When my brain gets foggy or in an anxious loop, as often as I can, I walk to the woods. Something in the woods almost always brings me back to wider breath, to rootedness, to softening. Typically it doesn’t happen immediately. I may walk and barely sense my feet, barely hear the leaves crunching under my feet, barely see the river rise into view through the loop of my thoughts. Until.

Lately, my return helpers have been the deer.

A couple weeks ago, I was walking a path right next to the river, barely breathing, barely sensing. And then full stop. A family of deer taking their time, grazing within twenty feet of me. I paused. Three of the deer retreated and kept grazing. But the fourth, maybe a pre-teen by its spots and height came closer. I breathed and felt her. I felt a crack in my left shoulder blade giving more space to my heart, and then the gratitude tears came. She looked at me and came a little closer still. Maybe seven feet away. I closed my eyes, feeling my energy and hers. I felt her so lovingly that I imagined she would come all the way over and touch me. She didn’t, but those closed eyes, heart opening, tears flowing moments felt endless.

When the moment was over, I thanked her and breathed as she went on her way and began to join the others. For the rest of the walk, I felt the earth and my body pulsating, connected. I was aware of the squirrels and the birds, aware of the constriction in my heart, my stomach, my pelvis, my legs begin to unwind. My brain still had its worries, but they didn’t take over because they felt held by me, and I felt connected to myself and held by Mother earth.

So here is your invitation: when constriction pulls you out of presence, go outside. You don’t have to do anything right, or find a practice to make you feel better. Just wait and see if you can stay open to receiving the particular flavor of help/support that the moment holds for you.

I’d love to hear what happens.