Sometimes the world just wants to break you with all of its chaos. Right now my family is in the eye of the storm, with one of our own absolutely determined to destroy himself with alcohol. Nobody knows what to do and so we are just paddling water at the moment, trying to stay afloat. So for my own wellbeing, and for others who may be secretly struggling, here are a few things to bring you back to wellness, I like to call this an emotional first aid kit, but it’s also a protective amulet and a series lighthouses that will guide you through the storm back to shore, always comforting when you need it. This is going to be an ongoing series, I hope you enjoy it.
Kintsugi/Kintsukuroi
There is a Japanese practice called Kintusukoroi or kintsugi which means ‘golden repair’. Kintsukuroi is the art of repairing broken pottery with powdered gold or platinum mixed with lacquer, so that the repair reflects the history of the breakage.
The repaired object mirrors the fragility and imperfection of life – and also its beauty and strength. The object returns to wholeness, to integrity.
Two widowed penguins comfort each other with the sparkling city lights of Melbourne to warm their little hearts
True story!
Scottish musician Jenny Sturgeon takes inspiration from Nan Shepherd’s book ‘The Living Mountain’ for her peaceful album
Be a Soul: Ram Dass
Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you are souls. Be one, see one. When many people have this heart connection, then we will know that we are all one, we human beings all over the planet. We will be one. One love. And don’t leave out the animals, and trees, and clouds, and galaxies-it’s all one. It’s one energy.
Ram Dass
Salt Mother
A moving poem by Indigenous Australian author Bruce Pascoe
Paul Barton plays Bach for a blind Asian Elephant in Thailand
Wild woman quote: Strength
“To be strong does not mean to sprout muscles and flex. It means meeting one’s own luminosity without fleeing, actively living with the wild nature in one’s own way. It means to be able to learn, to be able to stand what we know. It means to stand and live.” Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves
Self-Love Meditation
Violence Always Rebounds on Itself: Lao Tzu
Whoever relies upon the Tao for governing men
doesn’t try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force, there is a counter force.
Violence, even well intentioned,
Always rebounds upon oneself.
The master does his job
and then stops.
He understands that the universe
is forever out of control
and that trying to dominate events
goes against the currents of the Tao
Because he believes in himself,
he does not try to convince others,
Because he is content with himself,
he does not need others approval.
Because he accepts himself,
the whole universe accepts him.
Lao Tzu (Tao Te Ching) 5th Century BCE.
Hang Drum Meditation Music
Comforting Thought: Ep’humin et ouk ep’humin
Ep’humin et ouk ep’humin (from Greek) Things that are under our control and things that are not under our control.
Of things that exist, some are in our power and some are not in our power. Those that are in our power are conception, choice, desire, aversion, and in a word, those things that are our own doing. Those that are not under our control are the body, property or possessions, reputation, positions of authority, and in a word, such things that are not our own doing. ~ Epictetus, Discourses.
Sacred Spirit
E Pii, e Paa tiny bees swarming
E Pii, pō pō ia you are life’s tenderness
Hoki mai kake mai come, return
Hoki mai anō ki ahau rest in my arms
Ko au karanga nei you are me, I am you
E Pii, e Paa, e Pii pō pō e our richness is
Hoki mai rā each other
~Haare Williams
Head and Heart Reset Yoga
All round sweetie Adrienne Mishler and her dog Blue make you come home to your own body.
Book Recommendation: Standing At the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet by Joan Halifax
This is one of the most prescient and important spiritual books ever written. My review coming up on the 14th of January
A Pep Talk from the Cryptonaturalist
An ingenious, moving and funny pep talk from a mysterious man who sounds like a cowboy and pursues mythical beings through America.
Let’s be honest, the pandemic unleashed an absolute shit storm for some families, so if yours is affected, I hope this list of things give you some comfort. Let me know if it helped, and also if you have your go-to things to look at when you feel down.
Content Catnip 
❤
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Thanks 😊
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So beautiful. I wish you nothing but peace through a journey in which no one can predict the outcome.
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Thank you my lovely friend, your insights help. The stress of not knowing how it will go is intense but trying to live in each moment and take it day by day. Doing yoga definitely helps. 😘
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Best wishes for 2021! Hope things will take a turn for the better this year.
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Thank you Liz, I hope so too. And same to you, best wishes ❤
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Families can be so difficult! Thank goodness that love is more than physical: you can still send out loving and healing messages and signals to that person, and often that is the best that we can do. And remember that the person who needs your care and attention most right now is probably YOU :). That penguin picture and story just finishes me off, by the way xoxo
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Thank you so much Amanda, this is such a thoughtful and kind reply and I really appreciate it. I am going to keep sending out the loving messages and vibes and hope it reaches him. You are so right about taking care of myself too, thank you. Yes this penguin pic is just incredible. The animal kingdom has so much to teach us humans about how to be kind to one another. Take care Amanda, big hugs xxx
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🙂 x
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Some great stuff here Catnip. Kintsugi, the music-loving elephant and the throat chakra music were the standouts for me. I hope your relative can find some peace and calm in the near future. If it’s of any help, my instincts say there is a beginning of change in the air. I for one feel different, a little more balanced, less worried about the future. I sense a kindling of that in others. Thanks again for these gifts!
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I love this idea of there being change in the air and that you’re feeling less worried and more balanced about the future. Are you doing something to help with this, like meditation or yoga or reading something that’s making you feel this way, or did it just happen spontaneously? Hopefully this new era of the world extends to my brother, he is in need of it, definitely sending out those loving vibes to him, it can’t hurt. I surround myself with this warm hug of stuff to keep me feeling positive, it helps me. If you have any other healing things like this, would love to hear about them. Take care mate 🙂
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There isn’t any schedule really – I get stuck into meditation and yoga, but not religiously. Sometimes a good sleep helps, or I read something inspiring. Or write a blog I’m pleased with. The only tip I have is not to watch or listen to news, and to walk in nature whenever possible. Even with all that, there are shit days that I wish would end before they start. You have to get through. Alcohol rarely helps. Change is coming though. 🙂 x
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I love your tips they are all amazing and spot on thank you Kev, take care mate
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Yes I feel it in the air too, change is coming 🙂
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Like Amanda, I can barely hold it together after the penguin pic and story. And then the elephant! I have to pause now.
Very best wishes for your brother. I’ve dealt with family members who have addictions / depression / self-destructive tendencies. I can see the same tendencies in many people (especially this year) including myself, sometimes.
Here are a few things that come to mind:
1. Find some distractions for him that maybe you can engage in together. A really good book does a lot for me – or even an OK book that makes me laugh (I recently finished a Nick Hornby book, for example, called Just Like You and it helped to cheer me up during difficult time). Or maybe decide that you’re going to watch all the film by a particular director. Music too – I’m listening to music a lot lately and started learning guitar again, and singing! I think that singing along to some music can awaken the soul. Maybe you can even play music together.
2. Somebody sent me this video today that explains the difference between empathy and sympathy. https://brenebrown.com/videos/rsa-short-empathy/
I think that one of the best things you can do for someone who’s having a tough time is to just listen to them in an empathic way. I tend to try to fix things (hence the list of things to try, above!) but I try to also just listen. It’s difficult to accept that you often can’t directly fix other people’s problems but it’s necessary – like the metaphor from air travel (remember that?!) to put your own seatbelt on before you attend to your child. Ultimately, we’re best able to help others when we are empathic to them but also when we are centered enough that we can handle that.
Sorry – I’m rambling!
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I will reply to this over the email if that’s ok as it’s less public. Thank you for this amazing advice and I love that you loved the penguin story!
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OMG. We were just talking about kintsugi the other day. And that penguin story. OH, my heart. Have you read Women Who Run? I adore that book, so wonderful to see it quoted here. And Yoga with Adrianne, just was looking at one of hers for my back yesterday night. And the hang drum! I subscribe to that channel and listen to them or similar ones every evening as part of my nighttime routine. So comforting. And so much overlap 😀
Take good care, sending you and your family lots of love and light. xo
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Oh my God Lani we should meet one day girl as we clearly have a lot of things in common with the things that we find nourishing, comforting and important in life. I love Women Who Run With The Wolves, it’s a classic I have bought it three times but then end up giving it away to a girlfriend as a gift because it’s just too amazing to keep on the shelf for too long. Sending love and light to you too my friend, have a good weekend 😽💌
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YES! It’s a date 😉 and I gave my copy away too! Ha!
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