Hello my friends,
How our lives have changed these past few weeks!
One thing is for certain we are living in a different world to what we once knew. Uncertainty is the norm. We can choose to evolve & accept the changes or become stagnant & remain stuck in our old ways and mindset - what will you choose?
I know what I am choosing. I choose to be an Agent for Change.
Agents for Change
‘Be that change you want to see in the World’ - Mahatma Ghandi
Just beneath this fear and grief and stress and anxiety ….there’s a tiny bit of excitement I feel at the prospect of learning new ways of doing things, a better way of living and the prospect of a new world emerging, a more conscious world.
I see this as a wake-up call, an ‘‘Awakening”. A time of incredible transformation both personally and globally.
From a teaching perspective I have taken my offering online using Zoom and want to continue to refine it.
Sunday Soul Day Yoga & Meditation on 29/3/2020 will be shorter but will start at the same time from 9-10:15 AM via Zoom
Those in the Women’s Circle Group and anyone interested in joining this group are invited to a virtual BYO cuppa and chat after this session.
3.Yoga & Meditation classes will run each Tuesday & Thursday nights from 8-9:15pm These links will be available on the EVENTS page of my website and I will also be posting it on Facebook.
Those who already joined my 2 virtual classes this week, I would greatly appreciate your feedback on the format, timing and quality of the sound etc…all this is new to me and it is very different to teaching face-to-face. It is difficult to gauge how you are individually receiving the teachings.
At this stage, I am offering my teachings as a community service, free of charge.
In the future, I would love to explore how I can exchange my gifts with others for value. In Yogic philosophy this is called ‘‘Guru Dakshina’. In line with this, I am currently looking for someone to teach me how to play the guitar in exchange for 1-1 yoga, meditation & well being sessions. Other things I was thinking of ..website maintenance, graphic design, photography, fresh produce, basket of lemons…..eggs…baked goods ?
This idea which isn’t new, I came across in the book by Charles Eisenstein, “‘Sacred Economy” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEZkQv25uEs) who is also the author of “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible”.
My Anti Virus Formula
The threat of this disease is real. People have died and are dying from it.. There is no denying it. We have to ACCEPT this truth.
We are all feeling the fear and the grief. Even if a single member of our global community dies, we feel it.
Our bodies and minds have gone into ‘fight/flight/freeze’' mode. If this is sustained over a long period of time, it can have serious consequences on all the major bodily functions such as Immune, endocrine and digestion.
It’s time to Self Soothe and Self Protect. Remember you need to put your own Oxygen mask on first :
SUNSHINE & NATURE - get a minimum of 20-30 minutes of direct sunlight each day, even during winter when the sun is out. Go for a walk in the open air, in nature if you have access to this. My understanding is that this virus does not like full spectrum lighting.
BREATHE - practice deep diaphragmatic breathing. I teach Pranayama (yogic breath work) in all of my classes. It works like magic to shift you from stress mode to relax mode. 10-20 minutes is all you need. Keeping your respiratory tract healthy is vital during these times.
MOVE your body - the mind benefits from stillness, the body from movement. Walk, exercise or dance at home. Try 30 min x 2 per day.
MEDITATE or find a hobby that captivates you. Something you are deeply passionate about something to lose your mind to, something that you love doing. Yoga and Meditation is my choice. However, when I am feeling particularly restless and find it difficult to sit in meditation, I listen to Sanskrit Mantra Chanting - I love learning and meditating to these. I listen at bedtime and first thing on waking daily. This is a link to my teacher Ananda Vidovic’s mantra chanting: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiK1XcpjIlI).
DIET & WATER - drink plenty of water. Be MINDFUL about your diet and eat MINDFULLY. When we are in ‘flight/fight/freeze’ mode, our digestive function is compromised. Choose easy to digest & absorb foods like fresh fruit, juices, smoothies, soft boiled vegetables, soup. Eat less processed carbs and refined sugars such as cakes, biscuits, pasta, rice & pastry.
CONNECT - physical distancing does not mean disconnection from your family, friends and community. It is easy to connect virtually. Despite your beliefs and fears about social media, it is a highly beneficial technology and useful forum - just different. Tune into your own needs and see how you can offer your services to others. On a physical level, walk up-to your neighbours doorstep and leave a note checking in on them or leave some food or a roll of toilet paper!
LIVE FOR TODAY - I’ve been using my special cutlery, linen, lighting candles at meal times, decorating the table, cooking special meals, getting the family together at meal times dragging them out of their caves and off Netflix. Planning picnics in the sun, walking the dog together truly enjoying the G i f t of this time together.
Stay well my friends. I’m ‘‘virtually” available if you would like to chat with me about your health and well being, talk about anything yoga and meditation, borrow a book from, ask for a recipe, or even borrow a cup of sugar …
I hope to see you in my virtual yoga space soon,
From the ❤️,
Avril