Calm in the Midst of Chaos

There is no getting around the fact that life has been crazy for the last couple of weeks. Nothing short of chaotic. And this is not just for those of us here in the United States, but worldwide. We’ve been hearing stories and seeing pictures of those countries who have been hit, are preparing to be hit or are currently in the midst of dealing with the COVID 19 virus. We see the number of people being infected growing right here in the U.S., and the advice of what we should/shouldn’t and can/cannot do changing. With all this and more, yes, chaos is a fair depiction of what many of us are experiencing in our lives right now. So, what’s a yogi to do?


Let’s start off by acknowledging that these are extreme circumstances that we are all experiencing and fear is naturally going to show it’s not-so-pretty face in one form or another. Stress, anxiety, worry, angst, they are all normal and natural responses. The key is in what we do with these natural responses. The problem is, when we are in the midst of experiencing one of these forms of fear, we get completely caught up in these strong emotions and we are at their behest. They are completely in charge of our life experience. Fear dominates and controls our life experience and we are at its mercy before we’ve even realized what has happened!


As yogis, this is our opportunity to practice, to catch ourselves at some point down the dark road of fear. We stop, we breath, we look around, we give ourselves permission to feel what’s here.  Let the fear come, let it be here, and then let it go. Fear is not who you are, no matter how big and real it feels. Who you are is that which sees the fear, that which is aware of the fear, that which makes space for the fear. 


Yes, you will be stressed out or worried about one of a hundred things I could list right now, but you don’t have to take that fear with you and allow it to keep defining you and your life. You have the opportunity now to take your yoga practice to the next level. Try sitting and allowing for your emotions and feelings, even for just a few breaths at a time. See if you recognize their fluctuant nature: how the thoughts, the feelings, they come and they go. Notice the sense of peace and stillness, the calm you experience when you’re making space for the emotions rather than allowing them to define you. Recognize this extraordinary peace and calm to be at the core of who you truly are. 


Give yourself permission to be human and practice, practice practice! <3