The Quarantine Yogi
Here we are two months into quarantine. What an interesting time to be a yogi! There are so many lessons to learn. It’s funny because I am always transmuting my everyday experiences into “lessons” I can share and relate to our practice on the mat but now more than ever the lessons are crystal clear. A resounding call to just BE and not worry so much about the rushing around, doing.
All too often I catch myself getting sucked into the planning/fretting/hurrying mindset and this has been the first time since I was a high school kid that I’ve had two months to truly slow down and let go. Like so many others I had trips planned, concerts to go to, a steady work schedule set out and then poof they’re gone. There is a beautiful word in Sanskrit, aparigraha, which means to learn to let go. Life is unpredictable so in order to be content and free we must learn to not grasp so tightly to things that may change. We tend to cling to material belongings, partners, moments. You can visualize this concept like a bird clinging to a safe branch. When the bird is able to trust and let go of fear, it’s able to soar, seeing and feeling things it never imagined before. We can get stuck like these scared birds, glued to our branch out of habit or fear. When we’re able to release some of these attachments, it’s like a weight is lifted off our shoulders and we’re able to practice flying, developing a sense of direction and trust in our wings.
It’s interesting to see how people react to this disruption of our norms. Some people are grasping for some semblance of control; checking the news every hour or making plans for post quarantine, which in itself is uncertain. But it seems most people have settled into taking things day by day at this point, living in aparigraha whether they know it or not. Without anywhere else to be we are able to tap into our own wisdom. Asking ourselves how do I want to move today? What do I want to wear today? What media do I want to consume today? How should I spend the extra hours in my day?
This is such a luxury! I’ve been reflecting on how much this feels like a retreat in my mind. Last year I went on a magical yoga retreat in Morocco. I traveled solo for a couple days before arriving at the retreat center. I carried around a journal the entire 10 days writing down incredible words of wisdom from one of my favorite yoga teachers (who was leading the yoga portion) and our ayurveda teacher. What was surprising though was how much wisdom welled up from within my own psyche. Being alone in a foreign place is definitely a fast track to getting in touch with what’s going on in your subconscious but I am realizing that the same thing is happening now. As I slow down and spend more time reading, writing & dreaming, my inner voice is starting to speak up again. We all have the opportunity to find this space of deep presence, grace & intuition right now and it is a gift. It can be scary, that’s why we grasp for what feels comforting like the bird to the branch. We are being invited to look at those comforts right now and see if they are actually serving us or if they’re holding us back from something greater. Although I would love to go on another great adventure I recognize that right now there is no need to venture halfway across the world. I am using this time to absorb knowledge from books, podcasts and my own inner teacher, a retreat for my soul. Drop into this mindset and maybe the mundane will start to become magical.
Thank you to all of our heroic essential workers and a deep thank you to our community who continues their yoga practice at home with us! It is an honor to keep guiding you through classes and I love seeing all the instructors and students coming together in the group. Now is such a great time to share wisdom & dreams because we are all each other's teachers! Namaste