Holding Space for What’s Hard, Finding What Heals

​Lately, it feels heavy to be a human in this country. Did you know that depending on which way we lean politically, we’re often shown completely different versions of the news. Some stories are left out completely depending if you’re a dem or a rep. It really seems that often we’re living in different realities. This really bothers me because I feel like until we can all get the same facts in front of us, facts that are currently being debated and denied, how can we really move forward? It feels deliberate and dystopian. 

Every day I think something along the lines of “is this real life?” When I hear more rights being taken away, rights that we deemed “god given”, in this here “land of the free” I get more and more confused. People are being censored for speaking the truth. I’m talking facts here, not opinion. And I’m talking about censorship, not being “canceled”, mind you. You can stop listening to or supporting someone for saying something you disagree with but to have the government censor journalists and others for saying something they don’t like is completely different and terrifying. 

Even small, everyday choices reflect how upside-down things have been feeling. The other day, my partner and I had to choose a health insurance plan. While we are grateful to be able to afford coverage, we also believe strongly that healthcare should be a basic human right in this “greatest country on earth”. Hundreds of thousands of people and families go without healthcare and the safety nets are going away too. People have and will lose everything because they can’t afford their medicine or to go to the doctor. It shouldn’t be a privilege to care for one’s health, it should be a shared promise of our community.

And then there is the continued violence. This year, 2025, Black men have been lynched in America. I remember learning in school about the horrors of lynching and believing they were part of a past we had moved beyond. I hate to tell young me that I was very wrong. And, there is a literal genocide happening in Gaza, Sudan and the Congo. People are being kidnapped in the streets of the US. How can we stop these unfathomable tragedies? It’s hard to hold it all sometimes. 

When I look at these realities together, what I see is dehumanization. People who are perceived as different—Black and brown people, transgender folks, queer folks or people from other cultures or religions, women—are being treated as less than fully human. And when we allow this, we unravel the fabric of our communities.

Do you know your neighbors who are different from you? Do you have friends who are trans, Black, queer, or from other cultures? If not, is it because of fear, or simply lack of understanding? The good news is, understanding isn’t required to recognize someone’s humanity. What matters most is seeing each person as fully human, deserving of safety and dignity.

If you do have friends in these communities, check in with them. Many are living under the tremendous weight of violence, lies, and propaganda. They may not say it out loud, but they need support.

If you are a member of one of these communities that are facing so much harm, I am sorry. You belong. You are loved.

If you don't think you have a queer or trans friend or family member, I bet you do, they probably don't feel safe enough around you to tell you. I am queer and most of my family doesn't know. 

One of my teachers, Susanna Barkataki, reminds me to turn to yoga when I’m feeling hopelessness creep in. In yoga philosophy, there is the practice of satya–truthfulness. It is not about using truth as a weapon, but about aligning ourselves with reality in a way that creates harmony rather than harm. To speak the truth can be uncomfortable, to hear the truth can be uncomfortable too. 

The truth is, every one of us has more in common than we realize. We all want to live safely, to care for our families, to belong. Satya asks us to face the heaviness of this moment honestly, and also to speak and act in ways that honor the humanity in everyone. If we can do that, together, we have a chance to build a community and a country that truly lives up to its promise. To further take from the roots of yoga, we are taught that yoga is a tool for liberation and social justice. The purpose is to remember our true selves as well as the interconnectedness of all beings. We are not separate from one another and to quote Maya Angelou, "The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free".

If you’re like me and you have been feeling overwhelmed, here is a reminder to myself and to whoever needs it:
It is normal to feel a wide range of emotions when we see rights under attack and violence carried out against innocent people. Grief, anger, fear, exhaustion, and even numbness are all completely valid responses. None of these feelings mean we are weak or broken, they mean we are human, paying attention, and carrying the weight of a painful moment.
At the same time, our nervous systems can only hold so much before they start to shut down or melt down. It might help to find ways to release and reset. Here are some that help me:

• Scream into the outdoors. Let your body move the energy through you. Yell, cry, stomp your feet, or shake it out. The land can hold what feels too big for us. There are even group screams popping up like this one in Toronto... (On a funny note, don’t be like this person 🤣) 
• Breathe deeply. Try a slow inhale through your nose, a pause, and then a long exhale through your mouth. Repeat a few times.
• Connect. Find your place in community. What is a strength that you have that will support others around you? We all have something. 
• Ground yourself. Step outside, notice the air, touch a tree, or place your hands on your heart. Remind yourself that you are here, and you are not alone. Mindful birding has been something that has been very calming and regulating for me. 
• Movement. Moving your body in a way that feels supportive may help reset your nervous system. You may find gentle movement more helpful at times and more vigorous movement helpful at others. 
• Find your JOY. Finding joyful moments or just moments of contentment have been helping me tremendously. Oftentimes these joyful moments are in community which feels even more nourishing. For me, fat joy has been especially healing. 
  
  
  

These practices don’t erase the injustices we face, but they give our bodies and minds a chance to recover so we can keep showing up for ourselves, for each other, and for the communities we care about.


Thank you for being here, sending love your way.
Andrea