1. Choose an anchor word or phrase to use when you wake up, go to sleep, and any time during the day when you want to center yourself. You are the calm eye in the center of the storm of your life.

2. Micro stretches can help release a little bit of tension at a time all day long. Flex your toes and feet before you put your shoes on in the morning, and when you take them off at night. Stretch your hands and fingers by placing your hands together in prayer position or Namaste greeting and hold that position for a few breaths. Roll your shoulders around several times. Gently look up if you’ve been looking down or forward for a while.

3. Visualize the beautiful web of healing and prayer that countless numbers of people and groups are offering to the world in this crucial time. Many people are praying for you and sending you healing right now, and in every moment, so go ahead and soak it up!

4. We all have healing ability, and now is a perfect time to develop yours, simply by placing your hands on your heart, belly, head or anywhere you have tension or pain, and just breathe while you rest your hands there for a few minutes or as long as you can.

5. Breathing is something we do all the time, but when we pay attention to our breath, it can become a powerful agent for change. Notice how many muscles and parts of your body are involved in your breathing, and where you release a little tension with each breath.

6. Practice the Gratitude Alphabet, a technique I learned from The Joy Plan. Just think of something you’re grateful for that starts with each letter. I adapt it to various themes, like what I’m grateful for today, or in a specific situation, or people in my life.

7. Start a kindness calendar. I use the We’Moon datebook and write something kind in each day’s area on the page that I would say to a friend I really care about, only that friend is me! It’s interesting to see what’s easy to say to someone else but hard to say to ourselves. You can also play with language so you’re either talking to yourself as “you” like you’re a different person, or as “I” or for example, “You are such a kind person” or “I was really kind to that person today.”

8. Ask your body wisdom, What do I need right now? And then listen. Notice how easy or hard it is to hear what your body is telling you. Are you used to being sensitive to your body’s needs or do you ignore them because you’re too busy or for some other reason?

9. Admit you’re empathic. It’s pretty likely that you’re sensing what other people are feeling, whether from someone near you or just the general concerns of humanity. It doesn’t mean you’re too sensitive, it’s natural. Practice all the other methods of self-care that are helpful for you, and add some visualization like picturing yourself surrounded by white light. Compassion practices are also helpful, where you breathe and focus on compassion for yourself, then breathe again and focus on compassion for others.

10. Relax your expectations. It’s okay to slow down, limit multitasking, not get everything done, feel challenged by normal things right now. Actually, your body and mind are processing a lot of extra stuff right now, from confusing new information to an overstimulated nervous system, perhaps sleep disruption, extra activities required of you, and changes to what you’re used to. Please don’t criticize yourself or think there’s something wrong with you, just be gentle and patient. Everyone’s feeling some stress right now, so take it easy when you can.

First published on @EssentialArtofReiki on Facebook 3/19/2020