Congratulations, you made it through another week
what my client taught me about releasing negativity
Congratulations, everyone, for getting through another week! If you live in the northern climes, you can sense that spring might actually arrive. We are getting through. We are persevering. On the sunny days, life seems to be reborn anew.
↓ In today’s email:
This week’s inspiration: Looking through parted fingers
Latest blog post: How to stay grounded in a hyper-speed AI world
What I’m listening to / watching: 1800s England
This Week’s Inspiration: Looking Through Parted Fingers
Speaking of this week — it’s honestly been a doozy. Sometimes, almost like children, we look and then look away, wanting to know more about the world, but finding that the truth can be unbearable.
Children look at hard things through parted fingers, making a slit between them, catching a glance — and when it’s too scary, they close those fingers back together to cover their eyes. To not see. I think we as adults do something similar.
And when we see things that are upsetting, what are we supposed to do with all the negative energy it whips up within us?
One of my clients said she would release the negativity she felt in her body. So we talked about a Buddhist practice called Tonglen. Tonglen is about pulling darkness and suffering into your body, alchemizing it, and then — through the exhale — sending forth cool brightness and light. And then doing it again.
In my office, between clients, I did a number of these inhalations and exhalations, and found my shoulders dropping and peace settling into my mind.
And with those fingers slightly parted to feel hard things, I closed them — for that was enough — and dove into other such distractions, like the exciting world of handmade Latvian panties and a fantasy novel about magicians in England in the 1800s.
What we can see, and what we can’t bear to see — it’s a pendulum that swings back and forth.
Tell me how you’re processing. Tell me how you are.
Write back.
Latest Blog Post
How to Stay Grounded in a Hyper-Speed AI World
One thing we can count on is change, and we can see that happening in everything, especially the technology around us. While AI brings lots of perks for our lives, we also have to learn how to balance out our bodies through having this technology everywhere in our homes, offices, phones, computers, cars. Where’s the slowdown? Where is the integration? It’s where we make it.
If you’ve noticed a tight neck, racing thoughts, or shallow breathing after a long stretch at the screen — that’s your body telling you something. In this post, I talk about how ancient practices like Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and specific acupuncture points called “Window of the Sky” can reconnect you to your body after all that screen time. Plus, a simple end-of-day reset you can do at home — hand on heart, hand on belly, slow breathing.
Feel free to comment back with your experience. Love to hear. We’re all just figuring this one out.
What I’m Listening To / Watching
1800s England: Magicians & Detectives
This week my entertainment was all about 1800s England. Starting with — the audio version of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, which is a story of magicians in London society, and I’m loving the narration. The best part? I can keep it going while I run upstairs to do a load of laundry and come back — it doesn’t demand too much, just wonderful storytelling and harmonious background vibes.
I also just started watching Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock Holmes series, set in the same era, on Prime. Great costumes, and it’s fun to see his iconic direction — the freezes, the fast-forwards — the signature style from films like Snatch and Lock, Stock. Grateful for good entertainment and a big throwback.
Your pen pal,
Dr. Catherine