Stress and the Stories We Tell

A Sacred Way Salon

Friday, October 23, 2026
11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
$55

When we are stressed, we often believe the experience we are having. Urgency feels real. Fear feels real. Problems feel big.

But stress does more than make us feel bad. It changes what we perceive, what we remember, how we interpret what is happening, and the possibilities we can see.

Under stress, our attention narrows. The mind fills in missing information—usually with the most fearful explanation. Urgency feels valid and necessary, and the story created by a stressed system quickly becomes our reality, whether it is true or not.

In this 90-minute Salon, we will explore how the state of the nervous system shapes our perception and how our perception shapes our experience. What nervous system states allow for more expansive perspectives? How can we experience stress and still maintain an expansive state of perspective?

Hint: It’s not about calming down. It’s about learning how to widen our awareness while stress is present, so more of reality becomes available before we decide what something means or what, if anything, we need to do about it.

The flow of the Salon will be:

• Teaching

• Guided practice

• Personal reflection with prompts

• Connection and conversation

Bring your curiosity and a willingness to recognize when stress is writing your story.