There’s a fast-flowing river of anxiety and fear moving around the world at the moment. We’re all dipping our toe in the water now and then, and sometimes we get swept away with the strong current. Imagine yourself sitting on a grassy slope by that river, being the observer, what would you see? There’d be people out in the middle struggling in the strongest current and unable to reach the shore, there would be others near the banks reaching out for overhanging branches, some would be sitting in the muddy shallows feeling that at any moment they could be swept away again, and yet others on the grassy slope with you, some sitting, some standing, others getting ready to dive in to save everyone else.

Which of these people is our priority at any given time? You might immediately say “well the ones floundering in the middle of the river of course!!” but no, the ones in most need of help from you are the ones you can reach. Your first priority is you, then when you’re sure you’re footing is sound, reach out. You might be sitting on the grassy slope, so reach out to the one who looks like they’re about to dive in attempting to save everyone. If you’re sitting in the shallows help those reaching for the overhanging branches, then they in turn can reach for the ones thrashing about in the middle. Some people would be moving directionless from one place to another, one moment they’re in the middle, then they’re on the edge and out again, making it half way up the slope only to get pulled back into the fear again. Many of us move from adjacent states of being, back and forth from fear to sadness to an unsteady calmness and back to fear again...it’s normal, it’s completely normal.

There’s a sliding scale of feelings in that river, fear, anxiety, and panic are in the middle, these people are often marginalised, they feel like they’ve been skipped over, forgotten, they can’t see the shore because they don’t even know it’s there. Fear, anxiety, panic. This is a hard pattern of energy to remove yourself from without help. The current holds you there and it’s almost impossible to break free of the undertow. Those near the shore and reaching for branches are feeling confused, lost in immense sadness, and despair. They see the branches, but they don’t believe they’re strong enough to grab hold of them let alone drag themselves out. The people in the shallows are feeling stuck, like they’re in a maze, their thoughts shift from courage to fear and they’re not sure how to extricate their boots from the mud, they just know they have to. The ones on the grass have found within themselves a reserve of strength, an inner knowing that somehow we’ll survive this, and an ability to see the ‘bigger picture’ of the situation. Let’s respect where every single person is, knowing that the view they see in front of them is their reality, their experience, it’s real, and they’re working with what they have in front of them, – there’s no right or wrong here, we are where we are.

It’s not going to help the people who are in the middle of the river to tell them about the bigger picture, to tell them to meditate, wear crystals, and chant mantras because they can’t. They just can’t. It would be doing them a disservice because it would illustrate to them how far from the grassy slope they actually are – potentially sending them into a spiralling depression. So, if you’re on the grassy slope, help those close to you because they are the ones who are able to glimpse the bigger picture and are comforted by it. The ones in the middle will feel a hand reaching out in the dark and respond better to someone who understands where they’re at and where they’ve been, and those people who have a hold of the branch can be held tightly by the ones in the shallows, who can be helped up by those on the grassy slope.

Then there are others, those who have moved up from the grassy slopes who don’t see the river as an uncontrolled force of nature, they see the real river, the one we are all a part of, the River of Life. These people can help anyone, at any place along the river, they have transcended the ebb and flow of the emotional torrent and they can move through it with ease. The current doesn’t affect them anymore, they’re able to meet all Souls in whatever space they are in at any given time. They respect and love – without judgement. They can help others without draining their own reserves because they recognise the infinite energy available to them. These people are rare and precious birds, but they are working to help everyone in their own way, many do the work and we never even know about it. They are the ones that hold the energy of the planet and now is their time, we need them more than ever and I thank them all whoever and wherever they are for the continued work they do.

The essence of what I’m trying to say in this strange metaphorical way, is that all we need to do is reach out, help those near you, the ones that you can reach. keep moving towards the banks of the river, and remember to look behind you and reach out a hand...