3 tips that may make you feel better.
This week has been tough for me which I think was driven by a confluence of factors. And yet, a big part is still very much of an unknown force. I think sometimes the moods just move us. So naturally the way my mind works means I've been thinking about all of us. Because I'm not narcissitic enough to think that I'm unique or special in feeling the winds of change impactfully, and I'm just narcissistic enough to think that what I'm learning may be useful to share for anyone else considering how to deal. Whether I'm right in that thinking or not, I may never know unless I ask to you to share with me. Please do share with me :)
I've been thinking about Gratitude and Gripes. I've been leaning more into one than the other and then I slowed down enough to see at what I've been experiencing this past week. When I started to name and identify what I was moving through, I began to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of emotion. In fact, a study of mostly French people observed that:
"People’s everyday life seems profoundly emotional: participants experienced at least one emotion 90% of the time. The most frequent emotion was joy, followed by love and anxiety. People experienced positive emotions 2.5 times more often than negative emotions, but also experienced positive and negative emotions simultaneously relatively frequently."
Well there you have it folx, Sutra 1.2 is true, in case there was any question. One way to think of this teaching: Yogash Chitta Vrtti Nirodhah or yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the minds, is to consider feelngs, emotions, and sensations as pre-cursors to thoughts occupying the mind. The recognition of what moves us away from peace and stillness is part of the acknowledgment of the benefits of yoga. I think that when we move our focus from one place to another we also shift our energy towards the new place. It doesn't work all the time, yet it can work some of the time. I find it a practice that is helpful in doing something, not nothing when we are feeling out of sorts.
Which brings me to the goal of this note to you. I would like to share three of the wonderful practices I experienced this week even if overall, I'm happy for the week to be over. I share in the hopes that these ideas may prompt or refresh the inherent wisdom to cope and heal already within you. And in the hopes that you may make time in the next few days for one or two practices that you enjoy and help bring you closer to peace and stillness.
1. Laugh out loud. Fairly straightforward and not always easy. I found a friend with whom I could laugh with and we had a whispered conversation about the silliniess of chunks of chocolate between slices of bread being presented as breakfast. It may not make sense to you and yet, we both laughed to tears about it for at least three minutes. I think I was even sore the next day. Ha ha.
2. Walk outside (at the time that is right for you energetically). The pandemic and all resulting situations has put me in a strange new place, where I'm constantly surround by my pod people. Getting to know myself, means I know what is energy activating to me and what is energy replenishing. I am activated by working with inspired individuals and communities and I am replenished by time completely alone, isolated, and in the dark. I am not able to access the latter often enough right now so my solution is to take long walks. I've noticed I'm very eager to walk at the top of my day. That may be different for you so check in with yourself and then make some time to say Hello to the outside.
3. Rest, rest, rest, and more rest. Listen, it's cold where I'm at, so I like to play bear and hibernate. I also get moody in the cold, so I'm not into chatting as much as I may in other seasons. AND to top it off, working to end systemic racism and break down inherently ego-driven mindsets through constant education and exploring of personal nuances is exhausting at times. I'm not afraid to sub a class for fear of being accused as lazy and I'm not afraid to take an afternoon nap either. I've been leaning into both. I recognize rest looks different for all of us and can be circumstance-based so please do what you need to rest to recharge.
While you try these out, here's the new Shapes and Sounds Summer (in AUS) playlist to set the mood.
This is what's top of mind for me as I close the week. I'd love to hear how you're doing, and which of these steps resonate with you. Please continue to take care of you and remember "fill your cup so you can give from the overflow".
See you all in class, community hour, or in our next, very special Guest Teacher Weekend Dec 31 - Jan 3.
As always, thank you for being in community with us-- community rooted in yoga + social justice.
Peace friends,
x
Tejal
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