If you’re like most, the desire to fix or change our situation has only grown stronger, and with that, feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and helplessness. Many people have been coming to me for healing, to eradicate these heavy feelings, to foretell the future, and reassure that things will get better. The intuitive guidance I keep receiving to provide them is:

slow down, breathe, and trust.

Right now we are in a phase of growth where it may feel near impossible to see anything positive – and that’s exactly where we are meant to be.

Think of yourself like a tiny seedling, planted in soil. It’s dark and there’s no telling which way is up. From time to time, fertilizer and rain falls upon you, and all you feel is more pressure. Then, with time and patience, you start to break through your tiny shell, your feet reaches for drink, your head reaches for light. Before you know it, you emerge into a different world with a new perspective on where you’ve come from. More importantly, your new point of view brings an understanding of the darkness and weight you felt for so long – you were simply getting ready to be born.

That’s where we are right now. In a gestation period, a time of development. When a baby is in the womb, it simply IS – receiving nourishment and allowing a greater force to bring them to life, instilling inherent tools to function post birth. So if we can view our experience in this way, we can see that there is an opportunity to do the same. To BE and allow whatever force that brought us to this world, guide us into the next phase of life.

THIS is the healing – not trying to escape, fix, change or white-kuckle through this time, but rather, learn to fully accept our ourselves and our situation right now. This includes how we feel right now, what our thoughts are right now, and what our actions and reactions have been up until now.

Acceptance is not an overnight solution. It’s a daily practice, and in some cases for me – a moment to moment practice. Silent meditation is one of the best ways to learn and incorporate this into your life. If you’re new to meditation, start with 5 minutes of observing your breath first thing in the morning and right before bed. Let the thoughts and feelings come up, the body protest. The aim is not to quiet them all – it’s to simply notice when they arise, and then gently bring your attention back to your breath. Over time, add a few more minutes to each practice, working your way up to 20 minutes. For our seasoned meditators, keep meditating. Increase your time and incorporate small moments throughout the day to simply close your eyes and take a breath. The more you can meditate, the better you’ll feel overall.

Once you are able to be with yourself, with the moment, fully present, then can you hear your inner wisdom speak. This voice has been guiding you all along, but you couldn’t hear it through the noise of your thoughts. It’s this inner voice that will assure you that all is well, and guide you in the next actions you need to take to continue to support your well-being. And from there… well, that gift is for you to discover.

Happy meditating!