I am traveling this week and thought this post was a good reminder to take care of ourselves, especially when traversing the aftermath of loss.

I have a first aid kit tucked away in the bathroom cabinet for those minor emergencies, a preventative toolbox to ward off infections and avoid a costly visit to the doctor or ER.

When my kids were little, the first aid box was filled mostly with Neosporin and Band-Aids for all the hazards of childhood. Nowadays, it is more geared towards an overzealous attack of an acne breakout or the odd run-in with a kitchen knife.

While I was cleaning it out during our move, it dawned on me that we should have a first aid kit for the soul. A way to bathe psychic wounds with healing energy as soon as they are inflicted, so they don’t fester in the depths, creating emotional scars that have to be ripped through later on.

I could have used a Band-Aid on my heart a couple of years ago, and how I wish I’d had ways to create a protective barrier to ease the pain my children endured.

I suppose I have been creating a soulful first aid toolbox with all the elements I am exploring: yoga, meditation, breath work and a healthy diet. I have become a big fan of essential oils and crystals, and I burn candles to light my way. My former self would find all of this amusing.

Of course, many healing elements are contained within our own bodies, too:

Imagination to visualize a healthier space.

Hands for healing touch.

Fingers for tapping.

Feet for walking and absorbing the healing energy of the earth.

Eyes to release the tears of our sorrow.

Arms for a much needed embrace.

Our heart to feel the myriad of beautiful emotions.

One of the most effective tools I have found is the simple practice of being present in each moment. Quite a challenging prescription in that it requires constant effort to lasso the mind and return it back to the here and now. The simple reward in the rapturous moments when I notice all my senses are fully engaged in whatever I happen to be doing, my mind blissfully quiet in the background.

In my other life, I was multi-tasking maniac, achieving super human status with the amount of things I checked off my daily To-Do List. The constant motion created a false sense of purpose and left me with an empty sense of not really inhabiting my life.

I still get a lot done today, but I feel a deeper connection to what I spend my time doing.

 “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”

Thornton Wilder

What are the ways you take care of yourself? How do you administer first aid to your soul?

-db

Who is Dianna Bonny?

Hi, my name is Dianna Bonny. It’s my mission to candidly share my journey with you. For me, it’s all about the healing: to create a radiant healing energy for others who have befallen a similar fate. Together, we can forge beautiful lives of belonging and connection. Thanks for joining me today! I look forward to hearing from you.