The Universe’s guide to staying gold

Tips on how to self-sooth the human soul

What if you were the Universe? You would tell people that you have spent a very long time, more lifetimes than you can easily count, watching the stars dance and the way human hearts beat. You would say that you could see the tiny sparks of light inside of people, the same sparks that make up the suns in far-off galaxies. Because everything is connected by invisible threads, you would say that looking after the human form is like tending to a beautiful, glowing garden that lives inside of you. You would tell everyone all the secrets about how to care for the human self. So here are a few secrets of the Universe that have been gathered to help your garden grow strong, bright and beautiful.

You would first tell friends and loved ones to imagine that their feelings are like the sky. Sometimes it is sunny, and sometimes there are big, grey rain clouds. You can’t be cross with the rain. You wouldn’t yell at a cloud for raining; so, you can’t be upset that you have days where you feel down. Just watch. When you feel sad or scared, just say, “Oh, look, a rain cloud is passing through.” It always moves. No matter how dark the sky gets, the blue is always behind it, waiting.

You might then share that they should spend time talking to the Earth. You’d be surprised at how well she listens. She has mastered the art of Sacred Listening. Your body is made of the same stardust as the ground beneath your feet. When your mind feels like it’s spinning too fast, like a top that won’t stop, the Earth invites you to take off your shoes. Put your feet on the grass or the dirt. You would say to let the heaviness go; to imagine the Earth is a giant magnet gently pulling the “grumpy” energy out of your toes and turning it into flowers.

You could also recommend that they follow the Inner Spark. In every day, there is at least one tiny thing that makes your heart feel warm; like a favourite snack, story, or flower. Or it could be a pretty bird, the sound of frogs croaking, or the way the light hits a glass of water. Be a treasure hunter and look for that spark. Hold onto it, and when you find it, stay very still and feel that warmth for a moment. This tells your brain that you are safe and loved.

If you were the Universe, you would remind loved ones that there needs to be moments when you need to sit in silence and feel the magic of quiet. Sometimes, we need to turn off the noise of the world so we can hear the Universe whispering to us. Find a hush time. Sit quietly for just a few minutes. You don’t have to do anything other than listen to your breath. It sounds like the ocean, doesn’t it? In and out. That is the sound of the whole Universe breathing with you.

The last thing you would share is that you need to be your own best friend. If your friend fell down and scraped their knee, you would give them a hug and tell them it’s okay. Use kind words with yourself, and when you make a mistake, don’t be mean to yourself. Give yourself a hug. You are a miracle made of light and stardust, and you are doing a very good job just by being here.

You are not just a small person living in a big world, but that the big world is actually living inside of you.

You are a beautiful way for the whole Universe to look at itself and say, ‘Wow, look how lovely I am!’ You are the big everything, wrapped up in a little human package. And because you are the Universe, you are never truly alone, and you are always, always loved.