3 Simple Ways to Relax- Right Now
Effective tools I have been using to decompress this week…
Hello Beautiful Soul,
How are you today? For me this week has brought with it a gentler flow- Here on the beautiful island of Corfu, the lockdown is beginning to lift, bringing with it chances to explore new beaches, get out into the warm, stunning nature, and to reconnect with friends.
What a huge relief this is- Words cannot express my gratitude that I am able to enjoy this!
An online sharing circle with another group of friends brought me many windows into other peoples realities. It seems all the emotions possible seem to be playing out right now: Love, Gratitude, Grief, Boredom, Confusion, Overwhelm, Humour, Compassion… and so many other emotional states seem to be in and around us all at the moment. I hope that as you read this you are finding your own way through it all in a way that is bringing you growth and truth. It seems that finding ways to relax is more important now than ever.
Here are the 3 simple ways I’ve been relaxing that everyone can use right now.
1. Reflect on where you at are right now…
Part of relaxation is the ability to take stock of where you are right now. To give your mind something to chew on that helps you to find your best way forwards and also embraces what ‘is’, in this moment.
Take a moment to consider:
- What are you learning in this time?
- What is bringing more love and light into your days?
- How do you want to look back at this historical moment?
In the end, can’t all situations be catalysts to making us lighter, more loving and ever more connected to our deepest truths?
For many of us, this has been a time of great difficulty. Times of uncertainty and change are usually pretty scary and the stakes are particularly high right now.
So what to do?!
2. Bust Stress With Yoga…
When we are stressed our immune system becomes less effective, our brain stops functioning optimally and we cannot see the full range of opportunities available to us.
Stress perpetuates stress- relaxation breaks the cycle.
I think many of us have found new online avenues for relaxation, with many of the world’s best teachers as well as our favourite local teachers bringing things online. This is wonderful and it is in this spirit that I share my latest yoga video- a yin yoga practice to help you de-stress:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OFsl1QVky0&t=359s
3. Get offline and into the present!
However I also bring the invitation to make sure that you spend some time off-line, you might wish to try one of the following:
- Disconnect your computer
- Turn off the wifi and the phone
- Take a walk in nature… if you can
- Go into your garden… if you are lucky enough to have one
- Open a window and take a look at the sky
- Take some time in silent meditation
- Spend time with your pets
- Get creative, Play a musical instrument, draw, get crafty
You may even find ways to weave some simple offline mindfulness into your day doing the simple things such as washing up or hanging the laundry with full presence, full attention, and fully mindfulness- you may be surprised at just how many ways your senses can be stimulated when you bring your full presence to even the most mundane of things and this my friends is real life happening slowly, and beautifully all around us, all the time.
It is incredible that we have the power of the internet in our lives, but what is even more incredible is the fact that each of us reading this is presently alive, in a human body, living in an incredible world, within an incredible universe. I am observing my own electronic device usage in this past week and I’m looking at cutting down the time spent on electronic gadgets! I’m making space to allow time for mindfulness, presence, emotions, and real-life to unfold. Perhaps this is something you are doing too?… Or if not something that might serve you.
It is with much love and gratitude that I send you this message today, Look after yourself — mind, body and spirit and keep shining your unique and magical light,
Namaste, :) s