“It’s not about returning to ‘normal’ but about becoming someone new, free to be present for whatever your life is now”
Ram Dass⁠

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This past few weeks - if not months - have been challenging.
It is difficult to write.

I move between tears for our country, it's people and all our natural world, and joy for my personal daily life; tears for the loss of our beloved Coco, happiness in our new home and community that rallied when we barely could.

Watching the events in our country
the fires, the loss of life, the destruction
the blame
the lack of action from leaders
the incredible actions from other people - from refugees to celebrities and everyone in between
we see the people who care about life beyond the end of their own nose, who care about life more than profits and profiteers
doing things that actually help living beings
instead of spinning words
they are sharing love in so many forms, to all

with all this happening

Parts of me and I am sure parts (perhaps it feels like all) of you want to run and hide, to relax and have a drink, binge on netflix, or whatever your go to escape is right now.
(contract. run. hide. helpless. denial)

Even the anger and blame game can't burn as long as these fires - we Aussies are not good at holding our leaders accountable or really demanding the action that we need.
Where will it get us anyway??? We seem to collectively ask.

All the while the world looks on, dismayed at our inaction, grieving our losses. Supporting us when we need it. No forced handshakes there.

Through all of this I have been challenged - wondering how to hold space in myself for all this, life is not the same and never will be.

I don't care to argue my point or climate beliefs anymore.
While we are stuck arguing, another house another town another koala and tract of irreplaceable forest is lost. Forever.

So I Breathe.
A relaxed exhale. Connecting my Inhale and Exhale, gently.
Feeling what I am feeling.

Allowing my heart and my being to open to all the points of view - going beyond, it doesn't matter who is right or who is wrong.

Connecting to the people and things I love, even if it hurts. Saying prayers for rain, our wildlife, our people, our country.

Thanking, connecting and loving the people in my life.
Donating. Engaging with what is happening. Doing what I can.

It's action that makes a difference.

Everyday I am grateful that I have spent the past few years learning Rebirthing Breathwork, supported by my mentor Georgia to continually open, connect and open.
I have learnt that even if I don't feel it, even if I don't see it YET, there can be solutions that are currently beyond me, but if I
OPEN
I have the potential to connect with them in some way. For that I use my breath, clearing out my small thinking and old fears, opening to possibilities.

That is what is holding me now, this practice, the opening to my own hidden darkness, the owning of my inner stories, the breathing and releasing, opening to the real depths of Who I Am.

It's a never ending journey, and right now I am so grateful for how this is holding me in this challenging times, showing me that I can be joyous and agrieved in the same moment.
Helping me to help others and care, when parts of me want to curl up and hide or lash out in blame.

Life is not clean cut.

I have been talking about this in social media - this is WHY I breathe, to be more resilient, to be able to open to all of life, to better understand the person on the other side of the fence, to learn and feel and be in my humanness unabashedly and to allow you to be in yours also.

This is my WHY for sharing Rebirthing Breathwork,
along with yoga & meditation.

[ side note: spell check just tried to change Rebirthing to Firefighting! ]

The white robes left quite a while ago, but the breath is always with me, it is always with each of us.

gently caressing,
tenderly opening
inviting us to open our hearts
to ourselves
to each other

our breath
connecting us to ourselves
to each other
to this country, this planet

and we are all connected - whether we feel it or not

check in with you
ask your heart
how is it, right now.

feel what you are feeling

Are you Open??

x with a gentle connected breath
Brie, Natalie & Magi

p.s. for those of you that have learnt the connected breath - keep it up! 10-20 rounds twice a day, and whenever else you feel overwhelmed, start to shut down, or in anyway need support to relax and OPEN.
If you haven’t learnt it yet, have a look at my upcoming workshop or consider private sessions.