The Three Cycles
A lot has been happening (especially in the United States), and I want to call it forward for a moment. As heart-centered changemakers, we are in this space as advocates of and for the heart.
This month has proven to be an essential call to our hearts to begin preparing for action in our learning and local communities. This is who we are and who we continue to evolve into—the butterfly within us.
As we allow the experiences to settle through a mindful pause, we can see and validate where the majority of humanity is operating as a collective at the “Survival Paradigm Level” (see my post about the Map of Consciousness). We can view this with compassion.
Recently, I have noticed an increase in the frequency of clients and connections who have shared with me that they are often feeling sick, having migraines, noticing body aches, etc. What is interesting is when you can step back to notice these patterns of sensations, they are often a collective response that aligns with a common activator/stressor in the world. These deep internal (somatic) reactions are confirmation to us as heart-centered changemakers that we are interconnected through empathy and compassion. It is with gratitude knowing that our hearts connect at a deeper level.
Here is what may be underneath the surface:
Our collective worldwide society is not in a healthy state of being—and is experiencing a collective grief cycle alongside a collective trauma cycle. In response, our bodies are having a collective somatic (feeling) response cycle. These cycles are a lot for the body to hold and they overload the nervous system. Take a moment to nurture and honor this connection because our bodies are responding to the experience.
Honor the chrysalis we are going into, and trust we will become the butterfly within ourselves and humanity. Remember that the chrysalis is where the caterpillar turns into goop, which becomes “imaginal cells”, and is what forms the butterfly.
Your students also feel these three cycles and may not know how to handle how they feel and you may notice a spike in behavior. Approach your students/staff/self with compassion.
HEART Strategy Integration:
Step 1: Pause and consider placing your hands on your heart (this action helps regulate your nervous system)
Step 2: Take one full round of breath (this helps you prepare your mind and body to become present)
Step 3: Check in with your “HEART”
Health: How are your body, breath, emotions, and thoughts in this moment?
Environment: Do you need to make a change in your environment to support you in this moment?
Affirmation: What affirmation can you say to support you in this moment and break a thought pattern?
Response: How do you choose to respond in this moment to support you?
Transform: How did either you or your experience change because you chose to follow your HEART?
Help your students to see the value of the pause to support what they are feeling and experiencing. Consider using my children’s book, The Superpower of Your HEART and Teacher’s Guide to support creating a regulated classroom environment.
If you have questions or would like additional support,
The Butterfly Within Me Sees, Honors, and Values The Butterfly Within You,
