My work with the energy healing art of chakra balancing over the past decade has taught me a few things about anxiety that I pass on to you here for your consideration as you and your family and friends adjust to this new level of uncertainty.

Anxiety arises from the root chakra, at the base of your spine, and increases when you become ungrounded. What ungrounds you? Not just physical jolts like falls or accidents, but also emotional shocks to your system, like the threat of a global pandemic, say, or your world grinding to a halt for an unknown length of time. Check, and check.

The antidote to anxiety, physically speaking, is grounding; its emotional counterbalances are trust and surrender, as in believing that we will get through this and letting go of trying to control those things that are beyond our control.

Why does staying grounded matter? Anxiety can cause you to pop out of your body, resulting in your aura floating somewhere near or above you, rather than aligned with the chakras (energy centers). Remaining in a heightened state of stress or anxiety over an extended period of time (14 days or 12 weeks, let's say) can result in dis-ease, or if it takes hold in your tissue and cells, disease.

So what can you do to stay grounded? A handful of suggestions:

🔴 Take a walk...or a stomp...or a run. Feel your feet connect to the earth. Walking around barefoot in the grass (if it's warm enough) or putting your toes in the sand (if you are lucky enough to have a beach -- or a sandbox -- nearby) is even better.

🔴 Hug a tree. Seriously. The bigger and more sturdy the trunk, and the more extensive the root system, the better. But really, any tree will do. If you feel strange wrapping your arms around a tree, or if you are afraid your neighbors will think you've finally lost it, leaning against the tree or putting the palms of your hands on its bark will work. 

Feel your energy connect to its energy and allow your energy to flow down the trunk, through the roots, to the earth. Have the intention of giving back any energy that is not serving you (i.e. anxiety, worry, panic) and pull up sustaining energy from Mother Earth. I did this when my father was ill and we didn't know how much longer he would be with us, and it always brought me back to a steadier place.

🔴 Find your rock...literally. If you have any jewelry with hematite, a stone with grounding properties, or just a pocket-sized piece of it, carry or wear it. If not, any stone will do. I prefer something with a smooth surface that fits in the palm of my hand. Hold it in your hand; feel its contours; tap into its solidness. Notice how it warms as you hold it. Or, if you've got a park nearby and can find a rock big enough to sun yourself on, kind of like a turtle, go for it. Allow its weight and mass to bring you back to earth and to your body.

🔴 Wear red...it is the color of the root chakra. If you feel ungrounded, try wearing red, particularly shoes or slippers, socks, or underwear (not kidding!). If you don't have those, shirts, sweaters, and scarves will work too. It may sound woo-woo, but the subtle energy body picks up on subtle cues.

🔴 Family time. We've all got plenty of that now, maybe too much for some people. But connecting in a meaningful way can stave off free-floating anxiety (note how that term implies an ungrounded aura) in a way that our electronic devices cannot. Like the coronavirus, anxiety can be contagious. As we listen to updates and read other people's posts, we may absorb their fear or panic.

While our screens will provide us with much needed human contact and a sense of connection to the world outside our homes, if you find yourself scrolling endlessly through your social media feeds (as I have a number of times these past few days), put it down and take a break. Go outside. Get some fresh air. Breathe deeply (more on that in a subsequent post).

There are more, but this is a place to begin. Together, we will get through this. 💕