We’ve just recently greeted and embraced the lovely and lively month of June, the doorway to summer. No, technically it’s not summer yet, but try telling your senses that when temperatures are already soaring, peonies bursting at the seams, and invitations to grad parties, barbecues and baseball games are already filling our calendars! School will be out soon and vacation plans are well underway………it’s for many people a string of days that lend themselves to slowing down and “summer-izing” what has already happened: this is the 6th month of our 12 month year, and a fine time to reckon, take inventory and renew those January promises, dreams and plans!

June invites us to relearn the power of stepping back to recharge. The pace many of us live within is not healthy…our souls are constantly trying to catch up with the busy and speed-dial rhythm of our frantic lifestyle! We know what happens when we don’t stop in time: sickness, stress, strong feelings of losing control. Our souls (our true selves) simply never catch up! We have an interesting expression for it: “I’m beside myself!” Out of sheer love for our total well being we owe it to ourselves to come together as one being; body, soul, mind, spirit, and do what we can to mitigate the feeling of being “separate,” a part of us always struggling against overwhelming demands. That part of us that can feel beside us but not fully us is often the child part of us that has been hurt and not fully healed. When triggered by stressful situations the child within desires to be appeased, consoled and causes us to react with words and actions that cause more stress and hurt. We then experience being out of control and beside ourselves…not collected and serene. The calm and serene folks we know …where do they get this cool demeanor? I really believe they are the ones who consistently practice wholesome self-care, not only in June…but consistently. They pause in times of stress…they take time to breathe and allow their “real selves” to soothe their inner child. On a regular basis, they take care of themselves: taking on simple but very effective practices that get them in touch with what’s important…who they really are…why they are here!

What healthy practices do you do to take care of yourself consistently? This 6th month of June is a virtual invitation to make a list: and if you can’t come up with 4 or 5 practices you do regularly, make a commitment to find out how you can. Some serene folks I know practice simple but regular things like a daily 15 minute walk alone…10-15 minutes of centuring prayer daily…making a date with oneself once a month to do something “just for you” that you thoroughly enjoy…listing 3 things nightly they are grateful for…reading and/or writing a poem every day…gazing at a beautiful piece of art for a few minutes daily…gazing at God’s art in nature for 5-10 minutes every day. There are as many soul reaching practices as there are people practicing them: things that help us “come together,” and respnd to life with calmness and love instead of frenetic, out of control emotions.

June is alive out there waitng for you to embrace her many gifts and give you the best gift of all: that of coming together as a whole being as God meant us to be!

TRUEST SELF

Who wins when i fume-shout-slam

Not me for sure

In that moment i am cut in two

a hurt little child suddenly sitting beside me

i’m beside myself

not whole not me

taking time to stop

the pause soothes my little self

i’m no longer 2 but 1

responding not reacting

though wounded i do not wound

i am collected

i am true

i am one christine milner