It’s Monday again, women and womxn and we’re back with another weekly post. Understanding these are time-stamped on the etherwebs, the topic I want to mention today will still be critical years ahead. Also, it’s heavy—so here’s an emotional reaction/trigger warning. If you’re not up for it today (or ever), that’s ok. Click here to look over other topics on the FSW Blog.

Not only because of what happened in Buffalo, NY over the weekend—an act of violence against the Black community—but also violence against Asian-Americans, women/womxn’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ Folx… there are times when it would seem natural to just hide away until the next lifetime. This may feel compounded by those of us who are highly sensitive or empathetic.

The point: we can cower away and “not want to see” when violence or restrictions happen. We can try to back away from such an act and put our heads in the sand… But then change doesn’t happen. Living in some semblance of peace can’t even begin to occur.

So, what do we do? We hold space for ourselves and one another.

I completely understand taking a break from media coverage and finding solitude or quiet. I support it, fully, especially depending on how triggering it is to each one of us.

War. Poverty. Suffering. Trauma. The list goes on… It pains me on all levels and most of the time I don’t know “why it happens,” except for when an action or choice is made because of recurring historical patterns. To be real, I don’t know what the Universal Guide, Source, or whatever word you want to use for your belief or understanding of Creation is… But when one more thing happens, I just go WTF all over again.

Despite the conflicts, loss, grief, and more, I’m still grateful to see responses coming from a continual, collective light in. For those of us trying to do good things in this world and make a positive impact, it can feel so tiresome to keep doing it in the face of such news and events. Human activities can just be mind-blowing more often than not…

So, what do we do–again? We hold space for ourselves and one another.

Some Thoughts for Creating and Holding Space

I don’t want to muddy suffering and pain with overly simplistic tips and tricks, but maybe some of this will be useful:

• You have permission (not that you need it from me) to go rest and take care of your own needs amidst the suffering. Even 30 minutes–or five–of “breaking away” and finding comfort could help for a moment in the chaos. Take more time, if you can. And for those companies or orgs. that put their heads in the sand, please support your employees. Now.
• Please know that you are not alone—some of us may not suffer the way you do or understand your precise pain point(s), but I. Am. Here. With. You.
• Looking at the past and the present will help us build a better future. What we learn from, we can apply. Within the systems that don’t want change, that means we need to come together even more fiercely.
• I’ve had to learn this more and more: those who aren’t ready to raise their awareness or consciousness, they’ll stay this way (until they are, if they are). Let’s continue to work with fellow change-makers and we’ll collectively come together for the betterment of this world. To the others, not to sound morbid, but their lessons will come.

We can face these shadows, in each one of us, and on a higher, collective level together. In truth, we can begin to face them with help and resources, as one, so we can move on and expand in our own way.

How do we do some of these things? We create, hold, and protect, our sacred space. Whether it’s via our work desks, the network we hold dear, the clients we work with… We can hold and protect space for centering, for all the feels, or for quiet, and anything else I’m not typing right now…

If we can learn how to hold space for ourselves and others, that’s a superpower y’all. It makes our impact even more expansive because we will be more expansive.

Honestly, I don’t have a good ending to this week’s post. I just couldn’t come in all chummy today without honoring what’s happened and recognizing the situation. That’s not how I do business or my work in general.

To that end, let’s just take a moment. Just sit. And go back to our breath… That’ll be a good start, my friends. After that, we’ll come together to continue to be change-makers.

That’s it for this week! If you’re looking for more direct updates on the FSW world and want a more direct connection, check out the FSW Circle. Want more independent research? Hit up the FSW Quiz. And if you have any questions or comments, leave them below or contact me 1:1 this way. Chat with you soon!