Nourish Your Spirit During COVID
What a weird time it is right now.
How are you doing?
I’m not sure how I’m doing. Maybe that’s why I’m writing this. I hope that by sharing my experience, it might help you navigate yours. If you’d rather scroll down to the free gift, please do so.
Before you read on, take a deep breath in and out.
Come into your body.
At the most basic level, this is what I’m doing most days. I’m paying attention to my breath, my body, my emotions– and listening to what they’re telling me.
At first, this sense of camaraderie around the world felt like a bit of a high. I got into all the funny videos. Some were hysterical, especially those of parents going batshit crazy with homeschooling (God bless you parents!). I did some IG dance parties, got on Zoom happy hours, chatted in WhatsApp groups, Facetimed with family and friends, connected with people I haven’t seen in ages. I got invited to a million support circles, meditation rooms, yoga classes, workshops on how to manage your business through crisis. I bet you got all these, too!
It warms my heart to see such an outpouring of goodwill to help people during these times. We all need connection and support. To bond and feel the love around us.
Then I got burned out. Of all the healing and connection! Things also got somber pretty quickly. A dear friend’s mom got the virus, was hospitalized, and died a few days later. Neither she nor her sister could be at the hospital, since they had to be quarantined. It broke my heart. I started thinking about my own parents (who are in Chicago) and my brother (who is a surgeon). Stories from around the world. People separated from loved ones. People dying alone. All of a sudden, that high went super low, and I got so sad. I couldn’t stop crying. The enormity of the situation hit me, and I felt everything at the same time: immense love, compassion, heartbreak, and grief.
When I shared my feelings with friends, they sent me this article: That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief.
Out of all the practices I have, the most important and beneficial one has been meditation. It has helped me get to a state of acceptance quicker than anything I’ve ever tried. Learning how to accept is like letting go of this huge box of bricks that you didn’t even know you were carrying.
Once you get the survival thing down (you’re doing great, btw!), see how you can nourish your spiritual and mental health. In the long-run, this is what will get us through these times. I know it’s not easy, especially if you’re caring for others. But it doesn’t have to take long. Even just a few minutes a day. Pause. Breathe. Ask yourself, “How am I doing today? What do I need?” Listen to the response. Practice being with whatever comes up.
In a way, we’re all experiencing trauma right now. We may not fully realize it yet, but our bodies and psyche are keeping track. We need time and space to process and integrate. The best way to do that is with love, tenderness, presence, and consistency.
Does this mean that you should all start meditating? Yes!
At the very least, what I have found helpful is to reduce external noise and focus on 1-2 things for my mental and spiritual health. Simplify. Get consistent. Go deep with those, rather than engage in patchwork healing (a.k.a. trying a million things at surface level, which is the tendency of our already attention-deficit culture). Mine have been movement and meditation. I do what calls me the most (walks and yoga), listen to those voices I most love and trust (my spiritual teacher), and meditate. Of course, continue to connect with your loved ones and stay sane; technology has been amazing for that. But also take time to get quiet, listen, and allow things to arise in order to digest them. Heal and deal.
What would that look like for you?
As a small gift, I recorded a short 13-minute Yoga Nidra practice. I learned it from a beloved teacher of mine, Sue Neufeld, who passed away several years ago. Yoga nidra means “yogic sleep” in Sanskrit. It helps alleviate stress and anxiety. It also gets you into theta and delta brain waves, which are the most healing and restorative. I’ve been doing this practice nearly every day. This article explains the science: How Yoga Nidra Can Help You Get More Sleep. The goal is to be awake the entire time. But if you fall asleep, that’s ok. You probably need the rest.
So set yourself up comfortably, lying down, with blankets and pillows, and hit play. Or download for later.
Take care of yourself, my friends. Be gentle. Be patient. Be kind.
Sending you so much love, positive energy, and good health.