These last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind with advice from Government and Health changing swiftly and differing considerably from the approaches of other nearby countries.
I have noticed a real relief that I have felt when someone has just made a definite decision or when some clearer direction has come through from the Government. So I can see how difficult it can be to be in a state of not knowing.
I feel so grateful for my practice in times like this - both my yoga practice and my mindfulness practice as then enable me to do the following:
1) Notice when I am getting pulled into the whirlwind of panic, anxiety, business etc and how that affects my breathing (shorter and shallower) and my mind (also whirling without being able to think things through properly).
2) Take some action through pausing and connecting inwards (even if this is a very brief moment of practice) and feel my feet on the floor, feel my breath move through my body (inbreathe, pause, out breath, pause) and then open out a bit to what else Im noticing, fear, panic, confusion, irritation, incredulous etc.
3) Explore curiously what is here - what does it actually feel like in my body? Hot, cold, big, small, moving, still, with a colour or shape? and explore it in a kind and interested fashion as best I can.
4) Ask it what it needs - and base my actions on that. This can take the form of doing something enjoyable, having some space, making a cup of tea, going out for a walk, calling a friend, or doing some yoga bu maybe starting from the ground and working up to standing, a breath practice, or a meditation.
5) Communicating with those around me in a mindful and curious manner - what do family members/friends/colleagues feel about deciding to self isolate, social distance etc. Often needing to repeat steps 1-4 in the process.
6) Listening openly to what is being said/discussed - balancing hearing what is being said and checking back in with myself as to what my head, heart, gut is telling me.
