Finding Peace During Turbulent Times.
Hello.
Do you find yourself asking, what next?
It’s been a turbulent few years. The pandemic took many lives, and the lockdowns and restrictions deeply affected us emotionally. The subsequent impact on the economy has left many struggling. There’s no denying that our planet is in trouble, as evidenced by endless forest fires and floods. There are now two wars happening where the suffering and atrocities are unimaginable.
How do you manage the influx of news and ensure you are informed and not overwhelmed?
How do you cope with many emotions: shock, sadness, anger, despair, and helplessness?
How do you make your self-care a priority during times like this?
When the world has gone mad again, and you don’t know what to do, you must start with yourself. Do you want more peace in the world? Find your peace.
There is one aspect of yoga philosophy that I connect to daily, and it becomes more essential when I feel crushed by worldly events. Ahimsa is the principle of nonviolence to self or others. This includes physical action, words, and thoughts. Ahimsa is a guiding beacon that reminds me to stay on a path of compassion and empathy.
Susanna Barkataki is a yoga teacher, inclusivity promoter, yoga culture advocate, and activist. I’ve been following her for years, and I want to share her latest newsletter on how we can use Ahimsa during these turbulent times:
5 Ahimsa Practices for These Times
Practice 1 - Care for your body to harmonize your nervous system.
Ahimsa during these times can look like caring for your body. Release tension, stretch, and love yourself. This helps us clear our minds, solve problems and respond more mindfully to the circumstances around us. What is one action you can take right now to practice care for your own body?
Practice 2 - Recognize and embrace what is.
Presence with what is, is a path of ahimsa. For a moment, let go of wishing this wasn’t happening. Practice noticing, acknowledging and simply accepting the suffering, pain, sadness, and anger you see in yourself and others. What happens in your body when you acknowledge and accept what is? Our breath can be a powerful guide into presence of what is. Inhaling, present. Exhaling, being with what is.
Practice 3 - Seek understanding with compassion & kindness.
Ahimsa can mean seeking to understand yourself and those around you. Cultivating compassion allows space to act, care, support, and help others. Practice compassionate care and kindness with yourself and with others everywhere you can. This can look like becoming curious, asking genuine questions, and listening to those around you. It could also look like taking some time to journal about what you’re feeling to better understand yourself.
Practice 4 - Take peaceful, productive action.
Ahimsa can mean doing whatever we can to stop harm that is occurring around us. Write to your representatives asking for your demands to be listened to and met. Join a march. Make a donation. Reach out to a friend in need. Take productive, non-violent action that will help create change.
Practice 5 - Practice Interconnection and Community Care.
Ahimsa is practicing our interconnection. We understand our survival - and liberation - is bound up together. We live and practice so we create healing not harm for others as well as ourselves. We can do this by practicing community care as self care with empathy.
Other things to consider:
1) Be informed, but limit your exposure to endless information. Pass on watching the news to avoid disturbing images, and focus on obtaining your news from reliable written material or the radio. Take a break from social media.
2) This is not the time to throw up your hands and say, “Well, what’s the point in doing anything good when there is so much suffering? It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole of despair, but that will not help anyone and insult the people who don’t have the freedom or options to do what they want.
3) Move. Susanna Barkataki mentions stretching and doing some yoga, which I highly recommend, and I would also get outside as much as possible and walk in nature. Forest bathing is grounding and one of the easiest ways to become present.
4) Surround yourself with beauty, joy and connection. Host a potluck dinner, hike, or have coffee with a friend. Discover what is happening in your community and get involved. Create art, read inspiring books, and watch uplifting movies.
5) Reach out to family and friends that you know are struggling or may be directly impacted by world events
6) Practice Gratitude. I’m grateful to live in a country where I can think and do what I want. I’m grateful for my health, the roof over my head, and access to clean water and nutritious food.
7) Practice Loving Kindness Meditation. This Buddhist practice is helpful during difficult times and cultivates our compassion and connection to all beings. I end my morning meditation with this and send loving kindness to my loved ones. Sometimes, I focus the prayer on myself, and now I’m extending it to everyone and hoping for peace. Read my blog, Loving Kindness Meditation/Prayer, which provides instructions.
I felt blah until we participated in a community event on Saturday night called the Firelight Lantern Festival. There was a spectacular fire performance, and 100’s of people marched on Main Street with many delightful costumes and light installations. It has been a long time since I experienced such collective joy and fun. My face was sore from smiling, and my heart and soul are still delighted.
Firelight Lantern Festival.
We are going to a play on Friday night, and every day, we ensure that we take a walk, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. We recently watched the movie A Man Called Otto, and felt deeply touched and inspired by the story. Do not dwell on despair or get pulled into arguments about world events. Focus on whatever brings you happiness and hope. Be with those you love and lean into joy.
Take good care of yourself. Peace and blessings.
Anita
DISCLAIMER: The information on County Yoga Loft’s website blog is for general health care informational purposes only. All information on the site is provided in good faith. However, it should not replace consultation or advice from a physician or other healthcare practitioners. The use or reliance of any information on this site is solely at your own risk.