Needs and Offerings
A practice of care
In the aftermath of this week’s ICE abductions and brutality in South Burlington I’m offering a practice for our community. This is a practice of intentionally tending to and caring for the self.
The practice was inspired by finding myself in a place of vigilance, a fear of missing something, a sense that maybe I’m not paying attention to the right thing at the right time. Holding all of this while also recognizing that my capacity to care for and tend to others is only as large as my capacity to care for and tend to myself. And that each one of us is not holding all of this alone.
The practice:
Starting our practice with the reminder that everything offered here is an invitation.
An opportunity to listen to what we’re ready for.
For what we need in this moment.
Trusting what arises and practicing choosing the next right step.
And so, beginning this practice by noticing right away something that’s feeling vigilant.
Allowing yourself to notice the shape and posture of your whole body.
Sensing where your center of gravity is located.
And maybe listening for an inner voice - and what messages it’s offering you.
Staying here just long enough to sense what’s going on.
And then offering yourself the invitation to release this stance and shift your focus inward. With the intention of tending to the self.
If only for a little while.
Letting this be enough.
Taking a few rounds of breath to arrive back with yourself.
Inhales nourishing.
Exhales softening.
Becoming aware of any places in the body that soften with the exhale.
Slowing down to give those places time to trust the softening.
And then perhaps allowing a gentle hand to rest in a place that needs your support.
Noticing how it lands.
Making contact with yourself.
Bringing awareness to your hand - the palm, the fingertips.
Sensing the quality of care, its intention, its energy.
Getting to know this offering.
And then shifting awareness to feeling the support of your hand.
Sensing its weight, its warmth, its attention.
Noticing what it’s needing.
Allowing this to be a conversation of needs and offerings.
Noticing the movement of the breath underneath it all.
Supporting movement.
Amplifying the softening and nourishing.
Staying in just this place for as long as feels right.
Perhaps allowing the hand to make contact with somewhere else in need of support and care.
Noticing what is needed here.
What shifts happen with the tending.
And then from here, the invitation is to allow awareness to expand to movement of the breath in the whole body. Inhales expanding. Exhales releasing.
Sensing all of the places the body is making contact with the ground beneath you.
The legs, hips, back, and feet.
And allowing yourself to rest into that support.
To be received.
And held.
Trusting the support of the earth.
And then shifting awareness to the air surrounding you.
Feeling into its contact.
Perhaps imaging that the air is made of a different substance.
Sensing its presence all around you.
Becoming aware of yourself being surrounded by care and support in all directions.
Sensing into the care of loving community.
Feeling its protection.
Trusting its presence.
And then from this place, the invitation is to bring to mind offering care to another.
Taking just a little while to gently shift into this position of offering.
Allowing yourself to notice the shape and posture of your whole body.
Sensing where your center of gravity is located.
Listening for all that is here.
Before moving back to the present moment, to your breath, your body.
And as we prepare to bring this practice to a gentle close, taking time to tuck this practice into a place close at hand.
Easy to reach.
Ready to return to.
And then closing this practice with gratitude.
Thanking yourself for the care and attention of this practice.
Thanking the many teachers and communities of care who have brought us this practice for our collective liberation.
And thanking your inner teacher and true self.
Closing our practice with a breath in oneness.
Inhaling.
And exhaling.
Inspired by:
Migrant Justice Vermont
Needs and Offerings Community Gatherings
BTV Rapid Response Signal chat