Welcome to the most interesting of times. As we step into our days, we, the creatures of habit that we are, must settle for unsettledness as our constant. Things are changing every day and the only thing we know for certain is that uncertainty prevails. How do we navigate this? The 1939 slogan, Keep Calm and Carry On (so ubiquitous in many variations today) isn’t fully helpful because we’re not entirely certain what “carry on” means these days. If we interpret it to mean that we’re to carry on with our daily business, well then, what exactly is our daily business? As we all figure that out for ourselves, take a long look around and find comfort in knowing that we are not alone, everyone is doing the very same thing. We are fortunate that we have an abundance of treasures such as the wisdom of elders, workplace resources and responsible social media that offer creative, supportive, soothing, inspirational and hopeful ideas.   

To learn how to keep calm no matter the circumstance is one such treasure. A beautiful thing that unfolds from your own state of calmness is that it ripples outward and so others catch the calm wave. And as we catch the calm wave, we can be assured of finding “peace in every breath” (Thich Nhat Hanh).  Doesn’t that sound enticing?  

Mindfulness practices will train us how to keep calm. During these emotionally-charged times, it may be challenging to set aside time to learn new ways of being but it will be time well spent. Our habitual thinking patterns tend to trap us in anxieties, worries, sorrow, anger or fear especially when we’re feeling unsettled about our futures. Mindfulness practices will guide us into the present moment. As we attend to the present moment, we are more able to change our feelings of anxiety, worry, sorrow, anger and fear into those of calmness, gratitude, compassion, love and peace. Even though our outward circumstances don’t change, we change inwardly. As Nikki Rowe says, “the chaos doesn’t end, you kinda just become the calm.”

The Spiritual Health Department invites you to reach out during these times for one-on-one or group mindfulness sessions. We have been facilitating a variety of mindfulness practices in NICU and FIR Square. In addition, the Spiritual Health Department received a Health Initiative grant, in collaboration with the UBC Department of Pediatrics, for mindfulness sessions. A four-session series was offered in 2020: Mindful Journey Through the Seasons.

We are here to support you so feel free to contact us at 604 875 2753 or page us through the switchboard and ask for the on-call Spiritual Health Practitioner. We are on site Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

We sign off with Mary Oliver’s calming words:

TODAY

Today I’m flying low and I’m
not saying a word.
I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.
The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the garden rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.
But I’m taking the day off.  
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m travelling
a terrific distance.
Stillness.  One of the doors
into the temple.