Staying Grounded, Connected, & In Community During Covid-19

Hi Friends! Normally, this page is about my professional work as a justice-based facilitator and trainer. Until we are on the other side of this pandemic, I am going to be devoting this space to resources to help us stay grounded, connected, and in community while our daily lives experience the disruptions and challenges of this time. I am a Quaker, in the unprogrammed tradition, and all my work and life - spiritual and activist - flow from my faith. I am inviting friends of many traditions and backgrounds to contribute to this page; all are welcome. We are here for each other - our village is strong and knows no bounds.

We are not posting health updates, news, or other such items. Everything here is about how we stay positive, process our feelings, stay connected, and work to make sure our communities have the resources they need to get through this.



Pandemic Daily Practice #1:

Text, call or e-mail 3 people you haven't seen a while & tell them something you appreciate about them


Pandemic Daily Practice #2:

When you wake up, before checking any media, turn and face the sun. Take a deep breath, breathing in light and warmth. Remember an ancestor who gives you strength. This sun shone of them, this sun will shine on you. Thank the sun


Pandemic Daily Practice #3:

In your heart, or via phone or text, forgive someone who has wronged you.


Pandemic Daily Practice #4:

Think of someone who has passed, a family member or historical figure, that you admire. Invite them to walk through your day with you. In the hard moments, ask for their assistance; in the easy moments, thank them for their being.


Pandemic Daily Practice #5:

Play a song that reminds you of a sweet crush you had in high school. Call a friend and share the song (and the crush)


Pandemic Daily Practice #6:

Either by going outside or opening a window, take a few minutes and focus on noticing a sign of spring, one sense at a time.


Pandemic Daily Practice #7:

If you can go outside, put your bare feet on the ground and breath deeply. Send whatever you don't need back into the earth as you exhale, as you inhale, invite in what you do need. If you can't go outside, sit or stand by a window or houseplant, close your eyes, and picture the ground as you do this.


Pandemic Daily Practice #8:

Reach out to someone who is struggling and ask them what they would like good energy or prayers for. In addition to praying or sending good energy, make something - a drawing, a photo, a recording - that embodies their request and send it to them.


Pandemic Daily Practice #9:

Before you go to bed, look towards the moon (or where the moon is if it is cloudy or you don't have a window that direction). Take a deep breath, and say "tonight, I release . ." and complete the sentence. Repeat this as many times as needed.


Pandemic Daily Practice #10:

Take a break - for as long as you are able. Find a quiet place to be and just focus on your breath. With each inhale, invite rest, peace, ease, or enough. With each exhale, consciously breathe out anxiety, stress, fear, or any other feelings that are hard or consuming. It is not about releasing everything, just giving yourself a few minutes to be.


Pandemic Daily Practice #11

What is something loving you can do for someone else today? What is something loving you can do for yourself today?

Pandemic Daily Practice #12

Today, let your imperfections be perfect. What are you doing imperfectly that is actually good enough? Where can you let yourself be at ease with being imperfect? How can you make space to let other's imperfections be perfect, if only just for this moment?


Pandemic Daily Practice #13:

Storm. Set yourself some time, and let yourself feel the sadness, grief, fear, and all those hard feelings. Cry, yell, rip some paper, punch the pillows - pitch at fit. This hard and we get to loose it. When you are done, breathe deeply, stretch, drink water, and remember you are not alone in your feelings and not alone in this.



Pandemic Daily Practice #14:

Sit still some place, feet flat on the floor, back straight. Place your hands open on your knees, as you breathe in, ask for what you need. When you exhale, turn your hands so the palms are facing down, releasing whatever you want. Slow and deepen your breath as you do this. When you are done releasing, on the exhales, turn your palms to facing out, sending out into the world anything you have to offer.


Pandemic Daily Practice #15

Call someone you haven't talked to in a while. Instead of asking "how are you?" try asking some of these questions: What are you doing to move your body each day? What is something you are looking forward to? What are some feelings you've felt in the last 24 hours? What is something you are doing to care for yourself? What is something you are discovering about yourself during this time?

Pandemic Daily Practice #16

Write either "gratitude" or the name of someone who protects our waters on pieces of paper. Put one of these papers above each faucet in your home. Every time you turn on the water, offer a prayer of gratitude for the waters and those who protect the waters. Give thanks for water's ability to cleanse, heal, and nurture us.


Pandemic Daily Practice #17

What is a lie that this time is revealing? How has that lie shown up in your life? What is the truth you want to put in its place? What is something you are going to do to nurture this truth?


Pandemic Daily Practice #18

When someone asks you how you are doing, pause, take a deep breath, and answer honestly. We don't have to pretend everything is fine or we have it all together.


Pandemic Daily Practice #19

What is an expectation that you have been holding about yourself during this time that is not realistic? What is a healthy expectation you can put in its place?


Pandemic Daily Practice #20

Take a few minutes today to thank someone who is working out in the world to help the rest of us: health care provider, grocery store worker, letter carrier, food industry, etc. If you can't call, write a note or post a sign.


Pandemic Daily Practice #21

Place a bowl somewhere in your space. Every time you think of something you are grieving the loss of during this time, write it on a slip of paper and put it in the bowl. You don't have to release all your grief, but you also don't have to hold all of it all the time.

Pandemic Daily Practice #22

Take a few minutes today to clean some part of your space or create some intentional beauty that will bring you joy. Then, give yourself some time to just BE in that space, let go everything and just enjoy the beauty or calm of that space.


Pandemic Daily Practice #23

What is a story of resilience and survival you know about your ancestors, familial or cultural? Tell that story to someone today. Ask to hear a story from their lineage. What do our ancestors have to offer each of us today?


Pandemic Daily Practice #24

So much is being required of us now that is new, hard, or challenging. What is one thing you can do well today? What is one thing that you or someone else is expecting of you that you can give yourself permission to do poorly or not at all today?


Pandemic Daily Practice #25

It's a full moon - a time of power and reconnection to natural cycles. What power do you want to call down? What kind of cycle or rhythm is your being naturally called to?


Pandemic Daily Practice #26

What is something or someone for whom you hold great reverence? What do you have in your home that can represent this reverence? Create a small place to honor that for which you have reverence. Spend a few minutes each day or throughout the day honoring this reverence.

Pandemic Daily Practice #27

We have all been washing our hands much more with soap. Today, take some time to pour warm, soothing water over your hands, to gently rub in some lotion or oil. Take some time to bring water to your hands in a way that is caressing, caring, and nurturing.

Pandemic Daily Practice #28

We know this has to be the turning point in how we treat each other and the planet. What is a (new) way of being, thinking, or doing that you want to nurture during this time that will help us build a better future?