Sabbath for Resilience Boot Camp

We all have times in our lives when we are stretched by challenging situations, and the hope is that we are strong enough to win through with some amount of grace. This is what all the books, journaling, and habit-building is meant to prepare us for.

Am I prepared? Mostly, but I could always do more. This week at the full moon I discerned a new intention: 

I intend to list clear actionable steps towards paring down, resilience habits, delegation, care-taking, and community-building because the next 2-weeks are our boot camp for the long haul of recovery.

The truth is that I need to control the bits I can control: MY habits, my preparations and negotiations, my integrity and compassion. So, for the next two weeks I'm putting myself through Resilience Boot Camp! And today is Day One.

Agenda:

1. Read "Revolutionary Witchcraft"

2. Start new work-out program

3. Harvesting practice

4. Bee watching

5. Discern what I want to delegate, and delegate it

1. Read "Revolutionary Witchcraft":

I'm reading this sweet little book by Sarah Lyons (2019) that I got from my daughter for Christmas. The subtitle is A Guide to Magical Activism.

Chapter 4 is The Pathways of Power, about ways to map the currents of power and direct it in the material plane.

The section this week is on , appropriately enough, the Spectrum of Allies. These are anyone who wants us to succeed at our goals. When you have chosen a goal, you next want to list resources and identify allies What can you yourself bring into action? What can your organizations do? Who else is affected by the problem who might be tempted to help out, and what power do they have over the target?  

2. Start a new workout program:

Yesterday I finally downloaded the "Stand Strong for Life" program, and today I'm starting it. I'm hoping that it will help me to move from passive stretches to a bit of strength building.

3. Harvesting practice:

Harvesting is an Ongo technique

, "a practice consciously reflecting on learning experiences through the lens of celebration and grief." It can be a useful monthly, weekly, or even daily practice.

1. Reflect on an experience and look at journal entries.

2. Write about a thing that was enriching, what I said or did and the Needs it touched. Take time to savor and celebrate, and write any insights.

3. Write about a thing that created loss, what I said or did and the Needs that went unmet. Take time to be in mourning, and write any insights.

4. Write about any actions or requests for myself that come up out of these celebrations and mournings.

4. Bee watching:

Sundays I often try to plan an awareness practice for the week, and this week it is watching bees. By mid-spring we have many  pollinators showing up in our garden: Bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds. This week I'll take time to visit with them and learn their names. 

When I set an intention to greet the pollinators, my time in the garden takes on a meditative focus: I move slower and look with new eyes, like a little kid.

 

How to bee watch: Choose a sunny spot in the mid-day (bees are more active mid-day), near a pollinator plant such as lavender, and get comfortable and still. Once you are still the bees will settle back into their world-saving business.

And then just watch them. When you first start looking at bees, they might “all look alike”, but pretty soon you will begin to distinguish differences in size and color. Name the bees you see. If you know their proper names - honey bee, sweat bee, mason bee - good for you! If you don't know, name them anyway - "small blackish bee", "medium tiger bee", "green jewel bee".

(Today I was watching a medium-sized bee with a bright orange back, and my brain named him Bombus - which I had forgotten is Latin for bumblebee! His common name is Orange-belted Bumblebee.)

5. Discern actionable steps:

Today I will begin to list "clear actionable steps":

• Paring down: Simplicity theme; photo journal of clear spaces
• Resilience habits: Stand Strong routine; evening walks; diet
• Delegation: EC tasks.
• Care-taking: Grumpy plan; try post-op recipes; compassion project - celebrate W.
• Community-building: Need an errand and grocery runner
• Finish things I start: Integrity with priorities.