I’m finding it hard sitting here writing this, I feel I should come out with some words of wisdom or advice. This whole thing is so enormous and so terrifying it’s difficult to put it into perspective.
The fear of falling ill, of loved ones becoming sick, the fear of financial ruin and the fear of loneliness and isolation are very real for many people including myself.
I’ve spent the last twenty years practicing self-cultivation, many hours spent alone in meditation, studying philosophy, psychology, martial arts and of course practicing yoga.
I feel so grateful for this now as I have a great relationship with my family and with myself. I know who I am, what I’m about, what I want and what I need. I have many interests and hobbies to occupy my time and when I don’t, I’m happy to be alone and enjoy silence.
Many people at this time will struggle with this. The sick, the vulnerable, people already struggling financially and those who are already isolated will suffer greatly. Even those who on the surface appear to have a great life filled with exciting activities, full work schedule, activities with friends and family all nicely structured and ordered, may now find that they don’t have the great relationship they thought they had with their kids and partners. They may now feel anxious or angry that they can’t play golf, go to the gym, go and see friends in the pub or get to that yoga class. They may find now that the things that have so far kept them happy and fulfilled are useless and they are left feeling empty and scared. This will be hard for us all.
This is the time to dig deep into your inner resources and find out what you’re really about and to find the joy in just being.
We’re lucky that we live in this electronic age and that there’s so much available on the web to help us. I will, as promised to the clients I teach there, be posting some of the practices from my classes at Mind in Haringey and Rethink on my YouTube channel, I hope that some of these help.
Please try this Yoga Nidra for sleep, pop some earbuds in and listen to it when you’re in bed and ready for sleep. Even if you don’t think you have problems with sleep, try it for five days in a row and notice any changes in how you feel, you may be pleasantly surprised!
As worrying as this situation is…
…it will pass.