Be Here Now.

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Dearest Yoga Family,

Words cannot describe how much I miss each and every one of you! If I could distill the many lessons I have learned so far from the COVID 19 epidemic, it is the importance of perspective and self-awareness.  During “normal” times, it is so easy to feel alone, isolated, self-conscious- now add in some actual physical isolation (#qualityquarantinetime), and the way we think and talk to ourselves becomes much more apparent and amplified.  

Here are some recurring thoughts I’ve had the past few days: Am I overreacting?? Under reacting?? What information can I trust?? What is just opinion vs actual facts?? My mind has NOT STOPPED. Without awareness and perspective, it is easy for me to let my mind run itself in circles until I am literally mentally and physically exhausted. Luckily, recent circumstances have given me ample opportunity to practice centering myself, living in the present, and maintaining a healthy perspective on all the good that is still in the world. I have found that when I actually examine my reality... I am ok.  Yes, there are a lot of unknowns, but I am in fact ok. And that makes all the difference.  

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Since its release date, I have been heavily leaning on a Tim Ferris podcast episode with meditation teacher Jack Kornfield (listen here).  The title reads, How to Find Peace Amongst COVID 19, but honestly should be called How to Find Peace Amongst LIFE.  Learning from the conversation between Tim and Jack allowed me to accept my worries as completely normal and worthy of acknowledgment.  I know this sounds silly... but as a yoga student and teacher, I feel an obligation to maintain constant calm and inner peace, which is obviously impossible.  This perceived obligation inevitably sets me up for failure; when those worries and anxieties do arise, I think “what’s wrong with me?”.

Here’s what I learned most from Mr. Kornfield- the moment you acknowledge your worries and anxieties is the moment you can say “thanks, but no thanks”. Thank you, mind and body, for reminding me that there are many important things to think about, but right now I’m ok. Right now I am experiencing each moment anew, and that’s enough for me. As Jack Kornfield puts it, thank you (anxieties) for trying to take care of me, but I am ok! This has completely shifted my perspective of not only the global crisis, but everyday worries. (also, see previous newsletter on gratitude! You can thank your anxieties for what they do, then let them go).

For me, sometimes the shift in perspective is as natural as the breath, other times I have to be intensely intentional.  Here is a list of things I’ve been doing to ground my energy and surrender my anxieties.

  • Morning yoga: Since RFY is closed for the time being, I have been unrolling my mat outside each morning.  WOW- talk about change of perspective! Nature’s music, the colors, the breeze... magic! Flow with us LIVE on Insta, but remember these classes are offerred for the following 24 hours.

  • Long walks with my dog

  • Yard work- what better time to complete projects?

  • Reading outside

  • CBD: When my mind is racing in bed at night, I turn to CBD to help me let go of anxieties and fall asleep faster.  Depending on the day I take 33mg- 66mg (1-2 droppers) of CBD Distillery’s Full Spectrum Oil Tincture.

  • Limited social media time: this has been essential for me.  Time to tune out the noise and tune in to this moment. AKA be here NOW!

Be here now. This mantra is tattooed on my wrist, not because I live it but because I need this reminder in my life.  For me, this phrase means control what you can and then surrender to the unknown. The only person who can find that surrender is you, the only person who can create that inner peace is you.  Allow yourself to be your greatest teacher during these challenging times through the act of surrender and use this time wisely to ground your energy and reconnect with what really matters in your life. 

 Light and love

Paola

Toni Lum