Navigating Your Mind and Emotions in a Crisis

In these powerful times, you may have found yourself moving through different transitions or even crisis moments or maybe you know someone who has been experiencing a crisis or loss.

I want to touch on the topic today to reflect on perspectives and support to navigate crisis on an emotional, mental and energetic level. I've been through many different crisis in my own path and some of them arrived in layers with multiple difficult situations to navigate.

When crisis arrives, we can feel unprepared to move through it, It can catch us off guard and throw us into an extreme state of shock. Especially if a disaster has occurred, immediate survival is the only focus and the concerns and wellbeing of any loved ones involved.

The Nervous System response will be one of instant fight or flight, adrenaline and cortisol begins to pump through our system to keep us safe in an emergency or to protect ourselves as we navigate a state of shock or loss. These powerful times have definitely tested many of us. The focus becomes on surviving and tending to the immediate needs. Acting quickly is often paired with it and responding almost without thinking. This is the fight or flight response.

In these moments noticing your breath will help you to calm, taking longer exhales than your inhales will support to regulate your nervous system in these moments.

Tend to yourself first, you can't be of any help to anyone around you if you are personallly at risk. Oftentimes when the day has ended you may find your mind is wrapped up in the crisis state as your body and nervous system process the experiences. The mind can become very overactive in this case and you may feel a deep exhaustion as your cortisol levels have become heightened to help you move through the immediate responses.

Tips to support

*Sea Salt Bath-If you have access to a bath, taking a sea salt bath each night as you move through this will cue to your nervous system you are safe, the magnesium in the salt will help you to calm and the natural cleansing properties of the salt will help to clarify your energy field from the accumated emotion and energy build up.

*Breath Awareness- Notice your breath in the coming days. Your breath may have turned shallow as your stress response is heightened. Aim to bring a breath awareness and pull your breath deep into your abdomen for a full belly breath. To support further deep breathing, find our recommendation HERE for how to practice Dirga breath, this is a 3 part breath to calm you and ease anxiety levels.

This will help you to calm your body and in response your mind will follow what the body is experiencing. Turning to your breath will be a powerful ally to support your mind through this phase.

*Space for Your Emotions

If the crisis intense, your emotions will be loud and right on the surface. It's important to gie yourself space to process them without judgement of the intensity of your emotional responses. Emotion is simply energy in motion and your body is simply moving a lot of energy all at once. If you feel hysterical or your emotional response feels out of control, it can be helpful to get outside, go for a walk or simply sit on the ground to ground your emotions. If you're having a tough time even making that effort, then getting into a shower and letting the water run over you to comfort you will be very helpful. I often recommend the healing power of flower essences in my practice. A wonderful crisis response flower essence belnd is Star of Bethlehem. Flower essences work on a subtle emotional and energetic level. This blend will help with shock, grief or any extreme emotional state to soften the edges. Also seeking out support, a friend, family member or professional support to give space for your emotions and what you are moving through.

*Getting Rest- Take care of your basic needs, but also make sure you are getting enough rest. At times if we are moving through crisis or loss, we will have a lot to tend to and think about. In these cases it's important to give yourself compassion and understand that you can't do it all in one day. Give yourself permission to rest, especially if you are feeling exhausted. You will be able to come back to the tasks at hand with a clearer head. If you don't have the time for deeper rest, turn to our Nervous System Support Playlist and Yoga Nidra videos. Yoga Nidra is a short nap that restores your body, convinving your body you have had hours of sleep.

*Blessings in Disguise-Notice the blessings in the storm. It can be easy to get swept up in all of the challenge of a situation if there is a crisis or loss. It's important to practice mindful awareness as well to begin to notice the gifts and blessings that are showing up for you within all that is taking place. They are always there. To further understand this language of the universe, find our Digital Lesson- Strengthening Your Connection to Your Guides. This will help comfort you during these times and offer you technqiues to strengthen this bond with this ever present support.

As You Move Forward

Each day you may feel different as you move through a loss or crisis. Give space for your emotions, and give space for what your body is feeling, tending to it with deep love and self care.

Remember that every crisis or loss is a catalyst, a disguise of a deeper lesson at hand. The energy and emotion of grief is actually a beginning, it gives birth to something completely new in response to the loss. You are in a rebirth process and are transforming immensely, in times the sun will peak over the horizon again and you will look back and see all that has transformed and grown from this experience.