Zoom call with my grandma, sister and nieces
This blog is still so relevant and I think even more today, that we are through the pandemic and shut down- everyone seems busier than ever and we should still be in practice! Thanks for reading-
It is April 7, 2020, Full Moon in Libra, and most of us are staying home to slow the spread of COVID19. A deep bow to those who are not, the healthcare workers, grocery store workers, delivery folks, so many people, thank you. I just read an email from Chani Nicholas, and she said it so beautifully… “we are collectively feeling the burden of distance from each other. We are in this together-alone. Having this concentration of time with ourselves makes us more intimately aware of what is always awaiting us just below the business of life.”
I say this is the time to be in daily practice- mindful practices to bring us to a place of awareness and in a place to feel the feels, be with them, and allow them to move when ready. I was reminded of this over the weekend when I re-connected with friends and teachers from my graduate school program at Tai Sophia. I started grad school and major transformation and healing in 2009. Reconnecting inspired me to write 5 Practices to change your quarantine experience.
1. Be aware of the moon- today is the Full Moon and the energy of both the new and full moon can affect your energy, your mood, and your health (if you have Lyme co-infections or other parasites in your body, the parasites can flare during these times). The practice I offer is to look up the times the moon is setting and rising (right around sunset and sunrise). Find a place in nature to go, and watch the moon rise or set. I’m heading to watch the moon set now before I post this. My favorite places if you are in Lafayette area is the Aquarius Trailhead for the moonrise and Waneka Lake for the moonset. It is a magical time and forces you to be still and ground and connect with the power of Mother Nature.
2. Dance! I haven’t been a big “dancer” in my adult life, though I was as a child, I would make up dances to songs (Walk Like an Egyptian– yes, it was amazing!) I decided to start dancing again and there are so many options online. I’ve met a lot of women in my Yoga Nidra training who teach Quoya and I did not know what it was, so I searched it and there are lots of free 20 minute or so “classes” on the Quoya website. I would love to hear if you have a favorite online dance class! Move your body, move your energy, release stuck energy and emotions.
3. Be in community- Find a way to connect with others, to see their face and hear their voices. It really is helpful and you can feel connected by being seen and heard. When I met with my old friends and teachers from Maryland on Sunday, my heart was warmed and I floated through my day. I offer a Tuesday night Zoom Circle (now a monthly circle for current clients), there are Alanon meeings, AA meetings, Group Meditations, tons of online yoga classes from most of your favorite yoga studios. The options can be overwhelming so pick one and just do it. 🙂 I love the opportunity when everyone has the chance to speak and be heard. I do plan to offer more online circles to be in community and more guided Reiki shares in the near future.
4. Reach out to old friends- connect with people you have lost touch with- there is magic in this. Connect with family that you always mean to but “don’t have time to”. My 92 year old grandma was thrilled when we finally got her on Zoom with me, my sister and my grandma’s 3 great-granddaughters.
5. Be the observer of your body sensations- what is your body telling you? This is what the practicing in my graduate school helped me transform my life. When we have a Reiki session I ask clients this question, where do you feel it in your body? They don’t always know, but as we work together they often discover the answer (that shoulder pain is anger, that hip pain is sadness, etc). To be the observer we need to pause. Meditation is one of the best ways to become the observer. So start there if you don’t have a daily meditation practice. When I started meditating daily before my daughter was born, one of the main benefits I noticed- I could be the observer of my body and started to notice the very first physical warnings that a migraine was coming on… and most of the time I could stop, recognize it, and meditate it away. It took a few more years to realize the connections of my migraines, decreasing to rarely occurring, but meditation combined with regular energy work was a great first step.
I hope these serve you well. Keep a look out for more tips and tricks on my Facebook and Instagram. I am working to communicate more frequently there! Be sure to comment any practices of your own that you wish to share with your community. UPDATE! I stopped going on Social Media later that year! Don’t look for me there! 🙂