Reading for a Client with Dementia

I recently did a tea leaf reading for a kind older gentleman who has dementia. His wife remained present for support. His energy was just so soft, gentle, and for me, ever-so-present. It always touches me deeply to be able to serve in this way (forgive me if this becomes a repetitive thing that I write, it's a truth for me, and the truth often bears repeating!)

There wasn't a lot that was coming up for him, except the direction to be more playful, explorative, creative and joyful. His wife chimed in and asked me if there was any specific guidance - what could he do for his dementia? What could those around him do for him? Well, that was the direction - there wasn't really anything to do. It was really all about being. Enjoying time watching the clouds, talking about said clouds, and really being in the dreamy state that cloud-watching brings. There was more to the reading than that, mind you, like sharing time with youngsters, telling his story, and really giving himself to playfulness - but the cloud-watching was specific.

When I think of giving myself the time to watch the clouds, I am instantly put into a place where I feel calm, at ease, timeless - nowhere I have to be, no one I have to attend to, no other expectations from the world around me - just the clouds, drifting calmly past. It's a beautiful gift of surrender.

Perhaps if we all give ourselves this gift - of watching the clouds, of being present - we might help alleviate all kinds of mental health challenges. Perhaps if we start making it a regular thing, we'll create a collective healing event. Perhaps it needs to be something we do regularly.

Just take a moment now, no matter where you are reading this, if you can't go outside under the clouds and allow yourself to watch them for even just a minute, imagine as if you are. Be in the state of curiosity, imagination, joy and play. Just give yourself fully to that feeling. Act as if. And when you come back to your current reality, no matter the state its in, see how you feel. Feel better? Even for just right now? I figure that's a sign that it's working.