The Covid-19 pandemic has kept us locked down but in a way, set many of us free.
Free in the sense that we no longer have to be bound to our way of life that used to be before this pandemic began.
We are all indoors and our yoga is online. A few weeks into the lock-down and my routine shifted, my yoga practice was disrupted, my teaching schedule shifted, & there were too many things to be done at home – it was chaos.
At this point I was also juggling a full-time corporate job which was in a company being adversely impacted by the Covid-19 situation. On some days I had way too many things to do and some days I had too much time at hand.
It took me a few weeks to realize and come to terms with the possibility of this being the new normal for a significant period into the future. Life feels different for sure.
Here are a few lessons learned from this quarantine –
Have a fixed routine but be flexible
Let’s admit it, we are creatures of habit. If you are someone like me who loves having a routine, this pandemic has made balancing working from home and “living at home” quite difficult. In India, we are privileged to have easy access to domestic help in whose absence, dealing with basic personal and family needs along with work, became exhausting and overwhelming.
So, I decided to start small by making micro changes to my routine making the best use of technology to help me organise my schedule. I set reminders on my phone for tasks and had almost everything up on my calendar.
Yet, there were days when I would not be able to follow it because of complete exhaustion or unplanned activities taking over. I would then beat myself up for not being able to stick to a plan.
This is when I realized I must be more flexible to move things around and be accepting of the outcome. This brings me to my next point.
Embrace the Wabi-Sabi & go with the flow
During the lock-down, I read ‘Ikigai’ where I came across 'Wabi-Sabi' , an ancient Japanese world view that values the imperfections and impermanence of things. I was happy to find a word that describes a concept I realized had unknowingly been following.
Everything exists in a state of ebb & flow,
Like the tides of the ocean,
Ever changing, Stillness Fleeting.
Embrace the imperfections & impermanence of situations in your life that are a result of this pandemic & consider them to be a catalyst for change. Accept that some days you can stick to your plan/routine and on some, you’ll just have to go with the flow.
It is essential to remember that this too shall pass; nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.
I find this especially relevant in the current times because this pandemic has completely altered plans and goals for many lives and businesses. It has caused a severe global impact in multiple ways.
It is Ok to be afraid
As creatures of habit this has completely thrown many of us off balance & led to fear of what is to come. This is completely normal and it is ok.
Treat your fears like house guests – invite them in, sit with them, ask them where they come from, understand why they are visiting you, learn from them, but don’t let them stay.
You can use journalling as a technique to write things down and find clarity.
In the era of information overload, we are constantly bombarded with statistics, news and stories that bring down our emotional energy levels and, add to our fears.
Choose wisely on when & how much information you want to consume.
Be grateful, count your blessings
Listening to the news and getting a glimpse of the horror stories caused by the pandemic for millions of people in the world made me realize how privileged I am. I realized how we take for granted the importance of the bare necessities of life – good health, food, shelter, clothing & my loved ones around me. On a normal day, pre-Covid19, one would rarely find oneself being grateful for these things.
Enjoy the little things in life - approach daily routines & chores with an attitude of ritualistic living to make them more enjoyable.
Every day, I now count my blessings for every privilege, including my education & ability to earn a living from the comfort of my home during a pandemic. Most importantly, I feel grateful for having a supportive family.
Connect to a higher power
When we let go of the idea of us being the most supreme beings and open our minds to the fact that we have little to no control of our future, it increases our ability to handle situations with ease.
For example, a single-celled organism like a virus, has had the power to change the world and even bring it to a near stand-still.
Yoga Sutra 1.23 talks about Isvarapranidhana where the word Isvara translates to God. While the concept of God does not resonate with every person, it can be looked at as ‘A higher power’ or a superior energy state that is responsible for the various happenings in the universe.
‘A higher power’ can mean anything that has more power over you in a situation. ‘Power’ can mean any ability or quality that is present in you but present in a higher degree in the situation/other person/what we consider to be an obstacle. For example, an umpire or the referee decides the outcome and everyone surrenders to that decision. Understanding the concept of surrender and applying it in your life helps deal with fear and uncertainty.
If you resonate with this or would like to share your opinion or experience, leave me a note in the comments section. Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it.
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