guilt

You have been forced to enter empty time.

The desire that drove you has relinquished.

There is nothing else to do now but rest

And patiently learn to receive the self

You have forsaken for the race of days.

At first your thinking will darken

And sadness take over like listless weather.

The flow of unwept tears will frighten you.

You have traveled too fast over false ground;

Now your soul has come to take you back.

Take refuge in your senses, open up

To all the small miracles you rushed through.

Become inclined to watch the way of rain

When it falls slow and free.

Imitate the habit of twilight,

Taking time to open the well of color

That fostered the brightness of day.

Draw alongside the silence of stone

Until its calmness can claim you.

Be excessively gentle with yourself.

Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.

Learn to linger around someone of ease

Who feels they have all the time in the world.

Gradually, you will return to yourself,

Having learned a new respect for your heart

And the joy that dwells far within slow time.

~ John O'Donohue

"For One Who Is Exhausted, a Blessing."

Feeling guilt

is not the same as

being guilty.

Guilt is only a feeling in the body,

until you identify with it,

and it attaches to the “I Am”,

and it becomes “I am guilty”.

Yes, sometimes we have spoken or acted out of unconsciousness and hurt others.

Yes, sometimes we have not been as skillful or as aware or as kind as we could have been.

Sometimes we have not acted from our integrity.

Sometimes we have not lived up to our potential.

And guilt comes to remind us of our exquisite imperfection.

Not to punish us, but to remind us.

So we can learn. Grow. Make amends. Put things back into balance. Say sorry. Open our hearts. Find a deeper sense of self-love. Heal.

Other times, guilt arises as an old bodily memory.

An old sense of “I did something BAD”.

A primal dread. A sense of impending doom.

We find ourselves waiting to be punished.

To be killed, abandoned, shamed, publicly ridiculed.

To be forgotten and left to die.

It is an old trauma that longs for love!

Be aware of it when it arises!

Give it permission to live.

And know it is just a feeling, not a fact.

It is voices in the head, and sensations in the body.

It is a child’s terror.

Guilt will control you until you can give it the love it longs for.

Until you can turn towards it with curiosity.

Breathe into it. Drench it with understanding.

And empathy. Hold it like a frightened child.

In the safety of Presence.

You are not guilty,

even though you feel this guilt now.

You are the room for this guilt,

its sanctuary, its home.

Its master, not its slave.

Its loving parent, its place of rest.

We all make mistakes sometimes

But we are not mistakes, ever.

- Jeff Foster

Notes on Astragalus

by ANA

With the stress of the fires and hazardous air, I want to shine the spot light once again on ASTRAGALUS

Known as a ‘LONGEVITY’ HERB, she’s commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine

I take regularly astragalus regularly (by simmering the root for up to 12 hours - and drinking as tea or using it as a soup stalk).

She’s most effective when used long term on a daily basis to support healthy immune function- best used as a preventative.

She can support a strong healthy bio-terrain so that your body is more resilient and can potentially help lessen symptoms and shorten the duration of illnesses

She’s an overall body tonic that has the ability to stimulate certain immune functions while also depressing others- in other words, she’s an adaptogen- searching  your body and giving it what it needs to find balance.

She’s particularly important right now because she supports lung and heart health, helping to clear congestion.

AND se has anti- viral & bacterial properties

And can reduce inflammation

She also helps the body assimilate nutrients from foods.

She protects CHI- known as ‘vital life force’ in Chinese medicine and can really help those who experience fatigue.

She can help reduce fever due to her blood thinning properties ( I would say be careful if giving to children because of this. you can, but not as strong)

She balances salt and water (electrolytes) in the body which can help with heart and kidney functions.

If you can’t find the root or prefer, you can take astragalus in capsule form

A note of caution - astragalus is generally incompatible with prescription meds taken after a heart attack as well as for people with auto-immune or hyper immune issues who are on meds. Also not to be taken before surgery due to her blood thinning properties.

Herbs can be very powerful. They are medicine. Please use with respect and check with your doctor first before taking astragalus, especially if you are on auto-immune meds.

My suggestion when starting any herbal medicine is to start slow and steady and pay attention to how you feel.