On January 14, 2026, we held a special circle on how to ease anxiety in our everyday lives. Nate first had each attendee choose a stone, which would be their connection to Mother Earth, who will always gladly receive what we wish to be rid of. He then directed everyone with a simple breathing exercise called “feather breath”. This process can be done for 2-3 minutes whenever anxiety spikes.
- Hold your stone near your heart (or imagine it if you don’t have it). Feel its weight and texture.
- Feather Breath: Inhale for a 4 count, then exhale for 6 count, soft and slow, as if blowing on a feather. Repeat at least 3 times.
- Anchor phrase: Whisper or think: “Ground. Steady. Safe.”
Within a share before the shamanic journey, everyone was invited to express what tool they use to relieve anxiety when it surfaces. Some wise and profound comments were given:
The following list is not in order of relevance, preference, or effectiveness.
- Humming
- “Horse lips” breathing (fluttering out of loosely closed lips)
- Reminding myself, “this is only temporary”.
- Standing in the grass barefoot. I release old stuff and absorb earth energy.
- Put hand on heart and ask inner child how I can love and support them.
- Soft “huh” sound on gentle outbreath. (What babies do naturally for self-soothing.)
- Greet the sun within and without.
- Tapping (resource on YouTube with lots of short videos by Brad Yates)
- Slowing rhythm (by tapping or rocking to a rhythm, then gradually slowing the tempo)
- Play flute
- Dance
- Hug a tree
- Deep gentle breathing
- Go outside and be in nature
- State facts to return to NOW.
- Have a reason to laugh accessible to you and use that in the moment to find clarity.
- Progressive muscle softening
- Slow stretching (neck rolls, reaching upward with arms)
- Color scanning (choose a color and name everything you see of that color)
- Object focus (Hold or look at a simple object and describe it silently in detail—texture, shape, temperature)
- Repeat a mantra (“I am safe” … “I can meet this moment” … “This will pass” … etc.)