LOST

Here’s what’s on my mind this week – feeling lost. A basic human condition, of course, yet it seems really intense right now.  I don’t know whether it’s still a side effect of Covid, the state of the world or the way the planets are aligned – maybe all three – but I am hearing over and over just how lonely people are feeling these days.  So here are my thoughts on the matter, having spent plenty of time in the Land of the Lost myself.

It's okay.  It’s part of the deal of being human.  And I often find that it is a sign that things are about to shift or change in some big way.

That said, it’s really uncomfortable. I call it the Muddy Middle.  We are pack animals, we humans, and we like to Have A Plan, don’t we? But what if we start to look at it as part of the game, and stop struggling with it so much? I’ve found that if I let myself be lost, if I can get still and spend time in quiet, often time will bring the answers I need to move forward – without all the thrashing and agonizing we seem to think is part of the lost package.

I am a huge fan of meditating, always, and in any form. Sometimes navel gazing is exactly what’s needed and others, well, walking meditation may be more what is required – any way that you can be with yourself without distraction will do. Ask for the support of those who form a safety net for you, whether it be prayer, phahla, ancestors or guides, religious or contemplative practices. 

And while you are there in that muddy middle being quiet, maybe ask your body what it needs, too. In many native traditions, a shaman or sangoma will ask someone who is unwell when they stopped dancing. Or singing or creating.  If you let it, often your body will show you what it needs – and that movement will lead you forward in ways you might not have imagined. 

For me and many I know, getting lost in nature will often let me find myself again.  A hike to a waterfall, a stroll along the beach or time in a favourite clearing in the woods is obviously a great way to do this, yet the world today doesn’t allow all of us to access nature easily, does it? Maybe find a tree and watch it in the breeze, how it bends but does not break, or study the intricate patterns of a leaf or a flower and remember that you are also that beautifully made.  Even a stray dandelion forcing its way through a crack in the city pavement can be inspiring – a great metaphor for finding our way. 

If all else fails, listening to nature sounds through an app on your phone can bring you home - I’m a great fan of Insight Timer myself. Soak in a tub with some salt.  Gaze at the flame of a candle. Do some deep breathing.  The elements of water, fire, air and earth are so comforting to us as human organisms. And if you’re going to be lost, you might as well be comfortable.

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If you’d like to listen to me chat about this topic and others, you can find my videos on YouTube or on Tiktok @christacreating.