Develop Your Practice

(Coming Soon)

KnowingActs by Heidi Love, art by Linden O’Ryan, is a customizable workbook for a personal journey of healing (purchase here, coming soon). It includes healing art and over 30 easy exercises or ACTS to defuse overwhelming sadness, grief, anger, and feelings of panic, loss, or numbness. Sample ACTS include music playlists, art, mindfulness, podcasts, power clothes, haiku, and more. Two sample ACTS: PLAYLISTS and HAIKU follow.

SAMPLE ACT 1—CREATE A LIST OF SONGS OR A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

This is one of my favorite ACTS. Songs give me strength and power. When I sing along with Pink that I’m “F**kin Perfect.” I hear Anna Nalick tell me to “breathe,, just breathe,” or I listen to soothing nature sounds, I find myself in a calmer emotional place. I feel like the artists are singing directly to me. I’ve made several playlists on Spotify, a few that help me feel stronger, and others that are soothing. You can access my playlists below. Please be sure to “like” them on Spotify and comment below if you enjoy them, as it will allow others to more easily find them.

• Playlist 1 on Spotify KnowingActs.Love1 has lyrics that help me to feel stronger and loved.
• Playlist 2 Spotify KnowingActs Love2 (coming soon) is instrumental and calming. Some of the selections also include sounds in nature. 
• Playlist 3 Spotify KnowingActs Hazel
• Playlist 4 Spotify KnowingActs.Your Songs (coming soon) has songs that readers offer. Please share yours below.

For your own ACT create a list of songs on paper, in a journal, or in the KnowingActs Workbook, or make a playlist on any music application (Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Tidal, or You Tube Music). The goal is to choose songs that help bring your mood to a better, calmer place, not to simply make a list of your favorite songs. You can start this right away by choosing one song that helps to lift up your mood.

When I started my first playlist I asked a handful of friends if they would find songs for me. My girlfriend Judy gave me the song “Stand by Me” which I’ve added to the list. Whenever I play it I feel her standing with me. It’s one of the best, longest lasting hugs I can imagine. Now I give songs to others and sometimes they surprise me by making playlists on Spotify that I can access too.

I love to hear from readers and listen to their playlists. I have a friend, Hazel, who created a playlist (coming soon) which you can access here. She used to play it to make the days brighter. Today she plays it when she’s happy or sad, because she loves the songs and it reminds her of how courageous she is. 

SAMPLE ACT 2—WRITE A HAIKU

I use haiku while I’m sailing, because if I’m far away from land my favorite communication device has a limit of 160 characters. I find it a calming way to be creative and to share my creativity with very few words. I use the ancient tradition of five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line.

My dear friend Janet uses haiku to balance and calm her mind. She lives in Maine and often writes about what she sees in her home or through her window. I’ve included a samples of her work above and below.

think about haiku

calm the mind slowly until

gently sleep returns

For your own ACT you can create a haiku. Try the 5—7—5 style or expand and try a contemporary haiku with one to four short lines, no strict syllable counts, just brief lines with asymmetry, i.e. short/medium,/short/medium or medium/short/medium. It would be wonderful if you would share one or more below.

To purchase the KnowingActs Workbook for yourself or a friend click here. (pre orders coming soon, book available in September)

To support KnowingActs and help distribute workbooks to trauma survivors please check out Help Save A Life (Go Fund Me)

To learn more about the artist, Linden O’Ryan please click here.

To learn more about the author, Heidi Love please click here

We would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation. Do you have a playlist, haiku, calming ACT, or thoughts on Knowing Acts to share? If so, please comment below. If you like this blog please subscribe below and pass it on. You never know who you might inspire or where your inspiration may lead.