How to keep up with news without abandoning self-care
Hello my dears,
Friday was a particularly bad news day. In addition to the ongoing carnage from this deadly virus, our hearts were broken by the news of Ahmaud Arebery’s murder: yet another reminder that racism kills.
In fact, we know beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that People of Color, particularly Black people, are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus. As my friend Carie Martin said on Instagram last week, "Coronavirus isn’t the only sickness affecting America today."
I agree with Rabbi Raquel that turning our back on grief is dangerous. My immense race and class privilege have put me in a position to be employed, safe and resourced during this pandemic. I could turn away from the suffering of the world, and to be honest, I sometimes do.
Yet, I believe that I disown common humanity and engage in White bypass if I do not stay awake and allow my heart to break again and again, lovingly caring for myself so I can hold my own suffering and that of the world.
Media literacy is an important component of Digital Mindfulness.
News platforms and headlines are intentionally and carefully designed to keep us scrolling to deliver revenue for their advertisers. This makes it so easy for us to consume the news on autopilot without acknowledging and metabolizing our grief.
But we can approach the news open-hearted, grounded and intentional, allowing space for our grief and fear. Over the past several weeks, I have found a practice that helps me stay informed without going numb and I want to share it with you:
Choose one set time to look at the news every day, preferably not right after waking up or right before bed.
Before reading or watching, ground yourself in a way that serves you: this could be deep breaths, meditation, movement, prayer or anything that helps you to be present and resourced.
Read the news. Challenge yourself to read entire articles rather than skimming the headlines. You might also want to mix it up with challenging but inspiring op-eds and interviews with leaders you admire. This interview with Dr. Cornell West on "defeatless despair" is one that I will come back to again and again.
Close your news session and engage in self soothing, self-care, acknowledging and tending to grief, anger and fear. Music and movement are also powerful ways to metabolize grief. Giving me life right now: live DJ sets from Questlove and D-Nice, Dance Church and Nicole Bratt’s Restorative Yoga Class streaming from Seattle Yoga Arts on Wednesday nights.
Take an action. If you can afford to, donate to a cause (see P.S) that supports those directly affected by the news you just read: call an elected official, educate yourself on systemic racism and classism or about the city, state or country mentioned in the article. Reach out to friends and family that share an identity with the people mentioned in the article. Maybe that’s Friends of Color, your elders, those with compromised immune systems, single people weathering this pandemic without touch or other humans nearby or anyone else who’s story is in the news.
I would love to know how this exercise works for you. Please drop me a line about your experience.
Let’s stay awake. Let’s stay loving. Let’s stay kind.
Holding you in my heart,
Christina
P.S. If you’ve read this far, thank you! I invite you to join my mailing list for occasional musings and updates on retreats and events. I won't spam you, or share your data. Let's start supporting small businesses on platforms they own!