Our Prayers and What We Can Do

I am Sakura, working as an office lady while also active as a holistic health coach.

This article takes about 3 minutes to read.

The evening of July 28th.
A breaking news alert popped up on my smartphone on my way home from work.

"Magnitude 7 earthquake in Kumamoto"

For a moment, my breath stopped.

I imagine many of you had memories from 10 years ago come flooding back.

Images spreading across the screen.
Collapsed buildings.
Blankets lined up in evacuation centers.
People waiting for rescue in the sweltering heat.

Yet, we are still being swayed on our usual trains.

"I want to do something. But what can I do..."

The night I closed my phone while thinking that.
I'm not the only one, am I?

■ Do not pretend that your shaken heart didn't feel anything

The next morning, the alarm goes off.

While worrying about the news, I put on makeup and get on the train.

"If I keep feeling this way, I won't be able to work."

I tell myself that and put a lid on my heart.
Honestly, I was the same way during the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Those few hours when I couldn't get through to my parents' home in Akita.
I was so afraid of remembering that terror that there was a period where I tried not to watch the news.

But, I learned something after studying holistic health.

If you stop feeling, your heart will gradually become numb.

Psychological research at Stanford University has shown that the "ability to empathize" with the pain of others and "empathy fatigue," where you become distressed yourself, occur in different areas of the brain.

What is important is to turn the pain you feel into "action."
Feeling something and being consumed by it are different things.

◾️ "Praying" is not standing still

"I can only pray"

Do you feel a sense of guilt when you say those words?

But prayer is about turning your heart toward something.
In the midst of our busy daily lives, thinking of someone on the other side of the screen.
That is by no means a powerless act.

Just
why not add one more step to your prayers?

◾️ What we can do today

Even if you are far away, even if you are busy.
There are things we, as working people, can truly do.

First. Donate through reliable channels.
Official channels have been set up, such as the Kumamoto Prefecture donation account, Yahoo! Net Fundraising, the Red Feather Community Chest, and Hometown Tax (Satofull).
Even the cost of one lunch is enough.
You can contribute from as little as 500 yen.
(*Please be sure to use official websites, not suspicious links on social media.)
Kumamoto Prefecture Official Donation Page

Second. Share only accurate information.
If you are going to spread information, share only official announcements.
Well-intentioned rumors can sometimes spread confusion on the ground.

Third. Review your own preparations today.
Emergency go-bags, how to contact your family,
evacuation routes.
This very moment, when you think "it could happen to me tomorrow," is the best time to do it.

Fourth. Contact someone important to you tonight.
A simple "How are you?" is enough.
Staying connected supports one another.

◾️ Taking care of yourself becomes the strength to support others

Feeling heartbroken by the news of the disaster, yet still going to work tomorrow.

Please do not feel guilty about that.

You keeping your mind and body in good shape and working well.
That in itself is a force that supports this society.

The "power to take care of yourself" is not just for your own sake.
It is also the strength to keep yourself capable of acting for the sake of others.

What we can do today does not have to be anything special.

To pray.
To take a small step.
And to take care of yourself.

All of these things are connected.

🌸 Today's 80% Action

🕊️ Research one donation destination and bookmark it
🕊️ Check one item in your emergency disaster kit
🕊️ Send a message to someone you care about asking, "How are you?"

May peaceful mornings return to the skies of Kumamoto soon.

With love and gratitude 🕊️
Holistic Health Coach Sakura