Monthly Theme - August/September 2023

[Giulia]

For our August/September theme, we suggest we focus on how to heal and pray for others' healing when we are overwhelmed and feel powerless to help. We also suggest we pray for post-trauma chronic pain/illness and focus on how to help our brains avoid persistent stress, pain and immobility when the cause of the trauma has already been treated as much as possibile.

Here are some suggestions:

- Acknowledge our feelings. It's okay to feel overwhelmed and powerless. Don't try to bottle up your emotions.

- Practice self-care. Taking care of ourselves physically and emotionally is essential for healing. This includes eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and avoiding alcohol and drugs.
Connect with others. Talking to friends, family, or a therapist can help us to feel less alone and to get support.

- Pray for the person who is struggling. Prayer can be a powerful way to connect with the person who is struggling and to offer them support.

- Trust in God's healing power. We may not understand why things happen the way they do, but we can trust that God is with us and that He will help us to heal.

How to help our brains avoid persistent stress, pain, and immobility when the cause of the trauma has been treated as much as possible

- Nurture and focus on helpful thoughts and beliefs. Even after the cause of the trauma has been treated, it's important to continue to be aware of unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that we may have developed as a result. This is because these thoughts and beliefs can continue to trigger stress, pain, and immobility.

- Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness, can help to reduce stress and promote healing.

- Engage in activities that you enjoy. Doing things that you enjoy can help to improve your mood and reduce stress. This could include spending time with loved ones, going for walks in nature, or listening to music.

- Take care of your physical health. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep can all help to improve your overall health and well-being. This can make it easier to cope with stress and trauma.

- Be patient with yourself. Healing from trauma takes time. It's important to be patient with yourself and to give yourself the time and space you need to heal.

Additional ideas

We can create a space for people to share their stories of trauma and healing. This could be a physical space, such as a support group, or it could be an online space, such as a forum or blog.

We can offer resources to people who are struggling with post-trauma chronic pain/illness. These resources could include information about different treatment options, support groups, and online resources.

[Giulia]

This morning I was reminded that my greatest breakthroughs in terms of spiritual understanding and physical coping strategies have been triggered by challenging situations.

When we face a challenge, it can be easy to feel discouraged and defeated. But if we choose to see the challenge as an opportunity, it can become a catalyst for growth and change. In my case, it was NEVER MY CHOICE to see the challenge as an opportunity as I was overwhelmed, however the opportunities and their outcomes manifested nonetheless.

I guess challenges force us to step outside of our comfort zones and to push ourselves beyond our limits. In doing so, we learn new things about ourselves and about what we as incarnate spirits are capable of. We also develop new skills and abilities that we can use to overcome future challenges.

Of course, not all challenges are easy. Some challenges are truly difficult and require a great deal of effort to overcome. However, at least in my own experience, so far even the most difficult challenges have been accompanied by the resources required to handle them. This gave me and gives me a sense of confidence that we live in an abundant Universe and only need to be reminded about how to tap into our infinite resources.