Safety First

God works in some beautiful ways. I’ve learned that those amazing divine messages arrive in my lap – so simply. And yet they are so profound.

I have found myself over the last few weeks becoming more and more interested in the concept of “healing.” You know, for years I have talked about the healing journey and shared all kinds of holistic healing practices. They all belong. They are all beautiful. They all can bring joy and bliss and peace.

And yet, a different word has been growing bigger in my heart. It has been getting louder and louder. And I have realized that healing is not necessarily something to seek externally to us.

The first step is in safety.

Do I feel safe in my body? Do I stay in my body when a trigger hits, or when a difficult emotion enters in?

Am I quick to a distraction to “heal” this? To push it out of my body and my mind? Or do I let it exist right there at my center?

Healing is not outside of me.

When I stay in my body, when I allow an emotion to enter and to be there for as long as it needs to be…when I feel truly safe…

The healing comes to me.

I know that’s super deep and woo-woo, but it is so wildly true.

I have spent so much time being a process junkie, focused on unpacking layers and layers and excavating all the things.

Might it be just as simple as allowing?

Allow the emotion, allow the experience, welcome it inside.

Sit with it. Be with it. Breathe with it. Be with God inside.

It begins with safety. It’s crazy to reflect on and share this, but I have been so intentional on building our treatment center rooted in safety, and I often share that we cannot heal where we don’t feel safe. So, we aim to foster a safe space where our clients can exhale and lean into the journey. (And we do a damn good job, in my humble opinion).

I share these things at work all of the time.

And in recent weeks, I have deeply reflected and ventured inward –

Do I seriously feel safe in my body? Do I allow my tough emotions to be there, or do I seek all of these healing modalities as a distraction to avoid literally being in it, to move it in and through.

Can you fully embody your experience?

I have no idea if any of this makes sense, I hope it does.

I am not asking if you feel safe in your external home environment, or around your loved ones. Because I definitely do.

I am asking if you feel safe inside. With yourself. In difficult emotion.

Can you meet yourself there and send love? Breathe life to help it move?

I’m not quite sure exactly how to nail it every time (I probably never will), but God’s message has definitely come in simply. Beautifully. Clearly.

And then of course, one of my mentors sent me a quote the other day that I felt from my toes to the crown of my head that captures everything I am trying to say:

“Your discomfort is your curriculum.”

I’m not sure how to follow behind such a powerful string of words, so I will leave it here.

In case you forgot, I believe in you. I love you. And I respect your journey.

With Love and Light,

JJ