Your Internal Ecosystem

by Wendy Ball I find the word “ecosystem” to be quite evocative. When we’re speaking of different environments on our planet we want them to be healthy; we want to foster and protect rich diversity. We want to be able to visit wild places and enjoy their beauty, to re-set, to heal and regain balance in our lives. Our urban spaces and the communities we live in are ecosystems of a different kind. We are challenged to maintain them, or change them so they can be safe human friendly places to live. The same applies to our living spaces. De-cluttering, cleaning, taking care of broken things, can do wonders for ones sense of peace and order. And then there’s what I’d call ones internal ecosystem, ones inner environment. It is where your inner family of parts live, with respect and caring, or not. Every bit of effort I have made over the years to heal has helped to create safety and the ability to relax and enjoy within myself. Whatever time I have spent developing interests and creative pursuits has built an inner environment which nourishes, inspires, and brings me pleasure. The boundaries I set regarding people, influences and types of stimulation are important gate-keepers, keeping my internal environment a good place to be, a place where I can connect with my deepest self and make wise decisions that are anchored in awareness of what I value, of what is important to me. It is the first quarter of 2020 and likely you have noticed that this is turning out to be an extraordinary year full of change and challenge, and for most, stress and insecurity. Politically and economically we seem to be on the brink, of what exactly it is hard to say. It’s a recipe for fear-based reactive thinking and behavior. It is hard to know who to trust to give us reliable information. There’s a new virus afoot. How concerned should we be? The

sign up at www.healingspringsjournal.com to receive HSJ in your email inbox.

katrina@ healingspringsjournal.com or 518.332.6581 to place an ad

powers that be seem more interested in maintaining control (they call it stability) and minimizing impact on markets than impact on humans. We read about preventive measures such as social distancing and self quarantining. We wonder just how unsafe our public social, service and work spaces may become. What can a person do to mitigate such crazy-making circumstances? How does one re-gain balance? Personally, my inner life, my internal ecosystem is what saves the day. I can trust it. I can feel safe there. I can rest there. I find sanctuary there. If my movements within the external ecosystems we inhabit become restricted for some period of time my inner ecosystem is waiting for me like a well stocked pantry, full of creative outlets and the tools to enjoy them, well worn paths of connection to friends and family, full of memories, full of practices that support inner travel, balance and peace. In the shamanic world this place might be called your sacred garden. In the akashic world this place might be called your akashic room. It might be a place of inner vision or simply the sense of yourself that you create over time from doing things that make meaning for you. I hope my words inspire you to create and protect your inner ecosystem so that no matter what it is there for you when you need it and that you go there often. Your inner ecosystem is as real as the outer one and may save your sanity in the months and years to come.

Wendy Ball, M.Ed is a mentor, coach and shamanic healer with over 30 years of experience helping people to heal and connect more deeply to themselves. For more information you can phone her at (518) 813-8524 or email wendy@wendyballshamaniclight.com.

Uncertain? Try Bach Flowers www.NiniGridley.com

fullspectrumhealing@gmail.com / 518-573-0571

Unwind... let healing begin. Lynn Allison, DC 268-9542 Craniosacral Therapy, Chiropractic Ballston Spa, NY

Holistic veterinary health, dental and end-of-life care for all domestic species. Kristina Dallas, DVM • Saratoga Springs (518) 727-2940 drkris@veterinaryancientarts.com www.veterinaryancientarts.com Ancient Arts Veterinary Acupuncture