LATIBULE, a place of safety and comfort
“Be steadfast in the performance of your duty, O Arjun, abandoning attachment to success and failure. Such equanimity is called Yog.”
Bhagvad Gita
I arrived in Brussels on the 11th of March and settling into a quiet life due to the Covid-19 situation. All non-essential shops etc are closed except for pharmacies and grocery stores. With anxiety comes FEAR and UNCERTAINTY which leads to panic and emotional irrationality (rational part of brain switches off) leading to panic buying.
We are ALL affected, (its a pandemic) from parents, children, friends, acquaintances to co-workers, peers, to our local grocers etc. My own children who are living on opposite sides of the US to my elderly parents in India and my own siblings.
The threat is real and requires drastic measures like, social (physical) distancing, self-isolation or in some cases a lock down (Spain, Italy) to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It is NOW more so than ever that what I have learnt, practiced and teach on the yoga mat is put to practice. It’s about supporting and working as a community as oppose to focusing on individuality!
If we cannot rise up as a community during this spread of the Covid-19 then we have failed miserably and do not deserve this planet!
I cannot stress how important self-isolation is, not only for myself but for my family and community. How many times have we read, heard or taken the time for ourselves? Now it is staring us in the face like a bull in a ring and it would be foolish to ignore it because we feel invincible!
I don’t have any right answers nor a magic wand to wish this away (….. maybe if I wished long enough… ) however what I do have is ‘Latibule’. It’s what you can do in your place of safety and comfort where ever that maybe.
This is how I spend time in my temporary Latibule which is simple with just the bare necessities!
· I have a created a routine from the moment I am awake till bedtime. This brings a sense of normalcy into my life. It provides me with stability and a foundation that sets the tone for the day.
· Exploring my yoga practice further. When the body is healthy the mind is too.
· With time on my hand I call family and friends, touching base with them and not via texts but video calls and what a difference this makes. Build relationships and bonds that will last and works wonders for our emotional wellbeing.
· If you are like me and have books that are collecting dust, now is the time to read them. The more we feed our mind with things that are inspirational and educational the healthier our outlook will be.
· Music is soothing and comforting and I always have it playing in the background. If you are on Spotify then do check out my various playlist on it. (benandsavira) Mantras and soothing music calms the nervous system.
· Cooking is not my strong point so am working on that… being creative with some decent outcomes and some not so! Eat healthy while having fun creating them!
· These are just a few things, be creative, innovative and literally take pleasure in the small mundane chores. This brings joy and contentment into our routine.
What I am trying to say is this it’s not about me myself and I. Life continues not on the outside but from within, on a deep and energetic level. This shift or change is unsettling and brings out the ugliness within many. It is a time for introspection, understanding, offer/accept and being compassionate to those that are having a hard time. By doing our duty with sincerity we create a circle of trust and hope. Together we can re build and change the current climate we live in.
Questioning our beliefs and making changes re build or create a world that is worthy of our presence.
PS: Let me know how I can support you in your practice or during this difficult time. I am available via email and if you need to chat ...... call. Be safe and stay healthy as you matter!