The Ancient One

Artist: Maartje van Dokkum

“No one tells the oceans or the trees or the mountains that they’re too old. They talk of how powerful, how grounded, how awesome they are…imagine if we thought the same way about ourselves as we got older. Maybe then we’d realize how spectacular we are!”

– Becky Hemsley

There once was an ancient one who looked upon this Earth existence as a grand and mysterious experiment. An artistic endeavor. They were wise enough to live each day in wholeness.

This being is all of us without cultural restrictive and defining labels. To look upon each day and all living beings as a blank canvas upon which we live in the present moment without fear and paint, sing, dance, write, cultivate, love, laugh, cry, grieve – embracing the unfolding moments.

What would that be like? How much space and opportunity would we take? Could we take?

Like the weaving together of ancient rock, crooked tree branch, flowing water, oxygen rich air and warm sunlight that has seen the history of human endeavors repeating itself over and over again – the same patterns and habits, slowly putting out the spark of creation in each other.

Dry Falls, Highlands, NC/Photography by Gaye Abbott

Who is this ancient one that shines so brightly without words that we can’t help but absorb their wisdom, enormous sense of humor and artistry. It is you without your blinders on.

Trusting the possibilities of life in a body even though fear creeps in often, especially these days. But it does not claim you, nor do you cower in place not certain of your next step. This is a time for courage. To shine as part of the star dust and wild nature you are made of.

“It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on Earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had. “ ~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

The ancient wise parts of us know that dismantling fear, the perception of everything as a threat that our nervous system alerts us to – even things that aren’t – is vitally important for our well being. Not allowing forces outside of us to manipulate and control where we lose the ability to distinguish between an actual crisis and a perceived one.

How about self care as a revolutionary act? Our nervous system doesn’t think in pieces. The fear, the rage, the anxiety and uncertainty — isn’t just intellectual. It’s physiological. Our bodies are absorbing this era in our tightened shoulders, our sleepless nights, our frayed tempers.

There are ways to unplug from all of this. A stream of moments that bring wholeness, peace and connection with life in its myriad of forms, textures and possibilities. The challenge is that at times we must surrender completely into what we don’t know….yet.

“Spirituality and different stories serve different people at different times. And at certain moments, their stories stop being able to meet the needs of those times. We are capable of developing new stories. We have histories, but we also have futures. We have possibilities, and we have imagination.”-john a. powell

The more we are in balance through acts of self care, the more we have to give and the more possibility and opportunity reveal themselves. The power of unplugging from the prevalent fear of these times we inhabit can be our unique contribution towards this evolution. Living as the Ancient One would….

PRACTICAL WAYS TO UNPLUG FROM PANIC, ANXIETY AND FEAR, EVOLVING TO LIVE EACH DAY TO THE FULLEST:

MOVE YOUR BODY: Walk, stretch, dance anywhere and anytime. Shake your arms, legs and pelvis. Whatever you do, just move. Motion reminds your body that you are not a prisoner, trapped within a life that someone or something else is trying to manipulate. Surrender completely into what you don’t know….yet.

BREATHE LIKE YOU MEAN IT: “When everything feels like too much, try this: Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. Do it again. And again. Longer exhales signal to your brain that you are not in immediate danger.”* Joy Okoye

Or better yet, practice Breath of Joy for two minutes and notice how everything in your body, mind and emotion shifts. A great reset that you can share with friends…..or strangers! Suggestion – on that last exhale with bent knees, after three inhales, freely let out a joyous sound. Love this practice!

FIND YOUR PEOPLE AND TALK TO THEM: For the most part, humans do better when they feel like they belong to something and are connected with others. Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes. Listen with compassion and focused attention.

LET JOY BE YOUR DEVOTED COMPANION: So laugh out loud and fully. Find a song that makes you dance. Pet a dog. Eat something delicious. Read something absurd. Be present to the miracle of a Spring flower unfurling, or a young child seeing magic in the world around them. Small joys are not frivolous. Fill your moments with them. (Practice Breath of Joy above).

CREATE ONE SMALL RITUAL THAT GROUNDS YOU: Light a candle in the morning as your first action of the day. Write one sentence in your journal before bed — something that reminds you of what is still good or that you are grateful for. Make and sip tea or coffee with intention. When the world feels like quicksand, rituals remind you where solid ground is.*Joy Okoye

NAME WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THE EMOTION THAT IS STIRRED: When we name our emotions they lose some of their grip. Remembering that we are not that emotion or state of being. They are simply moving through us as we observe them. Everything always changes and shifts.

PERCEIVE BEAUTY EVERYWHERE IN NATURE USING YOUR SENSES: To recognize something is beautiful all it takes is a change in perception. Rewilding by aligning yourself with sense of place as your attention comes into balance.

Lay on your back and watch the clouds as you did as a child. See the creation of magical or mundane creatures from the always shifting clouds. Gaze at the stars from the vantage point of lying on the earth. Name your own personal star. Immerse yourself in the morning birdsong allowing it to live in your body resonating with the music of the earth. Immerse yourself in the rhythm of a salt water wave surrendering into its embrace . Be in conversation with the mystery of the universe…..

“If we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we truly care for others?

It’s easy to fall into the habit of always putting others first, giving endlessly without stopping to tend to our own needs. But when we neglect ourselves for too long, we run empty, leaving us exhausted, resentful, or unable to be present for the very people we want to help.

True kindness isn’t just about self-sacrifice — it’s about balance, about making sure we have the strength, energy, and peace of mind to show up fully and wholeheartedly. Taking time for ourselves isn’t selfish — it’s an act of love, a quiet promise to those we cherish that we will be here, steady and whole.

Because when we care for ourselves, we don’t just sustain our own light — we make it shine brighter, sending out warmth and strength to those around us. And in that glow, we find the truest form of giving — one that is rooted not in depletion, but in abundance.”

Featuring Christine Bayly
Website – www.thebreathingspace.co.za
Email – christine@thebreathingspace.co.za
Filmed in Cape Town, South Africa by REFLECTIONS OF LIFE

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Gaye Abbott, Wildly Free Elder, 03/31/25