I often feel my breathing arrest.. At such times its a trigger for being trapped in the car with my lung punctured by a rib having fluid seep in while at the same time a paramedic tries to cover my face with a mask from behind. Breathing can also be arrested in grief as we adjust to the shock.. Some of us literally go on ‘holding our breath’ for years!
The following quotes are written by Dr Ariella Schwartz and are taken from her Facebook Page and linked article. They really spoke to me.. When breathe is gone so is life and the powerful ‘arrest’ Covid causes speaks to me of the air being frozen in someway as Saturn entered the Air sign Aquarius earlier in the year.
To breathe is to live. Grief is often felt as a heavy weight in the chest. We cannot take for granted the health of our body, our sense of safety in the world, of the cleanliness of our air. These precious gifts are our birthright; yet, they need to be protected. To breathe fully in the midst of intense times is an act of courage.
“Grief is profoundly raw and, at its core, a form of social communication. Consciously making space for grief is essential if we are to heal our collective wounds. When attending to each other’s grief, it is important to remember that grief needs presence. Nothing more. It is not necessary to say the “right” thing because there is no “right” thing to say. It is not necessary to have the answer because sometimes there are no answers. It is important to simply let each other know that we are there and that we are not afraid. Sometimes this involves being there and sitting in silence, breathing, or offering a nod of reassurance. Overall, being with someone in grief is about holding an outer container so that the person in grief can go on the inward journey needed during this vulnerable time. Some days you might be receiving support, and other days you might be giving support to another. However, so long as we all play our part in this exchange, we can facilitate an interconnected web of community.”
Emerging From The Dark Night 