If you can’t go outside, venture inside
In this unprecedented global health crisis, most of us are either being forced to isolate, or are willingly staying inside to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. And we are being thrown back onto our internal resources. There is no better time to begin cultivating a deeper inner life, a relationship with ourselves to create depth, calm and resilience in these troubling times.
I have some free resources to suggest for those who want to cultivate inner life, reduce feelings of stress, get a good nights’ sleep and/or learn inner exploration techniques for yourself or your clients:
Insight Timer (insighttimer.com) is the most popular free app with meditations for managing sleep, anxiety and stress. It also includes music for meditation, and meditation practices for kids. My current favorite is Jennifer Piercy’s 22-minute Yoga Nidra for sleep. Her voice is so soothing, and the series of somatic practices so effective, I have yet to be able make it to the end before falling asleep.
Sounds True (soundstrue.com) is offering what they call a digital care package, Resilience in Challenging Times. They are offering the teachings of their top teachers for free to those who sign up. Their focus is on people who are social visionaries and spiritual teachers, folks like mediation teacher and Buddhist Pema Chödrön who writes, “Times are difficult globally … We don’t need to add more depression, discouragement, or anger to what’s already here. It’s becoming essential that we learn how to relate sanely with difficult times.”
Inward Bound, my own company, is going to be offering a free webinar series for therapists on topics related to cultivating inner life, including learning focusing, an exquisite experiential technique for listening to the body, and sessions on how to work with dreams, including a chance to work with yours. To be kept informed of webinar topics, timing and login information, sign up for my email list on my web site: www.drleslieellis.com
Ideas to add? I am gathering up free resources for mental health professionals and for everyone looking for ways to manage stress and stay healthy in these dramatically changing times, so pass any along to me that you know of, and I will share them with my networks. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, stay safe, if possible, stay put… And if you can’t go out, go in.