Coping with Covid 19

Coping with Covid 19

As we all face the new reality in front of us, we all have a different response and ways to adapt to the overwhelming and challenging circumstances in front and ahead of us. Fear of the unknown can often have the common reaction to paralyze us and bring us to a state of sudden panic. Yet, there are other more healthy ways to respond to situations of crisis.

It is natural to feel at a loss in front of chaotic situations; specially in front of the unknown which puts us in an immediate “flght-or-flight response”. Yet yoga can provide us with various tools to choose an alternative path and a wide range of responses which can be more conducive to our overall well-being.

In the first place, taking a very deep breath in order to let our bodies, minds and spirits calm down is a fist must. As we engage in full breathing exercises or more elaborate pranayama forms of breathing, we can quickly observe how the physical tension and state of stress gives way to a sense of peace and calmness. This is an easy and quick fix to turn the initial negative response into a positive one to provide us with a healthier perspective of our inner power to control what is, from our own inner center of inner peace.

The practice of yoga teaches us that beyond our inner aura there is a constantly chaotic and ever-changing existence and by learning not to identify with that constantly changing wheel surrounding us all, we can dive to the only space we can control; and that is ourselves and our personal path of response. We can create a filtering system to imagine ways to block the virus or anything coming to attack our inner or physical world. We can create a ring or  screen of light around us and our loves ones offering the protection we need to combat anything coming to steal our well-being. This is the power of positive thinking and imaging, the gift of transcendental meditation which can have a calming effect; thus, dissolving any negativity on the way and boosting our immune system.

Yoga also has some very good detoxifying practices to keep our organs and body healthy and running to their optimal potential. Eating fresh greens and fruits, getting our asanas in daily and using the neti pot to cleanse the nasal and respiratory tracks; all can be beneficial at this time.

We can also use “mind over matter” and train our minds to alert us anytime we want to bring our hands to our face. The key to letting the virus in is not our hands but the action of bringing our hands to our faces when our hands may be dirty or may have been exposed to the virus. Cleaning our hands thoroughly and frequently and remembering not to bring then to our faces can be our best weapon to fight this virus along with the suggested tool of self-isolation.

All the practice of yoga can be so useful during this difficult times. Later I will share more about how to remain strong while practicing social isolation and how to keep the mind strong through positive thinking.

Knowing we are never alone and we are all part of the whole will make us responsible for our actions and in the power we have to choose all the necessary positive responses to benefit the common good; acting from the center of oneself to bless all our surroundings from the inside out. We are part of the fabric of humanity, we are all part of the one essence of life and together each person from their center of inner peace, we can all beat with solidarity and love this virus!

Let’s join forces together to do what is right now!