Well well well...what can I say? The USA seems to be in a pickle these days. I have had conversations with yoga students, neighbors, and even my own daughter about the anxiety that comes with the current events.
On one particular evening, as I felt myself unraveling, I reached out to my yoga BFF. From studying yogic philosophy for years, you would think we would know all the answers about how to navigate difficult times; however, when we are in the thick of it, it is sometimes challenging to remember and to apply these important concepts.
I asked her, "How do we navigate this? What does the yoga say?"
Her response: "I mean, yoga is great but this is the time to freak out!"
I laughed out loud. From there, we had a meaningful conversation about how yoga can actually be helpful in these times. Take a look at our thoughts!
Sometimes, Life Sucks
Indeed, friends. It is a helpful reminder to know that life is not meant to be a constant picnic of rainbows and butterflies. Unfavorable incidents are inevitable. In fact, you should count on them. One of my favorite Pema Chodron quotations is: "Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again."
In short, things feel awful right now BUT let's not panic about the fact that they are awful. Things come together and then they fall apart. This is the natural rhythm of life. We are currently in a "fall apart" section. What's happening is not ok in any way, but in the scope of our lives, it is normal to experience a falling apart. Let's accept it, and then we can take the next step.
You're Allowed to Freak Out
My BFF is fantastic at reminding me that I am allowed to freak out. I don't know about you but I often get stuck in a cycle of freaking out and then noticing that I am freaking out so I compound it by freaking out about the fact that I am freaking out. Spoiler alert: This makes things feel much worse.
When we practice yoga, we often start to believe the fallacy that we should no longer fall victim to our emotions. We should be able to transcend all difficulties. Nothing should bother us again forevermore. The truth is that by practicing yoga, we can shorten the response time of returning to our baseline.
In other words, we are still going to freak out. Every time. However, instead of freaking out for weeks at a time, perhaps I will only freak out for a few days before recognizing what I am doing and using my tools to calm the nervous system. As I continue to practice, this response time will shorten even more. Perhaps you will only need a few hours, eventually just a few minutes. The point is, it is very normal and incredibly expected to freak out when something upsetting occurs. In fact, this is the sign of a healthy sympathetic nervous system. What yoga helps us to cultivate are the tools to calm the nervous system in an efficient manner.
So go ahead, freak out. Seems like it's the right time to do so. In fact, I'll join you.
What Are Your Tools?
Ok, so you've been practicing yoga for a while. This is fantastic. The purpose of practicing yoga (other than the famed yoga butt) is to hone your skills of mindfulness. We practice these skills during peaceful times or in a peaceful setting. This allows the practice to become ingrained in our neurons. Then, when we are put into a stressful situation, we can use these tools easily. Practice practice practice.
The question is: what are your tools? Is it deep breathing that works for you? Perhaps mindful nature walks or gardening are the activities that invoke mindfulness. It may be as simple as attending a yoga class. Whatever your tools are, now is the time to lean in.
The sequence of events is as follows: 1) Something bad happens. 2) Freak out. 3) Remember that you have tools to help you. 4) Engage those tools. 5) Calm down. 6) Smile. You're ready to move forward. Repeat as needed.
Where Is Your Sangha?
Where would I be without my yoga BFF? In fact, where would I be without my yoga classes, in general? Sangha means "community". This is an important element of yoga! Our sangha is where we belong, where we can trust fully, where we celebrate the wins, and where we lean when things fall apart.
Having sangha means that we are never alone. Knowing that we are not alone is a healing balm. Our sangha not only supports us but can also remind us of these yoga tips as we navigate life's interesting situations.
Where Is Your Joy?
You need to laugh. Like, every day. When my BFF told me it was time to freak out, I laughed out loud. That action alone broke my panic. It allowed me to refocus and start thinking straight again.
Joy is important all the time, but adversity makes it shine all the more. Be purposeful about finding joy. Every day, plan something that will be joyful for you. You are allowed to have moments of laugh out loud happiness, even when things are awful. It levels the playing field. To quote my favorite musician, U2's Bono: "Laughter is the evidence of freedom." Don't let them take this away from you.
(If you need a laugh, let me know. I'll tell you the funniest joke in the world. Well, according to me, not my kids.)
So Anyway...
In closing, these are historic times. I've never lived through a historic time before. Isn't this interesting? I wonder what role I will play? Perhaps you wonder this about yourself too. Remember, curiosity is the antidote for panic, and compassion is the antidote to anger. I'm in this for the long haul, but only because I intend to text my BFF constantly, do my yoga, and laugh at silly jokes. It's time to lean into what we have been practicing (and fall apart as necessary). Once we take care of ourselves, we are ready to step into the world and take action. Let's see what happens next, shall we?