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Survival Strategies -- Self-Care for Surviving 2012 (7)
Survival strategies for the 2012 Transition must include loving self-care, as we've seen in the previous article.
Here are some practices for taking care of yourself that will do you a world of good, during these challenging times.
Again, you don't need to do them all! Just make sure you do some from each category.
Strategic Self-Care
The self-care survival strategies for the 2012 Transition break down into caring for the various parts of you. It's important to have a balance, here. We tend to take good care of ourselves in the ways that are most natural or pleasurable for us. But it's vital to make sure that every part of you gets at least some self-nurturing...
- Physical
- Mental
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Accessing Divine Love
- Being instead of doing
This article shows many ways to do this.
Many of these practices are detailed in the upcoming book: 
A Natural Connection: Discover Your Animal Spirit Guides and How They Can Help You.
Physical Support and Survival Strategies
When your body is strong, balanced, and healthy, it makes a huge difference in your ability to cope with change. So the first step is to take good care of your body.
In fact, while the other self-care Survival Strategies aren't needed on a daily basis, these physical supports are. Do as many of them as you realistically can, every day.
The basics include:
- Regular, healthy meals Organic, well-rounded, less-processed, low salt, good fats...
- Plenty of sleep Most people are sleep-deprived these days, which seriously undermines your ability to cope with changes and challenges.
- Mid-day relaxation We usually don't stop because we feel too rushed, but studies show that those who rest in the middle of the day actually accomplish more than those who don't.
- Water! 8 full glasses of pure water balances not only your physical health but your emotions and mental functioning. (Note: excessive amounts of water, say 16+ glasses, can be detrimental.)
- Good hygiene The bacteria in a mouth without good dental care, for instance, can exert a real drain on the body's health.
- Proper posture. Crucial to physical well-being in ways we are just beginning to comprehend. Even if you think your posture is fine, it's probably not, so explore this part. We all need posture practice. And a little practice goes a long way.
- Breathing. Breathing deep from the belly, with relaxed shoulders, is a nourishing source of energy and emotional well-being.
- Avoid toxins like fragrances, smoke, vehicle exhaust, chemicals, cleaners, etc.
- Regular aerobic exercise (3 times a week)
- Regular gentle stretching (2 times a week for overall stretching; regular small stretching breaks throughout the day, even just rolling your shoulders and neck a bit)
- Meditation. Mantra, mandala, Divine Light Invocation, prayer, or other things that quiet and uplift the body.
Refreshing the Mind
- Anything that refreshes the body also refreshes the mind, so start with the physical self-care survival strategies.
- Silence. Go somewhere quiet and still, ideally near running water or trees. Silence is extremely relaxing to the mind, especially in nature and away from "the things of man."
- Purging papers, Reflection, and other practices that allow your mind the opportunity to look over your day and process things
- Read about something that interests and excites you, something not related to your work or responsibilities.
- Play. Let yourself be silly, have fun, and lighten up.
- Meditation. Mantra, mandala, Divine Light Invocation, prayer, or other things that quiet and uplift the mind.
Emotional Healing
- Draw mandalas. Mandalas are a wonderful focusing and de-stressing tool. They create conditions conducive to physical healing and rejuvenation. They bring into harmony the mind, the heart, and the spirit.
- Treat yourself to a long, luxurious bath or sauna
- Act with kindness. This improves the emotional state immediately. As the Dalai Lama has said: "The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes."
- Replace negative self-talk with positive, empowering statements of your self-worth. Your body listens to everything you say and think, and reacts accordingly. When you think loving, respectful thoughts, your body responds with increased energy, stronger immune function, and a feeling of well-being. Over time, these responses grow into patterns of health and happiness.
- Smile! For no reason. Keep smiling.
- Laugh! Find things to laugh about. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at nothing. Even the simple physical action of laughter transforms the body/mind.
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) . An incredibly fast and easy way to release ugly emotions and free yourself from subconscious blocks.
- Ego reassurance (see above)
- Give it to the Divine, and relax
- Ban the news. Watch things that make your soul joyful instead.
- Meditation. Mantra, mandala, Divine Light Invocation, prayer, or other things that quiet and uplift the heart.
Soul, Spirit, Energy Field
- Anything that refreshes the body and the mind also refreshes your energies, so that's a good start.
- Spiritual practices.
- Grounding and Centering
- Uplifting input. Reduce negative inputs such as violence, swearing, nastiness, gossip etc, both in real life and in your entertainments. Replace these with uplifting inputs such as inspirational authors, mind-expanding conversations, etc.
- Positive affirmations. Let your words set your intentions for your life.
- Make every drink of water a toast to your health and clarity; every health supplement a spell for strength, vitality, endurance, and vigour; every decadent treat an intention for joy; every bite of food a prayer for yourself, the beings who feed you, and the planet.
- Being outside in nature, especially near moving water, and with your feet or belly on the Earth
- Silence. Yes, this was in the last category, but it's so revitalising on so many levels, it's worth another mention.
- Invoke Divine Light, Divine Love, the healing energy of Reiki, Divine Qualities, and other elevating energies...
- Choose hope. Hope is as at least as possible as despair. And much more realistic.
- Inhale Prana. As you inhale, imagine yourself breathing in a sparkling Light that surrounds you. As you exhale, feel it spreading throughout your entire body.
- Create an altar.
- Clear your space. Unclutter your living area or a storage area, and it feels as if a fresh breeze is wafting through the house. Uncluttering your special area or altar allows new possibilities to arise in your life. If nothing else, you will breathe better and feel renewed energy and peace. Give it a try this
- Meditation. (Mantra, mandala, Divine Light Invocation, prayer, or other things that quiet and uplift the spirit.)
Giving and Receiving Self-Love
These survival strategies are even more important if you are creative or healing in your work. They will refill your creative, healing "well" of energy.
But everyone will benefit from these expressions of self-love.
- Take yourself for a walk in your favourite place
- Make yourself a lovely dinner. Prepare your favourite foods, set the table with all your best dinnerware, put out candles and flowers and play music in the background. As you sit down to enjoy this little feast, take a moment to appreciate all that you've done for yourself.
- Curl up with a cup of nice tea or hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, and a good book
- Give yourself flowers
- Stretch out on the lawn or hammock and watch clouds go by
- Draw, paint, sing, dance, drum, sew, build, weld, or write: express your inner creativity
- Play with children
- Cuddle with babies or pets
- Putter in the garden
- Do the one thing on your to-do list you most dislike... you'll appreciate the burst of energy and liberation that comes once it's off your pile
- Call or visit a friend you haven't seen in a while
- Get a massage
- Have a mini "spa day"-- get a pedicure or a facial
- Meditate, pray, chant mantras, smudge
- Play your favourite music and just listen...nothing else, just listen
- Write a letter to Divine Mother, and write one from Her back to you
- Anything that feels fun, delightful, and/or nurturing
- Listen to your body, and attend it promptly. Caring for your body’s needs is a choice to love and respect yourself.
Beingness
- Honour the Sabbath. Devote one day a week, or at least half a day, on the Divine and your soul.
- Praise yourself for your good qualities rather than your accomplishments
- Practice being still and quiet, listening inside yourself
- Meditate and open to the Divine
- Make every act a spiritual practice; live your life as a spiritual being
- Celebrate everyone you meet, everything you see, every situation
With Bright Blessings,
Next Article on Surviving 2012  
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