November 2020
"Yoga is a way to freedom. By its constant practice, we can free ourselves from fear, anguish and loneliness.”
– Indra Devi
This year finds me at a loss for words. Who would have thought that we would be canceling Thanksgiving and maybe even all holiday events? I remember it used to be a joke when I was a child when someone said, "Let's just cancel Christmas." That was beyond any possible stretch of my imagination, as the holidays are my favorite time of year!
This year, we are asked to take care of one another by staying home and celebrating virtually or remotely, isolated from our loved ones. There is always the option of sitting outside in the rain at a picnic table with a cold Thanksgiving meal. And yet I remind myself that there is so much in my life that is good and true and full of light.
The one constant for me since the beginning of the pandemic was continuing to practice my yoga. It didn't take long for my teacher to start offering virtual classes which helped me through a very confusing and alarming time during our first lockdown in March. I knew it was important to maintain continuity with my classes and private clients, and started teaching right away. The people I work with suffer from chronic pain and illness, and I understood the importance of continuing their yoga practice to manage their symptoms. I have an intimate relationship with chronic pain myself, and without continuing my practice, I knew that life would become even more difficult.
As Indra Devi states so eloquently, "yoga leads us to freedom." With consistent practice we can free ourselves from fear, anguish and isolation. Indra is one of the few female yogis (Yoginis) and lived to be 102! I wonder what she would say now if she were alive? Maybe she would also be at a loss for words.
When we are faced with fear, anguish and isolation, it is easy to become paralyzed with worry about a situation that is mostly out of our control. By continuing my practice and offering the benefits of yoga to others, I remind myself again and again that yoga can lead me to freedom and even happiness.
I ask myself “how do we find happiness when we are isolated from our loved ones”? The obvious answer is a phone call or a virtual connection. And this year we have to be okay with that. At the very core of our humanity we know that we have to take care of one another. Sometimes that means sacrificing the traditions and entitlements of what used to be our "normal" life. Yoga also teaches us that if we change our perspective, maybe the simple joys in life are enough. With this extra time on our hands, maybe we can find something deeper within ourselves that we wouldn't have found otherwise.
It is incredibly hard to put into words what has happened in 2020. I encourage all of you to practice your yoga, be kind and gentle with yourself, and know that there is freedom in consistent and steady practice.
Wishing you all safety, health and healing