Reversing Compassion Fatigue: an Earthy Solution
Reversing Compassion Fatigue: an Earthy Solution
By Lucrezia Mangione
There’s a big problem with being a heart-led person.
You care.
You’re compassionate.
You’re sensitive to those who need help.
You enjoy helping others at home, at work, at play.
People love being helped by you.
People love that you say, “Yes!” to them.
So they ask you again. “Thanks for what you did. Can you help me again?”
Of course you can help because you care.
You say, “Yes, I’ll take care of that. I’ll squeeze it in today.”
Even though you’re already busy.
You decide to add just one more person’s plea to tomorrow’s full to-do list.
Because he needs you.
You give up 2 hours on your off day because she’s in pain.
Then the day comes when your energy drops.
You don’t have enough energy for the morning let alone the afternoon.
You find yourself tired. Burned out.
You’ve become one of the compassion fatigued.
Compassion is our greatest gift as a sensitive heart-led person. Compassion fatigue is one of our biggest problems. We naturally have a wellspring of compassion flowing so we can help those around us who are in need. Still, compassion fatigue hits even a matured heart-led person. Recently a client, a heart-led person like most of us, came for a session. She was compassion fatigued. During assessment, her energy systems exhibited a distinct non-connection to the earth. She was like a cut flower with no roots. Her energy field displayed as an isolated cocoon whose edges felt hard yet brittle and inside were stagnant, empty and lost. Her line of earth connection was broken.
She even spoke with adjectives like “tired,” “drained,” “empty.”
I see this frequently. When we are disconnected from the earth, the natural recharge that occurs between our bodies and the earth becomes suppressed. We feel diminished and depleted. Remaining connected consciously to the earth itself is the “foundation”, in my opinion, for all styles of self-care to take root and manifest. This is the one hitch that’s important to remember consciously. Gravity. Your magnificent body electric literally needs to be connected to the earth for it’s own health.
I’ve observed in my work that without this foundation, the gravity of the earth connection, any of the things we choose to do to return to balance and compassion has difficulty taking root. We need our energetic roots to nourish our bodies, ourselves. Our energetic roots need to remain connected to the earth. Remaining conscious about earth connection facilitates a return to health and flowing compassion.
The earth, like you, is a body electric, a complex living energy matrix comprised of electro- magnetic energy organized into different systems working seamlessly together in the structured, dynamic organism. But she’s bigger than you. A lot bigger. And this benefits you, me and our clients greatly.
The foundation for a rooted self care routine is the earth. The earth is our battery. Connecting daily with electro-magnetic fields of earth (gravity) and her living matrix recharges our body’s energy matrix. Earth, Mother Earth, is the greatest doctor, master teacher and practitioner of energy medicine. She is the biggest, baddest, heart-led Babe there is. She helps you and me refill and fulfill our wellspring.
Without realizing it, we diminish the nourishment we receive from the planet whenever we spend too much time indoors, sitting near electronics too long, or traveling in a car or plane. We fail to take time to go outside and physically connect to a piece of unpaved earth. Our very physiology is affected, our biorhythms go off and we become electron deficient.1
Fortunately, our connection to earth is easy to cultivate and renew. It’s called the Earth Energy Field Connection Exercise. There’s a long form and a short form of it.
My client, the caregiver, renewed her commitment to herself and her self-care by incorporating this exercise below on a regular basis. In just over a month she shifted dramatically. She discovered how to move through her workday without energy drops. She began managing her energy system and she tweaked her self-care routine to include the earth daily.
Earth Energy Field Connection Exercise: Long form2
- Get outside on unpaved earth. Any bit of earth or grass is fine. If you have access to mountainous area or flowing water, go there.
- Sit down on the earth barefoot. Position yourself so that you have easy access to the soles of your feet.
- Take few deep belly breaths and move into the present moment.
- Open feet chakras. Do this to each foot: with the sole facing you, imagine the face of a clock on your sole. Press the following positions, firmly and comfortably: 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 9 o’clock. Press, release or rub these positions for a minimum of 10 seconds on each position. Go around the clock at least once. (If it’s cold outside, open foot chakras indoors, wrapping feet with all natural fiber socks and shoes then go outside and resume with step #5. You can also sit in a chair with your feet making contact with the earth, snow or rain. Of course, be safe.)
- Simply be on the earth. Once your feet chakras are open, you may stand, sit or lie down. Physical contact between the sole of your feet and bare earth is key. If your feel like you need to move, do it. Walk, jump, hop, and move.
- Keep your focus on these three things. Your breathing. The present moment. Being grateful. Say thanks to the earth that supports you, literally.
- Repeat steps #5 and #6 for fifteen minutes.
- After fifteen minutes, pause and assess yourself. Notice whatever you notice. How do you feel now compared to before you started?
- Continue on with your day.
Earth Energy Field Connection Exercise: Short form2
Be aware of gravity. As you walk throughout your day, keep your awareness on your feet, flat on the ground beneath you. Feel yourself standing upon a rotating earth. Feel that connection between foot-shoe-earth. Notice what happens when you cross your legs, stand on one foot or drive. Notice what happens when your foot is flat on the ground. Notice the gravity of earth.
Compassion is our greatest gift and our biggest problem as a heart-led person who cares. Whether you’re a newbie or a habit-formed pro in the land of compassion fatigue, do your best daily, caring for your number one person – you. Say goodbye to energy drops and losing your mojo. Say hello to the Earth, Master Doctor, allowing her to be the foundation of your self-care routine. Compassion is a wellspring for you and others. Fulfill it.
About: Lucrezia Mangione invites you to cultivate optimum health through Healing Touch and energy medicine. As a subtle energy & somatic therapist, instructor & consultant, she helps individuals and groups, like you, access and reconnect to preventive and integrative care to restore balance. Join her mailing list. Learn more by visiting http://www.HandcraftedHealth.net where wellness is handcrafting and cultivating whole person health for life and living.
Copyright © Lucrezia Mangione. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
