What do we do in times of disruption? What can we do when we are watching the death and displacement of peoples in Ukraine, from the palm of our hands? How can we help when the globe feels chaotic?

I think what we truly want right now is to feel like we can help. But, most of us feel helpless. What can we do at home? How do we make this world a better place in between work and picking our kids up from school and meals?

This is my attempt to use some woo-woo / witchy energy in my everyday life to bring greater peace, stability and security in the world.

My heart is with the Ukrainian people and all people who seek independence and freedom from political / military bullies.

My empathetic being is overwhelmed by the pain and suffering caused by the attacks on Ukraine. Many of us are emotionally impacted as we witness this hostility and disruption. I think many of us feel paralyzed and helpless. We feel guilty for going about our regular day, pretending as if nothing is happening in the rest of the world.

I consulted Tarot about what to say this week. And the Five of Pentacles came up. There is no better card in the Tarot to describe the experience of a displaced population who are without homes, resources, or safety. The card shows two people who could easily be refugees.

I asked Tarot what we wanted during this time, and I pulled the Six of Wands. It’s the card I associate with the phrase, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” We want to feel like we're doing something to make it better.

And yet at the same time, so many of us feel like we don’t possess the power or clout to create change. Many of us feel like the refugees in the 5 of Pentacles - a little helpless and disempowered.

So how do we get empowered? How do we feel like we're part of a bigger solution?

When I asked the Tarot cards, Spirit responded with The Justice Card. The first thought that came to my mind was - working towards justice, whatever that means for you. I was thinking about donations to organizations that are helping displaced peoples. For some Justice might mean changing the way you spend money or changing the way that you vote.

My second thought (and this is where the energy work comes in), is that the world has been thrown out of balance. Right now our relatively peaceful and abundant homes are being flooded with fear, anxiety, and dis-ease as we witness destruction and disruption. Nothing like watching refugees flee their homes with nothing but a bag or two, to make you appreciate the overwhelming abundance in your life.

Here is my radical thought. The men that are causing the violence in Ukraine have brought violence into my home. And, if I allow that narrative to dominate the energy of my home - they win. They bring chaos where there was peace. They foster helplessness where there agency.

The way we ‘fight back’ it to cultivate stability, security, safety, joy and abundance in our homes, and therefore in our world. We will watch the news, honor the losses, pray for the those who fight for their lives and their freedom. But we must not dwell in the frequency of dis-ease and disruption. It would only lower the vibration of the planet even further.

Instead, we can counterbalance by doubling-down on our efforts to bring greater stability, greater ease, greater joy, greater appreciation in our everyday lives. I believe that our small acts in our humble homes will influence and change the world. I know that if millions of us were to infuse the simple act of enjoying a meal with our families with love, appreciation and joy - we will make the world a better place. Our love will ripple throughout the world.

We are not ignoring the problem or pretending it doesn't exist. On the contrary! We are bringing our small bit of medicine into the world to say “No, not today Dictators!. You don't get to bring violence into my home. You don't get to bring dis-ease and disruption into this peaceful enclave. We will disrupt your disruption with as much peace, joy, stability and security as we can muster.”

So, here are my ideas of things we can do in our homes to counterbalance the negativity of what’s happening right. I wanted to keep it really simple, in the spirit of weaving this energetic work throughout the day in a sustainable way.

1) Take a little extra time and cook a nourishing meal.

Sit down with one another and light a candle. Reflect on the day together. Create moments that are full of connection and community. Really appreciate the table, the home, and the meal that is available to you.

2) Be grateful.

Appreciation ever darn little thing, like running water, grocery stores, gas stations, your bed, your clothes, your job…

3) If you've got kiddos, take a little extra time at night to tuck them in.

As you secure them in for the night, think about bringing stability, security, peace and ease.

4) Talk about bullies.

Share stories of survival and thrival. Have conversations with your kids about what to do when they are impacted by bullying. What action can we take to ensure the safety of our kids and their classmates from the destructive effects of bullies.

5) Be still. Meditate.

Siting in peace and silence is a powerful pay to disrupt disruption.

6) Ground and Center.

Visualize luminous roots extending from your spine and connecting you with the Earth. Or visualize the mycelium reaching up to network with your energetic being. I enjoy imagining sitting at the base of a tree and leaning against the trunk of a tree. These grounding exercises are a great way to counteract the heady space we find ourselves in when we're empathizing and thinking about faraway places.

7) Spend time in nature.

Take a deep breath. Always returning to appreciation, recognizing our abundance and acknowledging that we have more than enough to share.

8) Take action.

Use whatever abundance you have available to you to support people suffering from the effects of immigration, displacement, homelessness, and marginalization. That may mean sending money to Ukraine. But, I believe volunteering to help immigrant families in your own community will have the same energetic effect. Perhaps a greater, and longer lasting impact if it motivates you to stay involved and deepen your connection with marginalized peoples in your own community. Be a part of a global effort to ensure all people have the freedom and access to secure, safe and stable place to live.

All right, that’s my radical take on how we can use energy work to bring about peace in a time of violence and disruption. This is not the solution, but rather one fragment of peace in what could be an energetic tsunami of love to counterbalance the destruction that is happening in our world. This is a simple way we can utilize magic, and exercise our agency in our everyday lives to create a little bit of shift, a little bit of change, to usher in as much goodness as possible.

I'm curious what you think. I also know there are direct actions we can take. Please share your efforts. And, let me know how you are finding your way through a time of disruption.

Sending you peace, stability and security.

With love and magic,

Erin