By Lynea Gillen
Back when I was an elementary school counselor in Estacada,, Oregon, I spent my days with children who carried a great deal of stress and uncertainty. Many came from families struggling to get by, and the weight of that showed up in their bodies long before it showed up in words. Some mornings, I felt it, too – the heaviness, the sense that the darkness of the world might overwhelm us if we let it.
One day, needing to remember what steadiness felt like, I led the students through a simple relaxation. I invited them to think about the good people in their lives – the librarian in town; the grocery store workers; the teachers who showed up every day; the school cooks who made their meals.
From there, the practice grew into something we did together: “catch” teachers and staff in the building, circle round them, and let them know why they mattered.
When the students caught the cooks one day and thanked them for their favorite meals, warm smiles, and small kindnesses, something shifted. A few of the cooks cried. The children stood taller. All of us felt more connected.
And I began to really understand that in difficult times, connection isn’t abstract. It’s something we practice with and in our bodies. It’s something we practice together.
The Challenge of Staying Grounded in Times of Crisis – & Why Meeting It Matters
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, watching events unfold in Minneapolis – a community where Yoga Calm has deep roots. Many of our friends, colleagues, and students live and work there. Like so many of you, we’ve been feeling the fear, grief, and anger that come with witnessing suffering, especially when it stretches on without easy resolution.
In such moments, it’s natural to turn toward information. To scroll. To stay alert. To stay outraged. You might even feel an unspoken pressure to do exactly that – as if stepping back, resting, or even allowing ourselves moments of joy might mean we don’t care enough.
But living in a constant state of activation does take its toll. On the mind and body alike.
Children notice this. They always have.
Years ago, I overheard a group of third and fourth graders talking about adults in their school. One said, “I feel good in her classroom. The kids listen to her, so it feels safe.” Another replied, “Not like my classroom. The kids don’t listen, and it feels like he’s afraid.”
They weren’t criticizing. They were observing. Kids have an extraordinary ability to read the nervous systems of the adults around them. To them, safety isn’t something we explain to them. It’s something they feel.
This matters because right now, many adults are scared. Angry. Exhausted. And all of that is valid. Acknowledging those feelings doesn’t make anyone weak. But letting fear and anger completely overtake us can make it harder to stay present – with ourselves, with one another, and with the children who depend on us.
Staying grounded isn’t avoidance. It’s an act of resistance.
“What Increases Our Capacity? What Builds Our Resilience?”
Recently, a friend shared a Facebook post with me that really hit me deep. It was a photo of two beautiful loaves of freshly baked bread on a kitchen countertop, with accompanying text that began with
Friends, my baking experiments continue!
Alex Pretti’s death…that hit hard.
I’m sure you have been reading the news as I have been.
So why am I posting a picture of bread?
Because I’ve been thinking about how we get through this.
I’ve been thinking about our resources: time, money, energy.
I’ve been thinking about our capacity to make a positive contribution.
What increases our capacity?
What builds our resilience?
I’ve come to value counter-balances.
Does baking bread help solve world problems?
Not at all directly.
But baking bread helps me feel joy — and that mood lift makes it easier for me to do the work I put into my bookstore & Parrish Project.
Does the bookstore or Parrish Project solve world problems?
No.
But maybe taking part in what happens in those places helps increase someone else’s capacity… and they are better able to contribute… and so on.
What struck me is how this reflection leads to acknowledgment of the everyday acts that help the writer stay resourced: baking, tending her bookstore, showing up for people and projects she cares about. All of these are physical. They bring her back into the body, into sensation, rhythm, and presence.
And that matters.
The more virtual our lives become, the easier it seems to be to live almost entirely from the neck up – absorbing information, reacting emotionally, staying mentally engaged while the body remains tense or depleted. Regulation doesn’t come from consuming more news or having the “correct” take. It comes from experiences that help the nervous system settle and reorganize: movement, breath, connection, effort, rest.
This is something we’ve seen again and again through Yoga Calm. Skills matter more than language. Experience matters more than explanation. When we tend to our own regulation, when we find ways to come back into ourselves, we’re more able to stay connected, compassionate, and resilient – even in difficult times.
That doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening in the world. It means staying resourced and capable so we can respond with clarity and care. Sometimes that looks like baking or cooking for others. Sometimes it looks like walking or running or lifting something heavy or fixing what’s broken or practicing a skill or just sitting quietly with someone you trust.
These small, embodied acts don’t erase injustice or pain. They help keep us whole.
In times like these, we don’t get through by hardening. We don’t survive by shutting down. We get through by staying connected – to our bodies, to one another, and to all that we value.
As you move through your days, know that we’re holding you in our hearts. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your care. And thank you for continuing to show up, grounded and present, even when the world feels anything but.
Looking for ways to help? Stand with Minnesota gathers vetted resources and opportunities to support relief, recovery, and community organizations in Minneapolis:
https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
