Slow and steady wins the race
But also, don't sit back or hide. Read on for some things that have been helpful to me this week to feel safe, supported, and hopeful in bleak times.
The world is shifting underneath us after this week’s U.S. election, and it’s been very helpful for me personally to do the things that are nourishing and that connect me to grounding and support.
Moving and staying committed to my practice and workouts and meditation work have been key. A bulleted list of other things that have buoyed me are further down in this post.
But first, a reflection: 8 years ago, I was in a teacher training session with Christina Sell in San Marcos, TX, and I learned a lesson then that has stayed with me. That lesson is this:
When things go wrong and seem devastating, it can be tempting to curl up into a ball and hide. To do things like restorative yoga. To numb out. This can be a strategy. Another strategy is to move energy and to get your feet underneath you so you can stand up and open your heart.
That day, we did a pretty vigorous back-bending practice focused on getting very grounded in the legs. We got our feet underneath us so we could stand up (backbends are half in the legs and half in the upper body). We opened our hearts.
(Backbends like this one are not necessary. The concept is the same.)
It really helped.
It didn’t solve everything (as we well know), but it helped.
There are many ways to move energy, get your feet underneath you and open your heart. Here’s my list of what has been helpful to me:
Recognizing the good - no violence, no election denial, plenty of finger-pointing, but some level for the desire for understanding, a graceful concession speech and agreement to work together.
Recognizing our agency - what CAN you do to contribute to your community, your family, yourSelf? Resist the urge to succumb to powerlessness. Find the boundaries and hold them.
Getting resourced - Do things that help you feel safe, comfortable. Keep returning to these and ALSO swing out toward the edge of what you can handle so you can expand your capacity. This can be used for anything in life.
Feel what you feel - a keystone of my own practice and teaching: notice your experience of your emotions in your body. Decide how you WANT to feel (confident? empowered? connected? grounded? peaceful?) and cultivate that in your practice. This is somatics at work. More to come on this in future posts.
Dig into long-form content - reading and studying and listening critically to information coming at us is hard. Try to flex that attention muscle and go beyond the snippets of social media toward deeper understanding. One recommendation: Heather Cox Richardson’s excellent Substack.
Do the simple things of life - Chop wood, carry water. Put one foot in the other. This is helping me immensely. I’ve loved reading blog posts this week about the best way to organize in prep for the holidays, for example, or how to cut back plants in the Fall. I’ll be making protein pumpkin muffins today and spending time with my daughter, who’s in town for a few weeks (yay!).
Group text with my mom and sister - sharing resources that we find helpful, getting quick hits of love.
Connect to community - In big or little ways. I have often had this somewhat silly method of picturing people at the airport or the grocery store, etc. wearing yoga clothes. It helps me feel connected to everyone, no matter who they are. We are really all practicing this thing called life. Reach toward “us” vs. “them,” in whatever way gets you there.
I hope this list helps a little. Let’s keep on keeping on, knowing that progress isn’t aways linear, and can feel like a messy project. This is the long game.
Slow and steady wins the race.
And if you feel like doing something “normal,” I’m teaching an online Shoulder Mobility Workshop next Wednesday, November 13th at 9am PST (it will be recorded), and this might be just what you need to open up your heart a little, to feel your body, and feel better.
(no big backbends…don’t worry!!! This is great work appropriate for ALL).
Here’s what it’s all about:
FREE YOUR SHOULDERS!
A SHOULDER HEALTH MINI-WORKSHOP
Build Resilience & Mobility in Your Shoulders
Nov 13th / 9am-10:30am PST
*recording included, and available for 10 days following workshop
And I’m extending the special deal….use coupon code “OPENUP50” to get 50% off this workshop (normally $35) when you register by this Sunday, November 10th. (Also, please reach out if finances are an issue and you’d like to come. No one will be turned away. Just email me.)
>> Click here to register for the Shoulder Health Mini-Workshop <<
Help your shoulders feel great, decrease pain, and increase your range of motion over time in this area of the body!
Join me for this 90-minute mini-workshop, which covers:
3 common movement restrictions in the shoulders
mobility screens to measure progress
several mobility drills that you can do to improve shoulder health
Suitable for all levels, this workshop is a great compliment to yoga practice, weight lifting, and any other physical activity (along with just generally living in the world!). This is also a wonderful workshop for fitness professionals and yoga teachers to attend, as you'll get some great tools to use with your students.
Recommended equipment that will be helpful for this workshop includes:
Space at a wall
A broomstick or dowel (a yoga strap will also work)
2 tennis balls or massage balls
2 yoga blocks (or just use hardcover books)
I hope your shoulders feel great after this workshop!
Participants will receive a recording of the workshop if you can't attend live. The recording will be available for 10 days following the workshop.
>> Click here to register for the Shoulder Health Mini-Workshop <<
I hope you’ll join me in doing what you can to feel better.
xo,
Robin