WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO FEEL GOOD: RECONNECT AND RECHARGE
One of my clients is CJ, a nonverbal young man with Down Syndrome and autism. When he’s home for the weekend, CJ loves to sit or stretch out on the back lawn and connect with nature. He was home last weekend, in his favorite spot. His mom was close by, uprooting dying plants in the garden, picking the last of the tomatoes and cucumbers, potting a few herbs.
We were expecting a frost later, but that afternoon, the weather was perfect, warm and serene. After about twenty minutes of rocking back and forth, CJ stopped moving. He lay down on the grass and just watched the grey clouds rolling in.
His mom texted me: “CJ’s not moving.”
“Is he all right?” I texted back
“I can see he’s still breathing, but he’s lying there, perfectly still. I’ve never seen him lie still.”
Like a lot of individuals with neurodevelopmental delays, CJ was usually in a sympathetic dominant state, with constant, underlying tension.
He lay there for nearly an hour, while his mom finished gardening and moved some of the plants into the green house. She kept checking him, making sure his chest was still moving, up and down.
Finally, she got it. “He’s recharging, isn’t he?”
I thought of that conversation a few days later, when I was at another airport, late at night, waiting for my flight to board. All around me, people were rushing back and forth, toting luggage, carrying handheld devices, and looking frantically for some place to charge them. We were scheduled to board in less than an hour, so the area around the gate was congested, and all the charging stations were filled. People were hovering, asking others, “are you done? can I get on there? I’ve gotta charge up before we get on the plane.”
I could feel waves of tension rolling towards me. Unconsciously, I started doing some deep breathing myself, to counter the mounting stress. Wouldn’t it be something, I thought, if people gave that much care to recharging themselves? What would that be like?
I imagined people finding a clear spot and going into some yoga poses. I almost laughed out loud; it was a funny image.
But it is a smart thing to do, to recharge yourself. Like my young friend CJ. Nobody taught him to connect with the earth. It’s just something he figured out for himself. “This feels good. This calms me.” He took the time to lie back and soak up some negative ions, sending healing vibrations through his body.
Maybe we could learn a thing or two from CJ. Maybe we could give ourselves the gift of time, a few minutes to connect with nature, especially now, before winter sets in. And then, even as the weather grows colder, to get outside for a walk every day. Breathe deep, and fill up your lungs. Turn your face up to catch a few rays of sunshine. Let yourself feel good. There are so many ways we can choose to nourish ourselves.
And they’re free. You don’t have to pay anybody to take a walk or go for a hike. Just remember to care for yourself. Choose to love you, right now, just as you are. Give yourself a little time, every day, to recharge. In that stillness lies tremendous healing.
Looking for some support and caring on your own healing journey? Join us for our next Weekend Vitality Retreat. This is an amazing opportunity to seek peace and healing within yourself. Give yourself the gift of a weekend of self-care. To be there for others, first take care of you. To learn more contact us at 518-248-7217, and reserve your spot. Imagine how good it will feel, to be yourself again.