This week has been a steady reminder of taking our yoga and meditation off our mats and into daily life. You are more prepared than you might believe.
One translation (SwamiJ) of Yoga Sutra 1.1 is:
Now, after having done prior preparations through life and other practices, the study of Yoga begins.
Your yoga begins in every moment. It begins when you remember to pause and take a deep breath to recenter. It begins when you catch your mind wandering into a story and make the choice to acknowledge and redirect. It begins when you hold all the good in your brain at the same time as the negative stuff, to see the big picture of a multitude of pieces at one time.
It begins when you remember to practice self-care and replenish yourself. Now is the time to continue or even increase your meditations and yoga to support yourself, your family, your community. I am working on online content and will keep you updated on how to access it.
Please, please, please also explore different ways to support your local yoga studios.
These past weeks in Massachusetts have been a challenge and a whirlwind of rapid shifts. But what I also see is a remarkable practice of the yamas (codes of self-regulation in how we interact with the world and other people, Yoga Sutra 2.30). Individuals, small businesses, corporations, and governments are choosing to put the community needs first in words and in action.