Beach Closed: No Lifeguard on Duty : Arielle Ford

Several years ago we were vacationing on the insanely beautiful island of Capri in Italy.

One afternoon we went for a walk, searching for a beach, to take a swim in the refreshing, sparkling Mediterranean sea.

We eventually found one and hiked down to a sweet little cove with a sandy beach jammed packed with men, women and children, in all shapes and sizes.

As we waded into the water, I noticed a small canoe-like boat that was painted red and on the side were the words, in big block letters, Salvatore.

My first thought was, “I wonder who Salvatore is and why does he need his name so boldly on the boat?”

And, even though I don’t speak Italian, I soon figured out that Salvatore wasn’t some man’s name but rather it means “Savior,” and that this was a boat used by lifeguards.

As all of us continue to navigate through these scary and difficult times of the COVID-19 virus, it’s becoming clear that there aren’t enough lifeguards right now, and it’s really up to us to figure out how to rescue ourselves and our loved ones.

We must use the full force of our emotional maturity to manage our fear, anxiety, and negative thoughts, so that we can stay strong and courageous in this time of massive uncertainty. It is uncertainty which triggers our darkest thoughts. We are living through a time when we are constantly bombarded with disastrous news of the global pandemic and economic crash as our minds run wild asking ourselves “what if” questions.

So, how does one balance the “reality” of what is happening with the ability to stay grounded, centered and at peace with what is?

One way is to begin to create a spiritual tool kit filled with simple and easy remedies for the times your monkey mind spins out of control. The first step is to be aware of what is going on in your head and to consciously choose to shift your thinking.

Be willing to say out loud what is going on with you. For instance, it might be, “I am crazy scared that someone I love is going to die from the virus.” Just naming the problem often helps alleviate some of the energy of it.

Now create an affirmation for yourself, perhaps close your eyes and say “I am sending love, healing and blessings to myself, my family and my friends knowing and trusting that all is well.”

We can’t eliminate all negative thoughts, but we can begin to manage how we respond to them.

Begin to find ways to feel and experience love, gratitude and appreciation in your life.

In one HeartMath® research study published in the Journal of Advancement in Medicine it was observed that just five minutes of genuinely feeling a positive emotion such as appreciation can provide a beneficial boost to the immune system! Creating your own spiritual toolkit will allow you to be proactive and will also help boost your immune system.

Here are a few of the items in my Spiritual Toolkit.

** I repeat my favorite line from A Course In Miracles: “In this moment I have everything that I need.” For me, this is always true as well as comforting. When I say this to myself I know that in this NOW moment, I have a safe place to sit, clean water to drink, fresh air to breath, food to eat, family and friends who love me.

** I have faith. I remember that even though I don’t know what the future holds, I can choose to ‘be with not knowing’ and choose to know and trust that I am ok and I will be ok. As I recall my faith, I place my hands upon my heart and give thanks for all the goodness in my life.

** I Take Five. I stop whatever I am doing, I stop listening to my scary thoughts and I find a fun way to get through the next five minutes. I may turn on my favorite Earth Wind and Fire tune (loud) and dance around the house, or I’ll do a quick search of the Internet for stupid, funny jokes (here’s one for you right now: Did you hear about the zoo that only had one dog? It was a shitzu!) Take 5 minutes and distract yourself.

** I do EFT Tapping. This is a very useful and easy to learn process to help relieve stress, anxiety and suffering. Just google it and you will find a ton of free videos to tap along with.

** I do a “feelingization.” This is a word I coined to describe a closed eye process to take you from your head to your heart and experience love, gratitude, serenity and peace.

Here is a link to one entitled Blessing Yourself, Blessing The World that will calm you and fill you with love, guiding you to extend that love to the world.

In just 15 minutes you can transform your state of being!