Dedication to our wellspring
5 personal practices as hosts, facilitators and leaders.
Dedicated attention to a personal and ongoing practice is more of a necessity than a luxury in these times of navigating unprecedented changes. In this blog, we share a 5-fold approach to personal care in order to nourish our inner wellsprings and maintain a sense of groundedness and calm during these times.
As agents of social change, our daily practices may look different from one another and also day to day for ourselves. These five areas emerged through our own personal experiences, as well as from witnessing clients, colleagues and partners working within the social and systemic change sector. Each of these practices are also inspired by other practices such as Art of Hosting, circle practice, dialogue practices and also indigenous practices.
When interwoven, these five practices can help create a strong fabric of presence and coherence within us. In a rapidly changing and fast-paced world, a healthy groundedness and presence supports us to be with what is and to navigate with grace, dignity and agility through intensities. Cultivating and training these muscles through creative and dedicated practice nourishes our inner wellspring, which in return can extend outward, to nourish our teams and purposeful work.
I. Joy and Self Care
What truly brings you joy? The practice of joy and self care invites us to create sweet and enjoyable moments in our daily lives and care for ourselves with a gentle and loving attitude. Gifting ourselves with joyful or relaxing “treats,” no matter how big or small, can replenish our heart, body and mind. The act of joyful self care is a way of honoring our inner resources, to provide fresh inspiration, creativity and abundance to our inner wellspring.
The benefit of this practice is about creating a space to dedicate fully to ourselves and to give ourselves whatever may be needed that tends to the well-being in ourselves. For example, simple rituals that make one’s heart sing such as gardening, taking a walk, dancing, being playful or treating oneself to a massage or sauna. Once our inner wellspring is replenished, joy can then radiate to our surroundings and into our activities.
II. Daily Practice
A daily or regular practice provides centering, grounding and recalibration. Being rooted in an awareness-based and contemplative practice not only nurtures ourselves, but also helps us to zoom out and reach a more neutral place from which we can witness life and the stories revolving around us.
Core to the daily practice is often some form of meditation. It also can include physical movement or exercise such as yoga, dancing, running, or swimming etc. Engaging in forms of creative expression, such as singing, drawing, and writing help create a sacred and dedicated space for connecting to oneself and one’s inner source of wisdom and guidance.
It may be different for every individual but the central idea is to be intentional in committing to such a steady practice. The intentionality, no matter how short, can help one’s “awareness muscles” stay active and warmed up. Overtime, the practices may change but the dedicated intention and ongoing rhythm of the practice is held sacred. This dedication can deepen the sense of inner knowing, of right timing and a heightened sense of presence.
III. Energetic Hygiene
How can we ensure that we are not bringing in emotion or energy from one work context to another? The third practice is about clearing oneself, maintaining healthy boundaries and ensuring good energetic hygiene.
Working in complex contexts can be intense and often the energy that streams through our systems can build up. It could feel like we had gathered mud on our hands and feet after working in the garden all day.
If not cleansed and released, we could track these energies into other conversations, contexts and relationships. Consciously cleansing ourselves becomes a form of closure in order to let our individual system reset, rest and replenish. It is also a way of honoring the work done in and with the collective.
While there are many methods of how to clear oneself, for the purpose of the blog, we will share basic elements. Cleansing can be done with intention, communication and breath. For example, with intention, we can consciously let things go that are not ours to carry or hold. We may share words of thanks or gratitude for work done or time spent together in order to close before transitioning to another space. Taking a moment to pause and breathe deeply, slowly inhaling and exhaling can also support one’s system to release and renew.
To maintain healthy boundaries, it is important to clearly differentiate what’s our personal energy and what is anothers or of the collective. The sharpening of our awareness regarding where our space begins and ends and how energy is flowing through us, can support us maintaining good energetic hygiene, knowing what to let go of, what to process further and what to take forward.
IV. Connection with Nature
The fourth practice is about building and maintaining a relationship with nature on a regular basis. The dedication to connect with the natural world invites us to slow down, widen our senses, ground and find refreshment.
A dialogue may start to take shape with our surroundings that can open a space for a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness with life. Being in a healthy relationship with nature allows rebalance. It may even be a place and type of healing container for us to process underlying dynamics such as fears, sadness or anger.
Nature walks, meditative hikes and experiencing everyday moments with nature — sunsets and sunrises, the land under our feet, the sweet smell of the dirt on a rainy day, leaning against a tree — are just glimpses of how we can experience our connection with nature and to refresh our senses.
Being in nature and learning how to move with agility through the natural cycles of life from an embodied place, can give us a deeper understanding of being part of a larger whole that is unfolding and evolving.
V. Personal Development
Working with one’s own inner blindspots, blocks and conflicts, or even trauma-informed dynamics, are necessary in order to heal inner wounds and open pain points. Tending to wounds and to what hurts by noticing what’s “alive” and true in the moment is the work of this practice.
Acknowledging one’s own pain or hidden shadows — from the recent past or stories of our trans-generational history is needed for the healing to begin. Wounds often carry a message and their root causes call for acknowledgement. Being with the emotions that surface can help us to reconnect to parts that may have felt separate or even lost.
Becoming aware of one’s own story with a gentle gaze can allow a sense of deeper compassion for oneself and others. Seeing these trigger points as messengers rather than distractions allow us to see how outer dynamics may also still play in ourselves. By taking time to understand and heal ourselves, we also do work also on the collective.
Seeking professional support may help care well for the intense emotions, the inner wounds and pain points. To acknowledge when we may need support from a coach, a therapist or loved ones, is also a signal to having the courage to reach out and receive caring attention. The act of allowing others to support us is a gift of trust and a service to the collective.
Author and Editor
First appeared on Medium. Much of the content of this article was sourced and pulled together by Luea Ritter for an online call for practitioners, “Dedication to our Wellsprings.” The story was then edited by Nancy Zamierowski and Jyo Maan. We’d welcome feedback or further questions.
Main picture: https://unsplash.com/@lifeoffai