Self-care is defined and experienced in a multitude of ways. We’ve been forced to slow down, inhale a deep collective breath, and take a pause. We’re being asked to take great care of ourselves so that we can survive. It’s clear the world is flat-out demanding self-care in this historic moment. This is a global a-pause-calypse.
Any meditator or yogi would agree that there’s an alluring grace that comes with intentional breathing. When we sip in air with intention to calm our racing minds, a new pace begins to settle into our innate rhythm. Right now, grace is the pace.
We’ve been gifted with time away from our domesticated, far too busy, and oftentimes mindless routines. This new mandated way of living has thrown our on-the-go lifestyles out of the previously created loop. We’re being asked to shed what no longer works in our lives to create new routines and systems to better support our world and our humanity. This is our opportunity to make a new loop.
I published my first book last year. The second highest trending comment (after congratulations) I heard was “I’ve always wanted to write a book but I don’t have the time.” Well, this a-pause-calypse has brought many of us the gift of time. One thing a pause can bring, if used correctly, is silence from the typical mind chatter. Once we can quiet the mind, even for a brief moment, we can hear what our hearts have been yearning to tell us.
Nothing brings me more joy than when I dance in a beautiful flow with my writing muses. When I’m in writing mode, I create a disciplined self-care routine in order to produce my work. I make sure I’m eating nourishing foods, getting a solid night’s sleep, taking luxurious baths, and practicing yoga. These self-care habits did a stellar job of preparing me for our current global circumstance of being house bound. Self-care is how I’ve been weathering this storm. Along with writing. I’ve found this time to be quite fertile for my craft and quite uplifting for my joy.
Perhaps the world is demanding self-care to awaken the artist within each of us. We all have a contribution to make to this planet. If you’ve got a story inside of you, use this time to write it. If you’ve got a product or app idea, research the steps on how to bring it to life. If you’ve got a gift to share with the world (which I believe we all do), now is the time to unwrap it. Let us learn from history; what happened after the Bubonic Plague? The Renaissance.
All the answers are held in two places: your heart and the device you’re currently reading this on. This is a time to use the Internet and social media as an alley. While we might be alone in our homes, there are unlimited online communities that are welcoming new ideas and offering assistance however they can. Find sanity in community (while in captivity).
Yoga teachers are streaming live classes (check out @joekarayoga, his classes are rhythmic and soulful). Energy healers are offering remote grounding sessions and clearings (I’ve recently had sessions with @wisdom_healings, @heatherinaaa, @reikicreative, @reikiunleashed, and @alexandermuzio). Online communities are opening up their Zoom doors, welcoming participants for guided meditations and online courses (@joanofsparc is my go-to for all things Inner Journey, @iamsophienik hilariously harnesses positive momentum for our unique times, @helenvonderheide is teaching Akashic Records Certification Classes—and I couldn’t think of a better time to tap into the Records). Perhaps you’re like me and find astrological insights to be helpful (@cosmicattunement and @cielawynter have fascinating perspectives). These are just an example of the thousands of people here for you right now (we’re all here for each other).
People are rising to the occasion to their dharma. Dharma is defined as sacred duty (meaning doing what you came here to do) and it is the ultimate example of grace being the pace. Dharma’s bottom line is to help others—why do we do anything if not for others? A writer is wordless with no reader. A painter is blind with no viewer. A dancer is motionless with no stage. Right now we have all the readers and viewers watching the stage. Create.
There’s a different world out there for us when this is over. How we choose to use this time will determine what that world will look like. My prayer is that it will be a heart-centered world where kindness leads and art drives our culture forward. This is our dress rehearsal. It’s time to listen to our hearts and create our art. Let’s allow grace to be the pace in this new era upon us.