safety

YOU ARE SAFE, ALWAYS

You are safe, little one.

Safe, even when you feel unsafe.

Safe to cry, safe to laugh.

Safe to be all you can be.

Safe to break down, too.

Safe to make mistakes.

Safe to forget all that you know.

Safe to become nothing,

and begin again.

You are held, always, you see.

Held in life’s arms, my arms, the arms of love.

I will not abandon you,

even when you feel abandoned

by the world, or by your closest friends.

I will not forsake you, even when you feel forsaken.

Your body is the safest place, you see.

Your hands, your feet, the ache in your heart.

The tightness in your chest, the pressure in your head.

The longing for the light. The terror of existence.

The sensations are safe, despite what trauma tells you.

You won’t find safety in other dimensions or realities.

You won’t find safety in altered states or far-off realms.

You won’t find it in the mind.

"Beings of light" will not protect you.

(All the angels and demons, you have only imagined them anyway.)

You’ll find safety when you surrender to the night.

When you break and let yourself be broken.

When you flush loving awareness through your feet, your hands, your knees, the way your body feels standing where it stands or lying where it lies.

Exhausted, depleted, or full of hope, you are safe.

Broken by sorrow, or bursting with joy, you are safe.

You are safe because you exist.

You are safe because safety is your own fucking heart and no other.

You are safe because nothing you fear is real.

And I am here with you.

And I am breathing into you.

Always.

- Jeff Foster

Notes on Cinnamon by ANA

The warm spicy scent of cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of the Ceylon cinnamon tree.

Cinnamon was once so highly prized that it was reserved as a gift for either kings or gods.

In ancient Egypt, cinnamon was used to embalm mummies, but in the Western world the secret of her source was so valuable in the spice trade that no one knew where she came from.

It was thought that cinnamon was fished up from the Nile, or perhaps from “Cinnamon Birds”

Cinnamon trees are actually native to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar and can also be found in South America and the West Indies

Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants, can calm inflammation and is particularly helpful for those with blood sugar issues as she can help reduce insulin resistance and help balance glucose uptake

Cinnamon may have beneficial effects on neurodegenerative diseases and may protect against cancer.

She can also fight bacterial and fungal infections.

Cinnamon’s warmth and vitality make her a powerful energizing plant.

She is considered the spice of love and has been used in love spells by true witches for centuries. They say she can also help you develop your psychic abilities and intuition.

The tree herself is where cinnamon’s wisdom comes from. Sitting under a cinnamon tree and meditating can give you a sense of power, inspiring creativity.

Taking a nap under her can send vibrations of love and healing throughout your body.

Next time you have some tea, or even coffee, sprinkle some freshly grated cinnamon in your cup and remember her magic